rants and raves

075. Guangzhou

2011-01-04T22:44:00.000+08:00

view from my hotel room

arrived in Guangzhou this afternoon. will stay for 3 weeks for work. can I survive?

074. Bleh

2011-01-03T23:46:00.001+08:00

I feel so alone right now.

073. Nails~

2011-01-02T18:51:00.001+08:00

New color on my nails.

Yes, it's purple. Biased is biased.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

072. Happy New Year

2011-01-01T20:18:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year! Let's make 2011 an awesome year! :)

071. Flight to Costa Rica

2010-11-08T02:30:00.002+08:00

Delta has wi-fi onboard some of their aircrafts now. That's why I'm able to write this post.

Halfway through my trip to San Jose, the pilot announced that we are going back to Atlanta due to a mechanical error.

People around me was like whyyyy?!!! What's the problem?!! Oh em geeee!!!

Me?

I'm.... tweeting and FBing people. The stewardess asked me if I was in a state of shock since I don't have any reaction. I was like no, I'm calm enough coz the pilot said we can still turn around and not ... crash.

People were like eh is she for realzzz??

Morbid as it may sound, I am not afraid of dying. It's like if it's my time then it is my time. I don't have any qualms of having unfinished business.

Prolly coz I lost too many people since last year, the most painful of which is the death of my dad.

Thano goodness for wifi onboard. I can die in style coz I was able to tweet and semd msgs to my loved ones. Hahaha :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Plane

070. UK

2010-09-25T02:55:00.000+08:00

I always wondered if UK, England, and Great Britain are one and the same. Good ol wiki provided the answer. :)

UK - consists of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales
Great Britain - consists of England, Scotland, and Wales
England - largest country of UK

Uhmm, as usual, pointless na naman. Hahaha.

During my off-days, aside from pub crawling, I went to several castles -- Alnwick castle and Edinburgh castle are the most prominent. Alnwick is where they shot the Harry Potter films. Edinburgh is in Scotland and one of the oldest castles.

Here are some pics from my trip -

I wasn't able to explore some of the rooms in Alnwick coz the Duke and his family were there so some rooms were off limits and picture taking inside the castle is limited.

I had fun exploring the grounds though. I felt like a princess. Hinahanap ko nga ang tiara ko eh. Feelingera lang. Haha! :D

069. Brain poop

2010-09-21T17:56:00.000+08:00

How can one say that he/she is attractive?
I see/hear a lot of people telling others how attractive they are. Sometimes I agree... Sometimes it makes me think...

Is that self-confidence speaking? or should I remind myself that beauty is relative?

On a personal note, I always think of myself as normal-looking -- someone you can meet on the street and forget about after a few seconds.

068. Lamppie post

2010-09-16T17:15:00.001+08:00

I've tweeted last night that lamp posts are my bffs when I am in the UK. I almost got blown by the wind on my way back to the hotel last night. But lamppie saved me so I am dedicating this post to IT. *LOL*

Taken on my way to work this morning. :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

067. Updatesss

2010-09-13T10:47:00.000+08:00

A lot has happened since my last entry. ~~in bullet points coz I'm lazy like that~~.

Costa Rican crushie came to Manila. He's no longer my crush by the way. Arggh.
Went on vacation with MkSurf8, RKGreg, and their friends for 10 days.
Took my mom to NY for a well-deserved break
Flew to Amsterdam the day after. Met my friend and partied. There are things I saw which made me o_O but it was all good.
Flying to UK now for business meetings.

Schipol is one of my fave airports. It's the central hub in Europe but it is organized so I love it.

I also love KLM. Ang guapo nun FA na na-assign samin. Hehehe. :D

It's different pa rin if you're travelling alone ~~wala akong pictures bwiset~~ pero it is the time to reflect on things.

066. Random cheesy moment

2010-08-05T13:01:00.000+08:00

Had a chat with Geeky bear yesterday over YM. We were talking about my crush and then he asked --

Geeky bear: Nasaan na ba si *crush* ngayon?

Ruby: Eto, andito parin sa puso ko.

Na-speechless at nabilaukan si Geeky bear sa sagot ko. Hahaha!

--> geeky bear

065. Birthday post

2010-08-01T21:17:00.000+08:00

My first name is Diana. Ruby is just my 2nd name and I don't really use it offline. I was named Diana coz I was born when Prince Charles married Princess Diana. Ruby coz it's my birthstone.

Wala lang. Wala ako maisip na intro. Hehe. :D

I usually have a week long celebration mainly because I have different sets of friends -- high school, college, F4 fandom, Kpop fandom, Jpop fandom, and the newly added beki friends.

But this year, I didn't find it appropriate to have a party coz of my dad's death. I still cry everytime I go to sleep. I miss my dad so much. Daddy's girl eh.

Anyways, I can't turn down naman invites to go out coz that will be rude. I feel blessed that I have friends who never forget my birthday. :D

One of the best things that happened is that I got a call from R after 5 years of not speaking. I want to say I'm not bitter anymore. Hehe. So now, perfect na ang track record ko with the ex-es. lahat sila friends ko na! hahaha! Ang rationale lang is: why burn bridges with someone, who in one point of your life, became your most important one?! :D

Ang nakakatawa they were my "dates" for the weekend! Breakfast, lunch, coffee, dinner. Naman! Paano ako magkakaroon ng bagong bf niyan if sila pa din ang kasama ko. Hehe. Oks lang. Love spending time with them. :)

Overall, it was a good weekend except that MGG is leaving for SF na.

I definitely will have a celebration next year. Aba, that's the big 3-0. Dapat i-celebrate! :D

064. Fun Saturday

2010-07-25T19:09:00.000+08:00

Saturday is always a high point for me. I always look forward to this day after 5 full days of being stressed at work. This Saturday is no different.

I did go to the office (boo!) before I went to the surprise birthday party for 2 very good friends - Sef and JC. Super fun siya! I never knew Jollibee kiddie parties can be so fun! Hahaha. Me thinks it's the people who made the party memorable. May mga cuties din na crew... sayang, I wasn't able to take a picture with them. :D

After the party, xall and I went to another party. Geeky bear is hosting a party together with 3 other celebrants. I was shy (initially haha!) coz I barely knew anyone. Vodka changed all that.

Suffice to say, my threats to have people dance were really effective. Pano naman sabihin ko ba na ang di sumayaw, type ako... Naman. Biglang nabuhay ang mga tao at sayaw sila to the max. Hahaha. :D

Glad to have met a lot of bloggers there! :D

063. out of hiatus

2010-07-18T21:39:00.001+08:00

I'm back. Yun lang. Hahaha. :D

For those who don't know me, here's my picture together with MGGFF folks --

Hanapin niyo na lang ako. *rofl*

062. Indefinite hiatus

2010-06-22T01:16:00.002+08:00

My dad died last Saturday so I am back in Manila to attend the wake and funeral service.
With that, I will be on indefinite hiatus on this blog.

Thanks guys, it's been nice knowing all of you.

061. Ideal Man

2010-06-16T06:54:00.000+08:00

Got this idea from Anteros' Dominion's post here. Nainggit ako so nag-post din ako. Haha! :D

Simple lang ang gusto ko: either someone who is richer than me (don't worry, poorita ako, haha) or someone who has a higher office position than me (notes taker lang ako, haha).

Ang pinaka-ayoko ay yung mga lalaking insecure sa buhay.

Impossible ba? Kaya siguro single pa din ako. Hahaha. :D

060. My 15 seconds of fame

2010-06-14T10:32:00.000+08:00

Taken at American Eagle Outfitters store, Times Square, NYC

All you need to do is buy something at the store. Present the receipt to the photographer. He takes your picture. Then you go outside and wait for your picture to flash on the billboard. Super fun! :D

059. Zhu ni sheng ri kuai le

2010-06-09T09:30:00.000+08:00

It's been 7 years since I first laid eyes on you. Even though many years have passed, you remain no.1 in my heart. Happy birthday Vic! I will see you soon in Taipei!

058. Home Away From Home Part 2

2010-06-02T00:50:00.001+08:00

Remember this post where I've said shower room na lang ang kulang?

Look what I've found in my inbox this evening:

Pfft... Ayaw na talaga akong pauwiin. *LOL*

057. Family posts

2010-05-24T00:07:00.000+08:00

While eating dinner...

Dad: What do you want for breakfast tomorrow?

Me: None. Diet ako.

Dad: Anong diet diet? Di pwede.

Me: You said I'm fat. (*pouts at Dad*)

Dad: I NEVER! (Dad is indignant)

Me: Awww.. sige. I want hotdogs and scrambled eggs.

*Mom snickered then whispered to me*

Mom: Di ba your dad said your face looks like ensaymada.. Last week lang yun!

*Dad stood up and had the audacity to laugh*

*I ran after dad and gave him a bear hug*

Owari~

That, folks, is the 787832742734th reason why I love my parents. :D

056. Question

2010-05-18T02:57:00.000+08:00

What would you rather have?

Peace or Freedom?

055. Ruby and straight bars

2010-05-17T02:16:00.000+08:00

Spent the weekend at Singapore with my baby.~~Belat sa mga sumeseryoso~~. Hahaha. :D Wala kaming ginawa kungdi kumain, uminom, mag-shopping, at matulog. I had no restraints on food and alcohol. But I must say I'm proud of my self-restraint on shopping coz I only bought 1 bag (Longchamp's Le Pliage) ~~plus a lot of notebooks and pens~~. But who's counting?! Hihihi.... :D

Anyways, we met with Ian for a night out in a.... *drumroll please* ... straight bar (!!!) in Clarke Quay.

I have a confession to make: I don't like going to straight bars. I don't want guys approaching me or buying me drinks. I'm weird like that. ^~*

But... OH EM GEE... madaming eye candies that night! Shempre ang dalawa kong kasama, busog na busog ang mga mata. Pero in fairness, look lang, no touch. Bantay sarado ng yours truly. Hahaha. :D

Anyways, our eyes zeroed in on a cutie - feeling ko Eurpoean siya. He's really guapo. I know the definition of guapo is subjective pero the three of us agreed na hot looking si kuya. Hehehe. :D

He's the one behind Ian.

See that guy beside him (blue shirt), sobrang bantay sarado si cutie. Bino-box out lahat ng gustong lumapit. Feeling namin gay couple sila. Hahaha. :D

Long story short, kinausap ako ni cutie. Kinilig ako pero after that, I don't like him na. Yeah. =.=
Anyways, thanks to bb and Ian kasi sila ang aking shield against guys. :D

054. Ehhhhhh

2010-05-04T22:31:00.001+08:00

Crap. I didn't have any entry for April. I was too tied up with work ~~and was too lazy to write anything~~. Nothing much happened. Got back from the US, went to KL, work, work, and more work. :D

Hopefully, this is not my only entry in May. *LOL*

See yah around ~

053. Away from Home

2010-03-06T00:38:00.000+08:00

Beautiful sunrise view from my apartment.

I'm currently in the US for a business trip. I usually stay at a hotel but since I'm on indefinite business trip, I was asked to stay in a condo. I'll take pics of my unit and post it here soon-ish.

My office is in one of the towers. Took this on my way to work in the am.

It usually takes me 10 minutes to walk from the condo to the office. The weather is a bit cold but the wind chills are a bit harsh. I always put on a smile while walking. Aba, if ma-freeze ang face ko, at least I'm perpetually smiling! Feeling ko para ako nagpa-botox dahil di ko magalaw ang face ko. Hahaha! :D

I don't like going to HQ coz the downtown is boring. Nothing much to do and the malls actually close at 6 frigging pm! Hahaha! Goodness. :D

Anyways, I'm off to lunch. Laters~

Mwah!

052. Home Away from Home

2010-02-18T00:00:00.000+08:00

In the effort of promoting work-life effectiveness, our company made new rooms in our floors to help us relax and be fit. There are 2 new rooms in my own floor and officemates are telling me that they had me in mind when they did the design. *LOL*

First stop: Bike Room
I always complain that I don't have enough time to go to the gym so they made this room for me. Haha!

I can now watch my Asian concerts/dramas when biking. Hehe.

We have a boxing room as well in the upper floor and an aero-chorva in another floor.

Second Stop: Ruby Zen Room

I think there is one massage room every floor.

You can have a full massage or partial depending on your needs. Perfect for my sore and tired muscles.

The sound of the water is lulling me to sleep....zzzzzzzz....

If I am sleepy enough, I have my sofa bed with me. Zzzzzz...

In short, ayaw na nila ako pauwiin. Kulang na lang shower room. Hahaha! :D

051. Love celebrations

2010-02-14T21:36:00.000+08:00

Happy Valentines Day everyone and Cong Xi Fa Cai to my Chinese friends. :D
Ever since I became a fan of Asian entertainment, I usually adapt the Asian cultures as well.

For love celebrations, we have Valentine's Day, White Day, and Black Day.

Valentine's Day - celebrated every Feb 14. This is the time that girls will give chocolates to the boys they like as an expression of love. I gave chocolates to the men I used to like to show how sincere my feelings for them. Since they didn't know the tradition, I passed it off as trying to change the concept of the day. *LOL*

White Day - celebrated every Mar 14. This time boys who received the "chocolate of love" can show their feelings by giving the girl they like with chocolate (usually more expensive than what the girl gave). 5 years ago, I had a boyfriend by that time. *LOL*

Black Day - celebrated every Apr 14. This time the girls who didn't receive anything on White day and the boys who didn't receive chocolates on Valentine's Day gather together and eat. It was aptly called Single Awareness Day. :p

For the last 4 years, I've been celebrating Black Day and this year is not an exemption. I wonder who's gonna eat with me? *LOL*

050. Commercial muna

2010-02-08T19:59:00.000+08:00

Commercial muna from the emo-ness. Haha! I thought I can only get this via email. I thought wrong! Haha! As I've said in one of my blog posts, I created a formspring account coz I wanted to secure my name. I don't intend to answer questions but I do check the inbox from time to time. I was surprised when I saw this last Sunday.

Is he calling Zashi a slut? Ahhh foul na yan. Virgin pa yun aso ko noh.

It's hard to read it without pause. Try niyo.

*LMAO*

I usually don't mind the hate coz I haven't done anything wrong. Pero pag emo ka na and nabasa mo pa 'to, it pulls you down even lower. I don't even broadcast my formspring in twitter and yet this person found me yet again. Naman. I can understand. Stalker din ako... Asian celebrities nga lang. :D

049. Insa

2010-02-08T00:54:00.004+08:00

Grabbed the chance to have a noraebang (Korean term for videoke) and drinking session to end my weekend. The week was like a rollercoaster with lots of complicated turns and shifts for me. Thank goodness, I still came out sane (well, I think.)

I have a new fave drink called Soju bomb. It's a combination of Soju and Beer. There are two types of soju bomb - poktanju (1 shot of soju with a pint of beer) or suso poktanju (1 shot of beer with a pint of beer). I'm all for equality so I mix half pint soju and half pint of beer! Sarap! Beer should be Korean though to be more "natural".

Anyways, after downing so many soju bombs, I was brave enough to sing Insa. This song was in the OST of Millionaire's First Love, a Korean movie that I absolutely love. I managed not to break down in tears kahit sapul na sapul ang meaning ng kanta.

Even that time when the wind stays

It's not enough for me.

I smile one more time and give my final greeting:

I love you.

I am tired now and love hurts but

Even if that time is just a memory

I have to give my final greeting.

I love you, I love you.

Fly away Fly away LOVE

In the afterlife I will greet my love again

.... think happy thoughts Ruby. happy thoughts.

translation credits:bangkuh of aheeyah.com
youtube credits: dvc

048. Greeting card

2010-02-03T20:18:00.001+08:00

Received a greeting card from my Swiss friends today...

for Christmas and New Year! *LOL* ~~Baka naman advance!~~

Prolly got delayed coz they wrote PHILPINES in the envelope. Hehe.

Thanks Banana and Nanami of Absolute Baka forum. :D

Wala lang, trying to find humor in my life right now. :D

047. Saying goodbye to a friend

2010-02-02T23:02:00.000+08:00

Last Saturday, I received a text from a friend that Noel has succumbed to cancer. I was shocked since I thought he already won the battle a few years back. The first thought that came to mind was, oh no. not again. Last year, I lost 5 friends. I don't want to count deaths again this year. T_T

Today, we finally laid him to rest. You know what hurt me the most and made me cry the hardest during the funeral rites? His tear-stricken father said, "children bury their parents, not the other way around. I never imagined that I will bury my son today." It was the same thing my parents said when we buried my brother 15 years ago.

Noel and I had a lot of wonderful moments together which I will forever cherish until it's my time to die.

Rest in peace, Noel. I love you.

PS. Noel was my first boyfriend and my first love.

046. Work question

2010-01-26T20:53:00.000+08:00

I registered in formspring so my sn can't be claimed by others (~~Nag-sign up nga ako dati sa g4m e~~) and so I could let the others know that I am the one asking questions. *LOL* But someone found it and asked me a question.

Do you ever get tired with what you do?

The answer is definitely no. Despite the constant ranting in twitter, I really love my work. Even if people from the US set up meetings with me at 3 am, it's okay! Accept accept lang ~~except for videoke nights~~! I think that's the key to success, as long as you love and you're happy with your work, you can go the extra mile and achieve a lot of things.

With that, I'd like to say sorry for not being able to read blogs anymore. As I've said in my previous entry, I have a presentation with the directors this week so I've been busy preparing for it since last week. I can only update my blog and post tweets. Twitter, blog and FB really help to lower my stress levels.

Looking forward to the weekend kahit wala pa plans. My weekends are a lot of fun, thanks to friends. :D

045. C-A-R

2010-01-25T21:17:00.000+08:00

Context: Big meeting with the directors this week about two projects I'm currently handling.

Action: Spent a lot of time to keep the projects up-to-date which translates to talking to a lot of people on different time zones. Got stressed because CPS was not being followed by some so eat, eat, and eat.

Result: Presentation slides are done. Projects are on-track. High cholesterol and sugar level.

I'm still on-track in terms of work goals. But I'm off-track (careening to a dead end actually) in terms of my health goals. The doctor said I have to go on a diet to bring my cholesterol and sugar down to more acceptable levels.

I was never a fan of diet plans. I tried a few but gave up on them after a few times. I'm not one of those girls who would starve themselves to death so they could get thin. Hmmm... although I could buy a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes or a Prada bag so I wouldn't have any money for food. Instant ~~death~~ slim! Haha. Just kidding. :D

If only I could prioritize health like how I prioritize my work then I would be strong as a horse. I definitely need some good advice.

044. weekends

2010-01-19T18:04:00.001+08:00

The past two weekends were super fun and memorable!

1st weekend:
Friday - My fandom sisters and I had a pajama party! We watched several clips ranging from Japanese concerts to Korean variety shows to Chinese commercials. Basically, it was a hodge podge of our fandoms. We really ROFL on a Korean variety show called Family Outing. Sumakit jaw ko sa kakatawa! The guests were BOF's Kim Hyun Joon and Big Bang's Seungri. I was trying to find a clip in youtube but everything was removed due to copyright violation.
Also, with this group, we love to dress up/wear costumes. If you have twitter, I posted my pic with a purple wig! Super enjoy ako. I wasn't willing to part with the wig even if it was time for sleep. *LOL*

Saturday - one word - fantabulous! :D I attended the Fabcasters' New Year's Party and it was great! Love the people and the drinks (Soju and Patron Tequila)! This was when I realized my true calling as a kiss instigator (thanks misterhubs!)

Sunday - watched Sherlock Holmes/had coffee with misterhubs and shattershards. Before that, I was with coffee buddy in Eastwood when we ran into (drumroll please) Marc! Haha. Super awkward moment at coffee bean. :D

2nd weekend:
Friday - had dinner at Misterkebabs (first time for me!) in West Ave with mgg, shattershards, and Raf (batch 2 of mgg's S&S group). Lecheng Raf, pino-po ako! Hahaha. 19 years old lang kasi so I'm 10 years older. After that we went to a machong-macho bar called Butterfly (di ba sa name pa lang lalaking lalaki ang dating!) in Timog to drink. Plus there's free videoke! Woot! Complete na ang gabi ko. Haha. May nangyari din dun sa bar pero secret na lang. haha!

Saturday - bought a lot of shoes at heatwave. What I like about the brand is that it's very affordable and very comfortable. I never get blisters from their shoes. :D Then met with misterhubs and shattershards. It was a food fest of sorts - had kopi buns at kopi roti and had dinner at the corner tree cafe. We went to Centerstage for videoke and was joined by xallternative. May nangyari din! Haha. :D

Sunday - my alone time - grocery, coffee at eastwood, applied for internet connection at megamall. :D

Hopefully every weekend would be as good as these past weekends. :D

043. Letters to me

2010-01-13T17:54:00.000+08:00

Dahil IN ang magsulat ng letter sa mga blogs, nakigaya na din ako. Hahaha!

Letter #1

Dear Ruby,

I know you've been waiting for me since last year. Hope this helps.

Regards,
Salary

Letter #2

Dear Ruby,

Since you haven't been sick much the past year, this is your reward.

Regards,
Sick Leave Encashment

In other news, I received my VIC calendar today! Woot!

Di ako makapag-work. May guapo kasi na nakatingin sakin!

042. Mug of love. chos!

2010-01-08T09:55:00.001+08:00

When coffee buddy learned that I'm ~~killing myself~~ pulling an overnighter coz of work, he gave me this -

He really lives up to his codename. *LOL*. :D

041. Job Advertisement

2010-01-07T19:08:00.000+08:00

Notes:

1. Open to all experienced IT professionals (at least 2 years experience), excluding those who are currently employed by our strategic partners (HP, JLL, IBM).

2. The Jan. 23 event is by invitation only. Interested applicants need to apply online & complete the Success Drivers Assessment to gain an invite. Click here to start your application. Scroll down and select IDSExplore! - Experienced IT Professionals under 'Results'.

3. If you have applied and gained an invite, you can give me your name so I can refer you. It's ok if you prefer not to.

040. Emo lovelife

2010-01-07T03:36:00.000+08:00

I watched Avatar last night with MGG and Shattershards. I think this will be my final Avatar screening. Pang-anim ko na eh! Magsawa naman sana ako. Hehehe. :D

Napag-usapan ang lovelife during dinner. Since I am not dating anyone atm, e yun mga previous loves ang napag-usapan. I blog/twit about Marc (boyfie#4) and Coffee buddy (boyfie #5) all the time coz I'm still hanging out with them. Yun siguro weird sakin, I'm friends with all my ex-boyfies. Why burn bridges with someone who, once in my life, became my most important one (MIO)?

Na-recall ko lang un reason na sinabi sakin nun naging last bf ko kaya siya nakipaghiwalay. Let's call him Roy. I must admit that I was bitter then. But I couldn't blame him coz at the time that we were a couple, I was travelling out of the country at least once a month. Dami pa kasi activities ng F4 nun! I went to concerts, fan events, autograph signing, etc. across Asia.

Even if we were together for a short time (1+ year), I saw myself growing old with him. Na-shatter yun when he said na di niya kayang ibigay ang mga gusto ko so tapusin na lang namin un relationship. At first, you might think it was all about his pride but he said that with so much sadness kaya it really broke my heart. Hindi siya pa-machong tao. He was (and still is) one of the kindest souls I've met. Bitter lang ako kasi he never gave me the chance to prove to him that I can throw it all away if he asked me to.

I saw him last year in Serendra with his wife and kid. Nabasag ata yun puso ko.

Ang naisip ko na lang...

That could have been me...

*cue emo music*

039. Simple English

2010-01-04T06:06:00.001+08:00

Just did some major blog hopping but I am kinda feeling guilty coz I might not have the time to comment on people's blogs once work starts. For those who don't know, I stressed myself over work. (Aha! Self-inflicted pala! Hehehe)

A lot of the guys I now follow are so good with words. Nag-nose bleed ata ako. For some, internal hemorrhage pa! Hahaha. That only happens to me if I'm on a business trip in the UK/US. Bloody hell. Hihihi. :D

Compared to you guys, my blog is crap. *LOL* Pero I'm not sad, just jealous. Hehe.

When I blog, I don't usually check for errors after I published it. Tuloy tuloy lang, whatever I want to say, I write.

In my line of work and previous assignment, I have to deal with people who have English as their 3rd or sometimes 4th language. As much as I love my Japanese/Korean/Chinese contacts, natuto akong mag-barok English coz of them. I have to use simple English to communicate. If I use "difficult" instead of "hard", I get blank stares. Not all of them are like that, they are those who are really good with English.

Another fact is that for them, baligtad un predicate and subject sa sentence composition. So don't be surprised if ganun din ako magsulat or even magsalita. Hehehe.

This blog is very light. It's more like an online journal (LJ user din ako hehe). It's just a repository of how I feel at the moment so stress reliever din.

So what's the point of this post? Wala. Katulad ng blog ko. Hahaha. :D

038. my parents are awesome

2010-01-03T17:37:00.003+08:00

Woke up from a nap. Switched the TV on. Boy Abunda is interviewing a tranny PBB housemate. Watched for a while. Turned the TV off.

I was about to head out to do some grocery shopping at S&R when my phone rang. My parents are calling from NY to check on me. They are early risers and they feel that they won't catch me if they will wait for a few more hours. What can I say? Kilala talaga nila ako. Hahaha.

I suddenly blurted out --

Ruby: Dad/Mom, what if one of your sons/daughters is gay? How would you feel?

*pregnant pause*

Dad: Tomboy ka ba iha?
Mom: Okay lang naman sa amin. We still love you kahit ano ka pa.

Ayun! Napa-tumbling ako! Hahaha. Mag-jump to conclusion ba? Hihihi. I set the record straight tho. Yes, pun intended. :D

I love my parents and I know after that conversation, I love them even more. I'm very thankful to see how open they are when it comes to another person's sexuality. :D

037. I love you more ~

2010-01-02T09:42:00.000+08:00

ZaiZai (Vic Zhou) for Rejoice

Haaay. When I first saw the commercial, sabi ng egg cells ko, "Daddy! Daddy!" Na-excite sila. *LOL*

I think I need to talk to the people here to air the CM and talk to my TW officemates to get me a souvenir. Woot!

036. New Year Resolution

2010-01-02T07:25:00.000+08:00

Work Smarter. Play Harder.

035. New Year

2010-01-01T10:54:00.001+08:00

Just wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

あけましておめでとうございます!

새해 복 많이 받으세요!

Thanks for all the memories 2009! ^_^

034. Year End Reflection

2009-12-31T03:58:00.002+08:00

I am not sure if 2009 has been a good year for me not. 2009 is a mix of ironies for me.

Career:

I've got promoted but I've been spending 14 hours everyday at work.

I've travelled a lot but I've not taken a vacation to enjoy these places.

Family

I was able to spend time with them but I miss them more during the holidays.

Friendship

I've met a lot of new people but I lost a lot as well. 5 friends died this year.

Marc the bestfriend left the country to work in Qatar. Although we talk a lot, it isn't the same.

Fandom

I've attended concerts and fanmeets across Asia.

I've lost track of some of the fandoms I'm in.

Love

Zero. Nada. Zilch. No expectations. By choice.

Past loves have returned but I can only offer friendship and companionship.

Health

Let's not go there.

Looking at the bullet points, I guess it's a bad year for me huh. Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful for all the good things that happened but the bad outweighed the good.

Ending the year with a sour note eh. :D

*shakes head to clear mind*

I'll focus on the bad and labeled them as learnings. I'll try to come up with next steps so 2010 will be a good year for me.

New Year. New Beginning. :D

033. How I spent my Christmas

2009-12-27T07:55:00.001+08:00

Half of it I spent asleep.
Half of it I spent in the hospital because Anne can't wake me up and my idiot (and I say that with love) bestfriend thought I am dead until she checked for my pulse and heartbeat. *rolls eyes then LOL*

Piece of advice:
Don't take sleeping pills after drinking a bottle of wine. Better yet, don't drown your sorrow with alcohol.

Action Step:
I will bring my family back for Christmas next year, even if I have to go there and drag them myself. Or to save time and money, I'll just spend my Christmas there. *LOL*

Belated Merry Christmas everyone! :D

032. Maybe This Time

2009-12-21T12:59:00.000+08:00

Had our HS reunion last night. I was excited and nervous at the same time. Excited coz I haven't seen my classmates in 10+ years. Nervous coz I'll be seeing Marc again after all these years. We didn't actually lost communication since we text/email each other occasionally.

We hugged each other for a long time that some of our classmates were making coughing noises in the background. Hahaha. That hug brought a lot of memories...

Marc was my last boyfriend in high school. We've been classmates since first year and have always been close. We were both in other relationships until 3rd year. We became a couple when we were seniors. The main reason we "delayed" the relationship was because of my friend Ivy. Ivy has a huge thing for Marc since first year. I remember comforting her whenever Marc has a new girlfriend. And being the ~~evil~~ friend that I am, I always make it my goal to break up those relationships Marc had with those girls.

Marc and I parted ways because of Ivy as well. She felt betrayed so she didn't talk to me our senior year. Being the ~~stupid~~ friend that I am, I ended the relationship. I gained Ivy's friendship again but lost Marc. During those times, I value friendship above all else. The one thing I regretted until now is that I have lost Marc not because of our incompatibilities but because I thought friendship was more important than my own happiness.

*swoosh to the present*
I was glad that there were no awkwardness for the both of us. We picked up where we left off which I am very thankful for. We were asked to sing Maybe This Time. Hahahaha. *dies* After the party, we went to Starbucks Metrowalk with 2 of our friends. Then he invited me to attend Simbang Gabi with him in Pasig Church. Then we had breakfast with his family. I'm glad that they recognized me and it was his mom who said. "just like old times huh."

We're both not in a relationship right now but it is too early for something to happen. I am happy not because I see him as a potential boyfriend but because we have a renewed our friendship. Something that is so special and should always be cherished. :D

031. Gift giving

2009-12-19T13:18:00.000+08:00

I hate it when people give me gifts just because I gave them one. I hate it even more when they tell me straight to my face that they are obliged to get me a gift coz I gave them one.

What's up with that?! Seriously?! Well, you're off my list next year.

Reactions like those ruined the spirit of Christmas.

030. Meteor Garden/Liu Xing Yu

2009-12-15T05:51:00.001+08:00

As much as I want this to be a post about my favorite boyband, F4, it isn't. I'll show you the extent of my fangirlism some other time. *LOL*

I witnessed something beautiful tonight. Twice, in fact. I was informed by a friend that there will be meteor showers on the nights of Dec 14 and 15. Around 1130 ish, went up the rooftop to check the skies. I wasn't disappointed. I saw 3 meteors lighting up the sky. Really pretty and unexpected.

source: here

I don't have a DLSR and my camera is crappy so I wasn't able to take a picture. Besides, I'm busy making wishes while jumping up and down. (Ayy, ginawang New Year celebration! *LOL*)

Went down, tweeted and chatted for a while so I could wait for the next one which was scheduled around 2 am. The 2 am shower is more beautiful than the first one. It really lighted up the sky. Even though mesmerized, I didn't forget to play the song:

Meteor Rain by F4 *LOL*

I was really lucky to witness the meteor shower. Somehow, seeing something so beautiful lifted up my spirits. :D The bad thing is I can't sleep. *LOL*

029. Travel point 1

2009-11-16T03:54:00.001+08:00

Brief Stop: Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, The Netherlands
-Non-stop flight from Manila to Amsterdam. Travel time: 14 hours
-Managed to watch 4 movies onboard: The Ugly Truth, G.I. Joe, Kung-fu Chef, and The Little Mermaid.
-Tried looking for Starbucks but I didn't have enough time. D:
-Transit to Newcastle. There's one nice looking bloke and found out he's working for P&G as well. Yeah, I'm not shy when it comes to foreigner crushers. *LOL*

Travel point #1: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
-Just 1 hour from Amsterdam. Arrived around 10 pm local time.
-Called home (it was 6 am in Manila) to inform Dad that I arrived safe and sound. :D
-Slept like a log and woke around 6 am the next day.

my home for a week or so...

Shopping point #1
-Not in the mood to see tourist attractions since I'm alone (maybe next time) so I decided to go shopping.
-Went to Royal Quays for a little bit of retail therapy. It's an outlet center where you can find several top brands at discounted price like Marks & Spencer, Gap, Top Shop, Autonomy, Nike, Clarks, etc.

-Had Creme Brulee Latte at Costa (Italian cafe) while watching Tohoshinki concert on my Ipod.

- Drop by Argos in Silverlink to buy a European adaptor coz the one coffee buddy lent me did not work.
- Now back at the hotel to relax and rest my poor feet (and legs!)

Random observation:
- There are no waiting taxis here. You have to call a taxi service to fetch you and bring you to your destination.
- I haven't seen any convenience store around the area.

028. Jetplane

2009-11-14T10:16:00.000+08:00

Embarking on a journey.

Searching for options.

The result of which will either make me happy

~~or desperate to find a donor~~. *LOL*

027. The reason why I am single now

2009-11-08T17:05:00.000+08:00

It's because I've already experienced 6 great loves. The happiness and the memories will probably last me a lifetime. ♥

026. Me in a nutshell

2009-11-06T00:52:00.000+08:00

Got this from Facebook ~~coz I fail so much at life that I don't have anything to blog about~~ -

Psychology Personality Quiz

Mysterious... oftentimes, a loner. You know your true friends and only them are allowed to understand the real you.

You hide your emotions... Sometimes pretending to be always happy. Sometimes, not giving even a hint of what you really feel.

You search for love... you’re a hopeless romantic and every time you enter a relationship, you give your all and believe “this is the One.”

You have so many ideas in mind... You’re creative and aggressive! If you want something, you’ll do anything to get it!

You’re an ideal boyfriend/girlfriend... You don’t care if your partner doesn’t really love you as long as you love him/her. You give your all...

You’re undoubtedly good-natured! Most of the time, people are confident to approach you because they know you will consider them.

You love actions... with the hero-like taste! You focus on your strengths and use them to protect persons/things that are important to you.

_______
Most of the people reading this blog can probably attest to the above points. *LOL*

025. Ang Pag-ibig alinsunod sa pakete ng Tide Ultra

2009-11-05T11:10:00.000+08:00

Reposting since I support Tide! *LOL*

--------------------------

sabi ko
ayaw kong maglaba sa gabi
hindi ko alam kung bakit

siguro’y ayaw kong makitang
nakasungaw ang bituin sa ulap
at pinapanood ang bawat kong kusot

pero hindi kagabi—
ang totoo
naglaba ako

sinamantala ko ang pangungulimlim
ng bituin sa nangingilid na ulap

at natitiyak ko
maputi ang aking nilabhan
sinunod ko yata ang bawat instruksyon
sa likod ng pakete ng tide ultra:

1. kunin sa timba ang damdaming
matagal nang ibinabad

2. kusutin nang mabuti
pabulain upang matiyak na
natatakpan na ng bula
ang mga salitang noon pa sana sinabi

3. at dahil nahuli na sa sikat ng araw
na siyang pagkukulahan,
lagyan na lamang ng clorox
upang kumupas at walang makakita
sa mantsa ni Eros

4. banlawan
maraming banlaw
at tiyaking maisama sa tubig
ang mga sentimiyento
at panghihinayang

5. ibuhos sa kanal ang tubig
upang makapagtago sa burak
ang mga pagsinta

6. isampay sa mahanging lugar
ang nilabhang damdamin
pabayaan itong makahinga
matagal na rin namang
naikubli ito sa baul

Pagmumuni pagkatapos…

napigaan ko na ang damit
mariin
nakalimutan ko nga lamang
pigaan ang tubig sa aking mata

paalam muna
samantala’y magpapatuyo muna ako—
ng damit
ng mata

sana’y walang makakita

salamat sa pakete ng tide ultra

Author:
Gilbert M. Sape

024. Nightmare

2009-11-01T04:23:00.001+08:00

I have just fallen asleep. Then I found myself driving a car on the wrong side of the road. The GPS told me I'm in a flyover.

Then I heard 2 distinct voices of children, laughing eerily while telling me that they will kill me and will not let me go.

I realized I'm having a nightmare so I tried to open my eyes several times but my eyelids were heavy.

My heart is pounding. The children are still laughing. There's an incoming truck and it's on my side of the road.

I tried very hard to wake myself and thankfully, I did.

You know what's worse but might even be funny for some of you, the children are speaking Japanese.

023. Message #1

2009-10-30T00:39:00.001+08:00

I would choose to love you in silence for in silence I won't find rejection.
I would choose to see you in my dreams for there no one owns you but me.

022. Thoughts

2009-10-26T07:18:00.001+08:00

I am happy. But I guess it's true that you have to experience something bad first so you can appreciate and know that you ARE happy.

I had a bad day yesterday since I took a sleeping pill last Saturday night so I could rest for at least 8 hours. Your body can only take so much ne? You need to know that sleeping pills and I don't match. I had a bad history with it so I dont usually take it even if I have insomnia. But I was so tired and my body just wouldn't rest. So there.

I woke up being drowsy, replied to some texts then fall asleep again then I woke up again then fall asleep again. I did that for 16 hours. I feel so lethargic when I finally shook it out of my system.

I took Zashi out and we went for a walk in High Street to clear my thoughts and shake off this funk. We had a good breeze last night. The winds made me relaxed and contented.

I slept around 2 am then woke up at 4 feeling rested than I ever had.

I think that today is one of those days when you feel that everything is gonna be alright. You have to take everything in stride and try to make the best out of everything.

It's time for a cool change. :D

021. Venn Diagram

2009-10-23T10:45:00.000+08:00

I love Venn Diagram but only if it's related to Math. But when it comes to real life, it's a love-hate relationship. *LOL*
Recently, I just found out a somewhat shocking, anger-inducing story. A&B had the chance to talk. A thought he knows everything. B thought the same. Both are shocked to find out that even though there is a common ground (both A&B), there are so many things that have been left out. They were able to put the pieces together but now they are not so sure if it's really the whole picture.

Apparently, the creator of the Venn diagram edits out the story so he will get the sympathy of others. o_O
That's User 101 for you. He only lets you know what he thinks you should know and he only listens to what he wants to hear.

Lesson learned, charged it to the cost center of experience! *LOL*

020. Hodge podge

2009-10-20T08:34:00.000+08:00

Emoticon above is not related to my entry. I just want to use it. *LOL* Hodge podge of thoughts muna coz I can't think clearly e (read: sabog ang utak *LOL*)

Got an email from a head hunter asking if I'm interested to join ABC company. I'm not interested so I said no. I love my work and the company I work for. Some of the people I work with, not much. *LOL*
Having said that, if you need a job why not try applying here? Me thinks I should be given a recruitment fee. *LOL*
I didn't check my email during my vacation. It took a lot of discipline to do that. As a result, I got 500+ emails to wade through this morning. That's ok. Small price to pay. :D
I was supposed to attend the Vanness' fan meet but my flight was scheduled early Sunday morning pala. Thankfully I checked my ticket. I assumed it to be the next day. ^^;;
Family forgot my arrival time so I have to wait. We went to Tagaytay for an early mass and a brunch. Sawa na ko sa Leslie's and Josephine's (where we had our dessert). We stopped by Nuvali and have dessert (again!) at Conti's.
Took Zashi out for a walk in High Street. As usual, she's being friendly with the big dogs. Tahulan ba ang mastiff?! Isang kagat lang yan, dead na siya. My dog is a shih tzu if you must know. *LOL*
Went to Galleria to go to Saizen, a Japanese shop similar to 100 yen shops in Japan. I was looking for Daiso which no one knows. Saizen pala name niya dito sa Manila. Super enjoy and super spend! I'll blog about it separately.
Cebu vacation on Nov. 6-9 with coffee buddy and his family.
My brother set up another appointment with another OB Gyne for a second opinion. Oo na lang ako ng oo.
I want to go to Iloilo to visit geeky bear. Di pako nakapunta dun e. I want to go to Guimaras din.
I want to go to SG na din para sa aking 1:1 drinking session.
The end coz I need to work na. Hehehe. *bow*

019. Kampai~

2009-10-19T07:02:00.000+08:00

Zashi chillaxing in the grass while I read a Murakami book.

Took Zashi to Bonifacio High Street for a walk. We usually do that every Sunday as part of our alone time. *LOL*

That would be my 2nd pitcher of Tequila Sunrise and 8th bottle of San Mig Light. Gotten tipsy after the first pitcher, can you believe that?! Alcohol tolerance is low, probably because I'm tired and stressed.

After the party, I went to a Noraebang session with some of my kpop friends where I release my inhibitions (from the song Unwritten). Oh I DID so I apologize for the bad weather this early morning. *LOL*

I don't drink and drive so I went to Starbucks to have my caffeine fix first before I go home. Dawn is I think the best time for reflection -- quiet surroundings and a good cup of coffee. :D

Good news is I'm happy with where I am now. Despite the stressful work, health problem (which I have to deal with asap), and not-so-good friendships, I feel contented with what I've become and achieved so far. I might need to change a few aspects in my life to get the other things I want and become a better person though.

But life is a constant change (song by Jose Mari Chan) so I'm looking forward to what life (or what's left of it) has in store for me. :D

Have a great week ahead everyone. :D

018. Happiness

2009-10-15T15:21:00.000+08:00

Picture was taken by me.

Seeing this guy is enough to make me happy. ♥♥♥

Hopefully this weekend will be the break I need to get away from work. This will also be the time to re-assess on what and who I want in my life. Take care people. ~

017. What a weekend

2009-10-11T21:21:00.000+08:00

Friday morning
Ruby experienced severe menstrual cramps... more painful than usual, rendering her useless for the day.

Saturday morning
Ruby went to Makati Med to see an OB Gynecologist. She has put off this appointment for 5... years... Afraid of what will happen.

Saturday afternoon
Ruby got the results of her ultrasound. A tear fell from her cheek but she smiled at the doctor and requested for some time to think.

Saturday evening
Some of her friends responded to her call of wanting to get drunk. They delivered. She was dead to the world by 3 am.

Sunday morning
Ruby had lunch with her family who had no idea what's going on.

Sunday afternoon
Ruby went to have coffee with her best bud Anne in Serendra. Anne suggested to call Mac & Karol and let them know. Mac wants to go back to Manila and be at her side. Karol braved the flooded waters of Parkwood to go to Serendra and be with her. With her bestfriends at her side (and on the phone), Ruby cried her heart out.

tbc.

016. Horrible

2009-10-10T02:22:00.000+08:00

Sorry, just have to let this out.

It's Friday night and someone asked me on a date. In order to improve my lack of a love life just a tiny bit, I said yes.

Everything's fine. We're getting along okay.

Until I ran into some blogger friends.

McVie approached me and I was surprised and happy to see him there. He's with Misterheuge and the others.

I asked my date to wait and skipped to them to say hi. Said belated happy birthday to Eugene and all. It's not even 5 minutes but McVie pointed out my date so I said goodbye and went back to him.

You know what?!

HE IGNORED ME THE WHOLE TIME AFTER THAT. BEFORE AND AFTER THE MOVIE.

I was like what the hell?! I took a deep breath and asked him what's wrong. He wouldn't answer and just shook his head. As you might know, I don't take no for an answer so I pestered him to tell me what his problem is.

and you know what he said?!

A: You have gay friends pala.

Me: .... and soooo????

A: I don't like them.

Right then and there, I wanna punch him, as in really flatten him. How dare he say that in front of my face!

Me: Well excuse me but they are really good friends of mine (yeah feeling close, sorry!).

A: Oh, but why? (as if he finds it impossible).

That's where I drew the line. I politely asked him to take me back to the office to get my car so I could go home and rant.

Can you imagine that guy?! Arrrghhh... Either he's a homophobic arse or he's so deep in the closet that he's so afraid that a touch from a gay guy can turn him into one.

Stupid prick.

015. Little Tokyo food trip

2009-10-09T08:50:00.000+08:00

I went out with some of my fandom friends last night to a place close to our hearts! Naks. Hehehe. :D
It's a place called Little Tokyo where you can eat authentic Japanese cuisine. We had our ~~stomach~~ mind set on eating okonomiyaki and takoyaki because you rarely get those in Japanese restaurants around the metro.

I like going there during the night coz the ambiance is soo much like old Tokyo.... Hmmm, more like Kyoto I guess due to the cobblestones and Japanese doujos... You rarely get to see those in modern Tokyo. :D

Anyways, we chose Kagura ~~coz they're the only one who served okonomiyaki~~. *LOL* We ordered three dishes -

Okonomiyaki

Modern-yaki (same as Okonomiyaki but with noodles)

Forgot the name of the dish but it's pork wrapped around by an omelet

They are sooo yummy and filling and delicious! Haaay. Sarap kumain!

We weren't able to eat the Takoyaki since we were soooo full already. We made a pact to return soon and just order 1 okonomiyaki so we could eat Takoyaki. Takoyaki is best eaten with beer! Sarap!

We had an enjoyable time discussing fandoms (of course!) but mostly about funny people at work. I think that's the key why we're still friends even after 6 years. We have fandoms as our common ground but we are also interested in each other's personal lives. :D

Little Tokyo is located in Pasong Tamo beside Makati CInema Square. Most restaurants are open around lunchtime and dinnertime only.

014. Bleeding love

2009-10-04T23:09:00.002+08:00

Di ko alam if kaya kita pasayahin. Hindi mayaman ang pamilya ako. Hindi ko kaya ibigay ang mga nakasanayan mo.

That was the reason my last boyfriend gave me when we parted ways 5 years ago. I feel a twinge of hurt whenever I remember that moment. All I remember thinking was how unfair that statement was. I don't care if he's not rich... He made me happy and I was willing to make sacrifices.

The reason for this post?!

I saw him at Serendra...

with his wife and kid.

013. Aftermath

2009-09-28T08:53:00.000+08:00

Saturday morning proved to be a challenging day for us. This is the first time in decades that our area was flooded due to ~~opening of Angat dam~~ rain. Fortunately, our house is not affected although the roads outside were knee deep. As a result, some of our neighbors and relatives requested to park their cars in our garage.

Our house was full of people by Saturday afternoon. The flood has risen until hip level outside so people are flocking to our house to seek shelter. Good thing is that we have lots of food because it's Mom's birthday and she was supposed to have a party.

A disaster can bring the best and sadly the worst out of people. I saw a lot of people helping each other and despite the gloomy weather, people still try to find something to laugh about.

The bad thing was some of our valuables got stolen. It was saddening coz some of these people are those that we're trying to help. Dad just hugged me and said that we can replace those things. We just have to be thankful that we're still safe and dry.

Seeing my mom and dad working tirelessly (despite their old age) to help those who are in need, I can't help but be proud of them.

I hope everyone is safe.

012. Thanksgiving

2009-09-12T09:17:00.003+08:00

Just got back from a thanksgiving mass that was sponsored by my family.
This is in remembrance of the 9-11 attack that happened 8 years ago.

Why Thanksgiving?
As some of you might know, most of my family are living in New York. Our home is in Manhattan and my family/extended family all work in Manhattan as well.

I was watching CNN when they did the breaking news about a plane hitting the twin towers.

I think my heart stopped for a while.

My pamangkin, Rina, works at the Twin Towers (Tower 1 to be exact). It's 9 am and it's a workday.

Can you imagine the fear I felt when I heard that news? My family is in New York and I am all alone here in Manila. I immediately called our NY house but no one is answering. It actually made me feel a little better, knowing the phone is still ringing. Morbid, yes, but I felt relieved.

Do I dare call Rina? Well, I did.

The number you're dialling is out of coverage.

....

WTH. I don't know what else to do so I called my sister who lives in Chicago. They heard the news and was trying to reach the NY folks albeit unsuccessfully.

At that time, all I can do is pray the rosary and ask for strength and guidance for this whole ordeal.

Around 11 pm (MNL time), the phone rang and I was awashed with relief when I heard my parents' voice telling me that they are all okay. Rina wasn't able to go to work since her baby, Erin, suddenly got sick. It was kinda weird that everyone was running a little late for work. My other pamangkin, Ria, was outside the subway station when the plane crashed. She was able to see when it hit the building. She came home covered in dust. Dirty but safe. I can deal with that. :D

That event made me appreciate how important my family is to me. So every year, we celebrate mass as a family. We maybe in different locations but our bonds became stronger every single day.

011. In search of my Kobe beef

2009-09-10T20:52:00.005+08:00

Reposting from my LJ coz I fail big time ~~and trying to test this LJ cut thingy in blogger~~! :D

Let's begin with a Q&A...

Q: What is Kobe, Japan famous for? *looks around*
A: Kobe beef of course! It's one of the luxurious foods in Japan. Yes, they are fed with beer on a daily basis.

As the ~~assumed~~ tour guide for the Filipinos in JHQ, I was requested to take them to the best Kobe beef restaurant in town. I am not really sure if Mouriya was the best but it was highly recommended by the hotel staff.

Armed with a Japanese pamphlet as well as directions for Mouriya, we went out of Rokko Island to go to Sannomiya.

JR station

Long story short, we got lost. *LOL* The directions were a bit complicated so I have to make use of my ~~level 1~~ Japanese to ask around. We were getting hungry but we kept on looking... :D

Our resident photographer must be hungry, judging by how crappy this pic is. *LOL*

We finally found it ~~after almost an hour~~

We hurried up since they might close ~~and not fulfill our Kobe beef dream~~. *LOL*

That's me, almost shouting yottsu (4 people)!!! The waitress confirmed by counting our group. This is where I whine that she didn't trust my counting skills... *LOL*

The restaurant has 3 floors due to the small space so we were seated in the 2nd floor. Little did I know that my life will change that night... *cue dramatic music* JOKE! *LOL*

This is our chef, fixing his apron...

I wasn't able to see him clearly since I'm at the far end of the table. But he fits the profile of my crushes: tall and slim. Suffice to say that I'm interested. *LOL*

Close up.... Tadaaaaa....

*Ruby falls down from her chair* For my JE friends, he looks a little bit like Tackey ne? :D
Thank you, I confiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrmeed that I'm very much interested.

Ooops, before I forgot, our set menu --

hors d'oeuvres

Soup

Veggies. Chef is a bit OC with the preparation.

Chef is smiling while cooking the garlic.

He was quiet at the start since he knows we're foreigners. I declared he was mine in Tagalog. He might understand English... *LOL*
Then he asked a simple question in English... "Is the aircon too ~~cord~~cold for you?"

I replied in Japanese... "Daijoubu desu"

It seemed I found the way to his heart. *LOL* You can see his eyes light up and he asked me if I can speak Nihonggo. I replied just a little (cutely I might add or at least I tried to).

Then he talked... a lot... with me as the interpreter. He asked us where we're from... What we're doing in Kobe... ~~Am I single.~~.. (I wish... *LOL*) If you know me, I am not shy when it comes to foreigner crushes, mainly because I know I won't see them again... so GO GO GO with my love struck eyes and charming personality... Bwahahaha...

In turn, he told us that he was half-half - half Japanese (mom) and half-British (dad). He doesn't speak English really well since he lived in Japan all his life. ~~Would you care to go to the Philippines?~~

My officemates told me that "di pa tayo kumakain busog na busog ka na ah..." (We haven't eaten yet but you're already full...)

Oopppps... I forgot about the Kobe beef. *LOL*

Guess how much this costs?

Rib Steak Kobe Beef

It costs around 15,000 JPY or ~7,500 PHP or ~150 USD. Expensive right?

Our main meal

This plate along with the hors d'oeuvres, soup, veggies rice and cola costs a whooping 8,000 JPY or ~4,000 PHP or ~ 80 USD. That raw beef above is divided among the four of us. *LOL*

But in fairness, it was a delicious meal... I know I'm biased because of the chef *LOL* but my other officemates said so as well... Delicious but expensive is the best way to sum it up.

The dinner ended with chef requesting to take a pic with me us as souvenir. He gave me his email address so I could send the pic to him. Yes, we're still corresponding although just a few sentences (with hello, how are you doing being the most common)...

Learnings:
1. Everything is delicious if it's prepared by the one you like.
2. Mahal magmahal... *LOL* It's a Filipino pun meaning it's expensive to love. I will be in a big debt if I eat there everyday just to see chef.
3. Save up so you can go back next time ~~and eat there everyday!~~

010. Desiderata

2009-09-08T09:14:00.002+08:00

Whenever I feel down or uninspired, I recite this from memory over and over again. Coz as the poem said, despite its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it IS still a beautiful world. :D

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

009. Piece of Advice

2009-09-02T13:00:00.002+08:00

Broken like a glass?

Felt that you can't be fixed?

Don't try to fix the broken pieces.

Instead, turn the broken pieces into something else.

Stained glass window is more beautiful than an ordinary glass window.

008. Strange Facts

2009-08-27T21:52:00.000+08:00

Facts to ponder:

There's always a little truth behind every "JUST KIDDING".

A little knowledge behind every "I DON'T KNOW".

A little emotion behind every "I DON'T CARE".

A little pain behind every "IT'S OK".

007. Tokyo Visit

2009-08-27T08:53:00.010+08:00

This is probably my last time in our Tokyo office since I'll be changing roles soon. Most of them are kinda weirded out that I like to take pictures with everyone ~~and everything.~~ Hello. Filipino kaya ako. Camwhore by nature. *LOL*

from L-R (Men): Hikasa-san, Murakami-san, Hamada-san, Masuda-san, Shimada-san
from L-R (Women including the tranny): Rie-chan, Tranny, Matsuoka-san

I like Murakami-san. In my last night, he treated us all to dinner at a shabu-shabu restaurant in Aoyama. Sosyal. Then we went to a videoke bar. Free flowing beer courtesy of Hikasa-san! They were shocked when I sang Doushite Kimi... by Tohoshinki. Japanese na Japanese! But I think we enjoyed ourselves more when we sang Sekai... by SMAP with matching choreography! Hmph. Mga closeted na boyband fans! *LOL*

Also, they asked me to name the two ceramic dogs in our pantry:

BIG MISTAKE. *LOL*
I just named them Blackie and Brownie. Hahaha. Buti nga hindi dog#1 and dog#2.

006. Summer

2009-08-25T12:00:00.007+08:00

Location: in front of the office

I wish my is as carefree as this. :D

005. Song dedication - Don't forget me

2009-08-22T11:41:00.007+08:00

Reposting from my LJ. Dedicated to someone very close to me. As usual, all I can do is be on the sidelines and offer my support. As long as you're happy, then stay. If not, it's better to leave.

ベッドに座って　君のことを考えていた
逢えなくてもいい逢いたいこの気持ちだけでいいから

beddo ni suwatte kimi no koto wo kangaeteita
aenakute mo ii aitai kono kimochi dake de ii kara

I sit on my bed and think of you
It's alright even if I can't see you...
I miss you, but just this feeling is enough

強く残っている記憶　君からの短いメッセージが
切なく胸締めつけるけど　永久の幸せ僕が守り続けたい

tsuyoku nokotte iru kioku kimi kara no mijikai messeeji ga
setsunaku mune shimetsukeru kedo towa no shiawase boku ga mamori tsuzuketai

The memories of you remain, they're so strong
I read a short message from you and it makes my chest tighten painfully
But I want to keep protecting your eternal happiness

*風になってそっと包みたい　
君がいる世界にすぐ飛んで行きたい
逢いたくても逢いたくても　
待ってるからだ忘れないで

kaze ni natte sotto tsutsumitai
kimi ga iru sekai ni sugutonde yukitai
aitakutemo aitakutemo
matterukara tada wasurenaide

I'll become the wind and wrap gently around you
Right now, I want to fly to a world with you in it
Even though I want to see you so much... I miss you so much...
I'm waiting for you, don't forget me

いつもの歩道に君の影を感じていた
静かに瞳を閉じ祈るいつまでも消えないように

itsumo no hodou ni kimi no kage o kanji te ita
shizuka ni hitomi o toji inoru itsumademo kie nai you ni

On the path we'd always walk, I felt your presence
Silently, I close my eyes and pray that it'll never disappear

深く傷ついていたこと　気付かせず笑っていた君に
ずっと大切にするから叫び続けるありふれた言葉でも

Fukaku kizutsuite itakoto kizu kasezu waratte ita kimi ni
zutto daisetsu nisurukara sakebi tsuzukeru arifureta kotoba demo

Without acknowledging the things that hurt you deeply, you just kept on laughing and smiling
I'll always remember and cherish that
And I'll keep yelling out to the world, even if the words I use are but ordinary

風になってそっと包みたい　
君がいる世界にすぐ飛んで行きたい
逢いたくても逢いたくても　
待ってるからだ忘れないで

kaze ni natte sotto tsutsumitai
kimi ga iru sekai ni sugutonde yukitai
aitakutemo aitakutemo
matterukara tada wasurenaide

I'll become the wind and wrap gently around you
Right now, I want to fly to a world with you in it
Even though I want to see you so much... I miss you so much...
I'm waiting for you, don't forget me

君に触れた夜壊れてしまうほどに
漂う香りにまた想いが募る Baby

いつまでも果てないようにもっと強く繋いだ手離れないように

kimi ni fureta yoru kowa reteshimauhodoni
tada you kaori ni mata omoi gatsu no ru baby

itsumademo hatenai youni motto tsuyoku tsunaidate hanarenai youni

The nights touched by you...
It's enough to break me; your fragrance hanging in the air and these feelings that build up, baby
So that this'll never end, I'll hold your hand even tighter
So that we'll never be separated...

風になってそっと包みたい　
君がいる世界にすぐ飛んで行きたい
逢いたくても逢いたくても　
待ってるから待ってるから

kaze ni natte sotto tsutsumitai
kimi ga iru sekai ni sugutonde yukitai
aitakutemo aitakutemo
matterukara matterukara

I'll become the wind and wrap gently around you
Right now, I want to fly to a world with you in it
Even though I want to see you so much... I miss you so much...
I'm waiting for you... I'm waiting for you

風になってそっと包みたい
君がいる世界にすぐ飛んでいきたい
逢いたくても逢いたくても
待ってるからただ忘れないで

kaze ni natte sotto tsutsumitai
kimi ga iru sekai ni tsugutonde ikitai
aitakutemo aitakutemo
matterukara tada wasurenaide

I'll become the wind and wrap gently around you
Right now, I want to fly to a world with you in it
Even though I want to see you so much... I miss you so much...
I'm waiting for you, don't forget me

ここにいるよ忘れないで

kokoni iru yo wasurenaide

I'm right here, don't forget me

CREDITS: OletyDT@youtube, a_knot for the romanization, lunatunalover for the translation

004. Work-Life Balance

2009-08-20T09:29:00.003+08:00

Stressed due to work.

That's the usual answer I give if people ask how am I doing. It's not really a complaint per se. It's my way to lessen the stress. I believe voicing it out makes a slightly positive difference. *LOL*

I don't like it when people complain that they have a heavy workload and they can't do personal stuff. I don't like it when people uses work as an excuse not to meet up with friends/loved ones.

At the end of the day, it is YOU who will decide what is more important.

I get stressed coz I take several projects at the same time. Who decided that? ME.
I usually spend 18 hours in the office, most of time going home after midnight. Who chose that? ME.

Basically, what I am saying is, I have no right to complain that I'm stressed because they are all my decisions. *LOL*

On a more positive note, I have no qualms on using my vacation leaves if I have to go out of the country and watch pretty boys sing and dance on stage. I forget about work and just enjoy myself. Again, it's MY decision. I just have to face the consequences of my actions. It just sums up what are your priorities in life.

Pretty Boys > Work.

003. Owner and Pet Convo

2009-08-19T22:58:00.003+08:00

Smile for the camera Zashi!

Check out my new hairdo yo!

One more shot!

Newly-cleaned teeth as well!

Zashi, this is Cotton. Cotton, Zashi.

Hi there cutie!

Beso! Beso!

Are we a good match?

Approve?

Let me smell him first...

Well???

This must be love.

~The End

002. Am I Selfish?

2009-08-18T19:37:00.003+08:00

My huggable raccoon is spending the long weekend here in Manila. We promised to meet up over the weekend to watch a movie. I suddenly had the urge to ask my geeky bear to come as well so our little triad will be complete. I called up Geeky to check if he's available to travel. Upon receiving a positive response, I called up Raccoon and asked him to book a flight for Geeky.

Everything happened in a span of an hour.

When Geeky texted me and said that he's still processing what happened, one question popped in my mind.

Am I that selfish?

I didn't give Geeky enough time to think. He asked for at least 2 hours but I declined saying I need to book the flight for him asap since the travel date is on Tuesday.

It made me realize that I ask too much from friends. If they can't deliver, I am hugely disappointed and will probably be upset at them for a long time.

It's an issue that I acknowledge but I have no idea how to solve it. I can't seem to lower my expectations (though I've tried again and again). Maybe because I give it my all when it comes to everything I do and that includes friendships.

001. first entry

2009-08-17T09:41:00.003+08:00

Checking out blogspot. I love my layout. *LOL*