My darling beau treated me to a spa day, after hearing my complaints day in and day out of sore calves and an aching back. One of the pitfalls of going on long vacations is that you usually abuse your body with the lack of sleep and lots of walking, and you end up with a really bruised, acutely aching body when you return.
So, anyway, given my rants about this, my darling beau decided to rescue me and take me to a luxurious pampering session at Suriya Spa. Aaaaaah.... Every stroke of the masseuse was heavenly! I loved loved loved loved it!
After spa-ing, the question then was... what now? Since I've sworn off shopping for the next few months and since we've already seen Transformers last night and a second viewing today was a little challenging to do given the hordes of people that reserved tickets online and were lined up at the theater, we decided to have a really long dinner instead, to celebrate my recent promotion. We headed off to Chef Laudico's at the Fort, where we ended up staying for about three hours.. relishing every bite and talking, laughing and enjoying each other's company all night long...
I loved Chef Laudico's! The adobo with foie gras and the prawns with the laing tempura were oh-so-tasty! Loved them soooo much! Dennis' eyes kept rolling upward with every bite of the foie gras, hee hee. The ubod spring roll with the vinegar sorbet was also very good-- totally worth the price! The ambience tonight was also perfect, because there were very few diners. The waiters were also at their most attentive and the place was so conducive to intimate talks and the occasional loud guffaws of laughter that usually accompany any conversation held by myself and my beau ;)
All in all, 'twas a simple day. Yet, in so many ways, 'twas also the most perfect of days. :)
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
reunited!
Reunited with my darling luggage, FINALLY!!!! Yeah!!!
I was so excited to get them, I really didn't mind the hassle of going to the airport, going through security, and picking them up at the Interline Baggage room, which is just a big empty warehouse where delayed, damaged and unclaimed luggage is stored.
As soon as I got home, I eagerly opened both bags and sighed a HUGE sigh of relief to see that everything is on tip-top shape. I thought it would be anti-climactic to go through the spoils of my trip 1.5-weeks upon arrival, but seeing all the stuff in there quickly reminded me of my sweet vacation... and then all my annoyance at United Airlines disappeared into thin air...
:-)
YAY!
I was so excited to get them, I really didn't mind the hassle of going to the airport, going through security, and picking them up at the Interline Baggage room, which is just a big empty warehouse where delayed, damaged and unclaimed luggage is stored.
As soon as I got home, I eagerly opened both bags and sighed a HUGE sigh of relief to see that everything is on tip-top shape. I thought it would be anti-climactic to go through the spoils of my trip 1.5-weeks upon arrival, but seeing all the stuff in there quickly reminded me of my sweet vacation... and then all my annoyance at United Airlines disappeared into thin air...
:-)
YAY!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
to the god of lost luggages...
Please send my two luggages back to me. I've invested so much in the goods lying therein, and I would really really appreciate it if you can send them to my delivery address.
PLEASE! It's been a week already!!!
PLEASE! It's been a week already!!!
Friday, June 22, 2007
7 random things about moi...
Tagged by Kaye :-)
1) I have very slow reflexes. Whether it's catching things in time or dodging things that flying in my direction, my limbs somehow suffer from an invariable lag from the time my brain sends signals for them to move. I don't know why, but I've always been like this. It may be why I make for a very lousy driver.
2) I rarely have a hard time sleeping. There are some people who experience the namamahay syndrome, but I'm definitely not one of them. I can sleep easily in new places, like hotel rooms, and I have no problems sleeping in moving vehicles and airplanes.
3) I tap my fingers on the table when I'm thinking of something to type.
4) I took piano and voice lessons as a kid.... to no avail....
5) I don't know how to play chess.
6) I have a certain procedure when getting ready in the morning. Any disruption or change in the order in which I do my "brush teeth, wash face, step into shower, get dressed, put on contacts, put on moisturizer, put on shoes, get bag together, and dry hair" routine causes me to get confused, leave things out/behind and get in a really really foul mood.
7) I rarely oversleep. And I hardly need an alarm. If I tell myself the night before that I need to wake up by a certain time, almost always, my own body clock wakes me up in time.
I'm tagging... everyone who hasn't done this yet :-)
1) I have very slow reflexes. Whether it's catching things in time or dodging things that flying in my direction, my limbs somehow suffer from an invariable lag from the time my brain sends signals for them to move. I don't know why, but I've always been like this. It may be why I make for a very lousy driver.
2) I rarely have a hard time sleeping. There are some people who experience the namamahay syndrome, but I'm definitely not one of them. I can sleep easily in new places, like hotel rooms, and I have no problems sleeping in moving vehicles and airplanes.
3) I tap my fingers on the table when I'm thinking of something to type.
4) I took piano and voice lessons as a kid.... to no avail....
5) I don't know how to play chess.
6) I have a certain procedure when getting ready in the morning. Any disruption or change in the order in which I do my "brush teeth, wash face, step into shower, get dressed, put on contacts, put on moisturizer, put on shoes, get bag together, and dry hair" routine causes me to get confused, leave things out/behind and get in a really really foul mood.
7) I rarely oversleep. And I hardly need an alarm. If I tell myself the night before that I need to wake up by a certain time, almost always, my own body clock wakes me up in time.
I'm tagging... everyone who hasn't done this yet :-)
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
trip recap!
OK, I really think I'm getting old. I never used to get jetlag before. EVER. No matter what time zone difference I go through, I always hit the ground running on local time. It's always been this easy (snaps fingers) for me to adapt to my new location. My dad had always said I'm lucky to have this kind of system.
But, alas, I think age has gotten the better of me. Not only did I suffer from slight jetlag when I arrived in Canada two weeks ago, I am also undergoing enormous jetlag now that I'm back home. Why else will I be blogging at freakin' 5 o'clock in the morning?! Anyhow, since I'm up anyway, I figure I'll just make a recap of the US/Canada trip that was:
1. Canada-
I was just in Vancouver and Toronto three years ago, and not much has really changed. So, when I was in Vancouver, Lianne and I decided to go to Whistler, which is about 3 hours away from Vancouver, since I've already seen most of Vancouver already anyway. And, my uncle and aunt took us to Seattle too, which is about three hours from Richmond, BC, since I've also seen Richmond the last time I was there. So pretty much, I was only in Vancouver to sleep and eat. Hehehehe. Oh, speaking of eating, since we have so many relatives there and my parents have so many friends, we ate BIG lunches and dinners the whole 4 days we were there. I'm scared to even look at the scale now... It was so nice to catch up with Li, though, and see how her new life is, post-accident, and meet her boyfriend. I'm just soooo enormously proud of her, for being so strong, for being such a great sister and a great daughter. I don't know if I can handle the same situation with as much strength, as much faith and as much humor as she does. I love her :-)
As for Toronto, when I arrived, preparations for my cousin's wedding were in full swing. Since it's fairly uncommon to have a wedding planner in Toronto, the maid of honor and I took on majority of the tasks, with the best man and my other cousins taking up the rest. In spite of that, I still managed to sneak in a few hours of shopping (woohoo! More on that later) here and there.
The wedding went so well! Save for a few bloopers, the program went smoothly. Oh, and save for my mom's injured toe too, which is a really long story to tell. Suffice it to say that her big toe is gonna be MIA for a while.
Met some new friends too in Toronto while I was there, as well as reacquainted myself with relatives I rarely keep in touch with. :-) Twas really nice.
2. Boston-
So, after the wedding, my parents and I parted ways as they went off to NJ while I went to Boston to visit my friend Karen, who's taking her MBA at Harvard. She toured me around her campus, showed me the main hangout places, and basically gave me a little orientation of her life there as a Harvardian (don't know if they call themselves that but that's what I call them, hehehe). Harvard is a beautiful campus and looks like a really tough institution to enter and to go through, but, as nice as it is, I doubt MBA is for me. I considered it before, and I think this trip has definitely led me to the conclusion that further studies just isn't my cup of tea. Just looking at her pile of readings makes me wanna puke. Hahaha!
Oh,and I got to meet her German boyfriend too, as well as some of his friends. A good mix of people from various nationalities and backgrounds. I guess that's one of the good parts of MBA school, should one decide to go that route. You get a vast network of people from a vast array of industries, nationalities, skill sets and personalities. You draw wisdom not just from the academics but from your social life as well. And in most instances, people can teach you way better than any book or reading ever can.
Also got to meet up with an old college friend of mine, Gen, and her boyfriend Reagan. They took me around downtown Boston, my favorite of which is Newbury Street! It's such a quaint little street at the surface, but when you look closely, it's full of little cafes, interesting restaurants and a peppering of vintage stores, ultra-designer couture shops and little boutiques of clothes, makeup, home accessories and shoes! Loved it!
Karen and I also went outlet shopping on my last day in Boston. Haha, such a quintessential US-trip activity-- outlet shopping. Our original plan was to go to the mega huge outlet in NY but, since Boston was such a small town, I already toured it in 1 day and knowing how NYC is such a big big place that outlet shopping there would be a waste of time, we decided to hie off to Wrentham Premium Outlets on my final day in Boston. Spent more than I should have yet again, but had tons of fun anyway.
3. NYC-
Definitely one of the best cities in the world! No other place is ever so full of life, so full of activity and so full of different things and people, it's like the whole planet condensed into a little place called Manhattan. Granted, things were very expensive (at least 200% more than Manila prices) but hey, the experience is worth it! Our hotel, firstly, did not disappoint. The bed was so comfy, we slept like babies on both nights we were there. The service was also good so I don't regret paying $200/night.
We also went on a foodfest while we were there. Iron Chef aficionados would be familiar with Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill and Chef Nobu's, well, Nobu Restaurant. Karen and I looooved both dining experiences! Iron Chefs do live up to the hype after all :p After that, we took the Sex and the City tour, which is my favorite tour to take, as it takes you to all the sights of Manhattan yet with that special SATC flavor added to it all.
We also went shopping (any of you surprised at this point?!) all around Soho, 5th avenue and Lower Manhattan. Again, spent more than I should've, but really, I got two pairs of Tod's shoes for about $200 each-- if that's not a bargain, I don't know what is. Though, speaking of shoes, I do admit I may have gone just a tad overboard with the shoe shopping, coz my shoe-purchase summary totals to 10! Can you believe it?! I bought 10 pairs over a 14-day period. Waah! Ouch goes my credit card bill.
Of course, no NYC experience is complete without catching a Broadway musical. We watched Avenue Q on our last night in NYC and it was FANTASTIC! No exaggeration here. I can so understand why they won that Tony award. It's definitely as they describe it-- Sesame Street for adults. But the play is so full of insights about 20-somethings (so people such as ourselves can definitely relate!), their struggles on jump-starting their life, their doubts on the right and wrong turns to take, their initial forays into true love and the struggles with money and how to have enough of it. I loved it so much I bought the CD. The music is just so phenomenal! I wish they'd stage it here in Manila...
Oh, and got to see my cousin Ann too, who just got married. Loved seeing her again, catching up and sharing good good food together :-)
4. Home sweet home-
Just when the trip wrapped up and I thought I'd be on a smooth way back home, it turns out fate had different plans for me. To start this last part of my story, I'd have to first explain my route to Manila. From NYC, I'm supposed to take a NYC-Chicago flight at 3pm, arriving in Chicago at 4:30pm, in time to take a 5:10 Chicago-SFO flight, which arrives in SFO at 8pm, in time for my 10:30pm PAL flight back to Manila. Granted, the timelines are kinda tight, but my travel agent assured me over and over again that she's had millions of clients take this route without a hitch, and United Airlines (for all the domestic trips mentioned above) also reassured me that the route is safe to take, I took their word/s for it.
So, I boarded the NYC-Chicago flight at 2:50pm. I breathed a sigh of relief, maybe I was overworried for no reason. It's early! And I was so tired from my 14-day trip that I fell asleep as soon as I took my seat. Two hours later, I woke up from my nap. I thought to myself, hey, this looks way too familiar...
Wait...
WE HAVEN'T FREAKIN' LEFT YET!
It's 5pm already!
OH MY FUCK!
After finding out that the reason we haven't moved an inch is because of bad weather at Chicago, I resorted to the last option I had at the time-- PRAYER. I told the Lord that my fate is in His hands, and if He means for me to arrive in Manila at the originally-planned time and date, He'll figure out a way to get me there. Divine intervention, please come! And please hurry!
So, finally, at 5:15, the flight took off. I arrived in Chicago at about 6:15pm. As soon as I deplaned, I saw on the board that there's a 6:30pm flight to SFO, after which the next flight leaves at 8:45pm-- way too late to make my PAL flight. I had no choice but to make it to the 6:30!
So I ran all the way to gate 62, coming from gate 69. Note that Chicago O' Hare airport is HUGE, and my physical fitness isn't very.. well, fit. So, panting, I asked oh-so-nicely the gate attendant if I could possibly switch my 5pm boarding pass to the 6:30. The blondie stared at me blankly and said, "For all rebookings, please go to Customer service over at Gate 52."
WHAT!!! So, I ran like I've never ran before, to Gate 52.
When I got there, hooray for United Airlines, their Customer service counter is unattended. But, there was a bunch of machines labeled E-ticketing and Online Rebooking. After I punched in my reference number, the system replied to me that they've rebooked me already.... to the 8:45pm flight!
NOOOOOOOO!!!!!
So I ran back (at this point, I was so hingal, I could barely breathe!) to gate 62. The blondie was just closing the gate's door, with about 4 other people from the same delayed flight as me right in front of me pleading with her to let them take the flight. Blondie kept shaking her head and saying "Sorry" in the way people say sorry when they don't really give a rat's ass about your problem.
I had about 2 seconds to weigh my options...
I pushed my way past all the other 4 people and grabbed Blondie's arm. Almost tearfully, I said, "You don't understand. I have to take this flight. I have an international flight to Manila from SFO. I have to make this flight. I have to go home. I have to go home. I have to go home.." In hindsight, the way I said "I have to go home" sounded like a little child's plea, which may have been why Blondie looked at me suspiciously and asked, "how old are you, young lady?" I decided I had no time for niceties, because the freakin' plane was about to leave. So I said, "please please please....." and tugged at her arm like no stranger has ever tugged another stranger's arm. At this point too, I've started to really tear up. Desperation and the hingal just got the better of me.
Which proved to be the cincher to the deal! She took my boarding pass from me, punched some stuff into her screen, printed me out a new one, and said "ok, stop crying, you can board now." I hugged her in sheer relief and screamed THANK YOU so fast, it sounded like THYOU! The guard opened the gate for me to go through, and alas, I was on well my way home.
At least that's what I thought.
As is quite obvious at this point in the story, my poor little two pieces of luggage were still stranded in the Chicago airport. When I landed in SFO at 9:15pm, I went to the Customer service counter to ask about the whereabouts of my precious little cargo. They told me it's still in Chicago and what they can do is ship it to me. They'll let me know in two days if they can ship it all the way to Manila or just to Hong Kong. I had little time to shake Ms. Customer Service by her shoulders and ask WHY OH WHY will I have to hike over to HK because their flight was delayed?!?! My PAL plane was gonna board in 30 minutes, and I was still over at the domestic terminal. I have to take the train to the international terminal, find PAL's counter in the huge airport and make it to the boarding gate, all in 30 minutes! So, again, lots of running happened and I finally got to board. My luggage issue just had to sorted out when I get home.
You may be glad to know now though that, per my discussion with United when I landed yesterday, my luggage will arrive here, hopefully, by tomorrow. At least that's what United said. I just have to trust them for now and pray my dear two little babies get here by tomorrow.
So that was my trip. Full of new and old faces, new and old places, new adventures, lots of shopping, and a nightmarish plane trip back home. But I made it! Home sweet home :-)
But, alas, I think age has gotten the better of me. Not only did I suffer from slight jetlag when I arrived in Canada two weeks ago, I am also undergoing enormous jetlag now that I'm back home. Why else will I be blogging at freakin' 5 o'clock in the morning?! Anyhow, since I'm up anyway, I figure I'll just make a recap of the US/Canada trip that was:
1. Canada-
I was just in Vancouver and Toronto three years ago, and not much has really changed. So, when I was in Vancouver, Lianne and I decided to go to Whistler, which is about 3 hours away from Vancouver, since I've already seen most of Vancouver already anyway. And, my uncle and aunt took us to Seattle too, which is about three hours from Richmond, BC, since I've also seen Richmond the last time I was there. So pretty much, I was only in Vancouver to sleep and eat. Hehehehe. Oh, speaking of eating, since we have so many relatives there and my parents have so many friends, we ate BIG lunches and dinners the whole 4 days we were there. I'm scared to even look at the scale now... It was so nice to catch up with Li, though, and see how her new life is, post-accident, and meet her boyfriend. I'm just soooo enormously proud of her, for being so strong, for being such a great sister and a great daughter. I don't know if I can handle the same situation with as much strength, as much faith and as much humor as she does. I love her :-)
As for Toronto, when I arrived, preparations for my cousin's wedding were in full swing. Since it's fairly uncommon to have a wedding planner in Toronto, the maid of honor and I took on majority of the tasks, with the best man and my other cousins taking up the rest. In spite of that, I still managed to sneak in a few hours of shopping (woohoo! More on that later) here and there.
The wedding went so well! Save for a few bloopers, the program went smoothly. Oh, and save for my mom's injured toe too, which is a really long story to tell. Suffice it to say that her big toe is gonna be MIA for a while.
Met some new friends too in Toronto while I was there, as well as reacquainted myself with relatives I rarely keep in touch with. :-) Twas really nice.
2. Boston-
So, after the wedding, my parents and I parted ways as they went off to NJ while I went to Boston to visit my friend Karen, who's taking her MBA at Harvard. She toured me around her campus, showed me the main hangout places, and basically gave me a little orientation of her life there as a Harvardian (don't know if they call themselves that but that's what I call them, hehehe). Harvard is a beautiful campus and looks like a really tough institution to enter and to go through, but, as nice as it is, I doubt MBA is for me. I considered it before, and I think this trip has definitely led me to the conclusion that further studies just isn't my cup of tea. Just looking at her pile of readings makes me wanna puke. Hahaha!
Oh,and I got to meet her German boyfriend too, as well as some of his friends. A good mix of people from various nationalities and backgrounds. I guess that's one of the good parts of MBA school, should one decide to go that route. You get a vast network of people from a vast array of industries, nationalities, skill sets and personalities. You draw wisdom not just from the academics but from your social life as well. And in most instances, people can teach you way better than any book or reading ever can.
Also got to meet up with an old college friend of mine, Gen, and her boyfriend Reagan. They took me around downtown Boston, my favorite of which is Newbury Street! It's such a quaint little street at the surface, but when you look closely, it's full of little cafes, interesting restaurants and a peppering of vintage stores, ultra-designer couture shops and little boutiques of clothes, makeup, home accessories and shoes! Loved it!
Karen and I also went outlet shopping on my last day in Boston. Haha, such a quintessential US-trip activity-- outlet shopping. Our original plan was to go to the mega huge outlet in NY but, since Boston was such a small town, I already toured it in 1 day and knowing how NYC is such a big big place that outlet shopping there would be a waste of time, we decided to hie off to Wrentham Premium Outlets on my final day in Boston. Spent more than I should have yet again, but had tons of fun anyway.
3. NYC-
Definitely one of the best cities in the world! No other place is ever so full of life, so full of activity and so full of different things and people, it's like the whole planet condensed into a little place called Manhattan. Granted, things were very expensive (at least 200% more than Manila prices) but hey, the experience is worth it! Our hotel, firstly, did not disappoint. The bed was so comfy, we slept like babies on both nights we were there. The service was also good so I don't regret paying $200/night.
We also went on a foodfest while we were there. Iron Chef aficionados would be familiar with Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill and Chef Nobu's, well, Nobu Restaurant. Karen and I looooved both dining experiences! Iron Chefs do live up to the hype after all :p After that, we took the Sex and the City tour, which is my favorite tour to take, as it takes you to all the sights of Manhattan yet with that special SATC flavor added to it all.
We also went shopping (any of you surprised at this point?!) all around Soho, 5th avenue and Lower Manhattan. Again, spent more than I should've, but really, I got two pairs of Tod's shoes for about $200 each-- if that's not a bargain, I don't know what is. Though, speaking of shoes, I do admit I may have gone just a tad overboard with the shoe shopping, coz my shoe-purchase summary totals to 10! Can you believe it?! I bought 10 pairs over a 14-day period. Waah! Ouch goes my credit card bill.
Of course, no NYC experience is complete without catching a Broadway musical. We watched Avenue Q on our last night in NYC and it was FANTASTIC! No exaggeration here. I can so understand why they won that Tony award. It's definitely as they describe it-- Sesame Street for adults. But the play is so full of insights about 20-somethings (so people such as ourselves can definitely relate!), their struggles on jump-starting their life, their doubts on the right and wrong turns to take, their initial forays into true love and the struggles with money and how to have enough of it. I loved it so much I bought the CD. The music is just so phenomenal! I wish they'd stage it here in Manila...
Oh, and got to see my cousin Ann too, who just got married. Loved seeing her again, catching up and sharing good good food together :-)
4. Home sweet home-
Just when the trip wrapped up and I thought I'd be on a smooth way back home, it turns out fate had different plans for me. To start this last part of my story, I'd have to first explain my route to Manila. From NYC, I'm supposed to take a NYC-Chicago flight at 3pm, arriving in Chicago at 4:30pm, in time to take a 5:10 Chicago-SFO flight, which arrives in SFO at 8pm, in time for my 10:30pm PAL flight back to Manila. Granted, the timelines are kinda tight, but my travel agent assured me over and over again that she's had millions of clients take this route without a hitch, and United Airlines (for all the domestic trips mentioned above) also reassured me that the route is safe to take, I took their word/s for it.
So, I boarded the NYC-Chicago flight at 2:50pm. I breathed a sigh of relief, maybe I was overworried for no reason. It's early! And I was so tired from my 14-day trip that I fell asleep as soon as I took my seat. Two hours later, I woke up from my nap. I thought to myself, hey, this looks way too familiar...
Wait...
WE HAVEN'T FREAKIN' LEFT YET!
It's 5pm already!
OH MY FUCK!
After finding out that the reason we haven't moved an inch is because of bad weather at Chicago, I resorted to the last option I had at the time-- PRAYER. I told the Lord that my fate is in His hands, and if He means for me to arrive in Manila at the originally-planned time and date, He'll figure out a way to get me there. Divine intervention, please come! And please hurry!
So, finally, at 5:15, the flight took off. I arrived in Chicago at about 6:15pm. As soon as I deplaned, I saw on the board that there's a 6:30pm flight to SFO, after which the next flight leaves at 8:45pm-- way too late to make my PAL flight. I had no choice but to make it to the 6:30!
So I ran all the way to gate 62, coming from gate 69. Note that Chicago O' Hare airport is HUGE, and my physical fitness isn't very.. well, fit. So, panting, I asked oh-so-nicely the gate attendant if I could possibly switch my 5pm boarding pass to the 6:30. The blondie stared at me blankly and said, "For all rebookings, please go to Customer service over at Gate 52."
WHAT!!! So, I ran like I've never ran before, to Gate 52.
When I got there, hooray for United Airlines, their Customer service counter is unattended. But, there was a bunch of machines labeled E-ticketing and Online Rebooking. After I punched in my reference number, the system replied to me that they've rebooked me already.... to the 8:45pm flight!
NOOOOOOOO!!!!!
So I ran back (at this point, I was so hingal, I could barely breathe!) to gate 62. The blondie was just closing the gate's door, with about 4 other people from the same delayed flight as me right in front of me pleading with her to let them take the flight. Blondie kept shaking her head and saying "Sorry" in the way people say sorry when they don't really give a rat's ass about your problem.
I had about 2 seconds to weigh my options...
I pushed my way past all the other 4 people and grabbed Blondie's arm. Almost tearfully, I said, "You don't understand. I have to take this flight. I have an international flight to Manila from SFO. I have to make this flight. I have to go home. I have to go home. I have to go home.." In hindsight, the way I said "I have to go home" sounded like a little child's plea, which may have been why Blondie looked at me suspiciously and asked, "how old are you, young lady?" I decided I had no time for niceties, because the freakin' plane was about to leave. So I said, "please please please....." and tugged at her arm like no stranger has ever tugged another stranger's arm. At this point too, I've started to really tear up. Desperation and the hingal just got the better of me.
Which proved to be the cincher to the deal! She took my boarding pass from me, punched some stuff into her screen, printed me out a new one, and said "ok, stop crying, you can board now." I hugged her in sheer relief and screamed THANK YOU so fast, it sounded like THYOU! The guard opened the gate for me to go through, and alas, I was on well my way home.
At least that's what I thought.
As is quite obvious at this point in the story, my poor little two pieces of luggage were still stranded in the Chicago airport. When I landed in SFO at 9:15pm, I went to the Customer service counter to ask about the whereabouts of my precious little cargo. They told me it's still in Chicago and what they can do is ship it to me. They'll let me know in two days if they can ship it all the way to Manila or just to Hong Kong. I had little time to shake Ms. Customer Service by her shoulders and ask WHY OH WHY will I have to hike over to HK because their flight was delayed?!?! My PAL plane was gonna board in 30 minutes, and I was still over at the domestic terminal. I have to take the train to the international terminal, find PAL's counter in the huge airport and make it to the boarding gate, all in 30 minutes! So, again, lots of running happened and I finally got to board. My luggage issue just had to sorted out when I get home.
You may be glad to know now though that, per my discussion with United when I landed yesterday, my luggage will arrive here, hopefully, by tomorrow. At least that's what United said. I just have to trust them for now and pray my dear two little babies get here by tomorrow.
So that was my trip. Full of new and old faces, new and old places, new adventures, lots of shopping, and a nightmarish plane trip back home. But I made it! Home sweet home :-)
Thursday, June 14, 2007
office politics strikes again!
Some things never change. This company would really benefit tenfold if office politics is brought down a couple of notches.. not allowing it to affect business functions and disrupt organizational stability. My gosh. Can't believe this is happening... again!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
....
Maybe sometimes all you need is to relieve yourself of your everyday distractions and the pull of the old and dry routine to discover things about yourself that are difficult to admit.. things in your life that are less than perfect and the way you feel towards those imperfections. Truly, stepping back is the best way to see what's going on and to judge what lies ahead.. to know what you can live with, live without, and what (or whom) you wish you can change.
This vacation, thus far, has been full of little reunions with friends, little touristy jaunts and little shopping trips, but hands down the best gift this vacation has given to me is a reflection of what's really going on in my system and the opportunity to address those things little by little when I get back to my real life.
This vacation, thus far, has been full of little reunions with friends, little touristy jaunts and little shopping trips, but hands down the best gift this vacation has given to me is a reflection of what's really going on in my system and the opportunity to address those things little by little when I get back to my real life.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
my hotel booking and a new thing to buy :)
Finally booked an NYC hotel today, yay! Hello, New York Helmsley Hotel! I'm really really crossing my fingers that all the traveler reviews were right and that you'll be worth the $270/night rate that you're charging my poor ailing credit card :(
Speaking of money, I have discovered another new thing I want to get! Waaah! Can't talk about it though. I agreed with my girls. :P hehehe.. But I should really buy my macbook first.
Waaah! At least... Bonus month ang June for us!
Speaking of money, I have discovered another new thing I want to get! Waaah! Can't talk about it though. I agreed with my girls. :P hehehe.. But I should really buy my macbook first.
Waaah! At least... Bonus month ang June for us!
getting ready to leave
I'm so excited to go on my 16-day trip starting this Friday, though of course I'll miss Dennis. He and I had a huge huge huge dinner last night as a little going-away thing, it being the last night we'll probably see each other before I leave. He'll be very busy kasi today and tomorrow. Oh, and Dennis got me seasons 1-7 of Gilmore Girls, and I love him oh-so-much for it! I'm such a fan, little do people around me know. Spent a good couple of hours last night watching some eps.
Anyhoot, back to our dinner, it was great!!! Granted, I ate more than I should've, but I just couldn't help it. The food at Conrad's was oh-so-good! I want to go back there when I come back on the 16th :p Hehehehehe..
I still don't have a hotel for my NYC stay, haha! It's just so hard to get a good deal yet still requiring the basics -- i.e. private bath (I don't think I'll ever be ready share a bathroom with strangers!), working elevator (no shlepping of baggages up the stairs please) and good nice beds (have a bad back and I'm super terrified of bed bugs). All these plus a good location just equals a whole lotta dollars. My dad keeps telling me not to "goof around" with my hotel choices, because he feels it's the one thing you shouldn't scrimp on. You get what you pay for, he always cautions me. So don't come complaining to me if you get robbed or get bed bug bites.
Huhuhu. But I have such limited funds! Waaah! Any suggestions, friends?
I pre-packed na my baggage last night. Pre-packed means I've gotten out the clothes I think I want to bring, subject to alterations tonight and tomorrow night. I've also gathered together my toiletries and shoes, as well as the gifts I'll be bringing for my friends and family there. I've also packed Li's magazine (YES!). So excited!
Can't wait to leave! I soooo want to go on vacation! :)
Anyhoot, back to our dinner, it was great!!! Granted, I ate more than I should've, but I just couldn't help it. The food at Conrad's was oh-so-good! I want to go back there when I come back on the 16th :p Hehehehehe..
I still don't have a hotel for my NYC stay, haha! It's just so hard to get a good deal yet still requiring the basics -- i.e. private bath (I don't think I'll ever be ready share a bathroom with strangers!), working elevator (no shlepping of baggages up the stairs please) and good nice beds (have a bad back and I'm super terrified of bed bugs). All these plus a good location just equals a whole lotta dollars. My dad keeps telling me not to "goof around" with my hotel choices, because he feels it's the one thing you shouldn't scrimp on. You get what you pay for, he always cautions me. So don't come complaining to me if you get robbed or get bed bug bites.
Huhuhu. But I have such limited funds! Waaah! Any suggestions, friends?
I pre-packed na my baggage last night. Pre-packed means I've gotten out the clothes I think I want to bring, subject to alterations tonight and tomorrow night. I've also gathered together my toiletries and shoes, as well as the gifts I'll be bringing for my friends and family there. I've also packed Li's magazine (YES!). So excited!
Can't wait to leave! I soooo want to go on vacation! :)
Monday, May 21, 2007
a hit!
I guested in Mr H's work and society class last Saturday. Though I must say my guesting was quite a hit (per Mr H, no other speaker ever got applauded that many times in the middle of her session), it was further validated by the reaction papers he forwarded me today. It was so flattering and incredibly heartwarming to see that the students benefited from the pieces of advice I gave and the stories I told of my experiences in college and in my professional career.
It also felt good to see how far I've gone since those early days. That's one of the perks of going back to school and giving those talks.
Oh, and Saturday also made me reminisce the past and get amused by all those reminders of the classic anxiousness and uncertainly that befall IMC incoming seniors a few weeks before the first sem starts. The worrying about the sleepless nights, the "legendary" upper class people and the shadows they cast, the stress over how to balance the work load, wanting to pass each class, and wanting even more to get to the 5th...
:)
Oh, the good ol' days...
It also felt good to see how far I've gone since those early days. That's one of the perks of going back to school and giving those talks.
Oh, and Saturday also made me reminisce the past and get amused by all those reminders of the classic anxiousness and uncertainly that befall IMC incoming seniors a few weeks before the first sem starts. The worrying about the sleepless nights, the "legendary" upper class people and the shadows they cast, the stress over how to balance the work load, wanting to pass each class, and wanting even more to get to the 5th...
:)
Oh, the good ol' days...
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
politics shmolitics and the "easy" life
One of the unavoidable aspects of being in a very politically aware and socially conscious family and being the girlfriend of a lawyer is that you can't help but find yourself immersed in discussions about politics, politics and politics almost all the time. Not only do you hear about the latest in all developments about the recent elections, you also inevitably get yourself involved in heated discussions and debates without intending to. Hay. Most of the time, I like it. But there's such a thing as info and discussion overload.
Anyway, was whining earlier this evening to my darling beau how seemingly stress-free some people's lives are. I want the "easy" life, I told him. I want to spend my days leisurely, not have to have items on a to-do list somewhere and not have to chase after deadlines and follow unattainable budgets. Imagine leading totally free days, where the agenda of the day is to just be, without people calling your phone, emailing you urgent messages, etc.
Be careful what you wish for, my darling beau said. I never struck him as the homemaker kind of person. And this wasn't meant as an insult, he said. It just means that he's always seen me as a career-oriented type of person, who'll get bored with staying idle and who'll probably go nuts if she goes without intellectual stimulation for a few days.. or hours, even. You don't have to stay in corporate life forever, he said. You can always shift to something less stressful.. or perhaps, the more accurate way to put it, he said, is a life that's more under your control and less subject to another person's whims. After some amount of debate, I conceded. He's right. But still... The "easy" life still sounds like a good life to lead. In theory. :P
Anyway, was whining earlier this evening to my darling beau how seemingly stress-free some people's lives are. I want the "easy" life, I told him. I want to spend my days leisurely, not have to have items on a to-do list somewhere and not have to chase after deadlines and follow unattainable budgets. Imagine leading totally free days, where the agenda of the day is to just be, without people calling your phone, emailing you urgent messages, etc.
Be careful what you wish for, my darling beau said. I never struck him as the homemaker kind of person. And this wasn't meant as an insult, he said. It just means that he's always seen me as a career-oriented type of person, who'll get bored with staying idle and who'll probably go nuts if she goes without intellectual stimulation for a few days.. or hours, even. You don't have to stay in corporate life forever, he said. You can always shift to something less stressful.. or perhaps, the more accurate way to put it, he said, is a life that's more under your control and less subject to another person's whims. After some amount of debate, I conceded. He's right. But still... The "easy" life still sounds like a good life to lead. In theory. :P
Friday, May 11, 2007
the pains of beauty
If only men knew how much pain women go through just to maintain and/or enhance their physical appearance, they'll surely have more appreciation for us. Not only do we have to endure the pricks, pins and discomfort that usually goes with beauty treatments, we also have to go through the hassle of remembering to schedule appointments, arranging transportation to get to the appointments, waiting at treatment rooms, agonizing over how to accomodate usual side effects of redness or sometimes even mild irritation.. I can go on and on...
Oh, and let's not forget the biggest pain of all... the pain that the wallet tries its best to tolerate and survive.
Hay, the pains of beauty... the lengths we have to go to...
Oh, and let's not forget the biggest pain of all... the pain that the wallet tries its best to tolerate and survive.
Hay, the pains of beauty... the lengths we have to go to...
Thursday, May 10, 2007
something i remember..
As we were traversing the Emirates Mall in Dubai almost a month ago, Mommy J and I were talking about our respective significant others. In standard J fashion, she pointed out to me what a gem Attorney truly is and that I should always remain thankful to have him, regardless of what I think he can and cannot provide for me. It's very rare to find a guy who'd literally give you everything he had, whether it be the last spoonful of rice on his plate or the very last bill in his wallet. And she told me not to worry about money, because the most important thing I should remember is that it matters not how much he'll ever have. What matters is that he'll give me his everything. As little or as huge as those resources may ever become, the fact that "isusubo nalang niya, ibibigay pa niya sayo" is something I must always cherish. Not all girls are as lucky, she said. Not even those who actually end up with millionaires.
And believe you me, she repeated, that quality of his is the one thing you'll miss the most if things ever go bad.
Tonight, I think back to that conversation, as Attorney proves yet again just how much of himself he's willing to give up or give to me. And only me. In this whole wide world.
All girls should truly be just as lucky.
And believe you me, she repeated, that quality of his is the one thing you'll miss the most if things ever go bad.
Tonight, I think back to that conversation, as Attorney proves yet again just how much of himself he's willing to give up or give to me. And only me. In this whole wide world.
All girls should truly be just as lucky.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
anniversary weekend and a really long break
OK, so I just had a 5-day break. Super sarap! Let me recap what happened.
Friday - We were supposed to kick off our anniversary a day earlier, but unfortunately, Dennis had to work on some super urgent election thing, so, since I had already gotten my leave approved, I figured, why waste it? I just went to the mall and got my hair cut and done. I also did a little bit of shopping (hehehe) on the side.
Saturday - Attorney had a daylong seminar at Manila Hotel on vote canvassing (or something like that.. It's so hard to keep up with all the election stuff) so I spend the day with my mom. Dennis picked me up at around 6:30 to go to Lolo Dad's, where we had the hugest meal ever known to man. I finally got to try the famous foie gras, which was HEAVENLY. As in! Totally worth all the hype! Except that you know how expensive it is, so you tend to take the smallest bites possible, and every bite reminds you of how fatty and totally unhealthy it is, but since you're in culinary heaven, all thoughts on dieting are out the window. (wasn't that the longest sentence?!)
We also had super good wine to accompany the food binge we were on, and super good coffee to cap off the meal. I love love love love it! Thumbs up all the way! I love Lolo Dad's! Apart from the symbolism of the place, I just love the food, love the service, love the ambience, love everything! 'Til next time, Lolo Dad's!
Happy 2nd year!
Sunday - After Buddhist mass, we watched Perfect Stranger in Shangri-la, after passing by Tektite for him to do a wee bit of work for the.. you guessed it, the big E. I kinda liked the movie, despite what the reviews wrote. And take note, I'm not a big fan of Mademoiselle Berry.
We then had another sumptious meal over at Cookbook Kitchen, where we had the softest fish in the universe and his super good chicken with the sausage and the ham thing. Loved it! I also loved the fact that we had dinner there this weekend, because it's also one of the most memorable restaurants in our life together as a couple. :)
Monday - Took this day off specifically to rest. Did a lot of napping and finished the 7th season of Gilmore Girls. Total coach-potato day.
Tuesday (today) - Had a buffet lunch at Red Kimono (P485 lang per person!) then headed over to Greenbelt 3 to have our usual foot massage over at Simple Pleasures (also highly recommended by this couple). We then caught the latest Spidey movie with Kaye, Rap, Anna and Ian (we missed Guia and Martin) and had dinner at Bubba Gump, where it was about 25% food and 75% talk. Hehehe. Had tons of fun! Hoorah for May 1 holidays!
So there went my 5-day mini vacation :) As you can notice, it's filled with only one thing= FOOD. Suffice it to say that no dieting was accomplished :P I loved it though. It was a good anniversary weekend (plus, I got a stunning new gold watch from my darling beau!) and a great chance to rest, lay back and have fun :)
Friday - We were supposed to kick off our anniversary a day earlier, but unfortunately, Dennis had to work on some super urgent election thing, so, since I had already gotten my leave approved, I figured, why waste it? I just went to the mall and got my hair cut and done. I also did a little bit of shopping (hehehe) on the side.
Saturday - Attorney had a daylong seminar at Manila Hotel on vote canvassing (or something like that.. It's so hard to keep up with all the election stuff) so I spend the day with my mom. Dennis picked me up at around 6:30 to go to Lolo Dad's, where we had the hugest meal ever known to man. I finally got to try the famous foie gras, which was HEAVENLY. As in! Totally worth all the hype! Except that you know how expensive it is, so you tend to take the smallest bites possible, and every bite reminds you of how fatty and totally unhealthy it is, but since you're in culinary heaven, all thoughts on dieting are out the window. (wasn't that the longest sentence?!)
We also had super good wine to accompany the food binge we were on, and super good coffee to cap off the meal. I love love love love it! Thumbs up all the way! I love Lolo Dad's! Apart from the symbolism of the place, I just love the food, love the service, love the ambience, love everything! 'Til next time, Lolo Dad's!
Happy 2nd year!
Sunday - After Buddhist mass, we watched Perfect Stranger in Shangri-la, after passing by Tektite for him to do a wee bit of work for the.. you guessed it, the big E. I kinda liked the movie, despite what the reviews wrote. And take note, I'm not a big fan of Mademoiselle Berry.
We then had another sumptious meal over at Cookbook Kitchen, where we had the softest fish in the universe and his super good chicken with the sausage and the ham thing. Loved it! I also loved the fact that we had dinner there this weekend, because it's also one of the most memorable restaurants in our life together as a couple. :)
Monday - Took this day off specifically to rest. Did a lot of napping and finished the 7th season of Gilmore Girls. Total coach-potato day.
Tuesday (today) - Had a buffet lunch at Red Kimono (P485 lang per person!) then headed over to Greenbelt 3 to have our usual foot massage over at Simple Pleasures (also highly recommended by this couple). We then caught the latest Spidey movie with Kaye, Rap, Anna and Ian (we missed Guia and Martin) and had dinner at Bubba Gump, where it was about 25% food and 75% talk. Hehehe. Had tons of fun! Hoorah for May 1 holidays!
So there went my 5-day mini vacation :) As you can notice, it's filled with only one thing= FOOD. Suffice it to say that no dieting was accomplished :P I loved it though. It was a good anniversary weekend (plus, I got a stunning new gold watch from my darling beau!) and a great chance to rest, lay back and have fun :)
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
palmolive circle of 10
Right before I left for Dubai, my darling beau entered me into the Palmolive Search for the Shining Circle of 10. We were in Glorietta, walking towards Zara, when an exhibition girl approached me, inviting me to join the contest. I instinctively shook my head to say no, but Dennis said "yes!" with so much enthusiasm, the girl immediately called her other colleagues to usher me into the audition area. I was frozen in disbelief! Dennis kept saying, "Look at all these other girls who made the effort to get made up and fix their hair, and forcing themselves onto this contest. E, you, you were approached, invited even, to enter! Au naturelle pa! No makeup! Normal looking hair! You have to try it out!" He then proceeded to introduce himself to the Palmolive booth people as my "agent" and my "lawyer" and filling out my application form for me. Next thing I know, a photographer was taking my photo and asking me to flip my hair. Someone then took my VTR and asked me to sign a form.
I then saw what the prize was... P100,000 in cash! Suddenly, I was more into this thing than I was when we started the process. Hahahaha! Who cared about the modelling contract? I want the cold hard cash! Hahaha!
So tadaa, introducing Candidate # 59--
I then flew off to the United Arab Emirates the next day, not thinking anymore about that silly little audition. After all, it's only something we did for the sheer fun of it.
Then fast forward to tonight, when I got home, my mom handed me a letter she received via messenger this morning. It's a letter from Palmolive's ad agency, Y&R, saying I'm qualified for the screening audition and interview. I was like, what?! No way! Hahahaha!
Dennis is beside himself with excitement, insisting I should go check it out. I said, no, I can't do that. It's nahihiya. Besides, I said, I'm okay na with the fact that at least they ended up considering me, instead of rejecting me flat-out, and that my beau is my biggest fan ever! Enough to peddle me to multinational companies holding talent searches. Hehehe.
He's still convinced I'm throwing away the chance of a lifetime. Hay.. Even if I'd love to win 100k in cash, I would never subject myself to that kind of process. Hehe. But Dennis still insists. I'm really something special and I'm not maximizing it daw. Hehe. He's so cute noh!
That's it for my little kuwento. Aliw e! :p
I then saw what the prize was... P100,000 in cash! Suddenly, I was more into this thing than I was when we started the process. Hahahaha! Who cared about the modelling contract? I want the cold hard cash! Hahaha!
So tadaa, introducing Candidate # 59--
I then flew off to the United Arab Emirates the next day, not thinking anymore about that silly little audition. After all, it's only something we did for the sheer fun of it.
Then fast forward to tonight, when I got home, my mom handed me a letter she received via messenger this morning. It's a letter from Palmolive's ad agency, Y&R, saying I'm qualified for the screening audition and interview. I was like, what?! No way! Hahahaha!
Dennis is beside himself with excitement, insisting I should go check it out. I said, no, I can't do that. It's nahihiya. Besides, I said, I'm okay na with the fact that at least they ended up considering me, instead of rejecting me flat-out, and that my beau is my biggest fan ever! Enough to peddle me to multinational companies holding talent searches. Hehehe.
He's still convinced I'm throwing away the chance of a lifetime. Hay.. Even if I'd love to win 100k in cash, I would never subject myself to that kind of process. Hehe. But Dennis still insists. I'm really something special and I'm not maximizing it daw. Hehe. He's so cute noh!
That's it for my little kuwento. Aliw e! :p
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
milestones
This year is turning out to be one of the most jam-packed ever. My upcoming 2-week vacation to Canada and Boston has been booked (*though I have yet to get myself a Canadian visa, but hey that should be easy and only a matter of time) and if all goes well, I might be going to NY for a few days too! Yahooo! And work will be taking me to London in July! Yahoooooo! First time ever in London! And all for free! Lord, please make sure it pushes through!!!!
Trips trips trips. I love 'em trips. This year definitely takes the cake in terms of places visited. A milestone has been hit! A record has been broken!
Oh, and this Saturday marks the second anniversary for me and my darling beau. Don't know what he has planned but I'm definitely looking forward to it. Another milestone! Thank God I finally found him a suitable gift. I hope he likes it. :-)
Life has been good to me. Thank you, Lord.
Trips trips trips. I love 'em trips. This year definitely takes the cake in terms of places visited. A milestone has been hit! A record has been broken!
Oh, and this Saturday marks the second anniversary for me and my darling beau. Don't know what he has planned but I'm definitely looking forward to it. Another milestone! Thank God I finally found him a suitable gift. I hope he likes it. :-)
Life has been good to me. Thank you, Lord.
Monday, April 23, 2007
dubai summary
I'm baaaaaack from Dubai!
Hmm.. I'll start first with the work part of my kuwento. Our show went very well. Almost perfect, actually, except for the weak performance of Zsa Zsa. Other than that, it was definitely a huge improvement from the Doha leg. The place was packed and the audience seemed to have enjoyed themselves.
One thing I have to say about Dubai is that it's so f*cking HOT! Yes, even hotter than in Manila. I didn't think it was possible, but I guess if there's one place hotter than Manila, it would be the desert. Stepping out of the hotel feels like you've gone into the inside of a microwave. You can feel the sun painfully on your skin, even if you haven't stepped out under the sunlight just yet. It's sooooo hot, I kept thanking God for airconditioning.
As hot as it gets during the day, it gets just as chilly at night. That's where Dubai differs from Manila. Evenings are actually windy and get quite cold especially when you stay out til the wee hours.
What else.. We went to the famed 7-star hotel, Burj al Arab and took some breathtaking pictures. My favorite, though, was Madinat Jumeirah, which is this beautiful hotel and souk complex with its own little beach that just makes you relax simply by looking at it.
Dubai is also the shopping mecca of the Middle East. Brands from all over the world flock onto this little city-state and you can find everything and anything you desire! Spent half of my precious per diem on H&M, but who cares, I found cheap, good loot! Oh, and jewelry is also relatively cheaper, especially yellow gold.
Lastly, if you're in the market for high-end luxury items, you'd be glad to know that these things come pretty cheap in Dubai, primarily because the government does NOT charge taxes-- at all. So they don't need to pay those customs fees and transport charges, not to mention the goods sales tariffs. Hehehe.. Proof of this is that my boss Jane purchased 3 LV bags and an IWC watch for her hubby. All in one afternoon. Hahaha!
So far, Dubai is definitely the place to go if you need to visit the Middle East. You just have to be careful of the leering eyes of Arabian men, their tendency of taking advantage of tourists (by jacking up the prices like you wouldn't believe) and the sweltering heat. Aside from that, go ahead and visit Dubai! You'll like it :)
Hmm.. I'll start first with the work part of my kuwento. Our show went very well. Almost perfect, actually, except for the weak performance of Zsa Zsa. Other than that, it was definitely a huge improvement from the Doha leg. The place was packed and the audience seemed to have enjoyed themselves.
One thing I have to say about Dubai is that it's so f*cking HOT! Yes, even hotter than in Manila. I didn't think it was possible, but I guess if there's one place hotter than Manila, it would be the desert. Stepping out of the hotel feels like you've gone into the inside of a microwave. You can feel the sun painfully on your skin, even if you haven't stepped out under the sunlight just yet. It's sooooo hot, I kept thanking God for airconditioning.
As hot as it gets during the day, it gets just as chilly at night. That's where Dubai differs from Manila. Evenings are actually windy and get quite cold especially when you stay out til the wee hours.
What else.. We went to the famed 7-star hotel, Burj al Arab and took some breathtaking pictures. My favorite, though, was Madinat Jumeirah, which is this beautiful hotel and souk complex with its own little beach that just makes you relax simply by looking at it.
Dubai is also the shopping mecca of the Middle East. Brands from all over the world flock onto this little city-state and you can find everything and anything you desire! Spent half of my precious per diem on H&M, but who cares, I found cheap, good loot! Oh, and jewelry is also relatively cheaper, especially yellow gold.
Lastly, if you're in the market for high-end luxury items, you'd be glad to know that these things come pretty cheap in Dubai, primarily because the government does NOT charge taxes-- at all. So they don't need to pay those customs fees and transport charges, not to mention the goods sales tariffs. Hehehe.. Proof of this is that my boss Jane purchased 3 LV bags and an IWC watch for her hubby. All in one afternoon. Hahaha!
So far, Dubai is definitely the place to go if you need to visit the Middle East. You just have to be careful of the leering eyes of Arabian men, their tendency of taking advantage of tourists (by jacking up the prices like you wouldn't believe) and the sweltering heat. Aside from that, go ahead and visit Dubai! You'll like it :)
Saturday, April 14, 2007
dubai, here i come!
Okay, after some flight booking problems, I'm finally off to Dubai, UAE tomorrow, along with the rest of the SMART team. Up to now, I still can't believe we were this close (holding up two fingers super close together) to getting upgraded to business class! Arg! But, alas, we lost the chance and have to now survive economy on an OFW plane headed for the Middle East. Can you already tell from my tone just how much I'm gonna be loving this trip?!
Anyhoot, we're gonna be there for exactly 7 days, which means hooray because of the per diem but fucker because it's so damn long and it's gonna be one tiring trip. At least God heard my prayers and allowed me to get my period last night (okay, this is already over-sharing but hey, I really prayed for this) because the last thing I want is to cramp up while in Arabic soil.
Hay... Dubai, here I come, ready or not... I'll blog again when I return. Pray all goes well! :-P
Anyhoot, we're gonna be there for exactly 7 days, which means hooray because of the per diem but fucker because it's so damn long and it's gonna be one tiring trip. At least God heard my prayers and allowed me to get my period last night (okay, this is already over-sharing but hey, I really prayed for this) because the last thing I want is to cramp up while in Arabic soil.
Hay... Dubai, here I come, ready or not... I'll blog again when I return. Pray all goes well! :-P
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
to-buy list
Should I strike it rich tomorrow and win the lottery, I'll treat myself to the following wish-list of beautiful beautiful items:
1. Tri-colored gold stackable rings with pave diamonds: Estimated cost $725
2. LV Mini Lin bag: Estimated cost $675
3. Apple Macbook: Estimated cost $1,500
4. Omega Iris Constellation watch: Estimated cost $6,300
Why can't I have more feasible, more realistic wants, like a pair of standard-issue Adidas rubber shoes?! My gohd! Kawawa naman si Dennis... hehehehe....
1. Tri-colored gold stackable rings with pave diamonds: Estimated cost $725
2. LV Mini Lin bag: Estimated cost $675
3. Apple Macbook: Estimated cost $1,500
4. Omega Iris Constellation watch: Estimated cost $6,300
Why can't I have more feasible, more realistic wants, like a pair of standard-issue Adidas rubber shoes?! My gohd! Kawawa naman si Dennis... hehehehe....
Monday, April 09, 2007
musings and thoughts while in sing...
OK, the trip did comprise mostly of food, shopping, food, going out with friends, and food. However, the trip, just like any holiday where your brain is not pressured to perform at tiptop shape, gave my mind enough breathing space to make some realizations.
First up is: I've finally abandoned my considerations about taking an MBA, whether domestically or abroad. I really appreciated the fact that I was there (in Sing) purely and thoroughly due to my earning capacity. Granted, my folks still shoulder a chunk of my living expenses, i.e. electricity, water and gas. But at least I can honestly say I no longer rely on them to buy my own toiletries, to buy my little indulgences and to support my basic needs of food, clothing and leisure. I'd terribly miss earning my own money and every little measure of independence that goes along with it, should I decide to resign and go study again.
Don't get me wrong though. I am 100% thankful for all my blessings, including and probably the biggest of which is my parents and their ingrained generosity to support anything character-enhancing. They'd support my MBA plans in a flash should I bring up the topic. However, I realized that, not only do I feel I don't need it, I'd actually be happier carrying on with the career I've started... and hopefully excelling in it.
Next up: I actually fell in love with Singapore all over again during this trip. Sure, I visited Singapore again last year for work, but this time was different because I was there on vacation and I had 5 whole days of reacquainting myself with the country I spent a year in when I was 10. I remembered all the reasons why I loved Singapore, and I realized I really wouldn't mind living there in the future. Granted, the details are still a little fussy for me (including how Attorney can move to Sing and resume his law career there) but it's comforting to know that I have another option should Manila start being claustrophobic for me or should I bump onto a glass ceiling in my job here. It's nice to feel that I have a plan B-- a nicer, cleaner, more law-abiding Plan B. A place where the system works and where the laws actually make society better and where life is free of the complications of politics, illiteracy and poverty. It's not a perfect place, I know, but it sure is an easier home to live in. Plus, it doesn't hurt that Singapore is probably the only first-world country with as single-digit income tax rate (only 9%!!!) and a country where the government actually pays you to have children and to let them be educated.
One of the reasons why I've never considered going abroad for work is because of my family and of Dennis. I'm very much a family person and my love for Attorney is definitely no real secret. That's where the beauty of Singapore's location comes into play. Not only is it a stone's throw away from Manila, there are so many budget airlines now offering super low fares and there are so many international call/text rates (regretfully offered by our competition) to enable you to stay connected with Manila. :-) It's really a global village we have! (I said this also in Singapore and I sounded just as loony as I do saying it here now. Hahahaha!)
Anyway, it's nice to be back. It's nice to get treated to a foot massage by my darling beau and it's nice to have dinner with my family again. Truly missed them all, even if I was only gone for 5 days :-)
First up is: I've finally abandoned my considerations about taking an MBA, whether domestically or abroad. I really appreciated the fact that I was there (in Sing) purely and thoroughly due to my earning capacity. Granted, my folks still shoulder a chunk of my living expenses, i.e. electricity, water and gas. But at least I can honestly say I no longer rely on them to buy my own toiletries, to buy my little indulgences and to support my basic needs of food, clothing and leisure. I'd terribly miss earning my own money and every little measure of independence that goes along with it, should I decide to resign and go study again.
Don't get me wrong though. I am 100% thankful for all my blessings, including and probably the biggest of which is my parents and their ingrained generosity to support anything character-enhancing. They'd support my MBA plans in a flash should I bring up the topic. However, I realized that, not only do I feel I don't need it, I'd actually be happier carrying on with the career I've started... and hopefully excelling in it.
Next up: I actually fell in love with Singapore all over again during this trip. Sure, I visited Singapore again last year for work, but this time was different because I was there on vacation and I had 5 whole days of reacquainting myself with the country I spent a year in when I was 10. I remembered all the reasons why I loved Singapore, and I realized I really wouldn't mind living there in the future. Granted, the details are still a little fussy for me (including how Attorney can move to Sing and resume his law career there) but it's comforting to know that I have another option should Manila start being claustrophobic for me or should I bump onto a glass ceiling in my job here. It's nice to feel that I have a plan B-- a nicer, cleaner, more law-abiding Plan B. A place where the system works and where the laws actually make society better and where life is free of the complications of politics, illiteracy and poverty. It's not a perfect place, I know, but it sure is an easier home to live in. Plus, it doesn't hurt that Singapore is probably the only first-world country with as single-digit income tax rate (only 9%!!!) and a country where the government actually pays you to have children and to let them be educated.
One of the reasons why I've never considered going abroad for work is because of my family and of Dennis. I'm very much a family person and my love for Attorney is definitely no real secret. That's where the beauty of Singapore's location comes into play. Not only is it a stone's throw away from Manila, there are so many budget airlines now offering super low fares and there are so many international call/text rates (regretfully offered by our competition) to enable you to stay connected with Manila. :-) It's really a global village we have! (I said this also in Singapore and I sounded just as loony as I do saying it here now. Hahahaha!)
Anyway, it's nice to be back. It's nice to get treated to a foot massage by my darling beau and it's nice to have dinner with my family again. Truly missed them all, even if I was only gone for 5 days :-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)