twilight!

Most of my Feb 25 holiday was spent in bed, devouring this book--


I love it, I love it, I love it! Once I was knee-deep in the story, I couldn't let the book go without knowing how it ends. Only to find out that the book is part of a trilogy! I have to get my hands on the 2nd book and know what happens in this uncanny, unlikely yet totally believable love story!!

shocker!

Opened my four credit card statements tonight and got my biggest credit-card shock ever! As in! I've never seen bills rake up this high. My god! First time in my life that I spent more than I earned. Tsk tsk tsk. Some remnants of holiday shopping was still there, hence excusable to a certain degree, but I have to admit a lot of things there weren't supposed to be there anymore. Tsk tsk tsk. Should really tighten the purse strings now. Shocker, shocker, shocker!

Another total shocker of the day is when I watched ARA2 this evening and disappointedly discovered that Marc and Rovilson didn't win the race after all. I was sooooo rooting for them, but sadly they lost to the Singaporean boys. It all boiled down to the last roadblock, and unfortunately for the Pinoy boys, they were out-flagged. :( Oh well...

I sure hope to be shocked by good news in the next few days. To counter-act all these rugs being pulled from under me lately... Tsk tsk tsk....

new target acquisition..

While lazily browsing through Greenbelt 4 with Darling Beau last weekend, I chanced upon this beautiful bag... It's not only lighter than the Griet, it's also cheaper and much more versatile. It can be used everyday for work, for school or for play :)

Presenting.. the Monogram Montorguiel---



Isn't it nice? Love it! Finally, a more reasonably priced target acquisition... Now if only I get my bonus already..... :p

love love love love love

In the spirit of window shopping---

Presenting, the new LV Damier Griet.. Beautiful beautiful beautiful bag.. I'm so in love...

happy slip!

Pinoys are really something else. First there was Rex Navarete, and now there's Happy Slip...

Spent a good part of tonight just going through the vlogs at www.happyslip.com. I just love love love Christine Gambito, aka Pinoy internet queen. I love her humor and I love her silly antics. My favorite are the soap operas and "French Fries". Laugh trip, man!

epiphany time!

This week has been a time of realizations.. of epiphanies. I feel like I've been conked in the side of my head and was made to realize that I've been in denial over some things lately. And that I have to learn to accept the added responsibility that came with added perks, and that I now have to learn to develop a higher tolerance level for shit and a thicker outer skin so that I can better serve my new role.

Admittedly, I've been spoiled in lots of ways lately and now is the time to roll up my sleeves and seriously embrace this new role with all that I have. I owe it to my mentors and to myself to give this my best shot. I've been cowering against the added pressure, admittedly, and I've only been relishing the rewards without being prepared to take the accompanying flak. I've realized that to really grow into this new skin of mine and to really flourish in this new environment, I have to suit up as necessary and face things head-on.

I'm maturing. Hahaha!

God's responses...

Darling beau shared something very nice with me this weekend. He told me about this thing he read recently.

When you pray to God for something, He responds only with 1 of the following answers:
1. YES!
2. Not yet.
3. No, I have something better planned for you.

Makes so much sense, and makes you feel better about seemingly unanswered or seemingly belatedly fulfilled prayers. I love it. :)

what's in a name...

I don't agree with some parts. Whatcha think????

What Gladys Jane Means

You are deeply philosophical and thoughtful. You tend to analyze every aspect of your life. You are intuitive, brilliant, and quite introverted. You value your time alone. Often times, you are grumpy with other people. You don't appreciate them trying to interfere in your affairs. You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row. You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace. People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care. You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. You are fair, honest, and logical. You are a natural leader, and people respect you. You never give up, and you will succeed... even if it takes you a hundred tries. You are rational enough to see every part of a problem. You are great at giving other people advice. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

great start...

This is going to be good, I can just feel it in my bones. Just got home from my first MBA class an hour ago and I had such a great time. I was just telling my darling beau how excited I am about this MBA stint. It's going to be a good thing, I just know it.

In other news, just heard today that JT is coming over for sure. In March. Though sponsored by the competition, I'm excited to watch. Also, U2 is under nego to visit Manila too. What great news to kick off the year with :)

resolution

I never make resolutions because they never ever worked for me in the past, but there's always a first time. My 2008 resolutions are:
1. Pray more. And be more thankful.
2. Spend less. Stop spending on unnecessary things. Revisit definition of "necessary". Decide on what's priority and allocate some room for indulges, and STICK TO IT!
3. Work harder and be more forward-thinking.
4. Be more patient. Good things come to those who wait.

Here goes nothing...

big day tomorrow...

Tomorrow officially marks the day when my MBA starts. I have my first class tomorrow evening at 6pm-- Business Law. To commemorate the occasion and to jumpstart a hopefully smooth-sailing MBA career, my dad gave me a leather-bound notebook and Dennis bought me a black and a blue ballpen, to use in my new life as a part-time student. Hehehe. The nerd in me is really excited. Wish me luck! :-)

.....

Not having it because you choose not to have it and not having it because you're not given a choice are definitely two separate matters.

Two very separate matters.

But it really shouldn't matter that much. I should always keep my eyes on the goal. Always have the right perspective on things. What matters is what's at the heart of it all, not the trappings and perks that surround it (or supposed to surround it).

Tsk tsk.

2008, baby!!!!

Thank God the mood changed drastically after Christmas (see depressing post below). Now, I can't even remember what kind of funk all that was about. New Year's rocked!

Since our family isn't Catholic, New Year's celebration tends to be more meaningful than Christmas. In the sense that we have a lot more traditions to uphold on the New Year holiday. For instance, Dec 30 is the staple family reunion date, where all our relatives from all ends of the country come down to our little place in Paranaque to greet my lola happy birthday and to ring in the New Year together. As a result, the house is crammed to the fullest with people sleeping over, crammed to the fullest with food, food and more good food, and crammed to the brim with laughter and chatter. Love it! And my personal favorite is when the clock strikes twelve, my dad and uncle start the "money rain" tradition where coins are tossed from outside into the house, then all over the house... for all of us to pick up (and therefore pick up the good fortune in 2008). And media noche is capped off with a classic Co-family breakfast! Happy New Year!

Darling beau and I were having holiday dinner together at Diamond Hotel and we got to discussing traditions. We decided what traditions we're going to start once we're officially together (if you know what I mean :p ) Even the ones we'll have once we have tots were also discussed. It was such a great topic we talked about it for over 2 hours. Hahaha! We also got to talk about 2007 and how it was such a great year for us both. For me, as I said in the digdipper party, it's really a year of rewards (woohoo, 22 months!) and awakenings. Travel peppered my 2007 from start to finish, and it was also when I concretized my intentions for further studies. It's also the year where I feel I got to know my family the most (lots of stories behind this) and where I feel I got even more comfy in my own skin (again, lots of stories behind this). It's such a great feeling. As 2008 rolls in, I'm so optimistic that an even better year is in store for me. And I thank God more than anything for being so so so so good to me every year of my life.

As for darling beau, this is the year where he made major career realizations and hopefully jumpstarted the one career move that will take him where he wants his lawyering to go. It's also a year of challenges for him and his family, but as I pointed out to him, they still survive and they do it together, and that's something to be grateful for.

I'm excited for 2008. It's gonna be such a rockin' year. Kayers is getting married. Li will be preparing for her wedding. I'll be starting my MBA, and hopefully, more traveling is also in store for me. For darling beau, hopefully, more career wins will go his way, and I pray that he continues to be as optimistic.

2008 is here! :)

christmas 2007

I'm not sure if it's just me (or darling beau since we were just discussing this earlier and he agrees with my sentiments) that this Christmas seems to be not as festive / not as celebration-worthy as previous years. We're hoping it's just a temporary bump in the I-love-Christmas choo choo trains we've been on since we were tots, and not because this is a sign of old age. This Christmas season just seems a little more commercialized than usual, a little less festive, a little bit depressing...

I actually have some trouble analyzing why. Most of the factors are the same as in previous Christmases. We both spent the holiday with family and with each other (me and darling beau, I mean)... We both got to rest and relax and really catch up on things we've let pass in the past 12 months of the year (i.e. catch up with old friends, sleep, etc). We also got some really nice pressies and got to go to our fair share of parties. But, despite all of that, there's just less of a Yuletide spirit this year. I couldn't quite put my finger on why, exactly, that is. It's just how I feel... and apparently, darling beau felt the same way. Weirdness.

Hope this doesn't become a habit. And I sure wish that New Year's will be a whole lot better, because this feeling isn't a good one to welcome a new set of 12 months with.

This feeling notwithstanding, I'm still very very thankful for 2007. It's been full of priceless blessings and pleasant surprises, new and old friendships, cool adventures and golden life lessons. The Lord has continued to bless me, my family and all my relationships this year and for that, I am eternally grateful. He's kept all my loved ones safe and sound. He's also helped me achieve some of my dreams and preserve my hopes for the ones still to be realized. He's given me the courage to go for the things I've been wanting and has guided me against those I should be fighting against. I am so thankful for 2007. And this strange feeling I have towards the end of it is by no means an indication to the contrary. Thank you, Lord, for 2007.

please please Lord!!!

Dear God,

I know that rumors are bad and you shouldn't count your chickens 'til they're hatched (something like that, hehehehe). But I really really pray that this particular rumor is TRUE. Honest-to-goodness, 100% purely true! Lord, please! I feel that it's the ultimate reward to people who've struggled and pushed, through hell and high water, to get things done despite numerous setbacks from all corners. Please please please.

Plus, I really really need it :p hehehehe. I promise I'll continue to do good and give back to society and be a responsible responsible citizen of the world.

PLEASE!!!!!

:-)

weekend recap

I got a call the other day while I was at work. It's right in those rare moments at work when I'm deeply concentrating on the task at hand. I was on a roll-- words were coming out of (or typing out) of my hands straight from my brain-- and the last thing I wanted was to get distracted.

Ring!

Oh man! Who's this? I answered it with a snooty "Yes?", not-so-mildly irritable at being interrupted.

"This is M---k from De La Salle Graduate School of Business."

Nyek!

To hide my surprise and to make up for my less-than-friendly hello, I replied with an enthusiastic good-afternoon greeting and asked what I can do to help this nice gentleman from DLSU.

He then informed me that I had passed the exam (thank God there's no test for politeness at inopportune times!) and I had to come in for an interview on Tuesday. I quickly thanked him and hung up, embarrassed at my behavior yet ecstatic for passing! YAY!

That totally jumpstarted my weekend! Spent this weekend with my beloved and my family, happily finishing up my Christmas shopping. Yes, yes, it's technically not finished yet but I sort of already know what else to get for the rest whom I haven't purchased anything for yet.... which sort of counts as halfway done. I also got to buy wedding-registry items for some friends getting married. So accomplished-- that's how I felt this weekend :) Hehehe...

Was a really good girl this weekend too. Didn't buy anything for myself except some magazines and some books. That's it! Hehehe, though this definitely caught my eye... I think I'd want this in patent blue, if I had the moolah to spare---



Nice no? Hehehe.. Twas a happy weekend all in all. Makes me feel not up for working tomorrow.. :p

heroes season 2

Just saw the concluding episode of Heroes season 2, thanks to the wonders of the Internet. I know that the season length was cut short (only 11 episodes!) due to the ongoing writers strike in the US, but nonetheless, the series totally did not disappoint. WOW! Fantastic work :) Love it!

insatiable, fallible...

It's true what they say: Man is truly an insatiable beast. Whatever we have, we want more of it. Or we want better. No matter what sort of blessings we may already have in life, we always seek to have more and do more and get more and enjoy more. It's a dangerous, dangerous slope.

I mean, I'm not one to talk. I also have my own little luxuries, little leisures, little cravings for material and worldly things. God knows how many times I've wanted to buy a certain item, obsessed over something I can't afford or endlessly plot and rationalize in my head how I can cough up enough moolah to buy something my current means cannot satisfy. It's a sin everyone is guilty of commiting.

That's why it's good when God bonks you on the side of the head from time to time, to remind you that possessions and blessings are not one and the same. That you're wealthy because of the people who love you and the quality of relationships you have with these people. It's good to realize that once in a while and take the time to realign your perspective on the world and on life.

Only then will your material possessions be relegated to their rightful place as mere adornments. Adornments to this beautifully charmed life you lead, by virtue of the family you have, the friends you choose to keep and the love you choose to nurture and care for year after year. :)

silver lining amidst the hassles of today....

Today was indeed a sad day for Philippine politics. I seriously don't know what Trillanes was trying to accomplish by doing what he did. I mean, I get it, he wants her out of office. He wants her to account for all the anomalies she's been involved in so far. He wants things to change in this country and he wants change to start asap as he (and the people, allegedly) "have had enough." I get it, really. But I don't understand how he could've thought what he tried to do today would result to the things he wanted to happen. I don't see how taking a private business hostage, inconveniencing guests and diners, inconveniencing office people and scaring the shit out of this investor-courting economy would make things better. I really don't get it. If you're one of the few who actually sees the logic in all this, please explain it to me. How disappointing. He's a senator, for heaven's sake. And to think he's supposed to be this smart military man set to effect change. E, judging from today, he's just as clueless as the rest of them.

In any case, given the hoolabaloo of today, we were sent home early by our employer. Good thing, since if you add the rain and the little puddles of flood across the city, it would've been a nightmare going through Manila's roads if we didn't leave Makati before 2pm. And since I couldn't very well go out with friends and kick off this long weekend, I had no choice but to sit at home so early in the afternoon and aimlessly eat junk food while watching the news with my two just-as-helpless siblings. Then, I realized, I can make good use of this unexpected gift of free time by starting my Christmas gift-wrapping! So, I took out all the presents I've bought thus far and wrapped them in pretty paper and ribbon. Such joy! I loooooove gift wrapping!

And so, tadaaa, the 60% of my gift list has been prettily and neatly wrapped! Now tucked in a corner of my room, the presents happily await the upcoming holiday month 'til they fulfill their reasons for being by landing on the arms of their intended recipients. Such a great use of time. So there, at least there was a benefit to today's dramatics.

Wow, it'll be December already on Saturday. How time flies. Which reminds me, I should finish my list (the remaining 40%) within the next few days to avoid the holiday rush and panic purchases. :)

Have a good long weekend, guys! :)

that's love...

You know someone really loves you when they do something they otherwise wouldn't do just because they know how much it means to you and how happy it makes you. You know someone really loves you when they sit through this while listening to you oooh and aaah---



I love you, darling beau! Thanks for watching this with me :-p