PHOTOS

I happen to browse my PC and i see some pictures that are noteworthy.

I took them last year when i did my first major project for work...

Roadtrips can just go on and on...

It could either be calm and still or blurry and mind-blowing!

Life has endless possibilities just like the ocean...

Confessions of a Chocoholic

Haven't had these babies for soooo long. Its like an ohhh-so-chocolatey pretzel, only a hundred times better! They come in in different flavours but i prefer the chocolate and vanilla. I got them from okashiland on my way back. The taste was just to heavenly . It's so sad that there are no stores here that sell this good stuff! Too bad.. it would have been a certified hit for all those choco addict out there..

To supply me with my weekly dose of chocolates / desserts, i take a quick stop at any goldilocks store to buy some sylvanas. They come in to flavours - mango and chocolate. When they (sylvanas) happen to be unavailable, i buy toblerone (dark). Not too sweet but just right for me... Bitter and dark.. Mysteriously heavenly!

Lost in Translation

Traveling is simply something i wanna do my whole life. It does not matter whether it's locally or out of the country. I take so much pleasure in learning much from different places, getting acquainted once more with history and tall tales about places and seeing famous landmarks... seeing it with my own eyes and just being there...

On my first ever trip abroad, my friend and i were like two little girls lost in the metro. Lost in the metro and lost in translation equals HYPERTENSION!

We merely relied on our map reading skills and the guts to ask for info/directions (if really needed - like being lost!). Although our house auntie was gracious enough to accompany us on some our trips but ultimately, we had to rely on ourselves. Since Disneyland is definite part of the HK itinerary, we braved the streets of HK just to find the right MTR station. We were almost scared to death when we got lost for a few minutes around the MTR terminal. We looked for directions and read signages from left to right, up and down!

We searched the crowd for some familiar Filipino faces who could point us to the right direction.. We were dead tired, exhausted and not to mention scared of what could happen (not being able to get to DL and end up somewhere else instead)...

Point is, when you travel, its best if you travel in groups! (that's my opinion, though!) and it be best to acquaint yourself with the local dialect so in that way, you can just get to anywhere you want to minus th inconveniences ..

Well, the first and hopefuly, the last time that i'd be lost in such a big city!

The next time around, it'd be better and ten times the EXCITEMENT!

2007 Milestones

In no particular order.........

Drum Roll please............

Got serenaded by jay cayuca (hmmm.. im still in cloud nine)
Roamed the city to scout for restos with good food...
Got to enjoy a lot of cups of frappes / chillers and super yummy desserts...
Had my very first all out rashes due to improper food intake...
Short lived joyrides with he-wh0-must-not-be-named...
Had my first ever solitary bus ride from CDO to DVO...
Braved the streets of CDO all by myself...
I had my first foreign trip as an unaccompanied adult with gracey...
Spoke my first ever chinese word/phrase in a foreign land...
Had my very first authentic chinese meal...
Had my first ever cable car ride and went gaga over DL and OP...
Had my first ever scariest theme park ride overlooking the cliff and sea...
Got the metro rush in HK...
Haggling skills got upgraded in the streets of Mongkok...
Upgraded my phone, bought a pseudo IPoD and laptop...
Updated myself with a lot of korean/chinese and japanese series and movies...
I made my first ever Moviemaker presentation for work (Assembly)..
Pampered myself (Massage and frequent visits to the Parlor)...
Held in my arms my very first nephew (who btw is now 6months old and is as cuddly as ever)...
Almost had someone...... (almost or i thought so!)

Major Heartbreak!
Three stooges are back (Now with E., J. and moi)
Movie nights and cafe brouhahaha keeps me up and running these days...

I still have a lot of things to add and a lot of things that i want to add on my list!
Limme' think.... Gimme more time!


PLACES: Mati, CDO, Iligan, GSC, Glan, Isulan, Koronadal, Kabacan, Kidapawan, Tacurong, Malita, Panabo, Tagum, Nabunturan, Bayugan, Cabadbaran, San Francisco and of course, the Zamboanga road trip.

2008: Mlang and Makilala, Santo Tomas

To-do List

Every start of the year, i make it a point to make a To-do List. The list would include actvities or stuff that i need to accomplish. It is sort of a Challenge list for me. Of of the 24 things that I needed to do for the Year 2007, many of them were no brainer but some were as easy as a breeze. The things on my list were categorized as Major or Minor but in no particular order as to when should it be completed or carried out. Some were a one time thing but a few required months in completion.

This year, I made about 25 things that i needed to fulfill before the year ends. Perhaps, i should add swimming in the list (since a friend of mine kept insisting that its 1 of the 3 survival skills that any man should know.

First stop:

I made a big step this year. I made a commitment.

I have decided to go back to school (which in my list is obviously on the Major category).

School will be starting soon and i hate to think that i will be missing a lot of my groupie's fun escapades.. Haaayyy! Buhay estudyante nga naman...

2nd on the list..

I will find time to learn how to swim by hook or by crook...

Later tonight, i will try to look into my old To-do list and make some updates on them and in turn make updates here..

Sunburn days are here to stay

It was the last weekend of May and Ohhhh-Boy, I made sure my Summer 2008 would not just go wasted! A couple of groupies of mine went to the sleepy town of Santa Maria to experience the last kiss of summer. It was almost dusk when we finally got to the resort and I was just in awe of the spectacular view dawned to me. We had a rushed photo ops, poses here and there and had to leave the resort to buy some stuff for dinner. The buying of ingredients (for dinner) was quick but the preparation was tedious and long. Famished to the nth degree..

Patience is a virtue, they say but the dinner was surely worth all the wait! We had all sorts of putahe ng kambing.. We even had hot soup ala hinalang and ala sisig type na kilawin. It was such a bliss! The sea was calm, the air was a welcoming treat and not to mention the billions stars that glided in the night sky.

The sea was calling me and I had no right to refuse! Since it was awfully dark, we decided to make the most of our resources. We had the car’s headlight directed to the part where we went swimming.. Since, I’m no expert in swimming, we brought along our “mini salbabida” . The water temp was just right! It rained a little but it added to the thrill and excitement. We played “patintero” and it was so freakingly hilarious! We all giggled and even made some daring exhibition moves just so we would never get tagged by the opponent.

We decided to head back to the room at around 1 in the morning. There, we took funny videos of some of us singing and mimicking famous dance steps. We enjoyed sharing stories and jokes. A little booze also helped! It was around 3 am that I dragged myself to the room. I found a little bit of space and I was contented to call it a night. I am a light sleeper so when some of my groupies decided to take videos of us sleeping soundly, I buried my face on the blanket. They took funny videos of us and even called out our names.

There was a commotion outside our room and a few of us were still dozing off. Some of the groupies decided to buy breakfast and go coconut hunting aka mamutong. Since, I was already up (7.30am) cha and I were certain to go for a swim. We changed to our beach clothes and brought along our goggles. We have all that we needed except one little thing, we forgot to apply sunblock. Yikes! We rented a bangka to we can explore the place. Cha was busy snorkeling (Thanks to the mahiwagang salbadida) while I, on the other hand, was busy hanging on to my dear life (while trying to take a good grip of the bangka’s katig, as they call it). I tried to find the most comfortable position any man could imagine but to no avail. My body went numb and I signaled one of our groupie to help me get back to the boat (Bangka). Since, im useless on and under the sea, I tried to master a new skill, paddling. I paddled back and forth but what's the point in paddling when you've got poor direction skills.. Just too bad for me! After much paddling activity, we decided to head back to the shore and vwallaaaaaa an instant buko salad was ours for the taking! Just in time to hydrate and to cool ourselves...

After the much needed buko break slash photo ops, we were up for another Patintero challenge. The heat of the sun piercing our much pampered skin was another story. After almost 30 minutes of a cancer(ful) patintero play, the winner was determined.. Im a sore loser! If it was not for the sun, draining much of my energy, we could have battled it out. Well, the fact that we played hard and gave it our best made us equal winners! EXCUSES! Island hopping is next on the itinerary. We rented a motorized boat and went swimming on a secluded island. I took long strolls by the beach.. I did my best to stay afloat and tried swimming.. The word is tried though I haven’t succeeded. More photo ops.. More fun and double the laughter!

Then it came, as swift as the santa maria winds, it was time to leave the resort. Sad but for now, it will be one of the fondest Summer 2008 memories I would ever have. Ciao Santa Maria.. to the sand, to the sea and starfish!

My much dreaded sunburn days are here to stay… Got burned all over and the best thing is I had FUN!