Just Got Married

Yesterday was Zara’s wedding. I finally have a close friend who’s married and I actually got to witness it.

I kept telling Zara that we’re definitely old already. I still remember the very time that Zara told me that a new boy had moved into her neighborhood. Who knew at that time that she would eventually marry him years later. Ang sarap tuloy paniwalaan ang mga salitang “true love” and “destiny.” But I know better than to use them when referring to my life. HaHa!

Speaking of, how come the guys who always ask for my number are never the guys that I want to get with? Baliktad talaga ang mundo ko! In fairness, hindi ako nagtaray ha; I actually gave my number and allowed myself to be photographed pa. Yun lang nga, nung nag-text na, back to my usual antipatika self na ako. ;P

Eh kasi naman, naiwan akong mag-isa after the reception at nagintay ako ng matagal bago dumating yung driver namin so highblood ako. Eventually, he found the place and I met with my cousin in Libis to go to Baga Berde. O di ba, gimik agad! It was a Wency Cornejo/Jimmy Bondoc/True Faith night. We ended up sitting outside, so medyo walang front row view. This is what I missed most about Manila: live music. It’s really too bad that Totop is no longer with Freestyle and I don’t have them to stalk anymore.

Currently in Incheon

Somewhere out there is a Kim Rae Won. Oh the possibilities! LoL.

Incheon International is nice. It makes me want to call Seoul home. HaHa! And if you’re not really sure where you are, just look around:

- Bae Yong Joon plastered all over the place
- An MBC drama playing right now in front of me as I wait for my plane
(looks like the “other girl” in Romance has cancer in this scene)

I think I’m going to start flying Korean Air whenever I’m bound for Asia: I swear, I’ve never seen that many cute guys waiting in line for check-in at Sea-Tac. HaHa! And, I’d like to announce that I actually got mistaken for a Korean. After years of Chinese mistaken identity incidents, I’ve now graduated onto another ethnicity. Those Krung Krung marathons must have done me some good. Thanks, Pen!

Scarier than a Bagwa

I'm scared. Maybe that explains the tears in my eyes right now as I try to write this entry.

Words of wisdom that I hope to remember while being away:

• In order to discover something new, I have to leave something behind.
  
• Life is meant to be lived.
  
• Nothing can hold myself back, but myself.
  
• Think that I'm never coming back to the place that I'm visiting.

See you all on the other side of the globe...well, at least those who ARE on the other side of the globe. ;P

Present

I went to church this morning. The lesson for today was "Every day is a gift from God." And you know what, it's true. Our tomorrows are never promised and our todays should never be taken for granted. I got to remember that.

On that note, while walking to my car after a trip to Target, I kept thinking that it will be awhile until I can walk around like that again - walking in the middle of the parking lot with a bag in tow without a care in the world. Because in a couple of days, I'll be on "praning mode" 24/7 again. I'm not the only one like that, right? I mean, those in Manila are also praning when they step out of their house, right? (Bundi, huwag magdeny! Nasaan ang phone mo nung nakasakay ka ng jeep? LoL!)

Stay With Me Tonight

For the third time this year, let me just say that packing is such sweet sorrow. I tried to start today, but all I ended up doing was scattering my clothes all over my room. Will try again tomorrow.

After "reading" various Lonely Planet books, look what I found for lodging alternatives in South Korea:

• Homestays (staying with a host family)
  
• Temple Stays (staying in a Buddhist temple)

I think both are equally intriguing. Granted, that yes, I wish Kim Rae Won's house is an option, but we cannot have everything in life. Thou shall keep these two options in mind for future reference.

Baby, It's You

Today, a "stork" left me a "little bundle of joy" in front of our doorstep. I decided to call him, "MACulay," "Kulay" for short. I'll let you all use your imagination as to what kind of "talents" Kulay has. In short, Papa and I are proud parents now.

So, I'm complete - materialistically speaking, of course. I don't care to hear about your blue-tooth devices, new cellphone models, or anything that requires electricity. Pen, I'm talking to you; Please find another techie twin dahil ang mahal na ng kuryente dito sa bahay! LoL.

Anyway, the next agenda (besides defying the laws of unemployment in the Philippines) is to focus on myself. Afterall, before you can help others, you must help yourself first.

Seven Days

Let the countdown begin!

Although, I'm not too sure about what to pack. If I end up pursuing a job, then I have to pack work clothes. If I end up traveling around the country, then I have to bring gusgusin clothes. If I end up wanting to lose the weight that I put on just in the last two months, then I have to bring my Adidas gear. All those, in addition to my casual, pang-Manila clothes. And here I thought I would be fine with just one piece of luggage!

This I know for sure:

• backpack (going to Manila for the second time!)
  
• Nalgene water bottle
  
• my cheapy battery-operated fan
  
• cellphone (how much is it to get this unlocked?)
  
• macaroni and cheese for the bride-to-be (huwaging request!)
  
• my black, never been worn dress (wishing may date)

I'm actually debating whether to bring Papa along. Kinakabahan ako dahil baka may mang-agaw sa kanya. Although, I really want to ransack everyone's music stash in Manila and upload them on my iTunes (sharing is caring!). We'll see.

But yeah, man, I'm getting excited and feeling much better about taking this trip. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! ;P

It All Starts With Me

To leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived

This is to have succeeded.

That is part of the Ralph Waldo Emerson poem that I received after finishing my one year stint as Freshman Council Treasurer. The year before, I wrote my personal statement for my college application; it contained what success meant to me. Both had the same sentiments.

In less than a month, the first quarter of my life will be over. Have I worked towards my definition of success? No and I am quite disappointed with myself.

It is easy to say to just do it ala Nike. It is easy to say listen to your heart. But when you're not accustomed to following both adages, it's hard. Couple that with two opposing goals in life, and you're in for a huge dilemma.

This upcoming trip will be an important one. What I do will dictate what the next quarter of my life will be like. It's time to listen to myself more and to be honest with myself. It's time to figure out "the little things in life." It's time to take those itsy bitsy steps towards happiness and a more fulfilling life that I can proud of.

Five Steps to Ensure Financial Freedom

5. Thou shall not participate in conversations regarding material acquisitions.
4. Thou shall charge things to experience and not to debit card.
3. Thou shall remember that the best things in life are free.
2. Thou shall be content with what she has.
1. THOU SHALL NOT BUY ANY MORE TECHIE GADGETS THIS YEAR.

So, help me God, Buddha, Krishna, and the rest of the Almighty Crew.

Amen.

Sound of Music

After six hours of going through my CD collection to fill up my iTunes, here are my Grammy Awards:

Most Songs from a Single Artist
Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson

Best Greatest Hits Album
Boyz II Men - Legacy, Stevie Wonder - The Definitive Collection, Michael Jackson - Number Ones

Long Live Their Old Stuff
Bobby Brown - Bobby, Mariah Carey - Music Box, Fantasy

CD I Remember Getting From Someone
Justin Timberlake - Justified from Pen

CD I Bought For Just One Song
So So Def Bass All Stars for "My Boo" by Ghostown DJs

Scare the Boys With Them
My complete 'NSYNC collection (HaHa!)

Artist Kids Today Wouldn't Know Existed
Tevin Campbell (...Can we talk for a minute? Girl, I want to know your name...)

Long Live the Debut CD (Because I Didn't Buy Anything After It)
John Mayer - Room for Squares, Backstreet Boys - Backstreet Boys

Oh My God, iTunes Had A Playlist For It
MMC - MMC

Did Momma Know
Color Me Badd - C.M.B. which had "I Wanna S3x You Up" (quite risque for an 11-year-old, LoL)

Why Did I Buy This Again?
98 Degrees - Revelation

I'm Proud To Say That I Don't Have a CD of
Jolina Magdangal (HaHa!)

Color of Love

I find it absolutely amusing that when you don't have any money, you find a lot of things that you want to buy.

Back in March, when Pen and I decided to buy our "Friendship 40GB iPods," I gave in. Afterall, I had two jobs at that time. However, after buyer's remorse kicked in and I came to my senses, I returned the precious thing to Amazon simply because I would rather have the more expensive iPod Photo with its colored screen.

Today, I found out that Apple had merged the best of both worlds and the iPods now come with full-color display. Best of all, the relatively old 30GB iPod Photo is now on clearance, screaming "You can afford me now!"

I know that SE Asia is screaming my name. I know that some of the 7,107 islands want me to visit them. But dang, it has a colored screen! LoL.

Someone find me a job in Manila now so that I could justify this purchase! HeHe!

The Way You Make Me Feel

I may not be giddy about any of the jobs available here in Seattle, but there are a bunch in Manila that would just fulfill my wildest dreams (sans traveling around the world for free, of course). These are jobs that exude fun for me. I guess compared to seafood just about anything will seem fun for me these days. HeHe.

Anyway, what is standing between me and these jobs? JobStreet telling me that I'm underqualified because I'm not a Filipino citizen. Ouch! Talk about hitting me where it hurts the most. It's called work permit, JobStreet! The PBA players have them; I can, too!

I mean, for once in my life, I would just like to see what it's like to come to work excited about what I'm doing, the people I'm working with, and the topics that I'm dealing with. Hmm...I may have something new to wish for on my birthday next month!

Back To The Future

I just watched ANC. I was so upset that I shoved two spoonfuls of Nutella in my mouth and called them breakfast.

Can someone just answer this little, yet oh so important, question of mine: "Then what?" You take the chair from The Little Woman, then what? Enlighten me, people. I just want to be able to relate to your sentiments because I don't get it.

Writings on the Wall

So I finally got around to e-mailing those who need to know my whereabouts in the next few weeks. Here are the replies:

Lay, my Singaporean friend from college
I am currently in Seattle. I returned here beginning this year. Long story cut short... Job outlook wasn't attractive in Singapore, so I decided to return to school again.

My Ninang
Anyway, ano naman ang nakain mo at gusto mo dito maghanap ng trabaho? Kung bakasyon ka, puede pa but to try your luck here in manila, parang nahihilo ka ata.

Ang saya, di ba? I don't have a tour guide in Singapore and I think my relatives are going to send me right back to Seattle after I set foot in Manila. Tsk. Tsk.

With all of that, I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to explain terms like "soul searching," "quarter-life crisis," "I need a break," "backpacking in the Philippines" to those who will be asking me why I'm in Manila once I'm there. *SIGH.