This Is It

God,

Minsan-minsan lang ako humihiling sa iyo. Pati nga yung mga importanteng mga bagay (lovelife) kinakalimutan ko nang hilingin. Simply because I know how blessed I am with what you've already given me. Gusto ko sana yung mga hiling ng mga ibang tao na lang ang pagtuunan ninyo ng pansin. Opo, as usual, mas may alam ako kesa sa inyo. ;P

So kapag nagbablog ako about my prayers, you know that I truly need your help. Kumbaga, gusto ko malinaw na maisabi sa iyo kung ano man ang hiling ko. Alam mo naman na ang layunin ko sa buhay ay hindi yumaman pero ang maging maligaya sa aking tinatahak na landas (Wow, heavy itong Tagalog ko.). Usually, ang ibig sabihin nito ay maging maligaya ako sa aking karera. Sa isip ko, alam ko kung ano ang gusto kong maging pero palaging walang oportunidad para magawa ito.

Kahapon, nagsubmit ako ng application para sa isang trabaho sa Korea. Sana po ay tulungan ninyo ako na mapasaakin yung trabaho. Katulad ng drama ko nung 2005/2006, this job fits the bill: the location is perfect, the salary is enough, I'll be able to use my skills, I'm interested in what I'll be doing, and I'll be in a safe place so the parents won't be worrying. Just like what MJ said, "This is it."

God, sige na po, tulong naman diyan. Seryoso ako dito. Since May, when did you find me spending two days perfecting a cover letter and resume? Exactly. My heart skipped a beat not once, but twice when I saw the job posting. I really want this. Please help me get this job.

Thanks for listening...

Oh My, Ondoy

Talk about the news hitting home.

I'm always skeptic about what I see in the news because things often get exaggerated, but when I saw all the news footage of Marikina and San Mateo, I got goosebumps because I know exactly where all those places are and I know how just a simple rain shower can fill those streets with water so what more with the kind of rainfall that they got yesterday.

I'm not too worried about my own relatives (that ancestral home in particular can handle anything), but I know many friends living in almost every single place mentioned in the news and all those friends of my cousins that we used to drop off in Cainta after gimiks. Sana safe kayong lahat!

I also hope that Lilian got home safely from Vietnam. Buti na lang hindi ako nakasama sa business trip niya; otherwise, siguradong umiiyak na ako ngayon. I'm sure World Vision PH will also be mobilizing people to help out the victims; will pray for all of you.

Time To Get Out

I want to move out of Seattle, preferably to San Francisco or LA. That's my thought for the day. Why California? One: The probability of meeting the Pinoy of my dreams is rather high. Two: Sunny skies are better than our grey ones here. Three: Jollibee, Goldilocks, Red Ribbon, oh my. Ayokong isipin ang trapik, pollution, at expensive houses. When you're young, you're not supposed to be thinking about those things.

Ideally, being international would be my top option. With the unemployment rate projected to hit 10% by the end of the year and the recession having taken two years to end, I'm guessing that things won't be back to normal for another two years. So, I'm thinking that maybe it's time to go back to a carefree life and do something far, far away for the heck of it while the job market heals itself. I won't lie and say that I haven't been thinking about Seoul, but I really can't picture myself having the patience to teach bad ass mother effin kids...unless they like BigBang, then maybe, just maybe, we can get along. HaHa!

Basta, I want to be out of my comfort zone again. I want all that thrill and excitement again. Stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result; if I've been here in Seattle for nineteen years and am still single, I think that's a heck of a long time of waiting. If Mr. Right is that slow, I wouldn't want him anyway when he finally comes. ;P Although I've been enjoying watching Family Outing episodes and Korean movies lately, I'd hate to think that ganito na lang ang buhay ko for the rest of my life. And it might stay that way if I continue to live here in Seattle. It's definitely time to take some action...ala 2005. Fighting!

Design Me

After doing the dresses and barongs/tuxes for the StarMagicBall2009, FrancisLibiran is doing a dress and barong for my cousin Ryan's wedding next month.

Puwede bang invited siya sa wedding? I swear, I'll fly home kung nandoon siya. HaHa! God, why oh why are all the badings in this world so gwapo? *SIGH.

Who Touches My Skin

If you ever want to see me with the most painful look on my face, stick me in the aisle where all the facial products are in Target or Wal-mart. Can the world be any more difficult for a woman?

I've always been blessed with great skin. All the zits I got in high school can be counted on two hands. But that all changed when I lived in the Philippines and roamed around S.E. Asia: sun spots and various skin blemishes that probably only Dr. VickiBelo can name have all appeared. And perhaps, my apathy for putting greasy stuff on my skin at night also contributed to the demise of my baby smooth skin (naks!).

So finally, I decided to finally lather up to the best of my abilities and ventured on down to my nearest facial care aisle...only to look like a deer caught in headlights. It would've been fine if it was just a matter of picking a brand, but no, that would've been too easy. For each brand, there were several lines of products. I was there holding four different night cremes for the same brand. To make matters worse, what if you need the benefits of each line? Like what if you need anti-aging, regenerating, VitaminE+Aloe+VitaminB, and for sensitive skin potion? What do you do? What the *bleep do you do?! Why couldn't they just make one night creme with all these benefits and call it a day...err, night?!

And now, I truly believe that the beauty industry is a multi-billion industry. Why do these lotions cost an arm and a leg?! Even Pen raised an eyebrow when I pondered about buying Shiseid0 products to appease my desire of using products meant for Asian skin. Total price tag for a day moisturizer, toner, and night creme? Roughly $150. Goodness, that's a year's worth of child sponsorship for W0rld Vision!

If someone wants to send me BeloEssentials products to try out, my mailbox is always open for such gifts. :)

Missed Opportunity

I finally got to watch Romantic Island last night. I had already known that the movie was shot in Boracay, but I was stunned to find out that the Manila scenes were partly at the PhilippinePlazaHotel! I swear, why is my timing always wrong for such things?! Why didn't they shoot the film when my days used to consist of eating breakfast there and bumming around until Ninang had to go home in the afternoon? Ugh! I could've met LeeSeonGyoon without even trying! Sadness talaga!

Yummy Yummy Veggie

Why is it that when I'm eating Korean food, eating/finishing my vegetables is an easy feat? I managed to eat all of my banchan, which consisted of mostly vegetables, today with my kalbi plate. Yum! I also had a new Korean discovery: roasted corn tea. Really good! Hmm, perhaps being a vegetarian is a possibility if ever I move to Korea. :)

Party Like It's '99

Last night was my 10-year high school reunion. The night felt like just another day in high school since everyone just sat in the same table with those who they hung out with back in the day. Afterwards, everyone moved to a local bar...where people sat again with their respective cliques. Indeed, some things never change!

While the night didn't seem like it was worth the $35 ticket, I quickly forgot the small dent in my unemployed wallet when I won a huge Starbucks gift basket that was worth a little under $100, complete with a French coffee press, Bearista Bear toy, coffee tumbler, lots of coffee bags, and my newfound love, Caramel Macchiato Biscottis. As how I would describe them in Class of '99 lingo, "Caramel Macchiato Biscottis are da bomb!"



The final verdict of the night was that most of the people who looked "off" back then, now looked better and those who always thought they were the "ish" back then now looked, umm, not all that (karma is a biatch!). And there are those who never changed. That would be me...okay, okay, plus 15 pounds. ;P

Color Me Beautiful

I entered the Pacific Place parking garage on 9/9/09 at 9:09 a.m. Seriously, that's what it said on my ticket when I entered the garage. Yes, I'm cool.

I drove to Downtown Seattle because I got my hair colored at an upscale salon...for free. Apparently, you can get these kinds of free services at places where there are students who are learning the craft. Who knew?! Since I wanted to update my look, yet had no money, it wasn't a hard decision to sign up and be a guinea pig for a day.

It was my first time ever to get my "hair did" at an upscale salon so it was a whole new world. They had a coffee bar, a DJ spinning music, and a super modern chic ambiance. So this is what people get when they pay for at least $50 for a haircut. HeHe!

After three hours of being in the chair, my hair was vavavavoom! I have new dark brown tresses! And since it was professionally blow-dried, my hair was truly a beauty to look at. This brings a whole new meaning to "The best things in life are free."

I'm Here

I got my DVD version of Got 2 Believe today (can finally get rid of that VHS version from 2002!) and watched it right away to commemorate the beginning of "-ber Months." For me, that movie is the best at displaying how it feels to be a single woman.

Part that gets me each time? When Toni goes "Ayoko na" and starts crying after her series of failed blind dates. *SIGH. And one too many times, like Toni, I've also had my share of conversations with friends consisting of questions like "Di ba, maganda naman ako?" and "Di ba, mabait naman ako?" (if you look hard enough in the archives, you'll find a chat transcript!).

I usually joke about all this single blessedness on here, but I don't find the subject funny anymore (uy, serious today!). It's frustrating and sad all at the same time. While some women, who shall remain nameless (*ahem), are quite open to accepting that they may be single forever, I feel otherwise.

I don't want to be single forever. I've had my years of enjoying all this singleness and independence; I'd like to think that I've lived those years to the fullest. Puwede stop na? I'm ready to love and be loved (yihee!).

Wala bang naghahanap sa akin? Yung gwapo, may pinagaralan, at may patutunguhan ang buhay, hindi ba nya ako hinahanap? Ano ba ang pinagkakaabalahan nya ngayon at hindi nya ako makita? LoL. While everyone I know seems to be married or attached, I'd like to think na may natitira pa diyan na ka-edad ko na single din katulad ko (o di ba, I'm optimistic pa!). Nasaan ka? Bakit palaging late ang mga ka-date ko?! ;P

Bakasyon Na Naman

I'm currently chatting with my former co-worker in Manila, Lilian, and she just told me that she has a business trip in Vietnam on the 21st. Just like the good ol' days, she has invited me to join her there to avail the free room and board that goes along with business trips. Tukso, tukso, layuan mo ako!

I just quickly searched for plane tickets to Manila and it's under $700. Vietnam and Taiwan are just a couple of reasons to go, in addition to my cousin's wedding next month. Kinakabahan lang ako kasi baka kung ano na naman pumasok sa utak ko at baka mag-extended stay na naman ako duon. ;X