Work Stuff

May 31

Been a while since I last ranted about work. Since I arrived at past 8 this morning, I had a sandwich, a couple of cashew nuts, a grande Iced Caramel Macchiato, and Bicol Express. On top of that, I've received over 200 emails, had a couple of interesting phone calls, and fought the urge to snap at someone. Haha.

Okie. So my new role is not a bed of roses. It's reminding me why I like testing in the first place and was never really keen on development. It is challenging, that I have to say. I do have goals I've set out for myself, things I'd like to achieve for the project. But with the people movement and people obstacles, I'm uncertain if it's achievable.

June 1

So it's the first of June, and we've become close-to-permanent-residents of the guillotine.

From Wikipedia...The guillotine is a device used for carrying out executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which is suspended a heavy blade. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the victim's head. The device is noted for long being the main method of execution in France and, more particularly, for its use during the French Revolution.

This week, we were manager-less. It's been a while since I was as busy as this. It's a welcome change, actually. But whether or not it's sustainable... Haha. I dunno. The client's tough and challenging. And Ohun (my favorite onshore counterpart) mentioned that you will learn a lot, working in this project. Technical skills... Haha. So not keen about that. What I'm learning though, is how to think outside the box, push back, and how to control my sometimes quick fingers (and mouth).

In the past, work crossed over my personal life. I was working too much and putting too much of myself that the boundary between my personal life and work became close to non-existent. I've vowed, since then, to keep things separate. Have time for myself, friends, and family. Not to let things become too personal (i.e. getting snide emails from clients). And to still laugh at myself when under pressure.

Work here in the Firm (Haha. Nenok na term) is actually always interesting. It has its ups and downs, but I don't think my six years here have been wasted. Yikes. Can't believe I said that.

Not to say that I have changed my mind about my long term plans. Haha.

Speaking of plans. Interesting how plans work out... and how they don't. I'm keeping my options open. And either option (I have about two), is an option I could definitely live with. Both have pros and cons. Both I would like to pursue. So whatever cards the universe will give me, are ok with me. I'm not saying I won't be making the decision myself. But I trust that signs will be sprinkled along the way to help me be sure of what I want for the future.

I've said it a couple of times before. It's hard when your mind is dead-set on a particular series of events happening when in fact we don't have full control of what will transpire. As that famous quote goes, we should learn to discern between things we can change and things we can't. Most of the time, we can't always insist on what we want. We need to listen to the universe and what it's telling us.

I dunno. Maybe I'm becoming too relaxed and resistant to change. Haha. Now, it's just easier to find reasons to stay.

Haha. This ain't the last of this train of thought. Like any train, it passes from one stop to the next. Maybe when my brain's all dried out and frustration's coming out of my nose, I'll be writing about something else.

[Survey Shmurvey] Random Questions

Survey Time! It's been a while since I last answered one of these...

Who is the last person you think about before you sleep?
Most likely the same person I was thinking about the whole day.

If you were drafted into a war, would you survive?
Haha. I don't think so. Don't really have the killer instincts.

Do you sleep with the TV on?
Yup yup. Helps me fall asleep. Usually, I set the timer to Sleep 10 minutes.

Have you ever drank milk straight out of the carton?
Ewww...

Have you ever won a spelling bee?
Nope. Come to think of it, the only school related contest I won was this best poem thing (for a poem I made in less than ten minutes).

What is your longest fight with one of your friends?
Hmm... 2 years I think. But I don't think my friend knew how upset I was.

Are you a fast typer?
Yes I am. Fast talker rin.

Are you afraid of the dark?
Depends where.

Who can you always turn to?
Family

When's the last time you chose a bath over a shower?
Last Friday. After the MTS Event where naulanan ako.

Do you knock on wood?
Hehe. I do.

Are you drinking anything right now?
Nope. My last drink... Iced Tea at Bellevue.

Do you think you're attractive?
Haha. Trick question ba to? Syempre on the inside!

What do you want for Christmas?
Three-week European adventure

Do you know the muffin man?
The Muffin Man from Drury Lane? Saw him in Shrek 2.

Do you talk in your sleep?
My brothers say I do!

Have you ever flown a kite?
Long time ago.

When was the last time that you went swimming and where?
Fontana! With the Tanquilut family. Last Holy week. Saya! Saya!

Do you consider yourself successful?
Hmm... Overall. I guess so. :) Yet, I feel there's so much more I can do.

How many people are on your contact list of your cell phone?
A lot. Suppliers from Weddings, peeps from grade school, HS, college, family...

Have you ever asked for a horse?
For what?

Plans for tomorrow?
Work. Answer the hundreds of emails that are to come my way. Get in touch with Edgar, the famous make-up artist from David's, and book a quartet for next week's wedding.

What's your middle name? and why?
Christine. Naks. Para kay Christ. :)

Missing someone right now?
Yes.

When's the last time you told someone you loved them?
Last night. Before going to bed.

How are you feeling today?
Not so bad. Had a busy day. Traversed through traffic. Food tasting at Bellevue. AVP on my to do list.

Have you ever been suspended or expelled from school?
Nope. Good girl ako.

What are you looking forward to?
The future and all the possibilities. Exciting!

Have you ever crawled through a window?
Can't remember.

Have you ever eaten dog food?
Nopeee... Pero masarap daw. Haha. Full of protein.

Can you handle the truth?
Haha. Well... yes. But there are some truths which need not be said. Masakit masyado. (Naks drama)

Do you like green eggs and ham?
I like Dr. Seuss!

What 3 things you always bring with you to places?
Wallet, cellphone, car keys

Any cool scars?
Hmm... On my right calf. Tripped while playing in the Chincuanco's yard in Florida (Pampanga). It was bleeding so bad, but I was so scared that my mom would scold me that I kept it to myself for about an hour.

Do you like or have a crush on anyone?
Diego Luna forevah. Yum yum.

Who was the last person you kissed?
Fonzie! And his beautiful smiling face and cute cheeks.

How often do you talk on the phone?
Lately very often (with call waiting pa!)

Do you talk to yourself?
I do! When I'm driving and thinking aloud.

Is there something you want that you can't have?
Yes.

Three things about the preferred sex that you first notice?
Smile. Teeth. Skin.

Who are u thinking of right now?
Edgar the make up artist. Dengit.

Who did you last hug?
Fonzie. After kissing him.

Where is your phone?
On top of the DVD rack.

What was the last thing you ate?
Creme Brule

Favorite Color/s?
Green and pink

Last movie you watched in the cinema?
Pirates of the Caribean 3.

What song are you currently listening to?
Say Good Night and Go by Imogen Heap

What do you want?Now?
Mocha Ice Cream from Magnolia.

What t.v. show are you watching?
Right now? Late Night with Conan.

Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
Lencx. She has agreed to help with the wedding

Finally... Mr. Kebab

After all the recommendations and "I'm sure you'll love it there"s, I finally set foot in the very famous, Mr. Kebab! It's this resto along Quezon Avenue. The Jewel of the North. Haha. Erick and Roch have been raving about this place and nakapunta na rin ako finally!!



I was with four of my officemates and we just came from a wake. France's, our officemate, mom had passed away last week and the viewing was in Mayon (somewhere in QC). After going to the wake, we went to Mr. Kebab. I couldn't decide what to order since it was my first time. Upon the recommendation of the waiteress, I ordered the special grilled chelokebab. Sarap! Rice with butter on top pa. And grilled tomatoes on the side.



Angelo ordered Ox brain, which I tasted. It was kinda mushy! Haha. I think this must be one of their best sellers because the people from the other tables ordered the same thing.



The verdict... For the price, it's sulit! The chelokebab was yummy! But I have to admit, I was dreaming of having it with the Cafe Med garlic and chili sauces. The Mr. Kebab garlic sauce had a lot of youghart. It was kinda sweet. But overall, I really enjoyed what I ate.

Haha... So to Erick and Roch... Mainggit sana kayo! Haha! So mean ba?

What's Your Favorite Hugh Grant Movie?

I slept at around 2AM last night because I watched Notting Hill. There was this great DVD sale at O in the Powerplant mall, and Keyce and I got four new DVDs. I haven't seen Notting Hill for a while and I figured, what the hey?

Hugh Grant is the quintessential leading man! So I IMDBed his filmography and I thought... why not rank my favorite Hugh Grant romantic movies?

(1) Love Actually Favorite movie moment: Keira Knightly's "To me you are perfect". Love that moment. Hugh Grant as Prime Minister! Brilliant! Love the end scene at Heathrow airport. Emma Thompson's story was pretty sad. And real. Haaaay. I think I was just smiling after seeing this movie. Like any feel good movie, I felt good. Love is all around.

(2) Two Weeks Notice Chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant was purrrrfect and unmistakable. Favorite movie moment: George (Hugh) and Lucy (Sandra) eating their lunch. They had that comfortable dynamic. George was filthy rich, but he was so dependent on Lucy. It's always nice to be needed.

(3) Bridget Jones's Diary
A modern day Pride and Prejudice! Jane Austen is genius. So is Helen Fielding. She hit a chord with thirty-something single ladies. Favorite movie moment... When Bridget's friends rat out on her by saying, "To Bridget. Who we love. Just the way she is." And Mark Darcy's lingering look.... waaaaah... Ok fine. So it's Colin Firth's Darcy character that won me over. But Hugh Grant as the mischievous bad boy Daniel Cleaver. Fit like a glove. It was refreshing to see Hugh out of the goodie-two-shoe roles.

(4) Music and Lyrics Awww... I have two or three blog entries which prove how much I enjoyed this movie. Drew's on it, so I'm already biased. Haha. Favorite movie moment. Over dinner where Alex and Sophie share an inside joke. That was nice. Hehe. See how Schmenten appreciate the subtleties. Haha. Of course, there's "Way Back into love", song of hope.

(5) Notting Hill I think I appreicated this movie more when I saw it several years after first seeing it. Supporting case was awesome. William Thacker's (Hugh) friends were such a crazy, sweet bunch. Love his roomie, Spike. Haha. Favorite movie moment... That one shot where William was walking in Notting Hill and the seasons were changing. Beautiful. Oh. Of course, and the end of the movie, where Elvis Costello's "She" was playing. That montage where Anna Scott (Julia) gets off the limo followed by the very shy William (who trips while walking down the red carpet).

(6) About a Boy Will (Hugh) was living off the royalties of his past success. What a life. Favorite movie moment... Will singing "Killing Me Softly" on stage to save Marcus's a**. Nice to know that it is possible for single guys to discover their paternal genes.

(7) Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason Mark Darcy. Mark Darcy. Need I say more? Haha. Favorite movie moment... Bridget silently watching Mark sleeping with "Loving You" playing in the background. There were times though when Bridget seemed downright silly and pathetic. But Mark saves the day, as always. Daniel Cleaver (Hugh) was very sexy. In Bangkok no less! But once a cheater... always a cheater.

(8) Four Weddings and a Funeral For some reason, I do not fancy Andie McDowell. Hehe. There's just something about her that I do not like. Anyway, I think this was the first Hugh Grant movie I saw. He looked real cute in that 90s porma of loafers and shorts. Favorite movie moment... Actually, when they fooled us into thinking he was getting married. Supporting cast was great.

(9) Mickey Blue Eyes Favorite movie moment... Mickey doing the Italian mobster accent in saying, "Hey, fuggeddabout it!" Can't mistake that British accent.

(10) Nine Months My least favorite. But it was good. I think I only saw this movie once (just like Mickey Blue Eyes).

[From the Music Baul] Real Thing

Ate Gret Ganda, who is sporting a fabulous new haircut by the way, sent me this song:


Real Thing
by Kalapana

Here comes the night
Once again
I'll be feeling lonely
Oh, if only things could work out like you plan
Where can love be
Tell me why it's so hard to find somebody
Who will stand by me
And take the time to understand
And show me love again

I want the real thing
Or nothing at all
I need someone that I can be sure will catch me
If I should fall
Someone who'll be there when I call
Then I'll know that it's the real thing
I want the real thing
To warm me each night
Someone to love me over and over
Making the future bright
Someone who'll be there when I call
Just give me the real thing

Where is the moon?
Won't it smile
On just one more dreamer
Let your beams come down
And fill my empty room
Here comes the night
But if there's still a chance
That love can find me
I'll be here
Crossing my fingers

I want to know for sure
That I can feel secure
Knowing I've found an everlasting love
And once I get that under control
Then I won't let go

Not a Sunday Wasted

When it started raining at 12NN today, I began to entertain the thought of not going to Mr. and Mrs. Garon's 30th Wedding Anniversary. It was about at least 50km away, and the thought of just lazing around the house was very tempting. I was locked in to going though because Vanessa's friend from college, Nezlee, was hitching a ride with me. When I passed by for Mariless in Hillsborough, she wasn't even dressed! So it was just me, Kuya Jerry, and my new friend Nezlee.

Turns out, I'm pretty glad I went to the Wedding Anniversary. We arrived just in time for the homily. I was looking at the guests, and I think I was a tad bit overdressed. Hehe. Oh well. Twas the second time I had worn my green dress, so at least it got some mileage. Anyway, during the homily, the priest asked Mr. Garon if he had wanted to meet Mrs. Garon, if in a different life. It took him a while before he replied because he was crying!

Awww... I've been to, organized, and seen a lot of weddings in the past 5 years. Seeing guys cry.... Always a pleasant and touching experience. Ok. So the Schmenten waterworks are pretty "mababaw". I cry easily. Not a big surprise that I felt my eyes welling up with tears several times today.

Tonight, I was reminded of how important it is to be with someone who respects and loves you with all his heart. I could tell that Mrs. Garon was the love of Mr. Garon's life. For thirty years, they've only been apart for 5 days. What's also amazing is how much they've given back to the world (with their Nazareth Formation House). As husband and wife, they forged a mission to help the wounded and the broken.

Mr. Garon shared one interesting tidbit which I had to smile about. He said that he and Mrs. Garon are very different individuals. They each are at the end of the spectrum. But despite their differences, what's made their marriage work is that they shared the same values, essentially. Which is also probably why Irene and I have been friends for such a long time. Anyway. Mr. Garon also shares that as husband and wife, they continue to be extra sensitive to each other. Similar to reading each other's minds.

Not a lot of guys who are like Mr. Garon, who open show their emotions, and who obviously is crazy about his wife and his family after thirty years of marriage. Haaaay.... Finding someone like that or being lucky to be the love of someone's life. What an experience.

I texted Irene today. I had a new thought. Would you rather marry the love of your life? Or would you want to marry someone who you're the love if his life (did that make sense and was that even gramatically sound?!)? She hasn't replied yet. Hehe. Interesting new question to ask.

[Movie Schmovie] Pirates of the Carribean 3, At the World's End

Saturday movie marathon! After seeing Shrek 3, we then saw Pirates. Okie... so it was only 45 minutes into the movie did it make sense. Haha. There were so many subplots, so many double crossing, and so many thick accents that I was lost during the first part of the movie. "Ano daw?!" Haha. But it eventually made sense. I don't think the writers intended a trilogy, which is why the three Pirates movies don't really mesh well together. Johnny Depp is exquisite as always. Orlando Bloom.... Now, I've become sort of a fan during the second Pirates. Hehe. He looks good as a non-goodie-goodie guy. Keira Knightley I've grown to love because of Pride and Prejudice. Great cast. Wish the story was better. The extra two minutes at the very end of the credits was worth the wait. Aptly put after the credits.

[Movie Schmovie] Shrek the 3rd

Keyce and I saw Shrek the 3rd last Saturday. It was... ok. Not so great as the second one, but not so bad either. The choice of songs made some scenes funny. Like the "Cats in the cradle" and "That's What Friends Are For" bits. Hehe. Donkey and Puss unfortunately did not have their stellar funny moments unlike the second Shrek. Storywise... Not so bad either. About breaking people's perception of you and just being who you want to be. And parenthood. I like that in keeping with Shrek's ogre character, the movie portrayed him to be the typical guy who wasn't exactly ecstatic about being a father.

Friday Roller Coaster

What a day Friday was. Big Wow Luau day for MTS. Just like any event, I was apprehensive in the morning, ironing out all the glitches and other details we might have missed. On top of that, being Build Manager has been quite challenging considering we're working through some issues with our production acceptance test (mwoh-mwoh-mwoh-mwoh for all non-techie peeps). It's a juggling act.

Anyway, I got a very, very, very pleasant surprise around 12NN when Maan called!!! I didn't recognize her voice (it's been a while since we last spoke). But when I did, I had to fight the urge to squeel. Haha. She and I spoke for about 30 or 40 minutes I think. Gosh. I miss miss miss her. Karina and I both do. I can't believe it's been more than a year since we were together. Haaay.

The afternoon was mostly about meetings, finishing up with some deliverables, and fighting over free WiFi with Mike's personal laptop. Hehe. The signal proved to be the strongest in my cubicle by the way. Hehe.

I think my apprehension started to mount when Kaye texted me about getting extra tents for the event. It was an outdoor party and we were going to get soaked if we didn't have tents! I will forever be grateful to Triplex Tents and their quickness to respond to our request! The overcast skies really got my nerves going! I left the office at 5 and arrived at Bramante at 5:30pm.

First of all, props to Kaye and her enormous contribution to this whole event! I dunno how we could have accomplished as much without her. She rocks.



Anyway, the tents were such a big help! It covered about 80% of the tables. I was on the move most of the time, I couldn't sit still for more than 10 minutes (maybe until the event was half-way through). The bands were great. I particularly enjoyed Join the Club's performance. They were rockin'! Their drummer did a beatboxing number. Wow. I'm so glad I hired them! Thanks to Mario for referring them to me!

The rain was relentless though. But I'd say the event was a success overall. Hoorah!

It was fun to see my MTS buds again! Mostly new faces and a lot of old faces. Hehe!



The girls: Mel, Rissa, and Sandy. Hehe. They were my constant companions at UBP. Rissa was a savior that evening, too! I promised to treat her to Casa Armas for all the checks she wrote! Haha!



Here's Mike Sy, SE extraordinaire of the MTS homebase.



I like this picture! Especially because Dan's in it and he has a really nice orange Hawaiian shirt on! I think he considered getting a henna tattoo himself, but decided against it. Baka raw mawala ang respeto ng mga tao sa kanyang butterfly tattoo. Hehe.



The two Rheas! From my MTS start group!



Mike Sy's tattoo kicked a**! It was intricate and scary! The best part is, he got it for free!



So many people to thank for the event. Food was great, so props to Queensland. The organizing committee (Ian, Aries, Roderick, and everyone), did a fantastic job during set-up and the event proper itself. It was fun (and stressful) being the overall director. But after the event, i realized I enjoyed it! After the stress of course. I was nervous about the homeowners pulling the plug on us because of the noise! Thank God all the bands were able to play. Thanks to Sui Generis for the kick a** sound system. The Henna Tattoo artists were great, too! Made a lot of folks happy.

So till the next MTS event? Haha. Oye. Basta, if there won't be any, at least we went out in style.

Polu Kai

Thursday night, I had to go back to Serendra to return the Havaianas I got for Irene which were too big. And so Keysi and I decided to try a new resto. We chose Polu Kai because Rni said it was an ok place. I like the Hawaiian theme and the speedy and efficient service!




I ordered the Seafood Chowder and finished it in less then ten minutes! Keyce and I shared these spicy shrimp pops and a half slab of baby back ribs and grilled chicken. Yummy!




Here's Keyce... who took a conference call while I had my soup. Hehe.

Predictable Idol

Bo-ring... So Jordin won. Soooo predictable. Third song was made for her. Ok fine. She's just 17 and she has an awesome voice. But Blake's my bloke. Blake's my cake. Hehe. I hope he pulls a Chris Daughtry and becomes the more successful idol. Haha. I didn't see the show in full, but I did catch the end where Blake was all smiles. He knew.



Bo-ring... The finale was. Last year's finale floored me! What a show. This year was so anti-climactic. And predictable. Season 4's finale was even better. Some finale observations....

** Kelly Clarkson rocks. She is by far, the best A.I. winner. What a voice!
** Looks like Taylor lost some weight. I liked the harmonica bit.
** Carrie Underwood = Karen Carpenter?! She's sooo thin!
** Where's Clay Aiken?!

I'm hoping that when they do return January 2008, they bring back the magic from the previous seasons.

Blake vs. Jordin

American Idol Season 6 Finale today. Saw the show in its entirety, quite a rare thing for me lately for this season. I love love love last season (Chris Daughtry was my bet). I am quite disappointed with this season. Although I'm pretty happy because my boy Blake is in the finale. With Jordin Sparks. And she's just 17!

Okie.... My thoughts on the finale. Blake's "You Give Love a Bad (Babababababad) Name" was one of his best. He did Jon Bon Jovi proud on that one. His "She will be loved" was pretty safe. Jordin's "Fighter" was ok. And so was that second song she sang. The girl has nice pipes. Nicer pipes than Blake's (I must admit). Their third song though... Ugh. Unfair!! It's clearly a Jordin song. Didn't showcase Blake's versatility. And what's with Jordin being teary at the end?!



So what here's what I'm saying... This last song thing is so not fair to Blake cake! Jordin is sure to win. She did sing it better. That's because the song suited her better.

Oh well. This episode's saving grace? Chris Daughtry performing "Home."

I wonder how the finale will go tomorrow... Last season's finale was plain awesome. Prince was great. David Hasslehoff teary eyed, the huge Clay Aiken fan. Let's wait and see...

Jakarta Highlights

Just got back from my three-day vacay in Jakarta, with my best bud, Irene! I have a full narrative of my vacay, but I saved it on Irene's laptop and she'll send it to me in the next few days. So anyway, I wanted to post my pics and share my trip highlights. Full narrative to follow!

(*) Bonding and Laughing Time with Irene

The main reason why I visited Jakarta in the first place was to spend some quality time with Irene, who's been in Indonesia for almost four years now. Two out of the three nights I slept over, we were up till 4AM! Her flatmates thought we were arguing/fighting. Deng. I particularly enjoyed our 10-years-from-now conversations where she asked me in her most serious tone if she could be 5'7 then, and a super model. Haha. Love this girl. She and I are alike and different at the same time. We exchanged our insights about each other's lives/mini-dilemmas. It's pretty refreshing to hear a different perspective about things.



We've known each other for more than half our lives. A lot of the things we talked about didn't require further explanation because we understand and know each other's personal histories. It's interesting how we've changed over the years, but stay essentially the same. Great friends are like that I guess.



(*) Mall Tours, Shopping, and Spending

In Indonesia, everyone's a millionaire! The local currency, the rupiah, is pretty interesting! The average batik duster costs about 20,000 rupiah. That's a 100 bucks though in pesos. The bills are pretty colorful. Conversion took a little getting used to.



Course, being the Zara devotee that I am, I had to pay homage. Arief was nice enough to take this picture of me. He even asked if I wanted one by the entrance... Hehe.



I promised myself not to shop. And well... promises are meant to be broken. Especially when one has lots of luggage space. Haha. Now see here... Most of the stuff below are not for moi! Two bags of local snacks and the rest are batik finds and a few office clothes (fine fine fine... for me).



(*) Chocolate Martini at The Dharmawangsa Hotel

One of the best cocktails I've had... ever. The inside and outside rim of the martini glass had chocolate. The martini had the right amount of alcohol to give me a buzz! At the bottom of the glass was a chocolate kiss. Yum!! I guess here's where I discover that chocolate goes very well with alcoholic beverages.

What's in a martini anyway? According to the very reliable Wikipedia... "The martini is a cocktail traditionally made with gin and dry white vermouth, though in recent years substituting vodka for gin has become more popular than the original recipe".

Okie... so chocolate and chilled vodka... I like the sound of that!



(*) Bakerzin!

Because of the diversity of the peeps in Jakarta, it seems but natural that there is a great variety of cuisine, a good selection of restaurants. I'm happy that I had Jakarta locals taking me around! They knew the best places. My favorite meal of the trip was our late lunch at Bakerzin. It's very similar to Bizu! They even have French macaroons! Anyway, I enjoyed my pasta dish very much. Our conversation with Robert, Irene's Fil-Am friend, that our lunch stretched to dessert. I was quite happy with my Illy Americano and black forrest macaroons. Good food and engaging conversations. Ahh...



(*) Meeting Irene's Friends

Irene has made several friends over her four-year stay in Jakarta. I was fortunate enough to meet them! All of them were part Filipinos, so we spoke freely in Tagalog! They were all fluent in Bahasa!

Here's Arief, Irene's very special friend (as I would like to call 'em special friends, "jowa"). I'm glad i got to meet him. He's a civil engineer who likes Frou Frou! Anyone who likes Frou Frou is ok to me! Haha! He was nice to bring my plastic bags while walking around. He and Irene were very sweet. Always like a guy who could make Irene smile and happy.



This is Robert, Irene's Fil-Am friend who works at the US Embassy. He's well-read and had a lot of interesting insights about everything. He was funny too! Bentang benta ang mga hirit nya sa amin ni Irene.




(*) Videoke Night!

My second night in Jakarta, I treated Irene, Robert, and Arief, to an evening of singing. The three were members of the church choir and had vocal chops. They were also Videoke veterans (obviously) because they had a couple of standard songs they usually sang. Haha. So the 80s junkie in me just had to indulge in my usual song choices: "Total Eclispe of the Heart", "Faith", and "Always" (Irene and Arief's theme song for the evening). Fun Fun Fun!



(*) Indo Architechture, Craftsmanship, and Furniture

I like pretty things, and people who know me can attest to that. And I saw a lot of pretty houses, furniture, wooden carvings, and decorative pieces in Jakarta. If I could bring home a sala set, a tv stand, book cases, and woven placemats, I would have.

Off to Jakarta Today

Mini-reunion of sorts scheduled today. Irene and I will be seeing each other after 6 months! I'm off to Jakarta at 8:55pm tonight. I really don't know what to expect. I've never been to Indonesia. So it's a brand new country for me (and a new stamp on my passport, hehe).

Work has been kind of hectic. We're still having a lot of environment issues and I can feel the pressure from the externals and the clients. Geez. Kinda missed this feeling when I was in bench (or when I was not busy). Sometimes I think I could've handled certain situations better (as an after thought). But then I remind myself that it's just work, it's not supposed to be personal (although it very well tends to be especially when you're spending so much time and effort on it).

Anyway... I've my list of must-dos prior to departure. Prepare the PAT TSR, hand over the testing tasks to Michael, have my eTicket printed out, buy an adapter for my camera charger. Kuya Jerry will be picking me up before 5pm. So everything needs to be done before then.

What's in store this weekend? Hehe. I've left the planning of my itinerary in the very able hands of Irene, Jakarta-resident extraordinare for four years! Imagine that! Karina and I are pretty excited in the expansion of our gimik barkada.

Mama said the batik stuff are cheap in Jakarta. I didn't really bring a big bag! In fact, it's a pretty small bag. I've learned how to travel light. What I need to learn next is retraining myself from shopping too much.

I will miss talking to Ate Gret this weekend though. :( I have some chika for her (which can wait, fortunately).

Four years ago...

Four years ago, I wrote my first ever blog entry:

Thursday, June 19, 2003
Just came back from lunch. My hair smells like the a variety of dishes! Sisig, calamares, and lechon kawali, topped with tapsilog.
I used to think that lunch breaks were sacred. =) The hour and a half when I become more than a programmer, amid worldly cuisines and long walks to restaurants all over the city. Lunch has changed somehow. Minus the tingly feeling in my cheek... minus racing hearts... minus the excitement even. Not to say that it has become less of a gratifying experience. It has grown to become comfortable. Plus the familiarity, plus the warmth, plus even funnier anecdotes.
Hehe! Tis the afternoon lazy lull typing... =)
Back to the grindstone!!

# posted by Tenten @ 11:12 PM
Cool! My first blog ever!
First on my list - give credit to Sam, my friend who also blogs. I thought, "how interesting... I want one, too!" Inggetera ever!!
Second... Hmm... what to write about??
I came in early today. Not really a record-breaker or anything... But it's a deviation from my usual come-in time. I went to the gym. Weird! I don't sweat as much anymore. Dunno if it's because all the fat in my body blocks the sweat. Hehe! I'm looking forward to more Badminton weekends.
Speaking of weekends, we'll be going to Batangas tonight. Whopee!! Our first team outing here at the office. Hope everything goes well... More thoughts later...

# posted by Tenten @ 7:35 PM

I suddenly remembered this old blog (http://schments.blogspot.com) while I was chatting with Edward (the famous Augmoc).

Some things have changed. Some things have remained the same...

Changes. Take for instance "I went to the gym". Mwahahaha. I think I burst out laughing when I read this. Yes... I do remember that era in my life where I was a Gold's Gym member. Haha. That was a long time ago... Several pounds ago... Haha. Badminton weekends are a thing of the past unfortunately. And those Glorietta lunches where the choices seemed to be endless.

Things which have stayed the same... Still an inggetera. Still think lunch is sacred. Still like that tingly feeling in my cheek. Haha. May racing hearts pang nalalaman. 2003... remnants of 2001 I guess.

****

Shrek III opened today! Tis my list of movies to see. I dunno though when I'll get to see it. Mental note to self. Will need to pack for the weekend tomorrow. I'm making a list in my head of outfits for Jakarta. Hmmm... Will take that pair of white capri pants. Very summery.

Karina and I went to Alexa's Deli today. I had the breakfast platter for dinner. Butter and jam on toast. Yummy anytime of the day! We exchanged stories (which is always fun to do). Irene is coming home this June. And we got pretty excited at the thought they we'll be asking for "table for 3". Three ba Kar?! Five! Haha!

Deng. Time for bed. Big long work day tomorrow.

[YouChoob Finds] ERP5 Goodbye Video

I made this video more than a year ago, when our project closed and everyone in my team went our separate ways (which is more true now than it was a year ago). We just used Windows Movie Maker, pictures and more pictures... Blood, sweat, and tears namin ni Chae. Aww... I miss these guys.

Elections and What Not

Monday today. Election Day. Us registered voters in the household went to Elementary School behind the Paranaque City Hall to vote. Okie. So I voted for Pichay. Didn't vote for any candidate in showbusiness. Deng, how can you trust their first priority to be service to the country when you see them everyday in TV?! (With the exceptions of the very able Vilma Santos)''

Random Thoughts from the long weekend...

** Still itchy. I think this is really because of the heat. And my allergies. I've stopped takiing the meds because they make me sleepy during the day. Coffee won't just do it for me. I am pretty thankful that the last few evenings, I've had a good night's sleep. Prolly because I haven't had any sleep last Friday evening. And I'm pretty beat from all the errands and gatherings as of late.

** Skype is a true wonder of technology. I've been talking to my cousins and titas and titos using Skype, and we continue to be amazed at how easy and FREE our converstations are. Thank you Mac Mac II for the oh-so-clear webcam! Considering we're WiFi at home, the connection speed is pretty good still. Last week, Ate Gret and I spoke for three days straight. This weekend... I think we spoke three times as well. Haha. Love, love, love my conversations with her. Ranging from the silliest... to the most dramatic. Haha. I will wear your I Heart NY nightshirt Ate Gret! Let's see if it'll work its magic on me. Haha.

** My Amazon stash has arrived. So far, I've ripped the Ben Folds Live CD (amazing), the two Pheonix albums (According to Wikipedia, they're a french group! With affiliations to Daft Punk!), and Imogen Heap's latest album. Just this morning, I saw Colin Firth's Pride and Prejudice. My oh my. Now I know why the whole of Great Britain loves this dude as Mr. Darcy. Why Helen Fielding had him in mind while creating the character Mark Darcy for Bridget Jones' Diary. He is very effective as the proud and conceited lead.

** In relation to my previous random thought... What is it about these "masungit" guys? The Mr. Darcys in the world? Hehe. Women are naturally drawn to them! Despite the fact that they openly ignore you, safeguard their feelings like a 18th century virgin to her chastity, and sometimes be plain indifferent and snotty?! Maybe this is the equivalent to why guys are into girls who are "pakipot", those who play hard to get. I swear, so many times when I found myself foolishly smiling in front of Mac Mac II, scenes where Mr. Darcy would catch a glimpse of Ms. Bennet. Awww....



Seeing this miniseries has made me appreciate the 2 hour long movie adaptation even more. They packed all the good stuff there. And how they were able to weave Lizzy and Mr. Darcy's love story in 120 minutes. Waaaaah... "You have bewitched me body and soul..." Ok. Must stop here. This line has made it to several of my blog entries already.



** I'm off to Jakarta this weekend! I've to iron out all the details with Irene before leaving.... AND finish up with all the work related stuff. Oh no. I could not have picked a worst time to leave. PRAM week. This should be interesting. I leave late Friday evening. I'm looking forward to long conversations with Irene, to meeting Arief, sampling the yummy and spicy Indo food, and shopping. They say it's better than Bangkok (haha... you picked the wrong shopper to make this claim). I'll be the judge of that. Will need to start packing this Thursday though. I reckon I'll be going straight to the airport from the office. Exciting weekend, this will be.

Sunday Mum's Day at Century Seafood

The parental units are finally back in Manila from their Canadian-US vacay! We picked them up from the airport early Saturday morning. As expected, I didn't have any sleep. The caramel macchiato I had at 2AM with Keysi kept me up. It was just sooo good to see them again! I asked Ate Henny to prepare a very Fiipino breakfast upon their arrival. They had so many stories! We somehow concluded, that a visit to the US is actually memorable because of the people you see. An hour after they arrived, we opened their luggage and the balikbayan boxes. Thanks Mama and Papa for all the goodies!!

Part of the Tanquilut infantry came that evening. It was fun having so many people around the house. We spoke with Ate Gret, Tita Linda, Nanay, Tita Cion, over Skype and it was lots of fun. The wonders of technology.

Sunday was Mum's day. Yas has been telling me about The Century Seafood Restaurant. So after Sunday mass, we all headed to Manila. Chinese food galore. Tsalap! Happy mother's day, Mama!



We had a pair of special guests that evening. Jeffrey and his fiance Jacq.



Course, eto na ang usual peeps...




Food was good. Service was good, too. I do think Gloria Maris is still the best Chinese resto out there. But we fancied Century Seafood's Szechuan Shrimps, Crispy Noodles, and Peppered Spare ribs. Yummy.

Saturday at Bagaberde

ERP5 had a mini-reunion last Saturday evening. The very persuasive Marchae invited us to watch Freestyle and Side A at Bagaberde Pasig. Although it was a joint concert of sorts, it seemed Freestyle dominated the show. Can you imagine Joey G. singing an Akon song?! I don't think so! If it weren't for the sleepy haze I was in, I would have clamored for more Side A. Didn't particularly fancy Jinky's outfits... Anyway!!

Five of us were in attendance. Sid, Mark, Rachelle, Chae, and myself.





Here's the story of the Orpheum Theatre cap. Dennis, Side A's P.A. gave this cap to Chae, and we all took our turns in using the cap.





I always fancied a pair of spectacles. Here's what short-haired me would look like with glasses. Not too shabby.



After the show, we went backstage to have our picture taken with the band, as we've done so several times in the past. So no shy peeps here.



Saving the best for last... Joey B will always have a special place in Marchae's heart... and in mine! Love love love is version of "Somebody" (wish I could be his somebody!). Both bands are off to the the US of A for their yearly tour.



After two rounds of photos, the girls (sans Sid) went to Harbour Square for some dessert. I gorged on a Banana Split (didn't finish it though), and we all teased Mark about this chat-mate.

We'd like to see Gary V. next!