[Focus Health and Wellness] Robinson's Fit and Fun Race Results

Results from last weekend's run are in! I'm just happy Ina and I finished in an hour! 5.4km! This is a huge improvement from my last 5km run, where I finished in an hour and fifteen minutes.




Official Fit and Fun results can be downloaded here.

The World of Running

I've never been the sporty type. My close friends know this about me. The only sport I've ever really liked and participated actively in was badminton. But most of my badminton playmates got tired of the sport, and I can't even find my badmin rackets anymore. And then came running.

I have to thank Angelo for getting us interested in this sport. It's a simple sport. For now, I'm mostly just competitive with myself. I want to improve my running time.

Anyway, with my new found interest in running, I discover that so many other people are into it as well. Ate Love and Jojo are marathon fans. There are also so many runners in the Philippines, I just came to realize! And the dad of my best friend from grade school, Monique, who I've known for more than 20 years now, is actually Rudy Biscocho, race organizer extraordinaire! Haha.

I'm just embracing this new world of running. Hehe. And it's good! I'm thinking of getting another pair of running shoes, as my Asics might retire early.

I'm also looking at a couple of websites and Angelo showed me this really nice website, www.thebullrunner.com. This site contains a page where runners share a few things about themselves. I like this entry (first one actually):


(1) When did you start running? December 2006
(2) Where do you run? Treadmill at home and Ayala Alabang
(3) How often do you run? 4x a week
(4) Do you run alone or with others? Preference? I do both. I enjoy running with friends, but I also look forward to running alone as MY time to think, relax (really!), and refuel.
(5) What is your favorite running accessory? I have two. Nike+ and New Balance Shoes.
(6) What is the best benefit of running for you? Freedom from the scale! My focus shifted towards getting fit and strong rather than losing those last few pounds on the scale.
(7) What is your running goal? To be a lifelong runner…oh, and the New York Marathon.
(8) Why do you run? Because I LOVE LOVE LOVE it…and also to maintain my weight. If I don’t run, I will die. I’m not kidding


Another runne also said that he runs because..."it makes me feel good! i never thought i could do this so it’s a reminder that anything is possible if you put your mind and heart into it."

[Focus Health and Wellness] Fit and Fun, Robinson's Fun Run

Although I set my phone alarm to go off at 4:30am, it was Iris's 5:15am call which got me out of bed. The Robinson's Fit and Fun was a pair 5km run and my partner was Ina. She also has asthma, and like her aunt (daks me), isn't really the running/rushing type. I was happy to find out (when we crossed the finish line) that our unofficial time was 59 minutes! A huge improvement from my last 5km run time of 1 hour and 15 minutes. Woohoo!

Happy about the freebies as well!! One Robinson's bag full of goodies from the sponsors! Winner!







Also in the race were Angelo (with Celine) and Lester! Ate Love and I asked for Sunsilk freebies. Lester finished the race in 25 minutes! Excellent time for a first time 5km runner!



Of course, running gives us an excuse to eat eat eat. And EAT we did! Lunch at Casa Marias! A Singaporean dining experience! Ate Love made Cereal Prawns, which was excellent!!!!




And I made the Hainanese Chicken!! Which was good of course! Haha.



Always good times with my girls! After lunch, Ate Love and Ina curled my hair! I had a realization while the two girlies where fussing over my faux curls. I never had a sister, and I guess I missed out on all the kikay girly stuff. Which is prolly one of the many reasons why I love hanging out with them. It's just like having three sisters! If I do hang out here more than once a week though, I'm afraid I'd gain ten extra pounds. Food here is amazing. Haha.



Thanks girls!!! Mwah!

Meeting Jason Magbanua & Nelson's 40th

Saturday was quite a busy day for me! First was an inspection of the house renovation progress and a talk with the contractor. Some of the things we talked about didn't come out of the plans drawn out. Straightened those out and went to Megamall after to meet with Irene, Charles, and Armie. We went to the Wedding Congress in one of the Megatrade Halls. I got a free pass courtesy of Tita Beth, who decided not to come at the last minute. I took her place and put on the "Elizabeth Bausas" name tag.

We went around the Wedding Congress, checking out a few suppliers. The main highlight of the Congress though was attending the "Extraordinary Wedding Videos" talk by Jason Magbanua. Irene and I are fans. We sometimes spend hours just checking out wedding videos on the net (when she was in London), and we enjoy watching Jason's videos. It was a thrill to meet him and to listen to him talk about the videographer's tools, style, etc. I wish when my big day comes, I can still afford to get him.



My favorite part of the talk though was the end, when I went up to him and told him I'm a big fan of his work. He said, "Thank you, Elizabeth." Hahaha. I then proceeded to explain to him sheepishly that my name really isn't "Elizabeth".

Bausi and I went around Megamall after the Jason talk, and I wanted to get coffee. We passed by Triple V and saw the merienda buffet. We just looked at each other and said, "Game?" Lamon time.



After Megamall, I went to Balay ni Juan for Nelson's surprise 40th birthday. France and Diana were both there, but Nelson was nowhere to be seen. He and wife Amy arrived about 20 minutes later. It was obvious from the genuine look of surprise on Nelson's face that Amy pulled it off.








Ceasar and Angelo followed an hour later. Nelson reminded us that it was exactly two years ago when we got our Aussie visas and met each other for the first time. Deng. The 31st of July marks the Focus anniversary! It's been 24 months! Somehow, it kinda feels longer. I can't help but feel nostalgic when Nelson brought it up.

Anyway, it was just nice to see such a sweet couple, Nelson and Amy. They've been married for a couple of years now and they seem like newly weds. Nelson's a real toughie, but I think he turns into mush with the wifey.

I do miss the Nelson-Angelo banter. Classic.

[Music From the Baul] I'm Yours

Suzie Mraz will go gaga over this entry. Hehe. Anyway, I'm not a big fan of the geek-in-the-pink, but I like this song! Heard it on Ina's iTunes, and I quickly asked for the title of the song. It's really sweet. Perfect for a wedding AVP. It kinda feels like a Jack Johnson song, too.


I'm Yours
By Jason Mraz

Well you done done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks
and now I'm trying to get back
Before the cool done run out
I'll be giving it my bestest
Nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some

I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours

Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love love
Listen to the music of the moment people dance and sing
We're just one big family
And It's our God-forsaken right to be loved love loved love loved

So I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours

Scooch closer dear
and i will nibble your ear

I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror
And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer
My breath fogged up the glass
And so I drew a new face and laughed
I guess what i be saying is there ain't no better reason
To rid yourself of vanity and just go with the seasons
It's what we aim to do
Our name is our virtue

I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
this is our fate, I'm yours

Well no no, well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find the sky is yours
Listen to the music of the moment come and dance with me
A lá one big family (2nd time: A lá happy family; 3rd time: A lá peaceful melody)
It's your God-forsaken right to be loved love love love

I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours

No please, don't complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours

No please, don't hesitate
no more, no more
It cannot wait
The sky is yours!

Focus Friday of Goodbyes

Friday was a day of goodbyes. In the morning, we said goodbye to a test team veteran, Clydie. She and Michael started the Focus Testing team with me almost two years ago. Clydie will be tying the knot on 08-08-08 with long time boyfriend. She has rolled off the project and will be returning to the Testing Capability after her vacation.



We made Clydie a special scrapbook, and she in turn, aftet the successful proding of France and Rojie, treated us to pizza! We all wish Clydz lots of luck on her next project!




In the evening, Grouchy and I attended Rona's surprise bridal shower. We brought our share of waffle dogs and kinky gifts. We all hid in the dark when Rona opened the door of the villa. She was very surprised (effective party poppers!), and we were all teasing her why she agreed to go with her fiance to "rest" before going back to Olongapo. Hehe.




Grouchy and I stayed long enough to eat spag and pizza! Hehe. And to catch up with Ex-ccenture bride-to-be-Rona who will be moving to China after the wedding.




After the bridal shower, Grouchy and I met up with Mike at Powerplant to watch "The Dark Knight". Main highlight of the evening for me? Grouchy realizing she had her name tag on while parading the aisle of Cinema 3, on her way to the ladies room and back.

10-10-10

Mark your calendars peeps! My date is coming in a little over two years. October 10, 2010! Haha.

Friends and Lovers

Fresh from Her Majesty the Queen's mother land, Miss Irene Bausas arrived from London last Tuesday! I had dinner with her at Banana Leaf. I wolfed down half a plate of Hainanese chicken in less than 10 minutes. Miss B and I always share the most interesting conversations. We've been friends for about... geez. 16 years now! And we've been through a lot together. It's just nice to have such a relationship with someone, where you can be brutally honest with each other.

'Course, the main topic tonight was relationships (surprise, surprise). Convo highlights...

** There are certain things about certain people (friends or lovers) which can get annoying. As you get to know someone better, you discover things he or she does (inadvertently or on purpose) which get to you. However, as time passes and as the relationship matures, you take these certain things as nuances to their personalities. You become more accepting of these things, rather than taking them against the person. Most of the time though, we can be more forgiving of our friends' nuances and shortcomings. Of course, we have higher expecations of our lovers.

** In some of our quests to find our special someone, we build new friendships. We then realize, that having these new friendships is actually more valuable than pursuing the original intention. I like it that life continues to surprise me with great, new people to share a connection with. These connections tend to be more lasting.

** Benefit of the doubt. Some guys aren't just built a certain way. Movies and urban legends have polluted our minds with great what-ifs and romantic scenarios. It isn't bad to dream about elaborate gestures, but to expect them from the ones we love most of the time isn't fair. The best moments though are simple gestures that come naturally and take us by surprise.

Balikbayans Galore and then some

The heavens truly love me. This August, I will be seeing three of my closest friends here in Manila! Irene, Sam, and Keyce! I just got confirmation and news about the last two girls these past few hours, and I am psyched. I enjoy entertaining friends and balikbayans. I'm wondering though when the Jologzbitchin triad will be complete once again. Meriyen, when are you coming home?!

Karina accompanied me to dinner last night. Malcolm's Place in Salcedo Village. I had an apple and bacon salad, grilled cheese sandwich, and a bottle of San Mig Light. Even the waiter had to repeat my order, dubious of my drink of choice. Hehe. I am not an alcoholic. Haha! Beer is cheaper than wine (I still love wine though).






I was just ranting about trust and honesty. I guess there are certain things other people can't be completely honest about, even if they're asked point blank. I just have to give them that.

I do want to sport a new hair do soon. Hehe. It would be a nice change from my long hair.

[Movie Shmovie] The Dark Knight

Holy cow Batman!

Where do I begin with this movie? Dark. Engaging. Brilliant. Christopher Nolan is genius. I love every movie he's ever directed. He co-wrote the screenplay for The Dark Knight, and he was just able to create a story that kept the the eyes of the audience affixed to the big screen for more than 2 hours. Just like its predecessor, the Gotham and Bruce Wayne portrayed in this movie are real, not campy, nor cartoon-esque. If the first film was able fear, this one is about the endurance of good through evil. It was an ensemble performance. The Joker, played by Heath Ledger, was just maniacal. He was creepy and at times funny. Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart, was pretty good. Creepy Two Face! Although I wish he could have shown a more narcissistic Dent. Gary Oldman, as Commisioner Gordon, gave a strong performance as well. Of course, Michael Caine as Alfred, and Christian Bale, as Batman, reprised their roles as the dynamic duo from the Wayne Penthouse.



This movie has so many layers. Its depth is unmatched by the previous non-Nolan Batman movies. I do wish Heath bags an Oscar for his portrayal. He was scary.

Happy to report that based on the articles I've been reading, "The Dark Knight" set box office history, beating Spiderman 3!

I can't wait for the next Batman! Or the next Christopher Nolan film for that matter.

Wedding, Drinking, Dark Knight

What a weekend the last weekend was. Policarpio-Cruz wedding kept Bibay, Issang, Mang Domeng, and myself quite busy. We started and arrived at the Sulo hotel on time. As expected, the florist was late. The flowers were beautiful though. The bride and the groom were relaxed. Issang and I left the hotel early for the church. The hour before the bride walked down the aisle had the expected drama and small annoying details (the usual unprepared suppliers and a few interesting guests). The bride's walk down the aisle with the butterflies didn't work out as expected because the dang things held on to their sinamay cage despite me opening it. Issang, first time P.A., was very good for her first time wedding gig. She did ask me though how I managed to stay calm despite some of the things which were going on.

The reception itself was ok. Bibay didn't have such a hard time with the set-up (apart from blowing a couple of balloons). The caterer was good. Helpful and compliant with the contract (except for the Calla Lily flowers they had promised as centerpieces. Heath and JV hosted, and the groom was like the third unofficial host, offering several commentaries all throughout the program.. It made the event a little less formal and more personal. The program ran too long though. We had to cut out some of the other portions to end at 7:45.

Overall, it was a pretty good wedding. No major booboos. And the fact that the couple saw the value of what we were doing for them made it all worth it. My favorite part of the wedding though is the post wedding. Issang took Bibay and I to her usual inuman place in UP. And we just nosily recapped the day over six bottes of Red Horse and several sticks of Isaw and pork barbeque.

Quickie lessons learned.

** Reverse psychology is quite effective in dealing with guests. Every event will have its constantly complaining character. And the best way to deal with them is to be absolutely nice to them, smile at them, and talk to them about how they're finding things. This approach works most of the time, as people generally respond positively to a smile or friendliness.

** Might do good to put "Reserved" signs on the reserved pews for the entourage. I've never had to do this previously, as most guests know that the first few pews are indeed for the entourage

** Staff Up. I need to beef up on P.A. team. A team of three means spreading my people a little to thinly. I think for the ceremony stuff, we need three people on site so it won't be as stressful as it normally is.

** (Non-Wedding related) Cutie co-host is quite Rocky-esque! Which is a shame! Another guy who bats for the other team. Made me think about how these not-quite-guys are like the flu virus. Evolving through time. It used to be just two kinds. On one side, the ones who are open, out, and loud; And on the other side, the ones more reserved and not openly out. Now, there are more sub-levels per kind, and others who are in between (can bat for both teams).

Saturday was far from over after we brought Bibay home. Issang and I went straight to Tides in BF where we met up with the cousins from Canada! David, Lian, Vince, and Dennis! Just like all the balikbayans before them, we initiated the laddies and the ladies with several shots of Red Tide. Haha. The result? A boisteriously great time! Vince and Dennis even introduced themselves to a group of Koreans. I tried keeping up with the energetic youngsters, but I was just too beat.

Sunday was a more relaxed day. We got flu shots in the morning, had lunch at home, then headed to Greenbelt to buy movie tickets for The Dark Knight. We were in line for tickets at around 3pm, and the next available screening sched with decent seats was at 7:30. So we had merienda at Razon's first. Then Tonton bought two shirts at Celio. Then we heard mass. After that we walked to Dela Rosa for a massage. After the massage, we went back to Greenbelt for our movie. The verdict for "The Dark Knight"? O.M.G. I will be blogging about this separately. The day ended with a light family dinner at Fish and Co. I've been missing fish and chips lately.

Wedding Preps

Wedding day tomorrow! I'm trying to recall if this is my 20th or 25th wedding ever... Might be more. I kinda lost count. I've been preparing all week and I found out a couple of useful things.

Doing the wedding documents in batches - You can never take the IT Analyst out of the wedding planner. I'm a huge fan of documents. Documentation gives me a sense of order and coverage. Makes me more confident about the completeness of the things we need to prepare for. Anyway, there have been some weddings when I've had to do all the wedding docs in one day (hence resulting to long evenings, and wedding days without a good night's sleep). For this wedding, I started working on the docs late last week and progressed through them until yesterday.

** The Cost of Printing - For every wedding, I find myself buying and using an entire cartridge of ink. The printing process is tedious. My laptop isn't really best-ies with our HP Printer. For this wedding, I tried outsourcing the printing and doing mostly photocopying. And voila. The total cost is around P300-P350 (1 page of Black and White printing is P5, and 1 photocopy is P1.50). One printer cartridge costs about P1,200. That's a whole lot of savings. It does mean though that I have to finish all my documents beforehand, and set the print area in advance (which isn't half so bad).

** Creative, alternative solutions - I blogged about this yesterday! Instead of walkies, use sun cellular SIMs! Free calls. Limitations though: handsets, signal, and cellphone battery life. But this alternative solution is good enough to serve the purpose of communication. P59 bucks for each SIM which has free unlimited talk and text for 2 days. Sure beats P4,000 for a new pair of walkies. My huge thanks also to France for lending me her spare phone!

** The rewards of finishing early - My only remaining task for today (night before the wedding), is to prepare everything at home, which should take an hour tops. I don't have anything planned for tonight, and I'm considering just going home, finishing up on the preps, and just sleeping.

I'm neither stressed nor tense. Which worries me. Hehe. Anyway. Let's just see what will happen tomorrow. There have been times when I think we're super prepared and then something unplanned happens. Every wedding is different from the next, and I'm looking forward to the new stories my P.A.s and I will be sharing after the event. Wish us luck!

Eureka! Sun Cell is Key!

My first wedding gig is coming up this Saturday. 230-some guests, UP Bahay ng Alumni, the church in Claret school. I will have a modest staff of 3, though I'm a little worried. My fourth P.A. backed out at the last minute. I initially thought we would have 300 guests. I must say I was relieved when my clients told me they're down to 230.

I'm feeling the effects of ourrenovating houses yet again. For one, my walkie talkies are stashed somewhere. Location currently unknown. My other wedding paraphernalia (my wedding plastic case, easel stands, reusable folders) have been packed and stored away. Of all these missing in action wedding stuff, I'm worried about my walkies the most, since they've proven to be of great use. While I was talking to Bibay and Issang (my P.A.s for this wedding) about this predicament, Bibay said, "Why don't we just use Sun Cellular SIMs?" BRILL! Haha. I was close to being tempted to buying another pair (4K down the drain). Thanks Bibay for that wonderful suggestion.

I am done with my wedding docs! However, the printer ran out of ink today. So I need to buy one tomorrow. I'm thinking of just having my stuff printed somewhere (netopia maybe). Then I could just leave 'em and come back when they're done.

Everything's pretty smooth so far. The groom and the bride have worked pretty hard to make sure everything is in order. They're "A" students in Schmenten's school of Top Wedding Prep couples. I'm just hoping this will translate into a smooth, hassle free wedding this Saturday.

In other news, we can wear jeans tomorrow to the office! Yey! Every effing Friday! Cool cool.

[Joy in the Little Things] July 15, 2008

** Super candid conversation with Kung Fu Panda going to Bonifacio High Street. He and I shared one of the more interesting conversations I've had with anyone in ages. I was asking so many questions and laughing at the same time. I broke my vow of YB celibacy for the first time in a month. Hehe. But it's all good. I won't go rushing off getting my own stash anytime soon.

** Finishing the wedding reception script! I toiled over it for an hour today, and I'm done! Sent it to Heath, along with the Wedding Reception general program. Phew! Time tables for the set-up and the reception due tomorrow! I better start printing 'em place cards, labels, and what not.

** Chatting with Arzy! He's here! He just missed Darlyein by a couple of days. The brothers and I will be taking him out next week most likely. These reunions are making me miss my Contiki crew badly!

** Lunch with Pesem at Shangri-la. I wanted Cyma, he wanted Penang. So to Penang we went. We ordered the Malaysian equivalent of a Pad Thai, Beef Rendang, and Roti. For drinks, Schmenten had... a bottle of San Mig Light! Haha! Beer over lunch. It was hella good.

** Macmacmac still working after a month of the firmware upgrade. Just when I thought I'd be throwing it away, it bounced right back.

Maddening Shroud

On my way home from the office today (after having a pathetic slice of four cheese pizza by myself at Brooklyn Pizza), I sang along to Frou Frou's song, "Maddening Shroud". The first two stanzas were resoundingly familiar.

I ask myself, "What is it worth?" I honestly don't know. I'm hoping to find my Jack Johnson song, where everything just makes sense. Where it's comfortable, real, and reassuringly familiar.

My deadline's coming. Haha. In a few minutes it'll be the 16th of July. Sorry to disappoint you Suzie. But I promise that I will do it. And I know that days, or weeks, or months will not really do much of a difference. When I see you next time though, I hope I'll be sporting a new do.

Bawani, I am by the way, NOT getting married this weekend. Haha! I do part-time work as a wedding planner and I have a gig this weekend.

Rufiyang, Perk, Fuzz, Scotts

** One of my favorite things about running is having an excuse to get a massage afterwards. Today, I finally got to try the reflexology at Rufiyang, one of the massage places in BF. The 2 hours went by like a breeze. It was good. A little pricey, but I couldn't help but feel re-energized afterwards.

** After my massage, I decided to work on my upcoming wedding at a coffee shop in BF Homes. Perk Avenue was the name of the place, and the best part? Free WiFi! I ordered the drink with cinnamon and nutella. And when I was bringing my coffee back to my table, I saw Teng and her fiance Carlo! So we chatted for a while about their wedding plans. I did get to work a little. Hehe. I was easily distracted by Nelwin Uy's website.

** HBO featured presentation today was "Hot Fuzz", from the same actors and makers of "Shaun of the Dead". It was hilarious! The comedy was brilliant and every scene had a purpose.

** The last face I will be seeing before I go to bed tonight is James McAvoy's, "The Last King of Scotland" is on the telly. Earlier today, I watched Babits and Graham's wedding video. Babits is Guads' sister and she just tied the knot with Graham, who is Scottish. He even wore a kilt to the wedding ceremony. Sufficed to say, I think my dreams tonight will be filled with wandering around the Trossachs with a Scott.

[Focus Health and Wellness] One La Salle Fun Run

My second fun run for this year! This time around, I went with Ina, Iris, Marie, and Shermaine (last two girlies are friends of Ina who were spectators). Early morning, we each had a granola bar and a pack of Chuckie (milk choco drink). I'm pretty glad we arrived at the Fort early! The parking lot filling up early was an indication of the volume of people who came. Didn't realize there were so many La Sallians out there.















Run highlights....

** Super La Salle Loyalist Lolo who was telling everyone, "Kapag may nakita kayong Atenista, sapakin ninyo. Mas lalo na si Chris Tiu" (When you see Ateneans, beat them up. Especially Chris Tiu (Basketball player))." I sheepishly smiled back and tried to hide any Atenean pride.

** Flying pets. the 3K race category Grouchy and I joined saw pet owners dragging their pets. At one point, this relatively fast pet owner was pulling his toy dog along. He picked up speed and yanked his pet's leash, causing the dog to soar in the air. Hehe.

** Rain! Just before the race started, it started to rain! And during the first kilometer, it really started to rain hard. Running in the rain has its pros and cons. Pros... It wasn't as warm (obviously), the rain masked the sweat. Cons... Wet clothes, slipper road. Otherwise, it was a good running experience.

** Grouchy's kwento about La Salle speak conversation. Haha. See.

** Mcdo breakfast with ma gels. Marie and Shermaine are super fun. They're 14, but they're kikay and jologs at the same time. Just like Ina.

Next run... 5K once again!

To view all pics, visit my Multiply album !

[Joy in the Little Things] July 12, 2008

** Dinner with my Casa Maria girls. Spaghetti ala Ester, a tall glass of Coke Zero with Ice, and Gossip girl recapping with Iris and Ina. We have a fun run tomorrow and quite honestly, I'm not sure how I can fall asleep with the carbs and the sugar I had for dinner. I'm sleeping over again! Haha!

** Freebies. We had a meeting today for next week's wedding with the caterer. They served us with some of the sample dishes. And the rum walnut cake was hellagood. I miss rum cake. They used to serve 'em at Starbucks, but they've discontinued it a few years ago. Anyway, I'm just happy with the service we are getting thus far. The banquet sales rep was really open, honest, and helpful. I'm crossing my fingers that they deliver and perform well next week.

** Bibay's Wedding Kwento. Bibay shared her wedding experience last week. It's just nice to hear about great weddings. The video her cousin made for the bridal shower was uber entertaining.

** Bubble Toes. Haha. Still in love with this Jack Johnson tune. I wish I could memorize the words.

[Music From the Baul] Thank You For The Music

I do want to thank the music. All kinds of music. I don't know how I'd survive working in an IT company for more than 7 years without my MP3s. Driving is fun with music. Understanding emotions, dealing with difficult times. Celebrating and remembering happy moments.



Thank You For The Music
By ABBA

I’m nothing special, in fact I’m a bit of a bore
If I tell a joke, you’ve probably heard it before
But I have a talent, a wonderful thing
’cause everyone listens when I start to sing
I’m so grateful and proud
All I want is to sing it out loud

So I say
Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing
Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music
For giving it to me

Mother says I was a dancer before I could walk
She says I began to sing long before I could talk
And I’ve often wondered, how did it all start?
Who found out that nothing can capture a heart
Like a melody can?
Well, whoever it was, I’m a fan

So I say
Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing
Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music
For giving it to me

I’ve been so lucky, I am the girl with golden hair
I wanna sing it out to everybody
What a joy, what a life, what a chance!

So I say
Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing
Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music
For giving it to me

[Movie Shmovie] Mamma Ma!

My thanks to Maila for gushing about how much she and Tom enjoyed watching Mamma Mia the musical in Hong Kong. During my trip to Singapore with Irene last 2004, we saw Mamma Mia in Esplanade and we had a blast! I've been raving about this musical ever since. It's just good fun. And it featured ABBA songs! You can never go wrong with ABBA (the group's name is even a palindrome). Anyway, I happily obliged to Grouchy's invite to see the musical today. The verdict? The film adaption is pretty good!! My favorite song's still "Take a Chance On Me", which Julie Christie sang perfectly (with good comedic timing). I did miss "Thank you for the music", but they played it when the credits rolled. I'm not sure how non-fans (non-fans of ABBA and the musical), will like this movie. It's mostly fluff. Nothing earth shattering or mind boggling. Just great fun! Meryl Streep is always amazing. And Amanda Seyfriend (ditzy blond from "Mean Girls") was an adorable Sophie. The main highlight for me though was Pierce Brosnan. You gotta love 'em English guys. I was singing along (which annoyed both my seatmates). Haha. Afterall, it was a musical!

What's Your Lakbayan Score?

My Lakbayan grade is C!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

Found this link from Aissa's blog. Hehe. I got the same grade! C! More of the Philippines to see!