Let It Snow

Snowstorm last weekend. The people at the weather channel made it sound so dreadful. Storm will hit around 3pm Friday and it will snow nonstop until Sunday and we're all going to be buried alive. Of course they didn't say that but that was the message that I got.

We prepared for the storm. Bought tons of food and water and flashlights like what we do in the Philippines when there's a storm. Also because half of New Hampshire has no power after being hit by an ice storm (the trees grew icicles) and we were afraid it might happen here. We bought a ton of meat and then I realized that if the power goes out the meat will go bad. Then again we can always put it in the snow right. So we still stocked up on that.

And we waited and waited. Some people didn't want it to arrive. I on the other hand was soooo excited because it was going to be my first snow storm. My first snowfall actually since the snow I saw in NYC was just flurries (but I was so psyched about that too and nearly cried but of course I tried to look cool and not get emotional in front of them savvy city folks).

Friday saw me constantly checking for snow outside my window.

And when it finally started snowing I was out the door in multiple layers of clothing catching snowflakes with my tongue. So beautiful.

prancing around in the snow

my name in snow

that's me making snowangels

chevy with our snowman/ snowhead

everything's white


I love it. Even though it feels like a thousand pins when you're trying to thaw yourself in front of the heater. I love it more than wind chill and rain :)

A Sad Christmas Moment

How did he do it?

How did Chev survive Christmas 07 by himself in a house full of strangers munching on Boy Bawang while making conversation with random white people? How did he stay sane amidst the loneliness of being away from home during the holidays? I have to ask him that when he gets home because right now my heart feels so heavy.

I am so homesick and sentimental.

I am glad that I'm with Chev now and we're spending Christmas together and not from separate ends of the country (or the world). I am even more glad that we're together now as husband and wife and celebrating our first Christmas together. But I can't help but wish that we are celebrating it with all of our loved ones as well. A Christmas milestone in our life and we are so far away.

It's true what they say. Nothing beats being home for the holidays. I miss the frenzy around Christmas time. The bad traffic. The endless company parties. The monito monitas. The holiday dinner with friends. The reunion with families. I miss being around my crazy friends and family. I even miss waiting for my name to be picked at the Company Christmas raffle and lugging around giant Christmas hams and Queso de Bolas right after. I miss the noise. The raucous. The sheer panic of not having any gifts yet for your dozens of godchildren. The shopping. God I miss shopping for gifts. I miss the crazy happy Christmas in Manila. I also miss the scent of Christmas in Manila. The native delicacies, the cool air, the feel and smell of Simbang Gabi. Here it doesn't smell like pine trees as I expected. It doesn't even smell imported (you know the scent from the balikbayan box when it's freshly opened). Here it smells like peace. And quiet.

So there. I feel sad because Christmas here doesn't feel like Christmas at all. Sure it looks like Christmas with all the lights and wreaths and decors. But it doesn't feel like it.

It's really true what they show in the movies *plays Pasko na Sinta Ko* mas masaya ang Pasko sa Pilipinas.

So in an attempt to make this Christmas a little more joyful (since it's just gonna be me and Chevy and we don't have any friends or family here in Massachussetts) I put up a Christmas tree. AND I occasionally play Chirstmas songs when I'm working AND I'm planning on cooking up a Christmas feast for 10. So what if we're going to eat leftovers until Valentine's Day. I just want to celebrate Christmas like I used to. And maybe I'll start wrapping up the stuff here at home so we have things to put under our tree. Or print out giant photos of friends and families so it will look like we have them around.

Sigh. It's just that it's my first Christmas away from home and it breaks my heart. But I know Chev will do everything to make me happy. In homesickness and in health.

*sings I'll be home for Christmas...if only in my dreams*

Settling Down

I have been married for 3 months now. But it was only recently, 10 days ago to be exact, that I have felt what it’s like to be a newlywed and a new homemaker. I moved to Boston last November 27. Arrived at the Logan International Airport at 5:30 AM East Coast time to a chilling 22 degree weather with two giant overweight luggages, 2 cups of orange juice in my stomach and about 2 hours of sleep during the 5 hour flight. Boston welcomed me with such open frigid arms while my husband (I’m still not used to the term) Chev welcomed me with the warmest hug inside the warmest car. Such a relief to be out of the cold. Literally and figuratively.

From the airport we drove home. I asked him to carry me over the treshold of course, in honor of this corny but timeless tradition and he lovingly obliged. The new apartment looked so nice and warm. It basically contained three things: a sofa bed, a microwave oven and a refrigerator. And some pots, plates and cleaning supplies. And of course Chev’s things were strewn all over the floor. I laughed at the mess but was touched because he didn’t buy things yet since he wanted my opinion on everything and also because well, I AM THE LAW (just kidding). During that week we spent our time fixing the apartment to make it liveable. We made two trips to IKEA (we were addicted), 4 trips to Best Buy, about 5 trips to Target since we returned our highly-controversial curtains twice, and a couple of trips to the corner dollar store.

And now after a week of assembling bookshelves and tables and chairs and decorating the place, our apartment finally looks like a home. Very cozy and warm (thanks to 3 heaters) and very IKEA looking. We were inspired by the catalogue. Will post pics soon.

Our little family of two lives in a studio off Pine street in a small city called Waltham, just 15 minutes away from Boston. It’s in a very American looking house that they converted into several small apartments. We’re lucky we got the rear apartment with our own separate entrance and frontyard that also doubles as the backyard. We live across EMBASSY cinemas where they show the coolest Art films and Indie Films, near a pub and a watering hole and near Asian Grill, one of the few Asian places here in whitey-white Massachussetts. We have a friendly squirrel for a neighbor. I call him Brownie due to his color and my lack of imagination. He spends his day rummaging through trash and running up and down the tree. We also have a small cordless vacuum that I call Dusty. For some reason he’s the only household equipment that has a name (I should get around to naming the others soon). Oh I also call the weighing scale BIG FAT LIAR since he’s very dishonest about our weights. We pretty much have everything that we need now except for paintings on the wall and Christmas decors which we'll be setting up hopefully before the 25th. We blew most of our money on our TV and that stupid GEEK SQUAD insurance (a long story). I’m currently setting up my home office which will be completed when I get all the office equipment from our NY office and I’ll be working from home from now on. I’ll be a Stay-And-Work-At-Home-Wife. My dream come true. I’ll be setting up Café Maya too. It’s just a little corner café here at home. With me as the manager, me as the barista and me as the customer…and Chev occasionally when he feels like drinking coffee. Another dream come true. Well, sort of.

Right now Chev is at work and I’m still getting the hang of working home alone. Every small noise makes me jump. Our creepy neighbor Kevin also scares me. He’s always bitching about something like our parking on his spot yada yada yada. When Chev gets home we eat early dinner and watch TV til its time to convert our sofa into a bed and call it a night. Today when he gets home we’re going to have a meeting. A Budget Setting Meeting. Our glorious spending days are over. We will now be very strict about what we spend our money on. And that will be the necessities: bills, food, water, toiletries, and occasional pizza deliveries and shopping sprees.

So this is what it’s like…settling down. I’m so new at this and so far I’m really enjoying it. It’s like playing house. Only it’s for real. And the bills are real. And the dirty dishes in the sink are real. And my responsibilities are real. And yeah. Those dishes aren’t going to wash themselves. Sigh. Guess I better get a move on before Mr. B gets home and sees me for who I am – a pretentious-Martha-Stewart-wannabe housekeeper. She really is my inspiration. Minues the jail time.

I’m off to the dishes now. Note to self: make dishwasher part of the budget.

To Blog Again

I haven't blogged in a while. No, make that I haven't blogged in a long time. This year I probably posted 8 blogs in 11 months and that includes photo blogs. I just haven't had the time. They used to say that life here in the States is hectic. Spot on. It's been so busy I rarely got any down time. And when I did, I usually spent it lying around doing nothing for the sake of doing nothing (for once). I had a lot of blogs. In my head. I always put my mundane experiences into words that I have stashed in My Mental Blog or in pieces of paper or paper towels or table napkins which I have lost along with my trains of thought. And now it feels like it's time to write again. To dust off the old keyboard and put my words out there for the world to read. Like the world reads my blog.

My friend this morning told me I was a good writer. Of course I let that go to my head. He's actually trying to convince me to write an article for the MOTHER OF ALL BLOGS and of course he opened up his bag of compliments to get me to do it. Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. Okay. I will. Just because he said I was a good writer. So there.

I seem to forget how to do this. I'm just writing whatever comes to mind. With no reason, no rhyme whatsoever. But isn't that what blogs are for?

For the life of me I can't remember the blog entries I stashed in My Mental Multiply.

Hmmmm....

Oh I got one. My birthday entry. Every year I do a birthday entry since I turned 25. This year I didn't write any. Because i was too busy working or riding buses and trains to and from work or shopping or window shopping or lying around doing nothing. I'll write that next. Maybe in a couple of hours.

For now I'm gonna go out and get some sun. It's sunny out. A rare New England moment. I'll bask in the sun and probably prance around while no one is watching. Frolick in the maple leaves that are brown and dead. And feel their crunch under my boots and glow in the fact that it is so nice to be alive compared to them. Or maybe I'll go out in flip flops. Such a brave thing to do.

To Blog Again. Hmm...I have forgotten how good it feels. Like the sun and the crunch of dead maple leaves.

Black is the New President

This autumn purple may be the new black but black is the new president.

I am so ecstatic that Obama got elected and I am glad to have witnessed this historic election night. Got goosebumps watching his speech last night and reading about people's reactions in the paper this morning (or rather my trainmate's LA Times). Some of the most memorable quotes I read over his shoulder:

"We voted today not to practice our civic duty but because for once we feel that it would count, that we could be heard."
"I am glad our children have a black role model to look up to...someone other than a rapper or a sports personality..."

Hahaha.

I can't help but feel proud of the Americans for this milestone in their political history. I hope that Obama can make the changes that this country needs. I hope that he really is the man they can believe in. And I hope he's not the man Nostradamus prophesized about (as the man who rises from the turmoil to bring hope and eventually destroy mankind).

For USA's sake and the whole world's sake.

We all know that he will be the most powerful man in the world. Some have even called him President of the World. And I hope that with his great power and great responsibility (shout out to Uncle Ben) he will bring about good changes.

Everybody's on a high today. the air is charged with excitement. The world feels different. It feels better. And I find myself hoping that Obama will make it better.

But don't get me wrong, my heart still belongs to the Philippines. And GMA is still my president.

Isn't she lovely?

My New Haircut

I got my hair cut. It’s my first hair cut since March. It’s horrible. Well ok not that horrible. If I sweep the bangs to the side it looks ok. Acceptable ok. Not glam ok. But the drama queen in me thinks it’s horrible. My most horrible hair since my Demi-Moore-in-Ghost hairstyle back in grade school.

It was a Saturday afternoon and my sister and I wanted to get our hair cut at her usual salon in Buena Park. But lo and behold we were so lazy we decided to go to the Super Cuts salon near our place. After all, I just wanted a basic trim. My hair is halfway down my back and part brown and part black with my real color showing at the top. I just wanted to have it cut so it wouldn't’t be flying all over the place this windy season. Super Cuts is like a basic salon. Like a Ricky Reyes in the Philippines. Cheap but reliable for trims, not for styling. And besides we also wanted to go to the Jollibee near Super cuts. So we went. After chowing down 12 bucks worth of chickenjoy and halo-halo (goodness) we went to get my crowning glory chopped off. My stylist’s (if you can call her that) name was Maria and she envied my hair for being so straight since hers was uber curly. I made small talk with her while reading about The Lonely Life of Suri Cruise in OK magazine. I told her to cut it shoulder length, no layers, with bangs. Low maintenance kinda hair. I looked up from time to time and gave her some directions on how to cut it but I wasn't’t wearing my glasses so everything looked a bit blurry. After a few minutes I put on my glasses and saw the horror that is my hair. I swear I heard the JAWS-remixed-with-the-TWILIGHT-ZONE soundtrack. I didn't’t get the blow-dry package since it was 20 bucks more than the usual. She only blow-dried my bangs while the rest of my hair was damp. The result: my bangs were all big and poofy and thick while the rest of my hair was damp and plastered around my head, highlighting the roundness that is my fez. I was shocked. I wanted to go on a rampage but the courteous lady in me thanked her while my drama queen side suffered in silence. My sister tried to console me and said it will look nice once it’s dry but after a while she started calling me Edna. As in Edna of The Incredibles.

Thank God I don't wear round glasses. I think my hair looks more like Adrianna of 90210. Self-proclaimed.

Lessons Learned from this Eye-opening Experience:

1. Don't read magazines while getting your hair cut

2. Wear contacts

3. Don't get caught up in chismis

4. SUPERCUTS = SUPERBAD

At least I can go as Edna this Halloween. Or as overdosed Adrianna. Ah. The silver linings behing my gray cloud.

What Didn't Happen in Vegas

August 26, 2008. Orange County Courthouse. I got married to my boyfriend of 2 years in a simple wedding ceremony surrounded by my family here. It didn’t happen in Vegas. It happened in Orange. And it was blissful and sweet…the kind that made me weak in the knees and teary-eyed, like every bride would be on her wedding day. It felt so wonderful to say my vows, to wear my ring and to kiss my new husband. At that moment and time I felt so whole and complete. Finally, I’ve found my missing piece.

While it wasn’t the wedding I have dreamt about since I was a little girl, I was finally married to the kind of man I have dreamt about since I was a little girl, a man who makes me feel so secure and so happy and so loved :) I know Chev will love me for as long as we both shall live. And I will love him until death do us part. The future sure looks brighter than the sun-sun-shine...can't wait. My life can't get any sweeter than this. I'm so happy :)

Cravings

When I got here 3 months ago, I didn't want to eat Filipino food because of course, I've been eating Filipino food all my life. I wanted to try the restaurant chains here that I haven't tried during my previous vacation. I also didn't feel like eating Chinese food because that's like secondary to our cuisine. I wanted to eat in the restaurants featured in Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. And I did. I tried diner food and the US fastfood joints and the usual Italian and Seafood restaurants. But now I'm CRAVING for the home cooked Pinoy ulam. Particularly my mom's adobo. I tried to duplicate it but of course it's not the same. It's always been a miss or miss for me. Which is acceptable since I'm probably just Level 2 at home ec. Months ago, I thought adobo needed calamansi. Now at least I know that it needs a bay leaf, peppercorn and that there should be more soy sauce than vinegar, because I learned from my mistake, a pretty sourly disgusting mistake.

While there are Filipino restaurants here, it's just not the same. Maybe because they don't have our brands or our sometimes odd/ exotic ingredients. The really good ones are usually fusion restaurants. More Asian than pure Filipino. Which made me realize how good Filipinos are because we can copy other country's cuisine but they can't duplicate ours. Anyhoo, I'm starving as I write this and I'm picturing the food I miss. Makes my mouth water and my stomach rumble just thinking about it. It's just another cliche. You crave for those you know you can't have. And you appreciate those things more than before. The grass is indeed greener on the other side.

I'm missing

green mango and bagoong
kare-kare (but I don't miss the tripe because I don't eat tripe)
halo-halo (with the leche flan and the ube)
Dencio's oily crispy sisg
Congo Grill's tinumok
Sentro's sinigang na corned beef and the crispy GG
Ebun's adobong pusit
Milky Way's pork binagoongan
Jollibee spaghetti (they don't serve it in the Jollibee here)
Bibingkinitan mini-bibingka and Ferino's !!
cuchinta with niyog
Island Fish crackers
Bicol express
Chicken Bacolod chicken

and last but not the least...

San Mig Light (so expensive here!)

In other news:
Cibo's Pene al Telefono and Spinaci Zola, Casa Armas Paella Marinara, Sonja's Melt-in-your-mouth flourless chocolate cupcake. Conti's mango bravo!! And from USTe days the famous Almer's porkchops and Mang Toot's liempo .Yum.

of detours and crossroads

written approximately 15 days ago...

I tried hard not to press my nose against the bus window. Windows of public transportation must be swimming with bacteria. but i wanted to see the accident upclose. The uzi Pinoy in me was yearning to see something gory...just like the rest of the passengers. The LAPD guy came up to the bus and started talking to the bus driver, pointing towards a different direction. The scene was a mess. An SUV and a sedan collided in the suburban streets of Norwalk and both looked extremely, if not totally damaged. It was my first time to see an accident that upclose. LAPD, 911, Fire Department, the works.

"But this is the only way I know. It's the only route I drive." The bus lady's panicked voice startled me from my thoughts of William Shatner and the 1990's hit show Rescue 911. She was freaking out because we had to take a detour. And she had no clue where to go. Good thing a shabbier version of Chuck Norris stepped up and guided her through the unfamiliar way back to her route. The entire bus was in eternal gratitude. I almost heard them applause.

For a moment there I felt like I was the lady bus driver. Except that she was black and had a booming voice and er, giant bumpers. With her poor navigational skills and utter lack of street smarts, she could have been my black (with an enhanced chest) version. But it wasn't her lack of street savvies that hit me, it was her words. Words that echoed what I was feeling. Words that could have been my own.

I've been in the States for 3 months now. It hasn't been a joy ride but like the wheels on the bus it has gone round and round. There are happy days, there are joyful days. There are rough days filled with homesickness and tough days filled with doubt. The only road I have known is back in the Philippines. A road of career, nearly 7 years of hard corporate slavery with family and friends around me who cheered me up when the going got tough...and with a steady bank account that financed my needs and luxuries. That road stopped and I got detoured and now I don't know how to continue. It's the only route I know. Work and play. Now I've been a bum for 4 months and my bum is getting restless. I need a job. I need security. I need a hopeful future. I need the little luxuries in my life that keep me sane in this cruel cruel world. I need a hopeful future.

But the road I'm on now is unfamiliar and I don't know the way.

But today I had help. Not just from Chuck Norris back at the bus but from a little company who wants to give me a chance. And now it seems my life is starting to get some direction. It's not final yet and there are still a lot of steps to take, people to impress and papers to be processed. Hopefully I will get through the detours of unemployment and passiveness and get back on track.

Thinking about it now, I realize that when that happens, I will be faced with a crossroad and the painful need to decide whether to stay for good or to go back home. A no-turning-back kind of decision. A decision that could alter my life. Forever. Drama, drama, drama. While the decision will be lengthily discussed, I know he'll say that it's my call. I frown at the thought. Making decisions is not my forte. I'm a Libra. It's written in the stars. We just have trouble deciding, even if it's as simple as what color of shoes or what flavor of ice cream to buy. But I will cross (and hopefully not burn) that bridge when I get there. For now I know I'm not ready to go home yet. I'm not coming home to live my robotic life without Chev. He may be on the other side of the country right now but at least we're still in the same country. Whatever happens, I'm making sure we come home together.

I pull at the cord to signal the stop request and alight the bus. I'll have major decisions to make in the future but for now I'll go home, have a cup of coffee and a bagel with cream cheese and watch TV...watch fictional people make their own decisions until the time I have to make mine. I shiver at the thought. It's such an adult thing to do.

Ex Party Girl/ Workaholic Gets Domesticated

written ages ago.

Since I got to the States, my life has made a drastic change. My 25 year old self would be shocked to see what she's turned into in just a couple of years. I've done a complete 180. And it's a relaxing break from the whirlwind life I used to live. I call this the Domestication of Maya Navarro. It's the stuff housewives and old maids are made of. I'm enjoying it so far but I don't know when I'll grow restless from too much down time.

Mornings

Before: Wake up to the sound of my annoying alarm clock at about 8/ 8:30 am, drag myself out of bed to shower, get dressed for work with about 2-3 outfit changes before finally settling on my first choice, drink coffee or pour coffee into a tumbler and drive to the office. In stilettos.

Now: Wake up to the sound of baby Armaan cooing in his crib. Sing him a good morning song while I unwrap him from his swaddling blankie. Change his diaper and play with him on the bed. Sit him down on his walker and turn on his Shapes and Colors DVD while I make coffee and cook eggs for breakfast. Barefoot and in my jammies.

Lunch

Before: Grab quick lunch at the caf or a long lunch with bosses. Or skip lunch due to the number of things to do for work.

Now: Put Armaan down for a nap while I cook (yes ladies i cook now) or heat food. Then watch TV or play Guitar Hero on PS3 (I'm getting really good!!). If I dont feel like playing, I just watch TV and drool over Home TV Shopping stuff like the Pancake Puffs maker or the Chef cuisine equipment. Very Bree Van de Camp.

Afternoon

Before: Work work work

Now: Read a book while Armaan watches his series of cartoons: Postman Pat, Theodore Tugboat, Pecola, Sitting Ducks etc. Then Ate gets home and we chat and eat snacks and play with Armaan. Or we watch downloaded movies cinema style with the blinds closed and everything. Or we cook. Again, I have learned how to cook already. Or am still learning. cookbook-in-hand style. I have cooked spaghetti, carbonara, other pasta inventions and viands like adobo, caldereta, pochero, nilaga, tinola and have experimented with Indian and Chinese cooking like Chicken Tandoori, Tofu with sesame, Lemon butter fish and shrimps, and a few more other recipes from the Internet. As I type, I'm preparing for another batch of beef caldereta with a twist (To Al Jean, thanks for the recipe).

Chicken Tandoori

Pochero

Night

Before: Dinner with friends/ dinner with Chev and a movie. Drinks or coffee with friends. Get home at around 11 or midnight, latest at around 2am then sleep. It also used to be nights at Embassy, Cuisine, Ponti, Capones or Good Earth. With blaring music, cigarettes and alcohol.

Now: TV show marathon. Mondays it's Gossip Girl, Tuesdays it's American Idol and Hell's Kitchen, Wednesday it's A.I. again and then other shows like Supernatural, Smallville, House, and Sunday's Desperate Housewives. Then it's off to bed at 10pm. Ho-hum. There are days though when we go out for dinner or we drink and play poker here at home because of the DUI law thing. Sometimes we also play Taboo and my newest game board Scene It or other card games. With chips and soda and occasional wine or beer.

Weekends are spent like how I spend it in Manila. At the mall. Bright side: At least now I don't have to work during weekends.

And on some very special weeks, I fly off to Boston to be with Chevy. And we go around and eat at places we've never tried before or have been recommended by friends or by the Best of Boston or we just hang out at this apartment and watch TV (usually NBA, Comedy Central and Food Network). Someday we plan on taking culinary lessons so we can start our own diner or cafe in Manila haha.

Sounds like a total bore huh? Not really. For me, it's my rehab from days when I shouldn't have partied too hard or worked too hard or drove home from a bar buzzed or wasted with the risk of hurting myself or other people. I enjoy learning new skills and exploring new places. It's like household-parenthood training.

I'm floating now and can't work until after 60 days since I got here. Soon I'll get back on my feet and join the Big Bad World of Work again. Hopefully :) I'm both excited and dreadful at such thought. Until then I'm just enjoying looking after my baby nephew. I mean, who wouldn't right?

Maroon 5 Rocked Manila

Last night we watched the Maroon 5 concert at the Araneta Coliseum. It was simply mind-blowing!! I have to say it was the best concert I have ever watched in my entire life. I'm a big Maroon 5 fan so maybe I'm a bit biased but still, they performed like the Grammy award winners that they are. Sigh. I am still stunned by the show. It was just amazing. Highlights of the show:

I was seated at the patron seats, about 8 rows from the stage. My ticket was free!! Saved 10grand. From where I was sitting I could see Adam Levine's gorgeous face upclose - every expression, every detail..

They sang almost all my fave songs (except Must Get Out)

The band had a great repertoire, no low moments at all and the energy in the Araneta was just WOW!! Fantastic crowd. The band was just amazing. Massive talent.

Adam was hot and charismatic, and hot and very friendly and hot. Did I mention hot? Keyboardist Jesse Carmichael was just awesome. Everyone was just awesome.

They loved the crowd, saying (and I believe without feigning sincerity) "This is truly one of our best concerts ever!" They were in awe, prolly not expecting the Filipinos to love them as much as we do.

Adam did a superb job counting in tagalog

They performed their unique music with so much passion, you could see it on their faces... it was hard not to be impressed and not to get carried away.

Bad trip moments: (@#!*%)
(1) My camera got lobat and died on me a number of times, during very critical times.
(2) I was seated beside a total dork who glared at me whenever I screamed in appreciation. (3) Some guy blocked my view of Adam during a crucial nearly-out-of-battery photo op:

To Adam, Jesse, Mickey, Matt and James of Maroon 5, you rocked my world and I hope to catch more of you in your hometown Los Angeles. And to Jane, Adam's ex-girlriend who broke up with him and inspired him to write all those fantastic songs, thank you and what on eart were you thinking?

This trims down my list of bands to see before I die:

U2
Maroon 5
Coldplay
Dave Matthews Band
Incubus
Dashboard Confessional

P.S. I got this as a souvenir. It's a mounted poster of their album. I'm bringing it with me. It fits in my cargo box. hehehe.

special thanks to Dana for letting me buy this. sayang wala tayong pic :(

special thanks to Bun for the free tix!!

Drama Queen Driver Turns Action Star

It was a Sunday and we were going to Glorietta to buy stuff for me to bring to the US. More stuff!! I haven't finished shopping for my sister and cousins hehe. They just can't get enough polvorons and pancit cantons and other cheap Philippine thrills. It's ok since they are kinda cheap and I know I will miss them too when I go. So there we were cruising along EDSA nearing the turn to Ayala. This area is kinda confusing since it's right before the tunnel and you have to stay in this one lane between the lanes heading down the tunnel and the fricking yellow bus lane until you see the dotted lines which mark the area where its legal to turn. Now I've passed this area a million times but it's still confusing because a lot of private cars enter the yellow lane sometimes and the MAPSA or MMDA guys let them be. We don't know if it's already legal to do that or not. Like the pink fences, traffic law in Makati sometimes changes without notice. Or maybe we just think they do. EDSA is just a riot.

My mom and I were chatting up a storm and I was dodging buses and taxis and didn't notice that I was already in the yellow lane until the oh-so-familiar figure of an MMDA traffic enforcer started flagging down the car. So naturally, I slowed down. I was preparing to park the car by the curb together with my speech and excuses when my mom told me to make a run for it. And being the obedient daughter, I stepped on the gas and drove like crazy to Ayala Ave. In the rearview mirror, I watched the MMDA guy. I was so afraid that he would jump on his motorcycle and chase us. But you know what he did? He just scratched his head and turned away then flagged down another car that was in the yellow lane.

When we got to Ayala I was so nervous. I drove really fast until we were in the safe sanctuary of the covered parking. And I was shaking a little from the adrenaline haha. My mom nonchalantly said you could always tell the MMDA you didn't see him if he chased us down. I didn't argue with that. Although he was right smack in front of us. But yeah, I could always deny it.

I didn't feel guilty about it though. It was an honest mistake and those guys let those buses run amok outside the yellow lane. But us private cars, we are grilled to death when we're an inch past the yellow bus lane. It's just not fair. So there. I ran away from them again. But I would choose my old strategy over this one anytime. Pleading and bawling your eyes out is safer than driving like an action star. One thing's for sure I will miss my MMDA friends. But I'm pretty sure we will have more precious memories in the future.

Chronicles of Maya 4: Angsty Juvenile Poetry

While cleaning out my old stuff, I found this piece of paper with a poem written on it. I recognized it as my handwriting from way way back. I probably wrote it for Sir Sam's High School English class. I just realized that this poem could have been the beginning of my life as an angsty "Emily the Strange"-like teenager. And that with this poem, Sir Sam could have sent me to see the school psych-person. It's so much fun finding old stuff. They're like relics from your past, in this case, one decade (or more) ago. My own piece of history. Don't laugh at my juve-y words. I think I was inspired by the song "My Favorite Things" and I read too much Sweet Dreams and Anne Rice books. But yeah go ahead. It's amusing. This makes me look like a disturbed kid when in fact I wasn't. I was just...what's the word? Morbid. It has no title. So I just made one up.

tough love

loving you is like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold rainy night
a gentle sweet kiss after a weary fight
it's like a big present wrapped up in dainty strings
a bunch of freshly picked flowers on a warm day in spring

it's like fluffy pink nightgowns with matching pink slippers
a furry little kitten with long silver whiskers
white lace with pearls on a blushing bride's gown
a party with balloons, cake and a red-nosed clown (ugh!)

loving you is like stars shining brightly in the evening sky
waiting on the porch steps for the ice cream man to pass by
ice cold lemonade on a sweaty hot day
innocent little toddlers, in the sandbox, at play

it's like watching a murder with your eyes unclosed
taking cocaine until you're overdosed
puking your brains out after twelve vodka tonics
burning the school down while the principal panics

helping an old lady cross a busy street
then snatching her bag and tripping her feet
it's like treating some orphans to a good Christmas feast
then telling them "Hey kids, Santa doesn't exist"

loving you is easy, loving you is hard
getting kissed and hugged, bruised up and scarred
medicine for pain, pain that won't go away
cancer that spreads in you with each passing day

loving you is sweet
loving you is tough
loving you is everything
yet it ain't enough.

Chronicles of Maya 3: Loving London

I found these pics from our trip to London last April 2004. Fell in love with this city. It still tops my list. So many good memories here with my sisters. Everything was just brill. Hopefully, we can go there again someday. Love the people, the culture, the arts, the sights and sounds, everything modern and historic can be found there. And no language barrier + that lovely accent. The weather's just a lil gloomy (blimey!). A small country that produced so many great people from Shakespeare to Gaiman, Winston Churchill to Diana, The Beatles to Sting. There were so many things to see. It was just, in their words, bloody marvelous!

famous red telephone booths. oxford circus.

windsor station/ shopping center. near the castles and home of the British Legoland!!

hitting it off with hitler. madame tussaud's wax museum

Harry Potter's famous platform 9 and 3/4. stood between platforms 9 and 10 at the King's Cross station

we missed the ride to stonehenge. just "pissing around" in salisbury

i'm a scots guards(wo)man!. touring old castles.edinburgh, scotland

moin, ate and our good friend stella (artois) at a pub in edinburgh, scotland.

wallowing around worthing, west sussex.

Can't Wait

Can't wait to see them :)

Bittersweet valentine Flashback

written last February 14

It seems that my Valentine’s Day celebration has fallen into a pattern. I realized it just now (with so much time on my hands spent oversleeping, thinking and planning). Yes, my V-day this year is quiet. No date, no flowers, no nothing. This is okay because Chev is in Santa Clara and I’m here in Manila and no we didn’t send each other Across the Miles To My Mahal greeting cards. But I realized that over the years, my V-day date book has been alternately empty and full. So I made this flashback and realized that my, my, it has been either happy or sad for me for 5 years now.

2004 – Bitter. As bitter as bitter gourd, dark chocolate, and double espresso shots blended into one disgusting choco veggie shake. I was broken up and hating the world and everything connected to love. I hated the sight of hearts and cupids and flowers and balloons. And I secretly murmured (to lovers around me) the line I made famous for a while “maghihiwalay din kayo…” I was the V-day grouch. And a man-hater. And a couple-hater. And yes this was my party girl year.

2005 – Sweet. I was with someone then and V-day was brighter than the year before. The lovebug bit me and I somehow learned to like flowers and balloons again. I was still a party girl. But a little subdued.

2006 – Bitter. My friends and I celebrated the S.A.D. (Single Awareness Day) V-day together. Yes I was single again. And we drowned our sorrows in wine, wine and more wine.

2007 – Sweet. Celebrated my first V-day with Chev. While we didn’t celebrate on the day itself, which we both consider mucky, we still found a way to make it more special than regular days. He gave me nice flowers and we had a nice dinner the weekend after. The bitter me in 04 is just a shadow of my present self. I have to say that Chev made me believe in love again. And changed my party girl ways. Yes, he is the man who tamed the shrew. At this time, I had no idea he would make a fiancé out of me in 7 months. But we knew back then we would last for a long time.

2008 – V-day without a valentine. But it’s cool. At least I know, following the pattern over the years, that 2009 will be better than this year and the past 5 years. By then hopefully, I will be with Chev. By then hopefully, I will be celebrating V-day with a different last name.

I'll keep you posted on what happens next year ;) Bitter or sweet.

What A(n awesome) Day

Written last February 12

Whew! This day has been one of my busiest days this year. I finally got out of the house and ran my errands like a mad(wo)man. For the past weeks, I’ve been busy only because of work. Nothing gratifying in turning over an old job that has been dead to me the day I decided to resign and in hunting for a new job in a country where they prefer H1B-vers. But today. Ah. Today was purely about me preparing for a new life that does not require slacks, blouses and stiletto heels to function. Today I wore jeans, sneakers and a sports shirt, got off my Interneting-Diner-Dashing-dvd-marathoning ass and spent a day like the busy but happy bee that I should be. While it has been tiring, I feel really good about myself. I haven’t felt this good in a long time.

9:00 am – Woke up a couple of hours earlier than usual. Had breakfast of leftover Christmas ham and Four Seasons juice. I downed a cup of coffee while moping over the fact that I’m going to miss my Wheel of Fortune-Jeopardy-Entertainment Tonight-Insider routine

10:00 am – Drove my sister to work over in Sucat. We battled pranela selling boys along the way. (K: I see them every day. Do they really think I need a fresh 10-piece set of pranela each time? M: Well maybe they think you wipe your ass with it). Yup, we’re no Maria Claras. 11ish – went to the office to drop off docs, pick up checks and withdraw money.
The office ATM for me is the safest ATM here in Makati

11:30 am – went to the bank to deposit checks pay bills, etc. Adult banking stuff. Then headed back to the office to print some docs and check email. I also finally surrendered my ID to HR.

1:00 pm– went to the travel agent to get my e-ticket. March 8’s the date! Can’t wait! (ok the rhyming thing is just lame). I encountered a couple there planning to tour Europe. They’re flying first class, up in the sky... the flossy flossy. They’re prolly loaded! 2:00 – had late lunch at the McDonald’s across the street. They had milkshake! And I pondered a little on whether I should spend 40 precious bucks on a stupid milkshake or on an even more stupid parking space. Decided that the milkshake is luxury. Parking space necessity. Chow Chow.

3:00-4:30 pm head office of an account I have handled for a long time. I gave them some documents and bid them goodbye. Some of the assistants where teary-eyed because according to them they have seen me grow up and transform in my 4 years as their account manager. Most probably from Overeager Trainee to Stoic Employee. Or from thin to chubby to thin to chubby.

5ish - I went to SM to pay for some bills I couldn’t pay at BPI. The BDO bank branch is open until 7. I learned that from the TVC. Then I went around the mall waiting for my sister’s text on whether I will pick her up or we’ll meet somewhere in the area. I also did a bit of window shopping and drooled over chocolates in their Happy Valentine’s Day section.

Around 7ish - I just got here. Bluewave. After looking for free but safe parking, I am now seated here in Starbucks. And this is where I’m writing this entry from. I wish I had my laptop so I could type this straight but no, I’m writing on my journal with my pencil which I keep sharpening from time to time with my handy dandy Faber Castell. I just realized how odd the crowd here is. To my left, we have the young magic-card trading boys pretending to be old and to my right we have an old Japanese man clad in shorts, K-Swiss high tops, gigantic blings and lady bug sunglasses, obviously pretending to be young. They both gave me disgusting flirtatious smiles.

And I just gave them both my best “Go find someone your age” look. For the boy it means “I am old enough to be your mother had I been a slutty/ curious 13-year old.” For the man it means “I am young enough to be your daughter had you been here in Manila 27 years ago.” They both left already. Thank God. But they have been replaced with a bunch of tambays drinking C2’s. I know it’s a free country but at least, out of courtesy to Starbucks, at least buy one short cappuccino. And oh my God, someone even took out a ceramic Mitsubishi mug and he’s pouring C2 into it. I’m not acting obnoxious here. I’m a bum with about 300 bucks in my wallet and no idea where I’ll get spending money once I use up all my savings. The only luxury I have spent on myself so far is my P 150 worth of arts and crafts supplies (pointless stuff, hence luxury), this white chocolate mocha frappuccino (which I charged on my credit card), a gray cotton hoodie (from SM teen brand Redhead), and a P20 bottle of Nail Polish (purchased out of the points I got from my SM Advantage Card yey!). I am not better than them or anyone else. But I’m not hanging out at places I can’t afford for the ambience or the image. I wish they’d get some common sense and transfer to the equally metal and uncomfortable tables in the courtyard where they can have all the C2’s they want and gab about their Valentine plans all night long. Oh yah. It’s Vday. But today is also an important day. It’s Abe Lincoln’s birthday. He was born today four scores and seven years ago. Haha.

Here’s to you Abe-bay-bay.

So here I am using up my journal on what started out as a post about my day but turned out to be a post about other people. My sister’s taking so long. I just drafted wedding plans. Prolly my fourth draft. It’s so hard to decide on themes. I feel like the theme I want is too modern for my family. People say I shouldn’t care since it’s my wedding. But they’re my guests, and like a hostess with the mostest, I care about whether they’ll enjoy or not. Vegas is beginning to sound like a fun plan more and more by the minute. Not to mention inexpensive.

I’m in my poorest state at the moment and having a grand wedding when you can only afford a Vegas wedding is like drinking C2 at Starbucks. Ok it’s not the perfect metaphor but get my drift. Thank God my future hubby will not let that happen :P He wants a nice wedding. He’s been dreaming about it since….well since he was a little girl :P

Despite my current major tipid mode, I’m still happy. Because now I value money more than ever. And I value what’s necessary. And I find happiness in the simplest things (like free nail polish). It’s been a good day. For errands. For wedding plans. For coffee. For America’s independence. And for realizations over 4 pages of my journal. I’m happy with who I am and where I am now. I hope this year will see my Multiply filled with entries like this. I hope my life will be filled with feelings like this. Right now for me, life is good and I know it’s going to get even better.

Simpsons Vs. Family Guy

Speaking of Stewie and Family Guy. I went online and searched for pics and articles about this funny Adult Swim cartoon. I have to say there are some hardcore fans out there criticizing them for their similarity to The Simpsons. I also read in Wikipedia that the criticism doesn’t end with the fans but also on the show itself. The Simpons actually featured a Halloween special wherein the Family Guy dad “Peter Griffin” was portrayed as a clone of Homer Simpson and as a fugitive accused of “Plagiarismo” (faux-Italian for plagiarism) in the episode “The Italian Bob.”

I wondered where they got the idea that Family Guy is a rip-off :)

Anyhoo, here's a funny pic of them on the cover of MAD Magazine

For me both shows are extremely funny. I've been an avid fan of The Simpsons since I was young and the plot has been amusing but lately they seem to be running out of good story lines. But they say the newer episodes are a big improvement. I don't know since the last I saw of the Simpsons family was their movie.

Family Guy has really shallow plots but I like the witty repartee ("What should they call San Francisco? Heaven. Because of the fabulous shoe shopping"). Makes me laugh hearty and belly laughs. Their movie was straight to dvd though. Maybe because of all the lawsuits. Haha. But for me, right now I like the Family Guy better because of little Stewie. I love his wit and the fact that he's a baby and an evil little man rolled in one. He plans world domination and then plays with his teddy bear Rupert and begs for ice cream the next. He's like a psycho version of Marvin or Calvin minus Hobbes. And Brian the clever martini-drinking dog who reminds me an awful lot of Snoopy only he's a womanizing, bar hopping, cleverer version of our Peanuts character.

But I don't know, I think I better catch up on my Simpsons since they have been my favorite adult cartoons eversince. My favorite baby-ish cartoon TV shows are Gummy Bears, Care Bears, and My Little Pony and Friends while the teeny ones are TMNT and X-men..oh oh and does anyone remember the Thundercats?

Family Guy Quotes

Ok I can't stop. I just searched and searched the web for funny quotes from Stewie Griffin of Family Guy. And here are my picks.

Lois Griffin: Come on Stewie, don't be afraid. It's just water, it's not gonna bite.
Stewie Griffin: Shut up! I know it's not going to bite, stupid! What a stupid thing to say. You drown in it you moron! It doesn't have to bite you!

Stewie: Let me guess, you picked out yet another colorful box with a crank that I'm expected to turn and turn until OOP! big shock, a jack pops out and you laugh and the kids laugh and the dog laughs and I die a little inside.

Stewie: Hello, mother. I come bearing a gift. I'll give you a hint. It's in my diaper and it's not a toaster

Stewie: I was under the impression the name of the show was "Kids Say the Darndest Things," not "Old Black Comedians Never Shut the Hell Up."

Bill Cosby: Stewie, what do you think candy is made out of?
Stewie Griffin: Sunshine and farts! What the hell kind of question is that?!

Meg: Everybody! Guess what I am?
Stewie: Hm, the end result of a drunken back-seat grope-fest and a broken prophylactic?

Chris: Hey little dude, how about some ice cream?

Stewie: Yes I could go for a frozen treat right about now. But no sprinkles. And for every sprinkle I find, I shall kill you.

Stewie: Oh forgive me for not being one of those anorexic babies from the diaper commercials.

Stewie: You know what else is disgusting? (He farts and his right eye turns red.) Oh damn, I broke a blood vessel.

Meg: Mom guess what! I made the Flag Girl squad
Stewie: Flag Girl? Ummmm, yes good for you... Now you can be somewhere else when the boys don't call!

Lois: What kind of egotistical, selfish, moronic and idiotic person would get liposuction... Who? WHO?
(Peter walks in at half of his weight)
Stewie: Oh my God... It has finally happened, he has become so massive that he collapsed into himself like a neutron star.

(Peter is trying to potty train Stewie)
Peter: C'mon Stewie, don't you want to pee in the toilet like a big boy?
Stewie: Well, perhaps I could give it the old college try. Would you put your hands there on the toilet seat, it'll help me relax.
Peter: OK. (Slams toilet seat down on Peter's fingers.) AAAHHHHHH!!!!
Stewie: Listen you, I'll use these facilities when I'm DAMN WELL READY!!!! Until then you shall continue to sanitize my crevice and be DAMN GRATFEUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY!!! Starting right . . .hmmp. . . hmmmp. . . . .hmmmmmp well then, not now, BUT SOON! (Walks off.)

Stewie: By all means, turn me into a child star. Perhaps I can move to Californ-i-ay and wrangle me a three-way with the Olsen twins.

Stewie: Easy! Massage the scalp. You're washing a baby's hair, not scrubbing vomit off your Christmas dress, you holiday drunk.

Robber: I'm gonna go bang my girlfriend and then I'm gonna kill Chris Griffin!
Stewie: Good lord! Can he really say "bang my girlfriend" on TV?

Lois (to Stewie): Come on sweetie, eat your broccoli. It's good for you! Here comes the airplane!
Stewie (to Lois): Damn you, damn the broccoli, and damn the Wright Brothers!

Stewie: So broccoli, mother says your good for me,well I'm afraid i'm not good for you!

Meg: Can I be in the play, Mom?
Stewie: Oh yes, you can be the dumpy teenage girl who cries backstage because no one finds her attractive.

Eliza: Ew, your breath smells like kitty litter.
Stewie: I was curious!

Chris: Can I go now? Stewie's gonna help me with my math homework.
Lois: Chris...he can't help you with your homework, he's just a baby!
Stewie: And I guess you're a Rhodes Scholar yourself. Where did you graduate from again, the University of DUH?!?!?

Stewie: Hey look! The fat one made a funny! Okay, I got one....if you were to cook any slower, why you wouldnt be cooking very fast now would you? (Pause.) Well that wasn't very funny....oh, oh...okay I got one (giggling) if you were to cook any slower, you wouldn't need an egg timer, you would need an egg calander....hahahaha!! Oh yes, I went there!!

Stewie: Now, I'm going to do something I like to call the 'Compliment Sandwhich" Where I say something good, talk about where you need improvement, and then end with something good.
Brian: Whatever you gotta do...
Stewie (flips notepad): Something good... something good... You look like SNOOPY and it makes me smile... but you have smelly dog farts.

Stewie: Well, Well mother we meet again.
Lois: Stewie I thought I tucked you in an hour ago.
Stewie: Not tightly enough it would seem, and now you contemptible harpy, I shall end your oppressive reign of matriarchal tyranny!

Lois: Look its the New Year's baby!
Stewie: Yes, I rather like the sash, but do the Huggies make my ass look big?

Stewie: I say, am I to spend the entire day wallowing around in my own feces? A little service here.
Peter: Hey stinky. Have we got big plans for you.
Stewie: Plans? What the devil are you talking about?

Stewie: Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but you're a total bitch.

Olivia: You are the weakest link, goodbye. (laughter)
Stewie: Ha ha ha! Oh gosh that's funny! That's really funny! Do you write your own material? Do you? Because that is so fresh. You are the weakest link goodbye. You know, I've, I've never heard anyone make that joke before. Hmm. You're the first. I've never heard anyone reference, reference that outside the program before. Because that's what she says on the show right? Isn't it? You are the weakest link goodbye. And, and yet you've taken that and used it out of context to insult me in this everyday situation. God what a clever, smart girl you must be, to come up with a joke like that all by yourself. That's so fresh too. Any, any Titanic jokes you want to throw at me too as long as we're hitting these phenomena at the height of their popularity. God you're so funny!

Lois: I'm gonna go get some oranges Stewie. Here, hold the rest of these bags for mommy."
Stewie: Oh, what brilliant parenting Lois. Leave a tiny infant with a plastic bag. You know I might asphyxiate myself just to teach you a lesson. Here I go. Just like that boy from INXS..(Stewie tries to put bag over top of his head.)

*Pics from Planet Family Guy