Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Mr. Darcy

Alright, call me a dork and give me that quizzical look. I have to admit, I love watching Pride and Prejudice. No, I don’t have a crush on Keira Knightley!!

My mom rented it last week and I’ve watched it 3 times already. I would’ve watched it several more times had my brothers permitted it. Hmph! (snob)

My mom told me a lot of people preferred the TV series that aired a few years (or maybe several years) before but I never saw it so I can’t really compare. I might look for it though and see which one is better. I haven’t read the book (or maybe I have and might have just forgotten it) but I plan on reading it soon.

I have a crush on Mr. Darcy. There’s always something about mysterious men that never fails to attract me. I can’t fully explain why I love his character but I do. Call me weird… I don’t care!

Old Letters

I was trying out the new yahoo mail beta today and I have to say… I absolutely love it! It works similar to Outlook now and it’s just easier for me to move between e-mails, sort and open them althought I have yet to figure out how to remove the “tips” window on the right side.

Anyhoo, I noticed I had 2 saved drafts. One was a draft of an e-mail I had sent to my cousin and the other was a draft of an e-mail I was composing which I had intended to send out to my friends but had forgotten. I composed it not long after we moved to Canada and I had just had my first winter. I was basically saying hi, telling my friends how much I missed them and describing my first winter. I would post it here but I wrote it mostly in Filipino and it would be hard for everyone to understand.

I always find my old letters funny because it feels like it was a different me who had written it. Some of them I find pretty childish much like how I feel about some of my posts here and some of them I thought were well-written considering how old I was at the time I wrote it. My mom kept all of the letters and cards I made for her when I was young and I can’t help but laugh everytime I read them. There are so many spelling mistakes and grammatical errors and I talk about the silliest things! LOL!

When I read the letters I wrote during my earlier teenage years, I think to myself, “eeww.. so cheesy!” I’m afraid to even mention to you some of the things I wrote! Haha! I would die of embarassment.

The one thing that is cool about reading old letters? It’s like seeing emotions and thoughts on paper. Like catching a glimpse of myself at that moment in time.

Law-Related Funnies

Got this from an e-mail and thought I might share it with you... either the lawyer is good or the judge is...well.........read!

o0o0o0o0o0o0o

You won't believe these!!!!! It's time once again to review the winners of the annual "Stella Awards." The Stellas are named after 81 year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled coffee on herself and successfully sued McDonald's. That case inspired the Stella awards for the most frivolous, ridiculous, successful lawsuits in the United States.

Here are this year's winners:

7th Place: Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas, was awarded $780,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The owners of the store were understandably surprised at the verdict, considering the misbehaving little toddler was Ms. Robertson's son.

6th Place: 19-year-old Carl Truman of Los Angeles won $74,000 and medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Mr.Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbor's hubcaps.


5th Place: Terrence Dickson of Bristol, Pennsylvania, was leaving a house he had just finished robbing by way of the garage. He was not able to get the garage door to go up since the automatic door opener was malfunctioning. He couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the house and garage locked when he pulled it shut. The family was on vacation, and Mr. Dickson found himself locked in the garage for eight days. He subsisted on a case of Pepsi he found, and a large bag of dry dog food. He sued the homeowner's insurance claiming the situation caused him undue mental anguish. The jury agreed to the tune of $500,000.


4th Place: Jerry Williams of Little Rock, Arkansas, was awarded $14,500 and medical expenses after being bitten on the buttocks by his next-door neighbor's beagle. The beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. The award was less than sought because the jury felt the dog might have been just a little provoked at the time by Mr. Williams who had climbed over the fence into the yard and was shooting it repeatedly with a pellet gun.


3rd Place: A Philadelphia restaurant was ordered to pay Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, $113,500 after she slipped on a soft drink and broke her coccyx (tail bone). The beverage was on the floor because Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument.


2nd Place: Kara Walton of Claymont, Delaware, successfully sued the owner of a nightclub in a neighboring city when she fell from the bathroom window to the floor and knocked out her two front teeth. This occurred while Ms.Walton was trying to sneak through the window in the ladies room to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge. She was awarded $12,000 and dental expenses.


1st Place: This year's run away winner was Mrs. Merv Grazinski of Oklahoma City,Oklahoma. Mrs. Grazinski purchased a brand new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home, (from an OU football game), having driven onto the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go into the back and make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the RV left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Mrs.Grazinski sued Winnebago for not advising her in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually do this. The jury awarded her $1,750,000 plus a new motor home. The company actually changed their manuals on the basis of this suit, just in case there were any other complete morons around.

A Joke for the Day

When Apollo Mission Astronaut Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon, he not only gave his famous one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind statement but followed it by several remarks, usual com traffic between him, the other astronauts and Mission Control. Just before he re-entered the lander, however, he made the enigmatic remark; "Good luck Mr. Gorsky."

Many people at NASA thought it was a casual remark concerning some rival Soviet Cosmonaut. However, upon checking, there was no Mr. Gorsky in either the Russian or American space programs. Over the years many people questioned Armstrong as to what the Good luck Mr. Gorsky statement meant, but Armstrong always just smiled.

Just last year, (on 5 July 1995 in Tampa Bay, FL) while answering questions following a speech, a reporter brought up the 26-year-old question to Armstrong. This time he finally responded. Mr. Gorsky had finally died and so Neil Armstrong felt he could answer the question.

When he was a kid, he was playing baseball with a friend in the backyard. His friend hits a fly ball which landed in the front of his neighbors bedroom windows. His neighbors were Mr. And Mrs. Gorsky.

As he leaned down to pick up the ball, young Armstrong heard Mrs. Gorsky shouting at Mr. Gorsky. "Oral sex! You want oral sex?! You'll get oral sex when the kid next door walks on the moon!"

Monday, October 30, 2006

Meaning?

What do my dreams mean?

Back home I used to dream of this big house with a big pool and a beach nearby. I don’t know why but I would find myself in this house so often and when I go to the pool, my friends are all there and they’re all having fun. Someone’s giving me and my family a tour of the house and it’s all so confusing to me. Another dream I used to have so often is with me and my family going to this resort with either our relatives or some of our neighbors. I used to dream about it so much that I already know what the entrance to the resort looks like and what types of pools they have inside. There are a lot of big swirling slides and my brothers and I are either going down the slides or playing games.

I don’t know why but I would have these dreams so often back home and I don’t what they mean. Most of all I wonder why I stopped having these dreams when I came to Canada. It’s as if I left my dreams behind when I got on the plane.

Now, I find myself dreaming about work (prolly because I stress about it too much), dreaming about my friends back home (prolly because I miss them like crazy) and once in awhile I would have dreams that just don’t make any sense. Sometimes I wake up in the morning confused. Some people say dreams have hidden meanings… I wonder what mine mean?

Hello Sun!

Today I woke up to a beautiful morning. The sun is finally out!

Hello beloved blazer! I was able to wear you again today… it’s been cold out for a week and I’ve been forced to wear my winter jacket.

It’s funny how fast one’s body gets used to the temperature. Early autumn I needed to wear a sweater or a jacket as soon as the temperature started to drop below 15 degrees. Today, however, I found myself standing in the parking lot at a temperature of about 12 degrees withouth a jacket and wasn’t cold at all. How nice! I’m so happy about the weather that I decided I can’t let it pass without writing about it.

Grunt

I’m so stupid. Stubborn! Why oh why do I allow myself to get into situations that I know for a fact will torment me?

2 stars - beginner's level

This morning I was reading the Metro and at the side of the front page was a picture of Nicole Richie with a caption about her and her weight problem. The first thing that came to my mind was, “What’s new?!” Really, everytime there’s an article about her it’s only with regards to 2 things: her weight and her lovelife. It’s always about her lack of pounds and her inability to stick with a guy… oh and don’t forget the constant on-and-off relationship she has with the DJ dude. –sigh- I wish they would stop fussing about the same people regarding the same old things…

Moving on, I have successfully managed to solve several Sudoku puzzles. I have this Sudoku Puzzle book which I bought awhile back so that I could learn how to play the game. After much practice, I am proud to say I can solve a “2 stars – beginner’s level” puzzle. This means I can solve the puzzle that appers on the 24 and that’s about it. Last night, I felt that it was time for me to attempt to solve one that has 3 stars… sad to say, I failed and ended up with a very bad headache – one that forced me to take Advil. I left the partially solved puzzle with my 15 year-old brother who later informed me he was able to finish it… great… (tone of sarcasm here).

Tips anyone? =P

Friday, October 27, 2006

A bunch of fools

I’m sitting on my desk, writing an e-mail and my wings are seriously bothering me.

Yes, I am wearing an angel costume. I don’t recall dressing up for halloween…ever. But since today the office decided to have some fun, I found myself at a store yesterday looking for something interesting to wear. I didn’t want to spend so much money on something that I’m only going to wear once. Most of the really cute costumes they had were close to $100 so it took me a long time to look for one around my budget. It didn’t help that I was there not knowing what it was that I wanted to get to begin with. Anyhow, I finally decided to go as an angel. I even bought a wand because I thought it was cute and I could have so much with it at work. (evil grin)

I can barely sit on my chair because my wings are on the way and I keep having to push my halo because it refuses to stay up. I’m freezing by the way.

Greg decided to go as a cowboy and he has a cowboy doll that he attaches to his belt to make it seem like he’s humping the thing. I believe it is supposed to capture the essence of Brokeback Mountain. LOL! Sinh decided to go as a black dude, Hallie is a cowgirl, Kristin’s Wonderwoman and OMG! Is that Bren dressed with playboy bunny ears, a bunny tail and matching women’s underwear?! I can’t decide whether it’s funny or creepy considering he’s such a big guy and I’ve never seen a bra that big! Eeww. The president called in sick... cheater!

I brought my camera with me but the batteries were dead. –boo hoo- I have to go look for some AA batteries…

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Halloween

I need to find a costume to wear to work tomorrow.

If I can't find one, I will wear a bathrobe with a towel on my head, a pair of slippers and a lufa. LOL!

Desiderata

During my brother's highschool graduation, the Desiderata was inside his diploma.


As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
-- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s --

Working like a donkey

I’m tired. I think I am, once again, at a point where I begin to consider looking for another job. Everyday I drag myself out of bed to a job that I don’t really like. Everyday I sit on the train watching the people around me, all of us rushing to work, and I wonder how many of us really love what we do?

As children we dream of becoming a teacher, fireman, policeman, doctor, driver, astronaut, scientist, pilot, archeoligist, artist, architect, painter, etc… and as we grow older, our interests change and together with it – our dreams. How many of us pursue our careers because our parents wanted us to? Or because it makes a lot of money and it atleast ensures us of a future? Or maybe because our dreams require too much work and we’ve become lazy and allowed ourselves to be content with what’s easy? Or maybe or dreams cost too much money and we just can’t afford it? Or we’ve found a way to talk ourselves out of our deams and convinced ourselves that another path is the way to go?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for the fact that I am employed. But sometimes I feel like it’s taking forever to get to where I eventually want to go. I’m not surpised though…you have to work for almost everything in life. I know hardwork and commitment pay off but how long does it take? And what if it wasn’t meant for me to have? I mean, there are so many people that try and try and try but they never get to where they want to go. Am I one of those people?

I applaud those who pursue their dreams, who strive to reach their goals and those that refuse to negotiate with the world. I just really hope that in the end, all my efforts don’t go to waste.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Yikes!

I seem to attract troubled people. Not in the Sixth-Sense-I-see-dead-people kind of way but I seem to become really good friends with those who are going through some very rough times in their life. Not that I mind, on the contrary I love the thought that my friends share their lives with me. There are those who feel extremely lonely, those who are disappointed in life, those who are losing a loved one, those who are having family problems, financial problems and just about everything. Sometimes I am caught off-guard by some of the things I hear. Just when I'm beginning to think I've heard the worst, I am faced with another heart-wrenching situation. After hearing a friend talk about his/her problems, I take a second look at my life and I can't help but be grateful for the many blessings I have.

Looking at my life and the lives of those around me, sometimes I think my life is pretty easy compared to theirs. I didn't choose the life I was given and neither did my friends or anyone else for that matter... so I'm left wondering how come other people seem to have it easy and some the exact opposite? I have problems of my own - that's true, but I feel like mine is nothing compared to the hardships that other people face. This scares me. I'm afraid that one day it will be my turn.

Maybe my life is the way it is so that I can give my time to those that need it. My mom once said to me, "Sweetie I think maybe God really brings these people to you because maybe your purpose in life is to help them through their times of need." She might be right.

Awkward

Yesterday I was asked to do a “staff training” session. In the one year I’ve been with this company, I haven’t done classroom training for staff members. Not that I mind, it’s just weird that they would wait so long to organize one. One would think they would’ve done this long ago.

Anyhow, the president attended one of the sessions and the funny thing is he kept asking me questions on different things…things he should know. Worst of all, he kept asking me why certain areas of the software are designed that way. Why the hell is he asking me?? He’s the president! He should know! Do I look like the person who designed it?! The vice president was present during the session and she got pissed off that he was asking me questions not related to training at all and when she couldn’t help it anymore, she blurted out, “Karen’s not in development!” and grunted. You should have been there! OMG! The room was dead silent and even I felt sorry for the president. He must’ve been really embarassed!

Sometimes I feel like our president is under our VP…but then again maybe he’s just as scared of her as we are because she can be a real b*atch! LOL!

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

When God says No

I came across an article that had something to do with what my bf, Jerry, and I were discussing last night over Greek food. We were mostly talking about life, the wonderful coincidences that happen and how God answers prayers. Instead of posting the article here, I decided to link to it: http://www.beliefnet.com/story/174/story_17460_1.html

To sum up the article, there’s five different ways that God answers prayers:

“No, I love you too much.”
“Yes, but you’ll have to wait.”
“Yes, but quite different from how you thought I would answer.”
“Yes and here’s more!”
“Yes, I thought you’d never ask.”

It’s so true what the article is saying. I find that God answers prayers in so many different ways and sometimes not necessarily in the way we want it or when we want it but it always turns out to be what’s best for us. In many occasions in my life I’ve asked God for something and felt that I was not heard because I didn’t get what I asked for. But when I think about it, it’s not really because He wasn’t listening, it was because He had something better in mind or He was just waiting for the right time.

I remember when I was in highschool, I had a huge crush on this guy (let’s call him Guy #1) and I had prayed for him to like me too. It never happened of course and I was bummed to find out he had his eyes set on someone else. But shortly after, I had become good friends with a guy in my class (let’s call him Guy #2) and eventually he became my first boyfriend. Had God granted my prayer in the beginning, I wouldn’t have ended up with Guy #2 if I were with Guy #1. Guy #2 was my boyfriend for more than 3 years and I was happy. I’ve learned so many things from my relationship with him that has helped me grow up as a person. We parted ways in college but we’ve remained good friends since. As for Guy #1, he became my best friend and he’s been there for me, even helping me during my breakup with Guy #2.

At the time my relationship with Guy #2 ended, I was hurt and prayed constantly that God would bring us back together. It didn’t happen of course and again I thought God must hate me for allowing meto get hurt. But you know what, ending my relationship with Guy #2 had allowed me to build close friendships with so many other people. I had been giving all my time to Guy #2 and had not spent a lot of time getting to know my other friends. Because of the breakup, I was able to spend a lot of time being around other people, getting to know them, sharing so many things with them. Since then they’ve become my closest friends and I feel so blessed to have such wonderful people around me. God may not have given me what I had asked for but He certainly gave me so much more!

After I graduated from college, my parents decided to move to Canada. I was suddenly desperate to spend every waking minute with relatives and friends because I knew I was leaving and wouldn’t be seeing them for a long time. Although I understood my parents’ decision to leave the country, I was miserable. I prayed for a miracle, anything to keep us from going. It took months for us to prepare for the big trip but we eventually left and I kept thinking, “Why is God allowing this when He clearly knows how happy I am where I am? Why is he taking me away from all the plans I’ve made?” I was depressed for awhile and I made every effort to remind myself that everything happens for a reason even if I can’t see it yet. It’s been 2 years since we moved to Canada and what do I think now? God definitely knows what He’s doing! Shortly after I left, my friends started working for different I.T. companies and since then they’ve been assigned to work abroad in different countries. So if I had stayed behind, I wouldn’t have been able to see them anyways so what’s the difference right? Since I moved here, I’ve met so many interesting people, I’ve been introduced to so many different cultures, and I can proudly say I’ve learn to appreciate diversity and how much fun it truly is to be able to see and experience the other side of the world. Moving to Canada has forced me to leave my “safety net” behind and learn how to be more open to oppurtunities, how to be more independent and it has helped me grow in so many different ways. Back in the Phils, I was used to having a maid do everything for me but here I have to clean my own room, do dishes, and keep after myself. Experiencing winter has certainly increased my appreciation for the all-year-long warm weather in the Phils. Being here has certainly increased my appreciation for all the other things I used to take for granted. I’m not saying it’s so bad here that it’s making me see all the things I’ve been missing. I’m just saying that I can appreciate the true beauty of the wall now that I’ve seen both sides of it. It’s not saying that the grass is necessarily greener on the other side of the fence either. It’s just being able to appreciate what’s on each side.

What’s the best part about moving to Canada? It has brought me Jerry. It has brought me Jen, Suzy, Steve and all the other wonderful people who I can share wonderful experiences with. And being here has made me realize how much my friends care for me even when I am not around. They’re even thinking of visiting me when they get assigned in the US!

These are just some of those moments when I’ve asked God for something and eventhough he didn’t exactly give me what I wanted or when I wanted it, He has always given me the best.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

A Beautiful Song

I'm gonna be here for you baby
I'll be a man of my word
Speak the language in a voice that you have never heard
I wanna sleep with you forever
And I wanna die in your arms
In a cabin by a meadow where the wild bees swarm

And I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you
And I'll earn your trust making memories of us

I wanna honor your mother
I wanna learn from your pa
I wanna steal your attention like a bad outlaw
I wanna stand out in a crowd for you
A man among men
I wanna make your world better than it's ever been

And I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you
And I'll earn your trust making memories of us

We'll follow the rainbowWherever the four winds blow
And there'll be a new day
Comin' your wayI'm gonna be here for you from now on
This you know somehow
You've been stretched to the limits but it's alright now
And I'm gonna make you this promise
If there's life after thisI'm gonna be there to meet you with a warm, wet kiss

And I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you
And I'll earn your trust making memories of us
I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you
And I'll win your trust making memories of us

"Making Memories Of Us"
Keith Urban

People on the go

People… I swear they can be very smart but sometimes they tend to do things that are just mind-boggling or plain annoying. Here are some of the things I’ve noticed while waiting for a bus amongst the huge crowd and the bus finally arrives…

  • You would think people would be courteous and let passengers off the bus first before they get on it but nnoooo! There’s always a guy or a girl somewhere that will insist on pushing their way in. Do you pour water into a cup at the same time you are emptying it? ‘Course not! You empty the cup first and then put water into it. People! Please, same concept applies! Would it kill you to wait?
  • Why is everybody trying to fit into one bus when there’s an empty one right behind it? This never fails to make my eyes roll.
  • Let the handicapped, the elderly and the women with children on the bus first! One day you’ll be old too and you should remember the golden rule: do unto others what you would like them to do unto you.
  • If you can see that someone else needs a seat, please remove your stuff off the seat beside you. Be considerate. I’m sure your bag wouldn’t mind.
  • If you have a huge backpack and you are standing, try to consider the people behind you and those that are trying to pass. I’m short and often times I find my head against someones backpack. And please don’t play with your friends when the bus is crowded because everytime you dodge his/her hand, your backpack is hitting me repeatedly (and I am trying real hard not to slap you).
  • I always thought as children we learn the magic words: “please and thank you” and “excuse me”. Learn to use them as adults.
  • Let’s be nice and let people pass. If there’s space in the back, move to the back. Tell you what, there’s a bonus too – it’s always warmer at the back!

nd of course my favorite: the bus is completely empty except for one man and he’s standing! Mind-boggling but it’s cute!


On the subject of blogging

Yey! I just got the links for Steve and Suzy’s blog! I love reading other people’s blogs. I find it very interesting to see what people write about – their thoughts, dreams, aspirations, the things they find funny and beautiful, their fears and anxieties and just everyday life.

I never used to blog. I’ve heard about it a million times before but never really gave it much thought. That is until I came across a friend’s blog. I’ve known him for years but I was never really close to him so I never really got to see the other side of him. He was always the quiet one…extremely smart, very nice person but he didn’t talk much and it always made me wonder what he was really thinking. Then I came across his blog one day…I don’t really remember how I came across his blog but he’s had it for quite sometime. It was a real eye-opener for me. I was able to see a different side of him -- a side that wasn’t always so serious, funny even and just so normal. I don’t mean to say that he was abnormal in any way… but we all looked up to him like he was a god because he was just so smart! Perfect grades and everything! We used to kid around saying when God rained intelligence on earth, we were holding cups but he was holding a bucket. LOL!

After reading a few of my friends’ blogs, I decided to have one too (it’s also perfect for killing time when there’s nothing much to do at work. Hehe!) I also find that it’s a good tool for keeping in touch with old friends and being able to know what’s going on in their lives (yea, and catch up on some gossip you’ve been missing =P check out my link list for other cool blogs)

The cool thing about having a blog is that no one tells you what to write, when to write and how much you can write. You can put pictures, music, and links to your favorite stuff for all they care. Basically, IT IS YOUR OWN SPACE AND YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH IT (but please don’t put naked pictures of yourself…kidding!)

Ok, enough about blogging… I’m beginning to sound like a blog advertisement. Haha!

Name change

Yes, I decided to change the title of my blog. You can take a guess at what it means… haha!

For those of you who have been following my blog since it was born, you’ve probably seen me change the name…what? 2 or 3 times? I know… I’m the type that can’t quite stick to a name. (Hopefully this won’t be the case when I have children someday. Just kidding!) I change my Friendster layouts so often too. In the beginning it seems so great and then after awhile it just gets boring. Hence, the reason for the constant change. Bear with me people!

Oh and just as a reminder, you might want to update your link list too! Thanks!

Monday, October 16, 2006

Slide.com

The other day I decided to check my Myspace account (I always feel weird using the word “my” before “myspace”.. it almost feels like using double conjunctions or something.) because I realized I’d been paying attention only to my Friendster account and I thought it’s about time I checked those unread messages and invites. Not that I hate Myspace – it just so happens most of my friends are in Friendster which is why I continue to use it. Oh and also because Friendster is more popularly used in the Philippines as opposed to Myspace.

I realize Myspace is more popular in North America and almost all my cousins in the US are on it so I’m using Myspace to keep in touch with them too (I’ve successfully convinced two of them to sign up with Friendster...LOL). Anyway, I came across Aileen’s page on Myspace and she was using a flash player that plays pictures of her. I’ve always wanted to put one on my Friendster page but most of the ones I came across were already being used by a few of my friends and I was trying to avoid having to use the same ones they were using. (yeah, I didn’t want to be told that I was being a copy cat… haha)

I came across Slide.com and Ithought it was pretty cool. Free, easy to use, fast uploading of unlimited pictures (well, I kinda need to verify that it is in fact “unlimited” but so far so good) and I thought the slide transitioning was one-of-a-kind (again, the “one-of-a-kind” comment is yet to be verified). Anyway, I signed up using my e-mail address and assigning myself a password. It didn’t even require me to enter my name or contact info. I uploaded some pictures taken during college and several pictures of me and jerry of course! I have yet to add pictures of me, jerry, steve and suzy but I grabbed a picture of the 4 of us off of Steve's blog (LOL)...

Check out my Friendster page!

I fell in love with a pair of sandals

Have you ever owned a pair of shoes/sandals/runners that you loved wearing so much that you just wish you had bought dozens of them so you could wear them forever?

During the summer, I went shopping for a pair of sandals. It started out with a pair I bought from Sterling (weird name for a shoe store isn’t it?) but they turned out to be uncomfortable for long walks and it felt heavy on my feet. So I decided to buy myself another pair and this time I bought a beautiful pair from Aldo. Big mistake. They were gorgeous but they were the most uncomfortable pair of sandals I’ve worn in my life. (You’re prolly wondering why I bought it in the first place, right? Well, they were fine when I was walking around in the store but that was it.) I wore them only once and back in the box they went. Such a waste of money, I know, but I love my feet more than my shoes and I’m not willing to sacrifice my feet for it. So, now I’ve spent some money on two pairs of sandals and they both suck. Nice… (note of sarcasm here)

I ended up buying another pair from Aldo which turned out great. I was adamant on buying atleast one more pair so I can switch between pairs but looking for a great pair of sandals just isn’t that easy. I was on my way home one day and had decided to pass by the mall and that’s when I saw them – a pair of beautiful sandals from Naturalizer. I was so eager to try to them on and viola! They were perfect! They were so soft, so comfy and get this – they were on sale!! Could a girl ask for more?! I bought them right there and then and they became my favorite pair.

Wearing them felt like I was walking barefoot on a carpeted floor (ok, I know I’m exagerrating but what the heck). They were just so comfortable!

I wore them everywhere – to work, shopping, dates with jerry, to church on Sundays, picking up groceries, festivals, to the movies, etc! I just never got tired of wearing them. I would wear them still, if I could, but it’s too cold outside for sandals so for now they’re sitting in my room. I was looking at them the other day and I was just thinking that I’d be sad to have to throw them away when it gets worn out. Hence, I wish I had bought several pairs of them to begin with. =(

Friday, October 13, 2006

Fear Factor

I came across an article on msn about phobias and here are some that I find quite amusing:

  • Papaphobia—fear of the pope.
  • Scorodophobia—fear of garlic.
  • Pteronophobia—fear of being tickled with feathers.
  • Ranidaphobia—fear of frogs.
  • Philematophobia—fear of kissing.
  • Aulophobia—fear of flutes.
  • Ostraconophobia—fear of shellfish.
  • Graphophobia—fear of handwriting.
  • Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia—fear of long words (seriously).
  • Blennophobia—fear of slime.
  • Gerontophobia—fear of old people.
  • Peladophobia—fear of bald people.
  • Geropeladophobia—fear of old, bald people.
  • Phobophobia—fear of developing a fear.
There is also didaskaleinophobia, the fear of going to school—though you’d have to go if you want to pronounce it. Barophobia is the fear of gravity, which can be very inconvenient if you live on a planet.

Nakakatuwa noh? I had no idea there were so many kinds of phobias and I didn't even know the ones mentioned above existed. Makes you kinda wonder how these people live doesn't it?

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Songs I find myself playing over and over again...

I have about 700-850 songs in my iPod and yet I find myself listening to a few songs over and over again. I don't know why but there are some songs that I just never seem to tire of regardless of how often I listen to it. Here are some:

This Love :: Maroon 5
Irreplaceable :: Beyonce
The Reason :: Hoobastank
Everybody's Changing :: Keane
Time of Your Life :: Greenday
Across the Universe :: Fiona Apple
Making Memories of Us :: Keith Urban
Sleep All Day :: Jason Mraz
Drops of Jupiter :: Train
Smells Like Funk :: Black Eyed Peas
You're Beautiful :: James Blunt
Promiscuous :: Nelly Furtado Feat Timberland
Mas Que Nada :: Black Eyed Peas
Are You In :: Incubus
Streetcorner Symphony :: Rob Thomas
For The Love of You :: Boyz II Men
Spend my Life With You :: Eric Benet Feat Tamia
Officially Missing You :: Tamia
When I See You Smile :: Bad English
Walking After You :: The Foo Fighters
Killing Me Softly :: The Fugees Feat Lauren Hill
Time and Tide :: Basia
This is How You Remind Me :: Nickelback
The Way You Look Tonight :: Frank Sinatra
Thank God I found You :: Mariah Carey Feat 98 Degrees
Panalangin :: Nyoy Volante
Sway :: Bic Runga
Summer Samba :: Astrud Gilberto
Suddenly :: Soraya
Sonho Meu :: Paulinho Moska
Something Beautiful :: Robbie Williams
Smooth Criminal :: Alien Ant Farm
Runaway :: Janet Jackson
A Promise I Make :: Dakota Moon
Dancing in the Moonlight :: Toploader
Lost in Space :: Lighthouse Family
Overjoyed :: Stevie Wonder
Our Lives :: The Calling
Only Time :: Enya
One Of Use :: Joan Osborne
What Can I Do/Runaway/One Night :: The Corrs
Ode to my Family :: The Cranberries
No One Else Comes Close :: Joe
Kiss From A Rose :: Seal
As I Lay Me Down :: Sophie B. Hawkins
Knocks Me Off My Feet :: Stevie Wonder
Just The Two Of Us :: Grover Washington Jr.
Jaded :: Aerosmith
Into You :: Fabulous Feat Ashanti
If I Ain’t Got You :: Alicia Keys
If Tomorrow Never Comes :: Ronan Keating
Angel :: Sarah Maclachlan
I Try :: Macy Gray
Life :: Gabrielle
I Think God Can Explain :: Splendor
I Believe In You :: N’Sync
I Love the Nightlife (I can’t remember who sang it)
I Hope It’s You :: Ntwine
I Don’t Ever Wanna See You Again :: Uncle Sam
Stay :: Lisa Loeb
Time and Tide :: Basia
Accidentally In Love :: The Counting Crows
Big Yellow Taxi :: The Counting Crows
Baby You're Mine :: Basia
Time Will Reveal :: Boyz II Men
I Believe in You :: N'Sync
My All :: Mariah Carey
Whenever You Call :: Mariah Carey
Only Time :: Enya
I Believe in You :: Il Divo
Para sa Akin :: Sitti
From This Moment :: Shania Twain
Drive :: Incubus
Don’t Speak :: No Doubt
Deep Inside of You :: Third Eye Blind

I think I never get tired of listening to them over and over again because these songs remind me of something or someone.

Snow in October!

I cannot believe it's snowing...in October.

I knew today was going to be below 10 degrees but I sure wasn't expecting any snow! So much for hoping that the winter would come late!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Backup Files Found!

Eversince I came to Canada, I've been looking for the CD containing all my backup files from our PC back home. When I didn't find it in any of the cds we took with us, I had hoped it was in the box we had left behind and that I would find it when it finally arrives.

The box finally did come about a year later but it wasn't there either. There were a few cds without labels so was hoping one of them would turn out to be my back up cd. I patiently ran them all but still didn't find what I was looking for. It turns out they were my dad's files. I had remembered labelling my cds with my name and the date so I was almost sure they were lost since I couldn't find them.

The other day I was reading a letter my tita had sent my dad and she said they found a few more cds that belonged to us but they had forgotten to send. She made a list of all the titles of each cd and I was so glad when I came across two labelled "Karen back up ". I was grinning from ear to ear and prolly looked like a fool but it was really good to know I didn't lose them. In case you were wondering what was in those cds, they contain a lot of pictures taken during college and some of the important things I wanted to keep. We keep hearing about the advantages of having digital photos but one thing we overlook is the fact that if our hard drive crashes, the cd containing our files gets lost or damaged or we accidentally delete our files, those precious pictures we took are gone and lost forever (unless of course you can find someone who can restore your files for you).

I think I should print them and keep a hard copy.

iTunes frustration

I just logged into iTunes and was so thrilled to find Grey's Anatomy episodes can be purchased for a $1.99 per episode!! Yey!

I was so ready to purchase an episode I had missed only to find that it's only available for purchase for US accounts and not canadian. Gggrrrhhhh! I don't understand why they even have to have a separate account for those residing in the US and those residing in Canada. Is it because of the difference in currency? The stuff that's available in the US version should also be available to the Canadian version. We're paying naman a! Nakakainis naman!

I would have gladly paid for that episode I wanted to download had it been available to me. If they really can't make it the same, they shouldn't let us see the stuff that's available in the US... nakakafrustrate lang!

I should really send them a suggestion just like my brother...better yet, I should complain... ^-^

Nothing like...

...a day full of accomplished tasks.

Nakakapagod but it feels good na ang dami kong nagawa. It was another productive day for me. =P

As Maragaret Thatcher wrote:
Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the
end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; its when you had
everything to do, and you've done it.

Message not sent. Try again later...

Arggghhh! Stupid message won't send!

Don't you just hate it when your phone doesn't want to cooperate? I've been trying to send a short, simple text message to my bf and for some reason my cellphone won't do it. Yes, I have a signal and I have a subscription so it can't be because I don't have any load. I've had to stop myself from banging my phone against my desk but I did try that trick where you hold your phone upside down... it's supposed to help (eventhough I don't know how it helps).

Don't you find it odd that your cellphone will refuse to work at times when you need it the most? Walang signal, low batt na... ay ayaw magsend... bakkeeettt?!

Sige na, send na kasi please....

Thursday, October 05, 2006

5° Degrees and Counting

Today's weather forecast: sunny. Low of 5° and a high of 14°.

Looks like fall is finally here. Autumn arrived a couple of weeks ago and it's so depressing to think of the coming of winter. It's the time of the year when the days are getting shorter and the temperature keeps dropping. It's been good so far, moving anywhere between 5° and 24° degrees. On days like today when the sun is out but the temperature is low, it can be very misleading because you are under the impression that the day will be warm due to the sun but when you step out of the house it's actually very cold.

I just recently found out that Canada is actually beside Alaska...no wonder it's so cold! I'm not very good with geography and for some reason I can't recall where countries are located in the globe. If I've never been there and I don't know anyone who lives there, then I don't know where it is. I still find it difficult to love the cold seasons. Whenever someone mentions how much they love the fall, I cringe. Para mo na ring sinabi na gusto mong nasasaktan ka. I've always been the most sensitive in our family. Pag may aircon, ako yung unang nilalamig. Ako yung laging nagrereklamo na mashadong malakas yung aircon. Imagine us now living in a country where it's cold 3/4 of the year!

I've gotten somewhat used to the temperature though. Anything above 20° is warm na for me. Sometimes I worry that a vacation back home will be too hot for me to handle. But then again, I'm sure my body will eventually adjust to the heat just like when it adjusted to the cold here. I just have to make sure I stay somewhere with airconditioning. Haha!

This morning I found myself waiting at the bus stop, praying desperately that the bus would arrive soon because I was freezing. Maybe I should've dressed warmer... I couldn't stop shivering. Minsan pa naman the bus is full so kailangan hintayin ko pa yung susunod na bus. Sa isip ko bahala na kahit puno, isasalpak ko nalang sarili ko kasi di ko na kayang tumayo sa lamig.

I read in the Metro a few weeks ago that this coming winter might be mild...let's sure hope so!

Monday, October 02, 2006

A Toast to an Amazing Couple!

Jerry and I attended the wedding of one of our closest friends last weekend. It was a beautiful ceremony and one that had me fighting back tears of joy. I first met Suzy last year and shortly after, I met Steve. From day one I loved them already. It's so rare that you would befriend someone wonderful and to befriend two is even better. I know they've been together for 2 years but they were friends for some time before they started dating.

Suzy is mixed - half Congolese, half Haitian while Steve is Canadian, part Japanese. It is so heartwarming to see two people find love and happiness in each other and I admire them for seeing past their physical and cultural differences. During the reception, Suzy’s uncle said that he is proud of both Suzy and Steve for being able to love each other despite their cultural differences and because of their love they were able to bring two cultures together. They danced to Keith Urban’s “Making Memories of Us” and the way they held each other and looked at each other, you could really see the love they shared. How often do you see a couple like them?

I’m so proud and so happy for the two of them. I wish them nothing but the best in life.