Can someone get me these in a size 5.5 or 6?

Aren’t they beautiful?

I have been browsing the internet for a nice pair of shoes/sandals/wedges that I can wear with my wedding dress. I can’t wear heels because the wedding is on the beach so I am somewhat limited to low or midrise wedges or flats. I have found a few cute ones from Piperlime but they only ship to the U.S. so I am thinking of buying a pair and then maybe having them shipped to family members in Virginia and then have them ship it to me.

I am leaning more towards getting a low or midrise wedge because I need the added height but there aren’t a lot out there that are nice enough for a wedding. The ones that I do find that are really nice cost an arm and a leg and although I am willing to spend that much money, Steve will most likely freak out.

I was worried about finding the dress but it is actually easier to find a dress than it is to find shoes and accessories to go with it (or maybe I only feel that way because I still haven’t found/bought them yet).

I REALLY, REALLY LOVE this pair… I look at them everyday. I just haven’t been able to think of way of purchasing them without going over my budget.

If you get this pair for me, I will forever be grateful!

Nominated!

I tend to disappear from the blogging world during the holidays as I tend to get quite busy during this time of the year. I logged in this morning and guess what? My humble site has been nominated for Filipino Blog of the Week!! Yay!

I am not entirely sure how my little site was nominated (or even how it was found) but I am quite happy with just being nominated regardless of whether I win or not.

Here are the rules of the poll.

One of the rules of being nominated is to apparently put a post on my blog about the poll. So if you guys would like to vote, you can go to this site and you will find the poll located at the sidebar to the right. I am not entirely sure until when you can vote so by the time you read this post, I might not be even on the list anymore!

In any case, thank you for always reading my posts!!

Wii crazy!

I recently purchased a Nintendo Wii for the family as a Christmas gift (and partly a birthday gift for my youngest brother, Miguel). I had a difficult time looking for it because my brothers decided to tell me that they wanted a Wii at the very last minute and all the stores I called were already sold out. On Monday, I phoned all Future Shop stores in Toronto and none of them had any left. Then I phoned the Best Buy store nearest work and miracle of miracles, they still had a few remaining. I asked them if they could hold one for me but they said it was being sold on a first come, first serve basis so I have no choice but to make my way to the store and get one.

So after work, Steve and I made our way to the Best Buy Store which was located 20 minutes away from the office… only that it took us an hour and forty minutes to get there! Apparently there was a car that caught fire on the highway and they had to close all lanes so all the cars heading east were going through the back roads hence, causing the huge traffic jam. I was already somewhat anxious because I was worried the store would run out of Wiis before I got there so being stuck in traffic for that long wasn’t helping me at all. Of course, you always get stuck behind some bad driver when you’re really rushing. I felt like getting out of the car, walking up the driver of the car in front of us and telling him/her off. But it was snowing like mad and everybody was pissed off as it is and getting off the car to tell someone off might not help the situation.

When we finally got to Best Buy, Steve and I made a bee line for the Gaming section. We frantically scanned the aisles trying to locate the Wii consoles. I was beginning to panic when we couldn’t find them. As it turns out, they had just been delivered earlier that day and they were still in big brown boxes in one corner instead of being on display. I stood in line to get one and I think it was obvious from the way I was fidgeting how anxious I was to get my hands on one of those. If someone had made the mistake of cutting me in line, I honestly think I would have jumped on them. Believe me, I was that crazy.

The sales clerk asked me if there was anything else I wanted to get. I told him I was also looking for Guitar Hero. He smiled at me and asked, "which one?". To which I replied with a confused, "The kind that works with the Wii??". He chuckled and said, "Yes, but there's more than one kind.."

To say that I was completely confused is an understatement. I told him to give me a minute while I phoned my brothers to ask which kind (he must think I'm one of those dumb girls that walk into electronic stores not knowing what to do in there). After speaking briefly to my brother, JR, I turned to him and said, "Apparently I'm supposed to get the Guitar Hero World Tour if there is such a thing.."

So he led us to another aisle, past frantic shoppers and finally to a big pile of boxes near the front of the store. Both Steve and I gawked at it. The boxes were a lot bigger than we expected. Immediately, my brain went into what I call "a shopper's instinct".. bigger boxes meant bigger price tags. So I just had to ask him, "Just out of curiousity, how much does it cost?" and he said, "$210.00"

Now I don't know about you, but that seemed awfully expensive for a video game! Normally, when I go shopping and see something that I think is waaayyy overpriced, I can still keep my cool and pretend that the prize doesn't faze me in the least bit. But this one caught me offguard and instead of just going "uh huh.. ok", I yelped with a loud, "This thing is TWO HUNDRED AND TEN FREAKIN' DOLLARS?!" It's as if I could hear every penny disappear from my wallet.

I did, however, end up getting both the Wii and the Guitar Hero World Tour. I think I would be staying away from shopping for awhile.. at least until I can recover from all the spending this month.

Did we atleast enjoy playing it? Absolutely!

Run

I recently downloaded this song into my iPod and I'm loving it. I hear it was originally sung by Snow Patrol but I haven't heard that version yet.

I'll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done

And I can barely look at you
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Away from here

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

-- Run
Leona Lewis

More...

I have a bad habit of not checking my email accounts regularly except for my hotmail and work email. But somehow, I always end up checking my Yahoo account at just the right time – when an old friend sends me a message and or when I receive an interesting email. It’s almost as if I know an email is waiting for me. It’s so weird.

I don’t know if it’s just me but don’t you find that during the times when you want to go to bed early, you end up staying even later than usual? Suddenly there’s things that need to be done, good TV shows, phone calls, books to read… and you get so caught up that you actually achieve the opposite of what you intended.

Are you a fan of online shopping? I have always been somewhat wary of shopping over the internet. I’m worried about getting scammed or buying a product that doesn’t fit me right and has poor quality. Everything always looks good in the pictures but they seldom turn out the way you expect them to. I bought 2 pieces of clothing once and was really disappointed when I got them. First, they delivered when I wasn’t at home so I had to drive to Markham (actually, Steve had to drive me) to claim it at the Purolator there. Second, they were both too big and not to mention made of really low quality material. It was not worth the money and effort I put into it. My cousins seem to have no problems shopping online. In fact many people buy stuff online all the time. I think I’m just one of those people that need to be able to touch it first before buying. It’s a habit I have… the compulsion to touch almost everything in the store. I remember getting in trouble for it a lot when I was a kid. My parents were always worried I was going to end up breaking something in the store. I can only remember that one time I dropped a pencil sharpener made entirely of glass and it ended up bouncing off the floor and I was too scared to even bother checking if I broke the darn thing so I ran to my parents and never looked back. I actually developed a phobia of going back to that store. I finally got over it after a few years. For some reason I thought they’d surely recognize me if they saw me. I can see the sale clerks point at me and saying, “Hey! That’s the kid that broke the sharpener!! Get her!!” Gee, the things I feared when I was young…

I saw a kid on the subway last night with a “CatDog” school bag. I don’t know if you ever watched that cartoon but I sure thought it was hilarious back then. My brothers and I used to watch it when we were in the Philippines and I haven’t seen a single episode since but seeing that school bag made me smile. And yes, I still enjoy watching cartoons. I even enjoy watching Spongebob Squarepants. Now, if only I can convince Steve to rent Kung Fu Panda for me…

I miss summer vacations. You know, the 2-3 months that you get off school during the summer months? Why can’t we get that every year as working adults? Don’t you agree that it will be healthier for everyone? Oh you know what’s even better? We get PAID summer vacations… yep.. that would be AWESOME.

Ramblings of the Day.

I have read and re-read all of my Twilight books including the draft for Midnight Sun and I don’t think I will ever get over these books. No matter how often I read them, I still get that same giddy feeling the first time I laid my hands on them. They still keep me up late at night reading under the covers and imagining scenes and conversations. I still cry at all the sad parts even though I already know what’s next in the story. Every time I see a magazine with Twilight on the cover, I feel the urge to pick it up and browse through the contents, curious as to what new, interesting information I would find inside (as if I haven’t already read everything there is to read about it). I’ve watched the movie twice (once in the theatres and the other time over the internet). The movie was not great but it was ok… enough for me to want to watch more than once. I know I only like the movie because of the books. I think that had I not read or liked the books, I wouldn’t like the movie. But that’s just me.

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Don’t you wish sometimes that people would think first before they speak?

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I have been feeling very tired and irritable lately. I think it’s a combination of work-related stress and a bunch of other things that all seem to take place at once. Sometimes I feel like pulling my hair out. I just get so frustrated! It’s one thing after another. I try to do someone a favor and all I get in return are complaints. Very seldom do I get appreciation in return. I can’t help but feel a bit discouraged because the nicer I try to be, the harder it gets for me. Am I doing something wrong?

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One of the things I admire about my brother, JR, is his ability to be frank without sounding rude or offensive. He doesn’t let people push him around and he speaks his mind when he doesn’t agree with something. Unlike me who tends to be more of a “YES” person, he knows when to say yes and when to say no. He knows his boundaries, draws a clear line and demands that people respect it. He’s not afraid of confrontation and he doesn’t shy away from bosses or managers or people with titles. He says it as it is and I love him for it. I wish I was more like him in that sense. Confrontations are uncomfortable for me. I don’t always speak up even when I know I need to and that is why abrasive and overly aggressive people find me an easy target. I get upset and I let it fester inside me until it comes to a point where I can’t hold it in anymore and then I blow up. I could save myself all this trouble if I just learn to say something from the get-go. I am always afraid of hurting other people or saying something and having it come out wrong. Sometimes I am afraid that opening my mouth will lead to something worse. While I lie in bed at night, thinking of all the things that have hurt me during the day, my brother is sleeping soundly in his bed. He’s done his part… now if I can only do that too.

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Work is very busy but also very boring at the same time. As I type and QA at the same time, I am singing along to Glory of Love by Peter Cetera. How sad is that?

Twlight Prom Song

Although the lyrics don't make sense, I loved this song which was playing while Edward & Bella were dancing at the prom. I thought it was absolutely perfect for the scene.

(I know, I know! I'm a really big Twilight Fan!!)






I was a quick wet boy
Diving too deep for coins
All of your straight blind eyes
Wide on my plastic toys
And when the cops closed the fair
I cut my long baby hair
Stole me a dog-eared map
And called for you everywhere

Have I found you?
Flightless bird, jealous, weeping
Or lost you?
American mouth
Big bill looming

Now I’m a fat house cat
Cursing my sore blunt tongue
Watching the warm poison rats
Curl through the wide fence cracks
Kissing on magazine photos
Those fishing lures thrown in the cold and clean
Blood of Christ mountain stream

Have I found you?
Flightless bird, brown hair bleeding
Or lost you?
American mouth
Big bill, stuck going down

Flightless Bird, American Mouth
- Iron & Wine

Twlight (Movie)

I finally saw Twilight over the weekend. We were worried we wouldn’t be able to get good seats because it was opening weekend and the tickets were selling fast so we decided to arrive at the theater early. We stood in line for about an hour, reading magazines and talking. I was so excited that I could barely stand still. Steve thought it was funny seeing how crazy I was over a chick flick.

Believe it or not, I actually re-read Twilight in preparation for the film. Crazy, obsessed ‘no?

I have only really read one review online about the movie … the one that Seth wrote on Stephenie Meyer’s website. I also heard on the radio that it made $70 million overnight. That’s as far as I knew about the movie so I really didn’t know what to expect. I knew though, going into the movie, that I would still love the book more than the movie.

I would love to write more about the film but I don’t want to ruin it for those that have yet to see it. All I’m going to say is this: I loved the movie and although I wasn’t so sure about Robert Pattinson in the beginning, I thought he did well in the movie. By the middle of the film, I was literally swooning over him. There were parts of the book that I wish they showed in the film but overall I thought it was pretty good.

Oh, and in case you haven’t heard, New Moon has gotten the green light which means we will still have something to look forward to! I can’t wait to see the movie for New Moon!

Go see the movie if you haven’t!

More amazing, swoon-worthy photos here!

And they eliminated two great dancers...

I am so disappointed at the results of So You Think You Can Dance Canada last night. Two of my favorite dancers – Arasay and Vincent got eliminated. In my opinion, they were two of the strongest and most talented dancers on the show. I actually expected them to be at the top 4 and so did many others. I just can’t believe that Canada voted Vincent off and kept Izaak. C’mon people! Yes, Izaak's good but he sucks compared to all the other remaining dancers. He should go home already!

It’s so discouraging because it almost seems as though dancers remain on the competition due to popularity votes rather than based on technical skill. It’s obvious how talented Arasay and Vincent were and how good they were at adapting to different styles of dancing. It was truly such a huge disappointment to see them go. I would have enjoyed watching them dance a few more routines all the way to the finals.

Wrong Aisle, Honey!

Yesterday, Steve did for me what most men eventually end up doing for their girlfriend, sister, mom or wife. He had to run to the drugstore to get me some feminine pads. I would have gotten them myself but I had a training session that I just couldn’t leave so he volunteered to buy it for me instead. He was going to the bank anyways and offered to pass by the store on the way back to work. So I told him which brand and kind to buy and asked him to give me a call in case he has any questions or has trouble looking for it.

I went back to my training session (since I was on a break) and about a couple of hours into training, my phone rang…

Me (answering the call): “Hey hun, are you having a hard time finding it?”

Steve: “Yeah… they don’t have the one you like… they only have three brands – Poise, Life and Tena… which one should I get?”

Me: “Are you at Shopper’s Drugmart?”

Steve: “Yes…”

Me: “Ok, that’s weird because Shopper’s always has it and at the very least they should have Kotex or Always… wait… Tena?? Are you at the right aisle?? Because I think you’re in the diaper aisle… I think Tena is a diaper brand, honey… Look for the Feminine Hygiene aisle…”

(of course I’m laughing at this point…)

Steve (realizing his mistake and laughing): “Oh! You’re right! Geez, how was I supposed to know! They had the same types like the feminine pads and they look more like pads rather than diapers! It says light, medium and heavy flow on the package too! Oh geez…”

Me (still laughing): “Ok, just look for the right aisle honey and call me back if you still can’t find it…”

Steve: “Ok, I’ll look for it… geez… I must look like an idiot… someone’s probably looking at me on the camera and laughing… I’ve been here for 20 minutes going back and forth through the diaper aisle!”

Anyhow, he did come back to work with the right brand and kind. I was really impressed and amused.

Excited, Disappointed, Giddy and Sad

I can’t tell you how excited I am that Twilight is coming out on Friday! I am so giddy I feel as though I’m bouncing off walls. Every time they show the trailer on TV, I stop whatever it is I’m doing, run to the living room and jump up and down while clapping my hands like a silly school girl. Steve just laughs at me and my brothers think I’m a complete dork. But I don’t care! I love it!

I try not to set my hopes up too high. Chances are, the book will probably be better than the movie but I’d love to see it anyways. I am still a bit unsure of Robert Pattinson playing Edward but I’ll know for sure when I see the movie. I really… REALLY hope it doesn’t disappoint.

I have Twilight in my head day and night and while having lunch on Sunday at a Chinese restaurant downtown, I noticed a guy sitting at the table across from me. His features were similar to how I envisioned Edward in my head and of course I couldn’t help but look at him every now and then (I actually think he might have noticed… whoops!). Steve was sitting beside me and I think I might have actually whispered to him, “Honey, see that guy across us? He looks like Edward from my book…”

I checked Stephenie Meyer’s website last week and saw that she had posted the draft for Midnight Sun which is basically the Twilight Story but told from Edward’s point of view. I absolutely enjoyed reading it. It was nice to be able to know Edward a little bit better… to be able to know what he was thinking and feeling all those times when Bella could only read his facial expressions. It was also nice being able to get to know the Cullen Family a bit better and the extent of their relationship and the complexities of being vampires. I am very disappointed though to read that Stephenie has decided to put Midnight Sun on hold indefinitely due to a leak of the draft online. I am upset at the people who leaked it (whether intentionally or unintentionally) and that because of it, I might never be able to read Midnight Sun. I just can’t get over the fact that it has been put on hold indefinitely. I don’t even know if it will ever be published. I am just plain sad about it (depressed actually). I’ve contemplated on writing Stephenie to try to encourage her to continue writing but I couldn’t find her email address on the website. (And yes, I am THAT big of a fan that I would actually consider writing to the author… I am such a dweeb sometimes).

I really wish Midnight Sun would someday be published. I would give up shopping for the next 6 months if it meant I get to read the book one day. (If you knew me at all, you’d know giving up shopping for 6 months is a very big sacrifice on my part). What would you give up for Midnight Sun?

Oy television!

Work has been very frustrating for me these past few weeks. I feel as though I am left to put out fires that my boss created. The thing is, I had already forewarned her about the consequences of her decision. She didn’t heed the warning and now, the sh*t has hit the fan so to speak. Nakakainis talaga!

Moving on…

There is a TV show that came out about a month or two ago entitled “Fringe”. It’s on Tuesdays at nine in the evening and the entire family is hooked on it. We all sit in the living room, huddled together on the couch. Fringe is almost like a cross between the X-Files and CSI. Of course, Dr. Walter Bishop (an “Einstein-like” genius - played by John Noble) and his son, Peter Bishop (played by Dawson’s Creek’s Joshua Jackson) are unbelievably intelligent characters on the show but I still enjoy all the scientific garble they come up with. I get hooked on all the mystery. I feel the need to find out what’s going to happen next and what “the pattern” really is. I want to find out who the bald guy is and why he’s important. It’s really very addictive.


Image from Fox - Fringe Official Website

I have been pretty good at following my favorite TV shows this season – Grey’s Anatomy, So You Think You Can Dance Canada, Fringe, Eli Stone and Two and a Half Men. Oh, and I almost forgot Prison Break (it’s really Steve’s show but we watch it together). I always get so stressed out whenever I watch Prison Break. I want the good guys to succeed and for everything to just work out. As much as I like the suspense, it’s also the one thing that kills me. Steve likes the twists and turns and the intricate things that happen in the story. I just get stressed when something unexpected happens that throws everything off. After awhile though, it just gets a little old. I mean, seriously, how many prisons do we expect Scofield to escape from? And really, the plot is getting a wee bit crazy. A tumor?! C’mon!

Anyhow, I hear Dr. Erika Hahn is being kicked out of Grey’s Anatomy due to her character’s sexuality. Although the network says that they decided to let her character go not because of the character being a lesbian but because they felt that “the magic and chemistry” of Dr. Erika Hahn wouldn’t sustain it in the long run. I think it might be a little of both. I saw the episode last week where Erika and Callie get into an argument about Dr. Izzie Stevens. I wonder if that’s the last episode for Dr. Hahn.

So You Think You Can Dance Canada is on its first season and it seems to be doing fine although I find that the judges are less critical compared to the judges for So You Think You Can Dance (US version). Personally, I prefer Nigel and Mary Murphy doing the judging. But I have to say that I also like Jean-Marc. He’s such a sweet guy and very encouraging. There are also a lot of talented dancers in Canada and boy! Aren’t they good-looking?! I have a crush on Nico Archambault… he’s soooo cute, sooo talented and such a gentleman! AND he speaks French! I melt every time he comes on stage. I think that if I ever met him in person, I’d probably end up making a fool of myself.


(Image courtesy of CTV's Official So You Think You Can Dance Canada Website)

Steve and I are trying to follow Heroes this season but since it is on the same time slot as Two and a Half Men, we find ourselves constantly flipping between the two shows and we’ve missed some key events in Heroes. I guess we could always rent the DVD when it comes out or watch it over the internet.

I enjoy watching TV but I only really follow certain shows. I feel bad when I miss an episode of my favorite shows but it doesn’t kill me. I figure I can always find it on YouTube or some other website.

Crickets in a Box

Last weekend, Steve and I and a couple of friends went out for dinner and a movie. Somewhere between dinner and the movie, we passed by a candy store that sold a variety of treats. Steve’s cousin gets really excited every time he goes into a candy store and proceeds to grab whatever he finds interesting. He is 25 years old.

Don’t get me wrong, I like candy too. Just not all candies. There are certain types I love and then there are those which I am not too crazy about. Take chocolate mints for example. Steve thinks they’re great and I think they’re disgusting. Mint and chocolate shouldn’t mix in my opinion. But that’s just me.

I enjoy going to candy stores because it is full of candy after all. But it’s also a place where I will most likely find a candy brand that was popular back in the day and probably is hard to find. I also like the non-candy items that are either wacky or weird. Like weird-looking stress balls, or glow in the dark stuff, or things you press or squeeze that make weird noises. Believe it or not, among the things we found in this candy store are panties and thongs made entirely out of candy (they’re totally wearable too!), a miniature mega-phone that is “guaranteed to get the b*llsh*t out of you”, a fake clock that runs backwards, a few drinking games and the weirdest one I found – a snack that is made out of crickets! Yes, crickets! In a box! Real, tiny crickets with bacon and cheese flavoring! I thought it was fake but when we checked out the ingredients and after talking to the store owner, we found out they were really crickets. No joke!

I was really tempted to buy it just so I can show it around. It is interesting after all. And really disgusting. The only thing that stopped me from buying its price. I wasn’t willing to spend that much money for a box of snack crickets no matter how interesting it may be.

So the next time you go to a candy store, keep your eye out for crickets!

Winter Fret.

It’s the cold season again and we’ve reverted back to Standard time. It’s quite depressing to know that the cold will only get worse from here and that the next few months will be spent wearing thick winter jackets, layers of clothing and boots. For those who enjoy the cool months, they are happily buying all sorts of winter gear, eager to see snow and go skiing up North. I on the other hand, am moping around, bracing myself for snow storms and time spent walking outside in the cold or waiting at the bus stop. I am no friend of winter.

I don’t get it… the fascination about winter I mean. I am honestly surprised every time I talk to someone who looks forward to the winter months and enjoys the cold weather. The conversation usually goes something like this…

Me: “I can’t believe it’s almost winter again… can you believe how cold it’s gotten in the last few days?”

Other Person: “Yeah… I know! I’m glad it’s getting cooler… I like the winter…”

Me (obviously baffled out of my wits): “REALLY?! You like the winter?! But WHY?!” (I’m not kidding… I even say it while whining… even when I am talking to clients).

And I proceed to go on as to why I think Winter should be abolished... it’s so cold, there’s too much snow, we have to walk in the slush, it’s cold, boots are expensive, the subway goes down a lot, it’s cold!!

Maybe I shouldn’t say that I want to abolish winter because I am being unfair to all the creatures that need winter to survive like the Polar bears and penguins. And I am against Global warming and I am all for protecting the environment and making sure the cold areas stay cold and the icebergs are intact and all that. But still… it is really, really cold! And uncomfortable! And awfully wet! And just really such a hassle!

I think I have difficulty understanding why others like the winter because I am not one of those people who grew up having four seasons. I grew up in the country where it is hot and humid all year long. I like the warmth. I like being able to go out in summer clothing and just being able to wear anything I want. I love being able to take walks and sit in a patio and go swimming. I love everything that comes with the summer. I may not be a big fan of humidity but I prefer it over flurries and cold, strong winds. I would rather by lying in a beach somewhere than be rolling in the snow.

As soon as autumn comes, I succumb to whining about why we even have to have winter. Or why we chose to move to a country that is cold almost all the time. I’ve tried to immerse myself in a bit of winter activity to help me appreciate the season… like ice-skating (which ended up with me leaving a scar on Steve’s shin) and tobogganing (which left me with a big head-ache and flu-like symptoms).

I haven’t tried skiing yet but my co-workers have heard me complain so much about the cold that they’ve pretty much agreed that I would not enjoy skiing because it is cold and wet and really difficult. I would like to try it sometime though. Just so I can say I’ve given it a try. And then maybe I can complain more after.

But yeah, this is me whining again about the winter that I can't seem to like.

Ironic!

Life just seems to so darn ironic sometimes...

• Whenever I have an appointment and I have to be somewhere for a specific time, I always feel as though public transit hatches this elaborate plan to make me late. Either the buses will be late or it will be driven by a driver who is moving at 40 kph (a person on rollerblades would probably be faster!). As if the slow moving buses aren’t enough of a nuisance already, there seems to always be someone getting off at EVERY ‘effin stop. So my usual bus ride of 10-15 minutes ends up taking twice as long! The trains will suddenly malfunction or some mechanical failure occurs and I’m stuck in a train in the middle of a tunnel. AND every person surrounding me seems to be moving at a much slower pace! There’s always someone either blocking my way or suddenly stopping at the top of the escalators as soon as they get off. Absolutely annoying.



• I always have plenty of change. In fact, too much that I find myself occasionally moving them to a different coin purse because they don’t fit in my wallet anymore. BUT ironically, the one time I actually need change is the one time I don’t have even a single penny with me.



• When I need a dress, a pair of jeans or shoes and I have the cash to spend, I can never find anything nice in the mall. When I don’t need it or when I don’t have the cash to spend, they’re everywhere… left, right and center.



• The one person I hope I don’t have to sit next to on the bus ironically chooses to sit beside me despite the many empty chairs.



• We have central heat in our condo which means that it is up to the super to turn on the heat during the cold months and turn it off during summer. Guess what? He keeps it off during the cool months and decides to turn it on as soon as the temperature warms up.



• When my calendar at work isn’t too hectic, none of our clients want training. They don’t even call or email. It’s just dead silent. BUT when I am swamped and my calendar is full and I barely have time to do anything, every client will call to ask for training or have some stupid question.



• We had a warm, sunny and beautiful summer. Too bad the weather was perfect during the weekdays when we had to be at work, trapped at our desks. But that’s not what’s ironic about it… the irony is that as soon as the weekend comes, it starts raining and it keeps raining until the weekend is over.

Christmas so soon already.

I happened to visit Jen’s page today and noticed that she had put on a countdown to Christmas widget. It said “71 days ‘till Christmas” and I thought to myself, “Really? Christmas is just 71 days away?”

Wow, time flies.

Personally, I find Christmas to be a bigger event in the Philippines than it is here in Canada. I think I’ve posted about this before, saying that it might be due to the fact that Canada is more diverse than the Philippines and not everyone here celebrates Christmas. I remember that back in the Philippines, as soon as the “ber” months arrive, Christmas songs and décor and lights start appearing everywhere. Filipinos truly are Christmas Fanatics. It’s the one event of the year (aside from Holy Week and New Year’s Eve) that the entire country makes preparations for so early on. We tend to put so much effort into making Christmas a truly memorable and fun occasion.

I miss celebrating Christmas in the Philippines. I swear you can almost smell it in the air back home. I miss Ryan Cayabyab and Jose Marie Chan’s Christmas carols and I miss driving through the Ayala Center admiring all the Christmas lights and décor. I miss watching Fireworks and I miss puto bongbong (did I spell it right?). I even miss the carolers constantly ringing our doorbell. Meron pang nandadaya na same group naman pero paisa-isang kumakatok sa gate para makarami sa pamasko. Di naman kumakanta!

I miss the exchange gifts and the family reunions and the Christmas parties. The Philippines may be a third world country but we sure know how to celebrate Christmas!

Twilight Movie New Trailer!

A new trailer for the upcoming Twilight movie has just been released. View it here.

I have to say it’s the best trailer yet and I am really anxious to see the movie. I almost died at the part where Bella and Edward kiss. I admit, I go bananas for the silliest of reasons.

Change of Plans.

Since Steve and I got engaged in May, we’ve spent a lot of time researching venues, invitations, florists, make-up artists, and favors. We had already ordered my wedding dress and the bridesmaid dress and have also put a down payment for the invitations and all we had to do was book our venue.

Then, we changed our minds.

We are now going to have a destination wedding instead. Crazy, right?

So that means that all that time we spent on looking and visiting venues was ultimately for nothing. The color scheme I’ve decided on and based the color of our bridesmaid’s dress on is also pointless. I could have easily gotten away with a blue or green color scheme but the venue we had originally wouldn’t have worked with it.

Thankfully, we haven’t printed the invitations yet so we can still change or design and wording and thankfully we haven’t booked anything else yet. I can still pull off the color scheme and we can still use the bridesmaid’s dress we ordered.

We are now looking at all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and Dominican Republic as our wedding venue. After spending the past few weeks looking at Trip Advisor and different travel agencies, we’ve narrowed it down to the top three resorts we like. Our first choice is in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic while our second and third choices are located in the Riviera Maya, Mexico. Now we just have to find the best rate we can get and work with the resort’s wedding coordinator to reserve the date.

There are so many details to still work on like the date of departure, the group rates, how to lock down prices for our guests coming from the states, and what information to include in the invitations and so on.

We know that not a lot of people will be able to make it because it costs a lot and that’s understandable. It’s just that we prefer to be married this way and have a blast with our guests, whoever can make it. We had a lot of reservations about having the wedding here in Canada but now that we’ve decided to go for a destination wedding, it just feels right.

Cheesy.

Is it just me or do celebs say the cheesiest and (sometimes) stupidest thing you’ve ever heard? Every time I glance at the gossip page of a newspaper or a website, I often grimace at the things that people say like “my love for (so and so) is so evolved and profound…” or “it’s like my heart is stretching…” or “it’s been great… he’s so awesome… it’s just been really, really fun… and we just love each other so much…”

Oh please. Normal people don’t say stuff like that. And even if some of us did utter a phrase or two that was as corny as that, we’d be made fun of in one way or another. It would come back to haunt us one day.

No wonder gossip magazines make fun of these people... they're just asking for it!

Princess Bride

Please don’t make fun of me for saying this but… I seriously don’t recall ever seeing Princess Bride! I know… I know it’s a crime but I really, really don’t think I ever saw it.

Yet everyone in the planet seems to have seen it… everyone seems to have loved it… and everyone keeps mentioning it in their blogs. I, on the other hand, have no idea what it is about (although I do think someone has already told me a bit about it and I just can’t remember). When was it released? Where was I back then? Why didn’t I see it? (Or if I had already seen it) Why can’t I remember? I wonder how such a popular movie could have evaded me. But if it came out a long, long time ago, then it was probably released at that time of my life where the only movies I watched were the ones chosen for me by my parents (meaning I was too young to pick out movies on my own).

I am so curious and yet every time Steve and I make a trip to Blockbuster, I can never remember to borrow it.

I wonder if I, too, will like it.

Music.

With all the wedding buzz that has been going in the past few months (mind you, that wedding buzz I was referring to was mostly created by a tiny little bee called me), there are a few things that totally skipped my mind until someone asked. Like the rings for example. Steve and I had talked about almost everything we were going to do for the wedding… the venue for the ceremony and the reception, the invitations, ideas for favours, where we were going to get the flowers… and so on and so forth. The one thing we forgot about and almost didn’t include in the budget? The rings. Yep, it is actually quite possible to forget about it. Imagine what it would have been like for us to take that trip down the aisle and at the moment the minister asks us for the rings, we go, “uhm… yeah, about that… you see.. we, uhm, kinda forgot…”. Thankfully, one of us remembered (and that one of us isn’t me).

A friend had recently asked me if I had already picked out the song for when I walk down the aisle and if Steve and I had already decided on which song we were going to dance to. That’s another thing I hadn’t considered until said friend mentioned it. That same night, I went online and started Google-ing songs (because as it turns out, when I need to come up with my favorite, meaningful songs, nothing comes to mind… I couldn’t remember a single one). And so I thought I would go online and look at what other people danced to. Maybe it would spark something in me to remember the songs I once told myself I would dance to on my wedding day. Every girl has that list somewhere right?

So I found a few songs that I thought I would consider. I still haven’t decided on which songs we are actually using (of course Steve and I have to decide on them together so all I’m doing is building a list of songs to go over).

Today while I was reading online, my iPod was playing in the background and a song came on which I thought would be a perfect song to have in our list (of course I didn’t remember even having that song in my iPod!). Does anyone know of some nice songs we could use?

Mope-y.

Lately, JR and I have been looking at the mirror every few minutes, sighing and commenting on how much we have been breaking out. Every morning, right before I shower, I do a quick facial survey and this is what it sounds like in my head…

“Ahhh… good…good.. nothing there... oooooh… thank God that pimple’s going away…”

“…buti nalang that cream’s working… it better work dammit, I spent a fortune on the darn thing…”

“ahhh sh*t, may bagong pimple na naman?! Where the hell did that come from overnight??”

“Nakakainis.. ayoko na pumasok.”

And then I proceed to cover the pimply areas with my hands while I try to imagine how beautiful I would be if I had smooth, flawless skin. LOL.

Seriously, I think it’s unfair that I break out so much while others don’t have skin problems at all. I already have a lot of grey hairs (blame it on my really wonderful genes) so having acne-prone skin on top of it is just a big fat bonus. It’s so depressing.

I try to be optimistic. I tell myself there are a lot of people out there who have worse problems than I do and that it’s the personality that counts and not the looks (Hahahaha… yes, this is what helps me sleep at night). I know I’m being shallow but hey, people don’t see my personality from afar, they only see what’s outside so you can’t blame me for feeling a bit mope-y.

I’m 25 years old dammit, I shouldn’t be breaking out anymore! Hmph.

Homesick.

Last night, my dad, my two brothers and I went to Jessie Jr. to have dinner. Mom’s in Montreal for the week on business and because we can’t feed ourselves without her, we pretty much have to go out for meals. I suppose we could make a few meals… but we are a bunch of lazy, hungry individuals who find it rather easy to order instead of making it ourselves.

Although it was a bit chilly outside, we walked the 2-3 blocks to the restaurant. We decided to order an assortment of ulam which we would share amongst ourselves. The problem with eating in a Filipino restaurant is that everything just looks so good! Even though I am not particularly fond of ampalaya, I ordered it because the last time I ate ampalaya was four years ago when we were still living in the Philippines. Kahit mapait, masarap pa din. We also ordered pork bbq, pansit, lechong paksiw and… another dish but I can’t remember what it’s called. For drinks, we ordered Sarsi and Royal (in cans because they didn’t have bottled ones).

They had 3 flat screen TVs showing Filipino variety shows which were followed by the news. We watched the shows intently (we don’t have the Filipino Channel at home so this really is the only time we see Filipino shows). There are celebrities we still recognize and there are those who we don’t recognize at all. But the variety shows never change.. they’re still cheesy as hell. While watching Bente Kwatro Oras with Mel and Mike, JR asked me if they always spoke Tagalog in the news because he couldn’t remember. I told him as far as I remember, some yes and some no. To be honest, I wasn’t sure either. They were showing the flooded areas from the tropical storm Nina and I recognized España and a few other places. JR kept commenting that the flooding seemed so much worse that he remembers. I told him, it’s always been like that.

I have to say that being in a Filipino restaurant, eating Filipino food and being surrounded by fellow pinoys while watching Filipino shows feels so “home-y” (if there is such a word). It just seems so familiar. It made me miss the Philippines again. Today at work, I was watching a video blog which was taken in the Philippines and… surprise surprise… it made me cry. Yep, I actually cried. I don’t know why… I’m normally not this emotional. I’m blaming my hormones for it.

I feel homesick. After being in Canada for 4 years, I still feel homesick every now and then. I wonder… will it ever go away…?

Suprised?

I enjoy going to Friendster, Facebook and Multiply because in a way, I get a glimpse of other people’s lives. I especially love looking at the photos and the blog entries. I know it can easily be perceived as “nakiki-usyoso” (tama kaya yung term ko?) but my aim isn’t to gather info for the purposes of snooping around or for chismis. I just really find it fascinating to discover what has happened to the people I know. In a way, it makes me happy and proud when I see my friends become such accomplished people. I love seeing people get married and have families of their own, I love seeing pictures of where they’ve been, the people they’ve met and how much they’ve changed (or stayed the same) in all the years that have gone by.

I guess part of the fascination comes from remembering how they were back then and discovering who they are now. It just so typical for us to see others a certain way when we’re young and then we all grow up to be so different from that. I believe that we are, in most ways, the same people we were in grade school or high school but that we’ve learned so much more about others and ourselves since then. Our experiences have molded our personalities, attitude and outlook in life… some experiences have left us scarred while some have polished us to become better people. Some of us even grow up to be so different from how we were before!

Admit it, you have (in one way or another) formed an opinion about certain individuals. Even to the point of creating a mental picture of what you think they’ll be like a few years from now. Do people tend to turn out the way you expect them to? Or do people always surprise you? In my case, people always surprise me. The shy guy ends being the popular and outgoing person. The people who I thought would prefer to marry later in life actually end up marrying first (and vice versa). Look at me, I never thought I’d leave the country and I did. I never thought I’d actually take up a course with a lot of Math and analysis and yet that’s exactly what I did in college. Which leads me to wonder… did I live up to what others expected of me? I always wonder how others saw me when I was young and I always wonder if they are disappointed or just plain surprised at how I am now. Do they wonder if I am the same person they knew back then? Do they think I grew up beautiful or ugly? Do they look at my profile, my blog, and my photos and go… “ya, I thought so…” or do they go, “wow… I didn’t expect that…”?

Isn’t it interesting how we start off one way and end up seemingly different?

a BIG Thank You!

Today I am a quarter of a century old. If were being optimistic, I would celebrate the fact that I can now go into clubs and bars that have a minimum age limit of 25 years old. If I were to be pessimistic, I would think of it as another year closer to my death bed.

But today, I do not think of the privileges or the downsides of being 25. I am simply happy to be alive. Happy to love and be loved.

Today, I felt loved (not that I don’t feel loved any other day!) and I cannot even begin to express how wonderful it feels. To all of you who made sure I was reminded of how lucky and truly blessed I am to have such amazing people in my life, a very BIG THANK YOU!

Thank you for the many birthday greetings and the messages. Thank you for the surprise phone call from half-way around the world. It almost made me cry to hear all of your wonderful voices from the other end of the phone (I could barely speak! I think my colleagues could tell from my expression how happy I was). Thank you for celebrating my day even though I’m not there. Nakaka-touch talaga.

I miss you and I hope to see you all very soon.

Again, thank you.

It's doggy dog world it seems.

I was reading an article on MSN entitled “10 Secrets that Millionaires Keep” and fifth on the list was this:

“You Don’t Get Rich by Being Nice”

If I had a penny for every time someone told me this, I’d have a million too!

People here always tell me I’m too nice when it comes to my professional life. That I don’t know when to demand for what I deserve. That I should speak up when I feel that I am not being compensated enough.

Like that’s easy to do.

Truth is, I have a difficult time speaking up especially when it comes to asking for a raise or more vacation time or for something that I truly want. I have difficulty telling management that I am not comfortable taking on more responsibility without due compensation. In short, I am more of a “yes” person. I say yes to almost everything… favors, tasks, projects… even responsibilities that shouldn’t even be mine.

I also find it difficult to speak to staff firmly… always worried about offending someone or being seen as a tyrant. I don’t want to seem overly demanding. I want to be seen as a friendly, reasonable co-worker. But it’s finding the balance in between that gets me. Over time, I am beginning to realize I can’t always be nice or else I will be taken advantage of. I have to be firm too when needed. I have to be able to show staff that I am nice but that I will whip you to shape when you need some butt-slapping (maybe I shouldn’t be saying that…LOL).

Whenever I have this discussion with other people, they always tell me that the people who make the most money and are successful are those who aren’t afraid to ask for what they want. They’re confident enough to say “Give me what is fair because I deserve it” and refuse to back down.

Often I see people who have made a lot of money and have become successful to a degree. And they're the ones who have put themselves first before anyone or anything else. I keep wondering to myself, do I need to be difficult and selfish to be successful? Do I need to always put myself first and have the "me first" approach to everything? I hope not. I certainly don't want to be one of those people who are successful but are inconsiderate of others. I still believe in thinking of the good of the many and treating others with respect. I do not believe in stepping over people to get what I want and I certainly am not the scheming type. Sure, I want to be rich and successful... but in a way that is fair. I want my success to be a product of my diligence and hard work and not from cheating or by being pushy.

You know that saying? It's a "Dog Eat Dog world"? Yeah, I wish it weren't true. But sadly, the more I work, the truer it appears to be.

Goodbye Friend.

As I was entering Steve's office, he abruptly stood up, walked over to me and shielded my eyes.

He said, "I have to show you something..."

Immediately I was suspicious. Did he have a surprise waiting for me? Is it something scary? Some new information he knew I would love? Is it going to be something funny? What did he want to show me??

As I slowly walked, he positioned me to face the window, took off his hands and said, "Look... what do you see?"

At first I didn't notice anything. I didn't know what I was looking for, I didn't know what it was that he was trying to show me.

Then it hit me. I saw it.

The company across the street from us was landscaping. They had dug out their front lawn and I could see the various pots and plants on one side, waiting to be planted.

Horrified, I exclaimed, "OH NO! WHAT DID THEY DO TO MY BABIES?!" I was referring to the groundhogs that lived somewhere underneath their front lawn. Those adorable, little, furry creatures that I loved to watch frolicking on their lawn most afternoons. The same tiny creature whose photo I once posted here.

I was so upset and I get even more upset everytime I think about it. They were so innocent!

I am so so sad.

To read more about them, go here.

To Travel

I recently purchased a book entitled Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and so far I have read about 50 pages of it. I am aware of how popular it has become but never really got curious enough to buy it. That was until I saw her on Oprah. For some reason, it just caught my attention and it finally convinced me to go ahead and buy that darn book.

Although I haven’t gotten very far in my reading, I have to admit that there is a certain charm to it that piques my curiosity. I admire her for her courage to go after what she wanted… learn a new language, visit the countries she wanted to see and make new friends in places she’s never been to. I sometimes wish I were that adventurous… I think my sense of adventure goes as far as trying a fig (and I didn’t even like it). I wanted to learn French and I actually went as far as buying a self-teaching French kit… you know, those things you buy at your local bookstore that includes a French dictionary and a CD… that kit is still pretty much intact, never been opened and is gathering dust somewhere in my bedroom. I think my youngest brother, Miguel, actually knows more French than I do. At least he knows enough to be able translate some signs on the road.

I think I am reserved to a degree… or just being cautious as I’d like to put it. I’m a worrier by nature so I waste time by thinking of things that may or may not happen. I can talk to strangers but I am quite uncomfortable with it especially if the person I am speaking to is male. I get anxious every time I have to travel for work. I don’t feel comfortable staying at a hotel alone and eating meals in places I’ve never been to. I like staying in my comfort zone where everything is familiar and predictable. For some reason I just feel safer that way.

But yes, I would love to travel. I would love to meet new people and make friends in different places. I would love to learn about other cultures and taste Chinese food in China, Pasta in Italy, sushi in Japan, Gyros and Souvlaki in Greece, Waffles in Belgium and all that. I’d love to be able to go to Europe and experience all its wonderful architecture and history and art. I’d love to be able to visit all those beautiful places I see in books and movies. I would love to be able to speak another language so fluently. I once met a Japanese woman who spoke fluent Greek and I wish I could speak and understand Greek just as well as her instead of staring blankly at people with a confused expression every time they spoke in a language that was so alien to me.

Some people are so lucky to have the money and the means to travel. I sometimes wish I had the money to do that too… where I can just take huge amounts of time off work and go to different places and be able to afford all sorts of things that go with it. I would like to live La Dolce Vita as some would say.

Wouldn’t it be nice?

Bits

My boss is back from her honeymoon and that means that I can hand her back all the tasks I’ve been overseeing on her behalf. In a way I am glad that I don’t have to deal with it anymore but in a way I’m also a bit sad because although it was hectic and frustrating at times, it was good to have had that much responsibility entrusted to me. I was getting used to all that power. Haha!

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My cousin was in town for the long weekend to see us and also to help me with some wedding errands. The car broke down in the process but luckily enough, we were lent another car for the weekend. There were some running around and several hundreds of dollars were spent but I’m glad to report that we were quite productive.

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Nature has been kind to us lately. After my rant about how cold it’s been in the last few weeks, Mother Nature seemed to want to prove me wrong. It’s been very warm during the past few days and I am absolutely enjoying it (of course as soon as I write this, it will all turn to sh*t).

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There’s been a lot of stabbing going on in public transit that every time I have the inkling to fall asleep on the subway, the thought of being stabbed has been keeping me up. Unfortunately, it’s only keeping me up on the way home but I am still very much asleep on the way to work. In fact I am so drowsy that I have practically mastered the art of sleeping while sitting down and without leaning my head on anything. I must look like an idiot to the people around me but I figured I don’t know any of them and they will probably never see me again so what the heck!

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One of the first things we learn in school is how to follow instructions. I am amazed at how many adults never seemed to learn that. Case in point: there is a sign on the door that says to “Use other door” but people still continue to use it anyway. I figured that either some people don’t know how to read or they’re ignoring it on purpose. So management has decided to revise the notice by putting a note on one door that says “DO NOT use this door” and a note on the other that says “Use this door”. If people didn’t follow it the first time, I don’t know why management thought that by revising the notices, people would follow it this time. Maybe they should have just locked one door.

Suddenly feeling old

I was just on Friendster looking at people’s profiles and photos and god I suddenly feel old. Seeing friends marry and have kids and all that feels so surreal. It’s as if the last ten years or so flew by in such a blur. One day we were in high school and all of a sudden we’re adults pursuing careers, travelling and having families of our own. Where did time go?

I just saw photos of a girl I was neighbors with back in the Philippines and I was a bit surprised at how much she’s grown. This is the same girl I remember playing with my baby brother in the garden not too long ago (or at least it seems not too long ago). She’s at an age where she can practically go to bars now! I keep forgetting that the kids I knew back then are teens now and are eagerly getting their driver’s licenses and enjoying the privileges of being eighteen. If I am shocked to know that the little kids I held and played with are now in high school and probably already dating, I can just imagine how my own relatives and the people who knew me when I was younger are feeling. They’re also probably reeling from the fact that I’m half-way through my twenties now.

Why is it that before the age of eighteen, time seems to crawl and after you’ve turned eighteen, the years fly by? I was looking at my Outlook calendar this morning during a meeting with a co-worker and I only realized that one of the dates we were discussing is actually my birthday. Wow… another year! It certainly doesn’t feel as though an entire year has gone by even though a lot has happened in the past year alone.

Grabe, how do you think we’ll feel in our forties?

Kinda morbid but cute

Love of mine some day you will die
But I'll be close behind
I'll follow you into the dark

No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight
Waiting for the hint of a spark
If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the NOs on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark

In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule
I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black
And I held my tongue as she told me
"Son fear is the heart of love"
So I never went back

If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the NOs on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark

You and me have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary
And the soles of your shoes are all worn down
The time for sleep is now
It's nothing to cry about
'cause we'll hold each other soon
In the blackest of rooms

If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the No's on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Then I'll follow you into the dark

- I Will Follow You Into the Dark
Death Cab for Cutie

Where did the summer go?

I feel as though we have been cheated out of our summer. It started out great with warm temperatures and sunny days and then… after about a month or so of warmth, we’ve had rain almost every other day. We’ve apparently broken the record for the “wettest” summer. AND recently, the temperature has cooled down so that our mornings and evenings are cold and our afternoons are warm.

It doesn’t seem fair that after a long and very cold winter, we were given such a short and rainy summer. Steve and I have only been able to use our Wonderland Season’s Pass twice because it’s been raining a lot. We haven’t even been to the water park this summer at all! Lately, we’ve had to wear sweaters and jackets and it’s not even the fall yet. Yikes.

I heard on the radio the other day that they’re predicting another cold winter this year. Isn’t that insane? I hope we don’t get as much snowfall as last winter. I think we had about 9 snowstorms and we had so much snow that people didn’t know anymore where to dump all that snow. A co-worker had actually given up on plowing… saying that plowing has become a pointless exercise because it would start snowing again as soon as she finished clearing her drive way.

I just want a few more weeks of sun and warmth…

Overwhelming But Fun

I am addicted to wedding websites. I didn’t even notice until the other day when I realized that it’s the first thing I check when I get to work in the morning and it’s the last thing I read before going to bed at night. I also realized that it’s the only thing I talk about these days… wedding invitations, color schemes, dresses, flowers, favours, centerpieces… whoa! It’s taking over my life!

It’s fun, overwhelming, frustrating, and exciting all at the same time. I want a simple, inexpensive wedding but I also want it to be a nice one. We have a budget that we’re trying our best to work with so that we don’t go beyond what we consider practical and reasonable. Getting engaged is pretty exciting but also a bit overwhelming because all of a sudden you’re thinking and planning a wedding. Let me tell you, there are so many things to consider! There’s the guest list, the wedding party, the venue (for both the ceremony and the reception), setting the date, the invitations, the color scheme, the dresses and the tux, wedding favours, flowers and décor and of course, the wedding budget. There are so many other things that go with it that I haven’t mentioned here (mainly because I haven’t quite gotten to that part yet myself). I love that there’s so many options out there… but it can be time-consuming. The research that goes with it – making phone calls, checking out places, inquiring about packages and the services they offer and so on and so forth sometimes feels like an ordeal.

I was just telling Steve the other day that it’s nice to be in a day and age where almost everything can be done online. So many resources and so much information are available over the internet that I don’t even have to physically visit a store anymore. I mostly check out the website first and make a call if I have any questions and if I think it is worth visiting, I make an appointment to come in. It’s also cool that I can order invitations and flowers and favours online from stores that aren’t even nearby. It can be quite tricky though because an item is usually available in so many different websites but the prices vary and you have to be mindful of customs charges and taxes and shipping fees. I also have to consider delivery time – how long to process the order and how long it will take to get here. For example, if I want to send the invitations 2-3 months before the wedding, then I have to have them in hand by let’s say December. If it takes them 6-8 weeks to process the order plus the time it takes to ship them, that means I have to place the order in September or October. AND that’s just one aspect – just the invitations. There are still favours and dresses and flowers and all that. Whew!

I don’t think I’ve planned an event quite as important or as personal as this and it is a little unnerving. I know it won’t be perfect and I know things will probably not go as smoothly as planned. But I still worry. I keep telling myself I can only do my best and see how it goes. I just have to learn to enjoy it as much as I can.

Song in my head

It had to be you, it had to be you
I wandered around, and finally found
The somebody who could make me be true
Could make me be blue or even be glad
Just to be sad just thinking of you
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss
But they wouldn't do
For nobody else gave me the thrill
With all your faults I love you still
It had to be you
It had to be you
It had to be you

Stuff

I’ve been quite busy lately.

I am preoccupied with doing a lot of research for the wedding (so many things to consider! Yeesh!) and I have also been busy with work. My boss is going to be away for three weeks and I have been asked to take care of her responsibilities during the duration of her vacation. I don’t mind it at all since I like having a lot of responsibilities. But I do feel a little anxious… I really don’t want to mess anything up. I have to admit that the first two days were pretty nerve-racking. I kept wondering if I was ever going to get through the task list on time. But luckily, I was able to plow through it and get some more done today. Not easy but it is manageable.

I’ve gained a few pounds in the last couple of months and I am now almost 100 lbs. That’s the heaviest I have ever been in my entire life. I don’t want to be stick thin but I want a toned body (like the female dancers at So You Think You Can Dance…LOL). I have been trying to exercise every night before going to bed and since I’m not used to it, I am now sore all over. But I have to keep doing it if I want to be fit. I just need discipline… lots of it.

I feel as though we were robbed of summer. It has been raining a lot and we have apparently broken the record for the “wettest” summer ever. The other day, I heard on the radio that we have had rain for 41 out of 71 days of summer. And today, it rained again with… wait for this… HAIL! How the hell do we get hail in the summer?! It’s been putting quite a damper on things… I mean we should be enjoying patio season for Pete’s sake! We should be able to wear shorts and skirts and pretty summer dresses and flip flops and bathing suits! Instead, we now find ourselves wearing our long-sleeved shirts and sweaters and it’s not even the fall yet. Very annoying.

I am so sad that So You Think You Can Dance is now officially over. I don’t have anything to watch anymore. I have also read all my Twilight books and the movie is still so far away.

Breaking Dawn

Just wanted to say that I LOVED reading the fourth book from the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. I had pre-ordered the book a few days before its release and I was silly giddy going up to the counter to claim it. I was so thrilled to finally get my hands on the book that I immediately began reading before exiting the bookstore.

I am not going to ruin it for you by giving you spoilers. I'm simply stating that I truly enjoyed reading it and that I was very pleased with the story and how everything turned out.

I hope you guys enjoy reading it too.

Fave SYTYCD Routines

Here are some more routines I enjoyed from So You Think You Can Dance:



Another proof of why I think Katie and Joshua are my favorite...



Different but still quite entertaining to watch...

Sneak Peek

Stephenie Meyer reveals a spoiler on Breaking Dawn here.

I’m ecstatic that Edward and Bella actually do get married. BUT I’m nervous about the wedding taking place early on in the book so that means LOTS will happen after.

Also, the last line on the article – “Breaking Dawn is expected to go down as the biggest book of the summer. Everybody wins. Even Team Jacob”

Even Team Jacob wins?? How??

Oh God please don’t separate Edward and Bella!

Pet Peeve of the day

People who stand by the bus driver, successfully blocking everyone else who gets on the bus.

Edward & Bella

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart will be playing the roles of Edward Cullen and Isabella Swan in the upcoming Twilight Movie.

What do you guys think? Do they look anything like you imagined Edward and Bella would look like?

On Growing Up.

Whenever I feel stressed, sad, tired or heartbroken, I can’t help but think of how much easier everything seemed to me when I was younger. The world… and life in general was much simpler.

Being a child gives you some form of freedom that adults don’t typically enjoy. When you make mistakes it is perceived as innocence and immaturity… you can be excused for not knowing any better. You lose this privilege little by little as you grow older. The more you know, more is also expected from you. As an adult, people are less sympathetic. It is easy to be criticized as being immature for your age, stupid, ignorant or inconsiderate. There seems to be a standard for the age you are in and when you fall short of that standard, everyone seems to notice. Someone always has something to say.

I find that our responsibilities and priorities also change as we grow older. As children, we enjoy having fewer responsibilities. But that also meant fewer privileges. While our responsibilities mainly revolved around school work and household chores which were relatively easy to accomplish, we didn’t get much in return for it aside from good grades and our parents’ approval. Some enjoyed an allowance for their hard work but most of us (if not all of us) relied on our parents to provide us with our daily needs. We relied on them to buy as the things we wanted. We even relied on our parents to make decisions for us such as which school we were going to attend and what we were going to bring to school for lunch.

Life gets more complicated the older we get. Suddenly, things aren’t as black and white as they used to be. We worry about our careers, the bills we have to pay, our relationships with other people, and the decisions we have to make. Experience tells us to be wary of others, to be careful about what we say and do because we know that there will always be a consequence to every decision. As we grow, we learn what it is like to strive for something and be disappointed, to wear our heart on our sleeve and get hurt, to realize that there are things beyond our control. We learn our limits, that there are things in life we cannot explain, and that people will sometimes do things we cannot always understand. We strive to have the things we want knowing full well that life has a tendency to throw a few surprises here and there.

Yes, life is so much more complicated now than when I was a child. But it also means so much more to me. I can appreciate the good times because I know what it is like to go through the bad. I know I that I am bound to go through some hiccups, but I also know that things have a way of working out. I’ve met a number of wonderful people and I’ve had some pretty amazing experiences. There are things I know now that I didn’t know before and I am still learning everyday. I’ve had my share of surprises but I’m learning to roll with it. I have had my heart broken but I’ve also had a lot of love. I’ve been disappointed many times but I’ve also had my share of accomplishments. I’ve shed a lot of tears but I’ve also had a lot of laughter.

What I’m trying to say is this: Life gets more complicated as we grow older… but with it comes a lot of good.

Ang Tagal Pa!

Found the following Twilight Trailers on Yahoo and it's making me anxious to see the movie!

Silly me.

I am in-love with Edward Cullen.

Not the actor that plays him… but Edward himself.

I know… it’s childish.

But give me a break here… I love the books, love the characters, love the story and…

I cannot wait for the movie!

Washrooms in mind.

Going inside a public washroom is very similar to going inside a haunted house. You never know what to expect, except that there is a huge possibility you might find yourself face-to-face with something horrible, frightening and downright nasty. If you’re really lucky, you might even find yourself in a predicament so bad that it is forever etched in your memories.

I, for one, try to avoid having to use public washrooms unless I really, really need to go. The problem is that most establishments do not clean their washrooms as well or as regularly as they should. Clean public washrooms are a rarity... so rare that when I do find one, I actually end up remembering the establishment. If the washroom isn’t only clean but also smells nice and has good quality paper towels, it gets 2 thumbs up from me. The even nicer ones that have sofas, fancy lighting and big mirrors are just pure heaven. I am actually tempted to take a picture and show the world that Lo! There is such a thing as washroom nirvana.

How often do you find yourself walking into a public washroom with a grim expression? Barely surviving the stench, you proceed to open the doors to each stall, looking for one that’s clean enough for you to do the deed and go. If the gods are on your side, you find a clean one behind the first door you try. If you aren’t one of the blessed, you end up opening each door to be greeted with some nasty variety until you have almost reached the last stall and are seriously contemplating just peeing on the floor. This painstaking ordeal is made worse when you are dying to go.

Using the public washroom can also make you feel like a circus performer. Having to relieve yourself while holding your clothes up (lest, God forbid, it touches the floor), balancing your coat/bag in one hand (if the stall you’re in doesn’t have a hook to hold these), grabbing tissue in the midst of all of this, and changing a pad (if it’s that time of the month) is quite impressive.

I don’t know how nasty men’s washrooms are compared to women’s washrooms but as a woman, I am surprised at how bad our washrooms can be. Toilet paper everywhere, brown logs on the toilet, red jelly on the floor... the nastiness just goes on and on and on. Using the washroom and not having the decency to clean up after should merit some form of criminal punishment. It’s just wrong and inconsiderate to the next person using it. I can only imagine what other people’s washrooms in their own homes look like if they can’t even be bothered to flush the toilet. Establishments should also be more conscious about maintaining their washrooms. We’re giving you business and the least you could do is provide us a nice, clean place to relieve ourselves.

The funny part? Even though we all despise using nasty public washrooms, when you need to go, you just go.

E - Jeepneys.

(Image courtesy of GreenPeace)

Nice… the Philippines now has E-Jeepneys which run on electric power. Apparently, it is charged merely by plugging into an electric socket. The article says the first E-jeepneys were first introduced last year but only in private, gated communities since it hadn’t been approved by the Department of Transportation. Now that they’ve gained approval from the said department, three have been launched for a pilot run in Makati City and that passengers would be able to ride them for free during the first week. I wonder how much it costs to manufacture these E-jeepneys because if the manufacturing cost is too high, the selling price could end up being high enough to discourage people from purchasing.

I think the E-jeepneys are a step towards the right direction and I do hope the Philippines finds ways to implement more of them in the future. It would do wonders in decreasing pollution and will be great for the environment.

***Read more about this interesting venture here.

Dinner in the Sky, anyone?

Was doing some article reading on Yahoo.com and found out that Dinner in the Sky is now also available in Canada?! I didn't know/notice it at all and it's supposedly on Dundas Square in downtown Toronto.

I don't know if I can do it! I'm scared shitless of heights and I think I'd be freaking out so much that I'd begin hyperventilating on the way up. Forget eating! I'm already worried about breathing normally while I'm up there, strapped to a seat that would probably be swaying back and forth with the wind... the last thing I'd be thinking about is food.

It says it costs about $20,000/day to hire the rig.. lotsa money don't you think? But hey, it's one heck of an experience right?

It almost seems like a thrill ride in an amusement park except that you get to eat gourmet food while on it. I can't seem to shake the thought of the chord breaking and me falling helplessly with food flying everywhere..tsk tsk.

What kind of insurance do you have in place?
Dinner in the Sky operates with a $10 million liability insurance.

I don't think I'd survive the fall to benefit from the liability insurance. No thanks!

Love the design of their website though... very cool.

Lilacs, Japanese Food and A Furry, Little Creature

Beautiful Lilacs along the street

Yummy Japanese Dinner: California Rolls, Shrimp Tempura and Beef Teriyaki

Super cute groundhog in the lawn across the street from our office (there's actually 2 of them but the other's hiding)

The above are photos I took using my camera phone (hence the reason for them being a bit blurred). The lilacs came out in full bloom in May and they were practically every where in Steve's neighborhood. I could smell them from the car and I couldn't help but admire how beautiful these flowers were. There was another flower that bloomed in May and it was white and pinkish in color but we didn't know what it was called and I didn't get a chance to take some pictures but they were also really beautiful. Weird though that both these flowers only bloomed briefly.

I took a photo of our Japanese dinner at Momiji along Bloor Street West because the food presentation was "a work of art" (in Steve's own words). The many times I've ordered from that place, I always had it to go and this was the first time we actually sat and ate in the restaurant. The place is great, the food is amazing, service is excellent and I can't help but keep wanting to eat there even though it can be pretty expensive (the dinner above cost us around $40+ and we only had 3 dishes). Oh, and when you order Coca-Cola, they serve it in those traditional, old style 8ml Coke bottles!

The third photo is that of the Groundhog that we see frolicking on the lawn across the street from our office almost daily now. I think it hid during the winter but since it's been hot out, it's spending more time outside. We see 2 of them sometimes and we suspect they live in the bushes in front of the office across from us. In the photo, the groundhog is actually chewing on a McDonald's French Fry carton. Let me tell you that they are extremely adorable furry little creatures and I can't help but stare at them from the window in Steve's office. I once asked Steve if you keep them as pets but he said no, they're not pet animals. They look so scared all the time though... always on the look out for anything approaching them and they run and hide so fast when they feel threatened.

3-day work week.

I’m back at work after a 4-day long weekend. Since yesterday was Canada day and an official Canadian Holiday, our CEO had decided to give us Monday off as well so we could all enjoy a long weekend. We were all surprised by his sudden, out-of-the-blue kindness as he’s typically not so generous especially when it comes to taking time off work. I was so glad about it that I contemplated giving him a big thank you while passing by him last week… but since he’s a bit temperamental, I thought it might be best to leave him be and not say anything… he might take it back if I utter a word about it.

It really does make a difference… having a few days off work. My colleagues and I were just talking about it this morning and we all feel well-rested and just really relaxed. We’re all happy campers! It’s like having a mini-vacation except my vacation days didn’t get deducted and I still got paid.

I really wish we had more long weekends like this… I think we'd all be happier employees!

They should just start dating

I was really surprised at how good the dancers were on week 3 of So You Think You Can Dance. I was a little disappointed with Twitchington because I thought they could have done better. Don't get me wrong, it was good but it wasn't "awesome" in my opinion. Will was great with the disco although his partner, Jessica, I think should go home.

As always, I was impressed with Katee and Joshua. Oh-em-gee! Did you see the way Joshua's hips were moving during the routine? For a hip-hopper, not bad! I was laughing the entire time he was dancing because... c'mon.. how can you not laugh when a big guy in really tight spandex is moving his hips that way?!



I also adored Gev and Courtney's Rumba routine. It was sexy and intimate and just wonderfully executed. I also loved her dress! Gev looks like he's infatuated with her... they should just start dating each other! hahahaha!



I think these couples would be at the top ten:

Gev and Courtney
Katee and Joshua
Kherrington and Twitch
Chelsie and Mark

I don't know who the other couple would be especially since Comfort and Thayne will be partnering.

Oh I love this show!