No Soup For You

Moving Out

2011-05-16T15:27:00.003+08:00

I don't know how long I have been with Blogger, and sadly, I have decided that it's time to move on.

Good-bye.

A Perfect End to My Weekend

2011-04-18T12:19:00.009+08:00

At the house before heading out.

Ron took me out last night on a date to celebrate our 34th month together in advance. I had such a wonderful evening,and the food that we had was superb! Mmmmmm I can still taste the perfectly cooked steak and the souffle!

View from the driveway.

At the entrance gate.

He took me to Lemuria, where I've never been to before, located somwhere in Horseshoe Village. It used to be the office space of Brumms Quality Wines before it was converted to a restuarant. The place was very intimate and is not that easy to find unless you researched the the place beforehand. We had to share a private room with a family, which was okay considering that Ron only made the reservations only that morning. The dinner started off with a basket of warm bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar followed by the Prawn Bisque for me and the Lyonnaise salad for Ron.

The combination of the sea bass, mushroom risotto, and the fresh vierge was delightful! To cleanse our palates, we were served raspberry sorbet. The last course before dessert was Beef ala Lourges, which was stuffed with foie gras. This was my favorite part of the meal because the steak was delicious and the duck liver wasn't too overwhelming. Lastly, we were served the Grand Marnier souffle with vanilla sauce. Even though my tummy was so full by this time, I still managed to eat all of it becayse it was just so yummy! Thanks so much, Ronniekins! Happy 34th month! Mmmmmmmmwah!

♥ Rosco, Rosco, Rosco ♥!

2011-04-17T11:32:00.011+08:00

Oh my goodnessssssss! I am so happy!!! Happy, happy, happy! It's Sunday, and I'm still so happy from last Friday's gig! Why??? Because we rocked last Friday!!! Oooooh yeah! I cannot explain the feeling, but it's been awhile since I experienced it from playing. It just felt so great, you know, knowing that while we were playing the whole band was having a great time and everyone's heart was in it! And it was a big bonus that the crowd was jumping around and they actually liked our whole set, even the originals! Oh wow, I am so inspired and so thankful. :)

And our last gig in Route 196 was more than a year ago, I think, so it was nice to be back, surrounded by a good crowd and the very cool people who run the place. I loved it!

I hope we get to play again at Route 196 soon! I ♥ Rosco and I ♥ my friends and I ♥ life.

NAIA Is the Worst Airport in Asia, Fifth in the World

2011-04-13T15:40:00.006+08:00

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Photo by Eric Apolonio.

Ron forwarded me this article from the Inquirer website about how the Ninoy Aquino International Airport is ranked as the worst airport in Asia and the fifth worst in the world. It's embarrassing and sad, but it is true.

I dread going to NAIA Terminal 1 because the place looks depressing and just goes to show the sorry situation that our country is in. Once you enter the building, you are immediately hit with an atmosphere that is enough to make you want to take Prozac even if you are not clinically depressed. From the outdated floors to the bulky counters to the terrible lighting, one cannot help but think where the hell our taxes and the mandatory terminal fee go. Out of all the airports that I have been to, only NAIA charges a terminal fee. Yes, you have to pay to use a filthy airport that makes you want to never go back to your own country.

And don't even get me started with the toilets. I think it should become a law for every country to have clean toilets and for the restrooms to have sufficient toilet paper. You see, based on the law of physics or whatever, airport toilets reflect what kind of government a country has. Shitty airport toilets = shitty government.

Also, I think they should allow better establishments to place their businesses inside the airport. (I don't even know why they don't have a McDonald's or a Jollibee inside.) They have these little food stalls that sell crappy food at exorbitant prices. Yes, airport food is always expensive, but what you're buying should be worth it! I'll happily pay for an P80 sandwich or even more if it was worth it, but to expect me to pay that amount for two pieces of stale bread with a paper-thin slice of ham and mayo in between is outrageous.

Another issue I have is with the transportation available from the airport to wherever a passenger has to go. Yes, a lot of us have families who pick us up once we arrive, but what about those that don't have vehicles of their own? The airport taxis that they have now is another proof of how corrupt our country is. I mean, why would I pay three times the original price of a cab just because I came from the NAIA? It's probably because some rich dude has connections with the higher-ups and therefore it gives him the right to monopolize the taxi business in the airport. Why can't we have shuttle buses that travel to designated areas of the metro? Or why wasn't the MRT or LRT built to accomodate people who have to go to the airport?

Terminal 2 is a bit better because the toilets are cleaner and there is Internet, but it's still not something I would brag about. I am reminded of my recent trip to Shanghai. I had to declare a package because it contained sensitive material. When I got to the Customs counter, there was no officer there. I asked the woman in Information where I might find a Customs officer because I needed them to sign some papers. She called the head office, I guess, and had me talk to a woman, who told me that she will send an officer to the counter immediately. I waited and waited and waited and made about four more calls to the office, but still no officer came. I only had less than an hour to check in and go through immigration, so I had no choice but to leave without having the papers signed. Good for them I was not carrying a bomb.

It's such a shame that our airports are in such a sorry state. Maybe placing first as Asia's worst airport would be enough for our government to finally wake up. After all, Mr. President, it bears your father's name. Maybe it's time that you do something about it.

Fifi and Her City

2011-04-10T16:27:00.007+08:00

Once again, I am addicted! To a game that is! Ever since I started playing Cityville last December, I have been playing it religiously every day. I think Zynga hit the jackpot with this game. See, I didn't want to play Farmville before because I had no interest in farming. When they came out with Cafe World, I was also hooked on that game but decided to stop playing it. When they came out with Frontierville, I gave it a try because it was kinda what I was looking for but not quite. Finally when they came out with Cityville, all the things I wanted in a game of this type were there. A few years back, I kept wondering when Zynga was going to come out with a game like Sim City, and when they finally did, it did not disappoint.

Almost everyone in our office plays this game, even our boss and the COO. My colleagues and I would often Skype one another, asking for a zoning permit or an item needed for one of the goals of the game or something. It's a good thing that you only have limited energy to accomplish tasks because otherwise, I wouldn't get any work done.

I love the game because, well, you get to build your own city. I love the little details of the structures and the items they come up with! From the newspaper stands to little Italian villas and even parking lots--awesome! Yes, I sound like a geek right now, but it's just so cool to see your city develop from a little town with a few houses and a coffee shop to a metropolitan with brick buildings and television towers!

The only problem I have with this game is that it's so hard to expand your city. At first they require you twenty zoning permits, which you have to ask from your friends, and a small amount of money. As the game progresses, you are asked to pay a crazy amount for it (in Cityville money) and eventually the number of zoning permits needed is doubled to forty! In turn, since you have to wait to expand, your city gets crowded because you have to keep building residential buildings and community structures to finish your goals. Yes, it gets me frustrated!

Anyway, aside from that, I absolutely love this game. Zynga is a genius for creating it!

Shanghai Baby

2011-04-08T20:11:00.011+08:00

Last Wednesday, I found myself in Shanghai (thanks, Ronaldo!). I was only there for a night, so I didn't get to do much. My first day, I had some airport food, which was okay. I figured hey, this is China, maybe Chinese fast food will still be good. But it turned out that it was just like every fast food in the world, so it was just meh. The stores in the city, I was told, closes at around 5:00-6:00 pm, so I didn't go out because it was around 5:30 when I finished eating. So I just bought a can of beer and went back to my room to do some work.

My messy room.

Trying to cool my beer.

I stayed at room 6336.

Yes.

I stayed at the airport motel, Motel 168 (I'm not kidding), which was cheap and deserted, so it was kind of hard to sleep well. The room was clean. There's a flat screen TV mounted on the wall. There was free Internet, and so I was good with that.

The next day, it started drizzling, but I still took the train to Laoximen, where I was told by the lady at the information counter was a place to go for shopping. When I got there, I was disappointed with what I saw. Aside from the skies being so gloomy, the shops were not what I was looking for. I should've listened to Ron when he told me to go to Luijazui for shopping. I thought that the Chinese lady would know better because, you know, she lives there. Maybe she didn't understand me or her definition of shopping is different from mine.

Anyway, I walked around a bit and looked for a place to eat. Since most of the places there did not have pictures on the wall of the food that they served, I chose the one that had them so it will be easier to order. I ate at a place called Shaxian Delicacies and order a chicken meal. It was all right.

After my lunch, I had to get back to the airport because my flight was that afternoon, and the train ride takes almost two hours. I hurried back and made it in time for check in. I was back in Manila by 8:30 pm.

Turning Japanese and Taco Saturdays

2011-04-01T15:21:00.013+08:00

On Freeloaders and Money Matters

2011-03-31T12:00:00.003+08:00

I have this co-worker who, lately, has been a pain up our butts. Before, we thought she was really cool, you know, like she looks like someone who you can get along with easily. But then she started skipping work or “working from home” more frequently than she used to (working at home is allowed in our office once in a while). Then she started missing deadlines. Now she’s been borrowing money from everyone.

Borrowing money from other people is a tricky matter. What is okay when it comes to borrowing and lending money? First of all, I know that there are times when you really need to borrow money from people, like when something unexpected happens that you were not prepared for financially. I’ve borrowed money countless of times from my sister or from Ron, but I always pay them back on the day I tell them that I would pay them back. My problem is with people who borrow money from others and hope that the person who lent them money will forget about it.

The other day, we had food delivered in the office. This co-worker I’m talking about asked me if I had money to spare so she can get something too. I was holding a five hundred peso bill when she asked me that, so of course, I couldn’t say “Nope, I don’t have extra money.” I mean, I understand if you’re craving for a burger or something, but the thing is, I don’t even consider her as a friend. I know it’s just a small amount, but it takes some nerve to ask for money from someone whose whole name you don’t even know. And if I were in her position, I wouldn’t even consider getting a burger when I know that I have no money to buy that burger. I’d buy something that I can afford. If, say, my other co-workers, who I am close to, asked me for money to buy a burger, I would lend them money without question.

So this girl, I heard, after I left the office that night, also borrowed money from another colleague. I don’t know why. Maybe she doesn’t have money to get home, not sure. What pisses us off is that she’s always telling stories about this party that she went to or that out-of-town trip she just had. Come on! If your gonna be splurging your money once you get your paycheck and then not have enough money by the end of the month to buy yourself food then maybe you need to reprioritize.

Aside from this, all of us noticed that she’s a freeloader. When we go out to eat or for drinks or something, she will not order any food but instead waits for somebody else to order and then she will eat, like, half of it. There was this one time when I brought a bottle of rum because it was somebody’s birthday in the office, and guess what, she drank most of it. Also because she smokes, the other people in the office are complaining about how she never brings her own cigarettes and keeps bumming from them. Definitely not good.

I don’t know how long this will last, and I know that there are definitely people like her wherever you may go. But what can I do? It’s definitely not that easy to just tell her to stop being a freeloader and to stop borrowing money. Oh well, today is payday. For sure, I’m going to be asking her to pay up.

My Favorite Beer

2011-03-23T17:42:00.004+08:00

Can I have some now, please?

Posters from www.gastronomista.com

Gimme Me Some of That Backdoor Blues

2011-03-20T10:54:00.011+08:00

I had an awesome day yesterday! It was our thirty-third month together (happy dance! :D), and we celebrated by having some home-cooked carnitas and shrimp tacos! Yummy! I found this simple recipe at the Paupered Chef and adjusted it a bit to what was available, and it was good! I did have a problem with how to keep the pork moist after it cooled down a bit. I didn't want to keep reheating and reheating it since I know that it's only gonna make the meat drier. Have to do some research on that. But the salsa was great. I love me some cilantro!

Homemade salsa and carnitas tacos!

After lunch, we headed to Cubao X for the Hey, Man! Yard Sale, and I was able to buy four CDs for only P300! I can't remember when was the last time I bought myself some CDs because they are just too expensive nowadays, so this was a real score for me! Then after the yard sale, we went to some ukay-ukay shops (thrift shops) in Cubao, where I was also able to get four tops for around P200. I'll show them to you when it's been washed.

Ok Go, Rooney, and The Raconteurs for only P300!

So anyway, after shopping we went to our friend Zel's newly opened bar, Backdoor Blues. The place was packed, and if you really want to listen some good blues, I suggest you stop by. The musicians there are awesome, and I can only hope to be half as good as them. They have some great food. Recommended is the Peppercorn Porkchop, which Ron tried out. I especially liked the Kilawin sa Basi because I like raw fish and sour food. Strangely, it went well with the Mojos that I ordered.

The very talented musicians at Backdoor Blues. You can jam with them if you like!

Peppercorn Porkchop and Kilawin sa Basi

Potato Mojos and Crispy Crablets (Yes, it was gone before I remembered to take a picture)

Chocolate Vodka at P40 per shot! It tastes like real chocolate!

Drinks are also cheap. We tried the chocolate vodka (not for the faint of heart), which is only P40 a shot from 6 to 8 p.m., and a shot of Jack Daniels is only P50 from 8 to 10 p.m. We will definitely go back in the future! Please visit their facebook page for more info.

Jeremy Scott Panda Sneakers

2011-03-15T11:11:00.003+08:00

Most of the time, I wear flip-flops or my worn-out Converse sneakers, and I've never spent more than $60 for a pair of shoes. The one time I spent a considerably huge amount of money for shoes was for a gift for my dad. And I still don't get why men's shoes are so expensive compared to women's.

Last Saturday though, I saw a friend wearing these Jeremy Scott sneakers from Adidas, and I instantly fell in love! It's so fluffy! I'm seriously thinking of getting one when they come out with the panda design (pictured below). Hopefully, I will have enough money when it comes out. $200 is some big bucks to spend on sneakers, in my opinion, but just look at that panda! Grar!

First photo by Melay Vicente. Panda photo from www. highsnobiety.com

Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Rosco

2011-03-13T16:05:00.003+08:00

Yes, I'm finally in a band again! Last night was our second first gig as Rosco. Second because we had our real first gig about a year ago, but sadly we had to take a rest because my sister was having problems with her hearing. But now we're back! Woot!

Last night was so much fun, even though I know we sucked. But meh, it's our first gig so we have an excuse. Plus, we've only had time to rehearse about thrice. We also played a new original song, which I'm really psyched about. Maybe we should just stick with originals from now on because it's not right to cover songs without doing them justice. he he he.

Hopefully by the end of the year, we will have at least a whole line up of originals to play one set. I'm so happy to be finally playing again! Oh, and did I mention that I got a Fender Strat last Christmas from Ron??? Yeah, a Fender Strat! I've never even dreamed of owning one because I know I can't afford it, but what do you know! It's the universe's way of telling me to get off my butt and write some new material!

Our first original is called "Jennifer Schecter." For those of you who are not familiar with her, she's a character in the L Word. I was inspired to write an ode to her because she reminds me of someone I know. I love the crazies!

So anyway, I hope we have more gigs soon! Rosco! Rosco! Rosco! Add us on facebook!

A Drunk Rant at 2:51 p.m.

2011-03-05T14:51:00.003+08:00

Oh God, I miss blogging. I tried to be one of those blogs, you know, but I realized I don't want to be one of those blogs. I want to be able to say what I want in here! Damnnnn right!!!

Sigh. I wish I were born rich so I don't have to have a job that gets in the way of so many things I want to do. But come to think of it, I like my job. I just wish there were more hours in a day so I can sleep more and play games and make music.

I'm so excited for March 12! Okay, I have to go now.

Will post more soon!

Bubble Bubble

2010-12-22T14:55:00.004+08:00

In about a week, I will be turning another year older! My gash! I can't believe I will fall under the late-twenties category in eight days!

What have I been doing this past year? Year 26 was pretty quiet for me, but I did like the year. It definitely was better than 2009. I did a lot of growing up this year, me thinks. I finally got a driver's license! I stayed for a whole year in a job that I really like doing! And I bought my (well, half of it 'cause it's also my sister's) first car!

And I think most importantly, I stopped caring too much about what other people think. Don't get me wrong, I still care a lot--but not as much as I did before. I think I'm finally in a place where I can say that I am content with what I have. I have gotten rid of the people that are bad for me, and I am surrounded by the ones I love. In the end, isn't that what really counts?

Have a merry Christmas and a blessed New Year, everyone!

Win a Small Space Solutions by Real Living Book!

2010-07-11T12:12:00.003+08:00

House of Onika, one of the country's top interior design blogs, is giving away free copies of Small Space Solutions. If you're interested in getting a chance to win a copy, visit this link for more info.

There Is Hope!

2010-07-01T14:42:00.009+08:00

If someone asks me what three things I would change about myself physically, I would always answer my height, my hips, and my skin. You see, my mom’s side of the family is not blessed with good skin. Almost every one of my cousins and aunts and uncles on that side has suffered from moderate to severe acne problems at some point in their lives.

I remember the very first zit I got. It was on my chin and I was thirteen years old. After that, I would get a pimple now and then throughout high school. It wasn’t that bad, but it got a little worse when I was in college. This was when I visited a dermatologist for the first time. After college was when it got really bad. Maybe it was hormonal or maybe it was worrying too much about what the hell I was going to do with my life or maybe it was because I always slept at 4:00 a.m., but this was the point when I really, really felt ugly. This continued on for four years. I would search endlessly online on ways to get rid of the acne, trolling forums like acne.org and trying just about every acne medication there is to try. I tried ProActiv and Murad and Mario Badescu and almost anything that would promise to get rid of the red marks on my face. Nothing worked until I read somewhere that maybe the products that I’ve been using were too harsh on my skin.

I went to the drugstore and searched for a facial soap that looked like it was the mildest and found the Neutrogena Transparent Facial Bar. I used this for a week, and it seemed like my skin was improving. When you wash your face with this, you instantly feel like your face is rid of all the oils and dirt. The only problem I had with this soap is when you leave it in a soap dish, the soap absorbs the water and the soap won’t foam up anymore. So about after two weeks, even if the bar is still around three-fourths whole, I can’t use it anymore and would have to buy a new one. It’s a good thing that it’s cheap and only sells for around $2.00-$4.00 each.

Now my mother, who is a walking bible of beauty products, told me to try Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple High-Foaming Facial Wash ($21.50, 6 oz.). I was hesitant at first because I found it a bit too pricey, but after a month of using it, my skin improved tremendously. I was really, really happy with the improvement that I bought their oil-free Hope Oil-free SPF moisturizer ($45, 2 oz.) and their Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash ($25, 8 oz.), which I use once a week. After using it, you can instantly feel that your skin is smoother.

Of course from time to time, I still get spots especially when my period is about to come. I’m not sure though if this will work for everybody because as a lot of us know, it differs from case to case. But if you're like me who is desperate to find a treatment for acne, I suggest you give it a try. I'm just thankful that it worked for me. Now all I have to think about is how to grow taller at the age of twenty-six and how to make my hips smaller. :p

Swagat Indian Cuisine

2010-06-09T16:46:00.011+08:00

Sweet Lassi

Swagat Indian Cuisine is located on a street parallel to my office’s, so the first time I passed by there, I knew I had to try it. Indian food is actually not on the top of my list of preferred cuisines, but the place looked inviting enough, so I decided to give it a go.

The first time I went there was with my coworkers. I ordered the Murgh Masala (Chicken cooked in onions, tomatoes, and Indian spices; P120.00) and Shahi Mushroom (Mushrooms cooked in creamy tomato sauce & cream; P140.00) with plain rice. I also tried the Methi Paratha, which is a spicy flatbread of some sort with two kinds of dipping sauces. When I first tried it, the taste was a bit weird, but it was interesting. We ordered the spicy version so I didn’t eat too much, but I liked one of the sauces because I think it had cilantro in it. The Murgh Masala was okay, nothing extraordinary, and the Shaahi Paneer tasted like dried prunes.

For dessert, we had the Kulfi (Homemade Indian ice cream w / nuts & pistas; P90.00), and I loved it! It tasted kind of like a cross between Choc-nut and pastillas.

Chicken Tikka Masala

The second time I went there was a much better experience. I went there with Ron for dinner, and we ordered the Mushroom Paneer (Mushrooms cooked w / homemade cottage cheese & spices; P140.00), the Chicken Tikka Masala (P225.00), the Dhaniawali Machchi (Fish cooked in our mild spices w/ coriander leaves & sauce; P150.00), and Sweet Lassi (Sweet yogurt drink flavored with milk; P40.00) for drinks. This time, we ordered everything in medium spice, so I found the food a bit too spicy for my taste. Out of all the dishes, I think I liked the fish the most and the Mushroom Paneer. The chicken wasn’t too bad either but considering the price, I think it would’ve been better if we just ordered two of the Dhaniawali Machchi instead.

Dhaniawali Machchi

The staff is very accommodating, but the food does take a while before they serve it to you. Not a problem for me though because I know they only cook it once you order it.

Swagat is located at 119 FCC Building, Rada Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Twenty-six, Pick-up Stix

2010-06-07T11:51:00.005+08:00

Twenty-six
We're getting old
Colonics
Our future holds

Forgive me for my stupid rhymes
Don't worry it will get better with time
For now I wanna wish you a happy birthday
Buy me pizza please is all I could say

My dearest Ron, two years we've just begun
Ninety more and I think we'll be done
But you know forever I will be here
To nag you about shaving your hair

I hope this day finds you well
I hope that laughter fills another year
I hope your big heart swells
With all the love I still have to give.

Happy Birthday, Baldy!

Today, My Blog is Carbon Neutral

2010-05-28T20:43:00.003+08:00

I was surfing one of my favorite design blogs today, when I saw this post about the blog being carbon neutral. How can you make a blog carbon neutral? I wondered, so I clicked the button which led me here. This is perhaps the coolest thing I’ve ever encountered in a while. Way cooler than train rides on a rainy day or pizza for breakfast or discovering your paycheck doubled because of all the overtime work you’ve put in for the past month.

I’m not a hard-core environmentalist, but I like doing my part, however small it is, to make the earth better. So when I saw this, I knew I just had to write this post. Please, please, please, if you have time, all you have to do is write a post about the site, and they will plant a tree for you!

Every little bit helps!

Scrum It

2010-05-24T18:55:00.011+08:00

photo from Dragon in Exile, author unknown

The longest I’ve ever worked in a corporate setting is eight months. Even then, I only worked three times a week so that only equals to about a little more than three months of regular Monday-to-Friday work. If I had a choice, I’d have an office in my garage and work for myself.

But since I cannot afford to be self-employed any more like what I’ve been doing for the three out of four years that I’ve been working, I had to find a regular job. I graduated with a course in Interior Design and realized later on that I probably made the wrong career choice. You see, I love designing and being creative, but the problem for me comes when I actually have to talk to clients. I am what you may call a conversationally challenged individual. I don’t know how to talk to people without there being awkward pauses and lulls, and I know that I really have to work on this. I can’t be socially awkward forever, right?

Anyway, writing and reading books are favorite pastimes of mine, so when Ruby said that I should try and apply for a job as a book editor, I grabbed the chance and sent in my resume.

After six months of waiting and almost losing hope, I finally got the job.

The company I work for practices Scrum—a type of management framework (although they don’t like to use the word management to describe what it is) that basically lets employees self-manage. In our office, we can open our Facebook pages, we can come in at 11:00 a.m., and we can eat whenever we want as long as we finish our tasks on time. Scrum is usually applied in software development fields, but it can also be applied as a general management approach.

I took the Scrum course last February and became a Scrum Master last April. I was apprehensive at first because I thought that it is only suitable for people in the IT field, but seeing it in effect in our workplace made me realize that it can really work. So far, there has been no problems in our team (problems with other individuals in our company, however, is another story and deserves a post all to itself) and everybody seems to deliver their jobs without a hitch.

I think Scrum is a method that can either make or break a company. It will largely depend on what type of people you are dealing with. I am lucky that I like my coworkers and that we, more or less, seem to have the same mindset when it comes to most things. I can honestly say that I really like what I'm doing and that I can see myself doing this for years to come. If you are interested, agile.ph has more info about upcoming Scrum courses. And no, I'm not being paid to blog this. :p

The Murtaugh List

2009-08-06T15:54:00.007+08:00

Speaking of things that I'm getting too old for...

If you watch How I Met Your Mother, there is an episode in which Ted makes a list of things that he feels he and his friends are too old for. It's called the Murtaugh list because it was inspired by Danny Glover's character in the Lethal Weapon films whose famous catchphrase is "I'm getting too old for this shit!".

Here is Ted's List:

Pulling an all-nighter

Get ear pierced

Hanging posters without frames

Crash on a friend's futon

Eating an entire pizza in one sitting

Do laundry at mom's house

Put off going to the doctor

Drinking shots with strangers

Leave an annoying two person message on your answering machine

Help someone move out of a sixth floor walkup in exchange for pizza and beer

Beer Bong

Going to a rave

Here is mine:

Pulling an all nighter

Hanging posters without frames

Going to a rave

Put off going to the doctor

Reading under dim lights

Sleeping anywhere besides a bed

Eating nothing but fast food for a whole week

Skipping my vitamins

Listening to really loud music

Wear any item of clothing that has profanity in them

Not applying moisturizer on my face

Yes, all those things and I'm only 25! I wonder if by the time I'm 30 I'll be going to bed by 8pm. I really hope not. What's on your list?

Nine Inch Gaga

2009-08-06T13:20:00.006+08:00

Pam gave us tickets to watch Nine Inch Nails Live at the Araneta Coliseum. The place wasn't filled but still a lot of people showed up. I'm not the biggest NIN fan. In fact, I only know about 4 or 5 songs out of all the albums they put out but I enjoyed the concert nonetheless. We didn't get to finish the concert because we were scheduled to play for Jonas and Jolo's party at Route 196. The party was soooo much fun. Kaze played and Sando played and a band called Techy Romantics played. This is the first time I've heard them live and I instantly became a fan. Their music is like Kylie Minogue meets Goldfrapp and they sounded really, really, really good.

It's also been a while since I got really buzzed and I only drank 2 bottles of beer! Man, I'm getting too old for that shit! Hahaha. Thanks Jolo and Jonas for a spankin' good time!

No Reason

2009-08-05T13:28:00.007+08:00

Last Saturday, Kaze launched their No Reason EP at Genre Bar in Cubao Expo. The place was packed with their friends and family and it was no surprise that the event was a huge success. I've known Kaze for more than two years now. Their lead vocalist, Faye Marcos, I've been friends with since high school. Even back then she was known for her beautiful singing voice so becoming a vocalist in a band was something that was naturally expected of her.

When I first heard Kaze live, I immediately thought, "Wow, they are a talented bunch of people." When you hear them live, they sound so whole. They cover Spice Girls songs (a definite plus in my book) and Everlong and it's definitely not a bad thing that almost everyone I know thinks that their violinist is hot!

The difference between listening to them live and hearing them on the CD is that on the disc you can hear almost every element on each track. When you watch them, you are usually more focused on having fun and bobbing your head to their songs so sometimes certain things go unnoticed. Like how brilliant Helen Pingol's (keyboards) and Sherwin Tolentino's (violins) fill-ins are or how Kei Gabutero’s and Bri Ner’s guitars complement each other perfectly or how Miwa Gabutero's bass lines can give that little bassist from Mozzie a run for her money. :p Faye's lyrics are a brilliant take on a wide range of topics, from drinking your troubles away (7 Shots) to being an independent woman (Marionette). Her words are spot on and relatable, almost as if someone took what you’re thinking and turned it into song.

The arrangements and mixing of their seven tracks are also something to be proud of. It was mixed and arranged by Chevy Densing (drums) and Sherwin Tolentino, both of whom do not have prior experience in either arranging or mixing. These two self-taught musicians are the ones responsible for piecing together the No Reason EP.

Visit http://www.kazeband.multiply.com/ for more details.

Confessions of a Sims Addict

2009-07-26T11:54:00.006+08:00

published in The Philippine Daily Inquirer

July 18, 2009

Hi, my name is Fifi Blue. I live in Sunset Valley, in a small two-bedroom bungalow next to my friends. I moved to this town not too long ago with $16,000 in my pocket. I bought the furnished house, got settled in, met my neighbors, got a job at the local theatre and I haven’t looked back since. Now I’m a rock star, married to my dream man, I own several businesses and am about to buy a sweet piece of property near the beach.

Hi, my name is Felice and I’m a Sims addict.

I got my copy as a present from my boyfriend and I bet he regretted purchasing the copy for me as soon the start screen loaded. The moment I installed the game, the real world seemed to drift far, far away. All of a sudden I had the vast power to create and control everything from the way I looked to the way my Sims acted. My Sim version was taller and she had prettier hair and she could wear knee-high boots without looking like a hooker. My boyfriend has a six pack, wears a suit every day, washes the dishes without being told to do so, and is a CEO of a mega-corporation.

When playing the Sims, you have an option to input cheats that would make your Sim life much easier. You can input a cheat that would add a $$1000 Simoleons (the Sims currency) or $$50,000 to your household funds. With this money you can buy the flashiest cars or build your own mansion or hire a maid and fire them just for fun. Having hundreds of thousands of Simoleons means that you don’t really have to work. You can just stay in bed until noon, go to the spa or watch concerts and go to art museums all day. But where’s the fun in that?

Your Sims are given a certain amount of money at the start of the game in order for you to buy a house or lot (if you prefer building your own). The more Sims you have in your household, the bigger the amount you get. Since I started out as a single Sim, I only got $$16,000. That was enough for me to buy a small furnished house to begin my game. In my opinion, if you’re going to start a new game without the money cheat, you would be better off buying a ready-made house than start building from scratch because it’s going to cost you more. True, the houses that you can buy with that amount of money are pretty ugly but you can always just save your precious Simoleons for a bigger and better house later in the game.

There are several new features in the game than previous Sims games. In the earlier installations, your Sims is pretty much limited to a life at home. Even when they would go to school or work, a vehicle would just pull over in front of your house, pick up your Sim then drop them off back to your home after a few hours (in Simian time). In Sims 3, there is a whole neighborhood for you to explore. You can go to the park and have a picnic or play a game of chess with your friends or complete strangers. You can go to the library and read whatever you please or maybe visit the stadium and watch a game. The only drawback to this is that for some of the buildings that you visit (e.g. the theatre, bistro, book store), you can’t really explore what’s inside. Once your Sims enters some of the establishments, they would just disappear inside the building and you would have to wait until they are done with their activities.

Another new feature is the ability to choose your destiny. When you first create your Sim, you are asked to pick a Lifetime Wish for your character. It is up to you whether to pursue your dream or not. When you do, you are given points that can be used to purchase Lifetime Rewards like the ability to have a Steel Bladder (if you’re a Sim player, you know how big of a deal this is) which makes you immune to ever going to the toilet. There are also a few small wishes that pop up regularly that your Sims can fulfill so that your points go up. Sometimes your Sim can wish for apple pancakes or maybe she just wants to be “amorously hugged” by her husband. If you make their wish come true, they will be in a better mood and their Lifetime Reward points increase.

The Lifetime Wish for my Sim is to become a rock star. After less than a week of playing the game, I fulfilled my dream. It took me hours and hours to perfect my guitar playing skills and many stressful days at work to get where I am. I had to suck up to my boss, work as a roadie, and even pick up the band’s dry cleaning! But all the hard work eventually paid off. Now I’m free to work at my own schedule. I can perform concerts at whichever time or day I please, I can play for tips at public places, and even get paid to hold autograph sessions. But just because you were able to fulfill your lifetime wish, doesn’t mean that the game is over. There are still so many things you can do with your Sims. You can maybe get married and start a family. Or maybe you want to switch to another career. Right now I am investing my money in several businesses. I currently own a book store, a bistro, a diner, and a grocery. I am part owner of the stadium, the business center, and the science facility. Next up for me is to probably build that house I’ve always wanted -- a lavish two-storey wood and glass structure with giant LCD TVs that adorns every room, a fireplace, a pool, and a library. And just to prove how serious I am about my gaming, I even made a floor plan for my future house.

From the looks of it, Electronic Arts has created the perfect vice for all the escapists in the world. But if you think about it, the Sims is a lot like real life. You have to work hard to be successful, relationships have to be nourished, and you get stinky after not showering for a couple of days. The only difference? Real life is much better.

There's A Spark!

2009-07-16T16:30:00.002+08:00

For a while now, I've been feeling like something's missing. I didn't have the drive for anything. I have all these ideas in my head, but just the thought of doing something about made me run for cover. Then suddenly last week, it's like someone sprinkled magic dust on me. I was finally awake for the first time in months! I am not going to go into detail but I really feel like something big is coming.

I'll update more as soon as I finish finalizing things.

It's My Birthday And I Can Get Piss Drunk If I Want To

2009-01-01T08:22:00.006+08:00

It's 4:24 in the afternoon and I am tipsy from drinking a bottle of beer. Happy New Year, everyone!!! Yes, I used a recycled picture from my "surprise" party last year because a) my birthday was so much more fun a year ago and b) I decided that I'm going to stop growing old and stay 24 forever. So wassup, kiddies? How's your holidays? Stomachs full of ham and wine? Pockets full of Christmas money from relatives you only see once a year? No? Yeah, me neither.

So another year is over. I wonder what Susan Miller is going to say about the upcoming one. In 2008 I decided that it was time to grow up and move on. I decided it was time to stop dreaming. In fact I think it was in April of 2008 that I told myself to get real and start thinking about my future. So I planned on moving away in a faraway land and this is where I ended up. In June 2008 though, something unexpected happened. I fell for someone just when I was ready to leave everything behind. Yes, the universe can be cruel but at the same time I have never been happier.

Now onto resolutions. I don't really like making them but I'm gonna make an exception this year. In 2009, I have got to rid myself of people who I know are not good for my well-being. You know, those who can't stop talking shit about others behind their backs. That and I will TRY to stop drinking soda.

Alrighty.

Happy New Year! Spread the love.

Dear Mr. Toshiba I,

2008-11-19T10:27:00.007+08:00

I remember the very first time I laid my eyes on you a little more than three years ago. You sat there quietly at the store among many others, but you stood out like a man in a well-tailored suit in a crowd of casually dressed adolescent boys. You were reasonable, well-built, with a sparkle that seemed to hypnotize. It was as if you were brought to this world for no one but me. Imagine how happy I was that very same day when I took you home. You were my first and from the moment I took you out of the box, I knew we were going to share something special.

For three years, we've been inseparable. How many times have I fallen asleep right by your side because I can't get enough of you? When I was angry, it was to you I ranted. When I was inspired, it was you who witnessed my creations. We watched countless movies, listened to music, shared memories and even traveled together numerous times. In fact I think you probably know me better than my closest friends do.

So Mr. Toshiba I, I hope you understand how difficult this is for me. I am saying goodbye but not without shedding a tear. We both knew from the beginning that it wasn't going to be forever for us and the time has come for us to part ways. I am going to miss you, Mr. Toshiba I. We had a good run.

Always,

Fifi

Drunk Cat

2008-11-13T14:01:00.005+08:00

We spent the weekend in L.A. with Pammy and Lala and I got to take home this shirt from Ron and a bottle of Margarita.

Because I Need To Smile

2008-11-07T08:34:00.004+08:00

No Paper Doll

2008-10-27T01:54:00.006+08:00

Let us play dress up.

This is me about to meet up with girl friends for Sunday brunch.

This is me about to go shopping.

This is me heading out for coffee.

This is me about to meet up with Ron for dinner and a movie.

This is me wishing I had longer legs so I can actually wear knee high boots and a trench coat.

Nyahahaha. Taken from the fabulous Gilesy's blog. Create your own here.

Four on the Floor

2008-10-19T16:24:00.000+08:00

Four months, baby!!! Yeah! :D

On Friendship

2008-10-17T11:01:00.005+08:00

For a lot of people, friends are family. My mother used to tell me stories about people she knew who would act all friendly when they’re in front of each other but would start talking about them once they turn their backs. It would irk me so much every time she would start with these stories because in my book, you don’t call yourself friends with someone when you do such terrible things to each other.

I love my friends. They’re smart, good-hearted people who I can be comfortable with and whom I have the uttermost respect for. I have to admit though that there have been times when I haven’t been the perfect friend to some of them. Some of those relationships I have managed to salvage, but some of them I have lost and I still feel bad about it even to this day. I have since learned that you can’t expect to be treated a certain way if you yourself treat other people in another way.

If you consider yourself a decent human being, you don’t talk down to your friends. You don’t consider yourself more superior than them. If they manage to be successful in something, you be happy for them. If something makes them happy, even if you think it’s the stupidest thing in the world, you celebrate with them. You don’t just call them whenever you need something and then two days later talk shit about them to other people. That’s not called being a friend.

I know we all have done it. We’ve gossiped about the important people in our lives. We’ve said one or two not so nice thing about them out of anger. But when you do it repeatedly and without remorse, it’s a different story. So next time try looking around you. If you see us disappearing one by one, maybe it’s time you ask yourself why.

In My Head

2008-10-11T08:56:00.003+08:00

I try to do head stands for yooooooou. Damn economy sucks major balls. People are panicking and I have to cut out coupons. I wanna get a bicycle. My sister's coming here on Sunday! Yay! Two more months! I miss you. I need to buy nail polish remover. Universal Studios again? No 1963 type stuff in the new Rachael album. It makes me want to cry. I want the weekend to be over. Is there any other reason to get married these days aside from the girl being pregnant? Youuuu oooo ooooh. I have to make dinner now.

Biden vs. Palin

2008-10-04T03:24:00.009+08:00

After that sorry interview Sarah Palin did with Katie Couric, I'm sure most of America was surprised that she didn't screw up in last night's debate. But seriously, what is up with the winking?

Tina Fey for President!

The Resurrection

2008-10-03T08:07:00.002+08:00

For those of you who have been wondering where I have gone for the past few months, I’ve decided to become a hermit and cut my ties off from the rest of the world. Ok, not really. I’m here in San Diego floating around, counting the days until I can go back home to where my heart belongs. :p

And for the two of you wondering what I’m talking about, let’s just say that the blind date I wrote about two posts ago went very well. Ron (that’s Cruz, Daniel) and I have been together for almost three and a half months and I couldn’t be happier. Well maybe if we were actually physically together I could be happier but for the meantime, I am just thankful that I have him in my life.

My last week in Manila was like a dream I never wanted to wake up from. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled that much in my whole life. But yes, like every good thing, it had to come to an end and now I spend every single day thinking about the moment I can finally be back in his arms again.

Y’all can stop cringing now.

I'll Find A Way

2008-06-24T09:15:00.002+08:00

Sorry I can't blog right now without getting all choked up.

I miss you guys so much, it hurts.

Surprise Surprise

2008-06-11T14:45:00.001+08:00

I'm getting ready for a blind date. Yes, a blind date. Why I agreed to it, I have no idea. I don't like blind dates and I've never been on a blind date before because I don't like the idea of jumping into the unknown. What if my date turns out to be some annoying guy? I don't have an escape plan and I am terribly bad at lying. I can't exactly put on a oh-I'm-sorry-I-have-to-go-I'm-not-feeling-very-well-cough act in case things don't work out. So here I am, going insane because I don't have anything to wear while exchanging texts with Pam, who by the way, is the mastermind behind all this. Oh wait! She's the reason why I agreed to do this. Her exact words were "You have to trust me on this." And since I do trust her, I said yes. Plus, I couldn't think of any good reason to say no.

I'm so nervous right now, I feel like I'm gonna throw up.

Wish me luck.

There Are Monsters In My House

2008-06-04T12:59:00.007+08:00

A couple of weeks ago, at past three in the morning, I was watching TV in my room when I heard a loud banging on my window. My single bed is situated right below it, with only thin curtains separating me from the outside world. I tried to calm myself by thinking that it was probably only a stupid bird but how many times can a bird keep flying into a window? Thank god my window has iron grills to protect me from whatever the hell that was. I didn't take a peek to see what it was because I was too chicken to find something else there.

Now the other night, it was past four in the morning and I was already asleep when I heard this loud noise from the ceiling. My eyes shot up and I literally froze. It sounded like someone was running in the attic right above my room. After a few seconds, it stopped but I couldn't go back to sleep afterwards. If there are rats in our attic, would it sound like a 175 pound man running up there? If the rats are giant godzilla hybrid rats, then that's a different story.

I'll probably be sleeping with garlic and crucifixes and wooden stakes right beside my bed from now on.

Sex and the City

2008-05-29T16:46:00.004+08:00

Last night, my friends and I watched the advanced screening of Sex and the City in a packed theatre of young women and gay men (Ruby had to reserve the seats two days prior). I’ve never been excited about a movie before and I am happy that this film exceeded my expectations. After reading mixed reviews from movie critics all around the globe, I finally decided that I am not going to base my vote on what others thought of it. Even though it was a bit long (2 ½ hours), there wasn’t one scene where any of us got bored. Hell, it could’ve gone on for ten hours and I wouldn’t have minded. The fashion alone could’ve kept us entertained for a while and that’s huge for a group of friends who all suffer from a mild case of ADD.

There are probably only two things that I wasn’t very fond of throughout the movie. Number one is the music. Couldn’t they have gotten anybody else for the theme song? Or maybe they could’ve just retained the original? The song is trying too hard to be hip that it just turned out to be so uncool. And just because Jennifer Hudson is in the movie, doesn’t mean she has to have a song in it too. They even had that It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over rip off from one of the former members of Sugababes and I absolutely cannot stand that song. Number two is a little bit spoiler-ish so I won’t go into detail. It’s something that concerns Carrie and Big and I felt like the story could’ve gone in a different direction.

So anyways, did anyone notice that Chris Noth has gotten so much more hotter this time around? Jason Lewis, on the other hand, looks like he aged about 15 years since the show ended. What the hell happened to him? Kristin Davis was absolutely hilarious in the movie, surprisingly even more so than Kim Catrall. There were two scenes that I liked very much because you can actually feel the character's emotions during that moment. One involved Carrie, Big, Charlotte and Miranda. The anger was so palpable in Sarah Jessica and Kirstin Davis’ acting that I wanted to give them a standing ovation (which of course I didn’t do. Lol.). The second one concerned Steve, Miranda, and the Brooklyn Bridge. I thought David Eigenberg’s face was priceless in that scene.

Sex and the City is more about friendship than it is about sex and I think that’s the reason why so many people loved the show and will love the movie. Now if only they would make this an annual thing, then we can go on living.

Ooh La La: The Ting Tings

2008-05-23T16:52:00.003+08:00

Once in a while, MTV surprises me by actually playing some good music. Yesterday, while I was channel-hopping I came across a music video for the song That's Not My Name by The Ting Tings. I was instantly hooked so I decided to do some research on them. Turns out they're an English duo who is already very popular in the UK. The band is made up of Jules De Martino (drums, Vocals) and Mary Jo Lisa (guitars, vocals, bass drum) and their album, We Started Nothing, was just realeased this week.

That's Not My Name is one of them songs whichyou either love or hate. In this case, I can't help but love it because it's just so damn catchy. Click below to judge for yourself.

Multiple Choice

2008-05-22T10:24:00.006+08:00

When you sense that somebody doesn't like you, do you:

a) force yourself on them

b) stay away

I would choose b, but then again, that's just me.

Dish It

2008-05-13T11:26:00.011+08:00

Last Saturday, I did something I thought I would never do again -- I went back to school. Ruby invited Jason, Giff, Giles, and I to participate in a CCA cooking class. I love experimenting inside the kitchen so instead of dreading being inside an educational institution once again, I actually was excited for the day's events.

The group arrived on time. Our promptness, I'm guessing, is something that we would've found a challenge if this were a real class. We were introduced to other bloggers and given our outfits for the day -- a white shirt, an apron, and a toque.

The first dish, care of Chef Menoy Jimenez, was Caramelized Salmon with Orange-Shoyu Glaze. Cool. Salmon. I love salmon. If I could eat salmon everyday, I would.

Chef Jimenez on the proper way to slice the vegetables

Chef Jimenez is one of CCA's founders and from him we learned that cooking fish is way different than cooking meat. The goal is "not to tenderize but to set" and because we needed to retain the fish's moisture, we had to know how to control what we were cooking. He said that our final product should be, of course, edible and should fall under these three adjectives: clean, zen-like, and appetizing. If we were a paying customer, would we pay for what we've cooked?

marinating the salmon in orange, ginger, cilantro and Sichuan peppercorns

Executive Chef Jason shows Laarni how to sautee the fish

Soon we were inside a lab (or kitchen), broken into three groups of five. We started off with slicing the veggies then marinating the salmon followed by preparing the sauces. Since the dish had four different components to it, the tasks were delegated among the members. In no time, we were tossing and sauteing and reducing and plating what we've finished. The outcome was a plate that looked so pretty, I just wanted to stare at it. But since it was lunch time, and all of our stomachs were growling, we dug in and had a taste of what we made. The fish was so flavorful and perfectly moist, seamlessly balanced by the vegetables and soba that accompanied it that it pained me to share the dish with the group. Haha.

Caramelize Salmon with Orange-Shoyu Glaze

I almost didn't make it for dessert because after the morning's activities, I felt I had no more energy left to make panna cottas. It was a good thing then that I was persuaded to continue on with the afternoon session because I would've missed a lot if I went ahead and skipped it.

Chef Anne explains the recipe

Chef Anne Anatacio was our instructor for the afternoon. I never had so much fun in a class before. Maybe it was because of the fact that the alkies dominated the kitchen? Or maybe it was because Chef shared our penchant for gay linggo? Or maybe it was because there was so much trash talking going on between the groups, baseball players would shrivel in a corner if they entered the room.

a couple of mentally challenged students terrorizes CCA

I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of panna cottas because I have tasted some cringe-worthy ones from reputable restaurants in my twenty-four years of existence. Chef Anne's recipe though made me look at it in a new light. Our finished product is how panna cottas should taste like (at least according to my tastebuds). The preparation was easy, breezy and the dessert turned out rich and yummy.

Saffron Panna Cotta

This two-part session is part of CCA's Kitchen Discovery Class wherein the objective is to help those interested choose between culinary or baking classes/courses. If you really have a passion for it, CCA can get you geared towards becoming a top chef (not model... although Chef Anne can give Tyra's girls a run for their money. lol). http://www.cca-manila.com/

*photos by Giff Ricarte

Ooh La La: Converse Connectivity Campaign

2008-05-12T14:31:00.012+08:00

I decided that I want to start writing regular blog posts about things that pique my interest, from insects (okay, maybe not insects) to the latest gadgets, from ordinary people to rockstars, and everything else that I think is pretty cool.

Before anything else though, a short disclaimer: I am not a writer. I am just a regular person who still don't know when to use commas in a sentence.

So here goes...

While on our way to band practice a few weeks back, I spotted a huge Converse ad near Katipunan Ave. At first, I didn't recognize the faces because we were too far away but I was sure that one of them was Karen O. When we got closer, I was able to identify all of them except for Hunter Thompson (in my defense, I am familiar with him, I just didn't know what he looked like) and Dwayne Wade (not a big sports fan).

click image for larger picture.
From left: Hunter S. Thompson, Dwayne Wade, Sid Vicious, M.I.A., James Dean, Karen O, Common, Joan Jett, Billie Joe Armstrong

With a roster like this, it won't be that hard to convince people to buy their shoes. I mean, put Karen O's face on a box of tofu meat and I will buy it. Common is one of the few rappers (or shall I say MC?) I can stand these days. Sid Vicious is a punk god. M.I.A. has creavity oozing out of every inch of her body and the rest are just human interpretations of the word cool. For some people, endorsing a big brand like Converse means selling out but whatever.

I have always been a big fan of Converse because they're comfortable and it goes well with most of the clothes I own. Chucks are the musician's staple shoe. The best way to wear them is when they're all worn out and dirty 'cos it's very rock and roll like that.

Thursdays with the Alkies

2008-05-11T09:39:00.010+08:00

Last Thursday, I found myself inside the hotel-like premises of ADB for a steak lunch care of Ruby. Met up with Giff before noon and soon we were sitting inside a fine dining hall with our host while they served us generous portions of meat. MEAT!!! We love us some meat, right Giff? Haha. Jill and Pam followed (the others couldn't get off of work) and we continued stuffing ourselves with protein and carbs because we're all growing chldren who need sustenance for our active lifestyles. Lol.

While Giff and Ruby had to go back to their offices after, I tagged along with Pam and Jill to the Spot.ph launch at Cav in Bonifacio High Street. We went inside, the three of us underdressed, and enjoyed the food and wine that they served. We didn't stay too long and left shortly before the wine could take its full effect on us.

***

From a recent trip to Taipei, my sister bought loads of some kind of nougat-filled chocolate bar which came highly recommended by our tour guide, Gary. Since I'm not big on sweets, I barely laid eyes on it even though it took up almost half the space of our spare ref. One night though while I entertained myself by having an AFC marathon, I got really hungry but was too lazy to cook at that hour so I grabbed one of the chocolate bars. And since the heat is unforgiving even with airconditioning on, the chocolate turned soft after a few minutes so when I bit into it, it was all gooey and delicious. I couldn't believe I never ate it before! I swear it can probably knock out Caramellos from the top of my list. Yummy. Now all I need is someone to go to Taipei for me and buy me a box of these. I promise I'll share. :p

On An Island In The Sun

2008-03-24T21:25:00.006+08:00

We left early Friday morning for a three day sojourn in the island of Batangas. Some of us snorkeled while the others worked on their tans. And by worked on their tans, I mean Giff got baked. My sister, on the other hand, has tan lines on her feet after making the mistake of lying on the beach under an umbrella with her flip flops on and forgetting to shade her lower body parts.

We stuffed ourselves so much (thanks to Rollie's wonderful parents) that eating consisted 80% of the time we spent there. Giff got drunk on our second night after consuming 2 liters of wine (how very Karen Walker. lol.) We basically did nothing but sleep and eat and swim and play cards and eat and drink, and eat.

Good times.

More photos here.

*supersampler shot by Chrissie

A Kiss To Send Us Off

2008-03-10T16:34:00.006+08:00

I am still high from last night's Incubus concert!!! Thank you, Pam for the wonderful, wonderful experience!!! A more detailed post to follow... Photos and vids will have to do for now...

For more pics, visit my multiply album here.

My Kind of Porn

2008-02-29T01:29:00.008+08:00

It's not what you're thinking, you dirty, dirty man. Or woman.

Apparently there is such a thing as food porn. I was listening to a podcast earlier and they mentioned this on the show so I made a mental note to do a search on it.

Lately, I noticed that I'm always hungry and I don't think it's a hormone thing. I'm not sure what it is but since my stomach is grumbling right now and because I want to torture myself, I decided to do my googling and this is what came up:

From Wikipedia

Food porn is a sarcastic term for a spectacular visual presentation of cooking or eating in advertisements, infomercials, cooking shows or other visual`media. In the United Kingdom, food porn is usually acknowledged as advertisements where food is presented in an 'arousing' manner, with water dripping from it in order to imitate a person with sweat dripping from them.

Somebody hand me a bucket for all the drool.

*photos from google images

Just What the Doctor Ordered

2008-02-22T16:29:00.002+08:00

In a few hours, I will be jumping on a bus to Baguio with some friends. I haven't been to that place in a long time and I'm looking forward to going back and catching the flower festival. Actually, any excuse to get out of the city and get some much needed air is fine by me. Maybe when I come back I will feel better and things will be different.

Flick Yer Bean for Agyness Deyn

2008-02-14T14:19:00.011+08:00

Okay, when it comes to fashion, I have to admit that I don't have slightest clue about it. My knowledge of it is limited to reading the Gofugyourself girls and visiting The Sartorialist website to look at the pretty pictures and wish that someday I can go out looking like the women in the pictures without the fear of people mistaking me for a crazy person. My mother is a different story though. She subscribes to all the glossy magazines available in the newsstands and would be the first to tell you about the latest French neo-bossa group who sings about being too drunk to fuck. Most times when she's done perusing the glossies, she would pass them on to me.

The very first time I saw Agyness Deyn was inside the pages of Teen Vogue (see above picture) a few years back. I think it was an article about punk clothing or something. Immediately, I thought "Wow. How cool does that girl look?" So what I did after seeing that picture was to take out a pair of scissors and cut some spandex to the same length and wore my old Doc Marten boots. When I looked at the mirror, I cringed at what I saw. I took off the spandex and buried it somewhere at the back of my closet.

A few months later, I decided I wanted a really short haircut and so I scanned my mom's magazines and found a fashion spread of Agyness. I thought for a while if I can manage to pull off that kind of haircut and after asking Jason for some advice, I opted for the Michelle Williams/ Mia Farrow cut instead.

vs.

Recently, I've been seeing her everywhere and I'm guessing she's going to be huge (she already is but I bet she's gonna get bigger). When people asked me before who my favorite model is, I used to come up with a blank. Now, I wouldn't even think twice about it.

Oooooh yeah! Flick Yer Bean for Agyness Deyn.

Now I need to figure out how to look that cool without looking like a fool.

Yeah, this rhyming thing is really fun.

Sleepasil, Violins, and Skater Shoes

2008-02-11T22:04:00.002+08:00

Two Fridays ago, Marge handed out free samples of a sleeping aid called Sleepasil. That same night, I popped one just to see if it can help me get a good rest since I have been having trouble sleeping straight for a long time now. The following day, I woke up with a full eight-hour of sleep and felt like I haven't felt in a long time. I actually felt well-rested and energized. Of course, it only took me three nights to figure out that I shouldn't be taking it every single night because it actually made me sleepy even during the day. So for now I stopped taking them because I figured it's much better to be awake than be asleep anyway.

***

I've started taking violin lessons thanks to Sherwin. I've actually been planning to do so since late last year but things just kept getting in the way. So finally last Thursday, after paying a visit to Chinatown to take pictures of the Chinese New Year celebration, I invited 3 Kazes to our house for an afternoon of Wii. Sherwin ended up teaching me how to properly hold a bow (which I still don't know how to do) and how to strike the strings without making that annnoying "eeeeeeeee ee ee eee" sound.

***

Last Wednesday, I was denied entry into a building for wearing flip flops to, ironically, a meeting with a shoe distributor. I'm not gonna get into it but I did eventually get in. Anyways, the meeting was with Royal Elastics and they asked Mozzie to be a part of a music campaign they are doing. I'm a huge sneaker person so imagine my excitement when Pam told us the news. They made us pick a pair we wanted and this is what I got:

Ain't they pretty?

Now those idiots who refused to let me in can kiss my royally elastic-clad feet.

Videos from Friday

2008-02-06T13:53:00.000+08:00

Starfucker/ Get Your Freak On

Listen Up (The Gossip)

Long Train Running (The Doobie Brothers)

Pajamas Were Made for Relaunching

2008-02-04T13:49:00.000+08:00

February 1 was suppose to be a special night for me because according to Susan Miller (thanks, J!), "on February 1, Venus, now in Capricorn, will link to good luck planet Jupiter, also in Capricorn. This is an annual meeting of two enormously generous, giving planets, and to have them both in YOUR sign is sensational. Romantically this is an exceptional aspect, worthy of five stars. "

I don't usually believe in star signs but since I have been feeling a bit crappy lately, I let out my optimistic side for once and decided to go along with it. The whole night I was trying to spot my romantic five-star catch but came up with nothing. Oh well. So much for my horoscopic luck... although Victor Basa did make an appearance to our launch but I'm thinking he's a little out of my league.

"This same day, February 1, should also bring terrific career news. Use this day for an interview, presentation, public speaking, or an audition - you name it. If you have an important action to take, this is your day to do it! "

Non-romatically speaking of course, it had been a fantastic night. Mozzie relaunched the EP and it was a huge success. That night was kick-me-in-the-ass awesome and I couldn't have asked for a better relaunch. I guess one out of two predictions coming true ain't that bad. For me personally, I wouldn't have it any other way. Romance can always wait.

As I was saying, the relaunch was so much fun. A lot of people came donning their PJs and I have to say that it was the most comfortable gig I have ever played. The bands that played were all equally amazing and I couldn't stop jumping around the whole night even though my feet were killing me.

Now can I hear you say album launch?

Thank you, thank you to all our friends for all the help.

*above photo by ginomatic

It's Been A While, Kid

2008-01-28T19:49:00.000+08:00

No Curfew: A Mozzie Pajama Party!!!

The EP Relaunch

Route 196, Katipunan Ave.

February 1, 2008

8pm onwards

featuring Kaze, Top Junk, Mobster Manila, X Luthor, and Juan Pablo Dream

***

I just realized now how much I missed blogging so yes people, the hiatus is over. Now my problem is where to start... maybe I should just start rambling and get things out of the way before they take over my head and I implode.

Mozzie will be relaunching the EP this coming Friday and that's got me pretty excited... and erm, I just can't hide it. It's going to be a fun, fun party with lots of good music and good friends and good pizza and good booze. This is the party that should've happened last November 29 before that asshole Trillanes decided to ruin it for us. I sound so shallow right now, I know, but couldn't he have staged a coup d' etat on another day? So yeah, on Friday we're gonna party like there's no tomorrow.

What else is there to tell? I turned 24 and I'm feeling old. I saw Juno a few days ago and loved it. A stranger came up to me at the Lomo SOMA event, asked if he could buy me a drink and I refused. I'm going shopping for pajamas tomorrow with Ruby and Jason. I want to get an afro. I am not cut out for manual labor. We might be heading to Boracay this coming Valentine's day.

I'll post more when coherence comes back to me.

So This Is How Other People Live

2007-09-20T19:34:00.000+08:00

Two Sundays ago, I was having merienda with my sister at Delifrance in Greenhills while we waited for my mother to finish her shopping. I sat opposite her, facing the glass panels that framed the crowd of people passing by on that particularly sunny afternoon and I suddenly felt weird and I couldn’t exactly determine why.

Was it because the sun was too blinding?

Was it because I was holding a glass of orange juice instead of a beer bottle?

Was it because it was three in the afternoon and I was out and about instead of lying in bed scrolling down my multiply webpage for updates?

Maybe it’s all of the above.

It’s 6:10 in the evening as I type this and if you would have asked me a month ago where I was, I would've probably told you that I’m on the train on my way to meet the ladies for dinner. Now I’m hearing my mom go on incessantly about how much she likes Jolina’s haircut. In an hour, I will take my place at the dining table, eat a home-cooked meal and listen to my grandmother and her daughter argue whether Vicky Belo’s daughter has had any work done on her face or not. By 10pm, I will be in bed watching Rory and Lorelai list down the pros and cons of going to Harvard until I fall asleep.

And then tomorrow is today all over again.

Sigh. I am so not cut out for this.

Trying to Get Some Rest from all the Unborn Chicken Voices in My Head

2007-08-27T10:46:00.000+08:00

Yesterday after some studio time with Francis and Anna, we rushed to Glorietta to watch Hairspray and I absolutely loved it! Wouldn't it be fun if real life was a musical? Everyone singing... dancing around in pretty, colorful costumes... okay, I'm just thinking aloud here. Anyhoo, I was really impressed with the performances of all the actors especially Nikky Blonsky (Tracy Turnblad) and Elijah Kelley (Seaweed). I've never seen any of Zac Efron's work before as I'm probably one of the two people in the world who hasn't seen High School Musical and I have to give props to him because his performance was pretty impressive as well. Michelle Pfeiffer was the hotness as usual. I've been a fan ever since I saw her in Batman Returns when I was 8 years old. One day, I told myself, I would be able to wear that catsuit and crawl on all fours looking as sexy as she did. Unfortunately, I'm still waiting on that day up until now.

So I mentioned that we did some recording before the movie. Things are looking pretty good at the Mozzie front. We're one song away from completing the EP and I'm really looking forward to the day when I would be able to hold a copy of it with my hands. This is it for me. How people receive our music will decide my future. If my estimating skills are right, it will probably be out by the end of September or early October. It's a big gamble, I know, but I just cannot imagine not doing this. I've wanted this since I got out of my mother's womb with a guitar in my hand, crying "rock and roll!" I have been told repeatedly to get real and to focus on getting my life on track but I know it will just frustrate me if I didn't give it a try. I refuse to let the dream die!!! hahaha...

I'm so excited and I just cannot hide it.

Fish Are Friends, Not Food

2007-08-15T21:56:00.000+08:00

Alright... I know I have been neglecting this blog for far too long so here's an update in case you're still interested. Whoever said that it's better to live life than to document it was right on par with that one. With the way things are going lately, I am getting to experience first hand exactly how that feels like and I have to say it feels pretty damn good.

Now, I just want to bring up something that's been bothering me a lot lately...

To other people it might seem like all we do is party every single night and get wasted because that's what they see in the photos and what they read in the blogs. I just hope that they also realize that our lives goes way beyond what they see published on the internet. I hate that I have to defend our actions when we're not doing anything wrong. Why can't they just mind their own business and get a life of their own? Shit.

My friends ARE my family. They are the only people who I feel I can be myself with. They are the only ones who keep me sane amidst all the craziness that has been happening all around me. Please don't go judging us just because we're having fun.

Crap Shoot

2007-08-03T12:25:00.000+08:00

Lomomanila Exhibit Launch Party. Mag:net Cafe, Bonifacio High Street!

August 13, 2007.

8pm

Featuring Mozzie, Free Beer, Kate Torralba, Top Junk, Mobster Manila, Shoulder State, Sizzling Bulalakaw.

Red Horse and the Lomo Tree

2007-07-29T22:42:00.000+08:00

I'm in bed right now holding a bowl of mac and cheese (Jill, di masarap...), my body aching from yesterday's activities. If you don't know what yesterday is, it was Lomomanila's grand EB at Red Box. The event was insaaaaaaanely fun. We met a bunch of really cool people and got to hang out with friends. I've never been a fan of large crowds but yesterday was a different story. Everyone was really friendly and equally crazy so it wasn't hard to feel right at home.

Red Box was followed by the gig at Vida De Malate where several lomo peeps joined us for support. Had a blast there as well. It's been years since the last time I got drunk like that and the only thing I remember was all the jumping and flailing around that I did. Oh yeah, I remember eating at Hap Chan after.

Now I have to get the photos processed. I can't wait 'til the Magnet event!

Plug

2007-07-26T21:57:00.000+08:00

Randomness

2007-07-25T17:49:00.001+08:00

Sarap mag-swimming.

Spider Pig, Woh Oh?

2007-07-23T22:35:00.000+08:00

Pam gave us invites to see the advanced screening of The Simpsons last Friday. I really enjoyed the big screen version of the cartoon and I can't remember the last time a movie was able to hold my attention. After all the hype and gimmicks that seemed to be all over the place for this movie (the 7-eleven turned Kwik-E Marts, The Simpsonizer, the giant outline of Homer Simpson next to a fertility symbol), I'm glad that it didn't disappoint.

Oh, and Lisa's still my favorite character.

Geeks unite!

***
Saturday was Mozzie's gig at Route 196 and it was soooooo much fun. I think this is the best gig we've had so far with Francis and Che. There's definitely progress in terms of the sound and stage presence. I just love seeing my band mates enjoying themselves while their playing. I think that's the most important thing 'cos their energy is contagious. I just want to go crazy and dance my head off sometimes but I find it really hard with a guitar in my hand.

Wake up Call by Mozzie

Shut It by Mozzie

Bolgia Six by Mozzie

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all our friends who showed up for support.

And thanks of course to Pam, Ate, Che, and Francis!

***
Yesterday, we did a live recording session at Che's studio for a song we had to finish. It took us probably 400 takes before we got something that we were satisfied with.

Click for a very rough version of Rid of You by Mozzie

So Little Time, So Much To Do

2007-07-20T11:17:00.000+08:00

Sorry, I can't seem to get my head organized these days. I've been busy trying to finish up a project and starting a new one so these days it's almost as if I work a 9 to 5 job. Add to that the many gigs and the practices and of course the non-stop adventures, and you have one exhausted but happy Fifi.

So last Tuesday, I tagged along with Pam and Jill to Subic where they were scheduled to pay a visit to Zoobic Safari. Even though I'm not too much of a nature person, I had a blast with them. We saw a snake feeding on a poor hamster, tigers and crocodiles eating half chickens, red-assed monkeys being bitchy, a cute pig looking like it was having cardiac arrest, pretty camels and ostriches, rodents named Jill... so yeah, you get the drift.

Before the night ended, the three of us had massages at a spa near The Yacht Club where I think we all got bruised instead of getting relaxed. Oh well, at least now we know we're not going back there. We also visited the home of the jumbo taco, a coffee shop that serves all kinds of food. The taco was bigger than a football so it wasn't surprising when I wasn't able to finish mine.

Here are a few pics from the trip (still haven't got the other film processed):

Bambi taking a break.

Umm... I forgot what he's called.

I wanted to take him home and name him Abner.

No time to focus. Tiger was eyeing me for lunch.

***
Last Sunday, we went to Ultra with LomoManila. Most of my shots are of Chucky.

Bulb ni Bien.

Chucky and friends.

Run Lomo Run

Chucky Baby.

Lomomanila.

Thunder Only Happens When It's Raining

2007-07-05T13:18:00.000+08:00

If you haven't already heard, Mozzie is now a drummer-less band. I got the news last Monday and my initial reaction was just to shrug it off because if we're gonna be honest, we saw it coming a long time ago. But then faster than you can say Bolgia Six, I started to choke on my own tears. After more than a decade of being in the band together, it's difficult to just let go. I told him I was hurt but I do respect his decision. There's really nothing we can do if he's not happy with playing with us anymore.

The next day, Pam called me to ask if I was okay and surprisingly, I was. I realized the reason I was so devastated with the news of Pow leaving was because I associated it with the end of Mozzie. After all the energy, time and money that we put into it, surely it can't be over just like that, right?

So to answer your question -- yes, Mozzie will go on. We are going to finish the EP. We will continue writing songs. We will continue to entertain you while you feast on some awesome roastbeef paninis and drown yourselves in wine.

And yesterday, as if the Gods saw how broken I was after hearing the news, they decided to make me smile. I decided to drown my sorrows by doing some shopping. I went to Megamall to buy us some new eggshakers for Friday's gig. I entered the shop and heard a guy playing some piano. He was really good, like Ray Charles good so I asked him if he's interested in doing some sessions with us. He asked for the name of the band and I told him that I played bass for Mozzie.

Ray Charles: Napanood ko na kayo sa TV ah! Kayo ba yung puro babae? (I saw you on TV. Are you the all-girl band?)

Me: Opo. Kami po yun. Yung sa Breakfast? (Yes, that's us. We were on Breakfast.)

Ray Charles: Oo yun! (Yeah! That one!)

Store clerk to Ray Charles: Pa-autograph ka na! (Ask for an autograph!)

Ray Charles: Oo, dito sa shirt ko! (Yes, sign my shirt!)

So I didn't actually sign his shirt. Instead, they gave me a piece of paper to sign my name on. I was frickin' smiling like an idiot the whole time and I almost forgot my purchases inside the store when I left. As soon as I was out of earshot, I called Pam and Ate to tell them the story and just like that, after the emotional, I-wanna-get-wasted-until-I-can't-say-my-name-right days I had, suddenly things weren't looking so bad anymore.

Mozzie and Kaze at The Room Upstairs

Friday, July 6, 2007

9:00pm

2nd floor LRI Business Plaza

Nicanor Garcia St.

Bel-air, Makati

Tickets at P190

Is She Human?

2007-07-02T19:56:00.000+08:00

The Reason Why

2007-06-24T13:59:00.000+08:00

Okay, there's no one particular reason exactly for yesterday's episode so please, for the people who witnessed my sudden display of insanity, know that this has never happened to me before, at least not in public anyway.

I can try and explain but the attempt will be futile since I, myself, do not know why. It can't be hormones because I've already passed that time of the month. I don't know. Maybe it's because I don't know what I'm doing anymore. Everything's a blur these days. Add to that, there are so many people around me who seem to take pleasure in creating lies based on nothing at all. I've never been good with emotions because I just don't like dealing with all the drama that comes along with it. I shove everything inside until I can't contain it anymore and at the end I just make a fool of myself.

Sigh.

Thank God for alcohol.

'Tis The Season To Be Emo

2007-06-23T17:43:00.000+08:00

What is up with the world lately? Is there some sort of cosmic force or strange re-alignment of the planets that's causing everybody to feel... erm... weird? I just heard the name Damien Rice and I started crying. There must be something in the air.

Help me God! I think I'm going insane. I'm beginning to feel tears welling up as I'm typing this.

Now off I go.

Route 196 Love

2007-06-22T10:11:00.000+08:00

I'm getting used to this and I'm looooovin' it (ok, imagine me singing this in a Destiny's Child-like fashion... McDonald's can you hear me?!)!!! Great friends, great music, great crowd, great food, free beer... what more could we ask for? Ok, I'm gushing now and it doesn't suit me. It's probably the effect of drinking Red Horse. It has my brain going badunkadunk. I'm not even sure if that's a word. Isn't that some sort of urban slang for butt/ buttocks/ tush/ behind? Oh my God! Am I drunk? I'm not even sure. What I am is sleepy though... I need my sleep!!! Please don't think I'm drunk, 'cos I'm not.

Anyways... pictures!!!

Iced Tea or Red Horse? Such a difficult choice.
Guess which one we picked?

Zoe and Jill

Jill and Pammy

Zoe! Zoe! I have a joke!!! See? That's how funny I am! I'm not drunk.

Chrissie does pouty.

Master School Girl Ruby does S.O.M. (Slightly Open Mouth)

Zoe and Chrissie

We're never gonna survive unless we get a little crazy.

Music To My Ears

2007-06-14T22:31:00.000+08:00

click for full article.

Hallelujah!!! Just please don't bring them back. EVER.

Sweet Escape

2007-06-11T21:43:00.000+08:00

It's strange that my weekdays are now considered to be rest days rather than weekends. I'm not complaining though. In fact, I'm having the time of my life right now.

Friday was RockEd's big RockBayan event. Mozzie was scheduled to play a twenty minute set to celebrate Independence Day at Eastwood. We arrived an hour late but it was alright. Paramita made a fan out of me. I caught them perform at STC and at Big Sky Mind before but this time I was really able to witness how the singer connects with her audience and it's awesome how she's able to do that.

LomoManila was there so again the event was one big party. Rina stopped by to hang out with us and we ended the night with breakfast at Something Fishy.

Saturday was Sharky's night with SuperPammy rocking the set inspite of her condition. Giff and Ruby came for support. The last band called Earthlings was a blast. We danced around to their ska/reggae music until sweat was dripping down our foreheads.

Yesterday was Enchanted Kingdom Day with LomoManila. Grabe lagi na lang akong sabit kahit di naman member! LOL! We were scheduled to meet at 11am at Shangri-La but because of the previous night's gig, we failed to make it on time so my sister and I met up with the group for lunch on the way to EK.

The sun was pure torture when we got there so we didn't get to go on a lot of rides. Good thing there wasn't a lot of people, saving us from having to wait in line for the wussy rides that we went on. Haha.

It's 8th Grade All Over Again

2007-06-10T03:16:00.000+08:00

Two weeks ago I decided to sign up for a gym membership because I've noticed that I get tired too easily these days. Yes, I know it's probably because of the consecutive night-outs the past couple of weeks but it still doesn't hurt to get some physical activity going.

My first day was okay, not too stressful and I suffered minimal body pain. My trainer, Andy, had me on a program that will help me gain some mass and increase my strength. A couple of sessions in and I already felt comfortable with the routine. I thought "Pfft. This is easy!"

Today, though, was a different story. I came in a little later than my usual time and Andy was nowhere to be found. The trainer on duty, a Filipino version of Mr. Clean, took over my program. He said that if I were to do my usual routine, nothing's going to happen so he had me using all of these different machines that scared me just by looking at it. My weights were 120% heavier and my sets were doubled. I felt like I was training for the military or something. Halfway through, I was already praying for the earth to swallow me whole. My God! My legs are now jelly. The trainer reminds me of an old gym teacher named Mr. O'Connor. He scared the shit out of me in middle school (well, all gym teachers do) plus I hated his guts because I always got a B in his class.

Haha. Bitter Ocampo!

Tonight!!!

2007-06-08T08:32:00.000+08:00

Mozzie will be at RockEd's RockBayan concert to celebrate our upcoming Independence Day. UpDharmaDown, Radioactive Sago Project, Paramita, Kwjan, Pumping Pluto and many more will be there.

7:30pm at the Eastwood Main Plaza. See you there!

Me and My Friends... We're All Misunderstood.

2007-06-03T23:07:00.000+08:00

Movie night... without the movie...

Bullies!!!Let's do pouty.
Noisy girls.

Mozzie and Kaze at The Room Upstairs

All smiles...

Kaze!!!

Non-commital Mash...

The Producer.

The Lip-Syncher.

Pare!
Class Picture?

Konting smile pa... kulang eh...

You better recognize. *snap* *snap*

Obviously, they wanted us to go home.

Giff tries to prove he's not drunk.

Sunday afternoon

Mga walang magawa.
Nice view. Stinky water.

Moshi moshi.

Pretending to be tourists...

Ooh La La

2007-05-29T12:21:00.000+08:00

Last Saturday was another gig at Sharky's. Although we were riding on low energy levels, we still managed to have fun during the set. Pam came from her big Nokia Race and even though we knew she was tired as hell, she was still able to jump around while singing our songs. What had me laughing though was a comment by one of the hosts while we were setting up.

"Ay... Hindi sila friendly. Nagpapanggap na busy para hindi makausap."

I would have been insulted but what she said wasn't very far from the truth. Yeah, we're working on it. We've just gotten comfortable with jumping on stage, talking would be the next step.

***
A rainy Sunday, two lazy sisters, a digital camera and a colorsplash.

***
One of the four things I cannot leave home without is my Ipod. I've been everywhere with it --- long train rides... planes... bathrooms... malls... sometimes I even sleep with it. Now the time has come for me to name it.

Name My IPOD.
What should I name my Ipod?

Ms. Amanda Goldfish
Fanny
Holly Golightly
Mr. Clean
Muffinsh
other

view results

***

let me do a rosie

kinda.

shut up.

This Week on No Guarantee

2007-05-25T14:37:00.000+08:00

Chrissie celebrates her 31st birthday with family and friends which was sponsored by Max's and Filling Station. Surprisingly, the event was alcohol-free because apparently the birthday gurl just came out of rehab. Will her friends stick with her through this difficult time? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Erm... that Giffy sure likes playing with balls. LOL.

Fifi goes to Quiapo...

...to get her camera fixed and fell in love with a Nikon F2 film camera. Unfortch, she can't afford one right now so I guess the beat up Canon IXUS40 will have to do for the moment.

The gang met up last Tuesday for a night of fun at Glorietta...

...where they engaged in all sorts of physical activites. People have to exercise, ya know?

No Guarantee reader Puccinelli Ducci sent me these outtakes from a recent Adlib photoshoot...

erm.. They all look so.... happy....

And here are scans of the end product...

I wonder what's going on with Jill and Giff on that second pic? Oh, and Giles looks as sweet as ever! Muffins, anyone?

Les News:

The Nocturnal Angel does bullets.
The yummy Jason loses it.
Giff gets tagged.
It's her birthday and she can cry if she wants to.
Super Cow is back.
Mozzie swims at Sharky's

So last Tuesday, the gang watched Shrek 3. It was a fun movie and it definitely made us laugh (especially Pammy). We absolutely loved the part where the gingerbread man's life flashes before his eyes. That was hilarious! Another scene we found really funny was Snow White singing in order to distract the trees that were guarding the gates of the castle. Big props to whoever thought of those two scenes. That was definitely some good stuff.

Afterwards, we headed out for coffee where a promise of a wholesome night out turned out to be not so wholesome. LOL.

Yeah, I got too much time on my hands.

I'm out!!!

Quote of the Week

2007-05-18T00:24:00.000+08:00

While in the studio, the sound engineer noticed an abrupt change with the tempo of one of our songs.

Sound engineer (while doing a thrusting motion) : It's like sex, you know? You can't just put it in slowly then start going really, really fast.

Me: Umm... nice analogy.

What Day Is It?

2007-05-12T21:02:00.000+08:00

So while the rest of the gang is out having dinner somewhere, I'm stuck here at home waiting for my mother to call. Since this is probably the first night in the past couple of weeks that I have nothing to do, what better way to spend it than to update my neglected blog and watch DVDs.

Also, since our camera's flash has been broken for quite some time now, illustrations will have to suffice for the moment 'cos we all know blogs are more interesting with photos.

So here goes...

Two Fridays ago, I saw Spiderman with friends and after the movie went to Cocomo to meet up with the ladies for a few drinks.

Spiderman 3 = blah

Pam and Giff: Drunk on Margaritas

The following day was Tita Susan's birthday. They fed us some very good food and we tinkered with Giff's camera. We went to Kopi Rotti after.

Pool Party, Magic Ipod, and Kopi Rotti

Mozzie has been on a roll for the past days which explains the lack of updates. We had our very first recording session last Tuesday followed by a guesting on a morning show. It was a very surreal experience although it would've probably been more exciting if my brain wasn't half asleep through the whole thing.

Mozzie records. I fell asleep on the floor.

Mozzie on Breakfast at Studio 23. I fell asleep on stage.

Last night, Mozzie was back at the Swiss Deli Inn and Bistro. I had a wonderful, wonderful time. We played back to back with Kaze, my friend Mashion's band. They sounded way nice and I think everyone fell in love with the violinist. LOL. The fab folks of LomoManila showed up for support. Giff got drunk. Aissa got drunk and fell asleep. And we measured stuff.

Tagged

2007-05-10T20:02:00.000+08:00

Tagged by Jason:

1. Pick out a scar you have, and explain how you got it:

I have one below my right ankle which I got when I was about ten years old. I was asked to get a glass of water from the kitchen and it slipped out of my hand. The glass shattered on the floor and I got cut in the process. I was taken to the emergency room to get stitches.

2. What is on the walls in your room?

Two clocks, two framed photos, and a Nirvana box set.

3. What does your phone look like?

Slim and silver.

4. What music do you listen to?

Anything as long as I like the sound of it. Right now I'm listening to a lot of Goldfrapp and Regina Spektor. I also like Uh Huh Her's Say So.

5. What is your current desktop picture?

I don't have one. My desktop is plain black.

6. What do you want more than anything right now?

A Mozzie album. Or 28 million bucks. Whichever comes first.

7. Do you believe in gay marriage?

You should be able to marry whomever you want.

8. What time were you born?

12:50something in the morning.

9. Are your parents still together?

Yep.

10. What are you listening to?

Christmas Time is Here.

11. The last person to make you cry?

My dad when he left.

12. What is your favorite perfume/cologne?

I have to agree with J on this one. Light Blue by Dolce and Gabanna.

13. What kind of hair/eye color do you like on the opposite sex?

Hair? Brunettes. Eyes? Doesn't matter.

14. Do you like pain killers?

I'm high on Vicodin now.

15. Are you too shy to ask someone out?

I've never tried to so I guess yes.

16. Fave pizza topping?

It's a tie between mushrooms and black olives.

17. If you could eat anything right now, what would it be?

Pickles.

18. Who was the last person you made mad?

My sister. Yesterday we were recording and I was being a conrol freak.

19. Is anyone in love with you?

I don't think so.

I'm tagging Giff.

Ain't No Sunshine When You Piss Us Off

2007-04-29T18:22:00.000+08:00

No amount of energy drinks could've saved us from last night's gig. It was a terrible experience, one that I do not wish to relive ever again.

The show was suppose to start at 9pm, the organiser even reminded us to be early so we can start on time. It was almost nine when we arrived and we thought we were already running late but what do you know? We were the first ones there.

We thought that we would be given an early slot since there is an unspoken rule with productions that the bands who get to the venue first, play first. The organiser comes up to us and tells us that we would be playing seventh. I politely ask her if maybe we could play earlier. She explains to us that the line-up was already done, that the rock/metal bands would be playing first because it was only right that the louder music be heard earlier during the night rather than our type of music. That has got to be the stupidest logic EVER.

MENTAL NOTE: Do not listen to any girl who has Sponge-Bob tattooed on her back.

So we wait... and wait... and listen to some Hanson look-alike posers from Australia who plays metal music... then wait some more. When it was finally our turn, we were so turned off by the whole evening that we sped through the set -- no spiels, no drum solos, no smiles on our faces. We wanted to be over with it as quickly as possible.

The upside of the whole thing is that the bar owner appreciated our music and asked us if we were up for playing again the next time there's an event there.

We walked out of Vida De Malate cursing because of what happened. It could've been a great night. The place was nice and the food was great but the organisers went and screwed it up by being so, for a lack of a better word, disorganised.

After calming ourselves down, we walked around Malate and ended up at Tia Maria's where we tried our hardest to pretend that we weren't enjoying the cheesy show band that was performing on stage.

Changes

2007-04-28T12:19:00.000+08:00

My dad left for the States this week and I don't know when he's going to be back. I've been trying hard not to think about it so I've been keeping myself busy. Fortunately, it hasn't been too difficult to do so.

The year's not even halfway through and already there has been so many changes. I would love to be able to say that I'm comfortable with whatever new things are thrown my way but it's just not like that for me. I'm not a big fan of changes.

Maybe it's time to grow up.

Malaysia

2007-04-22T23:53:00.000+08:00

Before I rave about how much I love The Room Upstairs and Lomomanila, I have to get out this long overdue post about our trip to Kuala Lumpur more than a week ago.

I was ten years old when I first visited Malaysia but sadly I don't remember anything from that trip except for the fact that we stayed in a city with a funny name -- Kota Kinabalu.

So anyway this time we stayed at the country's capital, at an apartment hotel called Crown Regency located smack in the middle of the city. Our first day was spent roaming Suria KLCC which was a few blocks away from the hotel. We went around the mall, checked out the shops, ate chicken rice, did some grocery and found a really amazing bookstore called Kinokuniya where I bought a little book that promised to teach me how to play blues harmonica. We went back to the hotel for the afternoon to rest our tired feet when it started to rain so we were stuck indoors for a few hours. We occupied our time by taking a nap and having a pillow fight and jumping on the bed which I think you're never too old for.

First day breakfast at Coffee Bean

I agree with this sign.

Suria KLCC: Outside and in.

Me channeling Michael Flatley, Lord of the Dance:

Pillowfight Showdown: Fifi vs. Chrissie
Guess who won?

An evening stroll...

The following day was spent doing usual tourist stuff. We had Bahkuteh for breakfast at a local eatery then proceeded to climb all 272 steps of the Batu Caves and rode a cable car to Genting Highlands. We visited the outdoor theme park which was okay, I guess. It was good for taking photos though.

After the exhausting day, we did a little shopping at Sungei Wang. I bought myself a skirt and some really cool shoelaces.

Breakfast to last the whole day.

Before climbing the Batu Caves

272 steps? No sweat.

At the outdoor theme park:

Our tour continues on the third day where we visited a chocolate factory that sells really yummy chocolate almonds and chocolate-covered durian (eww...), the Supreme Court, the King's palace, and KL Tower. Then it was time for lunch at another local eatery where they served the best chicken rice I have tasted.

How many chickens does it take to make me happy?

Views from KL Tower:

Outside the Supreme Court:

Twin Towers, not twin sisters:

Our final day was alotted to do some final shopping so we got lost in Metrojaya and went back to Sungei Wang for the last time.

Our trip was cut short by a day and though it would've been fun to stay longer, I don't think my body could've handled it. I had a wonderful, wonderful time in Malaysia but at the same time I was soooo exhausted. I don't think I've ever been that tired during a trip before. So by Sunday evening we said our goodbyes to the land of chicken rice (seriously, I could eat that meal everyday and not get tired of it) and headed back home.

Not So Holy Week

2007-04-11T08:30:00.000+08:00

I realized staying at home isn't that much fun when you know you have no other option but to just to stay there. Unlike last year, we didn't have anything planned for Holy Week so I spent the first two days of this mini-break playing Fairy Godmother Tycoon and watching Pam and her mom collect her stuff from the house next door.

When Saturday came, we were all itching to get out of the house so my sister suggested we go to Tagaytay so by three in the afternoon, we were on our way to pick up Pam and Jason. After a quick snack at Jollibee and an endless game of name that tune, we arrived at Leslie's. I've only eaten there once and the first time I did, I enjoyed their food immensely but this time around I was so disappointed to the point where I lost my appetite altogether.

Before dinner.

After dinner.

We walked next door to have dessert at the Mile-Hi Diner but ended up eating buffalo wings instead. We found out that the place was a bed and breakfast and almost stayed there for the night but the rooms were all occupied.

Chicken! Chicken! Chicken!

Moi enjoying the chicken.

We said goodbye to Tagaytay and got to Manila earlier than our usual time. We went to the land of Cosmopolitans to welcome Easter Sunday.

I want one right now.

2007-04-03T17:57:00.000+08:00

Everytime I look out the window, I break a little.

The only signs of life left...

... are dying on me.

Run Lomo Run

2007-04-03T15:38:00.000+08:00

Mozzie's gig at the Lomo Revolution Party rocked. That was probably the best crowd we've ever played in front of. The people were crazy beautiful and down to earth and incredibly nice and not to mention, extremely talented.

We were suppose to play 5 songs -- 3 originals and 2 covers. We couldn't decide on which songs to cover because Powie and I were against playing any No Doubt songs while Pam and Ate thought it was a good idea. Thank God they didn't listen to us because as soon as Pam announced that the next song was going to be Sunday Morning, the crowd went nuts and started dancing like crazy. We ended up playing Spiderwebs and Just A Girl for an encore.

My favorite part of the set was probably when we played Bolgia Six and people started jumping around and singing along to the 'woh-oh' part. That was surreal. Jason said that he had tears in his eyes when he saw the crowd's reaction to our performance. Aww. I love Jason! And I love Lomomanila!

Pics borrowed from Pam:

Fifi and Mozzie's muse, Jason.

Run Mozzie Run

Best. Crowd. Ever.

Group shot.

Jill, Pam , Chrissie, Fifi, Jason, and Ram

***
Furby Blue Balls

There's something wrong with Furby's balls. For the past few days, he has been restless, running around the house and trying to rub his privates on the floor. I want to feel sorry for him but it's just so incredibly funny that I can't hold back my laughter everytime I see him.

This became the topic of conversation last night during dinner at Cascada. It went from Furby's balls to neutered dogs to a guy who was caught by his wife screwing a chicken. It had us cracking up so bad that J had to get up from his seat and walk away to control his laughter.

We're sick, sick people.

***
Fifi Farrow

I'm finally starting to like my hair. Thanks to Jason for the hair advice. It's so much easier to maintain, it dries up instantly after washing and I'm saving thousands of pesos on shampoo and conditioner. Haha. My sister told me that I look more like Bryanboy though than Mia Farrow. Hmm. I kinda see the resemblance. LOL.

*pic taken from www.bryanboy.com

The Room Upstairs and Sharky's; Fighter Planes and Gigolos

2007-03-25T13:19:00.000+08:00

Wow. The Room Upstairs... to say that I had a fantastic time would be a total understatement. Everything about that night was beautiful – our friends, the music, the venue, the food…

We played a one hour acoustic set which turned out quite nicely. Powie pulled it off with his kajon and of course, nothing can beat Pam’s amazing voice. This time she was able to connect really well with the audience and I’m so proud of her for that. It felt like we were in our living room, just jamming in front of our friends.

We stayed for a little while after that, ate a little and drank some wine. The food’s really great, I can’t stop gushing about it. You have got to try their Smoked Milkfish Sandwich. It’s so yummy.

So after saying goodbye and thanking the wonderful people of the Room Upstairs, we headed to that place with the great cosmos and chicharon where conversation revolved around Giff’s six-month hiatus from the group and stuff that would make my sister turn beet red.

***
Last night was the Sharky’s gig. Again, I had a lot of fun because the place was so relaxed. In fact, it was so laid-back that I showed up looking like I was headed to the beach. It had been a crazy night. Pam and I spent the night stealing glances at one very hot soldier who promised to take us for a ride in his fighter plane.

I helped my sister get her stuff from the car several minutes before we were set to play and while we were outside, this guy comes up and starts to talk to me. I couldn’t, for the life of me, remember who he was. I even had to check if maybe he was talking to someone behind me.

“Felice!” he said. “Kamusta na?”

“Oi!” I glanced nervously at my sister who was still busy getting her stuff. “Okay naman.”

The guy probably noticed the confused look on my face so he refreshed my memory by telling me his name (which, again, I forgot) and that he was a friend of the guy who organizes the Kolumn Bar gigs.

“Nandito si Ralph* ha.” he said after we ran out of small talk.

Uh-oh.

“Ah talaga?”

Ralph* is a guy who was introduced to me late last year and after exchanging several text messages, we lost touch mainly because of me. Hehe. He just wouldn’t stop asking questions whenever I failed to reply to his messages and it kind of annoyed me.

To my horror, Ralph* suddenly appears by his side and we share a very awkward smile then I proceeded to tell him that we were about to perform so I quickly make my escape and went back inside.

While setting up, the hosts decided to ask us a few questions at which point I realized that we sounded like absolute snobs. We’re not snobs. Really. We’re just extremely shy people. When asked how we would describe our music, Pam answered that we classify it as SchizoPop because we don’t know what genre we fall into.

“Very foreign.” the host commented.

Very foreign? Very fitting, I think. We sing about marriage and hell and plastic surgery and former child stars and quarter-life crises… tell me that ain’t schizo enough for you?

The set was fun and quick and on our way back to our table, a guy named Jason introduces himself as the guy who sent us a Friendster message. Turns out a friend of Pam’s is his colleague so they talk for a while.

Back at our table, Mr. Hot Soldier compliments us and declares that he’s a “certified groupie” and that he’ll come back for our next gig. He then flashes a killer smile that made our knees weak. Pam and I were giggling like high school girls after.

Giff caught up with us after coming from a date. He decided that he wanted to corrupt my sister and took us to a gay bar. Yes, a gay bar.

OH. MY. GOD. That has to be one of the funniest experiences of my life.

First of all, the way those guys dance… frickin’ hilarious!!! Everything was so unbelievably tacky and just plain ugh… Thankfully, we didn’t see much; just a lot of butt cheeks and knee high boots and short shorts and half-naked men with powdered faces. It got boring after a while though so we just stopped paying attention and just talked amongst ourselves and played games on our mobile phones. Nothing scandalous enough to make me want to rinse my eyes off with alcohol. Well hey, at least now I can say that I’ve been inside a gay bar.

*not his real name

Shameless Plugging

2007-03-20T02:35:00.000+08:00

It's a Mozzie Affair

2007-03-12T09:50:00.000+08:00

Spent Saturday night with Mozzie and a lot of friends. It was a great, great evening jumping from one venue to another.

First stop was at Mister Kabab for a quick dinner to celebrate Cam's 23rd birthday. I haven't been there in a while so it was a shock to me that people were lined up outside to get seated. The food was still great and unbelievably cheap.

Went to Sharky's afterwards for our gig. Since we didn't really take the time to announce our gig and invite people unlike the previous Kublais gig, I was surprised at how many of our friends showed up. It's a wonderful feeling to see all of them show their support and I will be forever grateful for that. My friend, Mashion, asked me right before we were set to go if I was nervous and surprisingly I was not feeling nervous at all. Usually I stop talking a few minutes before performing to calm myself but this time I felt really comfortable. Sigh. My heart is overflowing with love for Mozzie.

Drinks followed at Nine Ball, a billiard place along Tomas Morato where I had my usual strawberry vodka. We stayed there for a while then proceeded to Music 21 for karaoke with Pam, Tasha, my sister, Patty, Mark, Harold, Camille, and Mashion.

The gang at Sharky's.

Mozzie, mozzie, pocket full of mozzies.

A toast for the birthday girl.

Weekend Update

2007-03-05T19:24:00.000+08:00

Saturday night was fantastic. Mozzie performed a thirty minute set at Kublais and I was so overwhelmed by the support of our friends, I was grinning like a fool all night. I told Pam I wanted to write a song about it. Heehee.

So anyways, here are the videos.

Face for Sale

Bolgia Six

Wake-up Call

So Bad

Wake Up (Alanis Morissette Cover)

Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now

2007-02-24T20:03:00.000+08:00

MOZZIE at Kublais Bar

Katipunan Ave., Quezon City

March 3rd 2007

Saturday

9:30pm

***

For the past week, Mozzie has been having daily recording sessions and I'm over the moon happy with the outcome and feedbacks we have been getting. Most of the recordings are not as polished as we want it to be but you can only do so much when you don't have the right recording equipment. I cannot count how many YM conversations I've had with Pam gushing about what we've accomplished because we both know how hard we have been working to finish each and every song.

You can download Starfucker here.

And Bolgia Six here.

I love Mozzie.

***

Last night was spent at a place called The Room Upstairs with the band and Jason. We submitted a demo copy of our songs to the owners. The place was beautiful. It was so intimate and relaxed and I do hope that they invite us to play there some time soon. We listened to Drip's performance while drinking coffee. I'm not a very big fan of electronica but I did enjoy their set and their singer had an amazing voice (still nothing compared to Pam's though. lol.).

Afterwards, we headed to that bar beside Grilla (nobody can seem to remember the name) for a few drinks. Sadly though, I had to settle for a glass of iced tea 'cos I downed a bunch of painkillers earlier that night as I was suffering a terrible, terrible headache.

Powie drove us back to our house after dropping Pam off at her office so we can record some more songs. We were in the middle of So Bad when my dad ordered us to stop because we were making too much noise (it was past 3 am) so Pow and I continued the session this afternoon. I will be working on the new songs for the next few days and will have them up by next week. Yay!!!

Call Me Fifi O

2007-02-20T23:39:00.000+08:00

Today's Inspiration:

I love Karen O. I wish I was as cool as her.

Channeling Our Inner Regina Spektor

2007-02-18T10:42:00.000+08:00

Tan Tan Tanan

(click on the title to download)

Two days ago, Pam and I stayed up until 5:30am to try and record a song. We wrote this last Saturday and if you're wondering why we named the song Tan Tan Tanan, you just have to listen until the end and figure it out.

My thoughts on the lyrics: It's not really an anti-marriage song or a song about not wanting to have kids. I mean, never say never, right? It's just that there's this notion that majority of little girls have always dreamt about being a bride and getting married and I've never been one of those girls which prompted me to ask if there's anything wrong with me.

We also know several people our age who are just dying to settle down and that's all they seem to want to talk about. It's like they feel worthless because they don't have a "Mrs." preceeding their names. What's that all about? I guess what I'm saying is it's totally fine if that's what will make you happy but there are also other things I would rather talk about like... uhm... cheese.

Disclaimer: If you listen carefully, you might notice the drums kinda suck. This was me spending three hours yesterday trying my best to be Tommy Lee and I know I failed miserably. Also the drumset that we have is literally falling apart so I had to utilize it to the best of my ability. I will ask Pow to record the drum parts soon so hopefully I will have a better version up in the following weeks.

February 4th 2007: Mozzie at Kolumn Bar

2007-02-06T12:24:00.000+08:00

Face For Sale

Bolgia Six

You Oughta Know (Cover)

Bolgia Six

For Jason

2007-02-05T03:27:00.000+08:00

Oh How I Missed This...

2007-02-02T16:35:00.000+08:00

Mozzie @ Kolumn Bar

Timog Avenue, Quezon City

February 4th, 2006

Sunday

9:00pm

FREE ENTRANCE.

The Full Moon Went Crazy

2007-02-01T12:34:00.000+08:00

Saw Babel yesterday and wow, was that a heavy movie. The stories were really heartbreaking and I had to keep telling myself that it was only a movie to stop myself from crying. Suddenly my own problems didn't seem so relevant anymore.

At the end of the movie, the Japanese girl handed the policeman a note and they didn't really expand on what it said. We originally thought it was a suicide note but was not certain so I searched for it online. This is what came up:

From Yahoo! Answers

In the film Babel there was a letter in japanese. Does anyone know what it said?

This has been discussed a lot on the web, with people even posting screen caps. But those who can translate say only a few random words are legible - not enough to understand it.

Favorite theories are that

a) It was a suicide note

b) It explained the truth about her mothers death

c) it was just a cathartic outpouring of her emotions

d) it was a thank you to the policeman for being sympathetic.

The film intentionally doesn't make it clear, but the note does apparently mention the mother, making a, b or c more likely.

***

Yesterday was a crazy, crazy day. Aside from the fact that everyone seemed like they were high on something, I was in for a big surprise when a supposed client meeting turned out to be a set-up by one of my college friends. See, here's the thing... I never told any of them that I was back in Manila which I know is totally wrong. I don't know why I didn't tell them. Blame it on the introvert/antisocial in me. Now they're asking for answers and I don't have any. Sigh.. What to do? What to do?

Reunited

2007-01-28T13:27:00.000+08:00

Friday night while having dinner at Penang Hill with my friends, a woman stopped by our table.

"Dito pala hang-out ng mga Theresians!" she proclaimed.

Turns out she was Mrs. Valdivia, a home ec teacher from STC. Then another woman came up to us who I recognized as another teacher from STC. Mrs. Dacutan taught Filipino but we weren't her students and so I was surprised when she pointed out that she still remembered me. Maybe she got me mixed up with my sister?

So after dinner we headed to Carla's house for a few drinks and ended staying up until four in the morning, talking mostly about Rina's boyfriend troubles.

Fun times.

The requisite group photo.

Early morning stop at Burger Machine.

Another group photo at Burger Machine. Rina was too afraid to cross the street.

Rants

2007-01-25T10:04:00.000+08:00

Yesterday afternoon, I was set to go to the domestic airport to pick up a refund from Seair. After waiting for almost an hour for a cab nearby our house, Kat and I finally managed to get in one. As soon as we got settled in the vehicle and told the driver our destination, he told us that his cab was a hotel service taxi and that he would be charging us P1.00 per meter. Kat and I looked at each other, not really sure if we should accept his offer. We reluctantly agreed since we didn't want to go back under the heat of the sun, waiting another hour for a cab.

Not halfway to the airport, the driver announces that we've already travelled 381 meters. I was surprised because we weren't even along Roxas blvd. and already the cab ride costs P381.00?? I asked him how he knew the distance we travelled and he answered that the speedometer in front of him told him so. Of course, I had no idea if he was lying because we didn't check the speedometer when we got in the cab. We told him that we were just going to stop at the next corner and transfer to another cab. So he turned and let us out somewhere along Luneta, I think (sorry I'm really terrible with directions), and I asked him how much the fare is and casually he says "P499.00".

P499.00??!!! Are you fucking kidding me? I've never paid that much for a cab ride before! That's almost a round trip bus ride to Baguio!

I was fuming under my breath as I took out a five hundred peso bill out of my wallet. I knew I couldn't complain since we were stupid enough to agree to his terms, but my God! P499.00 for a cab ride? It occured to me that it might be a scam but then Kat pointed out that he did have a hotel ID hanging on the rearview mirror and there were a couple of stickers on his dashboard that says HOTEL SERVICE... but still... P499.00 for a cab ride???!!!!

***

After our stop at the domestic airport, we went to Glorietta. I still have the Zara card that my cousins gave me for Christmas and decided that I was going to buy me some pants. I looked around but didn't see anything I liked then I found this glorious black silk top displayed at the new arrivals rack. I tried it on and what do you know? It was too big for me. Disappointed, I walked back to the wide selection of clothes and found a pair of jeans that I hadn't noticed earlier. One look and I knew that it was my size. I checked the tag and it said size 0. Perfect.

I brought it with me to the fitting room and slid my legs into the tight fitting pants. It fit me everywhere perfectly (except of course for the length) until I got to zip it up. I couldn't get it to go halfway. I was a bit surprised and worried. Are my hips really that wide? My gulay! Ang pangit! Size zero pants pero size four pagdating sa hips? Eww.

I walked out of the store with nothing and that had me a bit down. We checked two other shops-- Mango and Topshop but again couldn't find anything in my size. Those items that do fit me are usually the stuff that I don't like. I really wish that they'd carry articles of clothing for tiny people like me. Believe me, I've tried everything to gain some meat in my bones but nothing ever works. Maybe I should just start learning how to use a sewing machine...

Never Gonna Survive Unless...

2007-01-23T17:28:00.000+08:00

Last Saturday night I was bored out of my mind so I decided to go with Kat to STC to watch Up Dharma Down and other bands for a fundraising concert. On the way to the school, I had the sudden urge to get some alcohol. Back in high school, I was a relatively good kid. I hung out with the smart people and got good grades and there are times when I wish that I could go back and do crazy stuff and get suspended. Probably the craziest thing I ever did back in high school was talk back to a teacher and smoke inside the classroom after school which I never got in trouble for because we didn't get caught. So Saturday night I had the brilliant idea of bringing a small bottle of vodka just for the hell of it. I knew it was a stupid idea because if we did get caught, the worst thing they can do is kick us outof the premises. Whoopee.

The bands were great. Radioactive Sago Project was there, Ang Bandang Shirley (whom we played with at Fete Dela Musique 2005 and at the Suit Me Exhibit), Paramita, and a very entertaining band called Giniling Festival.

When Radioactive came on stage, Lourd De Vera's first words were "'eto sigurado wala nito dito" and the band proceeded to play Alkohol at which point I started screaming with my spiked drink in hand.

The most memorable part of the evening was probably Giniling Festival's performance. They were crazy, talented, and really funny. They sang this song about Angelina Jolie that had me cracking up. The lyrics went something like:

Payag ka girlfriend mo si Angelina Jolie
Pero ulo mo monggo?

Payag ka girlfriend mo si Angelina Jolie
Pero tae mo bato?

Payag ka girlfriend mo si Angelina Jolie
Pero balat mo maong?

Payag ka girlfriend mo si Angelina Jolie
pero anak niyo baboy damo? (at ikaw ang manganganak)

I swear to God that had me in stitches.

What Happened to Holiday Mode?

2006-12-20T10:59:00.000+08:00

Maybe I shouldn't have been so relaxed two weeks ago when I said that I was in holiday mode because right after my previous post, I have been soooo busy that I can almost cry. And from the looks of it, it's going to be hectic until well after the new year.

First off, after much delay, the the insurance office that I've been working on is finally up and ready for business although there's still a considerable amount of work to be done. For the past couple of weeks, I have been dealing with arrogant engineers, contractors who backed out at the last minute and electricians who were so full of themselves that they thought I was hitting on them when I asked for their contact numbers. As if!

We also participated in Miriam College's not so successful Yuletide Bazaar, selling cookies and oatmeal bars. Not so successful because we only made enough money to cover for the space rent. We've been getting a lot of orders though from friends and relatives so it more than makes up for the money we lost at the bazaar. I think in a span of two weeks, we've already sold around a hundred dozen cookies.

Za, Fifi, Kat @ Miriam College

Grabe packaging!

Yummy! Fresh off the oven!

There was also that weekend when the Ponkans played at Motorsport Alley's Rockin V and On-Air studio's first year annniversary where I won a free night's stay at Victoria Court. heehee.

On top of everything, I still have to get started on designing Patty's computer shop which is long overdue. I hope she doesn't fire me.

And I haven't even started on my Christmas shopping yet. Not one single gift bought.

And I still have nothing to wear for Christmas. And my birthday. And New Year.

And on Saturday we have our annual Christmas dinner with my high school barkada.

And on the same night, I have to play hostess to my dad's colleagues because they're having a big party at our house.

Oh, and on Friday Tita Me' and Daniel's arriving from Chicago.

Oh shit, and I have an office blessing to attend on Friday too.

And for today's agenda, I have to stop at the bank, bake 96 more dozens of cookies then hopefully still have enough time to do some shopping.

Now I need to take a bath. I'm out!

Holiday Mode

2006-12-04T14:32:00.000+08:00

The switch has been turned on. I am officially on holiday mode.

Saturday marked the beginning of my holiday cheer when the gang met up at Glorietta to exchange wish lists for our Chrissie Kringle.

Drawing names for our Chrissie Kringle...

Kat and Chrissie at DQ...

Chrissie and Fifi still at DQ...

Adlib of Wind outtakes:

The result: LOL!!!

Time for coffee: Giles and Chrissie

Write down what you want...

Completing the list...

Who got who?

***
Sunday we had a catered lunch at Lola Charit's because Tita Becky (Tina's mom) just arrived from L.A. a few days ago. It was a brief but lovely afternoon. We rediscovered the beauty of hanging out at the terrace so we made plans to have a barbecue there this coming Saturday. Can't wait!

Sun's up...

A few hours later, I found myself in a road trip to Cardona, Rizal with Ate, Arvin, Pam and Powie and the members of their church. I don't know how my sister managed to convince me to go with them to watch a church concert... Oh wait! She put on that if-you-don't-come-i'm-not-gonna-speak-to-you-for-the-next-two-days face...

I had a good time, though. I enjoyed the music, the band was great and of course the best part of it all is I got to see Pammy perform some choreographed dance moves! hehe... love you, Pam!

Women of the night: Tita Susan, Pammy, Lola Lyd, and Tita Arlene

At around 10:30pm we got back to San Juan and headed to Greenhills for some late dinner. since most of the restos were already closed, we ended up in Little Asia.

Arvin and Pammy

Yang Chao fried rice and Little Asia's special roasted chicken

Fried Squid with Garlic

This was so good, I felt nauseous after the first bite. Prawns in a blanket!

Fifi and Chrissie

So yeah... I had a good weekend.

The Tale of the Hemin Bread and Fifi's Little Stunt as a Hair Stylist

2006-11-27T11:17:00.000+08:00

Yesterday afternoon, I met up with a mom who ordered several of my decoupage boxes. When we arrived at Glorietta at around half past four, I found her already waiting at the lobby with her kids. I gave her the boxes, she paid me, then handed me a paper bag which contained the sample I lent her about 3 weeks ago.

As she handed me the bag, she told me that she inserted something else in there.

"Meron akong nilagay dito. Yung kay Padre Pio. Yung... ano... sa blessings."

Having no clue as to what she was talking about and who Padre Pio was, I just said okay. I figured it's probably an ornament or a prayer book or something to that effect.

I opened the bag as we sat down for merienda at Almon Marina and found a blob of dough in it accompanied by a piece of paper.

"Ay. Parang chain letter yan..."my sister told me.

I am not a big fan of chain letters. I usually tear them apart and throw it away the moment I receive them, but since this one involved a chunk of dough, I had second thoughts about just tossing it to the garbage.

The letter explained that the bread is called Hemin. It's the bread of Padre Pio and comes from the Vatican and brings blessings to every family who eats it. On the 10th day, you're suppose to pass it on to other people and written in bold, it says that one cannot refuse the bread once it has been given to you.

The whole page is filled with day by day instructions as to what I'm suppose to do with it (i.e. on the third and fourth day, mix the dough with a wooden spoon... add milk, flour, and sugar on the tenth day).

I showed Pam and Arvin the bread when they came over last night and they too were skeptical about it so we did a little research and found no definite answer to whether it was just some kind of joke or something. Some people say that it's just a tradition. Others argue that there's nothing to lose by doing what the instructions say. One worried about passing on the dough for health and sanitary reasons.

So I don't know... Maybe I should just throw it out? I already skipped the instructions for the first day anyway... This is crazy! This is like the hybrid version of the chain letter and that woman chose to give it to me of all people! She probably knew that I wouldn't refuse it since she bought those boxes from me. Gaah!!! I think I'm just gonna leave it in the fridge for a while and hope that my grandma finds it.

***

So as I mentioned, Pammy and Arvin came over last night to borrow some movies. We stayed in my room and looked at old photographs and ate some crostini and chocolates and talked about our Christmas lists and brainstormed for business ideas. Somewhere in between there, Pammy convinced me to cut her hair.

Umm... yeah... bad idea. I'm sure she was probably cursing me as soon as she left the house.

I'm so, so, so sorry Pammy... and Arvin... and Pam's mom... and Powie... and Jason... and all the people she works with... and the rest of her family... and all her other friends... and the whole world. I am soooooooo sorry for ruining Pam's hair. Please, please, please don't shoot me. If it's any consolation, I am grabbing a pair of scissors right now and cutting my own hair with my eyes closed.

Soooooo sorry.