Road Rage

I am still hyperventilating as I'm writing this.

I was on my way home tonight around 11:30 pm from a dinner out with friends. Less than a kilometer away from my house, I was at an intersection (tayuman and abad santos), waiting for the light to turn green. When it turned green, I went my way when from my left there was this black honda civic making an illegal left turn from abad santos. He was trying to beat me to the turn. I honked my horn loudly and he missed hitting my car by several inches. I rolled down my window and glared at the driver. I didnt scream at him/her. I couldnt even see inside of the car as it was heavily tinted. From then, the driver tailed me and kept flashing his lights, then he swerved and was beside me, inches away from me. When I stopped, he stopped. I kept going but I was already fuming. Then, he again swerved infront of me and drove very, very slowly for the next hundred meters or so, suddenly breaking several times. He was really goading me. By then I was boiling mad and I was ready to go down. When I opened my door, he again moved his car very slowly and then at the next intersection, stopped and flashed me a dirty finger. I did not move. I also gave him the finger and again he flashed me a dirty finger. He stopped his car, lit a cigarette and dangled his arm out of the window. He made it clear that he wasn't going anywhere. By that time, I couldn't think straight anymore and I went down and walked over to his car. I asked him "ano ba ang problema mo!" And there was this chinese /taiwanese immigrant guy with bad teeth, who couldn't even speak straight tagalog, who asked me "sino ka? mayaman ka ba?" I swear, all the blood rushed to my head! I berated him and called him gago and sira ulo. I dont even know if he understood half of what I was saying to him but I continued ranting . He was trying to answer back but I couldn't understand what he was trying to say. I also didn't know if he was drunk or what. After I have told him off, I went back to my car and drove off. I was watching if he was going to follow me. I was only about 50 meters away from my street, but I turned at the next street to be sure. I looked back and there he was, he stopped at the corner, but thank God he didnt follow me. I'm still shaken as of this minute.

Upon reaching home, I suddenly realized the foolishness of my actions. I was alone and although tayuman was not deserted at that time, i doubt if anybody would have helped me if the guy attacked me or whatever. I know I need to control my temper especially when I'm driving. I may be lucky this time because the guy did not make patol. Maybe he was surprised that I was not scared considering that I was alone. I practice defensive driving, trying to be as safe as I can be. Seldom speeds, stops at every red light and then some asshole tries to bully me on the road. From now on, I'll really, really try to be calm and level-headed when on the road. But considering the driving conditions in Metro Manila plus those idiotic, stupid drivers who think they own every single space their cars tires roll on, so help me God.

Close Encounter

So, I was at Yellow Cab Tomas Morato one afternoon waiting for my takeout pizza when I suddenly felt I had to go to the bathroom. This particular Yellow Cab branch has a what we call "coed" toilet. I opened the door and when I had one leg inside, there was a guy in there. What the..... this guy doesn't know how to lock his doors huh? I quickly withdrew my foot and then the guy turned, apologized and locked the door. But wait...this guy looked familiar...could it be hmmm....

I waited outside for a few minutes and when he came out, the guy smiled at me and said sorry again. And indeed it was.............

Sam Milby!



This guy is hella cute! Now I can honestly say I was in a bathroom with Sam Milby....well, at least one leg was...hehehe..too bad I didn't see anything incriminating....promise! ;-)

It's not Friday but..

From Monica's TGIF

Clothes That Make The (Wo)Man (mar 30, 2007)

1.What is the most useful article of clothing that you own?
I would have to say my jeans. I can wear them anywhere, anytime.

2.What is the most useless article of clothing that you own?
Some of my sexy backless tops. A few of them have yet to see the light of day.....err night.

3.What is your favorite clothing accesory?
My white Mango belt with cute multi-color prints.

4.What color dominates your wardrobe?
White and black. although i noticed I'm being very fond of red lately

5.How many pairs of jeans do you own?
I stopped counting at 30



Counting Sheep (Mar 30, 2007)

1.What do you wear to bed during cold nights?
Sweat pants, a tiny tee and socks

2.What do you wear to bed during warm nights?
tank top and short shorts

3.What is your bedtime routine?
Take a bath, brush my teeth, comb my hair, apply pimple meds and olay total effects

4.How many hours of zzz do you usually get in a night? Is that enough?
On a good night, 8 hours. That's more than enough.

5.Do you remember your dreams when you awake?
Oh yes. I even remember my feelings during the dream. And if I dream of some guy in my sleep, when I wake up, I have a crush on that guy na. hehehe!

Jo

After four years, we see each other again. She has been my closest friend, more like a sister to me. We shared so many laughs, tears, secrets and heartaches together, she practically knew me inside out. That was why when she left four years ago, I felt like I lost a part of me. And when she lost touch immediately after that, I felt so hurt and betrayed. Like a lover spurned.

Fast forward to four years later, I was so surprised when one day she called me up on my cellphone to tell me she'll be here for two weeks. Frankly, at first I wasn't too thrilled at the thought...more like yeah, whatever. She asked if we could meet but i was so busy then with my exams and my capping that I told her I can't meet her till the following week. But when we finally met up, it was like everything was okay. Like nothing happened. We didn't talk about why she lost touch but somehow she sort of explained why. And though for me it was still not enough reason to lose touch, I just let it go. She's married now, and with a one year old baby boy, her 2nd one. She lost her first born 8 hours after delivery due to congenital diaphragmatic hernia. She's a supervisor in a real estate company, has her own house now, basically doing good although tired being a mom and wife too.

We met up several times after that, mostly to go shopping and visit our old hang-outs. It was just like old times. She's thrilled at the thought that someday I'll be going over to the states too. She wants me to be there when she finally gets married in church.

I felt so light after that, like a load has been lifted off me. It's never easy letting go of a friendship and I'm just so glad this one didn't end.

A New Version Of Me

Can you become
Can you become
A new version of you

New wall paper
New shoe leather
A new way home
I don't remember

New version of you
I need a new version of me

I still have to get used to the uniform, the hair in a bun and some other stuff, now I also have to get used to the cap, the white stockings, the scrub suit and the apron. Not that I'm complaining. Before,I balked at the thought of wearing those things. Now, I find it rather....fun. Well, stranger things have happened. And this is a totally new version of me

Last Friday, we had our capping and pinning ceremonies at Manila Hotel. Although it was a long and tedious program (we were all starving by the time it was over) all of us were so excited to receive our caps and pins. That means we are almost there to being a nurse. It was such a sight to see all these people, not exactly school kids age, taking picture pictures of themselves from every angle just to see how the caps look on them. Heee....

After dinner, we had a party, and that's when our true ages came out. Nobody looked like a student anymore!

V is for valentine

Ive never really celebrated valentine's day. Never had a date on the exact day. I find it too corny, too chaotic and too much of a hassle to go out on the exact date, which was a good thing for whoever was my S.O. that time. It also doesnt help that for the past 5 years, it's also my father's death anniversary.

Well, this year, still no date, no celebration, but more significantly, no S.O. I don't really feel that lonely and alone though. Ive got my friends, my family and whoever loves me. Im still hopeful that someday, I may look at valentine's day differently. So, for what it's worth, happy valentine's day to you all.

soundtrack quiz

taken form ate V again..

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?

So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie!!

opening credits: delicate (terence trent d'arby)

waking up: i love you (saigon kick)

first day at school: next to you (kenny rankin)

falling in love: a song for you (elliot yamin)

fight song: secret garden (bruce springsteen)

breaking up: rise to the occasion (climie fisher)

prom: kissing a fool (george michael)

life: northern sky (nick drake)

mental breakdown: so very hard to go (tower of power)

driving: human nature (michael jackson)

flashback: you're still a young man (tower of power)

wedding: I just wanna stop (gino vanelli)

birth of a child: you made me so very happy (blood sweat and tears)

final battle: sign your name (terence trent d'arby)

funeral song: I'll be (edwin mccain)

end credit: deep (binocular)

there ya go...do they make any sense at all? hee..

Year End Survey

Taken form Ate V

1.What did you do in 2006 that you've never done before?
--There are so many things but the most memorable would be assisting in the delivery of a baby. It was amazing!

2.Did you keep your new year's resolutions and will you make more for next year?
--I don't make new year's resolutions. What's the point? I know I'll just break them..hehe..but this year I vow to cut down on my shopping.

3.Did anyone close to you give birth?
--no, but I was THIS close to someone who gave birth. see question #1.

4.Did anyone close to you die?
--No.

5.What country/countried did u visit?
--Hong Kong, yet again

6.What would you like to havein 2007 that you lacked in 2006
--Faith and will power. and money!

7.What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory and why?
--march, though i can't remember the exact day. it was when the house behind ours burned down and i thought ours was going to be next.

8.What was your biggest achievement of the year?
--I can't think of any

9.What was your biggest failure?
--I think my exams. I don't think I did well on any of them, though I don't think they were that bad though.

10.Did you suffer illness or injury?
--I had a bout with food poisoning and amoebiasis that left me feeling so weak.

11.What was the best thing you bought?
--Clothes and bags that I scored on sales!

12.Whose behavior merited celebration?
--hmmm.. no one comes to mind..

13.Whose behavior made you appaled and depressed?
--Me. For losing my cool countless of times.

14.Where did most of your money go?
--Bills!!!

15.What did you get really really really excited about?
--Going back to school

16.What song will always remind you of 2006?
--My humps by BEP... hehe...don't know why

17.Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
--uhmm..sadder

18.What did you wish you'd done more of?
--prayed and kept my faith

19.What did you wish you'd done less of?
--worry, and shop

20.How did you spend Christmas?
--Christmas eve, with my family as usual. Christmas day, slept half the day and then went to SO's house

21.Did you fall in love in 2006?
--well..no...not really..

22.How many one-night stands?
--none. Im not into that.

23.What was you favorite TV program?
--LOST

24.Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate last year?
--some of my classmates. Enough said. and a certain cousin.

25.What was the best book you read?
--I didnt get to finish many books in 2006 but I loved Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell

26.What was your greatest musical discovery?
--I just recently discovered the wonders of limewire!

27.What did you want and get?
--Vacations

28.What did you want and not get?
--a new relationship!..mwahaha!

29.What was your favorite film of 2006?
--Ang pagdadalaga ni maximo oliveros

30.What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
--Had a practical exam in school then spent the day with SO..i was 30 freakin 8

31.What one thing would have made your year immesurably more satisfying?
--Pay up all my credit card balances

32.How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
--subtle but sexy...mwahaha! can you say kapal?!

33.What kept you sane?
--my responsibilities

34.What celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
--John Lloyd Cruz...hahaha!

35.What political issue stirred you the most?
--GMA and her greedy and arrogant husband. Grrr.

36.Who did you miss?
--my parents. everyday.

37.Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006
--live simply, and be thankful for all the blessings that come your way

38.what was the best thing to happen to the web this year?
--i dont know..im not too aware about such things

39.who did you steal this from?
--Ate V

40.Quote a song lyrics that sums up your year
--i'm too lazy to think of any...sorry..

Ramblings

My mind has been so kalat these days. i've been having quite a bit of financial problem lately which i think are brought about by the typhoon milenyo and the 6 day-brownout that ensued. Its been difficult and what keeps me going is the thought that I went through so much worse before and God didn't forsake me. But still, I keep wondering when will I ever be able to breathe a sigh of relief and not worry so much about everything or anything. But being the regular worry wart that I am, I dont see that day coming, well not in the near future.

I just started going on duty on different hospitals around metro manila. I feel so incompetent sometimes I wonder if I ever will be good at being a nurse. I know I'm a competent optometrist (ahem...heee) but will I be a good nurse in the future? Is the decision to go into nursing at this point in my life a wise choice? What if i graduate and then not make it through the NCLEX? What if it was just a waste of 2 years and my bro-in-law's money? what if, what if? See...I told ya...Im a worry wart.

I feel like I just cant talk to anyone or even blog about anything because I dont want to expose too much of what I'm feeling to everyone. I dont want to hear about i-told-you-sos even if i know they are all well-meant. It just adds to the current confusion I'm going through.

Lately, my SO's constant calls and text msgs has been bugging me a lot. I feel that it isnt necessary for him to ask me how I'm doing, what I'm doing, where I am, etc, etc all the time. I especially hate it when he calls with nothing really important to tell me. He tells me where he's going, what he will be doing for the next hour or so without me asking about them. I've taken to turning my cellphone off when I'm out just so he won't be able to reach me. I feel like I always have to have an explanation why I'm here or there, why I'm not home yet, why I'm with this or that person, even of he isn't asking for one. Nakakasawa na. I'm bad, I know. But I can't just tell him to stop. I know he thinks its sweet, but I just feel so constricted.

All these things depress the heck out of me and I dont know how to cure it. Shopping just doesnt cut it anymore. I havent shopped for 2 months! I think Im cured of shopping addiction. If only for that, a mini-wave for me! whoo!

Tickle Me Elmo X TMX Elmo

Soooooooo cute! I want one!!!

Mid (aged) Schoolers

know what i love about being in school again? It makes me feel young. The studying and cramming for exams, the worrying about your grades, the fear of getting reprimanded by the teachers about some little misdemeanor or when you and your clasmates get a little noisy..Things i used to hate back in the days, I find myself enjoying now. Weird, huh?

What I also like about my class is the diversity of the people in it. Im lucky I found a great group of people I enjoy hanging out with, in and out of class. We enjoy a lot of laughs (courtesy of some other peeps in my class...think MEAN GIRLS haha!..no, we're not that cruel..) and a lot of good food. My group sure enjoys eating, we've sampled quite a number of restaurants along Visayas Avenue already. When we're in class, i sometimes forget we're a group of professionals already, for we sure act like we're in high school again. Middle-aged high schoolers! haha!

haay..the 80's..

Your 80s Heartthrob Is

Jason Bateman

Who's Your 80's Heartthrob?

of course it would be so much better if it would be the CURRENT Jason Bateman...

As if I needed a test for this...

You've Been Bit By the Shopping Bug!

You're constantly adding to your wardrobe - and it shows However, you can show some restraint. You love good deals. Your love of the clearance rack has paid off... You probably have only maxed out card or two, if at all!

Are You a Shopaholic?

So Shoe Me

You are Slinky Heels!

You're an uptown, well put together woman But you're not too uptight to enjoy a hot club You're always the best dressed chick in the room And you'll only settle for the best in men

What Kind of Shoe Are You?

Hapy Birthday Paola!

One of my nieces celebrated her 18th birthday recently. She's so pretty, isn't she? Man, I sure am getting old. If ther are getting older, then I'm getting ancient! But I sure hope I don't look like it. Mwahaha!

The tita/ninang with the pretty, pretty nieces.


With some members of my family, plus Mann.

With my sisters and sisters in law. One sister is not present though.

Happy happy birthday Peng! May you have all the happiness you deserve in life. You've been a good girl and a good daughter to your parents. Stay as sweet as you are. Make your parents proud someday!

Hong Kong High

It has got to be one of my most favorite places ever. I've been to HK so many times but I still never get tired of it. Each time I come back to Manila, I'll always be dreaming of the next time I'll return. Maybe it's because I'm such a shopaholic and HK is a shoppers ultimate mecca, or maybe it's because it's so easy to get around there you won't feel like a tourist at all. Their transport system is so efficient which makes me so envious, why can't our government do that here? It was sale season over there and there were loads to buy,if you have the mooolah, which I don't. Boo-hoo. I've never seen so many Gucci bags in use! Almost every other local I saw was toting one, males included. Gucci is THAT big over there apparently, well, based on the long queues outside every Gucci store I saw. And it's not cheap in HK I tell ya.

Anyway, this time around, I went with my sister from NY, her kids and her (mine too) cutie pie grandson. They visited the amusement parks and had so much fun shopping, my sister being an incorrigible shopper herself. I didn't go with them to Ocean Park because I've been there several times already. Instead I strolled around Causeway BAy and Harbour City by my lonesome and did a LITTLE bit of shopping. It was fun though. I enjoy shopping alone even when Im here in MAnila. I notice that I do the most damage to my cards when I shop alone. Haha! I went with them to Disneyland. It was Ok..Just a bit bigger than Enchanted Kingdom. I enjoyed the parade though. The production design is amazing! There are so many pinoy performers among them. Too bad we didn't get to see any of the shows because we had to wait 45 minutes just to get in! We tried out a few of the rides. They were fun. nothing heart-stopping, and that's how I like it.

I didn't take too many pictures because I have like tons of them already, from my past trips. I only took a few when we were in Disneyland.

Gaya-Gaya

because i'm just too lazy to think of a topic...

LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATER: The Lake House--A feel-good movie that has many loopholes and a very pinoy ending.

WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW: Geez...there are so many i've started, but the one that's on my bedside table now is We were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates.

FAVORITE BOARDGAME: Scrabble!

FAVORITE MAGAZINE: In Style

FAVORITE SMELLS: a baby, CLEAN perfumes, fresh from the oven pizza, and the smell of ginger being sauteed.

COMFORT FOODS: hot, hot pizza, lucky me supreme la paz batchoy, chips and dips, and a cold glass of iced tea.

FAVORITE SOUNDS: cooing ang laughter from a baby, early morning sound of waves on a beachside, birds chirping, the noise my pamangkins make when they get together.

WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD: The feeling of helplessness and desperation when a loved one is gravely ill.

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING: Lord, thank you for this brand new day.

FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE: KFC!!

FUTURE CHILD'S NAME: Maxine or Maximillan

FINISH THIS STATEMENT "IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I WOULD.." : Travel the world.

DO YOU DRIVE FAST? I'd like to say I drive carefully...hahaha!

DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?: I think i have a small stuffed elephant somewhere in my bed, but i didn't put him there.

STORMS, COOL OR SCARY? : scary! I worry and i can't sleep when a storm is raging outside.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR? : a red kia pride

FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK: vodka tonic

FINISH THIS STATEMENT- "IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD LOVE TO" : go to the gym

DO YOU EAT THE STEMS OF BROCCOLI: yes. i love veggies.

IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE? : medium brown with light brown highlights.

GLASS HALF-EMPTY OR FULL: half-empty, always.

HOW MANY TOWNS/CITIES HAVE YOU LIVED IN? : one--good ole manille

FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX: the beach!

FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH: tennis and gymnastics

WHAT IS UNDER YOUR BED? : dust bunnies...hehe..

TOILET PAPER/PAPER TOWEL-OVER OR UNDER?: over of course. it SHOULD be that way.

Back to School

It all happened so fast. And now I find myself in the middle of waking up very early on mondays and tuesdays, taking down notes, cramming for exams and most off all, wearing a UNIFORM. Ugh. I never thought I'd wear another uniform in my whole life. But here I am, back in the campus and taking up my second course, nursing. It felt strange at first, going to a new school after a bazillion years, meeting new people, and the prospect of a career change. If not for a benefactor, this would never have happened. And now, I find myself enjoying all these new things that are happening to me. I liked going to class, hanging out with my new friends, basically, just being a student again. I just don't know if I'll still feel this way once we start our tour of duty.

God help me.

Cause I'm evil....Mwahahaha!

You Are 40% Evil

A bit of evil lurks in your heart, but you hide it well.In some ways, you are the most dangerous kind of evil.

How Evil Are You?

It's father's day today. My father would have been 80 years old if he was still here with us. I miss him everyday. We were not the best of friends but when he got sick and eventually died, I felt like a fish out of water. He was not one to spoil his kids, but he literally took care of everything for us. Who he got sick, I didn't know what to do with the house, the business, everything. And slowly but surely, I got the hang of it and it made me what I am now, a semi-responsible adult, I hope...

Happy Father's day Tatay.We miss you so much. We love you.