From the monthly archives: June 2008
So this is how it feels to “live independently.”
I’ve been staying at our condo unit for the past nights together with my brother just for kicks. Okay, first it was just for kicks when we all slept over here last Wednesday, and then I was only supposed to be here until Friday. But no, I ended up staying until today, Sunday, because of a lot of reasons.
Some things I realized:
- It can get very boring when you’re alone. Really. I mean, when I’m alone at home, I can just turn on the TV and be logged on all day online, but since there’s no cable here yet, and my main source of Internet is Smart 3G (which means it’s on my bill), I can’t really be online 24/7.
- It’s hard to run out of clothes. Since I was supposed to stay only until Friday, the clothes I brought were only up to then. But since I extended, I ended up buying a new pair of pants, 2 tops and underwear just so I can have clothes for the additional two days. Of course, I can always go to the laundry, but there’s no laundry service in the condo yet. So…hello Bench.
- It’s kind of hard when there’s not much things yet. We have yet to buy plates, and shelves and stuff from furniture stores.
- It’s so tempting and easy to just buy stuff at the nearby mall — food, clothes, and all other things! It’s also so tempting to just stay at the mall and hang out…which I sort of plan on doing in a while.
It’s fun and interesting, but at the same time it gets sad and boring. For some reason, it’s a lot different than when I was staying at a dorm — maybe it’s because school’s just there and my friends are just there and my roommates are always there…or maybe it’s because I’m really sort of independent already, with me doing some of the cleaning and spending for myself. I miss eating home-cooked meals already. :( Although I have to admit it’s kind of easier to get to work from here (even easier than from home), I still miss being in my bed and in a more spacious place than this.
The good news is, I’m going home earlier. I don’t know if I will stay here next week, or just ask my brother to bring my stuff, but I can see it’s another packed week for me next week, so it might be easier if I stay here. Hm. Let’s see.
But today…I will work on the stuff I need to work on (so. many!) and then watch Kung Fu Panda (FINALLY). Happy Sunday!
Okay, so there was actually no rain on my face, but it kind of sucks when rain destroys all your weekend plans of pampering yourself and and all the “pampering” you did was catch up on sleep. Bah. Not that I don’t mind sleeping in…but my pampering! :)) I didn’t get to watch a movie last week because of…lots of things, and I was planning to get a haircut today since my hair’s starting to get unruly, and split ends abound, and I want to have it cut before I get it straightened.
Oh well. The pampering shall wait, I guess. And it’s no use if my hair gets wet after it has been blow-dried. :P It is nice to snuggle under the covers and sleep, or write in my journal after days of not catching up (which reminds me, I need to get back to it). And I’m so glad electricity is back — every geek’s nightmare is when there’s no electricity and the gadgets are not charged. :-B Hee.
Anyway. I’ve had a long week. The last time I had something like this was last February, but that was just physically tiring. This week was physically, emotionally and mentally exhausting, that I still feel the effects of it until now. I’m just glad it’s over and I wouldn’t have survived if it weren’t for my friends, both inside and outside of work. Thank you.
The next week’s going to be just as busy as the last, but I’ve heeded my teammate’s advice and listed down the things I need to do so I can prioritize. I’m done writing down my “Big Rocks” ((A 7 Habits for Highly Effective People term which refers to the big things you have to accomplish every week depending on your role which you schedule first and are not supposed to be moved. The other things that come during the week are “Little Rocks”, which you schedule around the big rocks)) and placed them on my planner. I’m kind of nervous about the turnout of these things I will be doing, but…God is faithful. Be with me Lord.
I can’t wait till June is over. After this month I’m going to let go of a couple of responsibilities which I should have let go of since March. But this time, I’m putting me first, and focus on other commitments. Not even free CAT5e products can change my mind.
It’s still raining a bit outside, but I really hope the flood at our village gate subsides soon because I need to get to work tomorrow. I have to be at an important presentation in the afternoon and the presentation is not yet even started, plus I have tons of emails to send, which I really need to send tomorrow to get things rolling.
See, I’m thinking about it already. Bah. RELAX. Breathe.
Stay safe, everyone!
It’s been exactly two years since I wrote this entry, which has been one of my most read/viewed posts to date. I’ve received lots of comments on that entry, all of which are inspiring and touched me at one point or another, from people I know to strangers who just found my entry online (which is on the third position when you search for singlehood in Google :P).
So now, two years later…how am I? More importantly, how’s my heart?
Yes, that’s everyone’s favorite question. :>
But seriously now. Here’s me, two years after the entry:
Rating: 
So this review is a few days late, sorry about that. I had a very long week, which resulted in my blogging absence…but let’s not talk about that. :P
Last Saturday, Julie made me a Front Row Girl again by getting me and other friends to watch the show she’d been swooning over since last year, Avenue Q. Now I have to admit, after reading a lot about the show from Lauren and Sorsi last year when they watched during the first run, I was already curious, but I found the ticket prices too expensive. But after watching Altar Boyz and enjoying the experience so much, I decided to give theater another chance.
So again, I watched Avenue Q last Saturday. And it was fabulous.
Avenue Q is a quirky, cute Sesame Street-like play where Princeton, a 22-year-old BA English fresh grad moves in to Avenue Q, ready to start his life on his own. From there we meet his wacky neighbors: Kate Monster, a kindergarten teaching assistant who crushes on Princeton, Brian, an out of work comedian living with his fiance, Christmas Eve, a Japanese therapist with no clients; roommates Nicky and Rod, who are complete opposites; Trekkie Monster who lives upstairs from Princeton and is a porn addict and Gary Coleman, ex-child actor and superintendent of the apartment units in Avenue Q. Oh, and there are also the cute Bad Idea Bears who show up every now and then to influence Princeton to do something else that he shouldn’t do and Lucy T. Slut, a night club singer who sets her sights on innocent Princeton.
Rating:
BRYCE:
My mom didn’t understand why it was so awful that “that cute little girl” had held my hand. She thought I should be friends with her. “You like soccer. Why don’t you go out there and kick the ball around?” Because I didn’t want to be kicked around, that’s why. And although I couldn’t say it like that, I still had enough sense at age seven and a half to know that Julianna Baker was dangerous.
JULIANNA:
What did a kiss feel like anyway? Somehow I knew it wouldn’t be like the one I got from Mom or Dad at bedtime. The same species, maybe, but radically different beast. Like a wolf and a whippet. Only science would put them in the same tree. Looking back, I think it was at least partly scientific curiosity that made me chase after that kiss, but it was probably more of those blue eyes.
I’ve had this book for ages, but I haven’t reviewed it ever (then again, I hardly review books back when I bought this). This, along with Stargirl is one of my favorite young adult books. I bought this on a whim, and ever since I first read it, I’ve loved the story. Julianna, especially, is a very memorable character that I wish a lot of times that I carry the same wonder and sparkle she has. :)
When Bryce Loski moves into the neighborhood, Julianna Baker was mostly interested in having a playmate than a boyfriend. But when she saw his blue eyes, she flipped. Bryce wasn’t interested in the Juli, mostly because she scared him. He spent the next few years running away from her — from avoiding her when she’d visit to play, to asking someone out so she’d stop chasing him (backfired big time), to throwing the gifts she gives him, and every thing he could manage to do. As they grow up, Juli realizes that Bryce isn’t really the guy she thought he is, and Bryce realizes that he really didn’t take the time to know Juli and started seeing her in a new light.
Yes, I’m still very busy, but I’m less stressed. Sort of. But still busy. I’m taking this weekend easy so as not to get sick and make use of my medicare advantage (but still planning lots of stuff at the back of my mind), but it’s still bound to be busy. Calm before the storm, yes? Like I said, I thrive on busy-ness, so…it’s time to thrive!
I’ve rediscovered this song, and it’s been helping me focus on some of the things I need to focus on, as well as reminding me Who really controls everything. It’s going to be a challenge for the next few weeks until July, but I’m not in control anyway. It’s God’s will above mine. :D
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Control
Mute MathTake control of the atmosphere
Take me far away from here
There is no better loss than to lose myself in you
In a parachute to glide, I am captive in your sky
Surrender has somehow become so beautifulTake control of the atmosphere
Take control of the atmosphere
You can take my world you can fill the air
Take control, take controlIt’s such a beautiful surrender
It’s such a beautiful surrender
It’s such a beautiful surrender
It’s such a beautiful surrenderMove me up through the darkest clouds
Till I’ve lost in the sun every shadow of doubt
There is no better find than to find myself with you
In a fog you are all I see
I’m inviting you closer with each time I breathe
Surrender has somehow become so beautifulTake control of the atmosphere
Take control of the atmosphere
There is no reason I should breathe unless you’re in the air
Take controlIts such a beautiful surrender
Its such a beautiful surrender
And I’m calling out
would you take control
And I’m calling out
Yes, such a beautiful surrender. :) Love that line. By God’s grace I’ll get through the next few weeks. :)
Happy weekend everyone!
Yes I’m stressed.
The moment I woke up today, I knew I wasn’t in my normal chipper mood. I have been feeling quite lethargic since yesterday and today was just…blah. The only thought that is running through my head is, “I’m so tired.” And believe me, as many things that I do and deal with, I hardly ever say that I am tired. I actually thrive on being busy, because it keeps things so interesting.
But this week has felt like such a chore. There are two ways for me to deal with stress. The ideal way is to be focused and keep moving forward, finishing all the things I have to do in the best time possible. Then there’s the other way, where I squirm out of commitments, where I try to ignore my responsibilities and just try to get away from everything. Thankfully, I’ve been doing the former, but lately it’s been so tempting to do the latter — I just want to disappear and then go back when everything’s over. Preferably done by someone else.
Hay.
So anyway, I was browsing around a new website I discovered through Sarah, The Boundless Webzine. It’s kind of like Lifeteen, only it caters to people in the college and post-college people. Ah, it’s kind of like Bustedhalo. :D There you go. Anyway, so I was browsing it earlier while eating breakfast in my workstation, and I was looking for articles about faith, about being weary just to refresh myself in some way and I came across an article called Venting and Losing. I read it, and right from the start I knew it was for me. :)) Here’s some parts:
I’ve always been a glass-half-full kind of girl. My friends will tell you I’m quick to look for the bright side of most situations. I’m not a complainer. At least that’s what I like to think.
A couple weeks ago, I found myself in a depressing cycle. It started with my dissatisfaction with a certain relationship. The person was failing to meet my expectations, which disappointed me. That disappointment led to anger, which led to grumpiness.
Feeling the need to “process,” I vented my frustration to my exercise buddy. Although she tried to console me, my venting caused my self-righteousness to rise and made me even grumpier.
Over the next few days, I stewed over the situation and “vented” to several other people. As I griped about my unfair situation, I found myself not only being frustrated with the initial relationship but being critical of others as well. Soon it seemed as if everyone was letting me down.
My dissatisfaction grew until I reached a breaking point. Tearfully, I took it out on a friend who happened to call at the wrong moment. When I hung up the phone, I realized something had gone terribly wrong. Instead of helping my situation, venting had blown it out of proportion…
…My complaints, on the other hand, are trivial: Perceived mistreatment by another person. Less than ideal circumstances in my personal life. Not getting things I believe I deserve. OK, so I may not be wandering in the desert, but these things can still seem unfair…
…Our world is marked by complaint. Complaint against our government. Complaint against the educational system. Complaint against those who bring us food, bag our groceries, let their cell phones go off during movies. Our freedom of speech is the freedom to complain. And we take that freedom very seriously.
A person who doesn’t criticize something is a novelty. He makes you wonder why he’s satisfied. As believers, we have a compelling reason to not complain. We have been shown undeserved grace and given unfathomable riches through Jesus Christ. In light of this, complaining about anything seems — well, silly.
I say I trust an all-powerful, good, loving God, but when that trust is put to the test through less-than-ideal circumstances, I often fail. Instead of acknowledging that God controls the details of my life, I moan and groan about how unacceptable they are. A life where grumbling is absent, however, speaks volumes about a person’s trust in God.
[Read entire article here]
Ouch! How about that. But thank You, Lord. You always know where to hit me.
I’m still tired, yes, and I still feel stressed and somehow I feel like I’m going to spontaneously combust (thanks Yam for the term) anytime…but I’m going to do my best to follow Philippians 2:14-15 : “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.”
By God’s grace, God and I will go through this. :) One of my favorite Bible verses back in high school, during my stressful times was: “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:12-13). This is even better than any venting session or the best diet pill or even the new Starbucks Dark Mocha Frappuccino (which I really, really love). I will hold onto this, and to the promise that God is with me every step of the way. :) Great adventure!
Are you stressed? :)
My mom and I just got out of Wendy’s after eating our lunch earlier today and was about to head to the department store when I stopped short.
“Ma, wait lang. My comb is missing.”
I patted my pockets, and felt around my bag to see if I can feel the familiar dull comb teeth…but alas, I couldn’t.
“Check Wendy’s.”
So I walked back to Wendy’s to see if it fell from our table. I hoped it was there, that it was at the floor under the table…but it wasn’t.
Sigh.
Then panic mode.
I DON’T HAVE A COMB! Ack! That comb has been with me for almost a year! I bought it for only P10 and it’s the one that lasted for so long and now it’s lost?! It’s small and fits my pocket nicely…and it’s PURPLE! How can it be gone?!
Hay. I immediately went to the department store to look for something similar…I ended up buying this medium-sized black wide-toothed comb that looks a bit ugly…but at least it’s a comb. And I can use it well.
I miss my purple comb. :(
That was a true to life anecdote that happened earlier, and I still mourn for the loss of my comb. Seriously. I’ve never gone out of the house without a comb. It’s always in my pocket if I’m wearing jeans, or in a very accessible pocket in my bag if I don’t have pockets. I’ve had Hair Doctors that broke, combs from Anonymous store (love them) that got lost in friend’s cars or in bathrooms or somewhere else, and combs that just lost its teeth. The last one I had was a cheap one I bought but I like it because of the things I mentioned above: it’s sturdy, it’s cheap, it’s wide-toothed (perfect for combing through wet hair), and it’s purple (my favorite color). And now it’s gone! I didn’t even feel it fall from my pocket. :(
Ah, I’m so shallow, yes?
Seriously speaking though, if there are some things that I shouldn’t lose or else I’d feel very incomplete (other than my cellphone, wallet and iPod), these would be it:
- My comb
- My black 0.3 (or 0.4) Pilot gTec pen
Just last Wednesday, I went to a club meeting at work. Before that I mentally debated if I should get the gTec pen or just get one of my other pens on my desk. I decided to get the gTec since I haven’t been using it for a while. I slipped the pen in my notebook’s spiral binding and was off to the meeting. I ended up not writing anything, so the pen stayed there. When I got back to my desk a few hours later, my pen was gone! It fell off from the spiral! :( I felt like such a lost writer because my favorite pen is missing! :( Just as when I wanted to write in my journal!
Shallowness again, yes, but those two things above are two things I must always have with me. Weird, I know. I’m trying to figure out why, and I think the comb is like a security blanket. It’s like part of my armor/getup for the day. I must carry a comb, or else I feel like I’m going to a battle without my full gear. As for the pen, back in college, when I was a part of the literary folio, the editor-in-chief mentioned something about writers carrying a pen everywhere and it stuck. And then I started to love the gTec, which almost always makes my handwriting look so nice and neat, that it’s my number one preference in pens. I feel like the writer in me is missing something if I don’t have that specific pen.
OR…It could only be because my hair always needs to be combed because of its thickness and length, and I hate losing a gTec because it’s so expensive, yet I still buy them. :>
So that’s my dose of shallowness today. :P Oh, I have already replaced the gTec pen I lost the other day, and I’m making sure I take good care of it this time ((For some reason, all my past gTecs are either lost or get broken before they even reach the halfway mark. :| Anubeh.)), and as for the comb…I’ll get used to the new one. Unless the purple one miraculously shows up again or I find something exactly like it, the important point is, I have a comb in my bag. :)
This moment of shallowness is brought to you by the long weekend. Thankyouverymuch. :p
Rating: 
Last night was Narnia night with some Street Team friends, and all afternoon I’ve been declaring to my teammates and Twitter and Plurk that I’d be off to Narnia in the afternoon. Excited much? Definitely.
Now, unlike everyone I know, I haven’t read any of The Chronicles of Narnia books yet. *insert incredulous gasp here* I know, even I am amazed that I haven’t. I’ve heard of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe way before because of all of its stageplays that I missed to watch, but I didn’t really know the story until I heard that it’s going to be made into a movie. Then I downloaded an audiobook, so I finally got to know the story and I have been wishing for a boxed set of the books since then (which I think I’ll end up buying for myself eventually, but let’s not get to that :D).
Anyway, so Prince Caspian. I watched the movie with little knowledge of the story, thanks to Wikipedia, but I have no idea how it goes, as opposed to my friends who were watching with me. Because I haven’t read the book, I had zero expectations in the movie, except maybe see how much William Moseley has grown up (yes, I crushed on Peter Pevensie in the first movie, heehee!).
So onto the formal review. Prince Caspian is an okay movie. By okay, I mean, I didn’t really get bored, but I didn’t get too excited about anything else too. I like the entire thing, although to be honest, it feels like such a long movie. The effects were great, as usual, and the battle scenes are okay, except there seems to be a lot of hesitation on both sides. Or maybe it’s just me. However, every battle scene in movies like these remind me so much of Lord of the Rings, it’s ridiculous. :|
Some notes on the movie:
- The Pevensie kids all look so grown up already, especially Edmund and Lucy. Edmund had grown into such a good looking boy and Lucy looks more pretty instead of cute. :) The two older ones look…well, a bit more mature and probably more fit and less awkward than the last movie, which is good since it looked better for them during the battle scenes. They must’ve used pretty good fitness equipment to make them look a bit..buff. Heh.
- It feels pretty weird that Narnia is so dark after everything is so white in the first movie. I miss the old characters too, like the Beavers and Mr. Tumnus. Although everything is darker, I like how everyone has sort of joined forces. Oh and the kid centaur = hilarious. :)
- Trufflehunter, the Badger. I love him! He’s so…cute. :P He reminds me of Mr. Beaver in the first movie. At first I thought he was a skunk, after him saying, “Or do I have to sit on your head again?” but then the markings were wrong. Too bad he only had little airtime in the movie.
- Reepicheep, the Mouse. This character, too, is very endearing. :) He kind of reminds me of Puss in Boots, probably because of his very gallant and knightly posture.
- There were a lot of amazing and witty exchange of lines in all of the movie, especially Trumpkin’s. For example:
Peter Pevensie: [looking down a cliff over the water] Is there a way down?
Trumpkin: Yes. Falling.Winner!
- The clash of Caspian’s and Peter’s egos were believable, and I wanted to bonk Peter on the head for being so hardheaded. Susan’s line during one of the battle was definitely something that should be asked to everyone: “Who exactly are you doing this for, Peter?“
- As for Susan and Caspian’s attraction…I kind of saw it coming, but I didn’t know it wasn’t in the book, so I couldn’t comment. Heh. It has to be placed there I guess; this is Hollywood after all.
I think I’d probably need to watch it again to fully appreciate it. I don’t know if I was a bit too distracted while watching the movie, or because I haven’t read the book yet which made me not really take in all the details.
Oh and before I forget, my most favorite part of the film is when Aslan finally showed up. My friends could all be enamored with Pevensie kids of Caspian, but the bright spot of the film for me would always be whenever Aslan appears. :) I don’t know if it’s because he’s the representation of God in the movie and books or because of the fact that he’s portrayed by a big cat or because his voice (Liam Neeson), but he is my favorite part of both movies. :D When the Narnians stopped yelling “For Narnia” and started yelling “For Aslan”, it felt like they were finally right on track. :)
Now I’m off to read the books (finally)!
Thanks to Yam, I found out about Lifehouse’s upcoming visit to Manila on July 26, 2008. Talk about big thing! My fellow Street Team friends and I were just talking about it! I was kind of hoping our team would handle Lifehouse’s first visit to Manila…but oh well. Too bad. It would’ve been amazing, though, hanging out with them and all. But oh well.
Anyway, YES, Lifehouse is coming, and here are the ticket prices:
PATRON VIP (101,103 aka center) – Php4890
Patron (elevated area) – Php3890
Lower Box - Php3890
Upper A – Php1890
Upper B – Php990
No general admission? Hm, is it because they’re not expecting a full coliseum? And the price for LowerBox seems wrong, because even if the same priced Patron is elevated, it’s still not the same as Lowerbox.
But anyway. At least it’s cheaper than Maroon 5, and way cheaper than gps fleet tracking devices. More expensive than Switchfoot or Hillsong United, but then again, that’s us. Because I’m sort of a cheapskate (and because I predict that I’ll be sort of bankrupt by then), I’m eyeing Upper A or Upper B tickets. It’s enough if I hear them, yes?
Who else is watching? :D
