oo nga naman

...In the end, perhaps the best way to reduce gossip and workplace rumors is to preempt them from happening in the first place. "When employees don't know what's going on or why certain decisions are being made, that's when gossip and rumors start up," says Lott. "So if a business wants to prevent gossip and rumors, a simple solution is to talk with employees as much as possible to fill that communication gap instead." After all, gossip doesn't tend to go very far around the office if the answer to "Have you heard the latest?" is always "Yes, I have."

from small business online community

about today

a day made complete by...

1. time spent with mom, dad, ate, kuya, trina, kala, kayin, and loula

2. pitching in for a few hours at the cafe

3. a few precious hours with miel, who was away for three days

4. and a relaxed time watching the first episode of glee season 2 and 'funny people' on hbo

#1 and #4 are rare, which make them a real treat.

having all four happen in one day makes it awesome.

wasn't even planning to watch tv tonight, and i'm so glad to have caught nice shows. though i don't know if 'funny people' left me happy....it kinda left me with mixed emotions and things to think about :-/

but still, there's much to smile for. good night!

flashback

i would go there around 4pm, after class. i would assist in opening the door, welcoming guests, giving them a smile while saying, "sandali lang po!" 

i would lead them to their seats, hand them menus, and help traffic more people who would come pouring in in big, then small, then big waves again.

when the halls would get a bit too crowded, i would station myself behind the cake counter, taking orders, either putting the slices on the small oval plate, or in a take-out box. as the coffee machine worked, i would carefully place one piece of spritsar cookie, a packet of sugar and cream, and a teaspoon over a saucer, before completing the order with its cup of freshly brewed coffee.

i had also memorized the menu by then, which enabled me to write corresponding prices in guests' order slips without using a cheat sheet. one thing that hasn't changed, though, is my poor arithmetic; i was heavily dependent on the calculator, which i clicked on with confidence and ease. (must have something to do with my piano-playing that rouses me with keypad-related activities, haha). even more with the heavier keys of the cash register. 

i loved the pace of those evenings. i probably didn't think of it this way back then, but i guess i already loved being useful and productive. 

fast forward to thirteen years later, and i'm re-acquainted with this particular joy of being in our cafe dining room. the rush of people who are ever-so-patient with the waitlist, the unbelievable amount of food that comes out of the kitchen, the seemingly-synchronized movement of the servers, and the constant, joyful buzz in the air...i swear, i almost forgot i had experienced it before.

but here i am again, and i'm happy to be reunited with these sensations. 

this time, i know i will never again forget.

learn, learn, and learn some more!

at the start of 2010, i told myself that one of the things i'll do this year is to attend at least one writing workshop. and after waiting patiently for an opportunity in the Filipinas Heritage Library website (one that will fit my schedule, specifically), i think the time has come.

--------------

Professional Travel Writing

July 29, August 3 and 10, 2010

6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Share your love of travel with others and even get the chance to see your name in print! Join Kristine Fonacier, a writer and travel enthusiast, in this Travel Writing Workshop with a tour to the south of Luzon known as the Viaje del Sol.

The workshop is designed for professional and those with some experience in travel writing. If you want to be published or write a book or magazine about your trip, the Travel Writing workshop is for you.

----------

AND i felt more excited to see other workshops and seminars that the public can avail of. there's SO many out there, if only someone will compile it properly for all training/skills-seekers out there!

for example:

Fully Booked hosts various events through its venues (The Forum, TopShelf), from painting to language to storytelling to meditation, etc! Just visit their website and check out the "Upcoming Events" bar on the right. One cool one coming up is a FREE workshop by the Center for East Asian Languages which will feature basics in origami, furushiki, and other crafts for an introduction to Japanese culture!!!!

I'm a suki of the Filipinas Heritage Library for writing and photography workshop referrals. So aside from the cool Travel Writing one i mentioned above, they also regularly have sessions on Feature Writing, Basic Creative Writing, Digital Photography, among many others! Just visit their website too, it's regularly updated.

And did you know that even corporate giants offer cool, free seminars? Check out Nokia Pep Talks, which feature talks from premiere learning company Salt & Light Ventures (who organizes their own seminars and can charge at least P2,000 per session). Just some of the super relevant topics they offer are Reawakening Creativity for Effective Leadership, Personal Effectiveness and Stress Management, and Guerilla Brand Planning. And yes, it is really for free! You just have to sign up with Nokia :-)

i'm like a paid advertiser. (but i'm NOT, ok??) just sharing the love for learning! go, sali din kayo!

a new mission

i wrote a whole entry but my browser crashed and erased everything i wrote before i even got the chance to save it as draft. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

so to get straight to the point of this blog.....

i have a new mission: LEARN HOW TO COOK! 

cooking adventure #1 - beautiful courgette carbonara

cooking adventure #2 - puttanesca with tuna and mushrooms

these two turned out pretty okay, so i'm bracing myself for some full-force failures... ;-) watch out for next weekend.

cheers to more cooking adventures!!! :-D

and so it begins

today, after fighting all my lazy-bratty-mood to stay in bed, miel and i headed to TS to get a dose of exercise. i spent the entire drive to the gym contemplating on my state of mind, doing all possible mind tricks to psyche myself up for a productive climbing session. i was telling myself, "this is just your typical laziness, just a barrier to crawl over. once you get to the gym, once your blood circulates a little faster, once some sweat breaks out of your pores, you'll start feeling better, lighter, and get into the workout mode." what a session of self-talk that was.

so we get to the gym. i robotically put on my shoes ("i. want. to. sleep."), feel extra bad that my shorts and chalk bag strap are too tight around my waist ("i'm fat!"), and drudgingly lifted my arms and legs to the wall to traverse ("nakaka-pump!") 

after our (very very precisely counted) ten-minute traverse, miel asked, "what do you want to do?" i really couldn't care less because i still felt as unmotivated as when the workout started, so when he suggested we give the campus board a try, i simply followed.

first set was like carrying a 200-pound version of myself. despite the positive voice in my head saying i could do it, deep inside i also knew that i haven't completely drowned out the devil. and so i pulled on at the rungs with two hands at a time, not even laddering, and just went as far as four rungs upward. booooooooo.

as i sat down on the bench, i watched as miel did his set of ladders. then out of the corner of my eye, i saw some of stan's friends watching miel as well. and as narcissistic as it may be, that image pretty much gave me the mental punch i needed to get going. i got envious of the look they gave to miel, and thought to myself, "i can do that too!!!" 

ahhhh. a benefit of being competitive. :-P

and so on my second set, the real positive state arrived. i approached the campus board with confidence, remembered to pay attention to my breathing, to strengthen my core, and to deliberately pull with my back rather than with my arms. i campused up to six rungs up, and went down again, in a real ladder sequence. i did it!!! 

when i sat back down on the bench, checking the clock for the next interval, deeply breathing, fingers smeared with chalk-white and throbbing in tightness, and psyching myself again for the next set, a promising thought crossed my mind: "I missed this."

***

now it's evening and i'm doing my research: self-assessments, aerobic vs anaerobic conditioning, finger exercises, training cycles. it's all so familiar and exciting.

actually, the training plan was all i i really wanted to blog about, but i ended up writing about the climbing day. i guess the misadventures and lessons will become naturally integrated in this "project", and today, is actually a fitting prelude to this new beginning. 

[gleek, i am]

slow downnnnnnn please!!!!

I'm not really as agitated as the title sounds, but the line is a real sentiment. While i do enjoy the new adventures, the impromptu activities, sudden turn of events, and quick developments, sometimes, i also wish things would just go slowerrrrrr so i can at least pause and remember to take a photo, write an entry about it...BASTA, document SOMETHING!

Like right now, we were suddenly cAlled to pampanga this am for a meetimg with PMS, and im findinf myself blogging thru my itouch in sm the block.

Surprise!

Someone teach me how to keep track of my life. :-p

SEA Games, here we come!!!!

It's official: Sport climbing will be included in the 2011 South East Asian Games to be held in Indonesia. After the combined efforts and hard work of various countries' climbing associations, our sport is finally recognized by the SEA Games Federation. What a huge, huge step for the sport we love so dear.

And what an amazing opportunity for all climbers, myself -- very fortunately, humbly -- included. Already I'm motivated to work harder than ever before to climb stronger, smarter, better. I'm sure all of the climbers from other South East Asian countries feel the same way. I only hope that as each of us begins to train for the SEA Games, that we will somehow get to inspire others -- competitor or not -- to climb harder. To push ourselves harder. To intensely pursue excellence.

I'm SO excited to get back in shape, and get stronger. I hope my fellow teammates are, too. :-D I have to say it again: SEA GAMES, HERE WE COME!!!!!!

And what better way to start off the training than by these wonderful books that welcomed me home from my weekend out of town. My Amazon treats are FINALLYYYYYYyyyyyyyyyy here!!!

muni-muni

tinamaan ako ng katamaran ngayong araw. magka-climb dapat ako, pero pinili kong bumalandra sa sofa ng nanay ko para humabol sa "uninterrupted sleep" na tatlong gabi ko ng ninanamnam. 

gabi-gabi ko kasing inaasam na makakuha ng 10 oras na tulog...at sa nakaraang dalawang linggo -- kung saan bumisita ako sa mga lungsod ng cagayan de oro, butuan, at general santos -- panay 5 oras na tulog lang ang nakukuha ko. 

kaya siguro ako hinila ng sofa ngayong araw. sabi ng katawan ko, "ayan, bawiin mo na ang sampung oras na pinapangarap mo!"

pero tila hindi ko pa rin nakamit ang pangarap na ito, dahil kahit gusto ng katawan kong humiga, ang utak ko naman ay tuluyang nagiisip, nagtitimbang, nagmumuni-muni. 

HAY.

ngunit sa kabila ng pagkabigo, kung tutuusin, gumaan din ang loob ko sa lahat ng planong nabuo habang ako'y nakahiga at nakatitig sa kisame. kasi, sa di-karaniwang pagkakataon, pinabayaan ko din ang sarili ko na managinip ng gising. mula sa mga personal na pangarap, hanggang sa mga pangarap ko para sa aking pamilya. kahit pambihira, hinayaan ko ang utak ko na lumipad.

sabi nga nila, DREAM BIG. kaya ayun, nanaginip ako. ng marami. ngayon, ang problema na lang ay kung papaano sila gagawing totoo. buti na lang, mahilig ako sa goal-setting. 

uumpisahan ko sa training regimen ngayong linggo.....and all the rest will follow. ;-)

Montalban Sessions

Link

What we do on Sundays....but would LOVE to do every day!!!

Great job Miel :-)

exercise weekend!

Saturday run!

....though i gave up at 7k, i was happy to have had the discipline to drag my butt off the bed and hit the pavement. thanks to cali and alex for bearing with my slow pace. it was great to be at the fort again, see new roads and sights, and sweat like hell!!! (special mention to how i turned beet red from the heat and practically collapsed from what felt like lack of oxygen in my brain).

Sunday climb!

....slash sunbathing, slash filmmaking! it was miel's first attempt to shoot a climbing a video, with alex (espina) as the "talent". naks. got entertained with dennis' youngest, rain, who verbally abused me all the way ("I SAID, MOVE BACKWORDS, YOU IDIOT!!!!") buti na lang nakatapos ako ng 2 boulder problems at nakakuha ng tan to make up for it. ;-)

Monday vote!

......yes, i exercised my right to vote! 2.75 hours in line, but i just can't get myself to complain because i know how much worse the other polling precincts are. other than the stinky creek, over-talkative fellow voter, and a slightly strained lower back (maybe there's something wrong with my posture), i survived the line and even finished the book i was reading. cheers to a morning of accomplishments!

now it's time for those smartmatic machines to do THEIR work!!!!!

who are you voting for this may 10?

in all honesty, i am not fully decided on my president and vice president. 

this long but necessary post about why gibo (not gordon, and definitely not noynoy or villar) is her president* provided great insights.

do you have other similar links? other analysis about who to vote for, and why? lalo na sa senado, ang daming pagpipilian, pero sino ba ang mga okay talaga?!?! 

IKAW, SINO IBOBOTO MO AT BAKIT?

anlapit naaaaaa........god, do help all of us choose wisely!

*thanks, alay, for sharing

up in the air

been intending to blog but haven't found the energy to gather all the happenings, memories and thoughts into a written piece of work. and now, the sheer amount of it all just makes the task even more daunting. it is so daunting that i feel it merits a quick post about just how daunting it is!

right now, i'm in a state of: relief. fatigue. anxiety. excitement. and contentment. all at the same time. (perhaps that qualifies insanity, too?)

so why 'up in the air'? 

because for one, i've literally been travelling/flying around the country for our negosyo seminars (and yes, some excursions). second, i am once again reflecting on my future whereabouts (work-wise). and third, i've been so physically taxed out that it feels like my mind is constantly floating, much like a 24/7 beer buzz.

so i'm SUPER thankful for this day at home, to rest, work a little, and rest some more. but as usual, rest never seems to be enough for me. so for now, it's time to doze off....

i will blog again. some day soon, i hope!

DAtE: Global Architectural Design Competition

Design Against the Elements is a global architectural design competition meant to find a solution to the problems presented by climate change. Spurred by the devastation wreaked in the Philippines by tropical storm Ondoy (Ketsana) and driven by a powerhouse multidisciplinary group of organizations from the private, institutional, and government sectors, the project aims to draw together the most innovative minds in the fields of architecture, design, and urban planning to develop sustainable and disaster-resistant housing for communities in tropical urban settings.

The winning design will be built as a prototype disaster-resistant and livable eco-village in Taguig City, Metro Manila. The village will be the first green and disaster-resistant community in the country. It will provide a model that can be studied and replicated in similar areas. The finished project will house a marginalized community living in an environmental danger zone, giving them a sense of security, ownership, and awareness of sustainability that can be practiced at all levels in their everyday lives.

The project also aims to present a definitive green building solution in a truly local context. Too often, home-owners, architects, and policy-makers think of sustainable building as a luxury that only privileged landowners and advanced countries can afford. Design Against the Elements considers green architecture as essential to survival; it has the ability to reduce the frequency and impact of environmental disasters and lessen the cycle of poverty.

TIMELINES

March 5, 2010 - Competition launch

July 31, 2010 - Deadline of Registration

August 14, 2010 - Deadline for submission of questions

August 28, 2010 - Deadline to dispatch answers to questions

September 25, 2010 - Deadline for submission of entries

October 4-9 2010 - Judging

October 13, 2010 - Announcement of winners

November 19, 2010 - Awarding

For full details, please visit the DAtE website: http://www.designagainsttheelements.org/home.htm

The next Sharma?

 

Ondra is now 17 years old, and in February, he climbed his first 9b (5.15b) when he made the second ascent of Golpe de Estado at Siurana, Spain. (Click here for more photos by Vojtech Vrzba.)

The route was first established by Chris Shrama, who said while working the route that it was the “hardest thing I’ve ever done on a rope.” Breaking it down, Golpe de Estado is a 5.14d direct start to a pre-existing route, Estado Critico, itself a 5.14c/d that was first climbed by the strong little Spanish power-bomb, Ramon “Ramonet” Julian Puigblanque. The direct line leads right into the business of Estado Critico, which has aesthetic, powerful movement on a beautiful blue and orange limestone wall.

Siurana is one of the most famous crags in Spain, located in the Tarragona Mountains west of Barcelona. There are about 200 routes here from 5.10a to 5.15b, most in the 5.11 to 5.12 range. The climbing is on a sweeping slab to overhanging wall of grey, blue and orange limestone riddled with pockets and tufas. The famous route La Rambla (5.15a), first climbed by Puigblanque, is located here.

The similarities between Ondra and Sharma are telling: both climbers are makin, or made, light work of the world’s hardest projects while in their teens. When Sharma was 16, he sent Boone Speed’s project Necessary Evil (5.14c) at the Virgin River Gorge, putting up the first route of the grade on U.S. turf. That was just 12 years ago. Four years after Necessary Evil, Sharma sent Realization, one of (if not the) first 5.15a in the world.

So far, Ondra’s achievements have been equally if not more groundbreaking, and it will be interesting to see if Ondra is able to push climbing standards to the degree that Sharma has over the next 10 to 20 years. Ondra sent his first 9a (5.14d) when he was only 13 years old. Since then, he has climbed over 30 5.14d or harder routes. He has a reputation for not working routes into submission, either dispatching his projects relatively quickly (within four or so days) or moving on to something else. He climbs quickly, and doesn’t spend a lot of time shaking out, instead just chugging up the wall like a machine.

Golpe de Estado was Ondra’s biggest effort so far—it took him 29 tries over 14 days spread out during a multiple trips to Siurana during breaks from school in his hometown Brno, Czech Republic. While working Golpe de Estado, Ondra broke a hold, which he wrote doesn’t change the grade at all, but definitely makes it solid 9b (5.15b).

—Andrew Bisharat

Taken from Rock & Ice Basecamp Issue 22

two for tonight

two thoughts, that is.

one: shopping is NOT my remedy for a bad mood. i realize that i can only spend when i'm in a great, giddy mood -- ready to fit clothes/shoes prior to purchase, willing to (patiently) wait and communicate with sales ladies, and able to analyse and weigh the costs of my potential purchases. otherwise, i will end up buying something i did not fully think about (because i wasn't in the mood to give the purchase much thought), only making myself feel worse later, because of the less-than-100%-satisfied purchase, and even worse, the wasted pesos. 

two: i love this site. and i loved it more when it came out with its own book. and now i love it even more because it's giving away a FREE copy of one of the book's chapters. and now i want a copy of the book even if i'm no designer. it's so amazing how pretty stuff...how FREE stuff....can affect a person and make one more than willing to spend. i guess, because LOGO.DESIGN.LOVE is giving me some love (thru its free book chapter), i just wanna give it some lovin' in return. hooray for free taste!

Missing UP (link)

Para sa aking mga kaibigan galing sa UP. 

Isang blog ng alumni tungkol sa pagka-miss niya sa UP. 

Nakita ko sa Facebook Fan page ng Chocolate Kiss. Gusto ko lang i-share. :-)

i spent! wholeheartedly!

arrived in my inbox, 7:57 AM:

Greetings from Amazon.com.

We thought you'd like to know that we shipped your items, and that this completes your order.  Your order is being shipped and cannot be changed by you or by our customer service department.

You can track the status of this order, and all your orders, online by visiting Your Account at http://www.amazon.com/gp/css/history/view.html

There you can:
       * Track your shipment
       * View the status of unshipped items
       * Cancel unshipped items
       * Return items
       * And do much more

The following items have been shipped to you by Amazon.com:

the countdown begins! :-D

sunbathing wisdom

i have been sunbathing for approximately eight years now. i think it might be because of the climbing/mountaineering/athletic folks i came across, all tanned and glowing. or it might be a simple case of "the grass is greener at the other side of the fence". 

regardless of reason, the point of this entry is that, despite of the sunbathing mileage i've collected year after year after year, i always seem to take a slip and get into a sunbathing mishap. just when i think i've got things down pat...even while my last booboo is still burning in my memory...i end up overlooking a crucial detail that causes me to burn again. literally.

so, to all aspiring sun-bathers out there, here's are a few tips and reminders before laying your back unto the beach towel:

1. apply sun protection. even if you say you'll get covered by shade at some points of the day, that doesn't mean the sun won't get to you. so no ifs and buts to this one. 
2. check the SPF. remember, the higher the SPF means the longer you can stay in the sun before burning. and choose a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB radiation.
3. apply all over the body. some body parts i consciously apply on are: forehead, cheekbone area, ears, shoulders, and feet. these are areas we either (a) feel don't need sun protection, or (b) don't realize get hit by the sun a lot, therefore getting dark the fastest. as for me, i only realized this after seeing black, shriveled toes hugging my flipflops.
4. apply your sun protection evenly. unless you want a wash-out or gradient effect on your body. and i personally don't have taste for gradient effects.
5. in relation to the previous point, apply spray-on sunscreens with care. i think this one i learned from another person's experience, who ended up having round patches of white on the back after spraying the sunscreen by him/herself. unless you're sure you can spread your suncscreen evenly, even on your own back, then don't be shy to ask for a friend's helping hand. 
6. do it gradually. this was my major flaw...and still constantly commit. if i haven't sunbathed for a long time, and am so pale, i'm so determined to get dark in one day that i (almost consciously or clumsily) forego all aforementioned tips.
7. don't fall asleep (too soundly). the root of my downfall in 2007.
8. and last (for now) but definitely not the least....my freshest lesson and tip....*DRUMROLL, PLEASE*: check the sunscreen's expiration date. *APPLAUSE, APPLAUSE*

i. thenk. you.

bow.

Ayayayay. Nakaka-psyche.

“V16 is only a number. The more important thing is the progression it meant to myself in my climbing,” says Woods. “It’s cool to feel like I have established a climb that is pushing the limits for the sport of bouldering. Time will tell how hard it [The Game] actually is, but for now I feel like it is a new level boulder problem.”

These are exciting times for Daniel Woods, 20, America’s strongest rock climber. In the last week alone, he nabbed the first ascent of the country’s hardest boulder problem, won Nationals, and got engaged.

Taken from Rock & Ice Basecamp article, 'Stronger and stronger'. Read full article here.

think positib, walang aayaw!

my blog is my grateful journal :-)

1. goodbye puerto prinsesa; hello albay and tuguegarao!

2. steady, focused climbing, made possible by a gradually-recovering shoulder

3. gradually-recovering shoulder, made possible by a disciplined stretching and strengthening regimen (proud!)

4. my first 13k, accomplished spontaneously on one weekday evening. and my knee didn't bust!

5. happier loula, made possible by a gradually-recovering knee (left hind leg, from ACL surgery) and dislocated hip (right hind leg)

6. an intact boyfriend

7. broadway + disney soundtrack downloads: phantom of the opera, miss saigon, beauty & the beast, aladdin

8. thirteen years of chocolate kiss. join the celebration with our birthday dessert buffet and jam session this friday, feb 26, 6-9pm at the UP cafe!!!

good night!

why i love being at home

this is just one of the reasons: 

bottomless guinumis

guinumis (gee-nu-mis) is a mixture of crushed ice, sago and/or gulaman, pinipig, coconut milk, and sugar. the ingredients are simple enough, but the effect of the mixture makes for a perfectly refreshing dessert or merienda. if you're a gata lover, naku, this will bring you to heaven :-D 

personally, aside from the coconut milk flavor, what i love about guinumis is its wonderful mix of textures, what with the crushed ice (that eventually becomes water, so two-fold pa ang mouthfeel!), the crispy pinipig, and the chewy gelatine. then depending on your taste, you can pour in your preferred amount of gata and syrup, for that perfectly personal concoction.

my mom started "experimenting" on its preparation last year, and we (our family) have been hooked on mixing, serving, and devouring it ever since!

our modest ice shaver

first in: shaved ice in the bowl

gulaman, made using Megaliciois Mr. Gulaman jelly powder mix (who warns consumers to "beware of FAKE imitation")

pinipig

coconut cream in tetra, as alternative to fresh coconut milk that spoils very easily

coco syrup, made by melting coconut sugar in hot water

the mixture

now ready to eat!!!!

i had two bowls for dessert ;-)

Provincial Pleasures: Cabanatuan City

What: Second of twenty Negosyo Seminars ("NegoSems")

When: Friday, January 29, 2010

Where: Ma. Assumpta Seminary, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Region 3 (Central Luzon)

The surprising treat: Cheap, fresh oyster mushrooms. Just seeing them got me salivating, with scents and images of them pan-fried in olive oil, onion and garlic simmering in my head. Or smothered with butter. Or open grilled. Mmmmmm. In a sandwich with eggplants and zucchini. Or as a siding to meaty dish, mixed with carrots and asparagus.

Some were packed in portions styrofoam + plastic wrap. Sold for an amazing price of P25.

Then another kind was in a grow-able, harvest-able pack. Sold for another crazy price of P35. Just keep in place away from sunlight and wind, spray with water 3x a day. Harvest by hand-picking when fully grown. After 2-3 days, baby mushrooms will re-sprout and become fully grown in about a week. 

Of course I bought one for myself, but let's see if I can actually keep it alive til ready for harvest and consumption!

the ticklist

• laid-back skate fun: CHECK! 
• car trunk buffet of bihon, lumpiang shanghai and egg pan de sal: CHECK! 
• exercise ball from eika: CHECK!
• sewing kit from mitzi: CHECK!
• get out of bed at 4:45 am: CHECK!
• hot lugaw in cold montalban morning: CHECK!
• cold (by my standards) climbing weather: CHECK!
• roman holiday: CHECK CHECK!
• sun on my skin...even just a little bit: CHECK!
• shoulder exercises using makeshift weights: CHECK!
• loacker quadratinis: CHECK!
• quality time with loula: CHECK!
• mahimbing na siesta (kasi ang aga gumising): CHECK!
• good news from hk: CHECK!
• mom's stuffed pork chops and mashed potatoes: CHECK!
• reply sa mga nag-greet sa akin: CHECK!

good night!!! twas a fulfilling day. :-) 

sa lahat ng bumati, salamat ulit.

Me on Roman Holiday (V5), Wawa, Montalban

*Photo credit: Dennis Diaz (thanks for Sunday sessions! more more more!)

on my list

i like compiling pictures. they take up so much time, but i like it when you open a page, folder, or album, and they're all neatly, prettily laid out there....ahhh, instant pleasure.

or maybe i'm just a sucker for neatness, which is reflective of some items on the images below. these are things i'm planning to buy soon, in my quest for more effective time management. 

i do believe organization is key, at least for me. if i don't get myself and my stuff arranged physically, if i don't get my to-do lists in order, say goodbye to my efficiency. kind of anal and devoid of memory work, but i will admit that it's the only way i get by.

yung ibang items....they're just little temptations that i never give into. and i thought...maybe since my birthday is coming up, you'd like to buy them for me? hahaha.

there's only one socket beside my bed, while i have my laptop, phone and itouch to be regularly charged. add to that miel's gadgets when he's there. there's no question that i need to get myself one of these soon.

this year, i'm going to get my shoulder back in shape. it's been over 10 months since i aggravated my rotator cuff injury, so i vow to be disciplined this year in rehabilitating it. and i want to get back to proper climbing shape, and this exercise ball will be one of my key tools in strengthening my core and antagonist muscles.

i used to carry three flash drives in my pencil case. then two suddenly got corrupted (in a single night -- virus from an internet cafe) and my 1 gig one got lost. grabe, burara talaga ko last year, lost my phone too remember...nowadays, these things are must-haves, so, well, i MUST have one of these.

nothing like a fresh set of neatly-writing pens. like in the school days when you bought new ones every start of the school year, to replenish your pencil case, and to play with in between subjects. (bahay-bahayan using pens as the characters and the double-level pencil cases as two-storey houses?) i haven't been buying pens since i started working because the office always had steady and free supplies, but now, my new office doesn't....

i've been attempting to keep my underwear drawer arranged by using old boxes as dividers, but they remain unkempt because my boxes are too low. oh alright. i'm just looking for an excuse to buy myself these adjustable drawer organizers because it's been at least 10 years since i first spotted them, and i never let myself buy one out of practicality. maybe it's about time i actually doled out some cash?

never was a fan of HELE (remember home economics and livelihood education?) i was BAD and LAZY at sewing and resorted to all possible shortcuts and cheats to submit my class requirements. but now i'm all grown up, and i want to add some skills to my hand-made, crafty projects, and sewing is now calling to me. because aside from enabling me to create pretty stuff, it is certainly a useful skill to have, to mend and alter clothes and fashion emergencies. maybe one day i can even make my own quilts.

it's simple: my room's a mess, and there's way so much stuff in it that i don't know where to place them. these under-the-bed containers will surely do the trick. unfortunately my bed is not as high as in the photo, so i might have to look for thinner ones...

another space-saving tool: compression bags. ever since i started climbing, i've used ziplocks to make my clothes more compact for packing. but these compression bags can also be used for home storage, to flatten those thick, bulky sweaters that are only worn seasonally.

i think i've only bought quadratinis once in my life. but for the life of me, they're good!!!! and when i tasted the dark chocolate flavored ones in miel's house....i've fallen in love. still, i never bought myself a bag because it's clear in my hear that i can spend on more valuable things. yeah, i can be completely kuripot that way. so every time there's one in their house, count on my to steal a few squares. hehehe.

my mom has always said that it's better to invest in maintenance/prevention services than on repair ones, and in an effort to lengthen my laptop's aesthetic and functional life, i'd like one of these laptop cleaning tools. i especially hate it when grime builds up on and under the keypad....ugggh. though parang walang kasamang mini-vacuum cleaner itong kit na 'to....

my siblings and i (yes, including my brother) share headbands, and between the three of us, for the the past five years or so, we've been sharing around 3 headbands. but i think two got broken last year, and neither of us had spent on a new one. it's one of them small things that it's totally manageable to be without, but also great to have around. (especially when he's playing the guitar, or when she's cutting some paper, or when i'm giving loula a bath...it's a hassle to have your hair all over your face).

oh, this is a wallet. ;-) miel mentioned i needed a new one, which is pretty true, but since i never eyed a particular brand or style, i just posted a cute image of a simple and cute one. i like them small (yung isang fold lang), clean, and with only just about 3-5 slots for cards. para madaling isaksak kahit saan, and can stand my constant bag-switching. 

one of my most favorite childhood books. it was my cousins' so i never had a copy. but i super loved this book. i can still remember the opening lines, "Fred and Ted were friends. Fred was big, and Ted was little...." the book goes on to describe their opposite traits, and emphasizes how they remain the bestest of friends despite their differences.

ready for 2010

my holiday season was quiet, but i'm happy with just how relaxing it was. i loved the pace of each day. while miel worried about not knowing what to do with all the free time, i had no trouble at all filling them up with the things i loved to:

1. sleep - i got a good dose of sleep, the way i wanted it. long, uninterrupted, with no alarm clock to cut it short. and though i always insist that ten straight hours is my ideal sleeping time (and something i aspire for every weekend!), i never got it...nonetheless, felt satisfied with getting eight hours on some days. maybe because i only got out of bed to have breakfast/brunch, then returned to get 1-2 hours siesta.
   
2. eat - and i refer to the once-a-year christmas feasts that my mom so lovingly prepares. her morcon, pastel, embotido, chicken relleno, chinese ham, egg pan de sal + butter + more butter, canonigo...plus a few non-regular fares of steamed lapu-lapu and stuffed roast chicken. 
3. spend late night outs with friends - mix of planned and unplanned, with old friends and new acquaintances, with little or lots of alcohol, but always filled with good fun. whether it was a simple home-made dinner or a loud boys vs girls rock band contest, it packed my senses with things i never knew they've been missing so badly.
4. work out - i ran, and ran, and skated, and climbed. OHHHHH, YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this one i knew i've been missing very badly, and after stuffing myself with all the good food, nothing feels more satisfying than sweating profusely and waking up all those sleeping muscles. thank you, UP, for welcoming the lone runner. thank you miel for always keeping those boards in the trunk. thank you, power-up for, well, being power-up.
5. be updated with friends' lives and see how much they're enjoying - i know. ang cheesy, even for my taste. pasensya na. but over the holidays, i was able to check my facebook and multiply accounts more frequently, and was moved to see how people were getting to do the things they loved to do over the break. friends were reunited, families bonded. some welcomed the new year up in cold, peaceful sagada, or by spending much-needed family quality time in the province, or by having a deep water solo adventure, or by going on a surfing road trip. oh, and one gave birth to a beautiful baby girl! 

so thanks for this rejuvenating holiday break, and to 2010: let's get it on!