Working Gurl...

Wow, can't believe I haven't posted for a month. I'm still here. Just got busy with work. Yay. I have been working for Y for a month now, been good, the job is not rocket science hard. I am liking it. Also, got another part-time job at the B, and I started last Thursday. I can keep both jobs since their hours are different. I was praying about it and I got it. Thank GOD.

Will start saving for our trip back in the Philippines and helping out NG with the expenses here at home. I bought groceries last Saturday, that felt good. :)

Whenever I'm online, I can be found on Facebook or on Twitter. I haven't abandoned this blog. My online time just decreased a bit. I am not complaining though. Work = Cash. I'm all for cash baby.

Have a good one. God bless.

And We Turn 4...

Today, NG and I are celebrating our fourth anniversary. Who would have thought? Coming from a long-distance relationship, 4 years is quite a long time. This is our first time to be together on our anniversary. No more emails, webcam chats, text messaging and phone calls on this day. Been there, done that. Don't wanna do that again. We've exchanged cards. Tears abound, mostly mine, I'm such a cry-baby. SIGH. We have a long way to go, I pray we'd always have our faith in each other and most importantly in God. Do include us in your prayers too. Keep the faith, I know, it can be tough from time to time. God Bless.

A Week Before Thanksgiving...

YEAH, that's how fast my laptop is...I WISH.

I got me some flairs. You surely can kill time at Facebook, I don't even know how many apps I got in there. I go in and just whatever. I like the Unending Trivia quiz though.

November 15, 2008 @ The Slowdown. Matt Nathanson. I wanna be taller when I grow up. Hee. The gig was sold out a few weeks before the show date. NG got lucky and won some tix [and a meet & greet pass] from Q98.5 . It was a fun night. I added 2 new artists [Jessie Baylin and The Break & Repair Method] on my Myspace page. The next night, we watched Ingrid Michaelson and I added two more artists [David Ford and Newton Faulkner, they're both English, hearing them talk was a bonus] on my Myspace page. It was a goody weekend for us. Glad NG's weekend-off fell on those dates.

I thought I'd get back to reading with these books. I miss reading even if it makes me sleepy. The Twilight series is the best-seller nowadays, I don't know what's the fuss is about. Hee. I guess, I'm getting old for that stuff? I don't know. Though, I want to see the movie, looked interesting.

NG got me a purple mini-mouse. He was excited as he handed it to me. I was more excited, of course, purple mouse, baybee. Sweet.

Sam & Ruby is a must.

Made a list of people to send Christmas cards to for this year. NG only had a handful of people to send to but since we are considered as one now, he's sending to about 70 people as well. We went to the FACTORY CARD OUTLET last Sunday. That place is sooooooo my happy place. Lotsa cards, I would have to go there by myself one time, I just have to figure out which bus[es] to take.

http//www.jetpunk.com/quizzes/how-many-countries-can-you-name.php I only got to name 40 countries in 5 minutes. There are 195 listed on that quiz.

It's 30 degrees F here in O! and it's bound to go down to 15 throughout the day. COLD COLD COLD for myself. It could also snow tonight.

It'll be my first Thanksgiving next Thursday. We might have it here at home. MajorDad, NG and me. We'll just buy our Thanksgiving grub at Walmart, most likely. If that doesn't pan out, we'll be having Thanksgiving dinner @ one of the Casino buffets in town. Hee. NG's off Thursday to Saturday for the Thanksgiving weekend. Yay. Happy about that. He'll have 2 weekends off next month as well. All good. So many things to be thankful for this year. SIGH. I am grateful for everything and I ALWAYS thank God for that. Keep the faith.

On a cold October day here in O...

Jamie had a small gig last September 30th in LA and he's working on a new album and will have a TV project due out next year. Yay. For now, you can get updates via his myspace page at www.myspace.com/jamiewaltersofficial or at jamiewalters.com.

Your Pizza Says:

You love the food you grew up eating, and it's mostly what you still eat. You don't go for a big variety of foods. You just have a few favorites you stick to. Pizza Topping You Should Try: Sausage or Canadian bacon Stay away from: Anything you can't pronounce

The Pizza Test

I am here. Thought I'd do an update. I finally filed my status adjustment beginning of the month. I got the receipt notice last Friday. It'll be around 90days or more for the status adjustment to be processed. 60-90 days for the employment permit. Waiting game it is for now.

I watched Sex and the City, the movie yesterday, it made me miss my gurlfriends, made me nostalgic too. Sigh. I need a drink. Did I cry while watching the movie? If you know me, you'd know the answer to that.

I've been following Survivor Philippines and I'm enjoying it. I don't like the host much but other than that, I'm glued to the show.

It's getting colder here in O, yesterday it was in the 40s. We didn't even turn the AC on. Even NG used the comforter. If NG gets under the comforter that means it is cold. Right now, it's around 50s but it's supposed to go down the 30s tonight. Wow. I am not looking forward to the winter. Just have to deal with it. Will get winter clothes soon.

I'm gonna go for now. Must do some grilling, we're having Tilapia flakes for dinner. Hope you're all having a good mid-week. Keep the faith. God bless.

From a year ago...

"The following is an e-mail from the past, composed on Friday, September 28, 2007, and sent via FutureMe.org
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dear Future Me, today is September 29, 2007, and you're still awake, as always...it's been tough lately between you and ..."

I forgot about that email I sent for my future self to read after a year...thinking back, that was the time that the distance was really getting to me. It was VERY tough to be in a long-distance relationship. It is not easy to be in a relationship period, much more if it's long-distance. A year after I thought we're not gonna make the relationship work because of the distance, look at us now, together in one timezone and married and dealing with life as one. I still won't recommend long-distance relationship to anyone though. It's a toughie. I'm glad we got through that.

Have a good week ahead. I'm gonna go back to my tv shows for now. I finished House [season 4] and watched the first two episodes of the latest season. Love that show. I'm 3 episodes away from finishing Dexter [season 2], I can't stand a few of the characters on the show but I still like the show. I like shows that is very talkie and Dexter talks to himself all the time. The third season started last night, same with the 2nd season of Californication [David Duchovny is love...I love hearing him talk...good speaking voice...] Until next time. October is around the corner. God bless.

I'm Not Bored...

Why is it that I can't blog as often as I want? I have the time, but like always, when I'm in the compose page of Blogger, the things that I wanted to blog about just doesn't seem worth sharing anymore? Oh well. Here I am, just writing whatever comes to mind. I wanted to blog about being stressed when your partner is stressed a few weeks ago but won't do that right now. Thankfully, NG's not as stressed at his part-time job nowadays unlike a few weeks ago.

My cousin AJ turned 18 last month, it makes me feel a bit oldish thinking that she's 18 now. Yowza. Where did the time go?


This was taken December 2000-2001 me thinks, AJ is the one on the left [wearing glasses] and Nadine is on my Nanay's lap on the right. It didn't seem that long ago.

This is Nadine now. She was in charge of the candles on her sister's birthday. 9 years from now, Nadine will be 18. Sigh. I'm getting nostalgic now.

Speaking of nostalgia, these guys are back. They had a concert in the Philippines when I turned 18 but my parents didn't let my sisters and I watched the gig. They will be here in town in November, maybe, just maybe, I'll get to see them this time around. I still have to persuade NG in coming with me. Hah. Bribes might work. We will see. Wish me luck.

I'm back on TV mode since the start of the week. I've downloaded the House [4th season and the first episode of the fifth season], I'm on episode 6 now, will finish it in a few days for sure. Loving it, I just can't take Kal Penn's character seriously, I kept thinking, that's Kumar! Hee. I also have Pushing Daisies [season one], How I Met Your Mother [2nd and 3rd seasons] to watch. I have to finish Dexter [season 2] on Showtime ON DEMAND as well. Must catch up on CSI, Brothers & Sisters [season 2], Scrubs [season 5 to present] as well. Accck. I love my shows. I may not get to watch them in real time anymore but it's all good, I actually prefer watching them one after another. No commercials. Gotta love technology for that. Any shows you think I should be watching nowadays?

Baked Ziti with white sauce and eggplant parmigiana. I miss this!!! and I MISS the gurls I'm with whenever I have that yumminess.

Even if the show ended years ago, with this calendar, they will always be there for me. Must have. It's on my Christmas wish list even if I don't have a list yet. Hee. You can get yours at Danilo.com.

I've started this post 2 hours ago and I'm still here. I think, it's time I go for now. Until next time, whenever that will be. Hee. Keep the faith. God bless.

And You Did What?...

I always want to post something in here but for some reason, I couldn't come up with anything that I think is interesting enough to share. Now, I'm just shooting the breeze, whatever will be, will be.

Got married a few weeks ago. It's bound to happen, was just a matter of time. Relieved we were able to pull it off. My Nanay was a bit worried how I'd be able to prepare for it. Dress, shoes and what not. Hee. I was able to handle it by myself, Thank God. We made the long-distance [not easy] thing worked while we had to. No more of daily emails, sms chats, weekend webcam chats and phone calls. In person communication is so much better. NG and I have been like a married couple since I got here but when it became legal and all, it was more special than anything that has happened to us, so far. I'm loveliking it. Very comforting to be married to someone you really want and love and viceversa. I feel blessed. Thank you to those who congratulated us. Do include us in your prayers and thoughts that we'll have a blessed married life.

I cooked something yesterday...it was tasteful enough, hee...NG liked it, he said, I should make it again...you can check the recipe here.

This one is from Post Secret. I tried to think of my fears and the most is about death. I shouldn't be afraid of that yes? I have faith. I know, it'll all be okay once we reach our time. I pray I'll be okay about that.

MajorDad gave us 72 bottles of Powerade. He told us he got a good deal on it, 50 cents/bottle at WalMart. He also gave us a bunch of [more] microwaveable foodies. I am grateful. He's one generous man.

Anyhoo, that's about it for now. Have a good day. Keep the faith. God bless.

Blackout...

My crush for this guy started when I was still in HS, that's quite a long time ago, and I still have this high school girl type crush whenever I see a recent photo of him. He was the Bench undie model for years until he got "overweight" and lost his right [if you can say that] to be the underwear model for Bench. Nowadays, it's Jon Avila, Dingdong Dantes [my friend said he kinda look like Zoolander whenever he poses...], Rafael Rossell who dons the latest undies for Bench.

Last Friday night, Bench had it's every other year denim/underwear show in the Philippines. If I was still there, I KNOW I would have been there to see that. Jomari is not as underwear ad worthy as 10 years ago, but he still and will always be my Bench undie guy. SIGH. He'll turn 32 next month. I should update the website I made for him me thinks. I've been saying that for the longest time. I just might. If I don't get too lazy. I got the images from the Team Kapamilya Multiply group, click on the link to see more pix from the Blackout Denim/Underwear show. I miss buying stuff from BENCH, they have a limited online store as of the moment, still not the same as being inside the store and being surrounded by the colorful undies. I lovelike undies on men. Bow. Don't ask. It just how it is. Hee.

My EBC friends...missing them...this was taken when Slutty Nurse [2nd from left, I don't remember how she became the "slutty nurse" coz she's really not, I think, we got it from FRIENDS...I don't remember for sure] had a recent vacay in the Philippines. The lucky dude in the pic is Neo.

Eeee, Ada aka Slutty Nurse, Miss Gwynnie and Doctora aka Nerdy Nurse [she recently passed the nursing exams...we now have two nurses in the group...CONGRATS again Doctora Nurse...your being studious and incommunicado during your review months really paid off...a mini wave for you...whooo]. I miss our VS [vodka session] gurls. Not fun to drink by myself. Maybe, I'll drink tonight.

I have been playing this game UNO!!!!!! My cousin Nadine and I used to play this card game back when I was still in the Philippines, now they have a computer version of the famous card game. Wheee. I wish it's an online game where you can play against real people though, that would really be FUN.

Been here in O for 2 months now...where did the time go? What has changed? I definitely gained weight. I haven't been eating much but the lack of activity [like walking a lot back when I was still working] on a daily basis could be the reason for my gain weight. I need a weighing scale, NG promised me one. I'm not overly conscious about it but I know how not easy it is to lose weight, I never really tried, I just played badminton a lot a few years and that's where it all started. I miss playing badminton. Who wants to play versus me? I'm not good at it but I can hit the ball when need to. Hee. I wake up at 5:45am every weekday, the same time as NG gets up. Then just do whatever is needed to do during the day. My computer is always on, just on standby until someone from home gets online and started chatting with me. Had a long chat conference with two of my friends yesterday, must have been more than 5 hours. So many subjects have been talked about. We even tried voice chat. Ain't technology cool? Yes, it is.

I went to the mall again today, not much time though, I was there for only two hours because had to get home before NG gets here since they keys were with me. Saw one skirt that I actually really liked. It was white, AND I'm not a fan of white clothing but for some reason, I liked it instantly. Might go back to get it. It was on sale too, so, it's like, coolness.

It's Saturday night, NG's night to unwind [loud tunes + drinking his Yukon Jack], so, I'm here in the living room, unwinding with him in the other room, I can hear the tunes LOUD and CLEAR out here even with the door closed. It's loud and I don't like it but that's how he unwinds AND knowing how a creature of habit he is, he will lose his mind if he don't get that each weekend. Hee. It's all about compromise yes? We have so many things to discover from each other, even if we've been together [long distance] since December 2004, we still have a lot of things to discover [both good and bad] about each other. An Aunt told me about something she read about this guy who's had a successful and lasting relationship, the guy said, you must have the 3 Cs: Commitment, Communication & Compromise. Will just have to keep that in mind for now yes? Hee. Sounds easy but it could be tricky.

Must go and play my game for now...and I think, I'd have a few glasses of AbDew or AbCran-apple. Have a good day. God bless.

Love is a 4 letter word...

Ask the Love Guru [got this from Beliefnet]

>>What is a Love Guru?
My goal is to help and guide people to finding LOVE. Love with themselves, love with others and just surround themselves with love. Love is the ultimate jacket that one should wear to face the world. Love is a powerful force when used for good.

>>When Will I Meet "The One?"
Greetings Gurudev,
I am wondering, what can you share with singles who seek their soul mates? How will they know when "The One" comes along? How will they recognize this special person? What will your special movie teach us about this?
I think that when you meet someone that you are going to be with, you just know. However, soul mates are sometimes difficult to identify. They aren't all prince charming holding a red rose and making the bedroom eyes at you. They may be disguised as the postman with the B.O. who just needs a chance. And some new shorts. Yikes! Lower the hem, Chief, because no one ordered that special delivery! I think that to find your soul mate you need to be open minded. Let people in! And as for what my movie will teach, it shall be peace, loving yourself, being one with the universal energy that courses through all things, and that the price of a Turbo Tub of popcorn is at least a dollar too high. It's hot corn, for Pitka sakes!

>>Should I Train My Man?
After 7 years, he's willing to put down the seat on the toilet and various other tasks. But, when I say, "jump", he doesn't say, "how high." Love Guru, do you recommend "training your man"?
Training anything is very difficult. Trust me I know, I've got ostriches, elephants and all kinds of other critters running around my ashram like they freaking own the place. And they also refuse to turn the lights off when they leave a room. Annoyyyyying! My electric bill is higher than Guru Maltanto on Chibatar berries. As for your hubby, I don't think training is the answer, because every being on this Earth should walk their own journey while you walk yours. This is the most basic law of the universe... respect. Every person's path is their own for a reason. Like my gardener, who has chosen his path right past my bathroom window when I am busy "dropping the little Gurus off at the pool." Perhaps I have shared too much, but you get the idea. And if you also happen to know about any new, respectful gardeners, let me know.

>>Should I Stay With Him?
Have you ever been in a situation where you love someone but you also hate them at the same time? I certainly have. You love them for the wonderful things that they do for you, but you hate them for putting you through "unnecessary torture", by not doing those things "with you."
I hear you man-knockin', so I hope this answer is a-rockin'. Men are like asparagus: good for you in principle, but too much makes your pee smell. I say it's time to mix up your diet. Be heart smart and read the labels first when you are relationship shopping. Not too much fat, enough sugar, and no MSG (Mortal fear of Sharing and Growth) Otherwise you'll keep going home with bags of bad news. And that just gets you a sore back and a fridge full of fury. Good luck!

>>Should I Return to My Ex?
I have been in a relationship for 5 years to a great guy. We get along well and co-exist happily. The problem is, there's no passion anymore. Any kind-of sex is always initiated by me and it's been this way for a long time. I've tried talking to him and I get no where. Recently, my ex resurfaced and the spark is hotter than ever. He makes me feel beautiful and sexy! My boyfriend rarely takes his eyes off the video game when I enter the room. It's getting really hard to stay faithful! Any advice would be most appreciated.
Five years is a long time, for anything. Ask Braksheer down in the village, who hasn't trimmed his nose hairs in almost six. He looks like he's jumping rope when he walks. But back to you: After putting so much of your life spirit and energy into an individual, and it still being bad, while a previous individual is looking good, could lead to a big problem. For Mr. Five Year Lazy Video Game Boring Weiner! Tell him your worries, and that if there is no change following your chat, then it is time to seek greener pastures. Not necessarily with your past. It's all about moving forward! But if the ex is still as foxy as I am guessing, then I say "release the hounds!"

>>Can I Get Over Him?
I had a break up one year ago and I still love that person. I am sure he loves me too but there is an issue between us that bothers him too much and can't be resolved. Can I do something about it or am I supposed to remain sad and depressed???
First of all, you should never plan to remain sad and depressed. Definitely take steps to alleviate the sadness and depression. Turn on a fan of positivity to whisk those negative energies away. Perhaps once they are gone, you will miss this man less. It is also a truth that things happen for a reason. If it didn't work out, there was a reason. If that reason is a big boulder standing in your path together, you can agree to try and get around it separately and meet on the other side to continue your journey together. But if on your way around the boulder, you happen to meet a sexy lifeguard who has a nice tan and shiny white teeth who asks you to join him at the Burger Shack for dinner, you can alter your path. You are the master of your own course through life, and let's be honest... a free burger is always tough to pass up.

>>Should I Wait for Him?
I am talking to this guy, he sound like everything that I want in a man but right now he is very occupied with his grandmother being sick with lung cancer. The way it sound like she might not have much time to live. I don't know if I should just sit around and wait for him to take care of his grandmother than be with me what should I do? Should I wait for him?
Well, this is a tricky situation. Illness is a sad reality in our world. However, I don't think hanging out with you and hanging with his g-mom have to be mutually exclusive. You just need to decide if you really like this guy. If you do, then put on your understanding pants and stick with him like peanut butter on rice (an old family recipe--great for when your poop pipe is packed) If you do not like him that way, then let that butterfly fly. I think that the g-mom is a non-issue. She could be here today, gone tomorrow or here today, and gone never, like my great aunt Felicia, who was run down by a rogue steer, got pneumonia from the puddle she fell in, and then outlived the entire family. She claims it was because of vitamins and prayer, but I think it was just pure old fashioned anger. Bottom line: if you like him, stick with him.

>>How Do I Find a Good BF?
I am so glad you asked this question, and believe me, you are not the first. So here is my answer. The way you find a good Buttocks Funnel is to shop around online, then go to this Swedish place that... what? Ohhhh, a Boy Friend! I knew that is what you meant. No, I'm not lying. Yes, my face is normally this red. I'm part Irish. Let's move on. I think to find a good boy friend, you need to find someone who complements you and who you are, but with the extra yummy of romance. An equal, with similar interests, and knowledge, and goals you can enjoy on a deep personal level. It also doesn't hurt if they are a tiger in the sack! They need to be a good match in all areas, but a word of caution: before someone else can love you, you must love yourself. But don't love yourself too much. It'll make you go cross eyed, and then the only boys interested in you will be optometrists, and they're a little boring.

15 Love Lessons From 'Sex and the City'
by Valerie Reiss [Senior Editor at Beliefnet]

I'm single, a native New Yorker, a writer, and a former sex columnist. To say I could relate to Carrie's NYC existence is an understatement--if you add hilarious dialogue, many guys, a dream apartment, and a wardrobe worth more than most journalists make in a lifetime.

Through my late 20s I was with the girls all the way, even though I often thought their romantic choices were misguided, obviously wrong, spiritually and psychologically clueless, superficial, selfish, and jaded. Pretty much like most of my own.

But in a city where love can be as elusive as affordable housing, SATC gave so many of us perspective, validation, and reminders of the core lessons of love--sometimes in spite of itself, sometimes in the scripts. With the ladies hitting the big screen this week, here's a bit of what I've learned, or remembered, about love thanks to Carrie & Co.

1. Single is Not a Dirty Word
The SATC gals transformed "single"--"spinster"'s more evolved cousin--from being a hole to a presence; they made singledom cool. Even when it hurt.

One of my favorite moments is when Carrie's silver Manolos get swiped from a smug-married's apartment and the friend refuses to reimburse her. She lectures Carrie about spending too much on shoes and not enough on family, playing right in to her singleton's shame.

This, after Carrie has bought engagement, wedding, shower, and baby gifts for her. In a genius move, Carrie registers herself at Manolo Blahnik just for those shoes, single "bride" that she is, forcing the friend to pay up. To me this said the single life is just as valid as the married. We deserve as many gifts and even blessings from our friends and society, regardless of what others might think of our struggles and choices.

2. It's Okay to Expose All to Your Girlfriends
Women talked about sex with their friends long before SATC. But the show gave us permission on a large scale to get graphic and detailed in cathartic and hilarious ways. It was like a six-season long Consciousness Raising group with better outfits.

This seems especially true when it comes to discussing self-pleasuring; it's now much more socially acceptable for women to admit they do it ("I'm getting carpal tunnel syndrome"), and even talk about the tools they use (Rabbit, anyone?). By treating it like any other normal, human function, a burden was lifted, even for those of us who were raised to be open about sex.

3. Fate is Not Always Fate
It's so tempting to interpret the tea leaves of love, to decide that fate is (finally) working in our favor. When Trey saved Charlotte from being mowed down by a speeding taxi, she decided it was fate. Not just that he was a nice guy who saved her life, but that he must be the guy to live out her "marry tale" with.

Turns out--not so much, and I think after that divorce, Char developed a very different notion of fate, i.e.-we don't know how the universe works and just because it seems like synchronicity, it doesn't mean you have to marry the dude. A lesson better remembered than re-experienced.

4. Sometimes to Be Real You Have to Get Ugly
When Charlotte first met her handsomely chiseled divorce lawyer, she kept to the prim, nice decorum that defined her. When she realized she needed to be fierce--and ugly--to battle her Bunny-in-law, she dropped him for sweaty, obnoxious, bald Harry Goldenblatt and then felt free to be as nasty as she wanted to be, fangs and all. Turns out he found her "incredibly sexy" anyway. And once she was able to shatter her preppy, WASPy notion of her ideal man, voila, there he was, right in front of her.

5. Be Vulnerable
More than anyone else on the show, Samantha and her mien of steel taught us that true strength is in opening and trust. She started to get this from her girl-flame Maria ("I've got monogomy, I think I caught it from you people") but mostly from her hot-hot boyfriend Smith Jarrod.

First, he forced on her his "perverse" desire to hold hands, and then, most touchingly, shaved off his golden locks when she lost hers to chemo. We all have an inner Samantha--the part that feigns bravado in the face of pain and trusts no one. Watching her set down her insecurity-as-sword reminded all us tough girls to do the same.

6. There's a Difference Between Childlike and Childish
In perhaps my favorite episode, a guy named Wade had a comic book store, a great record collection, and a scooter. Carrie was justifiably wooed when he drew a cartoon of her telling her to call him. And the girl needed some fun! Mr. Big? Sexy, complicated, but no bag of jacks.

With Wade, she played video games, took a spin on the scooter, got stoned on the balcony of his surprisingly vast Park Avenue apartment. Turned out the guy was living with his parents. And not only that, he lied to his mom that they were smoking Carrie's pot. Lesson? If he seems like a kid, investigate to make sure he's also an adult.

7. Know When to Kiss Goodbye
Miranda asked a date up to her apartment. He declined, claiming to have "an early meeting." Later, she asked Carrie's man of the hour for insight. Berger said, "He's just not that into you," and "When a guy's really into you, he's coming upstairs, meeting or no meeting."

Miranda is instantly liberated, giddy with the blame-free simplicity of it. Of course in real life, sadly, it's not always so simple. But through this and countless other moments, the show taught us that letting go is never easy--even when he's "not into you"--but that if you don't walk away when you know you should, only misery, over-analysis, and disappointment awaits.

8. Don't Mistake Scraps for Jewels
"It was the single most encouraging moment in our relationship." Was Carrie talking about Big sharing his heart with her? Giving her a thoughtful present? Nope. She said this when he gave her the "only" extra pink toothbrush head one night.

Sure, it was the only baby step toward accepting her into his life that he was capable of. But all of us need to love ourselves enough not to mistake glitter for diamonds, scraps for a meal--exactly what that toothbrush head was.

9. Read the Signs
When Carrie got engaged to Aidan, she promptly strung the gorgeous Harry Winston ring around her neck instead of putting it on her finger. Score one for costume designer Patricia Field for the fresh accessory, minus one very big one for the happy future of Carrie and Aidan. Both continued to ignore the signs of doom--like so many of us do--in exchange for hope.

It was a reminder to all of us not to ignore those persistent yet subtle doubts, accumulating red flags--and full-blown panic attacks--no matter how much we want something to work out.

10. Patience & Compromise
Sure, the show was often about taking, and Goddess knows the characters' self-absorption grated horribly sometimes. But as the ladies matured, we saw more and more examples of selfless compromise.

Miranda agreed to have her son Brady baptized even though it conflicted strongly with her beliefs; Charlotte converted to Judaism to be with Harry; and most hilariously, Harry put on underwear to sit on Charlotte's pristine white sofa. As for patience, the girls had a giant Birkin bag full of it for each other. And Carrie, in spite of herself had it big-time with Big.

11. Hold Out for Romance and Butterflies
This is a tricky one, right? Knowing when to hold out for what you want and when to embrace what you have. The SATC girls grappled with that again and again, knowingly, and not.

Romance (and belly full of excitedly batting wings) is fleeting--and yet it's really hard to sustain a happy union that never had it. After dancing with bitter Berger in the Hamptons one night, Carrie reflects with clarity: "Some people are settling down, some people are settling, and some people refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies."

12. Romance Isn't What You Think It Will Be
After the most romantic French meal ever--candlelight, fromage, the works, Charlotte and Harry are in bed, gazing at each other and then suddenly find themselves doubled over with food poisoning. They trade urgent, loud, smelly runs to the bathroom all night long.

"There's a moment in every relationship when romance gives way to reality," Carrie says of the two lovers and her own Big fart incident. "Surviving a night of food poisoning together wasn't the stuff of great romance, but it was the stuff of lasting love." And then we see Harry and Charlotte holding hands in a sweet, real, puddle on the bathroom floor.

13. Love Beyond Yourself
Though ever-cynical Miranda adored her baby, she was not instantly maternal, referring to him as "meatloaf" at one point. But she eventually warms to motherhood. And later on, she grows her heart an extra size when she cares for her mother-in-law with dementia, gently bathing her in one especially heart-breaking scene. The girls--and all of us--are at their best when they give and extend themselves to others.

14. Chicks Stick Together
The entire show is about the consistency of friendship (even when alleged off-screen spats seem to be visible on-screen). They fight, work it out, offer support, drive each other nuts, and always come back together--whether it's Carrie making sure there's no "cheerleading" during Miranda's birth, or Charlotte giving Carrie her old engagement ring.

Toward the very end of the series, when Carrie is in Paris, Big sits with the remaining women, polling them for advice. "You guys are the biggest loves in her life," he says. "A guy is just lucky if he comes in fourth." We can all do to remember to treat our friends like the primary love providers they can be, even when we're in deep, central union with a partner.

15. Always Come Home to Yourself
When Carrie is off with the Russian in Paris (wearing that amazing tulle dress that goes on forever), she loses her signature nameplate necklace. A heavy-handed metaphor? Maybe. A key lesson in all relationships? Yes.

It's so easy for women especially to lose their identity in romantic relationships--we tend to merge with our lovers, sometimes dropping our own "names" in the process. Ms. Bradshaw does find her necklace, and any good shrink (or scriptwriter) would say it's important to note that it was with her all along, fallen into the lining of a Dior purse.

The series ends with these words from Carrie, after she has gone back home to New York, to herself, her friends, and her Big love: "...the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous."

I've been here in Omaha for 3 weeks now. Still adjusting. I'm so not used to being by myself for a long period of time. Sigh. But that's been the case here. I want to work but I can't yet until I get a work permit which will be filed with my status adjustment once NG and I get married. I thought I can file the work permit first but turns out I can't. Oh well. Trying to find things to do here. I pretty much been productive. "Organizing" NG's stuff here. Not fun to do by myself but it keeps me busy. I even alphabetized his CDs too.

TV has been my company for most of the time here at home. Comedy Central is my fave. I get to watch MADtv, Scrubs, Just Shoot Me, Dharma & Greg. I steer away from the drama shows though. Must make myself laugh at most times when I'm alone or else, I'd just be crying. Oh well. NG's cable got 351 channels. He even got this movie on demand channel, it's like having your own dvd playlist available 24/7. It's quite cool. We've seen Office Space [Ron Livingston/Jennifer Aniston] twice now. I watched Before Sunrise, Serendipity, High Fidelity last week.

42 months with NG last Friday, we didn't celebrate that day, just stayed home but we had dinner and strawb/banana margarita at La Hacienda, we love it there.

NG had a day off last Sunday, we had lunch with his dad at China Buffet, gotta love the shrimp there. Then NG and I watched Zohan. Loved it. Gotta love Adam Sandler. We might watch the Love Guru next.

Must end this one for now, nothing much else to blog about. I still have one blog on draft, it's actually a survey-type meme, will finish that next time. Thanks for reading. Have a good day. Keep the faith. God Bless.

Where Do I Begin?...

Hmmm...this is my first post for this month, in a totally new environment, a galaxy far far away [25 hours++ plane trip & 2 stopovers] from the Philippines. I've been here in Omaha for 2 weeks now and adjusting is still in effect. Good and not-so-goody changes since I moved here:

> no more daily emails/sms chats/weekend phone calls/weekend webcam chats with NG
> starting a life with someone I might [hee, if I can deal with some of his habits that sometimes annoy me] spend the rest of my life with, praying about it, we never know, the future is out there, just gotta have faith
> get to know NG on a daily basis [the good and the not so goody ones too...heee...]
> efficient services and what not [getting our marriage license took 30 minutes; applying for a ss number took 10 minutes; drive-thru banks, as long as you have the withdrawal/deposit slip you can go thru a drive thru-bank; you can pay for most, if not all, household utilities online; most of the public toilets have ample stock of toilet paper, soap, paper towel and some have toilet seat cover refills too]
> adjusting to a new life living with a boy
> sleeping next to a person who sometimes snores [he claims he doesn't though...]
> sleeping next to a person whom I lovelike [hee...]
> doing things together with NG at the same time...dining, watching tv, grocery-shopping etc etc...
> missing my family and friends [THANK God for the internet]
> missing Nadine's stories that ALWAYS makes me smile/laugh
> missing the daily group text messaging between friends [I can still receive texts on my phone, just can't reply the way I used to coz it be a bit pricey]
> missing my clean and good smelling blanket/sheets [don't ask...hee]
> might gain weight coz of all the edibles in this house [I've been good though, for some reason, I don't get the munchies, maybe, coz I get busog just seeing the foodies]
> being home alone all day while NG's at work [he works everyday with 2 jobs, hoping to get work this month or early next month]
> fussing at NG for a few things that he should be doing on a daily basis [again, don't ask...heeee...who doesn't want to feel fresh after a day's work? it's not just a girl thing right?]
> adjusting to NG's loud muzak [his speakers are busted, he's got like 3 other new speakers in the house BUT he doesn't wanna change it until it dies on him...tsk tsk tsk...NOISE!!! Why do some people like to play their tunes TOO loud? I'm surprised he doesn't have a hearing problem.]
> missing VS [I have a bottle of Absolut Ruby Red in the fridge, it's been there for almost as long as I am here, just don't have the urge to drink...]
> not a lot of public transportation here, can't just go from one place to another via bus, really want to explore the area but can't yet, in time, maybe, I did get to visit the Zoo, it was HUGE...
> mail delivery everyday except Sunday
> 24 hour supermarket [NG does his grocery-shopping early in the morning, where not a lot of people are shopping, still have to do that with him soon, maybe this coming weekend we might since he gets the weekend off]
This is just the start of a new beginning. I'm just taking it as it comes. I don't know what the future holds. We still are getting to know eachother, we know a lot about eachother but there are lots more to know as the days go by. We just gotta compromise on things and keep the faith. And a friend told me, LOVE CONQUERS ALL, I hope she's right. Hee. Here's to living with NG here in Omaha, may we both deal with each other's quirks and what not. Leaving you with something I got from Beliefnet, enjoy...happy Sunday. God Bless.

10 Simple Soul Exercises [from Beliefnet.com]

By Rabbi Brian
[the author of "How to Find Out What (the) God (of Your Understanding) Wants from You." He is a teacher and the Chief Religious Officer of Religion-Outside-The-Box. For more information visit his
website.

Our spiritual life is like singing. Most of us can sing, but few of us do it in public. Even fewer can do it in public without embarrassment! Try these simple, soulful, spiritual workouts to help develop your religious voice so that you can--to use the words of the Psalms--"sing a new song to God."


1. _______, Therefore I Am

French philosopher Rene Descartes wrote, "I think, therefore I am." But what if thinking isn't the reason for your existence?

What word or phrase might you substitute for "I think"?

Here are a few ideas:

* I complain, therefore I am.
* I have stuff, therefore I am.
* I improve on things, therefore I am.
* My parents procreated, therefore I am.
* I create, therefore I am.
* God loves me, therefore I am.

Every version gives a very different perspective on life. Meditate on what you would put in the blank and see what you discover.


2. Spend Time 'Not Doing'

Parkinson's Law (named after 20th-century British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson) states, "Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." That's just the way it is.

Paradoxically for adults, it takes work and planning in order to successfully rest. Can you spend five minutes today not doing? How about 10 minutes? Or a half hour?


3. Take a 'Universe Job Survey'

I saw the following quote: "Many people want to serve God, but only as advisors." If we aren't here to advise God, what is our job?

Here's a way to think about answering that question: Imagine for a moment that the universe was your employer. Based on the way you actually live your life--not on how you wish you did--how would you answer the following questions on The Universe's Job Survey:

* What is your job title?
* What department do you work in?
* How high-ranking are you in your department?
* Do you have a job description?
* Does your job have fixed hours or benefits?


4. Create Your Own Holy Day

Rather than commemorate a truly significant religious or secular event, many of our culture's holidays are invented and exist primarily for commercial purposes. If you could invent a holiday what would it be?

* Bob, my brother-in-law, advocates "Creativity Day."
* Larry, my friend the retired minister and sociology professor, likes the idea of an "International Day of Contrition."
* I would have everyone celebrate "Faith Day."

What "holy day" do you think should be observed?


5. Give Yourself Advice

If you could go back in time to when you were half your current age, what advice would you want to give yourself?

Might you tell yourself:

* to have more faith?
* to love more freely?
* to be less anxious?

And, if you were to take that advice today, how might that change your current outlook?


6. Try New Words

For the rest of the day, see if you can substitute the verb "get" for "have." For example, if you were going to say, "I have to check my email," say instead, "I get to check my email." It's amazing how the little change of one word can affect our attitude.


7. Read an Email from God

Imagine you open your inbox and find an email with the subject line: An email from God. What do you imagine the message would contain?

* Praise?
* Condemnation?
* An answer to a question that you've been asking?
* Advice?
* A forwarded joke?

What about your response? What would you write back? How would you sign it?


8. Surprise Yourself

Imagine that at half the age you currently are, you fell asleep. And imagine that you slept right through (like Washington Irving's story of Rip Van Winkle) until today. What five things about your own life and the world would be most surprising to you?

Would you be surprised by where you live? Would you be surprised by your wealth? Would you be surprised by your state of mind? Would you be surprised by technology? Would you be surprised by world politics?


9. Change It Up

If the only constant is change--as paradoxical as that might seem--it would behoove us all to learn how to deal gracefully with it.

For the rest of the day, change your cell phone ringtone or put your watch on the opposite wrist. (Really, do this.)

Now, each time your phone rings or you look at an empty patch of skin instead of finding out the time, notice how you react. Your reaction to this change is going to inform you about your natural, pre-wired response to change.

Change is just change. It isn't inherently good or bad. It's just different.

See if over the course of the day you can learn from yourself and accept both change as well as your reactions to it.


10. Have a Talk with God

If you were in a couples' counseling with God, what complaints, grievances, grudges, etc., would you have about your recent relationship with God? In other words, what is it that you have not said to God that you know deep in your heart you want to say about your relationship as of late?

It might be something that you haven't felt particularly safe saying or just something you haven't had the opportunity to say. Or it might just be something you've said before that bears repeating.

See if you can come up with at least seven sentences. (There is no one who can't do this--those claiming to have no relationship with God can use that as a wonderful starting point.)

Seven Seven Seven...

Seven Ways to Restart Your Day
Beliefnet Feature from Oprah.com.

You've just woken up, and you're on the wrong side of the bed. Is there any way to switch to the other side? Absolutely.

For those times when your mind is addled, and your center is shaky; open this little black bag of cures and find your beautiful balance!

By Kathryn Matthews from O, The Oprah Magazine, October 2007

As soon as the alarm rings...
Spend your first 15 seconds awake planning something nice to do for yourself today. "This can really set you up in a good mood--even if it's just going by the farmers' market and getting fresh strawberries," says Alice Domar, PhD, whose next book--Be Happy Without Being Perfect: How to Break Free from the Perfection Deception--will be out in March 2008.

Get up.
The longer you lie there, the more you ruminate, the darker your outlook is likely to become, says Christine Padesky, PhD, coauthor of Mind Over Mood. So get vertical and make a cup of coffee, take a shower, feed the cat...

Drink...
Make that two glasses of water upon awakening, the time when our bodies are dehydrated, says Susan M. Kleiner, PhD, author of The Good Mood Diet. Dehydration causes fatigue, which affects your mood.

Move it.
You already know the number one way of chasing away a bad mood: exercise. A workout at the gym sure helps. But even just a few minutes of movement--a fast walk, for example--raises energy and reduces tension, says mood expert Robert Thayer, PhD, professor of psychology at California State University, Long Beach, and author of Calm Energy.

Investigate.
When you're dogged by anxiety or the dread you woke up with, try to pinpoint what's causing it. Did someone say anything the day before? Do you have a meeting today you wish you didn't? Was it the dream you were having when the alarm went off? "If you can figure out why you're upset, that's halfway to feeling better," says Domar.

Be kind and thankful.
This isn't exactly news, but generosity and gratitude are both big contributors to happiness, according to Todd B. Kashdan, PhD, who directs the Laboratory for the Study of Social Anxiety, Character Strengths, and Related Phenomena at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Do something nice for a stranger or friend and see if you don't feel better about yourself. Also, jot down three things that you're grateful for. It seems so simple, but counting your blessings just has a way of making you remember the sun is shining.

Laugh at yourself.
The best comedians point out the mundane aspects of life--relationship strife, a boring job, a closet full of too-tight clothes; they exaggerate those circumstances, and give us a perspective we can laugh about, says Mark Ridley, owner of the Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, Michigan. Look at your own life and try to appreciate the absurdity of what doesn't go exactly according to plan (the diets, the men, the buzz cut). Acknowledging how little control we actually have over what happens is sometimes a most freeing gift to yourself.

Seven Steps to Improving Relationships

By Rabbi Brad Hirschfield

Conflict is an inevitable part of life, but it need not always be painful. In fact, we all have within us the ability to sustain relationships even when we deeply disagree. When we reach our breaking point (as we all do), and need to walk away, we can do so in ways that make it more likely that we will come back together.

Here are seven ancient Talmudic steps to follow when confronted with a conflict. They create conversation--not denigration--and encourage us to talk about what matters most in ways that hurt the least.

1. Give Yourself a Break
Sometimes you need some distance-some time to cool off and reflect. But it should be just that, i.e., a limited amount of time after which you and the person with whom you are fighting agree to come back together and revisit the issues. A time out can be a great thing, as long as its design is to bring you back together.

2. Respect the Other Person's Dignity
The one whom you are in conflict with should never lose their value as a human being. No matter how right you think you are and how wrong they may be, don't deny their dignity; you will do more harm than good.

3. Experience Radical Empathy
We must do everything in our power to identify with the other person and their position before fighting for our own. Simply saying that we understand their point of view is not enough--be able to argue it well and present it as if you shared it yourself.

4. Acknowledge Your Partner's Wisdom
Before we can be their teacher, we must first become their student. We must accept that no matter how wrong someone is about one thing, they are unlikely to be wrong about everything. Nobody is smart enough to be 100 percent right or dumb enough to 100 percent wrong.

5. Know That Conflict Hurts Everyone
Appreciate that even when we are doing everything right in handling our relationships, we all pay a price when a conflict unfolds. Being right should not insulate us from feeling the pain that is a part of the conflict in which we are engaged.

6. Look First to Yourself
Even when we are right, we should always ask how we participate in creating and perpetuating the conflict. We all play the blame game sometimes, but it's important to point a thumb back at ourselves before a finger at the other person.

7. Remember, Being Right Is Not Enough
Remind ourselves that the only real justification for conflict with those about whom we care is that it addresses an issue, which is central to sustaining the relationship over time. If it's just about being right, then it probably isn't worth it.

My Seven American Idol Favorites...

It's been a lazy weekend for me. Was in bed most of the time. Watched a few movies. I recommend Juno. Across the Universe was ok, I didn't loved it but I didn't disliked it either. Though the guy who played Jude was easy on the eyes. Martian Child was good enough for me, John Cusack was they reason why I watched it anyways and he's always good for me. I love hearing him talk. SIGH. I also watched Dedication [Mandy Moore and Billy Crudup], hmmm, there are some movies that when you see who's in it, you get interested in, but when you start watching the movie, it's like, hmmmm, just have to finish the movie to see how it all ends, though, I pretty much knew what was coming. Hee. I like Mandy Moore. Billy was ok. Margot at the wedding stars Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jack Black, the movie is not a comedy. I don't know what to make of it. I'm glad it wasn't a long movie though. I still have to watch Into the Wild, Awake, Silk, The Bucket List, My Blueberry Nights to watch in the coming days.

Didn't really get to do productive things except I ironed some jeans and shirts Saturday night. I planned on cleaning [basically just arranging my what-not] my room but that didn't worked out. Hee.

Had semi-off chats with NG this weekend. We get those once in a while. There are times that you just want to be with someone and not talk right? But can't do that when you're in a long distance relationship. You can't be on YM and not type anything, the other might think you're mad or something. Can be tough times. Oh well. We tend to take it as it comes. Soon enough we'd get to spend time together and just be. No more looking at each other's webcams and all that. 3 years of doing that made me asked myself why did I agree on it in the first place? I'm not regretting it. It is what it is. Praying about things.

It's a brand new month, NG feels it will be our month, hoping for the best is all. My youngest sister will be arriving on Wednesday from Thailand [a pit stop from Dubai]. She texted me earlier saying that their flight from Dubai to Thailand was delayed. And she'll be arriving here in Manila on Wednesday instead of Tuesday. All good. Already have plans on taking her to a spa for a massage and what not. And she'll be celebrating her birthday here, she'll be 28. How time flies. Indeed. I feel my March will be good, if only for my sister being here, I think that's enough reason to yes? NG might be here too, if all things go as planned.

Here's to a good March for all of us. Keep that faith. God Bless.

I Don't Feel Too Good...

The weekend is almost over. Had a lazy one, as always. Stayed at home. Cheaper that way. Been feeling under the weather since Saturday afternoon, it's late Sunday night right now and I'm really feeling under the weather. I don't like being sick. Who does? Sigh.

It's bound to be a busy work week, so, I cannot take a sick day off but I know, if I really need to stay home, I can. Uncle Boss will let me stay home for sure. For now, I think, I can work tomorrow, it's just gonna be another day waiting at the Bureau anyways.

Chat with NG tonight since he got Sunday off this week, then another full weekend off the weekend of 23rd and 24th. All good.

I downloaded LOST Season 4 Episodes 0 and 1 via utorrent, it took hours, of course, finished around 2am-ish, and I was watching it at 3am-ish. Damn that show. A friend told me not to download anymore and she'll just burn me a copy. I told her, I think, I'll just wait when there are more episodes to watch, I don't like anticipating each week for a new episode. I'd rather watch one episode after another. A marathon. I'll just wait for now.

Downloaded other stuff off the utorrent thingy, got me albums of Joshua Radin [don't really like the whole album], Robin Thicke [me lovey], Colbie Caillat [sounds goody for a first album], Ingrid Michaelson [she grows on you], and Natasha Bedingfield [love her...love the album]...if you're on my Multiply list, will upload them there to share.

Also, been checking sites of resorts of Boracay and Bohol for SisterM, so far, their Bora is done. Just need confirmation for their Bohol trip. Picked up their tickets last Thursday night at CebuPacific Robinson's Galleria. Could have it sent via email but I didn't have a credit card, paid in cash. Found a few resorts at Bora that have nice websites like Beachcomber Boracay and Red Coconut. Makes you wanna go there if only money is not an issue. Hee.

I'm not a Piolo Pascual fan but when I saw this commercial, I was like...wow...what a guapo Cupid he is. Love his eyes. Man.

It'll be my birthday on Saturday. I'll turn 32. I can't believe it sometimes. But I'll be that young. Hee. I'll spend it with a few gurl friends. NG will not be here this time though since he'll be coming in March. Was nice spending 2 consecutive birthdays with him. And to think, I used to spend my birthdays alone, yes, would go to the mall and just go about things, there was one year, I played Bingo for the heck of it. Hee. And spending it with people you like is good too. I like it better. Here's to being happy on my birthday.

Here's to a good week ahead. God Bless.

What's New?...Not Much Really...

My cousins and I just amused ourselves even if we're irritated inside since some people wanted to see what is inside our client's container. It's a regular shipment for crying out loud. They just want to see. Fine. Waste a day, come back the next day to have it examined. Grrrr. We now have 3 pieces of bottles, the next time they want to have it opened, will just show them the bottle, I hope that would suffice. Ah ewan AND if they thought they'd get something from having our client's container opened, boohoo, didn't get that group of people a single peso. Serves them right. They "examined" the containers they know they will not see any fault. Grrrr to them. You have straight papers and yet, you still get harassed by this effing people. That is not work for me, if you're becoming a hassle to someone else. Ah ewan. We have the same shipment this week, I wonder if we'll get by the mickey mouse club.

I finally got my passport last Tuesday. No corrections. Yay. I was asked by a friend why I didn't just had it delivered. My reason was, if there will be any corrections, at least, I'm there to have it corrected. Thankfully, no corrections. I saw some people who had corrections on their passports. I feel bad for them. After falling in line after line, they don't get your passport information right, that'll make me angry.


My nephew Dylan turned 7 last week, we had his birthday celebration last Sunday @ Shakeys. It went fine. A good turnout. We're happy we got to do that for him. We didn't get to have that kind of celebration back when we turned 7. I remember, I had a party as well, even had lechon, but times are changing.

CUTENESS times two...

My cousins wanted to take one baby home...heee...God bless them babies.

Heath Ledger passed away last week. Sad.

Novak Djokovic won the 2008 Australian Open. Happy for him.

I recommend Atonement. James McAvoy can CRY. Men who can cry, gotta love them

NKOTB [New Kids On The Block] will have a comeback? Hmmm. Interesting.

Maroon5 tix are pricey for me, might not go, don't know.

LOST starts its new season this week.

NG turned 36 last Friday, he said, he's old. I told him not to say that in front of my other friends who are a few years older than him. Or else, he'll get whacked in the head. Hee.

I wanna watch Alvin and the Chipmunks. Jason Lee is in it.

I'm doing a "project" on the emails NG and I have been exchanging since December 2004, it's not easy as I thought it would be. NG sent me 11588 emails as of today and I replied to most, if not all of them, multiply that by two, that'll be 23176 emails. Sheesh. I don't think I'm gonna finish that "project." I planned on it back in 2006 but just got keep getting set aside and now, the number of emails is overwhelming. Oh well. At least, I don't have a deadline. Whatever. I started 2 weeks ago. And I only got as far as emails dated January 13, 2005. Might not finish this "project" if I get tired. Hee. We were crazy kids for sending 20++ emails a few years ago. Nowadays, it's just 3 or 4 mails a day during the week, we get rest on emails during the weekends. In time, no more mails, if things work out as we hope they will be. Praying on that. 3 years of long distance is quite enough me feels. It's time for short distance, wanna try that soon.

This is the last week of January 2008. Can you believe it? I can't. Time is really an AMAZING thing.

Here's hoping we have a good last week of January 2008. Keeping the faith. God Bless.

Philippine Goverment Offices...

Last Friday, I went to the DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs] to have my passport renewed. I woke up at 4am, had breakfast, showered, dressed and was out of the house by 5am. It was still dark at that time, in fact, it was still dark at 6am. Was at the vicinity of the DFA at 6:30am, I thought I was quite early [when I applied for a passport in 2003, got there at 7am and the people were a lot but it was only 1/4th of the people who were there last Friday] but there were already hundreds in line. Went to the back of the line and each seconds passed the line kept on getting longer. They let people in at 9am. Yep. To get inside the vicinity of the DFA, it took me almost 3 hours.

Once inside the vicinity, made my way to the basketball court, where STEP1 [I really don't know what they do here, they basically number your application form], the line I was while outside was totally disregarded for a new line was formed. I didn't know I had to hurry to line up. I took my sweet time walking. I should have run. It was another long line to face. Finished Step 1 around 11am-ish. Waited for another 2 hours, at this time, we were still in line, some were lucky they had seats, I wasn't one of those people. Had to buy crackers and gatorade because I was hungry. [had my breakfast at 4am remember].

Around almost 2pm, the line going to another building, for STEP2 [they check your documents here, if you lack one or two, you just have to go back next time, I guess.] The lines will be segregated once you're inside the building, though, there's still a line for each. Fairly fast though. Especially for renewals. At 3pm, was finished with Step2. Here's what I don't get, why don't they check the documents early on? I mean, new applicants have already lined up for hours only to find out when they reach Step2 that they will not be able to go on because they lack a document or two? Isn't that plain common sense? AND I think, they should have a separate line for renewals and new applicants, that way, the people who are just there to renew will finish early and more people will be accommodated. SIGH.

Had to go to another line in going to the Auditorium [where Steps 3 & 4 are], took about half an hour to get inside that Auditorium. Step 3 is just where you pay for the fee. Php750 for 7 working days. Php500 for 14 working days. That was fairly fast. Another line is formed for Step4, they have chairs and the place is air-conditioned, so, at least, it wasn't that excruciating than when lining up for getting inside the vicinity and Steps 1 and 2.

More than 30 minutes have passed before I was called to have my data encoded and stuff. That went fairly quick. Thumb print. Signature. Then it was FINALLY over at 4pm.

Was really tired at this point. I got there fresh and all and I left that place [that you will hate] feeling frustrated and kept asking myself, if that is an everyday thing, why don't they do something about it?

On the news last Sunday, a new online application will be available for those people who wants to renew their passport. The news bulletin on the DFA website was dated January 11. That was the day I decided to go since I had a light day at work and I can take the day off. SIGH. Grrrr to DFA.

So, if you want to have your Philippine passport renewed and you have the budget, go thru a travel agency, or try that online thingy. Call up their hotline number 7371000 to ask for requirements and such.

CAUTION to new applicants. DON'T BELIEVE those people outside the DFA when they tell you that you will not get in without an application form [the forms are FREE and AVAILABLE once you are inside the vicinity] and DON'T believe them if they tell you that your picture is not the right one. If ever your picture will be invalid, there is a photo booth inside the Auditorium [where Steps 3 & 4 is located] and only in Step4 will you FIND OUT if your picture is valid. Just to make sure that you will have the right one, call up the hotline before heading out to the DFA office, they give specific requirements on how the picture should be. And if you go to a studio photo place, I feel, they already know how the picture should be once you tell them it's for passport purposes. Bring a book or an ipod. Though, with all those people around you, someone is bound to talk to you. I met 3 gurls [Lyn, Tess and Estela]. One lost her passport and returning to Japan where his husband is, one is a new applicant bound for Spain, one is renewing hers and returning to Kuwait. After Step2 though, I didn't see them anymore. I wonder why. I hope they will get theris soon. I will go back to that place on the 22nd to get my passport. Praying no mistakes on spelling of my names or wrong date of birth and what not.

Okay, not all our government offices are inefficient. Went to the National Statistics Office website and you now can request for a copy of your birth certificate or marriage certificate and what not online. Then you just have to pay at any BDO or Unionbank branches and it'll be delivered to you in under a week, I think.

Let's go back to being inefficient, the Post Office, or like my friend calls it, the LOST office. NG sent me a CD December 17th. A Christmas card was supposed to be included but he lost it on his way to the Post Office. Anyhoo, he paid $18 and marked it EXTREMELY URGENT, so it'll get to me around Christmas time. He was told it'll take about a week to 10 days max. I got the notice from the Philippine Post Office last Friday [January 11th], what boggles me is, the item was already written as to what is inside that plastic package. They just wanted to get Php35 [processing fee] from me when I get it personally. SIGH. NG is pissed about that. Not only because he lost the Christmas card [he did send me another one that following week, which, I STILL haven't gotten. I'm NOT surprised!] when he mailed that and it cost him more than it should. If only he listened to me when I told him not to send that CD and just bring it when he comes over. Oh well. NG can be stubborn at times. Hee. I must get used to that no? But he did that so I could have something for Christmas aside from other things he got me. I'm most excited about the Christmas card though. I didn't get much this year but that's okay. There's always next Christmas. [that's a hint to all those friends and family reading this...heee]

I could give you more dirt on our government offices [I work alongside one] but I think, that's enough for now. I just needed to let that out. I'm still frustrated. I want my almost 10 hours of January 11 back. Bleh to you DFA. My sisters are renewing their passports in Dubai as I asked them to.

It's a brand new week. Hoping it'll be an okay one. Must log off and spend time playing Mystery Case Files : Madame Fate [THANK you Pia!]. May you have a good week. God Bless.

I've come to realize...

*Snatched this from my nephew, Jeremy's Myspace bulletin post.

1. I've come to realize that, my last ex:
was nothing compared to the one I have now.

2. I've come to realize that, when I talk:
I tend to jump from one subject to the next, that's why I don't talk much. Hee.

3. I've come to realize that, I love:
sending and receiving greeting cards.

4. I've come to realize that my friends:
is a must in my life.

5. I've come to realize that, I've lost:
money in the past year to things that I didn't actually need.

6. I've come to realize that, I hate:
being in a long-distance relationship, at times.

7. I've come to realize that, marriage is:
something I'm considering now since someone wants to have it with me.

8. I've come to realize that, somewhere, someone is thinking:
about ending their life because they think they can't take any more of the life they have now.

9. I've come to realize that, I'll always:
have God in my life.

10. I've come to realize that, I have a crush on:
the guy from the workplace that I see once in a while, nothing special about him, he just dresses nicely and have nice eyes.

11. I've come to realize that, the last time I truly cried was:
months ago...let's not go there.

12. I've come to realize that, my cell phone is:
there to keep me in touch with NG when I'm not online in front of my computer.

13. I've come to realize that, when I wake up in the morning:
I wish he's right next to me, snoring and all.

14. I've come to realize that, before I go to sleep at night I:
pray and just think about happy thoughts.

15. I've come to realize that, right now I am thinking about:
what 2008 may bring...could be the year...I'm hopeful...I'm prayerful...I'm faithful.

16. I've come to realize that, I get on myspace/multiply/friendster/facebook [and the like]:
everyday [accckkk], I'm thinking of dropping one...will see...maybe, facebook.

17. I've come to realize, that today:
is the start of a brand new year, a fresh start for things and what not...2008 baby.

18. I've come to realize, that tonight I will:
try and get some more rest and I pray that it'll be the same all through out the new year.

19. I've come to realize that, I get annoyed:
easily whenever I have my period. [and that is a monthly thingy]

20. I've come to realize that, tomorrow I will:
be chatting with NG, be cleaning my room [if I don't get lazy], be ironing shirts and pants and be sleeping when I possible.