mini-boss in a foreign land: choir girl

my officemate arnold invited me to attend berean baptist church. last september, they opened the choir to new participants. naturally, i joined.

it was the first time i wore a choir gown. and frankly, i was quite excited to try one on ;) actually, they just lent me someone else's gown.

i usually sit next to a sweet old lady named jeanette. our choir director is a funny, energetic tenor. at first, i had a hard time keeping up with them. and why not? they were sight readers after all. after a few more practices, i kinda got the hang of it. i loved singing the songs.



*sigh* i miss KB :(

mini-boss in a foreign land: experimental cooking

over the last couple of weeks, i tried cooking several dishes without the benefit of recipes. since i believe in taking calculated risks, i chose only simple and easy dishes ;)

***
i have tried cooking stir-fried bean sprouts when i was in the philippines, but i had my roommie nez' supervision. this time, i tried cooking the same dish, recalling the ingredients and steps from my poor memory. it turned out okay, the dish was edible and the veggies nice and somewhat "crisp" (according to my homies). however, the pork tasted a little bland. i think it was because i put in the salt and pepper after i put in the veggies. oh well, lesson learned. :)



i asked my officemate cris for a dish that was easy to cook (i didn't want to cook sinigang that week), and he suggested i try broiled stuffed pork chop. i decided to do away with the stuffing, since it was going to be my first time to use the oven, and i intended to keep my things-that-could-go-wrong list as short as possible. my homie jarms told me it didn't taste anything like cris' pork chops, but she said it was okay.



since i wanted a balanced meal, i cooked buttered corn and carrots to go with the meat. besides, i figured that if the pork chops weren't edible, at least my homies would have something else to eat. :)



of course, i wouldn't let a week pass by without cooking my latest favorite-dish-to-cook: plalays. this time, i put in the corn and carrots leftover from last night. and, as thundercat suggested, i put in a beaten egg.

seventy-seven

seven things that scare me...
1. heights
2. blood
3. missing out on God's will for me
4. knives and sharp objects
5. accident or death in the family
6. ghost stories
7. giving birth

seven things i like the most...
1. the night sky, esp. when the moon is large, round and orange
2. the smell of freshly laundered clothes and beddings na ginamitan ng fabric conditioner
3. sinigang na hipon
4. sleep
5. singing while taking loooong baths
6. playing computer games
7. spending time with people i love

seven important things in my room...
1. pillows (large, firm ones)
2. pictures and photo albums
3. notes, letters and gifts given to me
4. journals
5. notebooks of text messages
6. collection of books, cds, dvds
7. laptop

seven random facts about me...
1. i usually sleep on my side, with a pillow in my arms and a blanket over me.
2. i write down in a notebook almost all of the text messages i receive.
3. i hate crossing the street
4. i enjoy being one of the boys, but i love dressing up.
5. i don't like having my bare feet touch the floor when i'm seated.
6. i am directionally challenged (i easily get lost).
7. i have a hard time sleeping when my neck and ears are exposed.

seven things i plan (or want) to do before i die...
1. sing with a full orchestra as accompaniment and/or sing in a concert with my musician friends
2. paint
3. learn how to play the violin
4. have a garden wedding, kids and a house of my own
5. be actively involved in volunteer work, esp. among kids
6. travel, travel, travel
7. walk closely with my God

seven things i can do...
1. sing and harmonize
2. sketch
3. swim
4. not speak for a long time
5. sleep half of the day off
6. write articles and poems
7. read fast

seven things i can't do...
1. drive
2. wake up early for several consecutive days
3. play the drums
4. play the guitar
5. dance ballet
6. eat fast
7. do math in my head (yep, i am a math major :P )

seven things that attract me to the opposite sex...
1. deep-set eyes
2. smile
3. confidence/leadership
4. heart
5. wit/sense of humor, can talk about anything and everything
6. intimacy with God
7. thoughtfulness

seven things i say the most...
1. pambihira!
2. pramis?
3. awww...
4. right... (in a somewhat sarcastic tone pero naka-smile pa rin)
5. yes?
6. now na!
7. tara, uwi na tayo ('been saying this a lot lately)

seven celeb crushes... (pagpasensyahan na at wala akong maisip na iba pang guy celebs)
1. tom welling
2. angelina jolie
3. gary valenciano
4. jennifer garner
5. brad pitt
6. johnny depp
7. rachel mcadams

seven people who i want to take this quiz, besides those that have already done this, in alphabetical order...(i could actually list more than seven)
1. andie
2. eyang
3. jarms
4. jean
5. nez
6. shine
7. yeng

mini-boss in a foreign land: plalays

since we went to a going-away party last night, my homies and i weren't able to cook something for today's dinner. jarms (one of my two homies; jean, my other homie had a bowling tournament in the early evening) and i weren't in the mood to eat leftovers, so we decided to have fried squid instead. when i reached into the refrigerator to get the squid, my eye caught the bowl of leftover rice. i thought, why not have fried rice with fried squid?

there were still some pieces of cabbage left from the chop suey i cooked the week before and some crab meat left some weeks before that. i have never cooked fried rice before (and jarms haven't had fried squid before either), but since i was feeling quite adventurous, i thought i'd take a stab at it. :) jarms was not picky, and if all fails, we could always cook white rice. ;)

so i minced some garlic and chopped some cabbages and crab meat. however, i decided that it would be better to fry the squid first, and then use the oil for the fried rice. that way, the rice will have more flavor.

after battling with the oil-spewing squid, i started with the fried rice. i sauteed the garlic and crab meat, and put all the ingredients in. jarms suggested that i add soy sauce to the rice to give it some color, so i did. i also added a dash of salt and pepper.

my experimental fried rice ("plalays", as we jokingly pronounce "fried rice") was edible. in fact, jarms ate more than the rice serving she normally consumes -- and she wasn't even that hungry yet :) i have a feeling we'll be having plalays again soon ;)

mini-boss in a foreign land: the iron chef is at it again

my adobong spinach last week was such a disaster that i had to ask my next-door-neighbor-slash-iron-chef barry to "repair" it. ;)

***
i cooked chop suey again tonight. i used carrots, cabbage, young corn, cauliflower and mushroom (the cauliflower was kinda overcooked :D ) it surely looks good, and i think it tastes okay. i hope my homies like it -- i have to redeem myself ;)


i took this pic myself


i used a timer on this one


ta-dah!

plans for 2005 (updates)

it's more than half-a-year since i made my plans for this year. here are the updates:

* bought rubber shoes


* owns a digicam (yahoo! i finally got one!)


* learned how to cook at least 5 more meals (and counting :) i've tried sinigang, menudo, bistek tagalog, soy gin pork, and chop suey. 'will try to cook adobong spinach tomorrow)

* gained at least 7 pounds (but i'm still bony ;) )


* learned how to play pingpong (c/o jeff and joel)

* currently re-reading the New Testament (i'm now in Acts)

* created one pencil sketch (finished sketching akane yesterday)


* read 4 novels and counting (sidney sheldon's nothing lasts forever, dan brown's digital fortress, sophie kinsella's confessions of a shopaholic, j.k. rowling's harry potter and the half-blood prince)

* still working on hitting higher notes (i've gone back to singing in the shower and singing in the car)

* still have to learn how to sight-read

* still working on my people skills (this one's really hard :( )

* given up on relearning at least one musical instrument (at least for this year)

* given up on improving programming (at least for this year; my work here requires almost no programming)

* given up on badminton this year (they play tennis here; my friends and i play bowling instead)

mini-boss in a foreign land: a birthday story

this is a post i started writing three-and-a-half months ago, and i only got to finish it today :)

---

it started out like any other day. i woke up early (ei akane, istatyu?). i took a bath and prepared to go to work. as i reached the hotel lobby to wait for the shuttle, i noticed that my officemates were not around. "Hmm, I must be really early today."

After waiting for 5 minutes, I began to panic. Why weren't they here? Where is the shuttle? I looked out the window, and there it was, rounding a curve -- with my officemates aboard, no doubt.

i was incredulous! it's only 8:14 when i got to the lobby! the shuttle was supposed to leave at 8:15! i wasn't late!

i pondered arranging a 9:30 shuttle service before heading back to bed (yep, sleep is precious to me). or i could... i asked my batchmate, who had access to the staff car, to come pick me up. he was already in the office, but he came to my rescue.

when we got to the office, i received an email from my offshore team, asking me to stay late in the office, so that we could deploy the new application we were working on. sigh, it was my special day, and i had to stay late. :(

after office hours, my offshore team helped me deploy our application. but i was having errors on my end. four frustrating-and-dinner-depriving hours later, one of my friends happened to pass by my cube. she was also working late but was ready to go home. she took pity on "hapless" me, and helped me deploy my vexatious application. they even dropped me off at the hotel.

back in my room, an hour before midnight, i feasted on a microwaved mac-and-cheese dinner. while packing my things (i was to be transferred to another hotel the next day), i reflected on my day. sure, it was no way to celebrate a birthday, but i was thankful for some things: first, that i had something to eat for dinner. second, that i was moving to a better hotel. and most of all, that despite my "misfortunes", i had friends who were there for me, reminding me that God's arm is not too short to help me.

On such a lonely night in a land far away, i knew -- My Father in heaven has not forsaken me.

places people visit: start spreading the news...

as with my other posts, this is long overdue. i'm at a loss for words right now, so i'll let the pictures speak for themselves (with a little help from me now and then :D )

---

three of my friends and i went to new york last memorial weekend. we were there from may 27 to june 1.

day one: times square and broadway street

times square -- saw lots of buildings and billboards








times square at night


familiar, yet different

broadway -- i thought broadway was one big theater. turns out, it was a long street where many theaters stood.



Spamalot billboard which reads "Cows, Coconuts, Killer Rabbits, Witches (too expensive), and French People."


The Phantom of the Opera and Mamma Mia billboards


Hairspray billboard


The Producers billboard

watched chitty-chitty-bang-bang. it was nice, but more appealing to kids.






too bad there were no more tickets for phantom or the lion king that night :-

---

that's it for now; it's taking forever to upload the pics. more stories next time :)

babay, inday

naghatud mi sa airport ganiha. mobalik na si roxie sa pinas. haay... wa na ko ka-duet sa videoke. wa na ko kasayaw ug swing. wa na ko maka-isturya ug bisaya. wa na'y motawag sa ako ug "baby gel"...

minghoy man ko, ka'y gimingaw man ko niya. :'(

mini-boss in a foreign land: akane, the iron chef

i've cooked a few times since i got here, and i'm kinda enjoying it. :)

i've heeded rambling jester's advice, and tried some recipes in pinoycook.net. thundercat also gave me an easy-to-follow recipe for sinigang (which i intend to perfect). so far, i was able to cook the following:

• menudo --> yummy
• sinigang na beef ribs --> better if we had long green chilis and more sinigang mix
• bistek tagalog --> took so long to cook
• sinigang na pork spare ribs --> overcooked the veggies

for my next "experiment", i will try soy gin pork. according to the website, it's "very simple, yet very tasty". also, i figured that if my friends do not know how it should taste like, they're less likely to complain. ;)

games people play: go-kart (erratum)

i found the printout containing my pro-kart stats, and i realized that i misstated some info in my previous go-kart post (what with my poor memory and all :P ). here are the facts:

track length (m): 350 m

1st try
top average speed: 39.3 km/h (24.5 mph)
average speed: 36.9 km/h (23 mph)

2nd try
top average speed: 43.1 km/h (26.8 mph)
average speed: 40.6 km/h (25.2 mph)

strong enough

i actually have a lot of stories to tell, but the words do not come easily. so while i collate pictures and recall details, i'll just post the lyrics to this song which i remembered i like. i heard this in the car while we were travelling to the place i will tell you about in my next posts :D

---

strong enough
shery crow

God, i feel like hell tonight
tears of rage i cannot fight
i’d be the last to help you understand
are you strong enough to be my man?

nothing’s true and nothing’s right
so let me be alone tonight
cause you can’t change the way i am
are you strong enough to be my man?

lie to me
i promise i’ll believe
lie to me
but please don’t leave

i have a face i cannot show
i make the rules up as i go
it’s try and love me if you can
are you strong enough to be my man?

when i’ve shown you that i just don’t care
when i’m throwing punches in the air
when i’m broken down and i can’t stand
will you be strong enough to be my man?

lie to me
i promise i’ll believe
lie to me
but please don’t leave

games people play: go-kart

last may 6, we went kart racing at the pro kart indoors. it was my first time to participate in such "sport". we were around twenty in all, i think half were girls. among the ten girls or so, i think only two of us didn't know how to drive :D

i was quite nervous, being the scaredy-cat that i was. i rode on the last kart, so that i wouldn't get in the way of the others ;) thankfully, i was able to maneuver through the track's numerous twists and turns, without getting anyone killed :D

the whole ride lasted around 5 minutes. as expected, i had the slowest kart, averaging around 31mph. a friend teased that i was doing a leisurely drive :D better safe than sorry, I told him ;)

i enjoyed the exhilarating drive so much that i went at it again with 3 more girls. on my 2nd try, i averaged 28mph. "not bad for someone who doesn't know how to drive," my friend opined. not bad indeed :D

given the chance, i will do it again... ;)

mini-boss in a foreign land: mess duty (part 2)

in case you were w(o)ndering, my sinigang was edible. we used beef ribs (big ones) instead of pork spare ribs -- beef ribs were the only available meat in our ref for sinigang. we also had to substitute spinach leaves for kangkong, as kangkong is hard to find here. we also used radish and gabi (taro?). my roommie helped me slice the ingredients (thanks jean!). since there were no measurements indicated in the recipe, i only approximated the quantities of the ingredients. moreover, we had so much meat that i had to use two big casseroles! i felt like i was cooking for a feast :)

my friends said that it was good enough, that it tasted like sinigang (hey, what are friends for?) :) i think it was not sour enough -- after all, we were able to buy only two packs of sinigang mix. thankfully, there were no complaints, and i didn't need to threaten them ("eat my sinigang or suffer the wrath of akane, the iron chef!"). cooking ain't so bad after all ;)

next recipe please! ;)

quizilla: which kind of candy are you?

you're chocolate. you're the old soul type, people feel that they have known you their entire life. many often open up to you for they view you as thoughtful and trustworthy. although people trust you, you have a hard time trusting them. you prefer to keep your feelings bottled up inside, or display them very quietly. it is alright to open up every once in a while.

which kind of candy are you?
brought to you by quizilla

mini-boss in a foreign land: mess duty

i will TRY to cook sinigang on sunday. i mentioned to my roommate that i have a recipe for sinigang (c/o thundercat), and she said that i should cook sinigang for our baon/dinner. me and my big mouth.

don't get me wrong. i would love to learn how to cook. it's just that i'm afraid of disappointing 9 hungry people with my cooking.

for all our sake's, please pray that my sinigang would at least be edible. ;)

(a)ngel

i met him on my first day at the office. i had just landed a decent job after seven months of looking for one (i graduated that year). we were going to be batch mates in the web training (no, we didn't sign up to be superheroes). he was a tall chinese guy, fair-skinned and cute (yeah, all six of us in that batch were beautiful people :P ). and he looked rich. just the sort of person i have a natural aversion to. but since we were only a small group -- four guys and two girls – the six of us instinctively became fast friends.

through the years of our friendship, the misconceptions i had about him were easily rectified. though he is well-off (he still maintains he’s not rich), i found out that he is not snobbish. he is also playful most of the time. he can even be quite a pain in the neck occasionally when he is mischievous. one time, he pushed my not-so-ergonomic chair from my cube more than 5 feet across the office floor and left it there – with me still sitting on it! :P

he is also kind and good-hearted. whenever we have a get-together that would end really late, i can always count on him to deliver me “door-to-door”. what is so touching about it is that i lived very, very far from their home, so it is exceedingly inconvenient for him to do that. and yet, he does not complain. he’s always like that, going the extra mile when you need his help.

i’ve often wondered what my life would be like if i had an older brother. then God, in His infinite wisdom, answered me by blessing my life with his. and i no longer wonder, because now i know.

happy birthday, angel :)

mini-boss in a foreign land: alternate careers (part 2)

other options which i think are promising:

• Blizzard Game Tester
• Blizzard Web Programmer
• masseuse
• groupie

any other profession you think i would be good at? ;)

games people play: tennis

if badminton is the thing in manila, here it's a different story. i haven't even seen a "real" badminton racket on sale in walmart and other shops (or maybe i just didn't look hard enough). instead, in preparation for swimsuit season, my officemates here have started to play tennis every week since last month. one of my officemates was even willing to give a tutorial for beginners.

so one windy afternoon when i had nothing better to do, i joined them for tennis class. our instructor was really patient, showing us how to warm-up, hold the racket, hit the ball, etc. i could hit the ball, but i couldn't hit it hard enough. my arm was too weak to send the ball flying over the net, and i could only use one hand to do the forehand :D the only consolation i have is that she says my backhand is good :) i think it was mainly because i could use both hands to do the backhand ;)

*sigh* i miss badminton :(

mini-boss in a foreign land: alternate careers, fortune cookies and menudo

i'm pretty stressed-out at work. i've always hated deploying applications, and i'm doing that here everyday -- deploying applications and hating it. i'm no good at analyzing requirements and i'm doing a lot of that here too -- analyzing requirements and being no good at it. makes me think i might be at the wrong place *sigh*

*****
we ate at a chinese buffet some weeks ago, and it was the first time i broke a fortune cookie. funny that mine read, "you are soon going to change your present line of work." *giggle*

*****
the first-boss-i've-ever-had-in-my-entire-life was here in our unit the other night, because she was supposed to cook menudo for our baon (our unit is the designated kitchen because my roommate and i don't cook :P ) i asked her if i could cook the menudo, and she let me :) of course, she was there to guide me regarding what to put in first, what to do next, etc. so now, i theoretically know how to cook four more meals: meatballs with sweet and sour sauce, pancit, adobo and menudo. i just need to learn one more meal, and i would have fulfilled one of my plans for the year . :) i was joking her that maybe i should change jobs and be a cook (or maybe be a house help) *grin* the menudo was edible, by the way. ;)

ishnow

This post is kinda late -- then again, better late than never :) This picture was taken outside the hotel where I first stayed in on the last snowstorm last winter (3rd week of March). I did not enjoy it much, because I was freezing. I haven't adjusted to the cold weather at that time 'coz I just got here ;) And I get cold easily. But the snow is nice. It's like cold manna from heaven. :) Thanks to my good friend Shiney for the picture and the winter jacket :)

weight gain or garment shrink

two of my pants seemed a little tight when i wore them last week. i dunno if my waistline just increased an inch, or my clothes shrunk because of the warm water in the washing machine. :-\ the bathroom scales here suggest i've gained a few pounds though :) but of course, it could be both ;)

in(n) the living room

First picture taken at the hotel (Marriott Residence Inn Eagan). Left to right, top to bottom: Engel (batchmate from my first job, an officemate still in my new job), Boss Cora (our "bossing" here), Jon (my long-lost "cousin" who might be a distant relative. We call each other "cuz" ;) He drove us to the hotel), Barry (all-around funny guy, "Mean Boy", and a very good cook!), Jean (my roommie -- I might blog about her sometime soon), and of course, me ;)  

ad(o)pted

This is my baby, my new Toshiba Qosmio laptop. I'm still thinking of a name for her/him. Any suggestions? I wanted "Akane", but that's my name :P 

Tribute to Kuya Aleks

When I think of Kuya Aleks, I think of laughter. I remember meals in the dorm mess hall where I usually partake of side-splitting jokes for dessert. I remember how particularly enjoyable a fellowship is when he is one of the emcees.

When I think of Kuya Aleks, I think of songs. I recall how I used to look forward to piano room sessions in the dorm every Wednesday where he and other friends would play the piano and just sing. I remember his resounding bass voice going "badoom-badoom" during choir practices. I remember how he would usually burst into song while walking home from a core group meeting.

When I think of Kuya Aleks, I think of sketches. I remember racing to the tack board after an MCM fellowship just so that I can get to keep the poster he made for that gathering. There was also this amusing anecdote where he drew a friend, but the sketch ended up looking like some OTHER girl. ;)

When I think of Kuya Aleks, I think of stories. I recall witty punch lines and quotable quotes. He even shared with us the proper way to kill a lab rat (Eeew!).

I remember how in college, I used to dare him to ask me if he can drink from my mug. I remember his usual reply, "Balang-araw makakainom din ako dyan!" ("Someday, I too can drink from that mug.")

I remember how irritated he is when he hears someone sip HOT (Yep, he must know that the soup is hot) soup loudly. I remember this girl that he couldn't get over with for years, and how I used to be amazed that there are still martyrs in the male species.

When I think of Kuya Aleks, I think of words. I remember how I would be careful with what I spoke around him, because I know I would be subjected to grammar checks :) Conversing with him in English also comes unconsciously and naturally.

I think of him as one of the few people I know who are careful to use the correct nuance of a word. I recall how his writings make for pleasurable reading, his blog, a daily indulgence.

When I think of Kuya Aleks, I think of friendship. I think of coffee sessions, treats and catching up. With him, you need not worry if the last time you've seen each other is ten years ago. His ears are ready to hear; his words, wise and insightful.

When I think of Kuya Aleks, I think of God. I see how He bestows good gifts to each of His children. As if this is not enough, He even gives us good friends! Yeah, when I think of Kuya Aleks, I can't help but utter a prayer of thanks to God for how lavish His love is for me, that He has blessed my life with Kuya Aleks' friendship.

l.s.s. (last song syndrome)

I hate my roommate. Last night, the song playing in my head before I went up to bed was Barbie's Cradle's Dear Paul. Without warning, my roommate's melodic soprano suddenly filled the air. "Bong-shibong-shibongbongbongbong!". What kind of a song is that?! "Bong-shibong-shibongbongbongbong!" I asked her to stop, but she wouldn't listen. "Stop tormenting me!" I pleaded. Giggling, she kept on singing in an even louder voice. "Bong-shibong-shibongbongbongbong!" "Stop! Leave me in peace! What have I done to deserve this?!" I wailed. To which she replied, "Bong-shibong-shibongbongbongbong!!! Bong-shibong-shibongbongbongbong!!!" Defeated, I closed my eyes with the "bongshi" song lulling me to sleep...

Nah, I don't really hate my roommie. I just wish she'd sing a nicer song. :)

wallow

My life is a mess. I have become callous and insensitive. I come late to work and appointments, unmindful of the people waiting for me to arrive.

I have become numb and unfeeling. I don't care as much for people anymore. I don't ask questions, and I don't want to hear answers.

I have become lazy and irresponsible. This body that used to rise at 6am, now keeps me in bed till 10am -- on a weekday! :O

I have lost my self-control. I play computer games when I want to play computer games -- even if I have to wake up early the next day.

I have become mediocre and ordinary. Excellence is no longer a way of life. I am now content to sit on the sidelines instead of leading a group towards improvement and change.

I have become reclusive. I shun company fearing people would wear me out.

I have become fearful. I have lost my adventurous spirit. I am now afraid to try new things. I am scared of failure, of making mistakes, of being vulnerable.

I have become sadder with each passing year. Only seldom do I now appreciate the stars that embellish the sky, or the moon that adorns the heavens. I have lost the song in my heart.

My life is a mess. Only God can help me now.

the adventures of the "mini-boss": apprehensive

why is it that we ask God to bless us with great things, but when He does, we are not that thankful?

at the start of the year, i sensed that God has something big in store for me. now i kinda have an idea what it is.. our company just had me scheduled for a US visa interview on march 7! :O if i get a visa, they want me to be in the US by march 14. i will be a "mini-boss" in a foreign land.

i dunno why, but i am not yet excited about the whole thing. call me ungrateful, but i was actually opposed to the idea the first time i was informed of the interview. i wanted to celebrate my birthday here. i wanted to stay here in my safe, little corner of the world. i wanted to stay as far away as possible from our English-speaking clients. i wanted to stay as near as possible to my support group, my comfort zone. i wasn't ready to leave.

after a few pep talks (with my big boss and close friends), i'm warming up to the idea, slowly but surely. i must admit it's a great opportunity. not everybody in the company is given this chance (and to think i just joined the company last january 3). as my boss (oh, how i love my boss!) says, the sooner i accept my role, the sooner i can prepare to fulfill it. besides, if God gives me this opportunity, He must think i'm ready for it. who am i to disagree with God? He knows me better than i know myself. and yes, God will see me through this, as He had time and time again.

the adventures of the "mini-boss": prologue

sorry, should have posted this several weeks ago.

---

if you're a gamer like me, you would know what a big boss is. he's that creature you have to kill in order to get to the next level. he is usually surrounded by his minions. what does this have to do with me? well, i just got transferred to a new project and assigned as team leader, the "mini-boss" -- the right-hand creature of the big boss.

the adventures of the "mini-boss": girly

we're having a client from the US later in the office, and i'm bringing out the big guns -- i'm wearing a skirt and my strappy heels ;) i know i look good in a skirt, and my self-esteem needs an extra boost today. besides, i like wearing skirts, and guys seem to like skirts too (i wonder why...).

and oh yeah, please remember me in your prayers. i need them more than skirts, strappy heels or anything else.

dili man ko bisaya

"bisaya ka, 'day?" a tricycle driver asked me, while i was walking home last night. i know i look "bumbay" or even "turkish", as one of my friends opined. but "bisaya"? i didn't think so. maybe that's just his poor excuse for a pick-up line ;) *sigh* i've always suspected i'm a jologs magnet :-\

survey of threes

Three names you go by:

1. liz/liez/whiez
2. zel/cel
3. lizzie

Three screen names you have had:

1. akane
2. turkangel
3. turkangel79

Three things you like about yourself:

1. i eat a lot, but i don't get fat
2. i'm easy to please
3. i'm a fast learner

Three things you don't like about yourself:

1. i am usually grouchy
2. i need lots of sleep
3. i sleep and wake up late

Three parts of your heritage:

1. my skinny frame
2. my poor eyesight
3. my love for singing

Three things that scare you:

1. crossing the street
2. the thought of having surgery/operation
3. making a certain mistake twice

Three of your everyday essentials:

1. sleep
2. food
3. toothbrush

Three things you are wearing right now:

1. contact lenses
2. tank top
3. maong shorts

Three of your favorite bands (or artists) at the moment:

1. eraserheads
2. m.y.m.p.
3. maroon5

Three of your favorite songs at present:

1. a little bit (m.y.m.p.)
2. a fairy tale: worlds collide (plumb)
3. accidentally in love (counting crows)

Three new things you want to try in the next 12 months:

1. play the violin
2. create a colored artwork
3. cook sinigang

Three things you want in a relationship (love is a given):

1. trust
2. good communication
3. acceptance

Two truths and a lie (*guess which one's the lie):

1. i used to join singing contests back in high school.
2. i used to be editor-in-chief back in high school.
3. i used to teach pre-school sunday school back in high school.

Three physical things about the opposite sex (or same) that appeal to you:

1. eyes
2. dimples
3. nose

Three things you just can't do:

1. eat fast
2. eat without drinking between spoonfuls
3. do math in my head

Three of your favorite hobbies:

1. play computer games
2. badminton
3. reading

Three things you want to do badly right now:

1. play warcraft with the boyz
2. buy a digicam
3. go shopping

Three careers you're considering:

1. programming
2. teaching
3. administrative/secretarial

Three places you want to go on vacation:

1. palawan
2. boracay
3. puerto galera

Three kid's names:

1. lisa
2. leigh
3. tala (or some other Tagalog name)

Three things you want to do before you die:

1. get married
2. own a house
3. create an oil painting

all in a day's commute

a taxi nearly ran over me today. and this was while i was walking on the pedestrian lane! is it not enough that we commuters have to contend with overpasses, while they have EDSA to themselves?! and here i was, an ordinary citizen trying to abide by the law. grrr... maybe i'm so thin that drivers don't see me.. (*sigh*) i hate crossing the street :(

what car matches your personality?

You're driven by what's practical.

Chances are, you've got a schedule to keep, and you want to look good while doing it. You're not one for overly risky ventures — that's probably because the tried and true works just fine for you. There's something nice about predictability and knowing what you can count on and what to be prepared for. Whether you're driving to work (have you considered carpooling?) or picking up a friend for dinner, you don't want to waste time. And your four-wheeled friend should reflect that. Don't worry about flashy or fancy. The most important thing for you is reliability — a car that will get the job done (like you do), day-in and day-out.

So what's the perfect car companion, the vehicle to fit your practical lifestyle? A Toyota, Honda, or Ford Escort will do the trick for you.

What Car Matches Your Personality?

wanted: shower songs

i have something to confess: i haven't been singing in the shower lately (much to my housemates' delight). i have so many things to do that i can't afford looong baths anymore. moreover, i find myself thinking of a lot of things when i'm taking a bath that i forget to sing! i have also grown tired of my carpenters and burt bacharach shower songs (you, close to you, goodbye to love, i'll never fall in love again, etc.), and i don't plan to join the choir this year (so i won't have any new songs to practice in the bathroom). special requests, anyone? :D

plans for 2005

this is a late post; should've posted this a couple of weeks ago :D

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• buy rubber shoes
• own a digicam --> this is long overdue! :'(
• go to puerto galera
• learn how to cook at least five more meals
• gain at least 5 pounds --> goals should be realistic! 5 pounds is difficult enough :P
• learn how to play pingpong
• be a better badminton player
• re-read the New Testament
• learn/relearn at least one musical instrument -->preferably the violin, keyboards, and bass guitar
• create at least one colored artwork and at least three pencil sketches --> probably the incredibles' violet, powerpuff girls' buttercup and totally spies' sam
• hit higher notes --> just in case direk decides to give me another solo part ;-)   (Jesus!)
• learn to read notes (sight-read)
• finish reading at least three novels --> currently reading ludlum's the bourne supremacy
• improve programming and people skills

do you have a Type A personality?

you have a type b+ personality

b+

you're a pro at going with the flow. you love to kick back and take in everything life has to offer. a total joy to be around, people crave your stability. while you're totally laid back, you can have bouts of hyperactivity. get into a project you love, and you won't stop until it's done. you're passionate - just selective about your passions.

do you have a Type A personality?

digital pinay

this is sooo funny :D it's zhynchan's sister's take on the brouhaha caused by Philippine Computer Society's Digital Pinay 2005 contest.

sad song

this song always makes me sad :(

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the freshmen (the verve pipe)

when i was young and knew everything
and she a punk who rarely ever took advice
now i'm guilt-stricken, sobbing with my head on the floor
stop a baby's breath and a shoe full of rice

i can't be held responsible
cause she was touching her face
i won't be held responsible
she fell in love in the first place

for the life of me i cannot remember
what made us think that we were wise and we'd never compromise
for the life of me i cannot believe we'd ever die for these sins
we were merely freshmen

my best friend took a week's vacation to forget her
his girl took a week's worth of valium and slept
now he's guilt-stricken sobbing with his head on the floor
thinks about her now and how he never really wept he says

we've tried to wash our hands of all of this
we never talk of our lacking relationships
and how we're guilt-stricken sobbing with our heads on the floor
we fell through the ice when we tried not to slip, we'd say

for the life of me i cannot remember
what made us think that we were wise and
we'd never compromise
for the life of me i cannot believe
we'd ever die for these sins
we were merely freshmen
we were merely freshmen

which OS are you?

Which OS are You?

what 2004 hit song are you?

100 years (five for fighting)

"every day's a new day...
15 there's still time for you
time to buy and time to choose
hey 15, there's never a wish better than this
when you only got 100 years to live"

2004 was about thinking and reflecting - but isn't every year?
what 2004 hit song are you?

dugongs in the Bible

i just found it amusing that "dugongs" are mentioned in the Bible.

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"14 Make for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of hides of sea cows. [d] "
footnote:
[d] That is, dugongs
source: Exodus 26:14 (NIV)

the Bible, little angels and grammar

i learned something new from the Bible. all along, i thought the word cherubim was singular! 'turns out, it was not, and cherub was its singular form :D

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"7 Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 8 He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. 9 The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover." (Exodus 37:7-9 NIV)

sweet ;)

"You are my opposite, yet you are my equal. You are my strength, yet you are my weakness. You are my hope, yet you are my despair. You are such a wonder, yet you might be my greatest disaster. You are my inspiration, yet you may leave me in desolation."
excerpt from: In praise of (by Kuo_Chun)

foxtrot fix

perhaps my favorite comics, foxtrot never fails to amuse me. take this for example:

click here to enlarge pic

song for the year

i'm quite excited about this year. i dunno why, but i've got a feeling that God has something big in store for me ;) the following song might be a bit "cultic", but it conveys quite well what i feel :D

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this year
(chantal kreviazuk)

this year, is gonna be incredible
this year, is gonna be the one
all the planets are lining up for me
this year, i'm gonna have fun

this year, i'll paint my masterpiece
this year, i'll be recognized
i can feel like i'll fall in love for real
this year, this year

january, i'll learn to fly
february, love's gonna find me
march, april, may, i'll get carried away
oh, oh...

this year, i'll reach the pinnacle
this year, i'll get to the top
people will ask where she get that energy
this year, i'm never gonna stop

january, i'll learn to fly
february, love's gonna find me
march, april, may, i'll get carried away
oh, oh, oh, oh...

this year, is gonna be incredible
this year, is gonna be the one
all the planets are lining up for me
this year, i'm gonna have fun

i'm gonna have fun
just watch me now
this year
this year
this year