While I promised not to make a list of my resolutions for the new year, there are some things that I'd really like to do this 2008 such as...

1. Read MORE. And I mean books that are not only entertaining but also, and more importantly, informative. But please, I've had enough of Paulo Coelho! Sophie Kinsella nalang and Philippa Gregory!

2. Start a new hobby. This will definitely be LOMOGRAPHY! I'm going to buy my first lomo cam very soon, like before January ends and I'm going for the Holga 120N. After surveying lomo sites and blogs of lomo experts, I'm finally convinced that this is the best choice for newbies.

3. Save up for the future. It's about time.

4. Watch as many Audrey Hepburn films as I can. Of course, the films have to be either on dibidi or really cheap (as in P75 or less) VCDs.

5. Get ORGANIZED in ALL aspects of my life. Good luck to me.

Happy 2008!

This morning I woke up with this terrible tummy ache. So terrible that I threw up everything that I ate for breakfast. I felt a little better after throwing up so I thought that was the end of it. But a few minutes later, there it was again. I can't even describe the pain. Basta parang masusuka na ewan. Hay.

But despite my "condition", I still managed to get on with my task for the day, which was to clean my closet. Actually, I moved my stuff from my old closet to the new one that I bought last week and I did some cleaning up along the way. I'm so glad I'm finally done with that! I just hope I could maintain this organized state that I'm currently in.

What else? Oh, I bought VCDs (on sale, of course) of Funny Face, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Schindler's List the other day that I might watch tonight...kung makakasingit ako sa TV, which I think would be next to impossible since tonight is the BIG NIGHT.

I'm still not done with The Chase, hmpft! But it's getting really exciting so I think I might be able to finish it within the week. Speaking of books, I am adopting Jessica Zafra and her group's resolution, which is to buy a new book ONLY AFTER I finish reading ALL the books that I have. Enough with the book hoarding!

Hmmm...I think I'm going back to reading The Chase now. I'm still not feeling completely well. Sana bukas wala na 'to.

By the way, who wants to be friends with a perv? I surely don't so I had to decline an invitation from Princess Leah K in Multiply.

Have a great weekend everyone!

My tummy ache is gone, hooray! And I was able to eat normally again. I totally lost my appetite yesterday, I hardly ate a full meal. But today I was back to my old takaw self, eating KFC and Hershey's Choooco, which, by the way, is now officially included in my list of top comfort foods, haha!

Anyway, despite feeling completely well, I chose to stay home and finish reading The Chase. I'm so glad to have finally finished that book because now I can start with my first Gabriel Garcia Marquez book (Memories of My Melancholy Whores). I don't really know what to expect but I am definitely excited and quite intrigued. And since it's only as thick as a Tagalog romance pocketbook, I think I'll be able to finish it in two days (hey, I still have a day job).

Oh, about that resolution that I'm adopting from Jessica Zafra and her group, I think I might modify it a bit, just like what they did. I'll buy a new book ONLY AFTER I finish reading THREE of the books that I currently have in stock (Jessica's group promised to buy a new book after reading FIVE). And I just finished my second!

Another work week starts tomorrow and something tells me it's going to be a busy one. I need to watch a really good movie soon. When will this film festival end?

Have a good week ahead and HAPPY THREE KINGS!

You Are A Woman!

Congratulations, you've made it to adulthood. You're emotionally mature, responsible, and unlikely to act out. You accept that life is hard - and do your best to keep things upbeat. This makes you the perfect girlfriend... or even wife!

1. Are you photogenic?
Most of the time

2. What time do you go to bed?
Around 11 or 12 BUT I intend to start hitting the sack earlier

3. What was the last thing you did before this?
Read Dee’s blog, obviously

4. Who's the one you always meet the most?
just one? Paul.

5. Who's the person you'll call if you need help?
It depends on what kind of help I’ll be needing

6. What's on your mind right now ?
What’s causing this pesky stomachache

7. What do you prefer?
A more specific question…

8. With whom do you wanna be with to have fun?
Friends, family and Paul

9. What movie do u wanna watch now?
Sydney White (and the seven dorks)

10. When was the last time you went out?
New Year’s day

11. What do you hate the most for now ?
My horrible locks. Salon day, anyone? 

12. What do you do everyday besides eat & sleep?
Read, work, pray, go online.

13. Colors that make you happy?
pink, red, yellow & orange

14. Most fave thing in your room?
books (and soon my Logan )

15. Miss someone?
My best friend Jenn and all my other friends whom I haven’t seen in a while

16. Plan to buy something?
Nada. Austerity!

17. Are you satisfied with your life now?
Thankful for the blessings, but of course there are still a lot of things to achieve and accomplish

18. Do you like seafood?
Oh yeah

19. Breakfast or dinner?
Breakfast. I stopped eating dinner.

20. Like chocolates?
Hell yeah!

21. Do you have a laptop?
I don’t 

22. What's your favorite fast food?
Wendy’s

23. Cats or dogs?
Neither

24. Salty or sweet?
Salty, definitely

25. City or country?
City.

26. Is kissing normal for your age?
Of course

27. Are you athletic?
No. I wish I were

28. Favorite song for now?
still stuck with Bubbly

29. Do you have your own cell phone?
Yeah. Who doesn’t?

30.What do you wear to bed?
A comfy shirt and shorts

31. Ever had a crush on a teacher in high school?
Nope.

32. Coke or Pepsi?
Whichever is available

33. Sugar or spice?
It depends on what I’m craving for

34. Can you use chopsticks?
Still learning

35. Do you care about getting good grades?
Uh, as long as I didn’t get a failing mark, I was cool.

36. Have you ever fallen asleep in class?
Almost…

37. Get a job or ask your parents for money?
I already have a job.

38. Is your mom strict?
She used to be but not anymore. Reasonable.

39. Do your parents give you enough privacy?
I think so.

40. Do your parents trust you?
Of course. They have no reason not to

41. Would you ever wanna lose your best friends?
No way! What kind of question is that?

42. Does your best friend get on your nerves?
Nope

43. Do you make friends quickly?
Not that quickly. It takes time.
44. Do you tell your mom everything?
Of course not! But I never lie.

45. What do you & your parents fight about most?
I try my best not to get into any argument with them

46. If you love someone & she/he rejected you, what will you do to her/him?
Heck, what can I do?

47. Can you sing or rap?
I think I can, but I don’t want to!

48. If you have one wish , who would you make your wife/husband for life?
Mr. Paul David B. Laurin

49. What do you think bout this survey?
Ordinary.

LOmo + holGA 120N = LOGAN

Many thanks to Mitch Reyes for bringing this baby and for the "crash course" on how to use it. Sana na-absorb ko lahat ng sinabai mo. Geesh, I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but I never imagined it to be that complicated. Nevertheless, I'm sooo excited to use it! BUT I shall wait for the perfect event, probably a trip out of town. Don't want to be wasting precious rolls on, uh, not-so-precious moments. But then again, my Logan could create something special out of the ordinary...couldn't he?

By the way, I named him after Rory Gilmore's "ex"-boyfriend.

Because of my recent rediscovery of the joys of reading, I made a set of rules that will guide me through this renewed passion:

1. Don't even think about flipping open the cover of a book when you are still reading another, even when you are already in the last two pages.

2. Protect you books by covering them with plastic.

3. Never ever fold the pages of a book. Use a bookmark.

4. Only buy a new book when you're done reading three from your current stock.

5. Never eat while you're reading.

6. Don't read while watching the television.

7. Read in peace. Read in silence.

*might add or change something here from time to time.

Last week I was able to:

Pick-up my Logan (Holga). Watch National Treasure: Book of Secrets FROM THE SECOND ROW (read: Eye strain). Meet Paul's officemates (and like them). Finally buy Bubbles (Palm TX) a leather case. Start reading Snow Falling on Cedars. Bond with Jean, Geoff and Edz. Tour Intramuros in a Kalesa. Visit Manila Zoo. Watch Bee Movie. And, the one that I am most proud of, fix my Tabulas template!

I just wish I could achieve as much in my work (sigh).

Another busy week ahead!

from +63927772XXXX
16-Jan-2008 7:44 am

Marie ,ung 2big container wag u painom s mga bata ha,delikado yan ,umorder kn.kung wla p ung nsa termos plmigin u

===================================================

Sino si MARIE? Certainly NOT me.

Ang aga-aga, wrong send. Antok pa siguro kung sino man 'yun.

I remember back when I was still on pre-paid and a Smart subscriber, somebody mistakenly sent P30 worth of cellphone load to my number. The confirmation message from Smart was followed by an SMS from another Smart number that was almost identical to mine, except for one digit (which explains the error of the load vendor, I figured), asking me to Pasa-load the P30 to him/her. At dahil mabait ako, pinasa ko naman. Pero siyempre hindi na yung buong P30 dahil may bayad na piso yung pag-pasa 'di ba? Problema niya na yun.

Marami pa 'kong nare-receive na messages na hindi naman para sa'kin. So far, wala pa naman nung tipong top secret, hehe.

Of course, I have my share of text blunders, but in my case, I send messages intended for another person to Paul's number. I guess it's force of habit at madalas din yun nangyayari sa kanya. Pero ang pinaka nakaka loka, once he mistakenly sent a text message with the words "I Love You So Much" at the end to one of his friends! Imagine the horror in Paul's face when he realized his mistake.

Tsk, tsk. So next time, before pressing send, double-check the name and number of the recipient on the screen!

I've officially broken Rule #1.

Barely into the fourth chapter of Snow Falling on Cedars (SFOC) and I've already started reading the preface and prologue of Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose (TNOTR, ebook). Honestly I'm getting bored with David Guterson's novel, but I still intend to finish reading it ahead of Eco's renowned work.

I should have brought SFOC to work today. I was so bored so I decided to take a peek at TNOTR, which I chanced upon one morning while browsing through my boss' computer files. I saved it in my Palm just in case ultimate boredom hits and unfortunately, today was the day.

Oh well, I'm still in control.

Got to get ready for tomorrow's official business trip. Good Night!

It was my first time and I was surprised it didn't hurt. Talkin' about my first spa experience, of course.

Because of my exhausting official business trip to Cabanatuan City yesterday and for lack of new ideas on how to spend our Saturday afternoon, Paul and I decided to give Wensha Spa a try, my treat!

We learned about this wonderful place from Edz. SARAP! For only P580, you get a full-body massage for an hour (but you can stay in the room for as long as eight hours, in case you doze off), free use of the shower, pool, Jacuzzi and sauna and one serving of shabu-shabu with unlimited drinks (buffet every M-W-F).

Shabu-Shabu

They have excellent facilities, like the unique sensor lockers, huge LCD televisions at the dining and Jacuzzi areas, spacious locker rooms and cozy massage rooms. The staff are friendly and very accommodating, too.

We sure had a good time, even though we spent it apart (since there were separate massage and locker rooms for guys and girls). And it won't be my first and last spa day, I swear!

Babalik...babalik...hehe.

Got to get some Zzzs now. Happy weekend!

Heath Ledger, 28.

Sad. Though I haven't seen any of his movies yet (yes, not even 10 Things I Hate About You, believe it!), it's sad to know that the life of another promising actor has ended too soon. The Dark Knight could be the film that would have launched him to stardom.

On a lighter note, Paul and I were supposed to have our mid-week movie night tonight. We planned to watch The Heartbreak Kid but unfortunately, it wasn't showing in Glorietta and Water Mart. He refuses to watch singing chipmunks so we ended up eating dinner instead. Well at least we were still able to spend some time together after a stressful day.

I've completely stopped reading both Name of the Rose and Snow Falling on Cedars. Baaad! Hay, I MUST CONTINUE READING SOON and finish these two or else I wouldn't be able to buy new books. I don't want to be breaking any more rules.

Weird. I have been hitting the sack earlier lately, but I feel even more sleepy at work during the day.

I'm in desperate need of CHANGE. Positive change, of course. Yeah give me a major one. And give it to me quick!

I had my hair rebonded today. My original plan was to go for a hair relax, but Larry, my new stylist, suggested that I have it rebonded for better results. In short, he succeeded in convincing me to take the more expensive treatment. My mom, on the other hand, had hers relaxed, which, according to Larry, was just the right treatment for her hair type and texture.

Anyway, so now I have to endure the smell of chemical on my now slick, shinny and more manageable hair for three days. I'm not allowed to wash it, which means no shampoo and no conditioner for me for three days. I'm not even allowed to put my hair behind me ears. Tsk, the price of my vanity.

Didn't realize how long the whole process of rebonding would take. We came to the salon at around 12 noon and were done by almost 6. Plus, there was one part of the process that really hurt, I thought my scalp would come off (eew).

But despite the pain and having to watch an FPJ flick through the whole treatment, I am very satisfied with the result. My hair is so soft unlike when I used to have it relaxed in the other salon that I used to go to. That felt like I had a huge chunk of chewed bubblegum stuck at the roots of my hair.

So now the challenge is how to keep my hair dry for three whole days. Well, good luck to me on that.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!