childhood

Lyn brought some treats we grew up with when we were kids - choco mallows and iced gems! I remember my pre-school days (yes, that long ago!) when iced gems were my staple recess snack in school and a pack only costs P1 at our suking sari-sari store! Simple joys indeed! :)

Monday

4-inch killer heels to kickoff the work week. Bring it on, Monday! On a side note, these were surprisingly so comfortable given that it's the first time I wore it. I could have probably been able to walk to Jamba on these...but let's not push it ;)

minnie

My sister and her family just came back from Hongkong Disneyland and she got me a little present...so me indeed! :)

A.P.E

I have this aversion with hospitals, doctors and the like. I haven't had a bad experience with them personally (in fact, I haven't been hospitalized ever!), but growing up, I've seen my sister (there was a time when she got really sick and can't walk for a couple of months) and just a few years back my dad, go in and out of the hospital so often and it was the worst time ever. If only there was a frequent-patient card, we would have filled that up quickly since my dad gets confined almost in a weekly basis!

I try to avoid anything medical-related unless absolutely necessary. And with that, I was able to get away from not getting my annual physical exam for 8 years back at my previous job. But this time around, it won't be that easy since our HR rep knows us personally (she'd usually drop by our area every morning to chat) and would constantly remind us with the things going around the office. The deadline to get our APE is by the end of the month, so no choice but to get it done this weekend.

Good thing Lyn lives down south so we decided to have ours done at the same time at Healthway in Town. We met up a little before 8am and I was glad that she was around - I had someone to talk to while waiting in line and having the procedures done. It wasn't that bad - just the routine lab tests (though I hate it when they take the blood sample), physical and dental exam, and X-ray. It only took long since there were a lot of people at the clinic - all getting their pre-employment and APEs as well. We finally finished everything at around 10am. With that done, I have another year before I have to go through this again!

date night with lloydie

For the first time in months, we had a very light work day today...as in we literally didn't have anything to do! We finally finished all the System Test and Integration defects assigned to our team, and with the code freeze coming up, it pretty much means no development work for the next couple of days. We still haven't heard when we would start the designs for the F Release, so until then, we are enjoying our few stress-free days.

And what good timing it is since Lyn and I finally decided to watch Unofficially Yours today after work. Ros already watched it last week, but it didn't take much to convince her to watch it again with us. Too bad Ochie had something after work and can't join us. I don't watch tagalog flicks on the big screen (I've only seen 1 ever, not counting those that were a school requirement back then)...I'd usually just wait until it's shown on TV or until it comes out in DVD (which I just borrow). But I'm making an exception for this film especially after hearing good reviews. Ros and Nette cried when they watched it so Lyn and I were like, we need to see this!

I already reserved tickets ahead of time so we could get good seats - in fairness, I was able to get the seats right in the middle (of course, para perfect view ni Lloydie)!

We left the office at 4pm (again, we didn't have anything to do!) and we all had the same sentiments - we could never have done this (leave the office early to watch a movie) back at our old workplace! Another reason why we love our new job...work-life balance it is! :) Since we still had about an hour to spare, we decided to get a light snack at Cibo.

We shared the Spinacci dip with crostinis (an all-time fave)....

and the assorted seafood pasta - it's our first time to try it and it was really good!

I also just had to get another Cibo favorite - the fresh Red Grape shake :)

We had loads of laughs the moment we sat down as Ros told Lyn about the 'hanger story'. Even if I've heard it several times already, it still never fails to make me laugh! Sorry Roses, I know it's because of my tons of hangers but it's just sooo funny! ;) And that was only the beginning. We were just so tired from laughing all throughout the meal!

And finally, it was time for our date with Lloydie! I have to admit, it was a really good movie and we enjoyed it! It had the right mix of comedy, kilig factor and drama, and the chemistry of the cast worked really well. There were a lot of laughtrip moments (tarsier jump!) that Lyn and I were wondering the same thing - san naiyak si Roses dito?! Hahaha! But in fairness, there was a part towards the end that was just awww :( And of course, ang gwapo ni John Lloyd!

The movie is pretty much about not giving up on love even if you've been hurt countless of times and had your heart broken into a million pieces. It's a risk to open up yourself once again, but how would you know if he's the one unless you try? Lessons learned nga namin ni Roses, OK lang mapagod...di naman bawal magpahinga sandali. There's still hope...pero paki bilisan lang! Hahaha.

It was really a fun night with my girlfriends (Ochie gurl, dapat kasama ka na next time!). 'Til our next movie date :)

meatless Wednesday

Since it's Ash Wednesday, I can't eat meat so it was Mr. Kurosawa for dinner and the Crunchy Spicy Tuna roll never fails! :)

mint and the little one

It appears I'm not the only one in the family who loves mint. The little one found my stash of Andes chocolates (he now knows that the fridge in my mom's room is where we keep all the chocolates) and apparently, he's been getting one everyday. Last I checked, I still had half a bag full so I was surprised to see that there was only one left earlier. And as I was about to get the last piece, the little one saw it and came running. He goes 'No Nang-nang, that's mine!' I tried bribing him with M&Ms, Kitkat, Twix and even some Lindt truffles, but no can do. He's all, 'I like the green one...please, Nang-nang?' How can I say no to that?

Suffice to say, I wasn't able to get my fix of mint tonight - he won't even give me a small bite! I better go get some tomorrow, and remember to get extra for the little one :)

3rd

Because we can't get enough, we just booked our 3rd Boracay vacay scheduled in the later part of the year (the 2nd one will be in May). It's back to Discovery Shores and we took advantage of their 5th anniversary promo which was just offered yesterday during the travel expo. I've definitely reached my beach quota (and local travel) for the year!

m.i.n.t.

Mike's back and these made my day...thanks for the treats! I heart mint! :)

approved!

Knowing that the next couple of months will be quite busy at work with the F Release starting up, I already filed my 3-week vacay for the end of May til early June...and it just got approved! Had to adjust the dates a week later than originally planned though, but it still works. At least that's out of the way already...now I can really plan my summer getaway :)

book buy

I got a ride with Nette to the condo after happy hour - I had to wait for my mom who watched a concert with her highschool friends, so I was in for a couple of hours with nothing much to do. I didn't really feel like going around the mall so I just made a quick stop at Fullybooked.

And yey, the 2nd book in the Chemical Garden series is already out! Official release date is not until the 22nd so it was a pleasant surprise:

With my thing for book covers, I just love the theme of this series...

So now I need to figure out how to fit this in my already-full shelves!

post vday happy hour

With or without a Valentine, we were set to have a good time and post vday happy hour it is! Lyn, Vince, Ros, Nette, Joel, Lawrence and I headed to the Distillery just a block away from the office right after work.

Ros, Nette and I had the Pink Martini for starters...

Lyn had the Vodka Cruiser...

And the boys had beer. Our only disappointment was they didn't have any food! I was surprised coz the Distillery in Eastwood had bar food. They only served chicken wings which are actually ordered from another restaurant. So chicken wings galore it is then. In fairness, the wings were pretty good. But we realized that it's not really happy with no food so next time, we'd just make it happy early dinner with drinks! Hahaha.

Ros and I had another round of cocktails before calling it a night...

It was a fun night spent with good friends over drinks (and food!)...what more can you ask for? The perfect way to take a break from a busy work week. 'Til our next happy (dinner) hour! :)

macarons upgraded

What's better than plain french macarons?

Chocolate dipped ones filled with dark chocolate gelato!

Never mind that it's heart-shaped (yeah, I'm still on bitter mode!), but it sure was sooo good! I hope they would have this as a regular item and not just on Valentine's. We'll definitely go back for more :)

a scoop of happiness

Happiness is a scoop of homemade Andes Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream drizzled with chocolate sauce...yuuum! :)

12 Truths on Relationships

I came across this article on relationships...it applies not just to the romantic kind, but to friendships as well. Read on...

1. All successful relationships require some work - They don’t just happen, or maintain themselves. They exist and thrive when the parties involved take the risk of sharing what it is that’s going on in their minds and hearts. Open communication and honesty is the key.

2. Most of the time, you get what you put in - If you want love, give love. If you want friends, be friendly. If you’d like to feel understood, try being more understanding. It’s a simple practice that works.

3. You shouldn't have to fight for a spot in someone's life - Never force someone to make a space in their life for you, because if they know your worth, they will create one for you.

4. There is a purpose for everyone you meet - Some people will test you, some will use you, and some will teach you; but most importantly some will bring out the best in you. Learn to see and accept the differences between these people, and carry on accordingly.

5. We all change, and that's okay - Our needs change with time. When someone says, “You’ve changed,” it’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes it just means you stopped living your life their way. Don’t apologize for it. Instead, be open and sincere, explain how you feel, and keep doing what you know in your heart is right.

6. You are in full control of your own happiness - If your relationship with yourself isn’t working, don’t expect your other relationships to be any different. Nobody else in this world can make you happy. It’s something you have to do on your own. And you have to create your own happiness first before you can share it with someone else. If you feel that it’s your partner’s fault, think again, and look within yourself to find out what piece is missing. Your partner can never ‘complete’ you because you are already whole. The longing for completion that you feel inside comes from being out of touch with who you are.

7. Forgiving others helps you - Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.” It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.” Forgiveness is the answer. It doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past, or forgetting what happened. It means you’re letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on with your life.

8. You can't change people, they can only change themselves - Instead of trying to change others, give them your support and lead by example. If there’s a specific behavior someone you love has that you’re hoping disappears over time, it probably won’t. If you really need them to change something, be honest and put all the cards on the table so this person knows what you need them to do.

9. Heated arguments are a waste of time - The less time you spend arguing with the people who hurt you, the more time you’ll have to love the people who love you. And if you happen to find yourself arguing with someone you love, don’t let your anger get the best of you. Give yourself some time to calm down and then gently discuss the situation.

10. You are better off without some people - When you have to start compromising yourself and your morals for the people around you, it’s probably time to change the people around you. If someone continuously mistreats you or pushes you in the wrong direction, have enough respect for yourself to walk away from them. It may hurt for a little while, but it’ll be ok. You’ll be ok, and far better off in the long run.

11. Small gestures of kindness go a long way - Honor your important relationships in some way every chance you get. Every day you have the opportunity to make your relationship sweeter and deeper by making small gestures to show your appreciation and affection. Remember, making one person smile can change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. Your kindness and gratitude matters.

12. Even the best relationships don't last forever - People don’t live forever. Appreciate what you have, who loves you and who cares for you. You’ll never know how much they mean to you until the day they are no longer beside you. And remember, just because something doesn’t last forever, doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth your while.

Mamma Mia

I love musicals and I try to watch as much as I can when the opportunity comes. With Mamma Mia in town, I didn't let this pass. And I'm so glad that I got to see it. It is just love! :) It's a plus that the songs are familiar (had to stop myself from singing along...hihihi) and the cast was really good. The orchestra center seats were worth it! :)

I'm so looking forward to the next musical which will be coming in a few months...I'll definitely watch this:

This makes me want to see another broadway show in New York when I go there this summer! :)

friday night @ Friday's

After almost 3 years (yes, it's that long!), I met up with the Chamber Babies for a long-overdue reunion. It was a good turnout with Jaja, Flip, Hannah, Ingrid and A showing up for dinner at Friday's in High Street. It was just like old times and despite not seeing each other for years, things haven't really changed much! Except that this time around, Jaja and Hannah now have their plus ones. Ingrid is still single, Flip is still the same ol' Flip and A is still in a complicated relationship with Ernest.

It was a good evening catching up with each other, reminiscing our college days, missing the times when we were out on stage performing and pretty much amazed at how far we've reached a decade after we've graduated. The dinner thing was a spur of the moment thing, and keeping with last minute plans, it seems I'll be going to Singapore again next month to watch Wicked! We just found out that Ingrid and Hannah will be in SG next month (though on separate trips) and they plan to meet up and watch Wicked together, so Flip and I were like, let's go too! So it now depends if Flip will be able to take a day off - and if there'll be another promo on airline tickets (calling on Cebu Pac!). If that pushes through, it will be just a really quick weekend trip...all for the love of Wicked it is! Keeping my fingers crossed!

Hopefully it won't take years for us to get together again. It was indeed a good night reconnecting with old friends and it's nice to know that even if we don't see each other that often, the friendship still remains :)

for the love of jamba

It's one of those busy days again. Never-ending nosebleed defects and documentation reviews on the side calls for some 'comfort'. So after our all-hands meeting over lunch with the Minneapolis management, Lyn, Joel, Lawrence, Ros and I decided to get our fix of Jamba. But as we stepped out of our building, it was just so hot! As in summer-level hot, considering that it's only February. We hesitated for a few seconds (it's quite a long walk!) but what the heck...we need some happiness! And I must admit, that walk under the scorching heat (pramis, ang init talaga!) was all worth it as I took a sip of my cold Orange Dream Machine...didn't realize that it has been weeks since I last had this. For the love of Jamba it is! :)

shoes

I kinda went overboard with the shoe-shopping earlier...I didn't get just one, not two, but three pairs of shoes! I blame it on the 50% off sale at Aldo - that's about P5k worth of savings, so not bad!

I got a pair of killer heels (definitely can't walk to Jamba on these!)...

Some strappy sandals...

And a pair of flats for casual Friday/weekend use...

I haven't bought shoes for months now so this pretty much makes up for that ;)

it's one of those days...

I got a ride with Nette to the condo after work and it so happens that she and Joel will be playing badminton at the nearby sports center later in the evening so the 3 of us decided to have an early dinner while killing time. Over pizza and pasta, we got to talk about a lot of things - mostly about valentine's, relationships, knowing 'stuff' for the sake of knowledge (a banana will never just simply be a banana...hahaha!), and on being single (obviously, that just applies to me). We had some good laughs and I even have an assignment (3 per week?! goodluck!).

But as we parted ways (they had to go to their badminton game already), I suddenly felt sad - pretty much because of what we just talked about. You know the feeling when you realize that even if you pretty much have all the things you need and want, something's still missing...and it leaves you feeling empty. Sigh. Instead of going back to the condo, I made a side trip to the mall to clear my head. It worked for a bit - I was able to get 2 new dresses from Dorothy Perkins! :) But the distraction was short-lived - I didn't feel like going around anymore so I headed back to the condo afterwards.

Oh well. I guess I'll just sleep this off. Tomorrow's a new day and hopefully I'll be in a much better mood.

pink!

I almost forgot that I have this. I bought this from Ross during my US vacay 2 years ago and it's only now that I finally got to hang it on my door. It' so me! :)

unwind

The only thing I wanted to do today is to unwind. I went to the condo and I pretty much had the afternoon all to myself - and you know what that means :) I went around the mall first to do a little shopping...I was hoping to get a new dress or a new pair of shoes but I didn't find anything I like. I guess my recent shopping spree should last me for a couple of weeks more.

So I tried my luck at Fullybooked and that didn't fail me. I was able to get the last copy of the sequel in the Unearthly series by Cynthia Hand - I've been waiting for this for weeks!

I just love the theme of the book covers of this series...so pretty!

Just as I was about to head out of the mall, I made a quick stop at the Beauty Bar and got myself some lip glosses (in nice shades of pink!):

With shopping done, it's time for some pampering - foot spa and a mani/pedi it is! I skipped the nail art this time though, but I did get a bloody red shade for valentine's...

I still had a couple of hours 'til my ride home arrives so I headed to Starbucks and got comfy with a hot cup of green tea latte (yes, tea!) while I read the 11th book of the In Death series. It just gets better and better! Roarke is my man! Hahaha.

We then passed by Town on the way home to get these:

Orchestra center tickets to Mamma Mia for next Saturday! This is actually my Valentine's Day gift for my mom and we're so looking forward to it :)

Since it's already pretty late (and we're hungry already!), we decided to have dinner and tried our luck at Wee Nam Kee.

I guess it IS my day coz we were able to get the last available table without having to wait, and as soon as we got seated, the line got so long already. I really wanted to get the chili crabs but the serving is too much for just me and my mom so instead we got the roasted chicken....

and the honey crispy squid...yummy!

I must say it was a pretty good day! I was able to just rest, relax and enjoy my Saturday. This pretty much makes up for the busy week I had :)

words to live by

Live, laugh, love :)

instant happiness

What a week! We've been working nonstop on defects and all of us have one common question - why is it not working?! Just when I finally had a fix for mine, some other issue comes up. Sigh. Thanks to Mommy Eli, she always has a supply of snacks - pretzels, cookies and our favorite, Nutella! We find ourselves camped out at her cube when we are need of a logical break and her supply of sweets bring us instant happiness. Haha.

I was still feeling stressed out when I got home so I let it out in the kitchen...my version of instant happiness in 5 easy steps:

1. Mix water, oil and egg with Ghirardelli's Triple Chocolate brownie mix.

2. Add some walnuts for that extra crunch.

3. Pour the brownie mixture in a baking pan.

4. Top with marshmallows for more happiness!

5. Put in the oven and wait for 12 minutes. In the meantime, I'm chilling a glass of milk that would just go perfectly with this freshly-baked oh-so chocolate-y treat.

I'm glad it's Friday already. I'm so ready for the weekend!