Back to my old RED layout!

Sorry no posts lately—I’ve been really busy at work. Our deadline got moved earlier so it is crunch time to the highest level.

I am also Palawan-bound tomorrow. When we booked it, I thought I’d be having a worry-free vacation. Hope it’ll still be that way.

Have a productive day y’all!

This week, I’ve been in a really bad space financially. But after seeing this rainbow a few days ago, things really started to look up. As in I’m not superstitious or anything, but things really did begin to get better.

Went to the mall with my grandparents. I rarely get to spend time with them so I’m glad I did.:)

I’m watching Pinoy Big Brother at the moment and it kinda looks like Delio’s leaving the house voluntarily. Eeep. Another voluntary exit? Anuba.

I wish Carol would follow suit next! I kid. She’s actually tolerable now—it’s gotten to a point where she’s being such a wallflower you I don’t even bother letting her annoy me anymore. Hehe.

I’m mean.

And this after I attended an Art of Living talk made by a Holy Man. A real one. I’ll post about it later. It was interesting to say the least. It actually helped me forget about stress!

If, as that tagline from god knows where goes, “stressed is DESSERTS spelled backwards,” then how come things aren’t really looking sweet right now?

I am ngaraggggged.

But I still have to give myself kudos—I did manage to finish two and partially finish three out of the one hundred gazillion things I’m supposed to accomplish before the end of the week. Woot woot.

With all the whining I just did about undas, I actually forgot about a good thing that happened then. There I was being oscar the grouch when I overheard mommy (my lola) and Uncle M telling one of our relatives about my work at HIPP. How I get to eat in a lot of restaurants for free to review their food, and how I get these opportunities to meet celebrities with the work I am doing. And it was just really touching because that was the first time I actually heard them talk about my achievements.

I’ve always been one of the pasaways in our family. I remember before when I jumped from one job to the next, I also listened to one sermon after another. I resisted talking about my previous jobs because I thought that they’d only have something bad to say about it. I know most of the time it was probably just all in my head, but it just feels good to hear something nice for a change. It makes me feel good all the more about the place I am in now.

It took years for me to open up to my family about what was going on in my life. And I think that I have managed to achieve that now. It isn’t just work, but everything in my life seems to be at its rightful place. Everything is in order. And I actually like it.

La lang.

I just came home from “the other tricia’s” place. Zeph and I dropped by to pay Trish a visit—which is really just an excuse for us to be fed for free. Tonight was risotto night, and Zeph was actually the one who did most of the work. And it was reaaaaaaaally good too—they made Rosemary Lamb Risotto. There was enough to feed a family of six, but since it was only us three, plenty for us to take home.

So guess what I’m having for lunch tomorrow. :p

This long weekend has been a roller coaster. Saturday was spent at Pinky’s testing out their latest alcoholic ice cream flavors. I think I got drunk from the wide variety of alcohol consumed—amaretto, tequila, vodka, rum, bailey’s, triple sec, brandy, etc etc etc. Needless to say, I got the biggest headache the day after—which only got worse when we went to Kawit for Undas (something I am actually feeling a little guilty over) which consequently led to a bad phone convo with Z.

So glad today wasn’t bad. Instead, it was really really good. With really good risotto and great company. And a new game that I found myself addicted to. I didn’t even manage to remember the name, which means I can’t download it.

Probably a good thing because I have a million things to do before I go to Palawan next week.

I already feel ngarag. But I will take things one step at a time—it always works for me.

Good night folks!

Every year, my family (the ones in Manila anyway) head over to my grandparents’ hometown of Kawit, Cavite to visit the family crypt at Wakas Cemetery.

Diaz family plot—this is my grandmother’s side of the family.

This is where Tita Gina rests now.

The Villanuevas.

Here’s me wearing my usual Undas-resistant look. I don’t know why but I’ve always resisted Undas—maybe it’s because it reminds me more than ever that certain members of my family are lost to us now.

This year, though, was  a little different. I had my camera with me, and instead of rotting in boredom at the usual spots in Wakas Cemetery, I went out with my shutterhappy cousin and took photos of, well, other crypts. Hehe.

Walkway leading to my grandfather’s brother’s mausoleum. Woman walking is my grandmother.

Remember the Air Philippines plane that crashed in Samal Island, Davao? This is where one of the stewardesses is buried.

A closer look inside and you’ll see the Air Philippines logo. I remember that plane crash—a number of the people there were acquaintances of my family. It was terrible.

Most of the mausoleums already look like houses. Some even had TV sets in them.

One of the more outstanding crypts that caught our attention. An Aguinaldo is buried here. I don’t know if he/she’s related to Emilio Aguinaldo, but the latter is from Kawit so they probably are. I wanted to drop by his ancestral home—we pass by it every time and the last I’ve been there was when I was too young to care so I’d love to drop by again some time.

Finally, Wakas at sunset.

Francis and I loved the sun that day. It was a great day to take photos.

More actually—I just haven’t gotten around to posting about it yet

Disclaimer: Cheesy post ahead!

The funny thing about Z and me—we manage to always miss our (I don’t like this term) “monthsaries” (usually because we are intently arguing about something) that the moment we do remember, we both reach this state of disbelief (“Seriously, we’re XX  months old?”) which ultimately transforms to a state of awe (“Wow, XX months!”), which then switches back to disbelief again (Seriously?!). Hehe

I think it’s a good thing—being in a relationship that’s already a year old but feels like it just started a month ago.

I think it’s probably because of all the struggle we both had to go through (individually, and then together) before we got to the stability we enjoy now. Looking back, given how it all started, I wouldn’t change a thing. I truly feel that this has been a relationship that we both worked hard at (finally!) having. Maybe it was because we had such a rocky beginning (isang mahaba-habang inuman!) that everything feels new even until now.

And I feel that it’s a relationship that has changed both of us for the better. I’m not saying I’m suddenly Miss Sunshine, because I do have my dark bratty moments and believe me, he’ll be the first one to point that out, but the thing is…being with him makes me want to be a better person. It’s a stretch and it sure feels like a leap, but it’s one that I’m willing and happy to take.

Call me cheesy, mushy, whatever, but iz true.

Hehehe. La lang, Just wanted to make it official.

Cheers to blond moments like this one!

—

Now I won’t have anything to eat for the rest of the month. Good thing I’ve been meaning to start that diet.

I kid.

I had a blast from the past just now. I suddenly decided to read old blog entries from my very first-second blog. I started with Livejournal and I lost my password but managed to recover it recently.

Here’s an entry back in 06, the day after my sister and I officially swore off Vodka after a really really bad hangover:

One thing came out of this whole experience—I finally realized the extent of my vanity. I had my digital camera with me at the time and when I checked it in the morning, there were around a couple dozen new pictures of myself. GAWD. It was like watching a really bad movie. Apparently, I activated the multiple-shutter command and ended up taking a ton of pictures.

Here’s one I find funny:

I finally got the call. I’m up for another interview at Citibank this Thursday. Hope I get the job!

I can’t believe I actually thought about working in a BANK. hahaha.

Hmmm. What else…

Alet and I did wall-climbing. My altophobia suddenly surfaced when I was halfway up!! For a moment, I froze. Literally froze!!! The only thing that kept me going was my dignity—there were kids on the more difficult part of the wall who made it up already. So imagine the pressure.

Hahaha. It’s like reading the all-humiliation blog.