babble mix

Moving On

2011-06-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

I'm moving! My blog, that is. I'd love for you to join me as I chronicle my life's adventures (and misadventures) in a fresh new blog. Follow me here: http://babblemix.gubster.com/ Hope to see you there!

2011 First Quarter Review

2011-03-31T23:19:00.000-07:00

Looking back to the past few months, I could say 2011 is off to a good start. January – I passed my post-partum checkup with flying colors, had a summer day in winter that allowed us to head off to the beach, and I reached the finish line with my US citizenship naturalization. One requirement down, 10 more to go. February – Valentine’s day was made special by my hubby (and my Milo) giving me

Thank You, Cows

2011-03-01T12:18:00.000-08:00

I watched an old Oprah episode about veganism today. They showed how the cows got from the fields to the packages we see in the grocery store. The slaughter house scenes were quite graphic, and I felt so sorry for the cows. Though that didn’t turn me into a vegan (I don’t think I ever will – I like meat too much), I do appreciate what they give to feed me, now more than ever. Thank you, cattle,

Movie in My Mind

2011-02-16T21:06:00.000-08:00

I spent a while this morning chatting with my mom about her and my dad’s childhood. How I would love to go back in time and see the highlight of their lives (and my aunts’ and uncles’) play like a movie.

Happy Birthday Indeed

2011-02-15T22:05:00.000-08:00

Started my day with God – 30 minutes of alone time with Him. Nino on leave, cooked for me and mama all day. Had special steak dinner with cake and happy birthday song. Love how my birthday was remembered in 2 time zones. Milo’s first time in the bath – shower with dad – that he enjoyed again. Thanks for the great birthday gift, Lord.

Talaga?

2011-02-14T23:20:00.000-08:00

Got a visit from a friend today who saw my 2-month-old for the first time. She has an infant herself, now 4 months old, and just like she is, started comparing her son to mine and bragging about how hers grew 6 inches in 4 months. She also commented, “wow, your baby is so tiny! I don’t ever recall my son being that small.” To that, I replied, “oh yes he was, he didn’t get out of you in that size.”

Suprise

2011-02-13T22:56:00.000-08:00

I love birthdays. Got a nice surprise from hubby today. He bought me and my mom orchids for our valentine flowers, and my little Milo handed me potted flowers, too. Family also came over to see my auntie from Texas off to the Philippines, and to celebrate my birthday. Milo was so excited to have company and surprised everyone, being the most talkative we’ve ever seen him be.

Not Quite V-day

2011-02-12T23:02:00.000-08:00

Happy pre-valentines day! Ever since hubby and been together (all 12 years of it since we were bf-gf) we were never ones to celebrate V day with the rest of the world. Crowds and traffic aren’t our thing. So, just like usual, we had our V day celebration a couple days before, this time with my two kids and my mom at PF Chang’s. It was nice and peaceful – no tantrums from the toddler or wails from

Losing It

2011-02-10T22:14:00.000-08:00

I spanked my son for the first time today. It was at bath time, as he was wailing, screaming and stomping in the tub. Straight on his wet bum, no diapers. It got red and I felt super guilty and even more upset that I hit myself on the thigh too. I hit myself so hard my hand made a red mark. Guilty. Where has my sweet baby gone? His tantrums have been unbearable for the past months that I

Cool Timer

2011-01-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

I saw this super cool contraption from one of my good friends while we were both pregnant, she with her first baby, me with my second. I think it’s one of the coolest gadgets any mom could have. The ITZBEEN is a timer that records your baby’s last diaper change, feeding or nap, and reminds you of your next one. It has a 4th button for anything else you may need a reminder or a timer for. Its

Toot-Toot!

2010-12-29T08:51:00.001-08:00

I am hardly one to toot my own horn. But after being a mother for even just a short while, I could say I should. I've been a stay-at-home mom since my first was born, 2 years and 9 months ago. Over that period, I've realized I am not SAHM material, and I personally believe that for this particular mom, being a working mom would have been much easier, having a break from childcare while at work,

Daycare Jitters Part 2

2010-07-22T00:17:00.001-07:00

Four months after we pulled Milo out of daycare that he never went to, I finally found a place I felt comfortable with. They were surprisingly affordable with a student ratio just as small as the most expensive daycare in our area, except I had to provide almost everything but snacks (which, because of Milo's allergies, I also had to take care of). But more importantly, there was one teacher

Parent Potty Training

2010-06-14T10:49:00.001-07:00

We're in the middle of potty training right now, or rather, I'm in the middle of trying to start 26-month-old boy to potty train - AGAIN. See, since he was around 8 months old, my son has learned to pee and poop every morning and after naps in the potty, after following my mom's advice to get him on the potty as soon as he can sit up at about 6 months old. There were even times when I'd re-use

Many Thoughts

2010-06-13T00:16:00.001-07:00

So many things going on in my head, I don't know where to begin. Please allow me to ramble on and on and on…Kate GosselinI've been following the Gosselin family since I saw their show in 2008, as I was channel surfing during my first few months of motherhood. The first time I saw their family, I was hooked, because I could not, for the life of me, imagine how I was going to cope with their

Daycare Jitters

2010-03-16T14:38:00.001-07:00

I knew I had to deal with daycare jitters, but I didn’t expect it to be mine.It was Milo's first pre-visit at his prospective daycare, and I stood quietly on the side, observing how my soon-to-be-two-year-old would adapt to his new climate once he comes in for four hours twice a week.There were many other kids, each one busy with his or her own toy and activity, while the teacher was attending to

Tug of War

2010-03-02T07:58:00.002-08:00

I’ve been a fulltime mom for almost two years – since the day my baby was born. And I’ve finally figured out why this job isn’t exactly giving me the fulfillment I was expecting it to.It’s not only because I keep working even after 5pm, on weekends and holidays. Or because I don’t earn money for my own shopping sprees. Or because I don’t get to talk with fellow adults about last night’s TV show

My 2010 Wish-To-Do List

2009-12-17T08:27:00.001-08:00

Because 2009 flew by leaving a lot in my to-do list undone, and because I can’t really expect to do even half of what I want to do, I made a list of things I wish I can accomplish by 2010. I can only try to make it happen, so wish me luck!Write on Milo’s baby book. It’s still wrapped in its packaging. Hopefully I get to it before he turns 21.Find virtual work. The earlier I can start, the earlier

My 2009

2009-12-16T18:45:00.002-08:00

Back in the beginning of 2009, right around my 30th birthday, I had this blog entry that I never got to post. As I read it again, almost a year later, I see that except for maybe a couple items, I still feel the same way.20 Questions:Where do I begin?How can we come back home within a few years?Why do some people care more about what I should have instead of my happiness?Why is it so hard to

Isang Linggong Pag-ibig

2009-09-25T17:08:00.001-07:00

Monday.We saw her at the playground when we brought Milo that afternoon. Or, I guess I should say, she saw us and started to follow us around, wanting some love and affection. Nino was freaked out, trying to shoo her away, holding Milo for fear that this stray cat will scratch or bite.I, on the other hand, having been around many pets all my young life, stood still and allowed her to lovingly rub

Pigs and ABC

2009-09-16T16:30:00.001-07:00

Among all the ABC song versions I’ve ever heard, this by far is the most fun – it even gets me up dancing! My son often watches this in one of his sesame street home videos. Because of that, it has been my LSS (last-song-syndrome: that song that plays over and over in my head) for the past week.Come sing with me!A – oink! B-oink! C-oink! D-oink! Oink, oink! EFG – oink, oink, oink!!!!

Anniversary Letter

2009-09-05T14:51:00.002-07:00

*September 5, 20095 years. I can't believe it's been that long since we were last with you.It all still feels like yesterday when we talked about everything, from the silliest jokes to more serious topics like God and politics. But even if I don’t get to hear you talking anymore, I still hear your voice in most things I do.Because of you, I learned to love my country and see its beauty and

Sunny Days

2009-08-31T22:54:00.002-07:00

About a month ago, I introduced Sesame Street videos to my son so I wouldn’t feel so guilty having him watch TV while I clean up in the kitchen or make our meals (he’s not yet two, so supposedly no TV for him, but sometimes I need help from Ernie and Bert to baby sit). The collection I got shows a mix of new and old songs and animation that I haven’t seen since I was 6 or 7.The first time I saw

Bloody Nora

2009-07-25T00:24:00.003-07:00

I have never been afraid of blood – my own or others'. I even thought I’d make a good paramedic because blood never fazed me, no matter how much. But today, I learned that when it comes to your own kids, what you thought you knew about yourself may not really apply.My 1-year-old was playing happily in our community playground this afternoon with one of the tot lot regulars, Hannah, while I was

Coming Home

2009-06-22T22:13:00.001-07:00

*Apr 23-May 24, 2009I’m astonished to realize that it’s been almost a month since we got back from our month-long trip to our homeland, the Philippines.In some ways, it was a vacation, a break from being isolated 24/7, but it was hardly a break from baby care because my baby clung to me like superglue, especially during the first week or so. With our hectic schedule, I was physically drained, but

c/o Facebook: 25 Random Stuff About Me

2009-02-10T10:09:00.004-08:00

I thought this was blog-worthy, considering how long it took me to write it! Thanks to Facebook and my friends who "tagged" me.I’m still trying to figure out this Facebook thing. As it is, updating my multiply account is already a feat for a time-constrained mom like me. And I haven’t touched my friendster pictures for over 3 years.I count silently when I brush my teeth, wash my hands, shampoo or

The Big Three-O

2009-01-17T11:43:00.002-08:00

In a few weeks, I will be leaving my twenties. And as I approach that day, I find myself getting more and more depressed, not because I’m getting old, but because I don’t know how I will be celebrating it without the rest of my family and friends.I say “the rest” because I have my family here in tact – my husband and my son – and that in and of itself does make this birthday special, and I am

Eyewitness

2008-11-07T08:23:00.004-08:00

Goosebumps. That’s what I got when I heard America’s new president speak in front of an estimated one million ++ people in Chicago on US election night. I was so moved by his speech, and I’m not even an American. I can’t imagine what Americans felt. Or what African-Americans felt right in that historic moment. Maybe it wasn’t just Obama’s speech that gave me goosebumps, but the entire setting

Sadista

2008-11-01T12:00:00.002-07:00

Listening to Chico and Delamar (yes, I do listen to them as often as Windows Media Player allows me too, so batiin nyo ko!) on Halloween day (Philippine time) made me regret my decision to tune in.I wanted to listen to some other station, but I needed their familiar voice to make me feel like I had company even if I was home alone with my baby. But the scary entries that made it into their top 10

New Mommy Stories

2008-06-10T17:31:00.001-07:00

Being a new mom, I have so many things going through my mind, especially as I recall my experiences with pregnancy, labor, delivery, post-delivery and baby care. There is so much I wanted to share, I decided to make a separate blog about new-mom-ness for other moms and moms-to-be in my family and circles of friends, and for whoever might be interested.And now that we decided for me to be a

Meet the Philippines

2007-12-31T02:56:00.000-08:00

Over the past year, I’ve proudly introduced a lot about my culture to my all-American co-workers, from our lifestyle as middle-class Filipinos, to our language, to our eating culture, to the food I bring to work everyday (I crave for a lot of Pinoy food lately – buti na lang malapit lang ang Red Ribbon, Chowking, Jollibee and this huge Filipino grocery store sa bahay). It’s funny how they react

Best of 2007

2007-12-29T11:34:00.000-08:00

Di lang tv at radio shows ang may year-enders. Ako rin. Here’s my own list of the year’s “bests,” both in the good and bad category. It’s my tribute to the amazing roller-coaster that was 2007.Best Purchase – Our New HouseAnd most expensive, too, because the spending never ends (and never will, as most homeowners tell me)

YouTube Fest

2007-09-19T10:53:00.000-07:00

I just had the most fun watching two shows in youtube.Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre FoodsThis food-adventurous white guy comes to the PI to have a taste of the most “exotic” food our country offers. Sneak peak below, where he eats “buhloot” in the “bahloo-tan”. See how he finds the sabaw -- personally that’s my favorite, being

First Time

2007-09-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

Sometime in late March or early April 2008, I will be a mother. Mom. Mommy. Mama. I still freaks out a little when my co-workers call me “momma” or when I realize Nino and I will be first-time parents. But I think I am slowly weaning out of the freak out stage, coz I’m more excited already. I still haven’t figured out if

Sad Kind of Happy

2007-07-08T16:29:00.000-07:00

There's something about meeting old friends that make me both excited and really sad at the same time. Maybe it's the fun of reminiscing while also longing to go back to those happy-go-lucky times. Or knowing that despite the time and distance you spend away from each other, you feel the same familiarity of being old friends right at the first meeting - again. But then there's goodbye, and the

Dinner Rolls a.k.a. Pandesal

2007-07-08T04:17:00.000-07:00

It’s always interesting to see Filipinos in formal events, especially when it comes to observing our fine-dining etiquettes (or lack of it). Nino and I attended his cousin’s wedding – both bride and groom were Filipinos born and raised here, but with parents and relatives born and raised in our home country. So 95% of the

Who's the Boss?

2007-07-07T13:13:00.000-07:00

Pag di ka bilib sa boss mo, you get frustrated. Kung hindi nila maintindihan na writing for a “print ad” na ang dami-dami-daming gustong sabihin will not work, you get frustrated. Kung hindi nila ina-acknowledge na matagal ka nang nagsusulat, na baka sakali lang, kelangan ka nilang pakinggan dahil alam mo naman ang

3 Months Later

2007-07-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

*This post was written a couple weeks back, but never made it online until today...06.15.2007I blink my eyes, and 3 months pass. Ano ba, dumaan ba ako sa time warp?What has gone on since my last post?Relatives have come and gone (my lawyer tita and tito with 6-year-old cousin came to visit and stayed with us for almost a

Pilipino Pride Chicken

2007-03-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

Nanggigil talaga ako sa isang “Pinay” na ka-opisina ko. Kaibigan ko pa naman. Nasaktan talaga ang pagka-Pilipino ko eh. Pero di ko rin siya masisisi, wala kasi siyang pagmamahal sa Pilipinas o sa pagiging Pinoy.Naguusap kasi kami tungkol sa mga panahon na nakita namin ang mga nanay namin umiyak. Sabi ko, nakita ko lang si mama umiyak nung namatay si papa saka nung nagka-dengue kami ni sis.(In

Teacher Mel

2007-03-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

My co-copywriter who sits next to me in our little CW (Copywriting) cube has been asking me to teach him some Filipino words. He's asked how to say things like:“Magandang umaga!”“Maganda hapon!” I had to stress the accent on the HA- and told him that “haPON” meant Japanese. He asked what he just said meant, so I said, “beautiful Japanese.”“Magandang gabi!”“Kamusta ka?”He has also learned popular

Last Song Syndrome

2007-03-03T15:32:00.001-08:00

Some songs are bound to give you the Last Song Syndrome, also known to us Pinoys as LSS (a term that my co-workers have already added to their English vocabulary because of me). One such songs is "Tulak ng Bibig," by JULIANNE. Listen to it, and watch for it playing on your radio. And if you feel the song, request for it at MAGIC 89.9 or MYX:MAGIC(space)899(space)TULAK NG BIBIG and send to 2968

Pilipinas Kong Mahal

2007-02-19T09:11:00.000-08:00

Below is a snippet from an article published on Inquirer Youngblood, written by one of my good friends from college, Dr. Che Zablan. I'm so proud of the Filipino that you are, Che! We definitely need more people like you."I AM a doctor to the barrio. For most people, I could not have made a better choice, but for a very few, I could not have made a worse or crazier one. In fact, the moment I

7th Annual 21st Birthday

2007-02-17T20:27:00.001-08:00

That's what I called my last birthday when I told co-workers that I just turned 21 (and they believe me). I had to follow up with the "7th annual" so they get that I'm not as young as they probably thought (the newbies still get shocked when I tell them I'm married). Sometimes I think I should've left them believing I was really JUST 21 (in a senior position, but that can either make me a genius

Chasing the Moon

2007-02-17T19:42:00.001-08:00

It took me about 20 attempts to take a clear picture of a beautiful full moon from a car moving 80mph without flash (I tried to avoid the reflection of the flash on the windshield blinding the lens of my camera) and slow shutter speed before finally giving up. Obviously, wala akong nakuhang matino, except maybe for these two, which turned out to be a bit interesting.Attempt# 1: Marunong palang

English 101

2007-02-16T18:15:00.000-08:00

After over 2 years of talking to Americans during most of my waking hours, I must say I’ve caught up with them when it comes to speaking conversational English. I’m sooo far from being able to articulate exactly what I want to say at the time I want or need to say it (lalo na pag mga punch line) but at least my slang/conversational English is getting better (by my standard of better). Here’s what

40 Hours a Week

2007-02-16T17:33:00.000-08:00

I read somewhere that full-time working people spend most of their waking hours with their co-workers. And because that is very true, I found that I had some realizations about the people with whom I spend my week.There are a few people I can trust my life with: one Mexican-American, a couple Filipino-Americans, and an Irish who’s Indian-Chinese-Filipino-Korean-and-gay inside (she lived with

Who's Complaining?

2007-02-16T16:07:00.000-08:00

I’ve always been lucky to work at unconventional corporations, even while I was still in the Philippines. When I found 1-800-DENTIST, a marketing company for dentists, I realized I brought that luck with me. Their culture is so much like that of GASSO (the agency I used to work for in the PI) – very casual, flexible and laid-back, even with the same pressures of a typical marketing/advertising

Bringing It Back

2007-02-16T14:50:00.000-08:00

It’s been almost a year since my last blog entry and needless to say, so much has happened. I’m just glad I have a full day to stay home and do nothing (on a Friday! Thank God for birthday holidays). Yes, I can finally bring back blog-loving-feelin (whoow blog-lovin’ feeling – sing it with me!) and share blog-worthy thoughts from over 9 months of hiatus.Mamang SorberterowMay 2006I didn’t think I

Beach Bodies

2006-05-31T17:30:00.000-07:00

Two minutes away from our place is a gym called 24-Hour Fitness. At first, we thought of just looking at the gym to see if it will work for us, then maybe ask for a 10-day tryout. But we signed-up already, because the Sales Manager gave us a good Memorial Day discount, which, she says, expires today.Well, we do need exercise. Unlike in New York, where we walked our legs off to get around, here in

Almost

2006-05-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe it’s been exactly a month since we first arrived here in our new place, our apartment in Torrance, CA. Torrance is located in the southwest area of Los Angeles county.Our Apartment (PICTURES!)We’re now 80% settled! Thank God for Tito Ike’s pick-up truck which we used to haul our mangled, murdered boxes (lesson learned: never buy “shipping” boxes from Staples.) from Tita Eileen’s

Reconnecting

2006-05-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

It’s always nice to find old friends. Jhoanne, My college blockmate from way back when (has it actually been 10 years?!) is now based in Huntington Beach, about 20 minutes away from our place.I haven’t seen or heard from her since, what, 2nd year college? When we were still back home, we both knew that our boyfriends were college blockmates too. In fact, they were even in the same barkada, but

Now We Know

2006-05-13T15:57:00.000-07:00

When you just moved in to a new place, you learn how everything works by trial and error, just like the way we learned about working the dishwasher.We never had a dishwasher in New York for obvious space reasons. So, naturally, we didn’t know how to work the dishwasher now available here in our apartment.My uncle who shares the apartment with us, Tito Ike, said he was not sure if his previous

So I Say...

2006-05-07T19:04:00.000-07:00

Nino left for Washington DC tonight, for some official assignment. I brought him to the airport, about 25 minutes away and drove home alone.I was so scared because it was my first time to drive alone. Heck, it was my first time to drive in CA, period! And at night!My heart was racing, even if I had my uncle convoying with me in his truck for the first couple of miles, before we separated routes.

Northern California Pasyal

2006-04-30T20:23:00.000-07:00

It was the best icing on our road-trip cake: staying with Rosie and her bro, Kuya JR for 6 days before we drove to our final destination, Los Angeles.Hollister was so laid back that the word “stress” was not in their vocabulary. I heard birds chirping for the first time in a very, very long time.Ang saya to just rest and chill, yung tambay lang, taking your sweet time with everything.

NYC to California – Day 05, Monday

2006-04-24T20:04:00.000-07:00

Day 5 Destination: Rosie’s place at Hollister, Northern CAStates: UT, NV, CAHighlights: Salt Flats, UT, Lake Tahoe, CA Nature showcased its mood swings today. It went from all sun in the Salt Flats of Utah, then gray clouds still somewhere in UT, then heavy, 0-visibility pouring rain, then sleet and snow from snow-capped mountains in Nevada (blown by the wind) then back to all sun and then

NYC to California – Day 04, Sunday

2006-04-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

Day 4 Destination: Tour of Salt Lake City and West Jordan, UtahStates: UT - Rest day eh!Highlights: Beautiful mountain scenery, Cathedral of the Madeleine, Mormon Temple, The Great Salt Lake We went ahead to Ate Jeanne’s house in West Jordan from Park City after a sumptuous breakfast at Denny’s. We took the whole morning to rest, had lunch, slept again and by 5PM, left for mass and a quick tour

NYC to California – Day 03, Saturday

2006-04-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

Day 3 Destination: Ate Jeanne’s place at West Jordan, UtahStates: Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, UtahHighlights: Landscape and landscape again; Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles; The Great Platte River Road Archway Monument;This felt like our longest drive since we started on this trip. Nebraska was such a big state to cross that offered no particular sights to see but land that looked the same all

NYC to California – Day 02, Friday

2006-04-21T19:07:00.000-07:00

Day 2 Destination: Kung saan maabutan ng dilim (8PM)States: Illinois, IowaHighlights: Downtown Chicago, pretty roadside landscaping and Iowa’s US-44 “scenic route”.We set off for the 2nd day of our journey a few minutes before noon, after over 8 hours of sleep and having late breakfast with Judy and her Papi. We didn’t exactly consider the whole morning in Chicago “wasted”, because we got to hang

NYC to California – Day 01, Thursday

2006-04-20T20:57:00.000-07:00

It’s the moment of truth!Woke up early today to pack up our airbed (which we have been sleeping on since we sold our furniture) and to load our car with bags, laptops, pillows, food and all other stuff we did not ship (took us an hour to do that).We took one final look at our place, before leaving our ex-keys and locking the door. I felt really sentimental looking at our empty apartment for the

Here We Go...

2006-04-18T17:02:00.000-07:00

So here’s the plan:Nino keeps his NY job but works from home in CA, following the Eastern time zone. That means we still have income. His company made him that counteroffer when he tried to resign. God truly works in mysterious ways.We sold all our stuff to sell already – from furniture to our huge Clorox Bleach supply – except for our table and a portable heater (drawing ang bumili!). The rest

Spring Bloom

2006-04-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

Nakakabuhay talaga ng loob ang spring, after a long, gray and dreary winter. I’m so glad Au, my bro’s former officemate from Pinas, invited us to go to Brooklyn Garden after goodbye brunch at her place. Kagandahan! Check out the pix, kuha namin yan!

Practice Muna

2006-04-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

Before our scheduled move/road trip to California from New York, Nino and I had a couple of dry-runs or previews of our anticipated 5-day trip.Swanton, Maryland – 7 hours, one wayThis was the perfect road trip practice. We were invited by my good friend from Gasso, Kris, to join them for their twin boys’ 1st birthday celebration, and since we haven’t seen each other since we both got here, it was

Goodbyes

2006-04-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

Rosie, my kumare from Summit now based in CA, left last Tuesday after staying with us for about 4 days. Ganda nga ng timing, because we brought her around the city, giving Nino and I a last thorough tour of the place we called home for over a year (for me). It was like our final chance to say goodbye to NYC.We had goodbye dinners with my friends, Nino’s co-workers and Nino’s side of the family

03/2006 Sari-sari 2

2006-03-15T11:33:00.000-08:00

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain------So many things to do with our move and our road trip, so little time! I made a to-do list with deadlines and an inventory of things to sell, bring

03/2006 Ang Dramah!

2006-03-13T06:50:00.000-08:00

Why is leaving always bittersweet?I am sooooo excited to go on a long road-trip and finally move to CA kahit walang kasiguraduhan ang trabaho namin. But when I opened my drawer to get a ponytail band, I felt a pang of sadness. Parang nagkaron ng lump in my throat. I was about to cry when I looked at myself in the mirror with my teary eyes. Naudlot lang yung iyak ko kasi narealize kong para akong

03/2006 Leap of Faith

2006-03-10T09:25:00.000-08:00

“Great deeds are usually wrought at great risks.” – HerodotusWe’re going on the biggest adventure of our life so far – we’re moving to California without the security of a job.We’re staying with friends and relatives who are willing to adopt us for a couple of days or a couple of weeks, maybe even a couple of months until we find a job and settle in our own place.This decision gave birth to many

03/2006 Sari-sari

2006-03-06T19:07:00.000-08:00

Just watched 40 year old virgin. It was hilarious! I laughed so hard, I cried. Hinika tuloy ako.---------- Got 2 new pairs of shoes from FILA today – FREE. Because I'm what they call a "shoe tester."For now, they gave me 2 pairs to test-wear for a couple of days, fill out their feedback form and email it back to them. I get to keep the shoes. Nice.----------The funniest thing I heard in chico and

NOT Only in Da Philippines

2006-02-25T13:30:00.000-08:00

Kala nyo ba, mga Pilipino lang ang nababayaran para mag-rally? WRONG.Check out this article I read from the Reader's Digest US Edition. Difference lang nila sa Pinoy, sila naka-rubber shoes (or what they call sneakers - ang equivalent ng spartan tsinelas sa atin, hindi yung flip-flops ha, sosyal connotation nun eh), naka-bonnet at makapal na jacket dahil maginaw. Saka yung iba sa kanila, blonde

Random Thoughts

2006-02-24T12:36:00.000-08:00

What is pechay in English? Bok choy.I discovered that last Sunday when I was buying this tiny, pechay-looking piece of vegetable in the grocery. The cashier asked me what it was called, because she had to punch the code in. “I don’t know, some green veggie thing.” Malay ko ba kasi what that was called in English. So she asked the cashier next to us and said “bok choy” that sounded more like “

Call For Positive News

2006-02-13T18:39:00.000-08:00

We pay dearly for calling attention to our ugly sidePOSTSCRIPT By Federico D. Pascual, Jr.The Philippine Star 02/12/2006This e-mail, written Oct. 26, 2004, by Bess of Sta. Clara, Calif., has been circulating mostly in the US. I boiled it down to fit our limited space.Hello there... I am a Filipino living in the Bay Area in California. We have a big Filipino community here so we get to watch

02/2006 White Out

2006-02-13T07:20:00.000-08:00

New York City just experienced its record-breaking blizzard. 26.9 inches of snowfall in Central Park, falling 2-5” per hour, broke the highest snowfall record in 1947. Our car parked out on the street was literally buried in snow. Up until now, the day after the snow storm, it’s still all over the news.It feels good knowing I was here when it happened, that I experienced a record-breaker.Feels

Don't You Care?

2006-02-02T06:37:00.000-08:00

One of my good friends here in the US asked me if I know of a company who sponsors H1 visas. Para daw sa brother niya. Gusto na daw niya kasing kunin, kasi daw “sayang ang talino” sa Pinas.Sayang ang talino?! Bakit, dahil hindi siya nasuswelduhan ng dollar equivalent ng sweldo dito sa US? Does he even care about our country’s brain drain?!Kumulo talaga ang dugo ko. I guess it’s just really hard

01/2006 Our FREE 42" TV

2006-01-24T18:07:00.000-08:00

The best things in life are free indeed. Today, Nino and I received the best 1st year wedding anniversary gift we can ever receive – a free 42” Sony Flat screen Plasma TV!Yes, you read it right: FREE!Well, actually, Nino spent about $70 for the offers he had to complete and about 4 months of waiting time, but considering that the TV cost about $1500, it was relatively free! Ayaw ko sana ipromote

01/2006 One Year in the Making

2006-01-14T05:52:00.000-08:00

Today marks my first year anniversary of being a Filipina in New York (I still refuse to be called a New Yorker and I always will so don’t push it, ok?).Needles to say, marami akong natutunan sa buong taon na nandito ako.I learned more about myself, New York, the US and its people in general, my beautiful country and my fellow Pinoys.1. Kala ko magaling na ko mag-English, so I won’t have a

01/2006 Desperate Housewife

2006-01-07T05:47:00.000-08:00

I am a desperate housewife – desperate to move to CA and come home to Pinas this December, and now back to housewife status as of today. I quit my job, effective yesterday. Yey!Bakit yey?1. Because I now have the time to finish everything in my to-do list that I normally won’t have time to do while I still had the job.2. Dahil pwede na ako maghanap ng ibang trabaho kung saan mababayaran ako ng

01/2006 My Season Ender

2006-01-02T19:08:00.000-08:00

My holiday season ended without a bang, literally.No fireworks, no huge family with cousins and relatives, no kaka-bundat food, no lola’s hot chocolate during media noche (no media noche to begin with), no kwentuhan until we can’t keep our eyes open anymore. It was just nino and me.Kaya naman di ko na napigilan ang iyak ko. Hindi sya yung simpleng iyak lang, ha, yung klase na falling tears, tapos

12/2005 Ang Disyembre Ko Ay Malungkot...

2005-12-31T20:40:00.000-08:00

Hay. Totally relate ako sa kantang yan.This Christmas did not come close to the Christmas Eve I was used to. For as long as I can remember, I spent every Christmas Eve with my huge family – lots of cousins, titos, titas and pamangkins that it wore me out on the first 20 minutes of our get together, sa pag-beso pa lang sa kanilang lahat. Then on Christmas Day, we had lunch or dinner with my father

12/2005 Strike, New Yorker Style

2005-12-21T19:20:00.000-08:00

What happens to New York City when mass transit workers say “we’re on strike!” Strike talaga! No buses, no subway lines, which were THE main modes of transportation here.Sa atin, pag nag-strike, meron pa rin mga buses at jeeps, aandar pa rin ang LRT, MRT, trikes, and all other forms of mass transit. Not here in NYC.So how do the people go to work in the morning and get home at night?Take the

12/2005 Winter Wonder

2005-12-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

I really wonder what the definition of winter is for Americans here in New York.Temperatures have been “below normal” says the weather man every morning for the past couple of days. I hear people complain all the time in the buses and subways about how cold it was, and it’s not even winter yet.If below 0 temperature (-7 degrees celcius to be exact) on the hottest time of the day is not “winter”,

11/2005 My Thanksgiving Version

2005-11-23T20:09:00.000-08:00

It’s really big here, this Thanksgiving holiday. It’s actually an even bigger holiday than Christmas.Being the curious cat that I was, I asked my officemate about the history of Thanksgiving. Like a five-year-old, I asked so many questions: Why is there a Thanksgiving Holiday? What is its significance to the American History? Why is it celebrated on November? Why turkey?After he answered most of

11/2005 Di Ako Alien!

2005-11-23T17:05:00.000-08:00

I am now officially a legal permanent resident of the United States of America. I got my green card (it’s not color green by the way) 2 days ago, exactly 8 months after I filed for adjustment of status (that was quick, considering I was advised about a month ago that it takes them 270-300 days or at most 10 months to process my case).Congratulations to me, I can now come home whenever I wish. If

11/2005 Peace, New York

2005-11-22T18:13:00.000-08:00

New York City and I started on the wrong foot. Or rather, on the wrong weather.Ang ganda kasi ng timing ng pagdating ko – January, smack right in the middle of winter. Being used to the sun and warm weather, winter (meaning minus-0 cold and NO sun for months) was a new unwelcome experience. Ginawin pa naman akong bata. I was a warm-blooded Filipina which meant my definition of “cold” was Baguio,

My Turn

2005-11-22T17:22:00.000-08:00

You gave me a card as I passed your row right when I walked down from the stage during our High School graduation. It said “Thank You.” That was the very first card you ever gave me.Now, after 9 years, it’s my turn to say thanks…For your sweetness in your own weird wayFor not pampering me too much. I became strong and independent because of youFor not giving up on me and our relationshipFor

Baby Talk

2005-11-17T16:00:00.000-08:00

Since we’re on the baby topic after my adorable nephew’s birth, let me announce that Nino and I are having our baby. Wait, wait, wait hindi pa tapos. I meant we’re having our baby, hopefully after June 23, 2008, to be exact. Though Nino is an American citizen, he needs to be in the US for at least 5 years before his child automatically becomes a US citizen, even if the child is born outside of

Our Siopao Baby

2005-11-09T12:14:00.000-08:00

He has the biggest 1-week-old baby cheeks I have ever seen, like the cutest siopao in the world.His name is Adam Christopher, my first pamangkin, born November 3, 2005, 2:53 PM Philippine time with all 7.75 lbs. of his pure innocence.Thank God for digital cameras and my brother’s webcam, I can actually feel his kakagigil-ness. Kung pwede ko lang siya kurutin thru the computer. Maybe somebody has

11/2005 Shut Up And Go Shopping

2005-11-05T11:46:00.000-08:00

“So, are you free tomorrow?” said my now supervisor who called me last Sept. 15, 2005, telling me that I was their chosen applicant for a part time copywriting job at one of the offices at the Diamond District at 5th Ave here in NYC.Sounds big time? Not really, not if you’re working in a tiny room with about 100 surveillance cameras and a boss that smokes and the COO who is just that – the Child

10/2005 - Missing Finally

2005-10-26T19:14:00.000-07:00

August 2005 marked my 8th month of unemployment here in the US – my 8th month of having panis na laway from lack of daily interaction with any friend or family close to me who is not from Nino’s circle. That, among other issues, bit me hard in the (big) ass. I was falling apart.I slipped into depression, heightened mostly by PMS, but brought about by real reasons I could no longer ignore, not

10/2005 My $80 Haircut

2005-10-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

I finally had my first haircut here in the US – an $80 haircut at one of the renowned NYC Salons, Bumble and Bumble – for FREE!That’s right, FREE! That was because I was part of the Bb U (Bumble and Bumble University, not Binibining Universe hehehe!) Model Project. I was a hair model.Dahil gusto kong masulit ang $30 ko, (which is the typical cost for a haircut with styling here), I didn’t just go

To Leave or Not To Leave

2005-10-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

That is probably the question you ask yourself each time you watch the news if you’re like a lot of Pinoys on the verge of giving-up on the Philippines.“Wala nang pag-asa dito! Ayoko na dito! Bulok! Walang kwenta! Wala nang mangyayari sa Pinas!”With these thoughts in your head, you start planning your escape to the land of anywhere-but-the-Philippines.But before you start emptying your life

10/2005 Oooh, Spy

2005-10-16T07:33:00.000-07:00

I’m a spy.Not exactly someone who goes on dangerous assignments, but I do get assignments undercover – as a mystery shopper.I signed up with several mystery shopping companies hired by other companies to do their customer service or market research. These mystery shopping companies give us assignments which can accept or decline if the locations and/or schedules don’t work for us.On an assignment

09/2005 - Kingda Ka

2005-10-13T14:47:00.000-07:00

http://www.sixflags.com/parks/greatadventure/Rides/KingdaKa.html The ride was unbelievable.0 to 128 mph in 3.5 seconds.Up 458 feet in a vertical 90 degree climb.Plunge vertically into a 270-degree spiral.All in 50 seconds.Unexplainable thrill.I was breathless - from screaming my lungs out through the entire ride, and from the experience of the ultimate adrenalin rush.This is my kind of ride. I

07/2005 - Horror House

2005-10-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

Nino and I went to our first ever “ugly house” visit last July. With the investment strategy we were planning, we thought this might get us our first P1M. Woohoo! Exciting!But before we started counted our chickens, we wanted to see if the eggs were worth counting to begin with – look at the house in person to estimate repairs exactly how we were taught in that million-dollar real estate boot

April-May 2005 Bakasyon En Grande

2005-09-17T10:04:00.000-07:00

5 months ago, I went to nearly a month-long vacation to the west coast.Of course, meeting my relatives and spending time with them was the highlight of my trip, but my whole vacation actually gave me so many memories that it seems impossible to document all of them. So let me just share some of the most memorable events in chronological order.Solvang, CA I didn’t think a windmill can actually

First Time

2005-09-17T05:13:00.000-07:00

This is my very first blog. I'm officially joining the bandwagon.Welcome me, fellow blogger. Or not.Whatever. I'm blogging!