Instant Adulthood

Mood: Exhausted
Listening to: dum do di do dum dum

About a month ago, I remember stressing over my papers, my thesis, my presentations and the like. A week after that I received my first call from Hyatt informing me about an opening in Events. A week after that I've had 3 interviews already. A week after that while stressing over graduation requirements (clearance, graduation dress and other fees), I had another series of interviews.

This week, a week after graduation, I get hired as an Events Coordinator for Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila. Next week, I officially report for work and at this moment I couldn't ask for anything more.... ahm.. actually, there's one thing... can I start later?

Right now I'm really tired... really, really tired. I've been moving about Metro Manila working on my legal papers for my employment, NBI, BIR, SSS, mayor's permit, medical, etc.. etc...

This afternoon i was wearing my pink billabong shirt, carrying my pink ripcurl bag, containing my pink barbie folder (for my documents), checking my pink watch (c/o uncle jul) while my hair is up in my pink flowered pony and on my feet are my pink sequined flip-flops, and i'm smelling like Victoria's secret Enchanted Apple.. aren't I the sweetest lil' thing?

Not for long... i'l have to throw away my minis for plain black pencil cuts, my babytees for white blouses, my flipflops for closed heels and yes.. no anklets under black hoisery! No more barbies, no more pinks, no more butterflies... and i really can't make like Elle Woods here, that would go against Hyatt Standards.

This morning I just finished filing the last of my necessary papers. I submitted them too. I got my uniform reserved for my first day of work and my locker assignment. This is really it.

A little over month ago I never expected to be here writing about working and career.. I thought I'll be just redesigning my blog or bathing under the sun... Immediately, I'm forced to think about the future. In an instant I go from a delinquent student to a would-be responsible events coordinator. Things are happening at lightning speed, I'm not sure if i'm absorbing everything correctly... i'm scared, exhilarated... but then again... whether I like it and am ready for it or not, it's coming.... my only option is to accept the challenge. Real world here I come....

Only... I don't promise that one day i'll be writing about me crying about work.. hehe

---

In Love Again

*you might think that this is chismis.... but I warn you.. this might get boring.....

The only thing I appreciate with being out of school is that I can go back to one of my favorite pastimes that not a lot of people know (and that I really don't wanna brag about.. hello?! nerdax!) Ever since break started I've finished 2 novels (one by Andrew Neiderman) and a short story (Agatha Christie), I'm about half-way through The Client by John Grisham and i'm falling in loving with him all over again (remember The Chamber?)... I remember seeing fragments of the film once upon a time, over a decade ago, when I was younger, actually I didn't see the entire film, I just marvelled at Brad Renfro's cuteness. Now that I'm older, with more appreciation of the law and the actual plot of the story, I'm really awestruck at his genius.

I especially like the character of Reggie Love, Attorney-at-Law (played by Susan Sarandon)... She's the intelligent, bitchy lady you'd love to hate (and I wanna be like her!). And this is one of my favorite lines........

FBI Agent McThune: "You don't need a lawyer. Lawyers are a pain in the ass"

*Agent McThune tells this to young Mark Sway when the boy asks if he needs one to represent him as the FBI interrogates him. McThune doesn't know that Reggie has wired his young client. Reggie now gets back to this abusive agent and asks him if he said certain things to her client. Agent McThune denies everything and claims that the child is lying. At this point Reggie takes out her microcassette and plays back the conversation....

Reggie Love: "I think we know who's lying... Gentlemen, the pain is here!"

I love her! I remember I was in transit when I read this scene and I want to give a standing ovation. Well, like I said I'm only halfway through, but the plot continiously grows thicker and thicker... I can't wait to finish it so that I can start on The Pelican Brief. Grabe, I'm a Grisham advocate~~

The great Singapore Adventure

Mood: Excited
Listening to: Selfish - Sunset Daze

Finally, after almost a month, we've finally uploaded our pictures from Singapore. Taking my inspiration from my background in tourism studies, I would like to impart to my readers a vision of Singapore from my perspective.

plane 2 singapore

March 24, Friday, we arrived at Changi Airport in Singapore at about 7 in the evening. Singapore and the Philippines share the same time zone, so no need to adjust my watch. Upon arrival what struck me? the airport! Changi Airport-unlike NAIA-looks like a big mall. Complete with a wide array of shops and food establishments, that is, on top of the duty free shops.

After all the necessary arrival routines, i.e. immigration papers and baggage check out, we took a cab to our residence for 3 days, at a penthouse unit in Bauhinia Court, Maplewoods Condominium along Bukit Timah. Immediately I was informed that cabs we're strictly for 4 persons, or 4 adults and a child (unlike here where sometimes we can fit in up to 6!). Then i noticed that vehicles in Singapore are right-hand driven, hence they follow a right-hand traffic regulations as well.

The road we took to Maplewoods was the Pan Island Expressway, aka PIE [yes, this information I eagerly asked our trusty cab driver]. The traffic in PIE is very light, and traffic rules were strictly obeyed. The streets were absolutely spic and span and we're decorated by plants on either side of the streets. Imagine if EDSA was like that!

On the morning of our second day our first stop was to Jurong, to see the Jurong Bird Park. From Bukit Timah, we took a bus to a transit mall. Kind of like our Farmers Plaza in Cubao, only, theirs is more posh.

With sisters @ Bukit Timah Waiting shed

Family @Bus station to Jurong

Jurong Bird Park
From Bukit Timah, Jurong in the South West part of Singapore was 2 bus rides away. They actually have a shuttle that brings guests to the attraction. Jurong bird park houses over 9,000 birds from 600 species. It is an entire zoo that houses our feathered friends. I especially liked the World of Darkness, which is an airconditioned enclosure and whose environment was patterned after the owl's natural habitat.

tram at birdpark

see penguins in our background

me with the pelicans

with juanna and the hornbills and toucans

There were several bird shows also held in Jurong Bird Park, what we were able to see was the Children's Parrot Show at the Pools Ampitheater.

w/ sisters at parrot show

After our promenade at Jurong Bird Park, we had lunch at Jurong East Center. At the food court lunch starts at Sing $3.50 up. I had meatball noodle and boy, was it spicy. Singaporean food is rich in curry and has a lot of different spices. My dad says they taste all the same, but being a fan of spicy food myself I didn't have a lot of trouble enjoying them.

After lunch we went to Seiki Mall in Bugis center, now this place is just like any ordinary mall. There were some familiar brands like Giordano and Hang Ten. I especially liked the Disney shop.

at Disney, Seiki

Sentosa Island

Our next destination was Sentosa Island, an island south of Singapore. Now, in Sentosa, you will never get bored. There are a lot of things one can do, like visit the Dolphin Lagoon, see the Merlion statue, have a blast at the Palawan and Bora bora beach and ride the cable cars, among other things.

Carlsberg Sky tower

the Mermaid and the Merlion

with Maui getting our feet wet

at the dragon trail

On Sunday morning we heard mass at the church of St. Ignatius at Kingston. Amazingly, even at church the Singaporeans seem to be very organized in hearing mass and in receiving communion.

Kingston overpass, after the Mass

IKEA

What the hell is Ikea? Have you ever seen those catalogs? Well Ikea is a furniture and other home goods store and at such bargain prices. My dad bought a lamp that has this iron skeleton and what seemed like japanese paper wrapped around it at around Sg$15 (around 450 PhP) when that would've cost about a few thousands here in the Philippines.

w/ jessi and maui @ BK, Ikea

We had lunch at Burger King in Ikea... Mind you, a burger meal there costs about Sg$ 6.50 (195 PhP) so let's eat all the burgers here where it's cheap!

we took a double-decker bus!

After lunch we went to the Orchard Road in Ngee Ann City, where the Singapore Fashion Festival 2006 was being held during our visit. There we shopped in Takashimaya, Wisma Atria and the Paragon Plaza.. and yes, we saw MTV VJ Denise. Shoppers delight! Electronics are cheap in Singapore :D

Shopping at Orchard Road

w/ jessi at Surf Girl shop

Although Singapore and the Philippines share the same time zone, there's one big difference though.... at 6.50 pm, the sun is still up. The sun sets at about 7pm in Singapore, this is because geographically, Singapore is closer to the equator.

Night Safari

Our last stop was back at Jurong in the ever-popular, Night Safari. Upon arrival we took the tram tour. The tram as you can see below can seat five persons in a row and is open on either side so tourists can view the animals. It's like walking through a wild jungle... on wheels... and of course with a tour guide. Aside from the regulars, lions, hyenas, rhinos and others, what struck me was this 3-foot rat!!! Deym! That's something i dont wanna see running around my house. There were a variety of souvenir shops too and a lot of costumed artists performing flaming acts. After our tram tour, we went to watch the Creatures of the Night show in their ampitheater.. we got in immediately before the show started so we got the seats at the backmost row. Alas, they made a creature walk on a tight-rope directly above my head!! creepy!

my tram ride

After this we had dinner at Newton Hawkers where we had a sugar cane juice... well, this tastes pretty much just like coconut water or something like that. I'd still get iced tea any time.

Well, that's it for my singapore adventure.. I hope you've learned a thing or two. I sure did, I learned that even though Singapore, a country with absolutely no natural resources, can be as successful and rich as it is, then most certainly the Philippines can do the same. I just hope so.

Mabuhay Class of 2006

Mood: Proud
Listening to: Somewhere over the Rainbow - reggae mix

Para sa tatlong taon sa pre school, pitong taon sa elementarya (sori naman, assumptionista ko), apat na taon sa mataas na paaralan at limang taon sa kolehiyo.

Para sa lahat ng mga gabing inilagi ko sa harapan ng makinarya; mga oras na itinambay ko sa silid aralan', mga agahan, tanghalian at hapunang hindi ko nakain; mga kaklase, kabarkada, kaibigan, ka-ibigan, kagrupo, katambay, kakopyahan, kaaway, at para sa lahat ng nakasalamuha ko sa mga panahong nangangailangan ako ng kausap at karamay.

Para sa mga guro, propesor, student assistant, mga inspirasyon at lahat ng naglaan ng kanilang panahon upang mapagyaman ng mga estudyanteng tulad ko ang kanilang mga kaalaman.

Para na rin sa mga kontrabida sa buhay ko, ilang mga propesor na tila ang dahilan ng kanilang pagtuturo ay para makaganti sa ibang estudyante; sa ibang kamag-aral na may galit sa mga taong mayroong konsepto ng kaligayahan, mga taong sadyang insecure; para sa mga kalalakihang malilibog na parang hindi pa nakakakita ng babae sa buong buhay nila; mga government employees na ubod ng taray at maiksi ang pasensya... para sa inyo na masama ang pagkatao.

Para sa aking mga magulang, mga kapatid at kapamilya na nagbuwis ng maraming pag mamahal at pasensya para sa akin sa mga panahong inilagi ko sa kolehiyo. Para sa inyo na nagtiwala at patuloy na nagtitiwala at gumagabay sa akin.

Para sa lahat ng tao, bagay, panahon at pangyayari: utang ko sa inyo kung ano ang naging kinahinatnan ng buhay ko ngayon. Maraming salamat at naranasan ko ang inyong dalang pagmamahal o pag subok, dahil kung hindi dahil dito, maaaring wala ako ngayon sa aking kinatatayuan.

Para sa mga nag sipag tapos ngayong 2006: Mabuhay kayo! Dito pa lamang nagsisimula ang totoong pag subok sa atin ng tadhana... kung saan man kayo pupunta, nawa'y mapatunayan ninyong maipagmamalaki at pag asa kayo ng bayan!

B-b-b-ig Gazongas

Mood: tawa... haha
Listening to: "granny"

this is so funny i just want to share.... click on the link

BIG GAZONGAS

Irate ako

Mood: IRATE!!!!
Listening to: the TV

obviously i'm feeling irritated as ever. well, i just hate that things aren't going my way.. which come to think of it, will happen not just once in my life and which i must learn to live with...

haaaay.. give me this moment to rant at least.

well, the thing that makes irritates me the most is the fact that my graduation is pending due to a mistake in the spelling of my oh-so-fabulous name by my former-beloved campus --baguio. and although i'm glad that i'm hearing good news (so far...) from Hyatt... i would appreciate it if i could at least have this week devoted entirely to my graduation. i mean i haven't found a decent dress yet! and i haven't bought my sablay yet.

to add insult to injury... i'm getting irate over someone also. please love life... this isnt the best time to get bothered by you.

the only thing that keeps me goin these days is a few getaways like seeing Tristan and Isolde... o how i love it! the story is fantastic, although i don't want to spoil the thrill by narrating about the movie just yet.. but i loved it. and puh-lease! it's not like Romeo and Juliet ok?! Romeo and Juliet are nuts, i've always said. but tristan and isolde, it's a love story that has some sense in it. all the characters have an impact in the story. not just two nutcases who can't get their hands off each other.

ok i'm not being cynical. love at first sight are for kids. they don't happen in real life. chances are this lovely fella you're eyeing on is empty in the head or has a cold heart. ironic, love is a concept that is both under-estimated and over-rated. maybe because some people claims to know so much about this absurd concept. but you know? that's what complicate things. let love be what it is. let it grow..

Holiday

Mood: Steady lang
Listening to: Be My World - Milky

My family, together with Sarsi, and I went to Infanta, Quezon for the Holidays. Ayun, ang saya. at night, while watching the full moon being reflected on the water, while listening to the waves, staring at the flow and ebb of the water, while feeling the coolness of the sea breeze on my bare skin and the grainy sand on my toes.... I missed him... BIG TIME!

What joy it would have been to share that moment with someone you love... haaaayyy!!!

Some pictures from Quezon:

Sarah and Me baking in the sun

Sarah and me and our gorgeous tan

This is where is get my good looks.. hehe..

My sister, maui and I

With Sarah in our humble dressing room (day 2)

LOVE: then and now

Mood: Contemplative
Listening to: My heartbeat

I was playing 20 questions with Joev. It's a game where you shoot each other a question which the other person answers truthfully. It's a fun game because not only did I learn a lot of things about your "opponent", but I got to know myself better.

*Disclaimer: the names of the people involved have no influence to what my opinion says about them.... whether they like it or not.. they're part of my life.

QUESTION: Biggest Love Adventure?

My answer to this was of 2 parts... both involving one person. Nicco Yorobe. Now, a brief backgrounder. I met Nicco when I was on the rocks with my then-current relationship. First time I saw him, I fell in love with his strong, silent, mysterious aura. I was 18, naive. About a month after I broke up with Kenneth, I became closer to Nicco... and our adventure began.

THEN

Love adventure.... a few days into our whirl wind "quasirelationship" (for clarity sake: never naging kami, ok! ) November '04, we took my dad's car for a ride to have dinner with his family. I asked him to drive for me. And then somewhere along Quirino avenue, on our way to Roxas Blvd, we got caught by an MMDA for a traffic violation... it turns out, he doesn't have his license.. Yikes.. while the MMDA officer was on his way to our car.. we turned out the lights and sped through the night.. both of us were unfamiliar of the place then, so we couldn't find a dark alley where we could find temporary solitude while the traffic officer chased us. We finally needed to stop at a red light along Taft avenue when we saw a police motorcycle... i kept reciting... "walang gagalaw, walang gagalaw" as if not moving inside the car could actually conceal the vehicle amidst the traffic. but we didn't get caught.. whew... but the adrenaline rush was fantastic!

Our Second adventure is a little bit naughtier, mas maganda siguro kung hindi ko na lang ikkwento. But it involves another car (his adventure), a security guard and again, not getting caught. Being with Nicco was really a whirl! I was telling Joev how then I was young, adventurous, daring, with raging hormones. Nevertheless, my love for him was sincere and unadulterated. I never gave anything a second thought, i just did what my heart yearned to do. Thus making every fun more exciting and every heartache more tragic. But as I look back, I don't think I have regrets about loving him.

To Nicco, we might not have ended on a good note, still, I thank you for all the experiences, laughters and every moment that you made my heart skip a beat. I hope you find happiness.

---

NOW

Once again, I'm in that state of being where my heart pounds out of my chest everytime I'm with somebody. But somethings have changed.. with me at least. Now, I'm more careful, more patient and more thoughtful of my actions. Perhaps brought about by my experiences, my heartaches, perhaps because of age.

I remember telling joev that I've changed now.. with how i deal with things, how i show my love. No more impulsive sidetrips, no more sneaking out late at night. My concept of love now is a deep connection of two hearts, an intercourse of the soul and a passionate way of showing affection --(uhm, before anybody reacts... this isn't a reference to sex ok?!) it's more of letting your eyes reflect what's inside you, burning to be expressed. It's about loving the other person despite of all his shortcomings and imperfection. It's about growing together. It's the overwhelming feeling when you kiss and tell each other how much you love the other. It's the moment you want to share with him when you receive a good news or when you feel most weak. It's about showing him who you truly are, with all your flaws, no pretensions. It's the honesty in your eyes that betray your words when you argue in anger. It's the feeling of fear when he's not around, of insecurity when a pretty face passes by, and comfort when he assures you that you are the most beautiful creation of God for him.

This is my current view of the absurd concept called love...

To you, thank you for showing me a different light of what love is all about. You may not be perfect... but I love you just the same.

ang disney, ang hyatt, ang unggoy

Mood: Recently very elated then frustrated

as if i'm not on vacation... i've been lagging with my blog updates.. wala lang.. nakakastress. akalain mo yun.. nakaka stress palang maging bum?

so ano na nga ba? ayun.. matapos ang aking desperate na pag uupload ng pics mula sa opis ni amang hari.. nakapag upload ako ng konting pictures. baket konti? wlang burner.. ayaw gumana ng disket.. so it's necessary that i upload those damn pics! but wait.. there's more... wala na yatang ibabagal ung dial up dun sa cubao.. samahan mo pa ng ubod na bagal na CPU and voila! bagal mode of a lifetime.

para sa mga hindi naniniwalang nag date kami ng brownman noong pebrero

ang poging basista

ang pinaka poging Dino ng Buhay ko

ganito ako kalapit sa kanya.. hehe

anyway, nung nakaraang lunes ay umuwi ako sa kabundukan ng Antipolo kung saan ako'y nagka malay (kung meron man). at doon.. ang tangi ko lang ginawa ay manood ng DVD.. at oo, disney po. akalain mong meron palang Peterpan 2 at Mulan 2? at naiiyak pa nga ko sa Peter Pan 2 e.. huhu.. anak ni Wendy ang bida. o di ba? san ka pa... at eto pa... sabi ni General Shang sa Mulan 2:

"In an ideal world, everyone will marry for love. But the world is not perfect. I'm just glad mine is"

Ang lakas di ba? Buti pa ang cartoons may lablayp.. di tulad kong hamak na mortal.. papatay na ko!!! Nag karon na naman ako ng self-declared war II.. sino na naman ang kaaway ko? well.. ung kaaway ko pa rin dun sa self-declared war I. o sasabihin na naman ni Jem LQ ito.. oo.. tatapusin ko na lintek na pag ibig toh! Pero babalikan ko na lang ito dahil magugulo ang chronology ng kwento ko.

Pag balik ko sa sibilisasyon ay dumalo kami sa isang pista upang parangalan ang pinsan kong pumasa sa bar.. naks.. ang galing ni Atty. Ida! one take! pero bago pa nun ay tinawagan akong muli ng Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila... akalain mo un, hindi bola yung sinabi nilang "we'll call you"... at noong Huwebes ay kinilatis na naman ako ng tatlong direktor... Director of Sales, Chris Legaspi; Director of Marketing, Eugene Tamesis; at Human Resources Director, Emma Cruz... matapos akong manginig ng matagal ng panahon ay natapos nman. Sinabihan nila akong bumalik kinabukasan sa ganap na alas-9 ng umaga para sa aking... yikes... final interview... with.. ahem... a Panel interview of the executive committee.

Pag katapos ng aking pakikipag sapalaran ay nag kita kami ni Martin sa Rob Place upang mag hapunan at manood ng Ice Age 2. ok.. wala pang war na nagaganap dito kahit pinaghintay nya na naman ako ng matagal... ok.. just proves immature sya talaga. nakakainis. pero ayos lang.. masaya naman ako nun, wala namang problema.

In the evening pinuntahan ko si Gracielle sa ADB.. sa tapat ng podium. potek.. hindi pala dun ang building nya.. sa Emerald pala. Leche! alam ko kung san ang emerald ave, hello inikot ko kaya ang ortigas on foot when i was in search of a job dati. kaso i didn't know how to get there by car with all the one-way-streets in ortigas center.. lech.. hndi ako makaalis ng garnet.. when i know na ang emerald ay nandun lang sa susunod na street. at dalawang beses akong napahiya dahil akala ko si gracielle ung mga taong nakikita ko. waaaahhh... pero salamat ng marame gracee para sa coat.. ang ganda ko nun.

After dumugo ang ilong ko from my final interview yesterday, as was discussed the day prior to that, i went to his (martin) place para isoli ang DVD na sabi ko ay never ko nang isosoli for the rest of my life. tapos... guess what.. nag away kami. anong pinag awayan namin? yung immaturity nya na never na yatang magbabago. leche sya. malandi sya. kung ganyan ang gusto nya.. bahala sya sa buhay nya, wala na akong magagawa. humingi ako ng sign kay God.. simple lang pero may logic. sa kanya ko na ipauubaya ang lahat.