SHAPES AND SONGS

Joaquin identifying some shapes:


Singing "Wheels on the Bus" with me:


Notice how he likes to jump around? That is the kind of ruckus I go through everyday before he takes his afternoon nap and before he goes to bed at night. Sooo much eneergy!

KAPAL!

The Philippine president made news at The New York Post for spending $20,000 dollars on dinner at Le Cirque in NY.

$20,000!!! 20,000 x 47.80 = Php956,000.

That's close to a million pesos, man.

No wonder her husband looks like a hog.

Here's a theoretical breakdown of the tab based on Le Cirque's menu. Because, really--how do you spend 1 million pesos on food alone in one night?!


In a country where poverty is the main problem, the $20,000 could have been used for much much much better things.

Sad.

YELLOW IS LOVE

Conrado de Quiros is really an amazing writer. Always straight to the point. Always hits a mark.

Loved what he wrote on his column yesterday.

Monuments - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

“I am announcing today that we will officially observe a 10-day period of national mourning,” said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Is this a gesture of grace? No, it is a gesture of disgrace.
------------------------------------
A state funeral has no meaning today. It can only be carried out by a government that has no right to exist to escort true heroes to the Libingan ng mga Bayani, or the Tomb of the Heroes, half of whose occupants are scoundrels, decreed to lie in state there by the people who lie in State.
------------------------------------

Do you really need anybody, however less galling, to tell you to grieve Cory’s passing?
-------------------------------------
This was a leader the people wanted to speak for them—in death as in life. This was what a leader meant, not one who has the lie of her deeds greeted with canned applause or, what is but the same thing, the applause of congressmen. This was what a true leader meant, one who had the truth of her life greeted with the embrace of heaven or, what is but the same thing, the gratefulness of a nation.
------------------------------------
The only monuments that last forever are those you build in the heart.

And I can't help but wonder...

When it's GMA's "time", will the nation mourn?

I think not.

FIRST RUNNING PHOTOS

Ang cool talaga ng Globe Run For Home! I got my first running photos today. It's not much to speak of pero pwede na!


O-HA! Overtake daw! LOL


Sooo not pretty! I'm red as a beet!

SO COOL!!!!

The results of Globe's Run For Home were finally posted an hour ago and it's sooo cool! I love you Championchip!

The 4-day wait is super worth it! So high-tech! So galing! While I'm still not proud of my results, let me share my race report with you.



The report says I finished 44m:58s from chip time. My watch said 45mins so it's pretty accurate! My gun time was 47m:27s because we got to the starting line a minute before the race started so my friend, El and I were at the baaaccck.

Glad to note that I passed more runners than that passed me. Hahahaha!



I hope I can bring my per km average to 7mins. In the bird's eye view of the finish line, I loved that you can mouse over to the dots and find out who that person is.

Can't wait for the Urbanite run coz they're also using a timing chip! Yiippeeee!!!!

I'LL GO CRAZY IF I DON'T GO CRAZY TONIGHT

Just want to share my favorite song from U2's new album, No Line On The Horizon.

Love the beat, love the lyrics, love the title and I have to admit, I find myself feeling like this A LOT of times!

Enjoy!



She's a rainbow and she loves the peaceful life
Knows I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
There's a part of me in the chaos that's quiet
And there's a part of you that wants me to riot

Everybody needs to cry or needs to spit
Every sweet tooth needs just a little hit
Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot
How can you stand next to the truth and not see it?

A change of heart comes slow

It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Do you believe me, or are you doubting
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight

Every generation gets a chance to change the world
Pity the nation that won't listen to your boys and girls
'Cos the sweetest melody is the one we haven't heard
Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear?
The right to appear ridiculous is something I hold dear
Oh, but a change of heart comes slow

It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Listen for me, I'll be shouting
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight

Baby, baby, baby, I know I'm not alone
Baby, baby, baby, I know I'm not alone

It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As we start out the climb
Listen for me, I'll be shouting
Shouting to the darkness, squeeze out sparks of light

You know we'll go crazy
You know we'll go crazy
You know we'll go crazy if we don't go crazy tonight

Oh oh
Slowly now
Oh oh

GLOBE RUN FOR HOME

I finished the 5k race in 45 minutes. And I'll be honest-- I'm pretty disappointed with myself because I finished my last marathon in 42.

I was hoping to finish this race in 35 or even 40--but 45mins? Gaaadd! I don't know if it was because I had my monthly visitor. There really is no excuse.

But hey, a run's a run and God knows I ran! In fact, I ran 3km straight even if the roads were uphill. When I checked my watch and saw that I was running for already 26mins, I knew I wasn't going to make it to my 35-minute target. How was I going to run 2km in 9 minutes? So I stopped to get water. Huhuhu!

I think my mistake was that I got too comfortable with my pace. Got too scared of getting tired agad so I threw off the idea of picking it up a notch and running faster. I have learned my lesson. I should do a lot lot lot better on my next marathon (Kenny's Urbanite Run). I will try to look pretty while running and sweating (wish ko lang!) and will train harder so I can run side by side with Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez (I both find them hot for different reasons: Marc looks good but Rovilson is darn witty and I find that sooo sexy).

While this marathon seemed pretty organized--race started on time, appreciated the distance markers, great and accurate route, etc (although some people had issues with Globe's VIP parking-- oo nga naman, ano ba naman yun?), I have a few things to gripe about:

• ELECTRONIC TIMING CHIP- I was under the impression that the whole point of the electronic timing chip was so that runners could get their accurate running time right after the race or at least the day after. This news report actually says that the official results have already been posted on the Run for Home site.
  

Even the Globe site says: "After the race, you can check times, race results, and official photos on the Globe website." Well, where is it? I don't see it there!

• POORLY-MANNED WATER STATIONS- While there were sufficient water stations, there was not enough water and the stations were poorly-manned. And I didn't want the carbonated drink they were giving away. The water stations were sooo crowded with runners scrambling for a paper cup and water. Wawa!

• PRIZES WERE NOT GIVEN ON THE DAY OF THE RACE- Found out from Bald Runner that prizes were not given to the winners on the day of the race. Not even the medals or trophies or certificates were given! Apparently, they have asked the winners to claim their prizes at the Globe office. I feel for the athletes who join races just to earn money (We have our government to blame for this) and some of these athletes come from provinces pa. Tsk tsk tsk!

• LOUSY CLEAN-UP COMMITTEE--As of Monday morning, paper cups used during the race were still scattered along Lawton Avenue in Fort Bonifacio. SHAAMMEEE!!!

Buti na lang, this race went to a very good cause!

BEST RUN YET (thanks to a song--i think)

I was talking to my boss last night about how disappointed I was about my run last Monday and how I wish I could find my pace so I can run longer.

I can usually only run for 18mins straight and then I brisk walk and then run again. I figured I was running too fast which was why I was getting too tired too quickly. The songs on my cardio tracks playlist are fast songs like Fatboy Slim's "Ya Mamma" and Groove Armada's "I see you baby (shakin that ass)". You'll also find a lot of Chemical Brothers and No Doubt songs in my running playlist.

And then earlier, I found this Crystal Method song on my ipod (it was my Uncle who probably put it there since my ipod video is a hand-me-down from him). And the song was 45 minutes long! It was purrfeecctt!!! It started with a slow beat that warmed me up and then the tempo started getting faster (but not too fast). And just like that, I found my running pace!

Thank you Nike and Crystal Method because

I ran for 31 minutes straight!!! And I don't want to sound mayabang, but if I wasn't going to be late for work, I could have ran some more!

So now, I am even more excited to Run For Home this Sunday! I am hoping to finish the 5km race in 35 minutes. We shall see how well or bad I do. Hahaha!

Yay!!!

YOU MAKE IT REAL

I fell inlove with James Morrison when I first heard You Give Me Something and Broken Strings but this song just melts my heart!




Mmmmm
There's so much craziness, surrounding me
There's so much going on, it gets hard to breathe
When all my faith has gone, you bring it back to me
You make it real for me

When I'm not sure of, my priorities
When I've lost site of, where I'm meant to be
Like holy water, washing over me
You make it real for me

And I'm running to you baby
You are the only one who saved me
That's why I've been missing you lately
Cause you make it real for me

When my head is strong, but my heart is weak
I'm full of arrogance, and uncertainty
But I can find the words, you teach my heart to speak
You make it real for meee, yeaaa

And I'm running to you baby
Cause you are the only one who saved me
That's whyyy I've been missing you lately
Cause you make it real for me

Ohhh
Everybodies talking in words
I don't understand
You got to be the only one
Who knows just who I am
Your shinin in the distance
I hope I can make it through
Cause the only place
That I want to be
Is right back home with you

I guess there's so much more
I have to learn
But if you're here with me
I know which way to turn
You always give me somewhere,
Somewhere I can learn
You make it real for me

And I'm running to you baby
Cause you are the only one who saved me
That's why I've been missing you lately
Cause you make it real for me

You make it real for me

9 DOWN, 11 TO GO

I weighed myself yesterday and thought that maybe there was something wrong with the scale. So, I weighed myself again.

Lie, it does not!!!

I lost 9lbs already!!! I am 11lbs away from, well, not really my desired weight but my i-am-content weight. Hehehehehe!

I LUV IT!

P.S.
Uh-oh! I'm craving for
Pistachio ice cream...

DO NOT MAKE ME LOOK FOR THE VALUE OF X

ALGEBRA. I failed this subject freshman year of college and had to re-take it during the summer. It is a mystery how I passed. To this very day, I know nada about constants, variables, polynomials, linear equations, etc. (Those very words make me shudder in fear! Hahahaha!) This branch of mathematics just never made any sense to me and I do not see the use of it in daily life. HA!

CEBU WEEKEND

We had a blast in Cebu! But Joaquin had the most fun!

As promised, here are pictures!


He loved the plane ride! Was not scared at all!


Loved it so much that his feet were up and he was noisiest kid in the plane!

We headed to one of the Sutukil restaurants by Mactan Shrine for brunch. Didn't enjoy it so much. Food was pretty expensive and was not as good. Our Dampa here in Manila is A LOT BETTER. Should have read this before going there. Really wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.

We arrived at Cebu Marine before noon and they allowed us to check-in early (Big Yaaayy!) We loved the place! It was indeed quaint and super peaceful!!! The landscaped garden was beautiful!

I felt like we were the only ones there!




We finally saw a few guests (mostly Japanese and Europeans. Kami lang Pinoy!) around dinner time. Food was relatively good but a little pricey (or maybe I'm just kuripot, hehe!). A meal per person would probably cost PHP400.

We woke up very early Saturday morning so we can make the most out of the day. We hung out at the pool most of the time as it was super low tide.


Trying to get a tan?


Mama, is this my swimming pool?


He insisted that it was.


Playing with Papa



Sun and Fun with Mama!


Woot woot!!!


Someone's learning to love the water...




Headed to the City Saturday afternoon and stayed at Regal Business Park Hotel which was right across Ayala Center. We only needed a clean and decent place to sleep as we were going out with V's friend anyway. For Php1,800 a night, NOT BAD at all! Room and bathroom was clean, service was good, staff were friendly! The room came with buffet breakfast (I know! Nagulat din ako!) but the choices were very limited. But still. At Php1,800 a night, pwede na!


Our room at the Regal Business Park Hotel

We ate Cebu Lechon which made me think of my Dad because he was the one who introduced us to this



We headed North of Cebu (shockingly, only 15-20mins away from the city) Sunday morning to the town of Liloan where V's friend lived. We went to a Sunday food market to get lunch



And yes, we ate more lechon and I even bought a kilo to take home with me to Manila. Drool!

After a gastronomic lunch of lechon, kilawin na sea cucumber (first time to try this and its good!), roast chicken, dininding, inihwan na tulingan and uber sweet mangoes for dessert, we napped.

In the afternoon, we headed to the Liloan lighthouse called Bagacay Point Light.







Joaquin and his new BFF, Anton (Anton is a year and a half older than Joaqun but Joaquin is soo much bigger and taller!)

All in all, it was a pretty great trip. The only thing I didn't like was how our flight heading back to Manila got delayed. From 10:40pm to 12:20am! Joaquin and I slept in the plane going back while V couldn't get some shut eye because of the turbulence. Hehe!

OFF TO CEBU!

Hubby, Joaquin and I are off to (hopefully) sunny Cebu in a few hours for some much-needed and well-deserved R&R.

Staying at Cebu Marine Resort (website could use a lot of work) in Mactan which came highly recommended by my boss who said the place was quaint and that food is good and reasonably priced. She's from Cebu and pretty picky when it comes to places so I super trust her.

Big thanks to Uncle/Ninong F for footing the bill. Yaaaay!

It's going to be Joaquin's first plane ride so I am pretty anxious to see if he will like it or not.

Will eat Cebu lechon, will eat cebu lechon, will eat cebu lechon!

So excited :) Will post pics and tell stories when I get back!

ANG POGI!

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Originally uploaded by bunnyc

Joaquin is so so so so gwaaapoo and I'm not saying that just because he's my son.

He's growing up so quickly. Before I know it, he will have a girlfriend and I will be heartbroken. Hehehhee!

SLEAZY IS ME

Funny exchange of SMS with Kookie at around noon today:

Kookie: Girls, did you watch???

Me: Watch what? The sex video? Hahahaha! I did!

(2 seconds after sending the text)

Me: I just realized you might be talking about American Idol. Ang sleazy ng utak ko! Hahahahahha!!!

Kookie: What sex video? American Idol! Sleazy na tawag ko sayo!

I had to explain to Kookie what the sex video was and who was in it. She didn't even know the guy. Hahahha!

To my defense, the reason why that darn sex video was on my head was people at work couldn't stop talking about it all night. (palusot paaaa! Hahaha!)

WHAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING

Know how I keep saying that I miss climbing and how I can't wait to conquer a mountain again? Well, I still feel that way BUT

I found a new love.

Running in Marathons.

I never got into team sports when I was a kid. That doesn't mean I'm not competitive but really, the only person I like competing with is myself. Whenever people would ask me what sport I was into, I would always say, swimming and running.

Thanks to my friend, April, I ran my first marathon last March. I finished 5km in 47 minutes. Not bad at all, I think.

Since then, I've been making a conscious effort to run at least twice a week. I wish I could run everyday but since I now work the night shift, it's just not possible, unless I want to be a zombie at work.

I ran my 2nd marathon (with Bea and a bunch of other friends) last month and this time, I finished the 5km run in 42mins. My next run is scheduled at the end of this month at McKinley Hills (really training myself for this because of the uphill parts)

Anyhoo, a couple of weeks ago, while waiting for hubby to finish his business in Greenhills, I saw this book at a bookstore, grabbed it and bought it.



I can't believe I've never read any of his books (I'm so buying his other books but this one's really special coz it's a memoir and I feel like I've gotten to know Haruki Murakami on a more personal basis). Mr. Murakami is inspiring in so many ways. Did you know he started running at the age of 33? Means it's not too late for me! I swear, you don't have to be a runner to appreciate this book. There's so much wisdom in it that I understand how Kookie feels like when she reads Murakami---Woozy.

I love how he talks about disciplining the mind and the body. In the book, he shares a mantra which I now live by: "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional."

Here are my other favorite quotes from the book:

"Nothing in the real world is as beautiful as the illusions of a person about to lose consciousness."

"People sometimes sneer at those who run every day, claiming they'll go to any length to live longer. But don't think that's the reason most people run. Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because they want to live life to the fullest. If you're going to while away the years, it's far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive then in a fog, and I believe running helps you to do that. Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that's the essence of running, and a metaphor for life — and for me, for writing as whole. I believe many runners would agree"

"It doesn’t matter how old I get, but as long as I continue to live I’ll always discover something new about myself. No matter how long you stand there examining yourself naked before a mirror, you’ll never see reflected what’s inside."

"For a runner like me, what’s really important is reaching the goal I set myself, under my own power. I give it everything I have, endure what needs enduring, and am able, in my own way, to be satisfied. From out of the failures and joys I always try to come away having grasped a concrete lesson. (It’s got to be concrete, no matter how small it is.) And I hope that, over time, as one race follows another, in the end I’ll reach a place I’m content with. Or maybe just catch a glimpse of it. (Yes, that’s a more appropriate way of putting it.)"

"The most important thing we ever learn at school is the fact that the most important things can't be learned at school." (YES YES YES YES YES!!!)

"To keep on going, you have to keep up the rhythm. This is the important thing for long-term projects. Once you set the pace, the rest will follow. The problem is getting the flywheel to spin at a set speed--and to get to that point takes as much concentration and effort as you can manage."

"It's just that for some reason I never cared all that much whether I beat others or lost to them. This sentiment remained pretty much unchanged after I grew up. It doesn't matter what field you're talking about--beating somebody else just doesn't do it for me. I'm much more interested in whether I reach the goals that I set for myself, so in this sense long-distance running is the perfect fit for a mindset like mine." (Could super relate to this)


P.S.
I lost 5lbs na! Yippee!!!

POLADROID!

Thanks to Bea for recommending this super cool application! The Poladroid turns your normal pictures to polaroids!

Just look at what I did to some of my favorite photos! And I am so not done yet! Hehehehe! I love how some of the pictures look like they were taken from the 80's! Hehehe!

Now I'm seriously considering giving this blog a facelift using these polaroids (when I find the time)!

Stuck in an elevator with Jim Morrison of The Doors

Jim Morrison of The Doors
Too bad he's dead but I can think of a million things we can do together in an elevator. Hehehehe!

I'll spend my golden years in Maldives

3 words: sun, sand, sea

WHY I HAD A GREAT WEEKEND

I haven't told you guys but I've been working the night shift the past couple of weeks. To be honest, I am still adjusting to the time and I sleep an average of 4 hours a day which sucks but on the good side, I get to spend more waking time with Joaquin.

I left work at around 6am last Saturday and went straight to the wet market (in jeans, wedge sandals, bangles and all. Haha!). And because I was so early, I got first dibs on the freshest fish and the best cuts of meat.

Apart from that, here are the other things that made my weekend:

1. BANANA

One of the things that I want Joaquin to love is reading. I noticed that kids today rarely read books. Everything is online or on their game consoles and I think that's just sad. The only books they probably read are those that are required by the school. So, whenever I can, I buy books for Joaquin.

A couple of weeks ago, we stopped by booksale and Joaquin picked this book out by himself. I wanted to get him a different book but he would not let go of this one so we bought it.

A couple of nights later, we found him doing this and it's funny! And cute!



And yes, he loves bananas!

2. DINNER AT 1521 with PAKNERS

1521 has great, hearty, homey food and we all swore we would back. You must must try the Kamias cooler--unbelievably refreshing, it made me regret cutting down our kamias tree at home. A dish we all loved was the sinampalukang manok, a dish I think I will crave for when I need some cheering up. Next time, I will try the binagoongan because the server said it was a specialty.

And then of course, there's the company. It was an all-girl dinner with just me, Kookie and Charo. It felt good to be out, catching up with great friends. We also got to see Kookie's new place which, like our dinner, felt like home.



3. TEMPTATION ISLAND

I have been searching for a dvd/vcd copy of this crazy funny cult classic by Joey Gosiengfiao for I don't know how long and finally finally scored one. Thanks, Kooks!!!

*If you don't know how hilarious this film is, watch this clip.

4. ARKAN MELON VODKA

It's been yeaaarrsss since I had a taste of this. So, when I found it standing on the top-most shelf of Market Market's Liquor Area, I grabbed it. A few village friends dropped by Sunday evening and we finished it. Hehehe!



5. MANGOSTEEN

Just because it's yummmyyy!



6. DANGGIT

Received this as pasalubong from Bea and Mark during their recent trip to Cebu. I had this for breakfast 2 days in a row. Hehehe!



7. PISTACHIO AND CASHEW ICE CREAM

When it comes to ice cream, I usually stick to my favorites--Cookies n Cream, Double Dutch or Plain ol' vanilla.

Now, my Aunt who does set design for print ads came over last Saturday to borrow our XBOX because she needed it as props for a photo shoot. When she returned it the next day, it came with 3 tubs of ice cream--2 Vanilla Macaroons (which is just too sweet for my taste) and this--Pistachio and Cream, which taste like heaven!!! Great job, Selecta!