CODING

My car is coding on Fridays but I haven't been a very lawful citizen for the past 2 years. You see, I usually start work at 7:30 and leave the office at 4:30. There are very few MMDA on my way home so I usually get away with it.

But on my way home last Friday, I finally got caught. I knew I should have taken South Super Highway instead because when I got to the corner of the service road, there was a man clad in blue waving his arm at me. SO BUSTED.

Now normally, I would argue my way out of the situation and try to use my new last name as a free pass but I was way too exhausted from work so when he told me he was going to issue me a ticket, I didn't complain. He then asked me if it was my first offense and I told him it was (it really is). So he gives me a ticket, tells me that he won't confiscate my license but I needed to pay the Php300 fine at any Metrobank branch (paid for it yesterday).

I left home extra early this morning and I was in Pasong Tamo extension (location of my office) at around 6:45. Since I was early, I decided to hang out at the Starbucks a few buildings away from my office.

At around 7:20, I left Starbucks and as soon as I got out of the parking lot, a group of Makati police/traffic enforcerS started waving their arms at me, asking me to pull over.

"Oh not again!", I said out loud. And not the yellow-uniformed Makati police! These guys are ruthless!

As soon as I opened my window, the traffic enforcer greeted me a good morning and I flashed him an extra nice smile.

"Ma'm, coding po kayo. Bakit pa kayo nasa kalsada?"

"Boss, before 7 andito na ako. Diyan lang kasi office ko sa [name of my office building], eh ang aga ko po kasi dumating kaya nag-Starbucks muna ako."

"Ma'm naman, nag-aalmusal kasi kayo, hindi kayo nagyayaya..."

(At this point, I knew he would let me go)

"Boss, maaga po talaga ako. Kahit itanong niyo pa dun sa Starbucks. Diyan lang kasi talaga building ko kaya nag-kape muna ako."

"Oo na nga, naniniwala na nga ako. Hindi ko na kukunin lisensya mo. Sige na, pumasok na po kayo."

"Thank you poooo!!!" (flashes him a super smile)

WHEWWWW!!!!

THE ORACLE BOOK

My cousin lent us this book last year (thankfully, he hasn't asked for it yet. Dino, if you're reading this--if you don't need it yet, can i keep it first?) and it has been helping me get answers to my questions, from the mundane to the profound. And I absolutely love it.

It's a DIY divination tool. All you need to do it hold the book with both hands, think of the question you want to ask (must only be answerable by yes or no) while running your thumb along the edges of the book. And once you feel like you've hit the right spot, open to that page of the book.

Sometimes, the answers won't make sense but 90% of the time, they do. Of course, I don't make decisions based on what the Oracle book tells me but I love how it acts as a guide especially during times when I have no idea what to do.

This morning, before getting ready for work, I asked the book 2 questions. The answers I got were:

A SOLAR ECLIPSE hints of an unexpected ending.
THE PSYCHIC indicates yes, but be on guard against the selfishness of others.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY...

That I love my new shoes!!! Php800 from SM Bicutan!

Have a great week, guys!

HELLA BUSY

First off-- HAPPY NEW YEAR,everyone!!!

Did you enjoy the long holiday? (I DID! I DID!)

I have so many things to blog about and pictures to share but it's been sooo crazy at work since last week because of the new account I'll be handling.

So there. Hopefully, I'll have lots of time to spare by the end of the week.

Have a great work week ahead! Till then!!!

GRATEFUL

I know it's unfortunate but sometimes, it takes bad things to happen to other people for you to realize how lucky you are. It has been a rough 2 weeks for a few people that I care for very much that it has made me so much more grateful for these 5 things:

1. V and I are faithful to each other despite our spats every now and then.
2. I have wonderful helpers who genuinely care for us, especially for Joaquin.
3. A great relationship with my sisters. We made a promise last week that we would never ever fight over money or something equally petty.
4. My mom is unbelievably healthy! :)
5. My family (especially the ones in the US) still have jobs.

I was chatting with a friend from the US last week and I was saying that despite the financial crisis/recession the world is going through right now, we should remember that we still have a lot of things to be grateful for. Actually, this is something we should remember everyday.

So there-- I still want new running shoes, a laptop and an oven for Christmas and while I wouldn't mind getting all the material things I asked for, these 5 things I listed are more than enough to make my holidays happy. I hope yours will be too!

WHO'S WITH ME?

Click on image to enlarge

SEE YOU THERE!

HIGHLIGHTS OF MY WEEK

Just wanted to share highlights of my week last week:


1. Saw the Twilight premiere at Greenbelt 3 with Charo.

And yes, the book is so much better than the movie! But to see Bella, Edward, Charlie, The Cullens and everyone else on screen was such a thrill! It's been awhile since I gushed over a celebrity and I don't care if this makes me seem like a teenager again but--I love you, Rob Pattinson!!! You played Edward really well! You're the best vampire boyfriend a girl could ever have. Hahaha!


Yumyumyumyumyumyumyumyum!!!

2. How I Met Your Mother's Naked Man Episode.

Friends used to be the only show that I can watch over and over and over again and still laugh as hard. I just never get sick of it. How I Met Your Mother comes in second, thanks to the awesomeness that is Neil Patrick Harris. I really recommend this show to everyone.



Suit up, Barney!

Going back to last week's episode, the group came up with 50 reasons to have sex and it's quite funny!


Just click to enlarge!Let me know which one's your favorite!


3. Watching Twilight for the 2nd time. (If you're a fan, it is better the 2nd time around.)

4. I charmed my Aussie client in agreeing to not let my team come to work on Philippine holidays! I finally got to enjoy the long weekend yesterday (Bitin. But I'm looking forward to the week-long holiday in a few weeks!). :)

5. Joaquin's swimming pool (For now).

Ninang Bea (thank you again!!!) gave Joaquin an olympic-sized (baby olympics, haha!) inflatable pool for his birthday and we got to use it over the weekend.

HE WE LOVED IT! Joaquin cried when we took him out of the pool. We are hoping that this will teach him how to love the water. Hopefully, he will be ready for the beach next year!







I'm pretty sure this week will be just as great coz it's a short work week! Hooray! Have a wonderful week, guys!

CONVERSATIONS WITH CLETO

Note: If you don't know Cleto, read this.

Was at the coffee vendo machine this morning when I saw Cleto.

Me: Hi Cleto! How are you?

Cleto: I'm busy.

Me: Busy with what?

Cleto: Terrible things.

Me: What terrible things have you been doing?

Cleto: [pauses--obviously thinking of an answer] Mamaya na tayo mag-usap.

I laughed so hard!

NOT SO SPUNKY ANYMORE

I have a secret.

I still read my old blog.  Often.  More often than I should, actually.

Because it's still me.  It's a reminder of my life back then and it's not that I'm living in the past-- it's just that in a way, my past is a reflection of who I am now.

I miss being able to write like that.  Being able to just pour it all out.  I've been trying. But, it just doesn't measure up.  

You see, for as long as I can remember, writing has been my release.  I'm not claiming to be a good writer ha, what I'm trying to say is that writing has always been something that comes naturally to me.  

And so, in a lot of ways-- I MISS HER. 

Have I become uninspired? Maybe I'm just more preoccupied now? Or have I, dare I say it--becoming BORING?

And what's funny is, the old me wasn't happy all the time.  Things were always complicated, something was always going wrong.  In fact, the most painful events of my life are in that blog.

And now that life isn't such a bumpy ride anymore, now that I'm happier, I can't even write.  Why is that so?

"My yesterdays are all boxed up and neatly put away 

Every now and then you come to mind 
'Cause you were always waiting to be picked to play the game 
But when your name was called, you found a place to hide 
When you knew that I was always on your side "-- Always on Your Side by Sheryl Crow and Sting

JOAQUIN TURNS 2!

For Joaquin's birthday, we had a very simple merienda get-together yesterday with family.

Joaquin had tons of fun because all his cousins were there.

Bought swiss cake from Becky's Kitchen and drizzled chocolate candies on it. It was a hit with the kids!



He was sooooo happy when everyone started singing "Happy Birthday"!


Too happy that he started stomping his feet and his shoe hit a small part of the cake. Hahaha!

It was a great day! :)

Have a wonderful week ahead!