2006 In Review

2006 was a whirlwind year with me. The start of the year found me in my second semester of school. I don't know how I was able to pull off going to work full time and attending classes during my days off. I was on the go every single day for five straight months. In spite of that, I was able to take the time to enjoy the things I love to do, and discovered new adventures that I never knew I would like.

As we wind down 2006, I would like to take the time to recollect the highlights of the past year.

The one thing I can say about 2006 is that Sinta and I racked up major frequent flyer miles. Jetting off to vacations and reunions, weddings and a funeral, we have become seasoned travellers.

January. Right after the New Year, Sinta and I flew to Las Vegas for his family's reunion. What can I say about the sights and sounds of Sin City? Good food, good drinks, gambling, and of course, great company! From there, we jetted off to the Philippines to see my family. It was a trip that was long overdue:


Baseball Season. April signalled the start of baseball season with the San Francisco Giants. Yummy garlic fries and fountain coke were the staple to have as we waited for Barry Bonds to break Babe Ruth's homerun record.

Summertime. During the summer, I decided to take a break from school (and blogging). I wanted to enjoy summer without any obligations. During those months, we went on a couple of vacations and three weddings.

One of the more memorable trips was when we drove up to Yosemite National Park for the weekend in August. This was the first time that I really roughed it out, sans makeup and all the girlie comforts I'm used to on a daily basis. We're talking about pitching a tent, cooking over an open fire, and locking up our food in lockers so that the bears don't come by. Thank goodness Sinta knows his stuff (he started camping out in the high Sierras when he was a toddler). Being at more than 9,000 feet above sea level, I had to acclimate to the elevation. I didn't think I would like camping and hiking, but I did, and I'd love to go back again. Here's a photo of me at the foot of Yosemite Falls after hiking and clambering over huge rocks and boulders:


Words to describe Yosemite: beautiful, breathtaking, serene, picturesque...


At some point, I want to post more photos of days 3 and 4 of our Disney World trip from last month...

Anyway, goodbye 2006. It was a good year. May 2007 bring much luck, prosperity, and happiness to each and every one of you.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells

I hope everyone had a wonderful and memorable Christmas with their family and loved ones as we had here. Was Santa good to you? I must've been good this year! But gift-giving aside, it's that joyous time of the year where you spent time with family. On Christmas Eve, Lil' Brudder and I had a quiet and relaxing dinner with my uncle, aunt, and cousins. Christmas morning, we opened presents with Sinta. Then, Sinta and I were off to spend Christmas day with his family. Despite all of the rushing and running around leading up to Christmas, I had a wonderful one.

Christmas 2006

2006 is about to come to a close, and Christmas is here once again. May you and your loved ones have a wondeful, safe, and Blessed Christmas filled with lots of love, happiness, and precious memories!

Walt Disney World: Day 2: Magic Kingdom & Epcot

Magic Kingdom. Over dinner the night before, we planned an itinerary for the next three days. Since each park had its own schedule (some were open longer than others), we carefully thought out which parks we were going to hit on which days. On Friday, we decided to go to the Magic Kingdom during the first part of the day. We didn't spend too much time, since we have Disneyland here in Anaheim. Both parks share the same rides, but each park also has rides not found at the other. Because we've all been to Disneyland, we went to the rides only found at the Magic Kingdom. After lunch, we hopped on the monorail for a short ride to Epcot.

Epcot. Of the theme parks we visited in Orlando, Epcot has got to be one of my favorites.

"Explore the world in a day. Sail away to the distant shores of nations and imaginations as you experience all that is possible on the planet and in the future."--Epcot website That's pretty much Epcot in a nutshell. But, there's no way you can do Epcot in a day. We did the thrill rides, and visited the pavilions. These pavilions surround the lagoon, some are ride attractions, others represent faraway places, such as...



...Norway


...China


...England


The countries don't stop there. There's France, Japan, Germany, Morocco, Canada, US of A, Italy, and Mexico. If you've ever been to any of these places, you'll notice how realistic the replicas are to the real thing. The only thing that seemed off to me was the pagoda with the automatic sliding doors.

Check out some photos from Living On the Land boat-ride attraction from the land Pavillion:

A pumpkin patch above the ground...


Tomato tree...


A Mickey pumpkin atop Cinderella pumkins...


Revisiting the Magic Kingdom and Epcot during the holidays reminded me so much of when my family and I made road trips to Disney World. I remember riding in the back seat of the car with Lil' Brudder singing Christmas carols and Disney classics with our parents for hours! Must've drove our folks nuts!

"Da Wine Mas Be Not Too Sweet...Not Too Rancid..."

I remember seeing Rap Replinger's skit "Aunty Marialani's Cooking Show" on TV when we were living in Hawaii, and we're talking about back in the 80s! Lil' Brudder and I ran around the house reciting "Not too sweet, not too rancid, but jus' right, ah!"

Go check 'um. Go check 'um wid Aunty!

Walt Disney World: Day 1--Welcome!

It's almost been a week since we arrived from our trip to Orlando. Our time spent there was not enough to see everything. Granted, we each had 3-day park hopper passes to four diffrent parks--we were in the 80s, and humid. Stupid me didn't pack shorts because the weather in the Bay Area had been the the 40s and 50s. Some days started out with gray skies threatening to rain, but the clouds made way to sunny afternoons. I could write endlessly about our trip, accompanied with 200 photos we took, but I'll spare everyone the torture.

We arrived mid-afternoon on Thursday. We were all tired, but raring to go. There's something about Disney that brings out the kid in you, regardless of your age. We checked in at our hotel,Disney's Beach Club Resort, settled in, then walked around. The resort, inspired by 19th-century New Englad, faces a lagoon, along with other Disney resorts. There's a water slide, pools, jacuzzi, and even a "beach". I could spend the whole day at the resort by the poolside, or lagoon-side, for that matter.That night, Sinta, his family, and I dined at the Yacht club Galley. Then, we retired for the night watching classic Disney cartoon shorts, for we had a big day ahead of us.

"...me getting away from the craziness coz I don't do crazy."--John

That's a direct quote from my nephew. I totally love it!

I'm head's spinning from studying tonight, so I thought I'd take a blog break. I know it's late, but I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving as I did. Now that Thanksgiving has passed, the Holiday season has officially commenced. Every year, I tell myself that I'd start my shopping early, but of course, it never happens. This year, at least, I've started a mental Christmas gift list (though I really should record it in my Blackberry before I forget).

The ticker atop my blog is a little off, BUT...in two days, 8 hours, and 25 minutes, Sinta, his family and I are off to Orlando for some Disney fun! I'm so excited; I've been counting down to this since 75 days ago. I'll share with you how much of a geek I am: I downloaded a Disney Trip Countdown widget onto my laptop. Everyday, I take a peak at my dashboard to see how many days are left. We'll be in Florida for about five days, checking out Disney World and the other parks.

I Heart My Eyeglasses

For the past two months, I've been alternating between wearing my contact lenses and eyeglasses everyday. More recently, I've been wearing my glasses for the past couple of weeks. The reason being, I've been having serious eye redness, itching, and burning. We ruled out allergies. Apparently, the cornea of my eyes aren't receiving proper oxygen supply from the air due to ill-fitting contacts. It occurs over a long period of time before the onset of symptoms. The redness in the eyes are the blood vessels supplying oxygen from my body to the cornea. On top of that, I have severe eye dryness. After a series of medicated eyedrops, eyedrops with antibiotics, gallons of rewetting drops, and two follow-up appointments later, my doctor tells me today, that in addition to what I was diagnosed with, he found that my tears lack a certain kind of oil that lubricates the surface of the eyes. He said that normal tears lubricate the surface for about ten seconds. For me, after one second, he noticed spots were drying out. Okay, so I have this chronic condition, meaning that I have to keep my eyes well-lubricated...meaning that my doctor recommends that I not wear contacts at all. If I choose to (I wore contacts practically everyday for several years), I should wear them for only a couple of hours at a time.

So, if I've been wearing contact lenses for like seven years, how come only now I'm having problems? That's because, last year, I went to a new optometrist who did the eye exam and fitting. Now, I'm not going to get started with what happened in that office (the office staff in incompetent) because I'll just get all worked up, but the only great thing that came out of that experience was my eyeglasses frames.

So yeah, in addition to downloading widgets and sporting thick glasses, I'm a bonafide geek.

Takin' a Break

Thank goodness it's the weekend. Regardless of that, though, most of it will be spent doing homework and projects. I'm giving my laptop a workout, and the internet is frickin' slow. It's cable internet gone dial-up. Anyway, the work/school week dragged as if there was no sight to the weekend. And I must be the only one in America who did not watch the finale of "Dancing With the Stars" (I have class every Tuesday night). It's amazing what hooplah this show generated--from the girls in hula class, to my co-workers who were on personal phone calls discussing the results to friends and family.

Three Years, Baby...

Earlier in the week, Sinta and I celebrated our three-year anniversary of being together. We kept it low-key since it was cold and rainy out. We opted to spend the day in the City. In the evening, we retreated to Castro Street here in downtown Mountain View for a quiet dinner at King of Krung Siam. We started out with a glass of one each, pinot grigio for Sinta, and shiraz for me. Before we knew it, our entrees arrived at the table. We ordered Goong Kra Tiem--tender prawns cooked in lots of fresh garlic, carrots, brocolli and oyster sauce, and Kae Khing Sod--thinly sliced, pan-fried lamb with fresh ginger, bell pepper, mushrooms, baby corn, carrots, and onions. We can't forget the steamed sticky rice. The food was great, the ambiance was perfect. Needless to say, there were no leftovers.

Sometimes, celebrating anniversaries don't have to be well-thought out. Sometimes, spontaneity is fun! That's what we did. And the most important thing is just being together.

Castro Street, Mountain View, California

Castro Street (not to be confused with The Castro in San Francisco) is one of our favorite places to go to. It's a six-block, pedestrian-friendly street located in downtown Mountain View. What lends it's charm, for me, is it's small-town feel and the diversity manifested in the little shops and restaurants. Castro street can be enjoyed equally throughout the seasons. Spring and summer can be spent strolling down the street, dining outdoors on the sidewalks, and listening to local bands perform at local coffee shops. Fall and winter brings out the stringed white lights along the tree-lined street. Soft, colorful lights from storefront windows and shops reflecting on the wet street after a quiet rainfall are reminscent of a Parisian setting. Remember that little cafe where we sipped hot chocolate in St-Germain-des-Pres? What appeals to me is that you won't find big-chain establishments here (except for Starbucks). That's why we are frequent customers at the local cafes. Another appealing factor? Because Google's headquarters is right here in Mountain View, they gifted the city with free wi-fi. And, Castro Street is only five minutes away.

It would be nice to be able to afford a house here in Mountain View, let alone anywhere in the Bay Area. Oh yeah, remember those new cookie-cutter homes I blogged about last month being built across the street. They start at $910,000. Insanity.

Kitchie Live!

After the Gracious Ladies performed, Sinta and I rushed back to pick Lil' Brudder up for a concert date up in South San Francisco. This is something we do every few months or so--watch a live concert. Last Saturday, we saw Kitchie Nadal, with Aiza Seguerra as her opening act. The announcer described Aiza as a little "powerhouse", and "powerhouse" she is! She's a little one, with a big, yet delicate and smooth voice. Her guitar skills are amazing! And she's fun! She knows how to interact with the audience. Kitchie Nadal was great, too. I know her album like the back of my hand, and to hear her sing live is a thousand times better. And she knows how to have fun, laughing and interacting with the audience. I'd definitely see her again.

Mga Istarstrak

About halfway into the concert, someone from the back of the audience came up to the foot of the stage with his camera to take a photo of Kitchie. She approached him while she sang, and smiled for the camera. Then another person came from the other side of the stage. And then another. And another. Until we saw this in front of us:



We didn't pay for good seats to watch people take pictures with their camera phones. And how much pictures do you need? Even after security cleared the crowd, one girl had the nerve to stand at the foot of the stage by herself blocking my line of sight with Kitchie. I guess Pinoys are that starstruck. The same thing happened when we saw MYMP in this past summer. I've seen Coldplay, Mark Kozalek, Aimee Mann, and even Easy-E with A Lighter Shade of Brown (my first concert) live, and I've never experienced anything like what I've seen with Kitchie and MYMP. But you know what? As long as I'm not trampled down, it's all good fun. Just don't block my way!

Hey, Hey! You Know It! Who Shakes the Best!

Ia 'Oe weekend has come and gone. It was a fun weekend that left me inspired to become a better hula dancer. The unconditional support from my hula sisters, the alaka'is (assistants), and our kumus (teachers of hula) have been nothing less than wonderful.

There were quite a few halaus competing: five halaus from Hawaii; one from Tokyo, Japan; one from Vegas; one from Utah; and at least twelve from California (including ours).

Before I present the results, here's a background on the different levels of classes in a halau:
*Kaikamahine--girls
*Keiki Kane--boys
*Wahine--women
*Kane--men
*Gracious Ladies--middle-aged women (I'm at the bottom cusp...lol!)
*Kupuna--elder women

The Gracious Ladies means more than just the age. It means giving kokua (help), being polite, gracious, and all that good stuff.

There are two general types of hula (and no, the fast shaking of hips in a grass skirt is NOT hula):
*Kahiko--ancient hula performed to mele, or chants danced to percussion instruments; dances often tell stories of Hawaiian legends, royalty, and nature
*'Auana--modern-day hula without ceremony or offering; a less formal style of hula wherein dancers interact more closely with the audience; dance in accompanied by stringed instruments, such as ukulele, guitar.

Performances included solo and group competition, as well as musicians.

Of course, I wouldn't be writing about this if our halau didn't take home any awards, right?! Here's what we took home:
*2nd place--kupuna 'auana, solo
*2nd place--wahine kahiko, group

...and drumroll, please...
*1st place--kupuna, group

Not bad, eh? The Gracious Ladies didn't place, but there's always next year!

Competition Weekend

Been busy for the past ten days or so--haven't been blog hopping or checking my secondary email accounts. We still have a busy weekend ahead of us. This morning (and tomorrow), Sinta and I will be heading up to Pleasanton to support our halau and my hula sisters who are participating in the Ia 'Oe E K La Festival & Hula Competition.

I'm not competing due to lack of experience, but it didn't break my heart when I was told that I wouldn't be going this year. I was relieved, actually, because I was tired of the stress of being yelled at for not executing the techniques properly. Like I said before, this class ain't no joke. I continued to practice this competition dance alongside the group, and I've learned a lot of things. And the girls are great. They've been supportive, and I don't feel like an outcast being the only one out. They've shared their experienced when they were in my shoes.

So, for today abd tomorrow, I'm going to sit back, relax, and enjoy my malasadas, while I watch the groups dance.

Meet This Week's Renter!

Please welcome Pictures of My World by Bozette from Wisconsin. The reason why I chose this blog is because of the fantastic photos (check out the collage on the upper left side of this blog!). The pictures within the blog are accompanied with fascinating facts and historic information. Check it out!

But If I Could Host Two Renters...

I would love to host Ivan's blog's again, but I have in the past. I wanted to be fair and give someone new a chance, too. Please check out Ivan's blog!

Just For the Fun of It



As much as the media is saying that the prices of homes are dropping here in the Bay Area, they're still high. It's still damn near impossible to buy one here--be it a single home, town home, or condominium.

Take a look at the photo above. This is one of several new homes being built right across the street from us (some have already been sold). We live in an older, working class neighborhood, but apartment complexes are being torn down to make way for brand spanking new condos and homes such us this one.

Here's more information about it:

*4 bedroom, 3 bath; approx. 1,600+ sq ft
*accessible to nearby freeways, retail stores, ammenities, parks, fast food and diverse restaurants
*5 minutes from train/light rail stations
*5 mintues from downtown area
*5 minutes from Google headquarters

Now, can you guess how much one of these homes costs?

Need...Chocolate...

I'm getting the shakes. This low-cholesterol, no sugar diet is not for the faint-hearted, especially if you need your sugar fix at 3 in the afternoon. I'm just being OA. I've been there, done that. Unfortunately, I just have to do it again. Fortunately, the girls at work have been supportive, and they've given me great ideas for healthy foods and recipes to my otherwise bland diet menu.

It's a total change in lifestyle. Planning meals means taking time. The time it takes me to shop at Safeway has now doubled since I have to read nutritional labels in selecting healthier foods. I have to make time in my day to seriously work out. I also have to make time to cook my meals. No more "convenience foods" on the way home from work, like burritos and burgers.

But, the up side to all this is that I'll be healthier, and I'll save money (I can't tell you how much I spend a week at work on lunch). Disposable money means more shoes and purses!

Please Welcome My Newest Renter!

Women Lifestyle, Fashion, Health, Beauty, and Personality n. record women occurences, experiences, and reflections kept on a regular basis; with many tips and information.

This is your one-stop shop girl tips at your disposal! You'll find everything from fashion and skin care, to hair style and make up tips. Plus, you'll get your celebrity gossip fix! Check it out!

A Meme Overdue

1.Grab the book nearest to you, turn on page 18 and find line 4.
--"It is the firefighter's insignia of protection, considered a badge of honor, and comes with a story of it's own." (The Fireman's Wife: A Memoir, by Susan Farren)

2.Stretch your left arm out as far as you can.
--I can reach the orchids.

3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
--The local news about the earthquakes in Hawaii.

4.Without looking, guess what time it is?
--5:05pm

5. Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?
--5:02pm

6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
--the TV and the ticking of the clock.

7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
--This morning...threw out the garbage.

8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
--the TV

9. What are you wearing?
--black yoga pants; oversized, gray Minnesota sweatshirt

10. Did you dream last night?
--don't remember

11. When did you last laugh?
--last night

12. What is on the walls of the room you are in?
--Beastie Boys' "Licensed to Ill" album cover divided into two frame panels.

13. Seen anything weird lately?
--Not really.

14. What do you think of this quiz?
--It's okay...

15. What is the last film you saw?
--Michel Gondry's "The Science of Sleep". This is definitely on my "favorites" list.

16. If you became a multimillionaire overnight, what would you buy?
--Buy property in the Bay Area, Hawaii, and the Philippines.

17. Tell me something about you that I dunno.
--Staying at home on a day off is a guilty pleasure of mine.

18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
--apathy

19. Do you like to dance?
--That depends on how I'm feeling...

20. George Bush
--What about him?

21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
--I can't tell you. You might steal my idea.

22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
--See above.

23. Would you ever consider living abroad?
--I have lived abroad, when we moved to the Philippines.

24.What do you want GOD to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?
--hmm...never gave that a thought. I just hope He lets me in.

25. 4 people who must also do this meme in their journal.
--I think everyone's done this already except for me.

Weekend Getaway

We had an uneventful return from Arizona on Monday. Now we're back in the Bay. Despite our little adventure getting there, we did have a wonderful time in Tucson. Sinta did a wonderful job summarizing our trip in his entry, "Tuck Sun".

There's a lot to be said about breaking away from your mundane everyday life. It's only when you leave can you compare your city or area to another place. Now, if you live, or have lived, in the Bay Area, then you know how busy and stressful this area gets. Traffic is horrendous. People drive like maniacs, and they're always in a rush to get somewhere. We are slaves to our work. If I'm not at work, I'm at home, and vice versa, day in and day out. Then I have school and hula in between. Take a vacation, even if it's a mini one away from home.

This is why Sinta and I were so upset and frustrated at US Airlines for wasting the first 18 hours of our mini-vacation from this place. This was my second trip to Tucson. And for all my comments of how booney it is out there, I do like Tucson. The clean (read: "smog-free") air, and big dessert sky made for spectacular sunrises, and romantic sunsets. I got to hug my gigantic saguaro cactus. Of course, the reason why we were there was for Sinta's cousin's wedding. All I can say was that it was beautiful. Truly romantic. A thunderstorm rolled through during the reception, and we all had to take cover. It didn't ruin the night, though, as we danced the night away.

Public Property

Since the 4th grade, I've kept a journal. It was my safehaven for my private thoughts, my ideals, my dreams, my frustrations. I wrote poems and short stories. There's nothing like writing furiously on paper about something I was passionate about before my thoughts slipped could slip away.

Then, almost three years ago, I was introduced to the world of blogging. Entries in my journal became more infrequent as I spent more time on the internet blogging. Now, I don't even write in my journal. I even bought pencils for sketching (something I used to do in junior high and high school) a few months ago in hopes of getting in touch with my creative side again. Of course, the pencils are collecting dust in a cup. What I share on my blog only scratches the surface of who I really am.

These days, when I have the urge to write, I immediately think, "Ooh, I can blog about this." And when I start, I'm discouraged because, blogging is just too public. It's not my safehaven for my thoughts (unless my blog was written anonymously).

I'm writing about this because of one of my earlier entries. That entry was written the following day after hula practice. The succeeding entries about me taking up hula was supposed to lead to a bitch fest about what goes on when I dance for a competitive halau. I was going to write about my experience as an inexperienced hula dancer practicing for competition. If I could describe to you what happened to me and the class, I'd say it would've been reality TV at its best.

Okay, maybe that was a bit extreme. Things are good now in hula class...

I eventually dealt with my frustrations through more conventional and traditional means than venting on my blog. I guess some things are meant to be kept private.

Motivate Me

On a different note...

About four years ago, I was diagnosed with high cholesterol...extremely high cholesterol, as in my level could equate for two persons' levels. So, I went on this major diet and workout regimen. Twenty pounds lost, and fifty points lower, I hit a plataeu, and my doctor decided to put me on meds to help lower my cholesterol even further. Three months later I'm off the medication. I gradually slipped off my diet, and the frequency of workouts became less and less until I grew complacent.

It's been two years since my last blood test. Last week I finally went to have one done with a new doctor. Saw him today for a follow up. Turns out, my cholesterol level hadn't increased significantly since my last test. Nevertheless, I have to start dieting and working out again. Truth be told, after my blood test last week, I ate so much junk just to get it out of my system because I knew that I'd have to go on this diet. That's fine. Since I went back to school and started this current job I'm in, I've gained a little weight. It's time to buckle down.

6 AM: Las Vegas

I'm slurping down my coffee to keep myself awake since we only had 90 minutes to sleep before heading back here to the airport.

Upon check-in, we learned that our luggage arrived at our final destination in Tucson. How it got there, I don't know. And we also found out that Carrie (the ticket agent from last night) could have finished our transaction last night. She pulled so much sh*t out of her ass I went back for her twice after we left her counter. I don't want to go into details about what she did. Sinta's probably writing about it now.

My eyes are getting heavy. The sun isn't even up yet. I hope today will be a good day.

2:15am stranded in Vegas and I'm about ready to kick a US Airways agent's ass. I'm not kidding.

Among other f&$ked up things that happened to us with this airline, our baggage is lost.

Stranded

We should have been in the air by now, but our flight to Tucson had been delayed due to weather conditions. Then it was lifted. Then it was due to the weather again. And now, our plane's still not here because of maintenance issues. We have a connecting flight in Vegas, but chances are, we're going to miss it. We'll may have to take the first flight out tomorrow morning. Geeze, that would surely break my heart if the airline put us up in a hotel there. In Vegas.

Dammit, Target!

After class tonight, Sinta and I went over there to get another DS Lite. If you've been to Target, then you know that all of their games and game consoles are locked behind a glass case. Assuming that their merchandise is locked, and nothing is marked as used, then everything is brand new, right?

We purchased the pink one (yes, the pink one--100% of the proceeds go to breast cancer research), brought it home, and charged it up. I cradled my brand new toy in my hands, ready to personalize it with my name, only to read on the top screen someone else's name! Evidently, the DS was already used. I immediately closed the DS. Nawala akong gana. Bastards. What's worse is that we paid full price for a refurb. Like I said...bastards.

What's the protocol on returned electronics? Is one of their "team members" playing with a DS during break, and then returning it back in the case? Shouldn't they mark it as "used"?

Sinta's returning the DS tomorrow. I'm curious to see how Target will treat this.

My Saturday

I got up at 7 this morning, even though it is my day off. These days, I find that I can't sleep in, even if I wanted to. Waking up to the gray sky and the brisk morning air signalled the arrival of fall.

Today was supposed to be dedicated to studying for an exam we have Tuesday night. Instead, after having coffee and toast, I decided to go out and run some errands. First I dropped off some dry cleaning, then went over to Wal-Mart. I don't know why I went there instead of Target. I just forgot what a hassle it is to go to Wal-Mart on a Saturday. Too many people, too many carts blocking the aisles. Too many kids running around. I managed to pick up a few items without yelling at anybody to get out of my way.

I proceeded over to GameStop to peruse the games for our Nintendo DS Lite. Okay, so I'm almost sumthin'-sumthin' years old, but I grew up with Nintendo. We are the generation of video games. It was pretty sad though, I was competing with three other kids (none who were no older than 10-years-old), rifling through the games to get what may just be the last copy of the newest game in the store.

What I should've done was buy the game as my reward after the exam was over. In reality, though, my logic doesn't work that way. I came home this afternoon, and played on the DS before hitting the books.

A Birthday Shout Out!!

...to my one and only Lil' Brudder who celebrated his birfday yesterday!! We're getting old, Foolio! Cuz when you turn 20-sumthin', I'm turnin' sumthin'-sumthin'! Happy birthday! Love ya!

Photos of his birthday dinner will be posted later.

Please Welcome My Renter of the Week

Meet Paddy from the UK. His posts are funny and colorful, and I like his takes on current events. Plus, he has a Nintendo DS Lite, just like me!!

Please stop by on his blog, and tell him I sent ya!

You Know You're Getting Old When...

We're washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen after dinner. I'm wiping down the counter tops and wall above the sink when I accidentally move a cord, and the tack holding it in place drops.

Sinta: My baby's going for broke!

Me: What do you mean? Me, cleaning? I'm sorry. I hate to admit it, but I'm like my mom. Just like her, when I see water drips...

Sinta: (interrupting) Oh, just embrace it!

It Doesn't Stop There

So, here I am in California, 12 years later, dancing hula again. I started in the beginners class in April. Before I started the class, I sat in on one of their sessions. Amazingly enough, I remembered the Hawaiian terms that corresponded to the hula steps. I was excited. I couldn't wait to start classes.

By November, our kumu moved me up to the intermediate class. This was more challenging. It meant more emphasis in the basics, harder dances to learn, and olelo Hawaii. I thought, when I was promoted, "Finally! This is more my speed!"

And then in March the following year, I, along with a few others, found ourselves in the advanced class. This class puts emphasis in technique and precision (read: This class participates in competitions against other halaus from all over.)

Within less than a year, I they moved me up twice. That is very quick for a student in this halau. In my case, maybe it was too quick...

So, Start From the Beginning...

When I was in the 5th grade, I asked my mom if I could enroll in tap-dancing class, if not, jazz class. Considering that we were living in Hawaii at the time, my mom suggested I take up hula instead. It didn't break my heart. At 11, I was only concerned about coming home in time for dinner after an afternoon of play.

So every Wednesday, Mom dropped me off to practice after school. Our kumu hula (hula teacher), came out every week from her halau (hula class/group) in downtown Honolulu to teach us Navy brats. Come performances, she would bring the whole halau together. We did hula auana, kahiko, and even tahitian. It was fun.

I did this for almost five years, until my academic obligations started to fill my schedule. I had to make a decision about my priorities. Half-heartedly, I told my kumu that I had to quit.

Fast forward to about 12 years, and here I am, dancing hula again for one of the more well-known and competitive halaus in the hula community.

7 Songs

This must the season of memes, because I've been tagged once again!...by knoizki. While I should be studying for a quiz tomorrow, I thought I'd take a break.

Instructions: List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're not any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your LiveJournal/blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they're listening to.

1. "Especially For You" by MYMP. Fortunately for you, you're not riding with me in the car while I'm belting out this number.

2. "Easy On the Eyes" by Ka'u. Just a summertime jam, ya' know.

3. "Tell Me When To Go" by E-40. You wanna get hyphy? Ride the ghost whip...er, whip the ghost ride...um, ghost ride the whip. Plus, I gotta represent the Bay Area.

4. "Here It Goes" by OK Go. Alright, I admit that the video is much cooler than the song.


5. "Public Affair" by Jessica Simpson. I know, Jessica Simpson, right? But I think this tune is a catchy one.

6. "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley. Was their group name influenced by former NBA player Charles Barkley? Love this song.

7. "Brick" by Ben Folds Five. Reminds me of rainy days in Baguio during my second year in college. It's also my karaoke song.

Okay, who hasn't been tagged yet?: Sinta, Lil' Brudder, MnM, Alternati, Soul Symphony, Doh, and Diaphaniety.

Discouragement 2

Tears, reasons, justifications, butterflies in my stomach are good reasons why it's not fun anymore.

Discouragement

So, when does doing something you love to do for fun stop being fun?

I Got Tagged!

...by Alternati. Good times!

The Rules:
1. Emphasize all lines that apply to you.
2. Tag 5 more people after you finish, complete with links to their sites.
3. Let the person you've tagged KNOW that they've been tagged.

I AM... I CHOOSE

>I wish I was a different ethnicity.
>I have an eating disorder.
>I'm short.
>I'm tall.
>I think I'm really attractive.
>I prefer winter over summer.
>I'm a geek.
>I'm a shopaholic.
>I'm reasonably intelligent.
>I'm attracted to girls.
>I'm attracted to boys.
>I like British accents.
>I smoke regularly.
>I drink regularly.
>I smoke socially.
>I drink socially.
>I get drunk easily.
>I do drugs.
>I will never date a bad kisser.
>I've lied to avoid kissing them again.
>I brush my hair at least 50 times a night.
>I'm religious.
>I'm not religious but have morals.
>I lie frequently.
>I'm impulsive.
>I'm hardworking.
>I liked "Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind".
>"She's All That" is one of my favourite movies.
>I'm good at History.
>I speak more than two languages.
>I enjoy taking pictures.
>I like spending money on myself.
>I like spending money on others.
>I have a regular income.
>I earn money on a job-by-job basis.
>I pay my own bills.
>I rely on my parents for money.
>I can cook.
>I enjoy cleaning.
>Tidiness is a must in my life.
>I like clutter.
>My idea of good music is Britney Spears.
>I have heard of Blonde Redhead.
>I enjoy Blonde Redhead.
>I'm fashion-conscious.
>I have good taste.
>People tell me I have good taste.
>I excel academically.
>I'm told I have yet to fulfill my potential.
>I'm good at sports.
>I'm good at certain sports.
>I couldn't do sports to save my life.
>I'm creative.
>I'm artistically inclined.
>I wanna be an artist when I grow up.
>I wanna be an engineer when I grow up.
>I eat when I'm upset.
>I cannot adapt to change.
>I'm interested in politics.
>I have shoplifted.
>I download MP3s.
>I've done underage drinking.
>I've gone underage clubbing.
>I can dance reasonably well.
>I can dance extremely well.
>I dance like a cardboard gorilla.
>I can sing.
>I sing like someone stepped on my foot.
>I can swim.
>I enjoy surveys.
>I enjoy surveys when I'm bored.
>I keep a journal.
>My teachers don't like me.
>I enjoy controversy.
>I can be a bitch/bastard.
>I have a thing for bad boys/girls.
>I have tattoos.
>I've been in a nudist colony.
>I'm not sure if I want to have children.
>I'm not sure if I'll get married.
>I know who I will marry.
>I'm interesting.
>I'm a good liar.
>People enjoy talking to me.
>I annoy people from time to time.
>I'm a born leader.
>I'm a born leader but shouldn't lead.
>I enjoy felching.
>I have a foot fetish.
>I have a shoe fetish.
>I watch "Sex and the City".
>I don't think Sarah Jessica Parker is pretty.
>I wanna be J.Lo.
>I cut myself.
>I've cut myself.
>I hate people who pretend to be suicidal.
>I hate popular people.
>I think cheerleading is a sport.
>I'm photogenic.
>I live in Chucks.
>I think graffiti is art.
>I have dated a criminal.
>I have been cheated on.
>I have cheated on someone.
>I have a temper.
>I like playgrounds.
>I dance in the rain.
>I'm obsessed with Shakespeare.
>I have tanlines.
>My favourite color is pink.
>My favourite color is black.
>I would classify myself as emo.
>I'm musically inclined.
>I like listening to music.
>I like music-blasting cars.
>Thongs are comfortable.
>I like flip-flops.
>I know what monogamy is... and I believe in it.
>I wanna be a social worker when I grow up.
>I have sibling/s.
>My sibling/s annoy me.
>I think "South Park" is funny.
>I believe in LOVE.

I tag everyone!

I Heart My Crackberry!

Cool. I didn't think I could actually blog from my Blackberry. This could be dangerous!

We're sitting at the airport waiting for our flight to LA. Going to attend Sinta's cousin's wedding. Still sleepy. Didn't enjoy my coffee because I had to toss it before going through security.

Happy weekend, Everyone!

No Matter How Old You Are, You Never Get Over It

It's been over six years since I left home. When I go through the daily motions of my mundane life, I think I'm okay. But when night falls, and the cool air turns to autumn, I become incredibly homesick for my family back in the Philippines.

Random Facts

I love memes!! ...and I can always count on Consuela! Here goes...

6 Random Facts About Me
**I'm a wine snob, and I love reds--Boujalais, Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon...

**I'm stubborn. Very. Stubborn. Don't tell me otherwise...I'll fight to the death.

**I'm also a coffee snob. If it tastes like crap, I won't drink it, even if it means not meeting my caffeine quota of the morning.

** I'll pass on Starbucks. I support the local coffee shops.

**I love stationary and pens!!

**I still appreciate snail mail.

The following people are tagged: Sinta, Lil' Brudder, MnM, Soul Symphony, Manny, and Mela.

How I Spent My Summer...(Part 2)

A Weekend In Mendocino
In early July, Sinta, his parents, and I took a road trip up the coast of Northern California to Mendocino. It's about a four hour drive north of San Francisco. As we made our way, we drove through the rolling hills of Sonoma's wine county, laced with endless rows of wine grapes. So what did we do in a day? We took in all the picturesque beauty this quaint, little town has to offer: strolled the beaches and parks, walked through Mendocino Village, visited the Kwan Tai Temple, enjoyed some local crab chowder and pastries, and even did some wine tasting.

Did You Know?...that "Murder, She Wrote" was shot here?

Oh, I can't forget the majestic Redwoods! We spent some time in one of the parks. These trees are so huge! Here's a photo of Sinta standing inside a redwood tree stump (click on the photo for a larger image):


May the Stink Be With You, Stinker Bell!

Gilroy hosted it's 28th annual Garlic Festival during the last weekend of July. For Sinta and I, this festival was sheer aromatic heaven for us. We eat anything and everything garlic! And Gilroy ain't called "The Garlic Capital of the World" for nothing. Merely driving down Hwy 152 through the garlic fields will either make you nauseous or make your mouth water. The festival takes place on this huge field that can hold three stages, places to view garlic cook-offs, and rows upon rows of vendors. Curious as to what we tried? Because it was our first time there, it was like being in a candy store. We didn't know what to try or do first!

We had guacamole laced with garlic and chips. For lunch, we devoured those ribs you see in the picture below.



I also sampled garlic hot sauce and garlic jelly. And of course, we just had to try...

I liked it. It was rather refreshing, in the sense that it was almost 100 degrees out. If I had to pick between a scoop of durian ice cream and a scoop of the garlic one, I'd probably select the garlic ice cream. But then again...

Meet This Week's Renter!

My apologies, as I am a few days late introducting my renter of the week. I introduce to you Ivan, a talented and colorful writer from Makati City, Philippines. What caught my eye was her unconventional salutation to each of her entry with "Dear Me,". She blogs almost daily, and her entries are the windows to her everyday life. Check it out!

I See Smoke!

I remember one day when Sinta and I were just dating, he was telling me what his duties as a firefighter entailed. He also taught me the status of a fire, depending on the color of the smoke plumes.

Anyway, last Friday, we're riding in his truck on our way to the apartment, when I spotted a plume of black smoke over the trees. It was quite small and steady. I was talking out loud, trying to figure out if it was a fire, or just a barbeque gone out of control. The smoke was too black to be a wild barbeque, so I told Sinta that it had to be a fire.

"Do you want to see a fire?," he said, as he whipped the truck around the corner towards the smoke. By the time we approached the block, oxygen exposure blasted the smoke upward into a large, black cloud above the townhome. We parked and got out to see it. I was scared, but Sinta was calm and collected. We walked around the corner to get a better view, and it was raining ashes everywhere. You could hear loud crackling and tiny explosions every so often. By the time we got around, this is what we saw:

Crazy, huh? I felt guilty taking this photo, but at least I wasn't like the lady next to me with her camera, badgering the engine driver for a choreographed photo of him talking into his walkie talkie. Luckily, no one was injured in the fire.

And I got to see firsthand what Sinta does for a living. I'm proud of you, Baby.

How I Spent My Summer...(Part I)

In keeping with the grade school tradition of writing an essay of the summer past, I present to you how I spent mine--in visual form (thanks, Twin, for the idea!).

Rediscovering the City by the Bay...


Funnel Cakes and Carnival Rides...
Summertime here means county fairs. In late June, Sinta and I went to the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton--just one of seven fairs happening throughout the summer in the Bay Area.


Angel Island...
On July 4th, before the family barbeque, Sinta and I took our bicycles and boarded a ferry en route to Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay.


The day was warm and clear. The trails are hilly, and biking up and down sure kicked my ass! Upon reaching the peak of the trails, we were rewarded with breathtaking views of San Francisco and the Tiburon Peninsula. On our way down, we stopped to look at the ghost buildings and other sites of history's past.


The All-American Pastime...
Summer would be incomplete without baseball games and the SF Giants.

Karaoke Night at Rho's

A few shots of gin, and many songs later, I sketched this:

Can It Get Any Hotter?!!

The Bay Area is in it's 8th day of record-breaking temperatures, many areas hitting the triple digits! This is what much of California is going through. Temperature relief is on the way, but not by much. High 80s is still scorching hot!

After I got off from work early this afternoon, I ran around doing errands in the 98 degree heat, constantly keeping myself hydrated with my trusty ol' water bottle. By the end of the afternoon, I was hungry, and I drove over to Castro Street to grab a falafel at Gyro's House. Closed. The Hong Kong Bakery next door? Closed. Pho Hoa? Closed as well. All of Castro Street, and possibly the surrounding neighborhood were without electricity due to a blown transformer.

So, I drove home to check to see if we had power, and thank goodness, we do. I immediately threw three loads of laundry into the washer (otherwise, I'd have nothing to wear to work tomorrow). Our neighborhood was one of the fortunate ones in the South Bay that did not experience a power outage. Other places are still without electricity since Saturday afternoon.

It's too hot to do anything...

A Break For Summer, A Break From Blogger

My reasons for a blog hiatus has nothing to do with a busy schedule, or anything in that nature. Rather, my reasons to take a break from the blogging world are a conscious one. There has been a change in my summer schedule. I've eliminated my academic obligations for the summer. I want to enjoy it. More importantly, I want to enjoy life...especially after having a hectic two semesters. I turn on my laptop only to check my email. Sure, I experience daily events that I'd love to share in my blog; yet, I know that I spend an obscene amount of time online. I don't want to be consumed by it, and let life pass by. Of the twelve days that I haven't gone online, I have accomplished more that I did in the last month or so.

It's crazy how my laptop and the internet used to dictate my daily rituals. It feels nice not to depend on my Mac so much. So if I don't make an appearance on my blog, it means that I'm out there riding my bike, baking cakes and cookies, hanging out with friends, or singing karaoke. I could be at a county fair or at a Giants game soaking up the hot California sun, or chillin' at home with a good book. Whatever it is, I'm out there. And I'm having fun.

Correction

An error, on my part, was made on my last post about my new renter. The author of the blog is Jeremy C. Shipp. Morten Bak is the featured artist on his site. Sorry for the confusion.

Jeremy, my apologies. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

Amen To That

For those of you who haven't checked out my Lil' Brudder's blog, I recommend you at least read his latest entry entitled Life Is Too Short To Be Thinking "Life is too short...". He doesn't blog nearly as often as I do, but when he does, it's a real treat to read. His latest entry talks about the mundane life of a working-class person, and what it would be like if we took control of our own careers. For those who have the notion that we have it easy working here in the States; well, this is one entry that does not sugar coat our work lifestyle. It's all too real.

Meet My New Tenant

I present to you Morten Bak from Copenhagen, Denmark. His blog is filled with cool links--a great diversion when you have writer's blog. Some of his entries are written in lists. Initially, you don't know what he's referring to, because he'll never tell you, unless you click on the link provided. If you're curious like me, then you can spend hours going through his site. Oh, and don't forget to browse through his illustrations posted in devianART. Go on, take a look, and tell him I sent you.

"Let Me In! I Wanna Go To Disneyland!"

I'm finally taking the short amount of free time I have to write about our trip to Disneyland last weekend, which feels like eons ago. We flew into Anaheim early Friday morning and met up with Sinta's family later that day, and left late Sunday afternoon. This allowed for three full days at both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure. Unlike previous trips, this one was different. Maybe it was because we were familiar with the parks, and we weren't in a rush to see or do everything. Maybe it was the mentality that we could take our time because we had three days to do it all. We made sure to hit our favorites, like "It's a Small World" and "Peter Pan". But our mission that weekend was to ride the scary rides...over and over...and over again. We must've rode on "Space Mountain" about 10 times, "California Screamin'" about 5 times, among others. My insides got so used to the sudden climbs and drops that, by the time we departed Anaheim on one of those dinky regional jets, I was not nervous at all.

I could go on and on about the weekend, but among the highlights were: 1. Mastering our picture poses at the end of each ride; 2. Getting into a water fight with Sinta's middle bro before the water ride even started; 3. Watching the "Remember...Dreams Come True" fireworks; 4. Watching a little boy throw a tantrum outside the entrance before the gates opened, yelling, "Let me in! Let me in! I wanna go to Disneyland!!"

In fairness, the whole trip was great. There's something about Disneyland that brings out the kid in all of us. One morning, we got to the lines early enough to witness the opening of the day. A family was selected to do the homecoming countdown as the marching band came into formation. At the end of the countdown, the turnstiles starting spinning away as people, young and old, made a mad dash for the "Happiest Place on Earth".

Weaning Myself From An Addiction

One day, about two weeks ago, I left work early because I had a sudden onset of fever, and palpitations. As I was driving home, I took a detour to urgent care, considering my health history. I've had palpitations before, and I can tell you, it feels like your heart's about to jump out of your chest. Two hours, a series of blood tests, and an EKG later, everything turned out normal. Diagnosis? I was told that it was likely due to stress. And, the nurse suggested that I minimize my daily coffee intake.

As stubborn as I am, I maintained (for a long time) that I'm not addicted to caffeine, and that I would be okay if I just quit cold turkey. For the next ten days, I effortlessly quit having my morning coffee. I replaced it with herbal tea, and found myself chewing gum constantly. You would've thought I was trying to quit smoking.

Then we got to Disneyland, and I was having headaches. At times, they were migraines, and nothing could really help to suppress them. I excused them to be an accompaniment to my monthly visitor. It continued thoughout the weekend, until Sunday morning, I had a cup of coffee, and within minutes, I was feeling fine. Yikes...okay, I was going through a caffeine withdrawal. I'm slowly weaning myself now.

Disneyland '06

Here's a little preview of our weekend trip to Disneyland. Between the trip and working early shifts at work, I'm still trying to recuperate. More to come later...

Long Overdue

Yes...three days of no work and all play for me! We're flying out tomorrow to the Happiest Place on Earth! I'm so overdue for a break...

Have a wonderful weekend!

Meet This Week's Tenant

If you like music, TV, sports, and the like, then check out Scooter McGavin's 9th Green. I like his own personal take of current albums, as well as reviews of great albums past (check out his entry on the Beastie Boys' "Paul's Boutique" entitled "Well I'm Mike D and I'm Back From the Dead").

Check out his blog before you leave, and tell him I sent ya!

Paris Hilton's Newest Offering

Okay, when I heard that Paris Hilton was shooting her own music video, I laughed. I heard her song for the first time yesterday, and I'm beginning to like it. It reminds me of Blondie's "The Tide Is High". Check out Paris' Stars Are Blind.

Of Homeruns and Santa Cruz

I'm at home watching the SF Giants game on TV, and Barry Bonds just hit #716. I'm such a couch potato. I should start doing my Tae Bo again.

On Saturday, Sinta and I spent our first day off together in a very long time. Because the weather had been beautiful, and hot, lately, we decided to take a drive down to Santa Cruz. We weren't the only ones with the same idea to hit the beach that morning because we, along with other cars, snaked our way up the Santa Cruz mountains until it dropped us down to our destination. The thing about going to some of the beaches here in Northern California is that you have to remember to dress in layers because you never know when you'll be greeted by the cold marine fog. Just don't mistake it for clouds. Check out the photo to the left, and you'll see the fog creeping onto the beach under the clear blue sky.

We checked out the surf shops, and bought a couple pairs of beach/poolside necessities. By lunchtime, the fog cleared and it began to get warmer, and we were hungry. To avoid the high restaurant prices of the wharf, we headed over to Las Palmas Taco Bar, which is this little hole-in-the-wall taqueria situated about a block from the wharf and the Boardwalk. Forget about trying to eat healthy. Sinta and I settled for chicken crispy tacos--deep fried fresh flour tortillas shaped into a shell, filled with chile-seasoned shredded chicken, fresh lettuce, and melted cheese.

Lil' Brudder's Prescription For the Soul

By midafternoon, we headed back up to the Bay Area. Lil' Brudder had dinner tickets to see Mark Kozelek in concert. I swear, Lil' Brudder must be the biggest Mark Kozelek fan. He is so on top of this guy's tour dates that he'll say, "Hey, what are you guys doing three months from now? I got Mark Kozelek tickets." There would be no way to surprise him with tickets if I could. So, who the heck is Mark Kozelek?

This was our third time to see him in concert, and each time it gets better and better. We were lucky enough to be first in line, so we picked the table right in front. It couldn't get anymore intimate than that. All in all, it was an awesome show. I gotta figure out a way to post some of his music for y'all.


...And...

Look what we saw on the freeway on our way into the City...

Wednesday Night's Meeting

Hi, my name is Rhoda...and I have an addiction. I have a sickness. A disease. I am obsessed.

I have it with me everyday. I need it. I can't live without it.

More accurately, I can't live without them.

If diamonds are a girl's best friend, I'm not that girl. Bags and purses are Rho's best friends.

I think I have one in every style and size for each outfit, for every occasion. I change between purses so often that I misplace dollar bills and lip glosses. I love shopping for purses, be it window shopping or purchasing them. And even when I've bought or recieved one as a gift, you'll see me a few days later perusing at online stores and on eBay. It's not that I'm not satisfied with them. I love them all...equally. Once in a while, I'll go through my closet and find a purse that I haven't used in a long time, and I'll get excited as if I got a new purse.

Help! Would anyone like to join me to form Purses Anonymous?

Good Morning!

It's my day off, and I've been awake for 90 minutes now...regardless of the fact that I was up late last night watching the first season and a half of "Sex and the City". I could finish all six seasons today, easily. As funny as it sounds, when I woke up at 7am, I tried so hard to fall back to sleep. Yikes, my internal clock has been trained to wake up early every single day (I had to since last August)! I'm not young anymore! But I don't mind waking up early as long as I don't have to be at work. I just open the blinds to let the morning light stream in, then putter over to the kitchen to brew some coffee. Nice.

Since I woke up, I've been watching morning TV. I don't mind the three consecutive hours of local news, but I'm not a fan of talk shows that perform DNA tests on unfaithful men who questionably fathered children with other women, and those cheesy 1-800-DENTIST commercials. Remember way back when when the networks were saturated with gameshows, such as Card Sharks, Press Your Luck, and the $25,000 Pyramid?

Today's Game Plan

I had my day all mapped out, but I think I'm overwhelming myself with all sorts of things I want to accomplish today. My original plan was to clean the apartment, and then hit the malls for the Memorial Day sales. Now, I think I just want to stay home and lounge, and work on some unfinished projects I have lying around. As of late, I've been making beaded bracelets and necklaces. Last month, my co-worker and I set up a booth for a spring craft fair that our workplace was sponsoring. My amateur pieces (though cute and casual summertime pieces, nonetheless) are nothing compared to the handmade lamp bead jewely featured at some of the other booths. But I was able to sell pieces to my co-workers; others requested for custom-made ones. You can find me at Global Beads on Castro Street, perusing the endless selection of beads. I could stay there for hours!

I also installed Photoshop on my laptop this morning. I'd like to tinker with some photos to, possibly, design a new blog skin. It's an ambitious project for me, but it would be quite the accomplishment. I feel like baking today, too. We'll see.

A Day of Rememberance

I almost forgot about why I'm off from work today. Let us take a moment to reflect upon what Memorial Day is about. Let's put all political differences aside and recognize individuals who have served this nation (including my father), and those who are presently serving our country. Let us remember our fallen heroes of wars past, as well as our heroes of today.

Summer Officially Starts!!

Goodbye, text books! Hello, Summer! As of this afternoon, exams are over and done with! I can now concentrate on things I've been wanting to do since forever (like SLEEP!). The fact that I don't have any academic obligations hasn't hit yet since I'm still here on campus. But just you wait, once I hit Hwy 280, I'll be rejoicing towards academic freedom!

Semi-Sweet Chocolate

The last days of classes have always been bittersweet for me, regardless of whether or not I struggled in the class, or if I disliked my instructor, and what not. Sometimes I look back and think about what I could've done to get better grades (but at this point, it's useless because it's too late). I guess when I say "bittersweet", I use it reference to the people I've met in my classes. We've all bonded in one way or another because of the common trials and hardships, as well as successes and achievements, we've endured during the semester. I'll probably keep in touch with one person after the semester's over, but for the rest of the class, I'll never see them again in my life.

The opposite experiences come to mind, though, when I think of my days at SLU in Baguio. Sure, add pulling all-nighters, sleepless nights, simultaneous projects to the above list of trials, hardships, successes, and achievements, drizzled with some alcohol spent with the same group of people for four years, well...it wasnt just bittersweet at graduation. It was downright sad. We've seen each other at our best, and at our worst. Till this day, I still keep in touch with every single person in our barkada (and I use this term in every good sense of the way).

Forgive Me. I Lied.

Okay, so I am taking summer classes. Mind you, I don't think these classes will be anywhere close to how demanding my last two semesters were. I'm not exactly free from school, but hey...I'm going to enjoy my summer!

May Day Is Lei Day In Hawaii

...or more like Pleasanton, CA. Last weekend, our halau, or hula group, participated in the annual ho o'lau leia that takes place in Northern California. Halaus from all over the Bay Area brought the culture of Polynesia to the Bay--from Tahiti to Samoa, from Tonga to Hawaii, from traditional dance to contemporary performances. It was my first time to perform with this halau, and it was nervewracking. The last time I performed was about 17 years ago. That's a long time! But my hula sisters were, and are, incredibly supportive, and by the time we finished our first number, I was ready for the second one! I had fun (can you tell by the photo above?)!

Our group was fortunate to perform first because we were able to enjoy the rest of the time there. There were vendors selling everything "Hawaiian"--clothing, bags, jewelry, ukuleles, sweets, music. You name it. Besides the performance, the shopping was the highlight for a lot of us, mainly because we miss all genuine Hawaiian things (especially when you're here in the mainland).

Sinta and I grew hungry, so we headed out to the food booths. The lines were long. The first tent offered beef stew and rice. The second one had people lining up for teriyaki chicken and rice. It all sounded good, but we moved along to the next tent--with the longest line--and I'll tell you now that it was worth the wait. We each ordered a "Hawaiian Platter" which consisted of steaming pork laulau, chicken long rice, yummy lomilomi salmon, rice, and a side of poi. Ono-licious!!

All in all, it was good fun. I miss Hawaii, but I'm glad that I'm part of a halau that maintains its rich culture and ties to the islands.

Let's Give It Up For the Pinoys!!

I gotta represent here. Who woulda thunk?

Only in the Bay Area

In my last entry, I mentioned about the balmy peninsula temperatures in the 90s. I was dressed in a tank, capris, and slippahs (thanks, Consuela!), and it was still hot! We drove north towards the City, and would you believe, the temperature dropped by 30 degrees by the time we hit the City! It was foggy. It was windy. It was cold! If you've lived in the Bay Area long enough, you know what I'm talking about when I describe microclimates. From Redwood City, the thermometer in the car read 93F. Ten minutes north into the drive, it drops to 71F. Ten more minutes pass, as the clear blue skies are overtaken by marine fog, the gauge reads 61F. I can almost tell you exactly where the fog starts when you drive up Hwy 101--at SFO Airport.

The Bay Area lies within a 46 mile by 46 mile area. Microclimates aren't as noticable than if you were in San Francisco.

San Francisco is only a 7 mile by 7 mile square that experiences numerous microclimates.

Just For Fun

I pulled this from Consuela's blog.

Greed:	Medium
Gluttony:	High
Wrath:	Medium
Sloth:	Medium
Envy:	Low
Lust:	Medium
Pride:	High

Take the Seven Deadly Sins Quiz.

Pride...my, how true is that?

Well, Looky Looky, Shooky Shooky

I just finished taking my final practical exam. Talk about a load off! Just one more exam to go. Now I'm waiting for Sinta to get out of his class. At first, I was going to wait in the car, but with temps in the low 90s, that's damn near impossible. I'm here on campus, and I just found out (after nearly two semesters at this school) that they provide wireless internet...for free!

Anyway, Sinta's on his way down now...I'll write more later.

You Know You're Burned Out When...

1. You drive down the street, and see kids playing outside, enjoying the balmy weather, and you think, "Gosh, to be young again with no cares in the world."
2. After you eat a big burrito, you immediately plop on the couch, close your eyes and bury your face in a pillow.
3. You're not at all excited to watch your favorite TV show.
4. You contemplate about calling in sick to work because you just want one day, just one day to recuperate.
5. You live your life one day at a time, one task at a time, before you can look forward to something fun and worthwhile.
6. You're not in the mood to do anything, or to make any simple decisions (like what you want for dinner).

Okay, I'm Pissed Now!! (Part 2)

I've been with my bank for six years, and never had any problems with them. The customer service is superb, and I can't complain about that. But when the fraud department makes me think twice about the security of my money that they're holding, well...it time to find a new one.

I spent the greater part of my morning fighting with the fraud department regarding the unauthorized transactions. I'm not going to go into detail as to what transpired during the THREE times I spoke to them. Just because I'm an individual without $100,000 in my savings account doesn't mean they can brush my case aside. I don't know what their protocol is in dealing with matters like this, but I got the impression that their job is to connect me to the companies where the fraudulent transactions occurred.

All I wanted to do was file a formal claim for these unauthorized charges, hoping that my bank would step up and take care of it. I asked for was assistance. And what do they do? They connect me to the companies where the point of sales took place.

"I already talked to them, and they won't reimburse me," I said to the third fraud rep I spoke to. "All I want to do is file a complain."

"Ma'am, you don't understand. The fact that you will be talking to a rep from each of these companies is you opening a claim for these fraudulent charges," replied the rep in an obviously annoyed tone.

"In other words, I'm taking care of the situation myself without your help. Frankly, I'm disappointed with the lack of service you're providing," and I go on to complain. "My money is kept in your bank, and now my checking account is compromised, and you're not giving me the confidence to maintain my accounts with you. I have no choice to but close them."

And all she said was sorry, and I hung up.

I'm Sad...

I don't know about you, but when I've been following a TV series religiously, I start to feel sad when it's about to end. It's the same way when I read books. I don't know. I'm cheesy that way. Anyway, my teleserya that I've been watching, Gulong Ng Palad is ending this Friday. What a tear jerker. Anyway...

Keoni, let's start a fan club!