Beyonce, Beyonce!

I got this image as well as the one below from www.dlisted.com and let me just say, it's freakin' hot and smoking, in a weird way. I can't say I love the "chimes shades" that she was wearing but it looked acceptable. I just can't imagine wearing the glasses in Alaska. I might die from infection and not from shivers. Those pointy, shiny, deadly blinding tools can poke my eyes straight out I'll die from bleeding.

This is one lesson I will instill in me for good. Comfort over fashion. Functionality over image. Safety first over fad.

I love Beyonce. And I accept the fact that she's doing us a favor - what not to buy during the lowest of your lows. But I think she's the only one who can only pull this off. Gees, I won't even get this for free. It's creepy. And you don't wanna go there. It's like having four nipples attached to your testicles. It's that icky. Period. But it's just me.

Whatever girlfriend. She's Beyonce. Whatever floats your boat.

A Royal Treat from Prince William

I was just going to check my mail and my facebook as well as my friendster accounts, but these shocking photos just drew me out of my shell to prove true the so-called images. I got this information from a site I usually go to for gossips and for the fashion sense he exhibits - bryanboy.com.

Well, I ended up going to the link - hopefully with no viruses and saw the entire set (set of 3's I think) of the Prince's intimate time with himself - if you ever think that pissing is such a holy and inviolate deed for such.

For the purpose of respect (self-righteousness, to some, haha), people who are interested can go to this LINK to treat yourself with royal but soon evanescent image of him.

Paparazzis sure are weasels that will do whatever to sell an exclusive set of photos. But as soon as there are people like us who somehow get intrigued and catered to these people, they will remain creeping in the shadows, and a click away from an awkward but indulging photos.

I think I can't let go of the guilty pleasure yet. But I will keep trying. In the meantime, the photos can satisfy the voyeurism in us but he's still a prince. You cannot get a royal treat twice!

Dirty Skin?

Much to the shock of everyone, this guy, let's just call him Ira Luna, has decided to call me thru my extension and come right on, lambasting not only my personality but also my work ethics. Apparently, he is a human machine gun. He shoots but never eyes on the target. He started accusing me of how offensive I was and how I kept on targeting him, insinuating that I did that on purpose to look like he was not doing his job right. He then continued on with such profanity that I was going to rot in the company I am working for as he is going to leave the company and go to the States. Much to my thinking, how did it ever become the point of argument. Clearly, he was getting all personal. He came so personal that he even said to me how dirty my skin was.

Dirty skin friends. Yes, dirty skin. I tried to grasp the meaning of what he said. Dirty skin. I tried to get the connotative and denotative meaning but in no way I could comprehend what he meant. Even with much recollection and reflection over this statement and a few hot flashes in my head (Spell furious), I could not help but wonder, is dirty skin a term to fret about? Or did those two words come out as fillers that completed a so called intellectual statement?

Gees, I guess I better scrub my body double time until it reddens to relieve myself of dirty skin. But then again, why would I give him such satisfaction when in fact he is the only one who thinks so. I must admit, I may not have the perfect skin. I may have zits and acne over my face. A few big ones at times they cover up a big chunk of my face, but I refuse to be branded as one with a dirty skin. Or whatever he means by it.

I guess it will just be plain mystery how these two words came about. I had no plans of dwelling into such shallowness and had no intentions of impugning his phone etiquette as he clearly has none to begin with. I better not indulge myself with so much bickering.

My parents taught me better. I just hope he wakes up someday, gets his senses back, rediscovers himself and hopefully not get his own share of unpleasant behavior. A poison is still a poison.

So to Ira Luna, you owe your parents good manners. You owe them at least that. Please try to pick a lesson or two from this incident.

A dirty skin (with a big question mark) is clearly better than a tainted soul. May God guide you for a better life ahead.

P.S.

Thanks to all my friends who supported me in this interesting "commotion". I guess we can all laugh about it and use this as somewhat a joke over a cup of coffee at Starbucks or elsewhere. I love you guys!

Lazy Saturday

I spent practically the entire day in front of my computer watching video streaming over the net. And I would say that my nape got stiff staring at my laptop screen for hours. You could say that I enjoyed every second of it more so than regretting it.

It was so refreshing to just bum around, sit on my touche with my legs crossed, lay on the bed against my chest while my forearms resting on a comfy pillow and watch all day. Not really in that order.

Awkward silence just works every once in a while. Doing and thinking of nothing. Not stressing on things in particular. Just going with the flow, just as the wind blows to where it pleases.

Indulging on such lazy Saturday is pure fun. But unproductive. Who says it has to be so?

Ultimate Food Trip

There was this one thing on my mind when I went back to Las Islas Filipinas for a short vacation. I believe that one word to describe the experience was INDULGE. Indulge on everything, most especially with all the Filipino food stuff that I missed living in a country known for its chili sauce, satay, chili crab and noodles - Singapore.

I made it a point to list down in my head the food cravings and the fast food to visit to silence my stomach from its forever long rally over good Filipino food.

Who would not want that fresh bibingka on this very BER month? That one sumptuous food delight famous during the festive Christmas season. Thanks to my loving father and my gracious mother who continue to spoil us whenever we come back home to the province - Nueva Ecija, with all those food delicacies we want. They would always buy, prepare and take home to their children the unique and the most sought after food superstars in my entire hometown - balut, hokbo, day-old chicks, sampelot with the yummy inangit, chicharon, relyenong bangus, crispy pata, sinampalukang manok with fresh sampalok shoots, barbeque-d liempo, tiim na manok, itlog na maalat, etc. Thanks Pa and Ma! You're the best parents ever, even to this yummy bibingka. :)

Of course, it doesn't end there. A trip to the Philippines will be worthless if you miss out on going to our fast food trademark - Jollibee. The world famous isa pa, isa pang chickenjoy and the oh-so-sinful jolly hotdog will be worth the trip over and over and over again. Jollibee is my Mecca - my inner peace.


And yes, the jolly hotdog. The famous to go meal. The ultimate youth food. So yummy it diminishes your life span. Who cares. As long as I die happy, hehe. Who can resist the grates of cheese on top, the soft bread and the brown hotdog made of I don't know what and I don't care ingredients. .

I never forgot to visit Chowking fast food as well. Chinese food with that tinge of Filipino touch. In case you're wondering, it is all quite the same. Or worse. Considering that this is part of Jollibee corporation, this must have been the bottom-est and the lousiest of all worst combined. The lousy service, the long queue over the cashier, the waiting of the food to be served, the unfriendly staff and the busy environment. The infamous food chain still has got it. And please, I forgot to take photos of the food we ordered. Good thing I saw this sign board on the way to the province.



If not for the bochi, I would have burned the fast food outlet and Robinson's Galleria with it. (In my head - this will not spoil my vacation).

I miss the food already. Hmmm. I better stop.

I can't wait to come home again and schedule the gastronomical kiosk experience next time - the isaw, the fishball, the bread with cheese, the korn kernels in a cup with cheese powder, balut, dirty ice cream and a lot more - Peyups style. :P

Trash Talk

In a world where the superficial seems to rule over the human psyche, it just makes it more difficult to find for a long lost love. Or is it really?

You just don't simply bump around somebody and feel the spark of attraction instantly, at that very moment. And more often than not, the preference will not necessarily translate to the other person's liking. I guess love just doesn't come along easily. It just doesn't work in a snap. It has to be made with the right ingredients - all mixed together to come up with one zesty, jolty and consummate concoction.

A lot had tried. A lot had failed. A few had succeeded or so I think.

Some feel it in a positive and creative way while some treat it as some jarred to the heart all the way to the brain. Maybe there are just people meant to spend their lifetime alone. People who somewhat find gratification and solace within their own skin. Within their beings. Maybe this love thing is only limited to those who believed. To those who have faith in it.

I would like to think I belong to the latter. I need to be. I gotta be.

A quintessential believer of love to come not so far from now.

Cupid, if you ever hear me, deliver my heart to the person who will take care of it in this lifetime and to the next - a perennial lover.

Too Much Network Sites

It was not long ago that I realized that maintaining a LOT of network sites can really be overwhelming. It takes a lot of hard ass work and a lot of time uploading the photos to each one to make everything current.

Heck, I am tired today and I don't even have the luxury to put all things in order for each account that I have. Did I mention I have more than five? Gees, I need to seriously ponder on this. It's eating so much of my time. I am turning into a BIG LOSER freak.

I just got back from my flight from the Philippines to Singapore and will start working again tomorrow. I need to sleep early tonight. There will be bloodshed tomorrow. A lot of blood and pending work load, which I am not looking forward to doing. But I have to deal with it sooner or later.

I think I just have to turn the table around and make it, how do I say it, hmm - MANAGEABLE. Just the same thing I have to do for those network sites that I have accounts under, over, whatever.

I gotta play it uber-smart. But before anything else. I need to sleep. I would have to postpone and procrastinate it until tomorrow. Same goes for my long to do list.

*DISCLAIMER
The above photo and the one below do not in any way relate to this blog entry. I just found them in my photo archive and thought of sharing these two. We secretly took these photos inside the movie house. Thanks to Paula's ever reliable camera it captured the attitude and ferociousness in us. No antagonists and envy souls please.

David Beckham what?

Look how internet can keep you busy these days. With just a few searches and clicks, you get to access all the information you want. Except for porn I think, as this needs a valid Credit Card for a few bucks that's clearly a rip off from your finances.

On to my point.

Beckham got my attention for his Emporio Armani Underwear ad campaign when I was browsing the GQ Magazine in a salon. I didn't know how old this was but this obviously depicted the holy grail of all underwear ad campaigns.

I actually have no intention to look for David Beckham's photos online on this. But I could not help and do so when I read this gossip that Posh Spice (Victoria) had just been signed for a USD20M contract to do the same for Armani. Curiosity got me. I saw myself yahoo-ing the male Beckham.

And BAM! In awe, Beckham is really sexy. Everything seems perfect. Hmm, is everything real? Especially this shot. Or do we account this photo to good adobe photoshop? Or the old school method? Nevermind.

I must give it to him, and to the photographer. The black and white shots for underwear campaigns really do the trick.



If the underwear does not cost as much as a suit, I would really buy them. But then again, I am NOT that rich to buy them. I would recommend this to Superman though. They might be immune to kryptonite.

I wonder if Posh Spice can give justice to her photoshoot. I wonder if she can create the same impact as her husband. Or even surmount David's charms. She's so skinny. I hope she pulls it off.

Damn, Elle spells F-I-E-R-C-E!

As part of my diversion tactics to shake off the gloomy feeling before flying off tomorrow, I saw this photo of Elle Macpherson on the web when she attended the premier night of the Quantum of Solace in London.

Damn, this 44-year-old woman still has the goods to knock the boys and men (but not me, please) dead on the floor. Hard! (Pun intended) This woman sure knows the basics of dressing up.

I guess that background in modeling keeps you ahead of the pack. I don't think botox and mesotherapy can make you this hot, unless you have a skimpy body hugging outfit with a super hot piece of ass!

Way to go girl! All hail Elle and her fierce-ness.

Last Night

It saddens me that I have to go back to Singapore again after this 7-day-vacation in Manila, Philippines. It kind of rips my heart apart that I have to pack everything again in my ever reliable luggage and start the vicious cycle of working my ass off.

I think this is what happens when you go back home. You get energized and look forward to be with your family, savor the "only in the Philippines" food trips, the his and hellos to rekindle the relationship with your closest friends, the frantic and endless shopping and so much more.

But after you have gone thru the checklist and the days just come closer by the minute and it's time to leave again, you just feel the anxiety attack.

The usual program line ups you started to get used to.

The Filipino food.

The peculiar Manila urban lifestyle.

The shopping sprees, the cheap and reliable facials.

The simple rural beat.

The hugs, the kisses and the silly family baloney talk.

All of which I will miss again when my plane takes off tomorrow.

(Deep Breaths.)

I need a diversion. I need to browse the net.

Taxi Dreadful Driver

I need to get this off my chest. It was just a horrendous experience going home after watching the Nights in Rodanthe movie.

I had to take a cab to get home since I was so lazy and scared to take other modes of transportation here in the Philly (Philippines). As expected, I hailed, got in a cab and told the driver where home was. I gave him directions and all that stuff. I was guessing he knew where I lived and he was only playing dumb so his taxi meter can just charge and charge me if I agree for the longer route.

I wasn't agreeable to it. I was ready to fight back, politely by giving him directions. Even if it takes throughout the entire trip just so he couldn't hustle me, I was willing to do it.

So there. I gave him clear directions and guess what. He told me that there was a traffic jam in the area and he wanted us to take an alternate route, a long and dark one. So okay, I agreed to go via Julia Vargas Avenue just so he can shut up and drive. I was playing along with him.

Hello, Mister Taxi Driver! Traffic Jam in the middle of the night, almost midnight and still a traffic jam? Are you kidding me? I am from this area, who are you fooling? All these ran thru my head and for the sake of a peaceful ride, I nodded and said yes to his suggestions.

And then after, he insinuated again that it would be traffic and wanted us to go around the Ultra Astrodome route. One of his brilliant suggestions. He also threatened me to just get out and find another cab to take me home if I say otherwise. I told him no and just stick with the Julia Vargas route.

And then the unexpected happened. He then repeated that I should just get another cab to take me home if I won't agree.

It was my threshold. I stepped out of the cab, told him that if that's what he wanted, then fine. I banged the door never looked back and hailed another cab to take me home. I didn't pay for anything. Why would I? He never dropped me at my destination. He was an asshole, why would I encourage such behavior.

The nerve of this cab driver! How can he do such a thing and just keep on suggesting things that will not be beneficial for me. Gees, now I understand why he is still a taxi driver. I wouldn't even wonder if he gets caught for theft or something. Who knows, he might have been plotting this act all along.

It's always discouraging to see your own kind do such thing to you. Hustle you and take advantage. All for the sake of money. For being greedy for money. It's a pity he does that. I hope he sleeps at night.

I just hope he reflects one time and recollect on all these things he had done to his own kind. Then change for all our sakes. He needs to. If he stays a prick forever, then he just might get what he deserves - KARMA.

Nights in Rodanthe, Bravo!

Nicholas Sparks sure lives up to his reputation of touching the lives of his readers and audiences with such a heartfelt story line. I don't know about the book, but the movie sure pierced my heart big time. I am sure the readers would think otherwise as the infamous comparison between the book's story line is a whole lot better than that of the movie's. Heck, I liked it. Period. No contradictions.

I guess that kilig factor (sort of like love chills) is credited to Diane Lane and Richard Gere's reunion since the Unfaithful movie. Their magic just doesn't go off on screen. Richard Gere is still as charming as ever.

The movie is pretty straight forward. Adrienne (Lane) and Paul (Gere) were both divorced and were living miserable lives, sort of - dealing with their own personal struggle. They met at an old inn in Rodanthe, South Carolina (I guess, since the initials were S.C.) where Adrienne stood in for her close friend Jean, and Paul as the only guest who had paid double the price to have him accommodated for a few days. This was basically the place where all of the good stuff happened. The movie continues on and I will stop now because I might spoil the very touching ending if I don't shut up. So things happened. And then, you should see the movie for details. - winks, winks -

Anyways, the movie's message was very clear. Love just happens when you least expect it. Love just slithers its way to the heart and works around what's left from the previous heartbreak. It amends and repairs and betters the feeling the second time.

Love deserves a second chance. Everyone does. A person might not see how important and beautiful you are, but in the eyes of a person loving, everything just tells it all. I will borrow the line from Adrienne's dialogue and it goes something like, "you deserve a love that keeps you better".

She is right. We love at certain degrees. A one-way love doesn't warrant happiness. It has to be unrequited felt by both parties. The love that sees it all. The love that keeps you smile in your trying times. A love that sees the light in the darkness. A love that is pure, untainted.

The movie just reassured me of one thing - that even a hopeless romantic like me who might have been hurt before from a previous experience is up for something bigger in the future - a love to keep me better.

Sorry for being cheesy. I am a hopeless romantic, what can you do? :P

Harry Potter Question

I know a lot of Harry Potter fans will hate me for this. They may want me dead or alive. But I'd post it anyways.

I saw a photo taken of Malfoy (don't know the correct spelling, so not worth googling) and Harry Potter earlier this morning. I was browsing thru the pages online and ta-da! This photo appeared. And boy, it was such a morning treat. It wasn't daring but rather controversial.

Reserve your OH-MY-GODS and What-the-f!@#! Here you go.



What if the two were lovers? What if the rivalry was just a front to conceal the relationship at Hogwarts. I don't know. It was just a thought. Nobody can even claim if it can happen, unless of course J.K. Rowling reads this and sends me a personal message.

J.K. Rowling, I haven't read the books, girl. I could use some free stuff here. Drop me a line. I would be happy to reply. :)

ANTM, Jumped the Shark?

For ANTM (America's Next Top Model) show, I just read a few minutes ago that the show has officially jumped the shark. Well, I actually didn't know what it meant. Until I read the entire article.

For serious media critics, a show has officially jumped the shark when it has reached its limit. It's climax. And when a producer or a show struggles to outdo and outshine the previous cycles/seasons and it somewhat turns out corny, it's considered suicide.

They have a point. The futuristic stints and the silver jumpsuits didn't really pull it off during the pilot episode. It was more of an act of desperation over innovation. Who would do such plot. It was more of an anime than a top model search.

Tyra needs to do some serious thinking for plots and stints. I like the ANTM show more than anyone in the world. Or maybe I am just exaggerating. But modesty aside, she needs to go back to her roots and rock the world again.

After all, she doesn't need all those woo-haa shenanigans. She does need to realize that the focus is on how to groom a top model and not to turn the show into a circus.

I was trying to upload a photo for this blog. For some reason, it WOULD NOT UPLOAD. Heck. No photo for this blog. Stupid connection or whatever. Period.

Blah-ging!

I had not been writing these past couple of days. I don't know if it was just plain burn-out or my pure sleaziness that made me not commit to writing.

Every time I go back home from work, I felt so drained. Drained from doing so much things that I enjoyed watching television and playing a facebook game every night to de-stress myself and condition again to working the next day over blogging, which obviously needed some thinking. At times, serious thinking.

My brain cells could not handle the thinking part anymore. So there, I gave up on blogging. More of like a Coke commercial over a very good program, say - America's Next Top Model. Hihihi. Meaning a temporary and expected commercial.

Now, I am back with a vengeance. And I think I owe a lot of blogging over the long unannounced sabbatical. A lot of exciting experiences happened along the way. So, fret no more. Blogs are on the way. Especially now that I am on vacation, hihi.

I just need a little time to compose my thoughts, gather them and construct them into sentences.

So from blah-ging to serious blogging, I am getting there, soon. :)

It's Edge Night

Today was just those days I had to reflect on certain aspects of my life. I think at this stage I have all the right to just sail away for a bit and forget the world. Sit down. Stare at the window pane. Listen to the music. Forget everything in my head and waste time. Just being still.



I guess being so worn out from work helps to just idle around and enjoy the time for myself.

I am writing this entry while listening to Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars". Over and over again. I know it's not the right lyrics to ponder on. But I find the rhythm very relaxing. It kind of draws me in and helps me find my centre these days, magnifying the "forget the world" part of the song. It's my version of yoga.

Winks. Winks.

I guess the moon is blue again.

It's nothing night.

It's just plain blah-blahs and yada-yadas.

It's the time I detach myself from everything again.

Enjoy my peace and quiet. Just blank. Just myself.

It's Edge Night.

Bangkok Pilgrimage

Bangkok may be a shopping haven to most of the tourists visiting the country. Little do a few know that this country is a home as well for pilgrimage. Predominantly Buddhist, Bangkok has more than 30,000+ temples, seen and distributed throughout the city.

Our second day itinerary was dedicated in frequenting the best, not to mention the most visited temples and religious sites not only for tourists but for locals as well. It was a must to engage ourselves in this cultural immersion. We had to partake and involve ourselves in experiencing this one of a kind trip, this adventure.



So in preparation for this so-called pilgrimage, we had to stuff a lot of carbs so we could walk, trek, run, climb or do whatever physical activity needed to keep up with our itinerary.

The first thing in my mind was stuffing up. In a more formal term - gluttony. Please do not be mistaken, the food on my plate was just a primer on what they offered. I went for breakfast themes. This my friends was what American breakfast was all about. I did a couple of trips back to the buffet table to try some other food offerings there. My photo was just the first of my 3 rounds, hihi.

Breakfast was just plain yummy. A lot of choices from breads to cereals to porridges to rice to main courses. You name it. They got it. They had a lot to choose from, except for ice cream. Who would want ice cream in the morning? Who in the world would ask for an ice cream early in the morning? Even children know better. Chris and Chars, can you even imagine? Haha.

After the sumptuous meal and four bulging stomachs, we still managed to have a good photo taken. The oh-so-good-food needs a perfect complement - a photo for keepsake. So after eating, we could not resist the Bangkok charm. There was nothing better than the Bangkok breeze touching your face after a sinful breakfast. Pure Bangkok air from a 43rd floor balcony of what once considered the tallest building in Thailand - Baiyoke Suites. It was almost orgasmic. But then again, I can only imagine.

After a few snapshots and a heavy breakfast, we started our trip for the day. The trip to the Chao Phraya River. The river that keeps Thailand on the map for trade. Our Tour Guide - Mr. Bank was saying that the river was very clean though the water was murky. The reason behind it was that water comes straight from the mountains down to Thailand. So there was no time for the water to clear.

We had the chance to get in a boat and journey the long stretch of the river. We had seen variety of temples on our way to Wat Arun - Temple of Dawn. The temples were really lavish structures. Very well built and the details were just unbelievable. Bangkok is indeed one darn place to visit. Those temple structures I only saw in books were in front of me. Real ones. My eyes were feasting and twinkling. I was just gazing at them, in plain awe.



The trip was reinforced with so much eureka moments when we got to Temple of Dawn - Wat Arun. This is a photo of me doing the traditional Thai pose. Can you see the designs of the temple? I did mimic the pose. And boy I was so awkward. But who cares. I still look fierce. Period. No objections.


After each of our solo photos taken, we of course would not dare to leave the place without our group photo. Sharing this experience with friends just doubled the "unforgetfulness" of this experience. It maybe hot climbing the stairs and moving around the premises. But no matter how scorching hot the sun was, for some reason, it became tolerable. Getting a tan from going around Wat Arun was something anybody could NOT do everyday, except if you were working there.




After the sunbathing at the temple task at Wat Arun, we needed to stuff ourselves again. We took our lunch at a local restaurant and ate our stomachs out. We still had to go to the famous "Four-Face Buddha" destination to conclude our Bangkok Pilgrimage. We heard from our Tour Guide that it was the place to go for well-wishers and people who needed some divine help from Buddha.

We all offered flowers and incenses to the Four Face Buddha. We all had our open mind to try and respect their faith. We all did what we were instructed to do. We did what we were told. We followed the instructions in praying and asking for our wishes to be granted.

It was a solemn experience. It gave me the added kick I needed to assure myself and prove to myself that I needed it. It gave me that other aura for respect for other religion and the knack in blending with others without prejudice.

After visiting the place, we all felt revitalized. We left the place with so much respect and tranquility.



Bangkok is just simply amazing.

Lookie! Lookie!

I bought something a bit expensive last week. And now that I have thought about it, it wasn't much of an impulse. It was an investment for me to look good at the upcoming event from work.

Behold, my suit.



For the record, this is not as expensive as CK or Hugo Boss suits. This is mediocre to say the least. But the fit. Oh yes, the fit is worth a million dollars. It was that fit that made me buy it. The cut of the sleeves, the hem lines and the details.

This is way better than orgasm.

The day that I bought was the time my libido went off the meter - 1. for being expensive and 2. for feeling that it was made for me.

I'll take a good snap shot when I am in it. I don't want to spoil the fun and post it here this soon.

Yes, I am a spoilsport at times. :)

No more be delicious, Hello Happy!

Well, since I had started a Metrosexual talk, let me go ahead and share with you my little secret. I had gone ahead and purchased a new scent for myself. Not because I did not want my DKNY scent anymore. I recently bought a new bottle of perfume because I missed my original scent. The one that I used before DKNY.

I miss my old scent back. That tinge of citrus mixed with that light and refreshing scent, not too strong, but strong enough to make an impression. I miss the happy days. My Clinique Happy for Men scent.



I so miss it. But I don't think I miss the price. It's more expensive than the DKNY perfume now. Hmm, but I guess it's worth it. It's better than the putrid smells of the slaughterhouses. Or the smell of sweat after running without taking a bath and going straight to work. Much much better. Way better.

P.S.

The Metro's (name of the department store) tag line is so nice and suave. Are you a serial shopper? I must admit it's a good one from them.

My New Me

My last Friday night was spent thinking of my own shopping list. It actually hit me when I looked at my open cabinet and my toiletries. It was just then that I came to realize that I only had a few vain essentials. Yep, a few to put on my face and things that I use for hygienic purposes.

Well, I am happy to announce that little by little, somehow, I am beginning to fit all the pieces together. The entire ensemble is not complete though. I must say that my baby steps progress are quite remarkable - from nothing to a few must haves that can be recommended to friends. My hunt for hygiene essentials is on!


I am not getting any younger. No matter how much denial face and the "I-am-so-young-face" I make every time I look myself in the mirror, that pesky gravity just justifies that everything is meant to age. That said, it made me think on how I can delay the aging process. I am 25 years old already. And I read from some magazine that this age is the birth of wrinkles! Damn, I am only beginning to explore my life and they would say that mean thing to me. I barely even exercised my right to get laid!

So having this said, I need to counter skin-aging. So I went to this Body Shop outlet in Toa Payoh, Singapore to look around. Funny enough, they have all different and new range of products. This was the second time that I got confused since my sexuality question mark! Haha.

From head to toe, they all have it. All new, all packaged nicely and with all different scents. Good thing there was a sales assistant to explain everything that I touched. Guys, spare me the question. I do frequent shops like this, but I didn't just have the interest to buy them before as I thought these were just fabricated by cosmetic companies to rob from ignorant, self-centered and egoistic people like Jennifer Lopez.

Bull Shit. I think I will be part of that ignorant population that patronizes skin products. Yeah, somehow and for some reason I need it. I can't have my skin taken for granted. It was just now that I need more than that Vitamin E Eye Cream that I bought from them a month and a half ago. I need to moisturize, too. A healthy skin is a moisturized skin. And get a lotion to revitalize that glow in me. Gees, how pathetic. I am talking about a glowing skin now. (winks, winks)

So I ended up being ripped, $50+ less than my credit limit for buying the Vitamin E Moisturizer and the lotion. Good thing I liked the effects of Body Shop's Vitamin E Eye Cream I am willing to try the entire line of Vitamin E products they have. Well, not maybe entirely now but soon. If I find the effects really working, I will start recommending them. And who knows, I might be their spokesperson or their Ambassador just like Halle Berry to Revlon and Christina Aguilera for MAC. (hihihi)


So to BODY SHOP, please contact me. I need a sponsor. I need supplies. Email or drop me a message. Or something.

CODE : MOLE MEETING

Today had just been plain depressing. From the moment I stepped foot on our dear office, everything just felt wrong. I guess there are just days when the world just falls on you. Sometimes you catch it with your head - a total clash, and there are just days that you seem to make do with the situation.

I don't know why I was feeling down today. I never got the chance to momentarily ponder on it and have some quiet time with myself. I only noticed the four gigantic pimples growing on my face fast. They have their own heartbeats. I was so scared I might give birth to four kids soon! But other than that, everything just became one big, gray of blur surrounding my bubble.

Sighs.

I have not felt the acne presence for quite a while now. Maybe it's just because of stress at work that these babies of mine just keep on waking up from under my pores. I so don't want them. I can't wait to ripe them up and squeeze them in between my thumbs so they can burst out and heal quickly, hahaha. I know, it's a no-no. Just wishful thinking.

On to my story. I logged off from work 30 minutes past my working hours. I waited for Elijah (known to his friends as Fifi) to finish his whatevers. I accompanied him to the clinic downstairs to have his mouth sore checked, which according to the doctor was an ulcer. Whew. Singaporean doctors sure know how to alarm and frighten the hell out of their patients. Even though we had our second thoughts, Elijah got his prescription, went to the toilet and started applying the topical lotion for the inside of his mouth.

Miraculously, it worked. It made his mouth numb, including his tongue. But we still continued to chit chat while waiting for Ching downstairs so we could have dinner together. They knew I was depressed.

After a few siew mais (steamed minced pork wrapped in wanton wrapper) and bochi (a Chinese food difficult to describe - a soft fried thingy, fried with sesame seeds and filling inside), Ching our "disabled" friend met us. After 10 light years.

We were undecided at first where to go for dinner. Since Fifi could not take Japanese food, we ended up with the oh so famous fast food we could find - Burger King. It was always fun to unwind with friends. Talk non-sense, gossip and laugh the heart out over french fries and burgers. We ate everything we ordered. It was decent but not heavenly alright. But with friends, ordinary food becomes sumptuous feast for the Gods. You always appreciate the company and the effort.

We spent a few hours sitting over our empty trays and left overs sharing funny experiences, work related stuff but stress-free and all the yada-yadas. Prince also joined us after a few hours. We just saw him walking around the area. He joined the fun and the silly antics. Three was a crowd. But four was a riot. I had a blast. I even forgot my depression.

Thanks to my friends they got me through this day happy.

This photo is extra special. It's very rare to see four friends sharing the camera lens together, with our moles complementing each other's faces.

One tag line to say for this photo - Look at our moles!

What constellation sign do we remind you of? Hihi.

Modelesque Pose

Well by now you should know that my friends and I support one another. And being friends with these retards (haha), we all have a way to de-stress in dire moments we need to do so.

We are photo addicts. We always take photos if and when necessary. Which is all the time. Remember the story of Marky's suit and how he wanted it badly? We managed to take a photo of him before trying it. Well, it turned out he was not the only one who had a picture in the fitting room jungle. The reason why he didn't have a photo with the suit on was because AJ and I were pre-occupied taking photos of our solo selves.

Yes, with all the boxes and with the hullabaloos, she managed to take a good artsy-farsty snap of myself. And boy, she was very proud it. And I am, too. Not only for her beautiful shot but also about the oh-so-wonderful subject. Ahem. Me.

Given the environment and the place we were in, which was a public place, mind you, she managed to take a good shot. With all the trash clothes stacked and some trash as background, she still managed to get them to complement me. And good thing this guy mannequin was at the background, too my reflection looked so flawless. The arched back. The legs. The arms.

Very modelesque. And yes, I am narcissistic. I so love myself. Get over it.

Saturday Shopping Bonding - Marcky's Suit Story

Life in Singapore has always been this "flash"-paced. You wake up, go to work, work your ass off (do some overtime work WITHOUT pay), go home, eat, watch TV, surf, go to bed and sleep. Then the cycle just goes on again, not necessarily in that order, but more or less the same without fail. So if you have the opportunity to bond with friends, you take advantage.

I take advantage. Always work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.

I spent my Saturday afternoon after my half day work with AJ (she's a girl) and Marcky. It was AJ's first week-end off and she wanted to spend time with us, models (hehe) as it was a while when we last had our serious bonding moment. The others had work and the rest had prior engagements. So the three of us ended up together.

We met at HDB Hub, Toa Payoh and from there we went straight ahead to Orchard Road - Tangs Mall after a series of nagging calls from Marcky. (Peace!). We met him at Tangs and he was eyeing on a suit already. He wanted us to see it before anything else. He needed an affirmation before splurging on it.

It was a nice tailored suit. The coat fitted well, except for the sides. Let's just say it was a bit small for his built. So there we were, giving our "whatyouthinks" and honest opinions. And somehow, we persuaded him to at least try and look for something else. Something better. True enough, he listened.

We went to a G2000 store at Wisma to go look for something else. It was a challenge as we never knew where the store was. Can you believe it? So after a few rounds and some luck, we found it. Only to disappoint us. The suits were not on sale. And worse, they were more expensive. A coat could already buy an entire ensemble. So somewhat decided, Marcky finally bit the bullet. He would buy it even the countless reminders of me saying that it was a bit tight.

It was two against one. AJ and Marcky justified the reason for buying it. So even if I was totally disagreeing, they both wanted it. In the end, he bought it. After three trips to Tangs. We did accompany him for the last time in the fitting room and waited for a bit while trying both pieces - the coat and the pants. And here he was before the actual fitting. See below. Can you tell how in love he was with the suit. That nice suit was fitted in a not so nice fitting room, with all the boxes on the sides and next to the couch.



Oh well, Marcky said he will go ahead and diet. So the fit is perfect when he wears them. Well, friends support one another.

So to Marcky, aja!

Team Building was so fun I want to do it again!

I was looking at our photos during our team building last Saturday and boy, it was so fun to look at.

Photos of me are always the best to look at of course, and the second best would be those photos taken with your co-workers - happy and stress-free.

I actually wanted to write and talk about it but I was just dead busy, even now doing a LOT of stuff - all work related. So plain boring. I better not start. I might not know I am dead if I continue with the knitty-gritty.

It was such a rare experience to come up with a get together with almost all members of the team. We were almost complete. And you know in the office, you will always have your own clique - to share stories with, leave the office premises together with a whole lot gossips to confirm, get on the train together and part ways at the designated alighting stations. But those were set aside and this was just really all about us. Working and doing activities as one big happy family.

This was so fun. This was the first time that we all got together. We spent the dinner over the BBQ pit while waiting for the food to cook . Did a game for the sake of fun and laughter. Did some wacky and outrageous things. No drama. Just plain laughters and stories.

Here is the best photo of the almost complete team that night - us. Aren't we just darlings?

I am so proud of my team. They all are just different colors of the rainbow - all mixed into one to create that beauty we see every after the rain.

Gees, this team building was so fun I can't wait for another one to happen! I am so looking forward to it.

Stress Therapy

There is nothing better in this small country of Singapore than de-stress together with friends while walking in a nice and fancy mall, full of saliva-drooling retail shops with mouth-watering window displays to entice bystanders after working hours. And yes, I am so ashamed to say that I am but a victim of this fortunate (or unfortunate) scenario - forced to buy something from an irresistible shop. (Like I did NOT like it, hahaha)

Window shopping with friends just shrugs that negative energy off your shoulders. It gives you that freedom to stop, look, stare and eventually buy for things that at times you don't even need at that moment. But it makes you feel good, so refreshed that you just could not stop going from one shop after another, window shopping at first to the point of purchasing at the very end of the mall tour (artistas?).

I spent my after-work-evening with two of my friends - Jaja and Nhinya. I asked them to come with me at Harbour Front to pay homage to that great mall I missed for a few weeks already - Vivo City.

And Viva Vivo City! I was able to visit my ever favorite retail shop that offers nice office attire outfits - Domanchi. This shop at Vivo City was small, but it was easier to find than the one at City Hall. So I went together with my two girlfriends to check the goods. I ended up fitting 3 long sleeved shirts, buying one that I could not resist. It was totally a good buy. It was looking for me.

It was sad and lonely on that shelf, nobody notices it and was happy to see me. The long-sleeved shirt was teary-eyed when it was brought to the cashier counter. I was already decided to buy it. Own it. It was put in a nice box and up til the very minute it got wrapped and put inside the paper bag, it was saying its sincerest thank you. I was touched. This long sleeved shirt I will call Jack Black. Simple. But it rocks. I took a photo of it just so I can share the beauty of this simple piece of clothing.

Nice isn't it? I should be stopping now. I think you guys are freaked out. I am talking about a shirt. And I gave it a name. How sick is that.

Sighs. Heck. It's my blog. I make my own rules.

I am so HOT...

Today is nothing more than an ordinary day. If you consider packing your office stuff in a box because somebody is to take over your current station, yes, it's rather ordinary. And what spiced this so called transfer up was that I had no permanent station to call mine again, yet. I think the more colloquial and appropriate term is "a hot seater".

Yes folks. I am hot-seating. I am so damn in demand everybody wants me. I wish. This is not a vulgar term. This is not even an inch closer to that. This just sounds sexy but this spells tedious. Imagine yourself setting up everyday or every other day in one station and move on to the next. Gees, if this was a sex trip, it must have been exciting. Promiscuity is a lot more fun than this.

I spent almost an hour stacking up my things in a box. Ooops, sorry. Two and a half boxes, giving priorities to photocopies and personal belongings on top of the never ending papers stacked in them, originally used to fly cans of milk with melamine from China. Kidding.

Good thing I still have the humor to crack myself up with this unfortunate incident. I just hope I get a semi-permanent station so I would not have to shift everyday. Otherwise, it's always hello stranger to me.

I so not deserve this. I am worse than a kitten led astray by an unwanted master. Blindfolded. Out in a cold winter night.

Of course I can only imagine. Singapore doesn't have winter season. I would have to pray for climactic abnormalities and a lot of La Nina for this to happen. And besides, I don't want to be a kitten.

If you know what I mean.

The Heart for Blogging

I don't know if others feel it, too but for some weird reason, at times when I write about an article or just plain blah-blahs, I sort of feel that somebody writes with me. Or in a more definite description, I go in a state of trance. A surreal feeling but a good one.

Do I creep you out now?

Well, I just have this feeling. I figured I'd share. I was trying to read my past blogs in between writing and messaging friends because I got burnt out after finishing this one long blog for my Bangkok trip. Ironically enough, the blogs that I had written a few years back was so good that I could not help but admire myself. True story.

Damn, I was that good huh. That good I could not even remember what I wrote. More of disbelief. Oh, well, I better stop. I think I was just too engrossed that thoughts just came fluidly, got translated into sentences till they turned into paragraphs. One whole blog.

I figured it was part of the learning curve. That phase where learning just becomes as normal as breathing. As my heart beats, my blog continues. There may be burnt out moments, those heartburns.

But just like the heart, it beats with a rhythm, a pace. A pace that defines and distinguishes me.

Bangkok Fever

My Bangkok Madness started when I arrived on a Sunday - 21 September 2008, together with my 2 closest friends. After reuniting with Chris in Bangkok, we headed our way in exploring of what Bangkok had to offer us. We couldn't wait to set our sail on this foreign land and feel the Amazing Thailand experience.

Our first stop, Chatuchak Market - the famous week-end market that practically has the best finds you could possibly think of. And I was challenged. So was my ability to bargain.

It was known to be a tourist destination. So haggling was just a norm everyone just needed to follow. There were stalls where my charms worked magic to getting a few baht savings, to reserve for more beautiful items to purchase in the future. But majority of them, I was rather inefficient. I could not work wonders and haggle anymore as the stall owners said those were already discounted and fixed prices. Thanks to my impulsive friends, I could not work a way to lower down the prices a bit. The excitement showed obviously on their faces, the I-will-buy-even-without-the-discount-face.

There were items that I could not resist to buy myself. So instead of putting up false pretenses, I ended up as a hungry wolf. No discounts, no qualms. Just the power of buying. For some so-so ones, no discount, no buy for me. I got a few good stuff for myself. And OH YEAH, I was so proud!



And if you thought we forgot to snap a photo at Chatuchak Market, guess again. We are photo addicts. We don't forget. We just snap, snap and pose, just like professional models. Yep, models. At most times, good ole runway and print ad models. But in trashy days, more like jail prisoners at some isolated country for mug shots. But this one, we look so happy. But not glammed up. Nevertheless, can't complain. Bangkok, baby!



We never got to finish loitering around that big market. I think we were not even close to covering the quarter of the place's land area. My friends were starving and scared to eat street food. Three against one is really against democracy and clearly, the odds were against me. So we went to our next destination - SIAM PARAGON - BANGKOK!

Siam Paragon is the large version of Singapore's own Paragon Mall. It is super world class that even movie houses have VIP screenings that can charge as high as 700 Baht per movie. And that's less than SGD30. FOR a movie. And it did not come with a DVD version after watching it. Besides, they don't serve buffet inside. So it was not worth it.



We decided to dine and eat our heart out after walking the long stretched of stalls at Chatuchak Market. Binge eating was a must as we had more places to go that day. So we did. We ate traditional Thai food at a mall. (Talk traditional alright, haha.) It was the safest and the most logical option for my friends. So I went with them. It was a hearty meal for both my stomach and my eyes. Bangkok was a place for tourists. I mean, you look to your right, you see a tourist. You look to your left, you see the same. It's practically a tourist invasion. It was neat. I was already recharged and ready to go for war exploration. But before that, who wants coffee? :)
Starbucks has become a lifestyle in all parts of the world. Revving up the day with a dose of caffeine has gotten more and more popular. And Bangkok was no stranger to this. And so were we. We idled around at Starbucks, in Bangkok to rest for a bit and enjoy Bangkok air. After dosing up, we went and looked for Siam Ocean World.



After a few inquiries, we were able to pinpoint the place. It was marketed as the biggest ocean world, I was just not sure if it was in Asia or the world. I have had my hopes up. I expected a better Ocean World than the one I saw in Hong Kong and Sentosa, Singapore.

Well, let's just say it was not the best I had seen so far. In all justice to the place, there were some WOW moments and there were also BOO-HOO moments. But it was quite an experience with friends though. All we did was to enjoy and savour the moment spent together and appreciate the things to see. So it called for a lot of picture! picture! Picture, picture, picture meant fun, fun, fun!






Ocean world offered a lot of interesting things to do. And as tourists, we did everything. From viewing the aquariums to riding on a galssboat to watching their very own 4D animation. You name it, we captured and got everything under our sleeves. There was not a single thing we missed in Siam Ocean world. Not one. For that 1000 Baht we paid for, it was all worth the trip.We went around Siam Paragon after that Siam Ocean world experience for ocular satisfaction. We walked around a lot and jumped from one mall to the other. We even managed to watch a movie in between. I didn't know if it was coincidence or not but we chanced upon Nicholas Cage's movie - Bangkok Dangerous. From then on I knew that we were up for more eureka moments in Thailand - both in Bangkok and Pattaya.

The tuk-tuk ride was the highlight of the night. We could not get a cab to bring us back to the hotel and this guy could not help but overhear our bargaining to cab drivers. The drivers wanted to rip and charge us for 100 to 150 baht. And this counter offered for 80 baht. We decided to say yes and experience the adrenaline rush for this ride. All for experience guys! :)

And do you remember the ad of Pierce Brosnan for Visa that was shot in Thailand? Yes, it was that fast and furious. No street rules, no speed limits. Just the tuk tuk driver in his own bubble and us at the back holding on to our dear lives.
We arrived at the hotel in one piece but at the end of it all, we needed to have a photo taken, of us of course. Thanks to the driver's shaky hands, our photo looked like a poster of a Thai horror movie.