May Crocs Na 'Ko

I was too busy to make my wish list this year. But these were on my mental wish list:

Imagine my joy when I got these from hubby!

Wow, sarap ng feeling ng may libreng Crocs! May bago na kong pang araw-araw. I love it!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Zoe

I don’t remember the last time I saw Judith. Wait, I think it was a year ago. I had shift and she sent me a text message at around 5:00am (I think) telling me she was in Eastwood. I went down to Gloria Jeans to meet her. We were together for barely an hour because she had to get on a bus for a company trip or something. I remember telling her about problems Denver and I just had, and she told me about her ex. Yup, that was the last time we were together.

That’s the kind of relationship we have. We don’t even email or send messages to each other often. But when we see each other, a day is not enough for our stories.

Today she messaged my phone because she has so much to tell me. And then I received an email with this…



All I could say was OH MY GOD.

When I calmed down I told her how excited I was. She’s almost seven months pregnant and it’s a girl! I can’t wait to see Judith! And Zoe of course! There’s a lot that I still don’t know about the daddy, but I don’t care. I am just so happy that she’s having a baby! And a girl! May girlfriend na si Ippo!

Phone or Laptop?

Before getting my Christmas bonus, I was checking out cheap laptops ranging from P29,000 to P39,000. When I received my bonus, I realized I had to forgo my electric dreams due to budget constraints. Then I thought, maybe a new Sony Ericsson P9 series phone is more within my budget. Just a day after contemplating on the phone, I realized that I can’t afford that (again).

Just a couple of days to go and it’s Christmas. I was hoping to get something for myself, but I can’t even afford to buy reading glasses. I’ve been putting that off for months even if I know how badly I need it. Every Christmas, I end up spending all my money for everything and everyone but myself. Not that I am complaining. I am actually very thankful because I can still give little things to the people who mean a lot to me. Besides, Christmas is all about giving!

I just wish I had smart budgeting skills so that I don’t end up with empty pockets every yearend.

Mobile phone? Laptop? What the hell was I thinking?

Bad People in Starbucks

Det is back from Cebu. We met at Starbucks Silver City last Saturday. She’s put on some weight and she actually looks better with some fat on her cheeks, but the anorexic in her loathes the weight gain. Det, I swear I’m not out to sabotage your new cover girl image, but you really look better with a bit of meat.

Anyway, while I was waiting for my order, I overheard a barista chatting with two guests. Their conversation was about a laptop that was just stolen inside Starbucks. Yay! According to the barista, three suspicious looking people came in together. Only one of them ordered, and the person manning the counter noticed that the one ordering was clueless about what to get. I don’t really know how it happened but obviously, someone walked away with another person’s precious laptop.

It’s just so terrible that these things can happen even in your own comfort zone. I’m sure the victim is a regular customer. Someone who goes to Starbucks everyday, spending hours on her laptop and consuming gallons of expensive coffee, never fearing that anyone would dare take her laptop while she’s in the john. It’s not just an expensive piece of electronic, you know! It could have a dissertation or even a future best seller, or years of unrecoverable data! Bad people are everywhere! Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk.

Grateful Journal Excerpts (1st Week of December)

I have so much to be grateful for.

1.) In my desire to earn extra case, I ordered eighteen (fake) LeSportsac pouches on Tuesday. To my surprise, I sold all of them at work the following day. I was expecting to keep unsold pouches for myself but the girls took them all. Before you congratulate me, let me say that these pouches are just fifty pesos a piece. They’re these small mini bags for organizing stuff inside your purse (something that I really need). I earned very little from it, but it was very fulfilling. Being the introvert that I am, I definitely lack sales skills.


It was Mapi who inspired me to try selling other stuff (besides glutathione). She told me she earns very little from selling pre-paid phone cards, but that hasn’t stopped her from pursuing it. She also just started taking orders for Dakki.


I admire her for her perseverance and her sense of responsibility. She is single, has no obligations, is able to save a lot from her salary, yet she keeps thinking of ways to earn. A few months ago she was also burning CDs as one of her sidelines.


I have a few more orders from some of the team members. I hope I can be as “matiyaga” as Mapi. She’s happy no matter how little the return is.

2.) Last Thursday, Mommy Doris (my favorite aunt) sent me an email. She said that she had just bought me a Tommy Hilfiger bag, similar to the one that I lost when I was held-up. I was so touched I wanted to cry. She was in the Philippines when it happened, and it was she who gave me that bag as pasalubong. When she found out I had lost my Tag Heuer, she gave me an Anne Klein watch.


I know these are just material things but her gestures just moved me. When she was here, she kept reassuring me that I’ll have other things to enjoy in the future and told me not to feel such loss for the stuff that were taken from me. She was also scolding everyone else at home for letting me out alone at the wee hours to catch a cab going to work. I’m very lucky to have family like her.

3.) Mama bought me new jeans. When she came home, she told me she couldn’t get skinny jeans in my size. After trying it on, we both laughed and agreed that my fat ass and thighs make them look like skinny jeans.

4.) After randomly being picked for an online survey, I earned a tall drink from starbucks. Yey!

5.) Mapi took my Starbucks promo card last Saturday and got me four stickers! Only three more to go and I get my 2008 Planner! She just saved me P620 (four grande Peppermint Mochas)!

5.) I made it to their promo! At past one, I was still rating calls in the office. After my fourth rating, I rushed to Starbucks before 2:00 PM for my second Peppermint Mocha for the day and they gave me two stickers for one drink! I’m getting sick of these Christmas drinks, I’m not even enjoying the coffee anymore. One more sticker to go and I don’t have to set foot in Starbucks for weeks.


I could still afford one drink today but for the first time I am refusing another serving of coffee. Still, I’m glad to get two stickers for the price of one drink.

Postscript
I got my planner.

Aqua Boy

Ippo is scared of showers, but during our Christmas party, I discovered that he is fearless in the pool. I’m pretty sure he drank some of the pool water when his face was accidentally submerged in it (due to his own kakulitan), but that didn’t stop him. He was already shivering from the cold water and cool breeze but Mai and I still had to drag him away from the water. Mai had to carry him away, while he was crying and yelling for us to put him back in the pool.

I just have to take him to swimming lessons this summer. Sigh. My son’s growing up so fast.

AfterBurn Christmas Party 2007

After all the planning, we finally had our team Christmas party on December 1. We first thought of having it at the Linden Suites but most of the team members wanted to have a swimming party. We ended up renting a nice old house with a pool in Sumulong Highway.

Not everyone made it but we all had a blast. I had fears about not having enough to eat but it turns out we had too much food.

Lyn wasn’t there because she had to see a doctor for her abdominal pains (they turned out to be kidney stones), but her Lumpiang Shanghai made it to our party. Rusty’s dynamite (his version of Jalapeño Poppers) was a big hit. Jover was so pleased with them that he bought more ingredients when we ran out of dynamite. Rusty also prepared tons of tokwa. Aside from pots, pans and kitchenware, Jack brought his mom’s specialty, homemade Pancit Malabon. JP who had also been sick for days managed to join us in the evening and also bought some Pancit Malabon on the way. Paula got us loads of barbecue and I brought some marinated liempo for grilling, fried chicken and some “itlog na pula” to be mixed with chopped tomatoes. I forgot all about the hotdogs sitting in the freezer at home, so Denver offered to run out for hotdogs for our ihaw-ihaw.

Everyone else had assignments. There were people assigned to bring rice, water, noodles, bread, cheese and peanut butter, even garbage bags and toilet paper. Everyone had something to share. I was so glad to see that all of us were really working as a team to make this year’s Christmas party fun! I saw a lot of initiative those two days we were together. People were just doing the work without being told. We didn’t have to form committees for grill duty, dishwashing or clean-up. It’s nice to see our team like that.

Jason brought his Magic Sing, and as Jack and Mapi were belting their showband songs, the ASF dancers strut their stuff. For one night, I also got to be a part of the ASF dancers, haha. It was a lot of fun. Even the boys were trying to match the girls’ performance level but it was the girls (and Jack) who ruled the night!

I came home the next afternoon very tired and sleepy, but this is something I don’t mind doing again. I can’t wait for next year’s Christmas party!

Kapag Walang Manok At Naiinip

It’s Saturday morning. At this time, I should be making fried chicken for today’s Christmas Party. I went to two different groceries in Antipolo last night, and both didn’t have chicken drumstick. What kind of grocery is that? I’m patiently working on this dial up connection while I’m waiting for my chicken to arrive from the market.

This is a good way to kill time.

I was doing my regular stalking in Friendster earlier and I discovered a few interesting things (to me at least). I saw that my male friend has already broken up with his girlfriend. It wasn’t announced in their shout outs but I’m keen on testimonials and profile status. Let’s name them for my convenience, shall we?

Tyra and Deacon weren’t together that long, but they were quite a popular couple. Tyra broke up with a long time boyfriend to be with Deacon. Deacon has gorgeous kids from a previous marriage. Tyra still has pictures in Friendster with Deacon’s kids. She quite looks like an overdressed Inday next to Deacon’s kids (their fair and cute, and she’s… got a great body). Anyway, as of this time, they are wishing each other the best and remain friends. According to Tyra, if they are meant to be, than it shall be.

Tyra is not my favorite person in the world, but it must be hard for her to be with Deacon. In this country, there is still a stigma attached to being the girlfriend of a married man (even if he and his wife have parted ways). To Tyra, you have a beautiful body, lots of single guys would surely want to be with you. Choose wisely.

Pepper and Popoy had been going out since college. Popoy is the kind of boyfriend who picks up his girlfriend every single day so she could safely get home. In her blog, Pepper said that she will love her luvy until hell freezes. After years of being together, they did what most couples would envy. They tried their luck and flew to the Middle East thinking that this would be a new chapter in their lives. After less than a year, Pepper is "in a relationship," and Popoy is "single." Before this, they were both “married” in Friendster. Their old pictures together have been removed from Pepper’s account. Pepper is now the Queen of her new Egyptian King. Poor Popoy.

Pepper must be tired of being an independent woman. She seems to be very happy with her new regal lifestyle. I pity Popoy, but you go girl! I didn’t imagine someone with your looks would snag royalty. Obviously you’re smart.

Chicken’s here.