extra careful

friend administering the doctor's prescription to her baby in my arms late night...  as she squeezed the medicine dropper, the baby drooled...

me:  'did she spit out the medicine with that drool?'

mom:  'probably...  should i give her another drop?'

me:  'oh...  dunno...  maybe not...  she might overdose...  we don't have a doctor here...'

some risks you don't take...

guessing game

me:  'i have a big choc but it's melted...'

sister1:  'where did it come from?'

me:  'the states...'

sister1:  'who is it from?'

me:  'i refuse to answer by reason of insanity...'
(nyahaha...  crazy!)

sister1:  'i know it's from <toot1>...'

me:  'well, i'm telling you no...'

sister2:  'it's from <toot2>!'

me:  'i don't want to say yes or no anymore...  i'm not entertaining any guesses...'

it's actually not from <toot2>...  but if i say that they'd give a third name and so on and so forth...

you have to stop before you are found out...  ; p

you need me

i hitched someone...  now i have yet to change my seat covers so they're all just lumped together on the bare backseat of my car...  said my passenger who i asked to sit at the back because the front seat has my stuff, 'we do upholstery...'

ooops...  it's just like giving your sweetest yellow-teeth smile to a dentist...  : }

it's me

showed my sister our annual family christmas card i just finished making...

me, pointing to our sister's pic:  'is she ok there?'

sister:  'she's ok...  you're the one ugly...  change your pic...'

nyahaha...  toinks!!!

food-eater

sister calls me from downstairs...

me:  'yup!'

sister:  'try this...'

me:  'what's that?'

sister:  'chicken spread...'

me:  'i'm doing something...'

sister:  'just have a quick taste...  i'd like to know whether it's already ok...'

me:  'wait...'

i rush down and try a teaspoon...

me:  'hey, it's good!  just right...  i'll have another one...'

sister:  'ok...'

i get another teaspoon and have some more...

me:  'yum!  one more...'

sister:  'sure...'

i pull out a third teaspoon, get a heaping scoop and eat again...  i wash the three teaspoons...  while washing i go, 'one last...'

i get a fourth teaspoon and have another heaping scoop...

; )

no lose

wishbone...  sisters make a wish...

pull!

sister 1 got the longer part...

sister 2:  'aw...  it's you...'

sister 1:  'don't worry...  i wished that you'd get your wish...'

awww...  sweet...  :")

what carries more weight

at a party last night, someone i rarely see saw me and blurted out, 'you're so fat!'

huh?!

and he repeated it a couple more times as if i'm some bloated whale!

uhhh!!!  to think all along i've been trying to gain back some weight.  i've lost more than 20 lbs. ->  intentional only initially.  the last few pounds i just kept on shedding off even if i've stopped trying to slim down...  : O

actually, i've long realized that heaviness is subjective.  those who knew me from my, uhm, round and fleshy days see me now and think i'm too thin.  those who met me at my lighter weight see me and tell me i have gained / am gaining weight.  personally, i'd really like to gain back a few more pounds.  i don't like skinny.  i prefer voluptuous... va-va-voom!  ).(

anyway, no matter what others say, there's only one whose opinion matters to me at this point.  and so far, he's been saying i'm sexy, nyahaha!!!  (uhm, i don't really know whether what he says is consistent with what he really thinks inside, wahaha!!!)  honestly, i think i had a pretty good shape before but i somehow lost it when i lost all those pounds.  at least though, there's still someone who says things to make me feel good about myself be i 'thin' or 'fat.'  yup, it's not so much how you look  ->  it's how he sees you.  i guess i really am just fine...  yea!!!  \m/

come-as-you-are

me:  'i'm supposed to go to this come-as-you-are party...'

sister:  'come-as-you-are?  what time?'

me:  '7 p.m....'

sister:  'so you would be in your sleepwear...'

me:  'shorts and shirt...  no br_, hehe...  actually, i don't know what they mean by come-as-you-are...  my friend was borrowing pink wigs from me...  come-as-you-are, pink wig???'

i didn't know i was friends with lady gaga...  ; )

walker

mom:  'how far is the reception from the church?'

cousin:  'maybe from here to <place>...'

mom:  'is that walking distance?'

cousin:  'oh, it's too far to walk...'

me:  'ei, you're just like <my sister>...  she says that's far...  it's near to me...  i go there often...  i just walk...'

cousin:  'i see you!  and i'm thinking, 'why is she just walking?!''

haha...  distance is relative...

and, ta-daaannn...  i always say i don't exercise...  come to think of it, i walk  ->  distances others would think are far...  ei, i exercise after all...  goody-good!  yea!!!

go against the flow

we were at this restaurant last night and while going over the menu, nothing really caught my fancy.  when that's the case, i usually ask the waiter what items are their bestsellers.  so i did.

for the cakes, the waitress said it's their chocolate pistachio.

ok.  i'll have that.

for the shakes, it's their almond pistachio.

oh...  pistachio cake and pistachio shake  ->  pistachio overload...  what are the other choices?

she says these other two shakes are bestsellers as well.

hmmm...  not too keen on those...  oh, well, ok.  just go for the almond pistachio.

and then we ordered pizza  ->  quattro vertude.  not sure whether that was a bestseller, too.  but guess what, i really liked it.  the other two supposed bestsellers i ordered seemed rather ordinary to me...  : }

so much for the bandwagon...

confident

i'm taking pictures of my niece...  she smiles then right before the camera clicks, she skews her lips...

me:  'aw!  don't!'

she smiles...

me:  'pretty!!!'

again just before the camera clicks, she puffs up her nostrils...  : O

oh...  to be young and pretty!  \m/

it's official

at the customer care center, i present my warranty card to the assistant...

me:  'that's registered under my friend's name...  but actually he bought it for me...'

customer care assistant inspects the item then checks the computer.  she goes:  'i'll just register it under your name, ma'am...'

me:  'oh!  would that be ok?  it's already registered under my friend's name...'

customer care assistant:  'it's still registered under the dealer's name, ma'am...'

me:  'really?  the web registration was not reflected?  i registered it myself...  under my friend's name...'

customer:  'it's still the dealer's name here, ma'am...  i'll just put yours...'

me:  'won't there be any problems?  receipt's under my friend's name...  he's male, i'm female...'

customer care assistant:  'that's ok, ma'am...'

me:  'ei, good...  thanks...'

officially mine!  yea!!!  ; p

giveaway

dad arrives...

mom:  'you ate out?'

dad:  'i ate at french baker...  why?'

mom:  'you're not checking out the food...  usually upon arrival you go to the dining table...'

; )

pass ; )

my nephew comes in...

i'm wearing a man's shirt and i go, 'you want this?'

nephew:  'what's that?'

me:  'it's a guy's shirt...  if you like it i'll give it to you...'

he comes closer, checks it out then declines my offer.

my sister, wearing what definitely is a girl's top, goes,  'how 'bout this, you want it?'

nyahaha...  toinks!!!

simply me

sister offers me syrup for my pancake...

me:  'i don't put syrup on my pancakes...'

sister:  'you're so boring...  i don't eat pancake without syrup...  it's just not the same...'

well, i'm not a sauce-person...  i don't usually dip my food in sauces...  neither 'saucy' nor 'sosy'...

♩ ♪  i want it that way  ♫ ♬

; )

a tiger in the house

picking up my best friend's baby this morning...  my sister went, 'i hope she's wearing her tiger outfit...'

ooops...  hehe...

my best friend's house was (re-)blessed/dedicated yesterday and, amid the pastor's supposedly solemn prayers and sermon, i couldn't help but smile, break out in chuckles even, with the presence of this cute and chubby four-month-old baby making sounds in her tigress cub costume complete with tiger face hood, protruding ears and pointed tail...  of all days, of all times, that's when the baby's aunt decided to dress her in that outfit...  hahaha...  halloween hang-over hasn't worn off, eh...  ; )

next time

attended the first meetup of Women Entrepreneurs on the Web Philippines (WeOW)...  when the speaker from google announced she was already leaving to catch a plane, someone asked for a group picture...  the organizer handed her phone to venue staff who, after taking a couple of shots, asked whether there were any more cams...  someone brought out her phone and gave it to the staff who took another shot...  we had a handful of group shots from a total of two camera phones...  hmmm...  a roomful of ladies and not a single one brought a 'real' camera...  an article i read sometime back came to mind...  it said photo uploads from this smartphone have overtaken those from 'real' cameras in this photo sharing site...  hmmm...  hmmm...  hmmm...  not sure whether the case in our meetup is an extension of that...

i wanted to bring my DSLR actually but then i originally was supposed to proceed someplace else after the meetup so i didn't...  by the time it was decided my other meeting wasn't pushing through, 'twas too late to charge my batt...  : }

memories are in the heart, true...  but it sure is nice to have nice pics for remembrance and posterity as well...

next time i'll bring a cam, even just a point-and-shoot...  i have a feeling others will, too...  haha...  cycle of famine and plenty?  let it be famine, plenty, plenty, plenty...  : )

buy and sell

i love discounts and i'm a fan of group-buying sites.  imagine my surprise therefore when i received a call from this group-buying site i patronize wanting to offer my photobooth business as a deal on their site.  ooops...  first thing that came to mind was that i won't have control on who will buy and therefore won't be able to choose who i'll be transacting with and where the venue will be.  the caller assured me their market is A-B.  hmmm...

anyway, we exchanged e-mails and they called me some more but ending was i opted to decline.  i guess for now i'd prefer to be their customer rather than their supplier.  50% discounts are delightful when you're the buyer...  when you're the seller, however, it's a different story...  ; )

advertisers' delight

my sister was watching tv when i entered the room...  well, commercials!!!

first, instant noodles...

me:  'ei, i want noodles...  do you have downstairs?'

then, ice cream...

me:  'aw...  i want ice cream!'

sister:  'there's ice cream in the ref...'

me:  'i'm out of here...  i might end up eating everything they show on tv...'

: }

spoiler

my sister pours lechon sauce on her plate...

me:  'may i try?'
(i'm not much for sauces...)

sister:  'ok...'

me:  'hey...  it's good, huh!  may i have some more?'

sister:  'ok...'

she pours more on her plate, puts the cover on the bottle, then gets up to get ketchup...  meanwhile, i help myself to her sauce...

me:  'why are you having ketchup?'

sister:  'this is ok...'

me:  'why not the lechon sauce?'

sister:  'it's expired...'

me:  'huh?!  why didn't you tell me?!'

sister:  'i didn't know...  i noticed late...'

me:  'why didn't you stop me?!'

sister:  'you said it's good...  i didn't want to spoil your enjoyment...'

me:  'what?!  you should have told me!  when's the expiration?'

sister:  'september...'

waaahhh!!!  sometimes it's ok to cut short people's enjoyment, y'know!  ugh!

the old reliable

my mom had another of those get-together with her friends.  now the lock on her camera's battery compartment is broken (she uses tape to hold it in place) so i told her to bring a different cam.  well, she came home very disappointed saying the other cam wouldn't work and therefore they have no pictures...  : }

i tried the cam myself.  i took a pic of my mom.  it worked!

regardless.  she says next time she'll stick to her old cam.

i guess that means no new cams for her this christmas...  ; )

etiquette

sister slicing a mango:  'you want?'

me:  'thanks...  i don't eat mango...'

sister:  'i know...'

me:  'then why are you offering me?'

sister:  'basic courtesy!'

mom taught her well...  : )

moving forward

i was checking my phone bill and i realized just now that i haven't been collecting VAT from my best friend whose phones are under my subscription.  i just bill her usage charges and that's it.  uh-oh...  this has been going on for over a year now...  : }

oh, well...  charge to friendship...  there's so much more i'd do for this girl...  mwuah!!!  ♥♥♥

nevertheless, i'm already gonna collect VAT from her this month...  nyahaha...  toinks!!!  ; p

get better with age

i was telling a friend this certain baby is oh so cute and he so quickly shoots back, 'all babies are cute!'

hahaha...  so it's only when they grow up that the differences appear, huh!

well, my sister doesn't quite agree...  she says not all babies are cute...  come to think of it, i must say i've seen babies i've actually found ugly, among them my niece and my youngest sister, hahaha...  (ooops...  sorry, guys...)  good thing they both turned out well grown-up...  whew!

hmmm... better an ugly baby who grows up to be a beautiful lady than a pretty baby who grows up to be, uhm, rather ugly...

take note though, the real measure of beauty is what you have inside  ->  strive for a beautiful heart and a beautiful soul...

common cold

i return missed calls on my phone...

guy:  'why are you whispering?  where are you?'

me:  'i'm not whispering...  i have colds...'

guy, chuckling:  'maybe you had your back to the air-con...'

me:  'of course!  you lie face down during massage...'

guy:  'you also have it face up...'

me:  'ooops... yup...'

guy, in what seemed to me a naughty tone:  'so why do you have colds?'

me:  'huh?!  hey!  i've been good...  i'm being good...'

it's just colds...  they call it the common cold...  don't read too much into it...  ; p

could have been so beautiful

i dreamt about <toot>...  he was looking for me...  i hid...  he didn't find me...  we both were very sad...  </3

comeback to the comeback

my friend needed some stuff from the grocery...

me:  'i need to gas up...  let's bring my car...'

friend:  'no...  let's bring mine...'

what followed was a series of 'my car - no, mine' exchange...

i delivered what i thought would be a decisive statement:  'how am i gonna gas up if we bring yours?!'

well, it wasn't logical enough...  i was knocked down with, 'you gas up later...  let's bring mine now...'

: }

once bitten, twice shy

whoa!  i was having fun size milky ways and suddenly i choked...  nothing solid in my mouth, just a SMALL amount of melted, liquefied choc yet i was choking BIG time!  really major!!!  uuuuhhhhhhh!!!

so there i was coughing and turning red and all and silly, trivial, shallow me was thinking, 'who on earth is thinking of me at this time?!'

(hereabouts, they say if you choke, someone's thinking of you.  if you bite your tongue, someone's talking about you.)

well, when the crisis passed (hahaha...  it was faaarrr from your ordinary choke), as expected (<blush>), i posted the incident as a status update in facebook.  guess what, in my inbox, timestamp exactly 30 minutes before my post, was a totally unexpected message from someone, uhm, that i used to love (ugh!).  he's asking how i am and saying he thought of me.

aha!  so you are the culprit, huh!  forget it, guy.  i've said this many times, i'll say it again:  stay away from me!!!  go on with your life as if i don't exist.  you broke my heart.  i'm not gonna risk a repeat.

talk not cheap

i'm using a different phone right now and i don't have my complete contacts list.  i call my sister in one of her three numbers, the one where she texted me last.  so we were talking, talking, talking and suddenly she goes, 'wait, are you calling me on <network 1> or on <network 2>?'

me:  'dunno...  i just pressed 'Call sender' from your message...'

turns out i called the 'wrong' network  (she has a number from each network), not the same as mine where we could talk endlessly for free...  abruptly she cuts the conversation  ->  so i will not be charged for the call...

nyahaha...  stingy much...  ; )

a girl thing

on the phone with a friend for whom i'm supposed to bring some clothes...

she describes this blouse, it's georgette...  then this other blouse, it's cotton... then that legging, korean fabric...  i felt so ignorant, hahaha...  to me they're just clothes, i don't really know what you call the material...

well, what do you know, just a little later i was having this exchange:

me:  '...  this certain blouse with sequins...'

guy:  'what are sequins?'

me:  'the shiny ones...'

ei, i'm not that bad after all...  ; )

carry on

life has unexpected twists and turns and even sudden stops...  the temporal ends to give way to the eternal...  prayers for both the living and the dead...

not low-key

i just walk to church and all i bring with me is money for the offertory, normally bills.  well, this evening, i had change in my pocket from parking at the mall earlier and i thought i should give it during offertory as well.  guess what, as i was emptying my pocket for the collection basket, the coins fell and rolled on the floor!  yikes!!!  so much lower the value and yet they're the ones noisy...  : }

take a break

on the phone...

me:  'are we pushing through?'

friend:  'what do you think?'

me:  'you?  what do you want?'

friend:  'is it gonna inconvenience you?'

me:  'haha...  it does...  but it's only once a month so it's ok...  just don't make it weekly, that's another story...'

some things are tolerable because they're not frequent...

ponder and learn

different guys...  same story...

one says it did not happen...  drop it...  move on...

the other concedes it did happen...  forget it...  move on...

contrasting views...  same advice...

well, i definitely don't intend to dwell on it forever...  the thing is, i'd like some questions answered before i put it behind me...  sometimes you cannot just brush things aside...  you need to talk it out to get it out of your system...  you need some clarifications to prevent it from happening again...

segregation

a balikbayan cousin sees my phones...

cousin:  'you have two phones, huh!'

me:  'oh...  one's private, the other's very private...  hehe...'

they laugh...

me:  'just like one of my co-workers before...  he had so many phones...  when we asked him why, he said
- one's 'official'
- the other 'personal'
- the third 'very personal'...'

; )

confusing the teen

sister to our 15-year-old nephew:  'who's your girlfriend now?'

nephew:  'none...  i'll just have one in college...'

me:  'oh...  it's okay to have a girlfriend in high school...  'twill give you joy...'

sister:  'don't meddle with what he wants...'

mom:  'right...  anyway he has experienced how it is to have a girlfriend...'

: }

happy day : )

i was hoping he would
but was afraid he won't.
well, he did!

i'm sooo happy  : D

so early and my day is made  ♥♥

basic need

my niece's class going on a field trip...

me:  'you're staying overnight?'

niece:  'no, tita...  we'll be back the same day...'

i offer her a bag expressing reservation that it's kinda big for a day trip.  i tell her i have another one but it's even bigger.

she requests to see the bigger one and, ta-daaan, opts for it!

me:  'that's too big for a day trip!  you bringing a lot of clothes?!'

niece:  'i have a lot of food, tita...'

ooops...  ahahaha...

tea flan

my sister 'cooked' instant leche flan using this one-step leche flan mix...

sister 1:  'how is it?'

me:  'uhm...  there's something a bit off...  it does not quite taste like leche flan...'

sister 2:  'it doesn't taste good?'

me:  'it's okay but it doesn't taste like a real leche flan...'

sister 1:  'but the texture is like leche flan...'

me:  'yup...  it looks like leche flan alright but it doesn't really taste like leche flan...'

sister 1:  'how does it taste?'

me:  'hmmm...  it tastes like something else...  i can't really pinpoint what...  hmmm...  hmmm...  oh...  it tastes like tea!'

ooops...  'leche' is milk, right?  something must have been lost in translation...  ; )

one moment in time

on the phone...  i hear my caller's phone beeping...

me:  'you have a message...'

caller:  'you're more important...'

me:  'huuu...  don't humor me...'

caller:  '' am not humoring you...'

me:  'hello...  maybe before i would have believed you...  but not anymore...'

caller:  'all i meant is right now, at this very moment, you are more important...'

oh, ok...  as in, this very second only...  next minute not anymore...  ; p

special cooking

me:  'it's so expensive to eat steak outside...  that's so easy to cook...  i have a steak pan...  i used to buy steak at S&R...  you just heat the pan...  put the steak...  wait for the bubbles... depending on how you want it, rare, medium rare, well done, turn...  turn just once...  don't keep on turning...  and don't put too much seasoning on the meat...  me, i just put salt...  you retain the real taste of the steak...  you eat it and it tastes just like the expensive steaks in the restaurants...'

guy:  'then let's not go out anymore...  you just be the one to cook our steak...'

me:  'nyeh!  when i cook again i want it to be for someone special...  well, you're special but i want someone for whom i'm also special...  well, i suppose i'm also special to you but i want someone with whom i have something special...  haha, full of specials...  i haven't met the one i'll cook for again...  hmmm...  have i cooked for anyone after?  i've warmed some food for <toot> but that's just heating...'

guy:  'you've warmed food for me, too...'

me:  'yup...  but i just heated food that's already cooked...  that's not really cooking...  i don't wanna cook for anyone just yet...'

guy:  'ok...  i'll be the one to cook, just give me directions...'

me:  'i'm not a member of S&R anymore...  where do we buy our steak?'

guy:  'how much is the membership?'

me:  'we can actually buy elsewhere...  you cook, i'll eat, hehe...'

guy:  'ok...  let's cook at your place...'

me:  'i don't have a range anymore...  we can't cook there...'

guy:  'let's cook at your parents' place...'

me:  'nyeh!  no!  let's cook at your place...  i'll bring my pan...'

guy:  'there's nothing there...  let's cook at <best friend's> place...'

me:  'haha...  you'll have to buy a lot of steak if we cook there...  'twill be more expensive...'

ending:  we're dining at melo's...  ; )

incentive

my sister received P250 credits to spend on any deal from a group-buying site.

me:  'how come they sent you that?'

sister:  'because i buy from them...'

me:  'i buy from them, too...  how come they didn't send me?'

sister:  'maybe it's random...'

we check her account.  she hasn't bought anything from the site!

me:  'you haven't bought a single deal...  i've bought a lot!  why didn't they send me???'

sister:  'oh...  maybe they sent me so i'll buy from them...  you've bought a lot so they don't need to entice you...'

oh...  ok...  : }

more than i could chew

sister gets chocs from the ref...

sister:  'you want?'

me:  'yes...'

sister:  'just get...'

me:  'can you put some in my mouth?'

sister:  'put some in your mouth???'

me:  'yes, please...'

she then breaks off a BIG piece and puts it inside my mouth.

mouth full i had a hard time saying, 'why so big?!'

she wasn't able to hear anymore as she has gone out of the room.

serves me right...  : }

taken for granted

friend:  'where do we meet?'

me:  'at the corner near the gasoline station...  where i parked last time...'

friend:  'ah...  that's <toot> street, right?'

me:  'ooops...  i dunno the name of the street...  but it's the one where i waited for you last time...  i'll park there again...'

friend:  'yes...  that's <toot> street alright...'

me:  'haha...  good that you know...  i'm from here and i don't...'  : }

sometimes it takes a faraway person to bring to our attention the things around us...

enough

i get chocs from my sister's stash...

sister:  'you can have them all...'

me:  'i'll just get two...  i'll give one to mom...  if she takes it that means i should eat only one...'

i go downstairs and offer one to my mom...

well, she takes it...

ok...  ; )

too soon

october 15, 2012

me:  'if you receive a call saying you won an iPhone 5, that's real...  i registered you in the raffle...'

sister:  'thanks...  they'll call this week...'

me:  'haha... raffle's october 31 yet!'

; )

He loves me

i always go to the PEA (perpetual eucharistic adoration) after mass.  i've been doing this for as far back as i can remember.  then this afternoon, for the first time ever if i recall right, the PEA was locked!

i looked around...  i didn't see any notice...

i checked out the Oratory, the alternate venue they opened when the PEA was being renovated sometime back  ->  it was also locked.

i therefore just said my prayers behind the glass window where the other supposed PEA-goers were standing.

head bowed, eyes closed and praying, it suddenly crossed my mind, 'aww...  God literally closed His door on me... why, oh, why, oh, why?  yoyoy!'

i was a little down initially but the 'yoyoy' part gave me a lift, hehe...  it always comes to mind whenever i come across 'why, oh, why, oh, why'  ->  Y, O, Y, O, Y  ; )

then guess what, i open my eyes and, from the glass window, see people inside the PEA!  someone has unlocked the door!  whoa!  i was so surprised...  there were some chills down my spine...  i was sooo happy...  i was thinking God wouldn't let me have that thought, not even as a joke...

so comforting...  :")

missed it

saw someone on TV...

me:  'that guy courted me before...'

mom too busy reading and doesn't look up...

me:  'he's a <toot>...'

mom:  '<toot>?!'

mom looks at the TV...  too late...  the guy's not on-screen anymore...  ; p

you'll never know

me:  'moment of truth...  they'll find out who's most important to you depending on who you'll invite...'

reply:  'oh...  i won't invite any of them...  i'll just go out with them separately...'

hahaha...  playing safe, huh!

trade-offs

that was close!  but i made it  ->  by 10 minutes!!!  i'm so happy...  i'm so thankful...  yea!!!  : D

now i have to explain to a friend why i wasn't able to attend to what i was supposed to do for her...  i had to finish something...  i hope she'll understand...  i was calling her earlier but she wasn't picking up...  suspense...

i'll hide it

dad, looking at a torn and tattered shirt on the clothesline:  'whose shirt is that?'

me:  'mine...'

dad:  'throw that away!'

</3

hard sell

my mom had one of her regular get-togethers with friends.

as usual, upload the pics to facebook.

she asked me to tag one of the attendees.

ok.

she asked me to send the album to said friend as well.

me:  'mom, she's already tagged.  no need to send the album...'

mom:  'so she'll see the rest of the pics...'

me:  'she's your friend, she can see the rest of the pics...'

mom:  'just to be sure...'

ok, ok.

uhm...  would you like me to post the album to her timeline as well?  ; )

they must have an audience

mom, not at all amused at the antics of what the newscaster introduced as 'interesting' (uhm, they used to call them 'nuisance') electoral candidates:  'they're taking footage that's why...'

me:  'you're watching so they take footage...'

mom:  'if they don't take footage then i won't be seeing these people on TV...'

chicken and egg...  supply and demand...  whatever...

circular

supposed to order a photo cake...  store wants me to bring a picture...  i ask whether i could just send a jpg...  staff says no because they have to scan the hard copy...

i said if you scan it becomes a jpg (or tif or whatever)...  now i already have a jpg, i'll have to print, they'll scan and 'twill again become jpg...

not sure that makes sense...  hmmm...  unless the cake-making machine accepts only hard copy...  ???

sticking to what you love

my parents love max's...  not just because of the food...  the original restaurant was where their wedding reception was held close to half a century ago (awww!  a long and lasting love... ♥♥)

now we're supposed to dine out for my dad's special day...  as usual, max's came up...  someone suggested we go to a different restaurant for a change...  ok...  so last weekend, 'twas agreed that we'll go to this other chain...

well, this evening my mom said she checked out the other place and found it too noisy...  she says my dad won't like it...  guess what, it's gonna be max's again...  ; )

see it differently

at a party last night, i was taking a pic, as usual with the camera way above my head...

batchmate:  'you like to take pics with your arms high up...'

uhm...  i have nice armpits...  joke!!!  ; p

actually, i like to capture moments, not from the usual eye-level but  from a different perspective...  : )

spirit and flesh

we're a close-knit family and i grew up with regular get-togethers, usually in so-and-so's house or in this or that restaurant.  we've done out-of-towns, but they've entailed only land travel.  (well, my mom and my aunts have gone on U.S. trips together, but at most there were only six of them sisters.)

last week, however, sixteen (!) ladies in the family went out-of-town, this time, ta-daaan, flying to cebu...  : )

there was a seat-sale in july and a cousin sent out a facebook message asking whether we'd like to go bonding with a plane ride to boot.  before you know it, seventeen tickets have been bought, a hotel has been booked and transportation arrangements have been made.

destination was supposed to be just cebu but on our first day, an aunt said she'd like to go boating and go to a beach as well.  someone said bohol is just an hour away.  we could leave in the morning and go back in the afternoon.  phone calls were made, text messages were sent and before the day ended, we've already arranged for transportation in bohol.  (i love this family!!! ♥♥♥)

following morning, there was excitement plus unexpected suspense and anxiety as the availability of sixteen tickets to bohol hang in the balance.  the van IN bohol was confirmed, the ferry TO bohol was iffy...  : }

the heavens thankfully smiled on us, for the nth time : ), as my aunts and my cousin were able to get the remaining tickets on the ferry:  7 first class, 9 economy.  the last 16 tickets, imagine!  yey, bohol now part of the itinerary!!!  : D

surprise, surprise, however  ->  the ferry trip takes two hours not one.  uh-oh, so we're losing two hours?  hah!  no problem!  quick stops at chocolate hills and the tarsier sanctuary.  no more swimming, just lunch at the beach.  fun and enjoyable with adrenaline rush on the side...  ; )

last night, at another family get-together, an uncle was telling me:  'your cebu and bohol pictures are nice.  we were counting though and there's always someone missing.'

me:  'oh, we were supposed to be 17 but <a niece> wasn't able to make it so there were only 16...'

uncle:  'i meant the people in the pics were less than 16.  suddenly we realized that it's you who is not there.  of course, you were taking the pics...'

haha...  yup, as usual.  i've been the unofficial / self-assigned family photographer since second year high school.  that is a looong time...  ; p

when we were in cebu, a cousin offered to take my pics.  i said, 'thanks, it's ok...'

she said, 'but you don't have pictures!'

i said i have.  i'm taking the pics so i'm part of the pics.  you don't see me but i'm there  ->  in spirit...  (awoooo!!!  ; ))

she then chuckled saying that's not good enough for her.  she said if it's her, she'd be peeved already and if it's her camera, she'd stop taking pics and just put it in her bag.  no pic of hers?!  no pic of others as well!

oh!  nyahaha...  toinks!!!  ; p

pictures are forever

got the memory card with the barbara's and tap room pics...  ' turns out i 'lost'/dropped it in my cousin's car...  yup, memories are in the heart...  but it's better if they're in a memory card as well...  posting pics later...  i'm sooo happy...  i'm sooo thankful...  yea!!!  : D

just one

i revised something that i did to accommodate my mom's request...  i don't quite agree with what she wants...  i think what she wants included belongs someplace else not where she wants it...  i tried to convince her but she thinks it's a good idea...  okay, okay...  if it makes her happy, go!  it's just one copy anyway...  now if 'twill be in volume, that's a diffent story...

the memories are in the heart

we were supposed to go on a dinner cruise yesterday.  but then the weather wasn't quite cooperative so the service provider cancelled the cruise.  we ended up at barbara's in intramuros.  i thought it was gonna be ho-hum but it turned out to be really good, both the dinner and the cultural show (so lively!).  we proceeded to tap room at the manila hotel after.  just outside the tap room was a fashion show by francis libiran.  guests and participants swarmed to the tap room after the show.  unexpected people/celebrity-watching mode, hah!  'twas a really fun and enjoyable night...  : )

now, i didn't bring my camera.  i used my mom's initially but then she didn't charge her batts and when they ran out, my cousin lent me hers.  her cam, my mem card.  when we broke up, i returned her cam and put my mem card in my phone's pouch.  this morning when i woke up, my phone was there, the pouch was there, but, uhm...  ah...  uhm...  i couldn't find the memory card.  i've looked all over!  uh-oh...  : }

different standards

me:  'i didn't have the car washed anymore, i might be late...'

dad:  'you went to the car wash?'

me:  'aborted...  i might not make it in time...'

dad:  'why did you go to the car wash?'

me:  'to have the car washed...'

dad:  'it's clean...'

me:  'it's dirty...'

dad:  'it's not...  i saw it, it's clean...'

me:  'uhm...  it looks dirty to me...'

: }

saved

on the phone with my best friend...  ' tried to retain instructions to be relayed to her husband:  'tell him to dial <number>...  blah-blah-blah, blah-blah-blah, blah-blah-blah...'

me:  'ooops...  i should remember that...  wait, i'll call him now...  don't put your phone on silent...  i'll call you after...'

i call the husband...

me:  're the phone...'

best friend's husband:  'oh, it's already ok...  it was fixed earlier...'

oi, goodah!  : )

i didn't have to relay instructions some parts of which i think i've so quickly forgotten...  ; )

uninvited

my two sisters are not feeling well and are both on leave from the office.  big sister me wanted to show them some loving and caring by preparing something for them myself.

i ask a sister:  'what do you want to eat?'

sister 1:  'i've eaten...'

me:  'oh...  ok...'

i ask my other sister:  'you want soup?'

sister 2:  'no...'

me:  'champorado?'

sister 2:  'no...'

me:  'pancit?  long life...'

sister 2:  'no...'

me:  'why don't you want to eat???  you should be eating to build up resistance...'

sister 2:  'we've both just eaten...'

me:  'oh...  why didn't you call me?'

toinks!!!  ; p

i wanna learn

my sister bought this cute / mini- sewing machine from a group-buying site...

me:  'is the sewing machine you bought ok?'

sister:  'no...'

me:  'why not?'

sister:  'the thread clumps...  then when you pull, the stitches come off right away...'

me:  'maybe we just don't know how to sew...'

sister:  ''we'?  how come you're included?  just me...'

me:  'uhm...  i saw a seamstress, when she sews, there's tsuk-tsuk (motioning forward and backward)...  me, when i sew it's just forward right away...  i don't do back and forth...  so maybe there's a missing step...'

that's on my bucket list, actually...  to enroll in a sewing class...  : )

there's a reason

perfect timing!!!  \m/

my sister did not go to the office today because she has no voice and that is when her package from this group-buying site is delivered at the house.  she hasn't prepared any authorization letter for an alternate recipient!

yup, everything happens for a reason...  : )

let me

my sister saw my answering machine stored in a bag and asked why i don't just install it at our parents' place.  i told her i've at least thrice offered it to our mom and every single time she declined.

well, my sister went downstairs and asked our mom whether she'd like my answering machine.  what do you know, our mom said yes!  she knew it was the very same machine i've been offering her!

no to me, yes to my sis?!  aw!  : }

; p

gone without a trace

with a big smile my sister comes to me with this really BIG potato chip.  she goes:  'you like?'

me:  'i'd just like to take a picture...'

sister:  'picture again?!'

she then eats the chip herself...

: }

for each mouth, a different soup

canister of cookies on the table.  i open it, look at the contents then close it again.

my sister goes, 'that's good!'

me:  'oh?'

i reopen the canister and get one.  i take a bite and, uhm, i am not quite pleased...  : }

hmmm...  just because someone else likes it does not mean you will...

cold

after dinner...

sister:  'you want ice cream?'

dad:  'ok...'

sister:  'which one, choco almond vanilla passion or choco java chip embrace?'

dad:  'what?'

me:  'what do you want, passion or embrace?'

dad:  'give me the one with almond...'

ooops...  how romantic...  ; p

quits

phone call...

blah...  blah...  blah...

me:  'ei, your birthday's coming...'

caller:  'yours, too...'

me:  'yours first...'

caller:  'but you'll be having your birthday, too, right?'

me:  'uhm...  yup...  so you won't be treating me anymore?'

guy just chuckles...

aw...  i guess that means no more dinner this time...

: (

you will find it when you need it

there's this picture i've been looking for for two weeks now...  it's for something my mom has requested me to do for my dad...  i've gone over family albums...  even opened boxes i haven't touched in a loooong time...  in the process, i saw other pics i've forgotten we have...  some captured moments i still remember...  others showed times i could not at all recall happening...  : }

anyway, nearing my target date, i half-heartedly placed a similar but not quite as good shot as a contingency measure (hope for the best, prepare for the worst)...  all along, however, i kept on repeating to myself, 'you will find it when you need it...  you will find it when you need it...'

well, this afternoon i decided to go to my dad and ask whether he has this certain picture...  guess what, he said he was just looking at it and so very quickly pulled out a bunch of pics from this envelope...  among them was the pic i've been looking for!  that pic was taken more than fourteen years ago!!!  wow!  wow!!  wow!!!

yup, you will find it when you need it!  i am sooo happy!!!  i am sooo thankful!!!  yea!!!  : D

just because

my niece brought us cake.  i asked my mom what the occasion is.  she said as far as she knows there's none.

i call my sister-in-law's house.  it's her niece who answered the phone.  i ask whether it's someone's birthday.  the girl says there's no birthday.

ahahaha...  what is the matter with me?!  of course you can have cake for no reason at all!  \m/

yes, life is sweet and i am thankful...  : )

letting go

i gave away my plastic bottles to the ambulant scrap buyer.  i used to just throw them away.  then last time i sold.  this time, i decided to just give away.

anyway, together with the plastic bottles i gave the guy a plastic basin as well.  my dad went, 'why are you giving away that basin?'

me:  'it's chipped...'

i don't like chipped, cracked and nicked stuff.  i try to get rid of them right away.

torn and tattered shirts, however, i have a hard time discarding.  i keep them and wear them till they become, uhm, pathetically indecent.

some things are so easy to let go of...  others, you have to be left with no choice.

it's not complicated

my phones could not detect my SIM.  i brought it to the shop and the customer assistant said it might be time to replace the SIM already.

ok.

but first, she said, she'll see whether 'erase-erase' will work.

she disappeared and when she came back, she asked me to try the SIM.

i did and, goody-good, my phone could detect it already!  : D

i asked what she did.

she said she just did some erase-erase, as in, she just used a regular eraser on the contact point.  ahahaha...  i remember when i called my mom's cable company that's also what the tech support guy told me to do to the digibox card.  i 'erased' the contact point and cable broadcast resumed.

simple but effective, huh!  \m/

lose and gain

surprised that this body-hugging housedress of mine is suddenly too loose...   hmmm...  i had a fever for two days and spent practically the whole time sleeping, barely eating...  could it be it?  i wonder how much weight i lost in two days, if ever...   i wonder how long 'twill take to get it back...

kids and toys

i was about to enter the shower when my nephew and my granddaughter suddenly came knocking at my door...  i let them in and boom!  they suddenly wreaked havoc on my toys!!!   : O

they reached over for my dolls...  held and inspected my breakable tiny manor while i held my breath...  squealed at my lego chopper and race car...  squeaked my plastic nemo...

my nephew kept on pulling on my mega-swatch...
me:  no! no! no! no!  it might fall on you!

my granddaughter wanted to have the plush wristwatch hanging on my bathroom door, the dial the size of her face...
me:  aw, no...  i like that...

they went gaga over my 'foodstuff' (i don't have real food at my place but i have a lot of fake ones, either too big or too small)

they were biting my giant burger...  hugging my bananas...  and were so amused at my miniature cakes and fruits and drinks, etc.

my granddaughter kept on asking, can i eat this?  can i drink this?
me:  no, no, no...  they're not real...

oh, oh, oh...  i was on my toes making sure they don't swallow any of them!

i kept on telling them, i'm going to take a shower, i need to take a shower now...

finally they left...

suddenly i felt so tired, wahaha...

whew!  i'm going to rest first and shower in a while...  no more knocks, please...

inked

the stamp they put near my wrist at the entrance to the Gift Gate Big Sale last saturday still hasn't been totally removed...  i've showered...  i've washed and rubbed vigorously, several times, it still won't be erased...

not their ink, i suppose...  my best friend's, she was able to remove right away just by washing...

maybe my soap?  or my skin?  hmmm...  i could be good tattoo material, huh...  i've long wanted to have a ring tattoed on my finger actually...  i'm too scared of the process though...  : }

what do i know?!

friend tells me about this investment scheme he has been convinced to try...  then he goes:  'i want you to check out the site...  if you tell me it's not good i'm going to pull out my money...'

ooops...  financial adviser?!  : }

different tastes

so maaaannny pics of my dad...  the one i did not include (because i didn't like it) turns out to be among those he really likes...  uh-oh...  : }

what you don't like in others might precisely be what they like most about themselves...

two is dearer

ooops...  delivery charge for one photobook is P350...  for two, it's P820...  same time, same place, same item, different price...  doesn't make sense to me...

hmmm...  deliver separately, please...  ; p

human antenna

i enter the room, lie down in bed and my sister goes:  'whoa!  your energy's so strong!'

me:  'huh?'

sister:  'my (TV) channels suddenly became clearer...'

well, i attract good signals...  ; )

just when you don't want to be seen

got caught in what seemed like an endless line of sloooow moving vehicles...  turned back...  SOS for the motorcycle at my best friend's place...  so from driving in my car i switched to being passenger in a motorcycle  ->  in my dress (ugh!  i really should try to wear pants more often), sans helmet, guy at the helm...  what do you know, we make a turn and a niece sees me...  uh-oh...  : }

dunno how soon or whether it reaches my mom...  : O

mishmash

i don't know what it was i just ate...  it looked like cheese stick...   yup, it did taste like cheese stick...  but then it also tasted like chicken spread and also like tuna...  O.o

oh, well...  whatever it was, it was good...  \m/

not guilty

my mom's laundrywoman was wondering and feeling guilty about some stains on my shirt.

was she relieved when i told her those stains have been there for maybe 10 years already.

my fault, not hers...

\m/

getting through

i call and ask to be connected to the bakeshoppe...

operator:  'oh, ma'am...  line's busy...  it's being used...'

me:  'aw, ok...'

operator:  'wait, ma'am...'

then i overhear the guy tell someone, 'tell the bakeshoppe to put down the phone, there's a complaint...'

me:  'hey, i don't have a complaint!  i'll just call again later...'

operator couldn't hear me and eventually connects me to the bakeshoppe...

tactics...  : }

change mode

phone rings...

my mom so crankily cries out, 'waitttt!!!'

she then picks it up and so sweetly goes, 'hello...  good morning...'

ahahaha...  pro!

\m/

one vs. many

x factor philippines...  takeoff vs. mark mabasa...

sister:  'wow... they're both good...  who should go?'

me:  'if it's me, the soloist should go...  if he stays, it's just him who'd be happy...  if it's the group, there'd be five of them who'd be happy...'

sister:  'it doesn't work that way...'

true...

i'd do it for you

my sister hands me this piece of choc she couldn't finish...

me:  'thanks...  just give it to <our youngest sister>...'

sister:  'there are other chocs...  just eat this yourself...'

me:  'she might like it...'

sister:  'there's more in the ref, duh!'

me:  'ok...  ok...  i'll just be the one to go downstairs...'

i go down to where our youngest sister is and offer her the choc:  'you want lindt pistachio?'

youngest sister:  'no...'

me:  'you sure?'

youngest sister:  'yes...'

me:  'what makes you sure?'

youngest sister:  'i'm being good...  no chocs for me this time...'

me:  'oh...  ok...  i'll just eat it for you then...'

well...  well...  the things you do for sisters...  ; p

capture what you devour

i took a picture of some sardines and my sister went:  'you know sometimes you should just spare the food...  just eat it without taking a picture!!!'

ahahaha...  toinks!!!

my mom and my sisters, they're sometimes amused, oftentimes annoyed, whenever i take a pic of the food on our table...  well...

mom:  'why are you taking pictures of all these stuff?'

me:  'i want to have a remembrance of what goes into my body...'

: )

simple joys

my sister just arrived from a business trip and she gave me chocs plus hotel slippers.  she tells me she even asked her colleague for his pair telling him, whenever she brings me this and that i'm just okay.  but when it's hotel slippers she gives me i am sooo joyful.

ahahaha...  i am so shallow...  : }

changing partners

friend:  'you know who i like among the three?'

me:  'who?'

friend:  'the <toot>...'

me:  'duh!  he's taken!'

friend:  'you know what we have to do?  we have to find the girl someone else so you two could end up together...'

huh?!  wahaha...  baddd!!!  : O

foolish hearts

on the phone...

friend:  'hey, there's three of them now...'

me:  'i don't really know what's with august 1...  how come these guys suddenly re-appeared???'

friend:  'april fool's...'

huh?!  ahahaha...  toinks!!!

networks

i texted an aunt around noon yesterday.  well, her reply came in past midnight, 12 hours late...  : }

the other day it was my sister's reply that i received two hours late.

my aunt has globe; my sister has smart; i have sun.

i was just thinking, it took the globe 12 hours to reach the sun.  but if you're smart, it takes only two hours...  ; p

memorable

depositing money at the bank...

teller:  'you have bills now, ma'am...'

me:  'huh?!  i always have bills...  i deposited coins just once...'

i was at my best friend's place and coins were scattered inside her drawer so i told her i'd just change her coins to bills and that's what i deposited at the bank last time.  now i'm marked for it...  : }

3-in-1

heavy rains...  floods...  i received a call at 2 p.m. from someone i was earlier badgering to buy food and water provisions for the night...

me:  'have you eaten?'

caller:  'yes...'

me:  'have you bought your water?  you already bought dinner?'

caller:  'i've eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner...'

me:  'huh?!'

caller:  'i went out around 11:30...  i already ate enough to last me till dinner...'

what the...?!

oh, guys...  : }

aye and nay

ugh!  am i so hard to understand?  or are my objections being deliberately misinterpreted?  is this a tactic or what?  how come my nos are coming across / being interpreted as yeses?

present tense

on the phone with someone who was supposed to call me every hour on the hour yesterday...

friend:  'why didn't you bring your phone?'

me:  'i did...'

friend:  'you turned it off...'

me:  'no!'

friend:  'i couldn't contact you...'

me:  'there was no signal in the room...'

guy chuckles...

me:  'at the session hall!  there were so many of us...  i was there the whole day...  we finished around 7...'

i am a good girl, duh!

<cough, choke, smirk>  ; p

making time

guy texted me the other day asking to call yesterday...

i said ok...

then yesterday when he texted asking what time he could call i was in the shower...

i told him i'm rushing and i'd just text him...

he replied if i'm busy he'd just call monday...

ooops...

after my shower, when i was already in the car, i texted him it's already ok to call ...  i was driving so i just put my phone on speaker-mode...

when he found out i was driving he reminded me he said if i'm busy he'd just call monday...

i went, 'i don't want it that you're down and you notified me that you'd call then i'd move you to monday...'

i want to be there for you, guy...
PLUS, i hate cancelling people...  i put up with that for so long...  i'm not gonna inflict it on others...

why UP is not in the finals

on the phone yesterday...

me:  'congratulations...  you won...'

caller:  'what?'

me:  '76-70...  UAAP...'

ateneo vs. UP...  the guy is from ateneo; i'm from UP...  he texted me the other day when ateneo was up over UP by 4 in the 4th quarter...

caller:  'oh...'

me:  'i said i hope you win, right?  you were feeling down and i was thinking if you win you'd be happy...'

caller:  'well, happy...  but it's not the same as before...  before it was really...'

me:  'well, it's not ateneo - la salle...  but at least you won...  imagine if you're feeling down and then your team lost, all the more that you'd feel down...  you won so at least you were happy somehow...'

i want you to be happy, guy... ♥

and when you're blue, every single joy counts...  : )

as for my team losing, i just console myself with this Q&A...

     Q:  'how come UP is not in the (UAAP) finals?'

     A:  'because UP is smart so it's exempted from the finals...'

; p

not meant to be

my phone was low batt before i went to bed last night.  i thought of charging it but decided i'd just do it first thing in the morning.

what do you know, 1:05 a.m. and my phone rang.  i wasn't able to take the call because the battery went empty.

lessons:

1.  charge your phone before going to sleep

2.  don't call at 1:00 a.m.

choose one or the other or both...  ; p

falling

' there's some pain in my ring finger...  it's a little black and blue...  : }

i slipped yesterday, while walking on a rain-soaked road.  i was so thankful i was wearing shorts and not a dress.  i was so thankful i was able to get up not feeling any pain except for this numbness on my ring finger.  i was so thankful i did not at all suffer any scratches.  i was so thankful it happened behind a parked car.  i even found myself chuckling at how someone who just slipped could have so many things to be thankful for, hehe.

what i find really striking, however, is how something that seems to be a really bad fall could leave someone so unhurt.  my karate lessons came to mind.  i think they were teaching us how to fall then i just have forgotten.

well, yup, not all falls should hurt...  you can actually come out unscathed...  hmmm...

you can't see me

i have just crossed the street when a blind man asked me whether it's already ok to cross.  i said yes and told him i'll just accompany him to the other side.  i offered him my arm and as we were crossing he kept on squeezing it.  i was like, ooops, why can't he just hold on to it, why does he have to squeeze?  i looked at his face and it didn't seem like he was taking advantage or anything.  i told myself maybe i'm just too malicious, haha.

anyway, i was thinking usually it's you can look but you can't touch.  in this case, he can touch but he can't look...  ; )

be precise

on the phone...

me:  'go to your Photos...'

friend:  'ok...'

me:  'click the album...'

friend:  'ok...'

me:  'there's Edit Album on top, right?  click that...'

friend:  'ok...'

me:  'go to the picture you want to make a cover...  don't click the picture...'

friend:  'ok...'

me:  'now that's a rectangle, right?  hover on the upper right...'

friend:  'it's not a rectangle, it's a square...'

ooops...  hehe...  surgical precision in order...  ; )

cook not

sister 1: 'i'm cooking corn soup...'

sister 2: 'put carrots...'

sister 1: 'no carrots in corn soup, duh!'

sister 2: 'just to add color!'

me, in my head: 'whatever... i'd just be eating...'

; )

junk

awakened by a voice calling out, 'bakal, bote, plastic...' ( ->  steel, bottles, plastic...)

for some reason, i got up and brought an empty 5-liter mineral water container to my balcony and asked the man below, 'manong, do you buy this?'

he said yes, fifty centavos.

hahaha...  ok.  i told him i'm going to bring down some stuff.

i gathered my empty mineral water bottles and placed them inside this plastic pail that i love but broke when it fell from my sink...  : (

guess what, manong gave me five pesos!  oh!  i had mixed feelings receiving the money.  on one hand, i was so happy seemingly worthless junk like that could cost five pesos.  on the other, my heart sank a bit thinking this pail i love i bought for how many hundred pesos is not even worth five pesos now.  i wanted to tell manong he could have my stuff for free but i was afraid he'd feel insulted.  plus, i go by the saying, 'don't give a man fish, teach him how to fish.'

i kept the money and initially i thought of adding it to what i'm giving at church collection later.  then i told myself maybe i'd just give it as alms to the first beggar i'd meet.  then i turned selfish (yuck!) and thought i'd like to get something memorable for it.  hahaha...  something special for five pesos, i wonder what it could be...

anyway,

3 5-liter mineral water containers:  P1.50
4 small mineral water containers, 1 broken plastic dipper, 1 broken plastic pail:  P3.50
clearing my sink:  priceless

; )

off the hook

i wasn't sure whether i should turn right or go straight when suddenly the light turned red.  i had to stop in an awkward position.

a traffic enforcer walked over and asked for my license.  he said he was going to issue me a ticket for obstructing traffic.

i gave him my license then i started apologizing and begging and pleading over and over and over again.  the officer would not budge.  he said he has to issue me a ticket.  he showed me the licenses he has confiscated and told me it would be unfair if he let me off the hook.

apologize, apologize, apologize.  plead, plead, plead.  beg, beg, beg.  no avail.  the officer was firm.

aw!  so be it.  i just resigned myself to getting a ticket.

guess what, when i stopped pleading that's when the officer gave me back my license!  as in, he didn't issue me a ticket and just told me to be careful next time.

whoa!  what on earth was that?!


whatever, i am thankful...  whew!

the reason ♥

Q:  'why does he do that???'

A:  'because of you...'

awww...  :")

easier said than done

rupert sanders and kristen stewart have both issued public apologies.

not just about them in particular but generally speaking,

     you acknowledge wrongdoing.

     you're sorry for it.

     the next step is to make things right.

not smart

me:  '...  i only saw chicken...'

guy:  'that's not chicken, those are pigeons!'

ooops...  wahaha...  sorry, globe...  ; )

memory fail

raiding my sister's chocs...  (ooops...)

me to my niece:  'what do you want, M&M's, snickers, hershey's almond?'

niece:  'any, tita...'

me:  'you choose...'

niece:  'you be the one to choose, tita...'

me:  'ok...  pick...  you win, we eat the M&M's...  i win, it's snickers...  if we're the same, hershey's almond...'

niece:  'up to three, tita...'

me:  'just one...  if three, how do we get the same?'

niece:  'oh, ok...'

rock, paper, scissors:  niece, scissors...  me, rock...

niece:  'you win!'

me:  'yey!  hmmm... so what are we going to have?'

niece:  'your choice...'

me:  'yup, what was it?'

niece:  'i don't know...'

me:  'i can't remember...'

wahaha...  senile...  : }

i love this shirt!

i receive a call from my sister telling me to walk over to my parents' place...  i initially decline because of what i'm wearing...  she, however, prevailed...

i didn't change clothes anymore and, as expected, i enter the door and my mom frowns  ->  i'm wearing a torn shirt with a BIG hole on the shoulder, wahaha...

hear ye! ; p

on the phone...

<blah, blah, blah, blah, blah>

suddenly, the line gets choppy and the caller goes:  'you're chubby...  chubby...'

me:  'hahaha...  i'm skinny!'

we change positions to get a clear signal...

<blah, blah, blah, blah, blah>

after a while, caller again goes, 'you're chubby...  chubby...'

me:  'hahaha...  i am skinny!!!'

clear signal again...

<blah, blah, blah, blah, blah>

choppy again...

caller:  'you're chubby...  chubby...'

me:  'i told you i am skinny!!!'

caller:  'you're skinny?'

me:  'uhm...  actually i'm sexy...'

nyahahahaha...  toinks!!!

healthy options

had to cancel an al fresco lunch today because of the heavy rains...  oh, ferdie*...  i've been looking forward to that crispy pata!!!  : (

oh, well...  curling up in bed on a cold rainy day instead...  healthier alternative...  ; )

= = = = =

* tropical depression

yummy

my friend gave me guava soap and tomato soap...  if i use it i'll smell fruity (tutti frutti, hehe)...  and if i use both in one shower then maybe i'd be fruit salad-y...  ; )

wrong number

phone call...

caller:  'hello...  nognog please...'

me:  'ooops, sorry...  wrong number...'


lady calls again...

caller:  'hello...  is nognog there?'

me:  'aw, sorry...  please check your number...  there's no nognog here...'

caller:  'raymond's companion...'

me:  'sorry, there's no nognog and there's no raymond here...  wrong number...'

caller:  'this is the number we were given...'

me:  'hmmm...  maybe you pressed a wrong key...'


lady calls again...

me:  'sorry, we don't know any nognog...  wrong number...'

caller:  'this is the number we've been calling...'

me:  'kindly check...  there's no one by that name here...'

caller:  'how 'bout saysay?'

me:  'there's no saysay, no nognog, no raymond here...  sorry, wrong number...'

caller:  'where are you from?'

me:  'you, from where are you?'

caller:  'masbate...'

me:  'oh, this is manila...  if you keep on calling you'll be wasting money...  you're incurring long-distance charges...  check your num--'

lady didn't wait for me to finish my sentence...  she put down the phone and did not call again...  ; )

incomplete

mom going out...

me:  'don't forget your camera...'

mom:  'i have it...'

me:  'ok...  bye...  take care...'

a few minutes later i receive a text message from her telling me she forgot her batteries ...  : }

lesson:

next time make it, 'check your camera and your batteries...'  ; )

cat and mouse

friend: 'which is nicer, hello kitty or mickey mouse?'

me: 'up to you, what you want...'

friend: 'if it's you?'

me: 'well, if it's me, of course, i'd choose hello kitty over a mouse... i don't like mice...'

friend: 'haha... you're right... i'll go for hello kitty...'

\m/

a better day

woke up to this text message this morning... sharing... : )

There's a reason why WINDSHIELDS are bigger than REARVIEW MIRRORS.

It's because the view AHEAD is more important than the view BEHIND.

And as far as our roadtrip in life is concerned, the PROMISE of the future is always better than the PAIN of the past.

Have a stress-free and fruitful week. GOD bless you!

choices

on a jeepney going to the airport in tacloban yesterday...

me:  'manong, how much is the fare to the airport?'

driver:  '<inaudible> eight <inaudible>...'

me:  'ooops...  sorry, i didn't get it...  how much again, manong?'

driver:  '<inaudible> eight <inaudible>...'

me:  'aw, sorry...  what was that again?'

co-passenger:  'he said it could be eight, it could be twenty...'

me:  'oh...  when is it eight and when is it twenty?'

co-passenger:  'he's just kidding you...  it's just eight pesos...  but it could also be free, right, manong?'

ei...  that one i like...  ; )

note:  but i did pay, ok...  : )

changing course

woke up to this text message this morning...  sharing:

"nobody can go back and start a new beginning
but anyone can start today and make a new ending"

happy endings everyone...  or better yet, may the happiness never end...  : )

sanity-challenged

on the phone...

friend:  'when do we go, saturday or sunday?'

me:  'ooops...  is that this weekend already?'

friend:  'we'll still schedule...  what do you want, saturday or sunday?'

me:  'i prefer sunday, so 'twill be after mass...'

friend:  'so many people on sundays, family day...'

me:  'wahehe...  you were asking me and then you don't like my choice...'

friend:  'might be crowded on sundays...'

me:  'why did you still ask me?  turns out i don't have a choice...'

friend just chuckles...

me:  'ok...  make it a saturday then...'

friend:  'ok...  let's set it for <date>...'

me:  'ok...'

guess what, i check the calendar and find that said date falls on a friday...  oh, well, so much for sane conversations...  ; )

it's not me, it's him ; )

on the phone...

friend:  'what are the choices?'

me:  '1 Whole Crispy Pata + 15pcs Lumpiang Shanghai + Kilawin Puso ng Saging

or

Bulalo Soup + Sizzling Boneless Bangus + 3 pcs BBQ + Chicharon Bulaklak

or

Kare Kare + Inihaw na Pla-Pla + Crispy Sisig + Ensaladang Mangga'

friend:  'which do you want, crispy pata, kare kare...'

me, cutting her off:  'don't ask me, you choose...'

friend:  'oh...  i'm asking my husband...  he's beside me...'

ooops...  wahaha...  sorry, conceited...  ; p

dishwasher

friend:  'so you know how to wash dishes...'

me:  'of course!  it's the only housework i like, actually...'

friend:  'why?'

me:  'it involves water...  i don't like those that involve dust...  cleaning, vacuuming, i don't like those...'

friend:  'i'll give you a grade of 100...'

me:  'for?'

friend:  'for dishwashing...  you really wash so well...'

me:  'oh...  so you were observing me?'

friend:  'yes...  you really cleaned the glasses, as in all over...'

me:  'hahaha...  i wonder what grade my dad would get...  if you see a fork with food residue, you can be sure he was the one who washed it...'

peace, vats...  ; )  ♥♥♥

all-in

friend:  'you know anyone who wants to get married?'

me:  'me!'
ahahaha...  ; p

friend:  'we have a mass wedding, free...'

me:  'will you provide the groom?'

wahaha...  toinks!!!

limited access

i was telling a friend to tighten his facebook privacy settings.

he asks me to tighten them for him.

me:  'i've tightened those settings before...  why on earth did you loosen?'

friend:  'i did not...  it was you...'

me:  'huh?!  definitely not i...  if ever i'd modify i'll restrict but i won't loosen...  i've set them to 'Friends' only before...  then suddenly you changed to 'Friends of Friends,' public even...'

guy insists he wasn't the one who modified...

hmmm...  not i, not him...  i don't think it's facebook (my own account settings are intact)...  so there's a third person accessing that account?

uh-oh...  i might have to put you on my Restricted list, guy...  it's ok  ->  around 300 of my facebook 'friends' are in that list...  : }

secure those pics

my mom is using my laptop and i'm using hers...  mine was already downstairs when she wanted to go online so my niece, instead of getting hers upstairs, told her to just use mine...

uhm...  i feel kinda uneasy with the switch...  : }

don't click around too much, mom, ok...  ; p

better forgotten

niece:  'tita, how do you type ñ?'

me:  'ooops...  i never remember so i just google las piñas and get the ñ...'
(wahaha...  pathetic!)

niece googles the alt equivalent instead:  'it's alt 241, tita...'

uhm...  given my track record, i'm going to forget that again...

some things i just have difficulty retaining, like which is evap and which is condensed milk.  no matter how many times it is repeated to me, no matter what mnemonic i use, i keep on forgetting...  : }

hmmm...  if only it's the same with some people...  ; p

savor the moment

i call my mom...

me:  'blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...'

mom:  'blah, blah...  blah, blah...  blah, blah...'

me:  'blah, blah, blah...  blah, blah, blah...  blah, blah, blah...'

mom:  'blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...'

me:  'blah, blah, blah...  blah, blah, blah...'

mom:  'blah, blah...'

me:  'it's at the back...  just check...'

mom:  'i can't...  i'm not home...  we're out having a massage...'

me:  'oh...  you should have told me right away...  this can wait...'

uhm, some calls are not that urgent, mom...  cut them off...  ; )

pay it forward

a friend was telling me someone is inviting us out as a gesture of appreciation for something that i did.  awww...  sweet...  : )

i appreciate the thought but i meant it really when i said they don't have to repay me or anything...  as stated in my reply to their earlier message:

"doing good is its own reward... just pay it forward..."

spread the goodness, guys...  more blessings...  : )))

in more ways than one

awww...  one of my best friend's dogs is confined at a dog hospital...  :'(

we're praying it gets well soon...

confinement is P1,200 per day...  vet says minimum of 3 days...

what a dear pet...  ♥♥♥

uhm...  pun intended...  : }

shut up

awww...  katie holmes and tom cruise divorcing...  and it's CNN Breaking News, imagine...

Reuters, too, has reported that DSK and anne sinclair have separated  ->  after 20 years of marriage...  </3

whatever happened to forever, guys?  :'(

ooops...  look who's talking...  : }

do your share

me:  'now, we're trying to stop this, right? so...'

guy cuts me off with:  'you are trying to stop it...  i'm not even doing anything...'

ooops...  wahaha...  true...  : }

well, i need your cooperation, guy...  as in, i needed it yesterday!!!  \m/

let me

ooops...  after coordinating everyone's sched, now it's the venue that's not available...

hmmm...  they should have asked me to be the one to call...  i'm persistent...  uhm, persuasive...  i find ways (haha, BDO, is that you?  ; ))

most important, God has been showering me with preferential treatment lately i am just in awe...  and extremely grateful...

most recent examples:

last monday, i worked the phones and e-mail, and within 24 hours, an item was delivered for a friend when it should be within 3 to 7 working days.  what more, reservation was made just the day before, more than two weeks after the deadline!  to top it off, the customer who purchased and paid for the item was out of the country and the merchant for some reason (persistence, pleas, prayers) accommodated my requests on her behalf.

wednesday, there was some requirement that i forgot and yet my transaction was allowed...

today is friday, i am ripe for another blessing...  ; )

God willing, i can swing this, too...  : )))

ironies

what the....?!  i just told someone to banish thoughts of me and now i'm the one who wakes up, earlier than usual, with thoughts of him.  well, not really him per se but of this conversation we had on the phone yesterday:

me:  'i dunno...  i just feel that i'll always have food...  i'll always have shelter...  i'll always have clothes...'

guy:  'you don't need clothes...  you look better without them...'

ahahaha...  well...  ; )

disclaimer:  this guy hasn't seen me naked, ok...  just his imagination running wild...  ; p

i liked that

not sure it showed...  not sure it should...  not sure i should be...  but i was flattered...  :")

message to the universe

on the phone...  guy asks a question...

i reply:  '...  the last thing i would need is you because i'd be vulnerable and something might happen...'

guy goes:  'thanks for saying that...'

huh?!

ooops...  The Secret (rhonda byrne)...

me:  the last thing I would NEED is YOU because i'd be VULNERABLE and SOMETHING might HAPPEN

guy:  thanks for saying that...

aaarrrggghhhh!!!

i hereby order a TURN-AROUND!!!

memories

weird...  this memory fragment of someone on the piano singing 'i'll have to say i love you in a song' to me suddenly entered my mind...

♩ ♪  'cause every time i tried to tell you
the words just came out wrong
so i'll have to say i love you in a song  ♫ ♬

that happened (or so i believe) yearssss back...

and then soon after, i had doubts of whether he was playing the piano or the guitar that time...

and then after that i started wondering whether it really did happen or is just a false memory (it definitely wasn't a dream or a fantasy)...

hmmm...

'dear' not allowed ; p

guy:  have a nice day dear

me:  haha... have a good night, der... ; )
haha... i left out the 'a'... 'dear' won't cut it, lol!

guy:  yeah.. haha

me:  mistake or sign? whatever... toinks!!! ; p

yet to learn the hundreds ; p

me:  'how many?'

friend:  'around 20...'

me:  'ok...  i'll go there...'

guess what, actual number's 425...  uhm...  you're off by more than 400, friend...  : }

misdelivered

uh-oh...  i'm getting these Tracker mails from this certain call center...  as in, i'm receiving e-mails from their agents showing the following data on their  workday:

DATE    AGENT NAME    CONTACT TYPE    DISPOSITION #    SALE / NON SALE    DIVISION    LEVEL OF SERVICE    DISPO TOOL - SALES    SALES TRACKER

this is not the first time this happened...  years back i was being furnished mail exchanges discussing certain issues in this foreign company...

it could be some bug in the mailer...  the dot seems to cause confusion...  that dot in the e-mail address should spell the difference between a message going to person A and it going to person B...  for some reason, leaving out the dot causes delivery to my account ->  identical e-mail address except mine has a dot...

tech support / bug fix in order...

from the mouth of babes

on the road yesterday, 'take a bow' played in the van...  i couldn't recall right away so i asked, 'who's singing?'

my cousin answered, 'rihanna...'

my 4-year old nephew butted in, 'it's the radio!'

hehe...

stubborn

ahahaha...  this message made me chuckle:  'i know you're going to do it even if i tell you not to.'

uhm...  you know me well, guy...  i was just asking for your opinion, not your permission...  ; p

let me fall

text message asking how i am...

i reply i'm very good, adding in case i am persuaded to go out again, to please give me a call every 15 minutes...

guy says he'll just tag along...

huh?!  hahaha...

i tell him i don't need a third party...  i might even turn off my phone so he won't be able to call...

damsel not in distress...  ; p

early

i was out with former officemates last night...  around 11:30 p.m., i noticed a missed call from my mom's number and a text message from my sister asking where i was.

i call my sister to 'report' my whereabouts...  ; )

this morning i tell them my companions were chuckling that at my age my mom still checks on me.

my sister goes, 'in fairness, mom didn't ask me to text you...'

mom:  'i wasn't checking on you, huh!  i'm used to you coming home at unholy hours...'

me:  'hey...  that was when i was still at <former residence>, mom...  since i transferred here (just a few paces away from their place) i've been coming home early...'

early morning...  JOKE!!!  ; p

bluff

my apo (granddaughter), a couple of weeks shy of two, unexpectedly shows up at my balcony (with her nanny, of course)...

i invite her in, motioning to carry her...

she doesn't want to be held...

well, i tell her she's not entering my house unless in my arms...

she doesn't budge...

i tell her i have a watch taller than myself (i have a mega swatch)...

she gets interested...

i ask to carry her again...

she declines, walks away and says she's leaving...

i go, 'bye...'

she repeats, 'i'm leaving...'

i again say, 'bye...'

for the third time she says, 'i'm leaving...'

for the third time i say 'bye' and this time slowly close the door...

guess what, she turns around and walks toward me...

ahahaha...  two-year-old and you're bluffing me, huh!

i'm not gonna blink for you, baby...  ; p

mandatory, not optional

mom:  'would you like to go to <place>?'

me:  'ok...'

mom:  'it's on <day> at <time>...  we'll ride with <toot>...'

me:  'oh...  so i'm not driving?  i could just skip it then...'

mom:  'actually, 'twould be nice for you to be there, too...'

oh...  so that wasn't a question...  hehe...

ok, i'll join...

i remember my dad saying before, 'a suggestion is an order...'

; p

same taste

' saw meiji macadamia, one of my fave chocs, at the department store earlier...  ' wanted to buy but did not...  guess what, i open my mom's mini-ref and there's a box...  my sister was at the same department store and bought...  : D

thank God for sisters...  : )

maybe it's me ; p

i return missed calls...

me:  'why did you call?'

friend:  'i bought a web cam...'

me:  'oh...'

friend:  'i wanted to test it in skype...'

me:  'so you want me to log in in skype?'

friend:  'supposedly...  but then my connection's not working now...  because of the rains...'

wahehe...  maybe the network does not want to display my face...  ; p

a good boy for a bad girl

i have this confidant...  and i know he has my back...

he gives it to me from a guy's perspective...
no-holds-barred...
you-silly-girl-what-happened-to-your-brain jabs...
rein-in-your-heart-too-much-love-is-not-good comments (this one we've never agreed on)...

he is patient when i try to beat a topic to a pulp...
remarkably understanding of my quirks...
able to handle my wrath (uuuhhhh!!!)...
manages to get back to my good graces after a fight (well, he says i'm the only one who quarrels with him, hehe)

he has saved me a number of times...
came on a bit late in a couple...  : O

he suspects me of bad things when i'm being good (what the...?!  grrrr!!!  >: ( )
and sees the good in me when i'm being bad (awww!!!  :") )

he scoops me up from my falls...
comforts me through my tears...
elicits a smile...
laughs at me...
makes me laugh...
chides me and scolds me
and, for the first time today, threatened me, nyahaha!!!  (boy, did that knock some sense into my head!)

i am really thankful for having him around...  : )

i know i can't keep him forever...  but i know memories of everything he's done for me will help me weather other storms...

keep going

third morning in a row now that someone has been putting a smile in my heart...  they're supposed to come in three's, right?  would it be too much to ask that the streak not be broken?  i'd really be happy if this just goes on and on and on...  ♥♥

energizer bunny, is that you?  ; )

moments

phone call...

<talk, talk, talk>

suddenly i couldn't hear the caller...  i know the connection's still alive though because the phone icon's still on call...

i kept going, 'hello, hello...'

i couldn't hear a thing...

i disconnected the line...

guy calls again...

i hear him loud and clear...  i don't come across as well...

he moves then gets a good signal...

i ask, 'malinaw na?'
->  'clear now?'

guy replies, 'malinaw...  sobrang linaw...'
->  'clear...  really clear...'
literally, however, 'too clear'

i chuckle...

he asks why...

i say when it's sobrang linaw parang malabo na...
->  too clear would seem unclear already...

he chuckles as well...

usapang malabo, hehe...  ; p
->  senseless conversation