Sugar and Spice

Random Thoughts

2007-02-08T13:37:00.000+08:00

I have always been honest and transparent about what I feel, what I think and what I hope to have. Thing is, I don't divulge everything.
Everyone has their secrets. Some keep theirs well-hidden. Some just wait for the right time to reveal them.
This moment, I feel alone and lonely. Just me and my secrets.

From two to five

2006-12-11T12:23:00.000+08:00

I taught myself to believe that my alcohol tolerance is only up to 2 bottles of beer.
Oh boy. Last Saturday, I had five.
(Or was it just two and then I thought I had five?)

2006-11-11T13:42:00.001+08:00

test

2006-09-22T19:44:00.000+08:00

And I repeat, my greatest wish is just to have someone I can love more than myself.

2006-09-20T15:28:00.000+08:00

Love is just around the corner.

2006-09-04T13:21:00.000+08:00

I think I'm going nuts.
This is my third post for the day.
I wanna go home!!!

2006-09-04T12:26:00.000+08:00

I miss them.

2006-09-04T09:22:00.000+08:00

Things to do before I reach 25: (I'm 23 now)

1. Go to Singapore with friends. (I've already done Hong Kong with friends).
2. Travel to Bangkok with my sister and brother.
3. Get my own Sony digital camera.(Itis such a hassle to borrow our family camera whenever I go on holiday trips)
4. Shed 10 lbs. off my weight. (I'm 120 lbs now)
5. Fill a make-up kit with beauty enhancement paraphernalia. (I'm a sucker for Body Shop and Maybelline products)

Things to do before I reach 30:

1. Finish an MBA degree abroad.
2. Live in New York for at least a year.
3. Buy a branded watch, a signature bag and a fine piece of jewelry.
4. Breathe the air of Italy, France, Monaco, Spain and Greece.
5. Join the family business.

Things to do before I reach 35:

1. If still single and not engaged in any romantic relationship, I will adopt a child.
2. Get involved in a non-government organization for abused women.
---

As I communicate my career aspirations to my very young boss, she could not help but comment, "You are ambitious Echu, in a good way of course."

I don't mean to be ambitious of any sort. I just want to find myself in various life-changing events. Indulgence in worldly possessions probably compensates for the other things that cannot or may not land on my lap.

While I busy myself mapping out possible milestones for my future, a line from the movie, Simon Birch, contradicts the underlying principle of that habit. It says, "You cannot prepare for the moments that will change your life."

Needless to say, these moments probably include romance, tragedy and all the other events that either complete you or break you apart.

Not that I have experienced any of those to date, but with everything that happened to me since last year, the statement could not be anything but valid.

Let's just say, after college, I have decided to take the road less traveled. Up to this day, most people still deem this path I have chosen as unimaginable or to some extent, quite revolting.
I can say that what I do now has an outer shell that humbles me as both as a person and as a professional. Apparently, this is what is visible. However, I'd like to believe that my job, at its very core, bolsters my ego, compels me to meet the standards of the industry and makes me realize that no matter how competent you are, nobody is indispensable in any company.

Many saw limitations. I saw opportunities - to learn, to grow and to shine.

The best things in life are offered only to the cream of the crop. But maybe, just maybe, as long as I can identify opportunities and maximize all possible resources, I'll get by.
---
(This entry is inspired by a peer who asked so many questions with that "Huh? Bakit ka pumayag?" expression painted on her brown skull face. I mean maitim kasi siya na mukhang Bungo. Pag ako sumakay sa eroplano mo, pagsisilbihan mo din ako..
And to that old lesbian who uttered a similar comment, kahit kalian hindi ka magiging lalaki. Your girlfriend will still look for a real penis. )

ECHU: E for Evil. FYI.

Hong Kong Snapshot

2006-07-21T16:22:00.000+08:00

I'm not really a Coldplay fan but the Hong Kong concert was.. fun. (pun intended!)

Hong Kong Snapshot

2006-07-18T12:50:00.000+08:00

It's so frustrating how a photo can't seem to capture the euphoria and nostalgia brewing simultaneously at that particular moment.

Let's do this again next year! Singapore/Malaysia or Bangkok/Phuket?

2006-06-19T18:08:00.000+08:00

And so I just came back from what seems to be the longest and the most exhausting business review I've had in my career, if I may call it such at this point.
I don't know.. but my mind is throbbing and my feet are terribly aching.. I just want to hit the hay and sleep until this plethora of emotions dissolves...
I am frustrated, stupid, useless, inadequate, helpless, embarassed...
I feel defeated... and then exposed...
Please please, I don't want to wake up tomorrow still feeling like this.
No.. it's not about work. It's about something else... something that matters to me.

2006-06-17T16:18:00.000+08:00

PICS FROM THE BAUL:
iya shaly and i are meeting up with char in hongkong next month. i'm so excited to see them!

2006-06-17T12:43:00.000+08:00

I started doing some major overhaul last night. And up until the wee hours in the morning, I still couldn't make up my mind on which template to use.
Anyway, I finally settled with the one that has chocolate candies on the background. A little cut and paste on the html codes and voila! There goes my new look for the coming season (geez, arte). Thank heavens, the apostrophe is back.
I initially thought of replacing the candies with balloons to mark my up and coming 23rd birthday. But heck, when my birthday is over, I'd probably be too tamad by then to change the background. So choc candies nalang.
Or perhaps, part of me vehemently refuses to grow old, or at least feel old.
To quote the phrase commonly said by women nearing the Botox age, age is just a number.
While that is true, we cannot deny the fact that each additional candle that we blow year after year is a visual representation of the innocence that was lost. Perhaps,it was the first love that you wished would last but didn't, or realization of the one true love that was right under your nose all along. It could be the first heartache that you thought marked the end of the world, or perhaps, those candles were the little embers of hope reminding you that you're still alive and life goes on. It could be a celebration of the trimphs that bolstered your ego, or a painful reminder of the year when you first accepted defeat. For each time we turn a year older, things simply don't stay the same.
While some people feel that all is lost when they grow up, some people just want to have it all back.

2006-06-15T11:03:00.000+08:00

Iya wants to go to HK next month for Coldplay's concert. Geeez, I hope PAL can still accomodate us for the Swingaround promo! I wanna meet up with Char!

Thinking Out Loud.

2006-06-14T11:46:00.000+08:00

Id go with anbody whod ask me to stow away.
Anywhere, as in anywhere. Now, as in now.
Davao? Palawan?
No, I wanna save up for a long vacation! I'm a couple of weeks shy of my 23rd birthday, anyway.
Tell me where you wanna go, Im going with you.
Hongkong, Singapore, Thailand... Asian Cruise!
But the Meditarranean is the best. Monaco, Greece, Italy....
*sigh*

http://www.starcruises.com

His Effect On Me.

2006-06-05T13:01:00.000+08:00

He is back.
Last night, my thoughts of him had been garbled by a sudden realization.
My greatest wish is just to have someone I can love more than myself.
----
Seeing him unexpectedly feels like being pricked by a needle-- surprising with a brief twinge of pain. But why do I keep pricking myself with a needle? Because I feel better when I stop.
---
Shit.... I look like garbage today. I can go straight to the trash bin and nobody will even notice it.
---
I am probably wasting my time on you because you never spent any of yours on me.
---
I want to see you again.

On Beauty and Vanity

2006-05-27T13:20:00.000+08:00

Call me a sucker for vanity products, but since freshman year in college, my face has been a guinea pig for night creams, body oils, gel and matte foundations, lipsticks, glosses etcetera etcetera.
Recently, I have indulged myself in the newest Maybelline product, Dream Matte Foundation, which has truly lived up to its name. The Body Shops Vitamin E Moisture Cream on the other hand, preps up the skin for foundation application. These two, by far, are my salt and pepper on the dressing table.

On my wishlist are the following:
- The Body Shops Illuminating Cream with Kinetin, which claims to give skin that certain glow after application.
- Beauty Bars Big Lips Philosophy lipgloss for that just-been-stung pout.
- The Body Shops Vitamin C facial cream -something like that-. Vitamin C has been proven to restore skins suppleness as well as repair dead skin cells.
- The perfect eye gel or cream or whatever it takes to banish my raccoon eyes (eyebags and dark circles)

Speaking of vanity, I have just finished my Season 3 Nip/Tuck DVD marathon, where the unmasking of the real carver took place. For the benefit of those who do not even care to watch it over ETC at 10pm on Sundays, Nip/Tuck tells the individual struggles of two surgeons, a family man and a Casanova, their relationship with patients who face a far deeper problem than mere vanity, and their link to The Carver, who tries to destroy everything beautiful.

I suppose none of us can honestly say that we are perfectly satisfied with how we look. To some extent, our physical appearance has been the source of our insecurities and frustrations. While beauty is a passport to penetrate the most discriminating of social circles, it can likewise serve as an invitation to be envied and resented. With that, The Carvers mantra, Beauty is a curse on the world, probably holds more truth than given credit for.

-Tell me what you do not like about yourself- is the opening scene for each episode. Somehow we have reduced the meaning of beauty to removing what we do not like about ourselves. That, if we reverse our imperfections, we become perfect. If I will sound like a walking contradiction when I say that beauty really is about accepting ones imperfections and loving them, then so be it.

Beauty has always been a difficult concept to define for it varies from one culture to the other and one generation to the next. In that case, nobody will ever become beautiful in the eyes of everyone, no matter how many operations we’ve undergone and no matter how perfectly we fit into the mold.

Oftentimes too, beauty has been mistakenly related to fitting in because it is about wanting to be someone else-- someone better. Youre not gonna look like Angelina and youll never gonna sleep with Brad, says Dr. Christian Troy to his patient. And I could not have said it better myself. At some point, we will get tired of trying because being someone else will never happen.

Dont get me wrong. I have no intentions whatsoever to make my entry about beauty sound tragic because beauty in itself, it is the most valuable possession one can have. It is just in the process of convincing ourselves otherwise that we start destroying it.

2006-05-11T13:35:00.000+08:00

Shangri La Mactan (May 2006)

Dolce Far Niente

2006-05-11T13:16:00.001+08:00

I felt extremely exhausted by sunset yesterday. Mind you, it wasnt the Im-so-tired-but-I-dont-mind type of feeling. Rather, it felt more like Im-so-tired-I-wanna-cry.
At that time, I just wanted to go to place that will not remind me of work at all, somewhere far from my office and supermarkets (because apparently, my work has a lot to do with that).
My aimless wandering eventually led me to strolling through this cozy shopping arcade, much to my credit cards utter disbelief. Two days ago, I was just supposed to buy a facial wash in Ayala Center. God knows, and my credit card too knows, what else I brought home. My mother will probably hit me with a club once she finds out about my excessive spending and overindulgent lifestyle.
Anyhow, I realized that shopping can be a stress-reliever, especially when it points outward. By saying that, I didnt mean to make an allusion to a philosophical concept of any sort. Simply put: it just feels good buying things for other people more than buying things for my selfish consumption.
I found this nice bag that comes in two colors. I wanted to own both but I said to myself, what am I going to do with the other? I rang my sister and told her, Pili ka, anong gusto mo? Yung hindi mo piliin, yun yung akin
Her casual but cheerful thank you suddenly made me feel better. A lot better.
And that was all it took to ease away the accumulated tension both from work and my personal life. (Well, of course and a relaxing, deep cleansing facial too!)
--------------------
What is wrong with this template? Walang apostrophe!!!

Shifting Gears

2006-03-29T13:55:00.000+08:00

In an attempt to keep this blog alive while succumbing to a writing hiatus, I resorted to posting a barrage of pictures instead of scribbling something silly, as had been my habit months back.
Im still not in the mood to write but I feel like making a brief explanation to my sudden globetrotting.
You see, I have never been more lakwatsera, more impulsive, more capricious and more spontaneous than I am now. In two months, I have sojourned in several provinces within the region, Boracay, Mactan, Badian, Moalboal and Panglao. The rate, at which I shuttled and ferried from one place to the other, has remained close to the speed of the rat race that I inexorably, albeit inevitably, pursued. As I tolerated torture from work and savored pleasure from respites, my life has since become a string of tangled and treasured experiences.
Grabe, I have so many stories to tell. I just do not know exactly where to begin. To make my story telling more difficult in the future, theres going to be heaps of life-changing events in the months to come.
Ewan.

p.s
In connection to the title above, sheeeeeet!!! Nabangga ako kahapon!!!! Ha-ssle.

Ordinary Day

2006-02-01T22:15:00.000+08:00

Since I posted the Only You entry a few weeks back, my blog has been flocked by the koreanovela's avid viewers. Thanks to my Sitemeter that can detect referring URLs of visitors, I now enjoy the convenience of identifying friends who thought of me on a particular day and strangers who were Googlesearching for something and landed on my blogsite by mere chance.

Speaking of which, I must say, the most terrible feeling is to see oneself missing one very important chance. People who are gigil to be recognized in their profession will understand why it crushes my heart to watch my chance to shine quickly fade away. It’s as if a constellation of stars has formed and everything promised to fall into place just as how I hoped it would be. But all of a sudden, I see myself in the middle of nowhere, left behind by the stars and the promises attached to them.
*Sigh*

I’m off to Boracay tomorrow for Colgate’s annual sales convention. Four years ago, it was held in Sydney, the following year was in Shanghai, then in Bangkok, theeen in Singapore. Pag minamalas ka nga naman talaga.
*Boo*

But hey! I got my new company car today!
*Yay*

Take me away from here.

2006-01-03T12:25:00.000+08:00

I'm so pissed I wanna cry.
No, not cry.
I wanna leave this place, go somewhere else because I. Don't. Belong. Here.
For a moment, I suddenly felt something so irrational yet so strong. It is the unwelcomed thought that I'm starting to hate everyone-- even myself.
Help me, God. I can only do so much. Please turn things around.

2006-01-02T07:59:00.000+08:00

"Only You"

Just being me.

2006-01-02T07:48:00.000+08:00

Oh my.. There goes my ka-jologs-an again..

Since the koreanovela debuted in primetime TV about 3 weeks ago, I’ve been making conscientious effort to be home before 9pm. Due to my officemates’ varying supper schedule however, I couldn’t seem to maintain that viewing habit. Owe it to that and my impatience, I was determined to rake through the alleys of Manila for a copy of the series the moment I set foot on the tarmac Friday night.

Last Sunday, I was fortunate enough to spot a DVD set without having to search for it as I have planned. All in all, it cost me around P600 and took me 14 excruciating hours to finish the series-- all 9 discs of it.

This isn’t the first time I got hooked to a koreanovela. In fact, it was Lovers in Paris that sent my ka-jologs-an to its maximum limit. With the scenic view of Paris and the screenplay’s striking resemblance to Pretty Woman, it was hardly a surprise for me to end up loving the series.

Only You, on the other hand, was shot against the picturesque backdrop of Venice. However, its plot proved to be much more intriguing than its setting.

The story revolved around the lives of a schoolgirl, whose career in culinary arts depend on the secret recipe of a Korean lady from Italy, and a handsome young man in search for his mother, who abandoned him when he was only seven. And in the process of searching for their past and future, they find each other six years later, chased by memories of the night that they shared together in Venice.

In short, nag one night stand sila sa Venice (Jillian and TJ). Nabuntis yung girl na hindi alam nung guy. Six years later, nagkita sila sa Korea. Doon umikot yung story. Whew.

Although it failed to sustain until the end the excitement it kindled from the beginning, the series succeeded in revealing the different kinds of human love as demonstrated by the main characters. Well, I’m not saying that the story warrants a philosophical analysis or something to that effect. Whichever way I look at it, it will always be a teleserye that contains elements and nuances essential to a successful mushy-slash-feel-good koreanovela – a poor, albeit charming, girl crossing paths with the typical Korean prince charming whose character is as polished as a diamond, and sometimes, just as tough. Yada yada yada. You know the rest.

Wait nga, what am I saying? Tsss… Nagkukuwento lang naman ako ng koreanovela na napanood ko... Pero cute yung guy ha!

No matter how shallow and how baduy the plot or the screenplay seem, there’s no denying that there are scenes tender enough and lines compelling enough to tug at my heartstrings.

I really have to quote ABSCBN’s translation of Jonathan’s (Jillian’s martir and masugid na manliligaw) sharp response to Jillian: " Nahihiya kang tulungan kita pero nagawa mong saktan ako..."

Sorry, I couldn’t help it. =D

2005-12-22T09:39:00.000+08:00

Presents from my officemates. (Woohoo! I got the "decent pen I wanted" from my boss!)

2005-12-15T14:38:00.000+08:00

We're having our Christmas party on Sunday in Moalboal. I'm so excited about the trip!

Will I see Santa this Christmas?

2005-12-14T13:45:00.000+08:00

Since Christmas is fast approaching and everyone seems to be making a wish list, I decided to join the bandwagon by coming up with my own. The following items are taken out from the list of things that I’m planning to get for myself next year.

1.) An attempt to organize my ever erratic schedule may end up futile but I won’t mind having a CUTE 2006 PLANNER on my bag for the whole year.
2.) Don’t you think that it’s about time for me to get a NEW WALLET? The one that I have has been with me since 2001. Also, I think I need to own a “DECENT” PEN. What I’m currently using is a freebie from a hotel during the Colgate Cooling Crystals launch in September. Jologs.
3.) Of course, my 6250(?) Nokia phone needs to retire in 2006. Naghihingalo na. I’m torn between a CHEAP NOKIA PHONE and a “NOT SO CHEAP” ONE.
4.) These past weeks, I’m crazy about MAKE-UP. On an ordinary day, I apply liquid foundation, cheek tint, mascara and a light lipstick. New shades will probably give me several “new looks” for the new year.
5.) While window shopping, I fell in love with a PAIR OF CHRISTIAN DIOR SHADES.
6.) As soon as I stepped out of college, I told myself that I’m off to see the world. In as much as I want to fly to Europe immediately, I’m afraid my budget cannot allow me to do exactly that. For the coming year, I shall settle on the following destinations:
Plantation Bay, Mactan, Cebu (Jan 2006)
Hong Kong Disneyland, sidetrip to Macau, China (Feb or September 2006)
Bantayan Island, Cebu (March 2006)
Boracay Island, Aklan (April 2006)
Siargao, Surigao del Norte (TBA)
Bangkok, Thailand (TBA)
Singapore (TBA)
I just want SOMEDODY WHO CAN GO WITH ME.

Hmmm...

2005-12-09T12:30:00.000+08:00

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg -THE PAOMNNEHAL PWEOR OF THE HMUAN MNID.Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer inwaht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are. The olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm.Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, butthe wrod as a wlohe.

No Holds Barred

2005-12-04T15:26:00.000+08:00

Since my only officemate left here in Cebu took an early dinner last night, I was again forced to eat alone on a windy and chilly Saturday night. It was half past eight and Café Georg was unusually empty. Given that there was practically nobody to be seen, I requested for a table located at the patio. As if the ample serving of their piquant Santa Fe sandwich didn’t suffice, I satisfied my craving, moments later, with a bite of a decadent chocolate cake served in the neighboring bakeshop, Postrio. Ensconced on the sofa, two questions hovered in my mind. The first and the easier one was “How many more months am I going to spend here?” The second and the more upsetting, if I may call it such, was “How many more months am I going to spend alone?”
With the second question, I am leading this monologue to a topic that I deliberately avoided to bring up since I started posting entries eight months ago. Except for short side comments about love and my being single, I made no mention of any statement pertaining to my attitude and feelings toward my current status.
Putting logic and maturity aside, allow me to speak my mind as it is.
Contrary to the present trend, being in a romantic relationship is a need that’s meant to be fulfilled, not a privilege exclusive only to a certain few. I was taught to believe that it’s human nature to long for a partner who can fill in a certain void inherent in us. And in the past months of living alone, I’ve become increasingly aware of that void inside me.
With a perspective molded by part envy and part self-pity, I cannot help but ask myself why I was led to live a life that I don’t deserve. Shallow as it may seem, when I pass by couples cuddling and holding hands, the girl immediately fall under my scrutiny. And then I ask God, didn’t I make an effort to look better than her or to be smarter than her such that when someone comes my way, maybe, just maybe, he’ll glance at me. I cannot boast of beauty nor brains, but modesty aside, I think what I possess isn’t ghastly enough to scare men away or embarrassing enough to cause them shame.
While the superficial is part of the criteria, personality comprises the biggest portion of the pie. Whether my personality is desirable or not is a different question altogether. But now I begin to realize, that’s what I’m probably lacking—character.
*** monologue is over*****

Honestly, this entry was inspired by one factor. I like someone but we’re worlds apart.

Case of a Misspelled Name

2005-09-04T20:48:00.000+08:00

EleOnor pwede pa. But Ailinor???

Blogging at the Office on a Sunday

2005-09-04T20:35:00.000+08:00

Saturday 4:00 p.m.
I never thought deciding on which electric fan brand to buy could be just as tough as assembling its parts. Upon learning from my landlady that SM would be having its midnight sale this weekend, I grabbed my umbrella and braved the rain just so I could purchase a much needed electric fan at a bargain price. Much to my dismay, the discount amounted to a trifling P47 off the regular price. “Tssss…”

Saturday 8:00 p.m.
Last Friday, my officemates flew back to Manila to spend the weekend with their respective families, leaving me all by myself here in Cebu.
After two hours of contemplating whether to have dinner or not, I finally yielded to my hunger pangs. Armed with my ever reliable umbrella, I rushed to my favorite restaurant, Café Georg and requested to be seated at the corner.
While waiting for my steak and cheese sandwich, I decided to ring Deda to say hi and that I thought of her. The 12 minute phone conversation made me realize that I’ve been calling some of my friends at random these past few days. “Sigh…”

Saturday 10:00 p.m.
Since I refused to go home after dinner, I told myself a cup of coffee and a cookie wouldn't ruin my diet. High fat diet that is. What was I thinking? The coffee shop is right beside Formo, one of Cebu’s party places. Seeing these young people all dressed up, I found myself wishing that one of these days my friends would be here too. “Ahem!”

Sunday 9:00 p.m.
Muadto dire sa Cebu. Naay beaches and party places. (Pumunta kayo dito sa Cebu. May beaches and party places) Hahaha trying hard to speak Cebuano!
Roundtrip PAL ticket costs about P4000. Your weekend accommodation is on me.
Since Iya will be here this month, I’m trying to inveigle Deda into coming over in Cebu with her. I have the same motive for creating this blog entry. Punta kayo dito!! FYI, I’ve already planned a weekend itinerary for you guys. “Wink! Wink!”

Happy Birthday to me...

2005-07-26T11:54:00.000+08:00

L-R: Wes and girlfriend, Lyn. Paul and girlfriend, Elaine.

Nightcap

2005-07-26T11:32:00.000+08:00

(The Wineshop)L-R: Boss Jess, Irwin, Wesley, Paul, Echu, Nick, Boss Raul and Boss Joel

Four Men and a Lady

2005-07-25T22:19:00.000+08:00

(Cowrie Cove) L-R: Papa Bear(Toots), Kuya Paul, Nicky Boy, Tito Wes

Rite of Passage

2005-07-25T08:47:00.000+08:00

I never thought I’d lose my composure to the beat of the 80’s music in the company of four older, but not necessarily old, men. We arrived at Cowrie Cove, Shangri-La Mactan’s bar by the beach, just in time for the happy hour which starts at 5pm. With no plans to get wasted that night, I ordered for a non-alcoholic beverage instead of the usual San Mig Light that I’ve been having for the past 3 nights. Since the buy one take one policy applies to all drinks, I happily indulged myself in my second glass of Shirley Temple right after I finished the first.
However, there was this bartender by the name of Michelle, who concocted an extra glass of cocktail, called Love on the Beach, by mistake. Since I was seated an arm’s reach from her, she nonchalantly gave it to me for free. And as the music went to a full crescendo, my cocktail was followed by two shots of gin pomelo, a shot of vodka jello, a shot of an unknown substance, a bottle of beer and another I didn’t finish. Since I went beyond my maximum alcohol tolerance, my face was on a puddle of puke a couple of hours later.
You see, it has never been my habit to get drunk. And up until this moment I’m still wondering why I made last night an exception.
It was a usual night out for my companions but a whole new experience for me. Cowrie Cove isn’t the kind of place that houses a crowd of my age. But on the second thought, why am I complaining about it when I haven’t really been with anyone my age since I got here? Likewise, if not for my officemates’ girlfriends who flew in last weekend, I would have set the record for not talking to a girl for two weeks in a row. Since I got here, my life has never been the same.
Change is something that I’ve been looking forward to since my junior year in college. And it is precisely my willingness to go through it that brought me here in Cebu.
In a drinking session two nights ago, I heard my officemate say, a drunken man’s words are a sober man’s thoughts. As I write down my thoughts today, let me repeat the line I told my friend last night. I’m having the time of my life.

One Time Big Time

2005-07-19T12:04:00.000+08:00

JULY 15
On the eve of my 22nd birthday, I felt I was home.
Due to my very little knowledge of Cebu City, I, along with my two friends who flew in from Manila, opted for Big Mao located at the 2nd level of Ayala Center. For the first time since I arrived here, I was able to eat comfortably while savoring the flavor of the food.
After finally recognizing the waiters’ subtle hints of closing down the store, we went down to Hap Japs where a round of cold beer set the mood for a more intellectual discussion. However, it seemed that circumstances didn’t allow a serious discussion to progress.
Before long, I received a phone call from my friend whose kwentos always stir up a loud hearty laugh from me. It was so hilarious, I had to pause and then laugh again. That phone call set the mood of my first away-from-home birthday celebration, or so I thought.

JULY 16
The following morning, I was scheduled to drop off my dirty clothes in the nearby SpeedyLaundry before heading back to Ayala Mall to do some payday shopping. My officemate, who I fondly call Papa Bear, offered to lend me his car for the weekend. What was supposed to be a convenient travel turned out to be the most frustrating driving experience in my life.
Driving a car and reading a map at the same time can make anyone go crazy and feel lost all the more. At one point, I felt I didn’t know where I was and where I was going. And believe me, that was hell. I felt that way the first time I drove alone, only that the feeling was worse this time. In Manila, I can drive with my eyes closed and still manage to get to my destination. Well, of course with some glitches here and there but that’s beside the point. Here in Cebu, I felt that I couldn’t drive at all.
I went back to my hotel room and tears just started falling down… out of sadness, out of frustration… It was a plethora of emotions, most of which I could not identify. And even if I could, heck, I’d still feel the same way.

JULY 17
Today was a light day, of course relative to yesterday. My officemates, their girlfriends and I went out for a sumptuous lunch buffet at the Great Majestic Hotel across Ayala Center. Since yesterday was my birthday, the check was on me.
After everything that happened, I decided to get back into the swing of things although I know it takes a considerable amount of effort to do it.
I want to befriend my colleagues and at the same time, still stay professional. I want to familiarize myself with my new area while keeping in mind that part and parcel of my job is to do exactly that. I’m here to work but wouldn’t it be nicer if I enjoy it too?

Cebu.

2005-07-02T08:59:00.001+08:00

The coming week shall be marked by a series of despedidas for me disguised in intimate dinners with relatives and simple get-togethers with friends. This is just my way of leaving home —low-key and no fuss.
To those who I haven’t come into contact with during the past week, I am scheduled to leave for Cebu next Monday, July 11 , five days before my 22nd birthday. Fortunately or unfortunately (that I have to find out), the nature of my job requires me to stay there for about a year.
The moment my bosses told me about that, my mind simply went blank as I have no idea how long a year would be like for someone who has never stayed longer than a week in the province.
Perhaps for consolation, my officemates kept reminding me that Cebu is the counterpart of Manila in the Visayas. With its own international airport, it wouldn’t be surprising if two of the country’s posh resorts, Shangri-La Mactan and Plantation Bay, are nestled in the area. As a metropolis, Cebu boasts of shopping malls that rival the likes of Glorietta and ahem... SM.
With this alone, homesickness wouldn’t be part of my vocabulary, Cebuano vocabulary that is. With work and recreation available, I don’t expect to find myself twiddling my thumb.
So there. I’m all by myself now. And as I move out of my comfort zone, I become more vulnerable to the hazards of reality as well as to haphazard relationships. Making new friends is always good, just pray I won’t kill time missing the old ones.
Although the thought of meeting new people appeals to me, I must admit that I’m going to Cebu half-heartedly. Who would want to live so far away from home? More importantly, who would want to live alone?
Apparently, I cannot share a pad with any of the people that I’ll be working with. To quote my boss, I am the only "thorn among the roses". Well, it's a daddy joke hehe. Apart from being the only girl, I am also the youngest in the team. I can be a pain in the ass sometimes. Sorry nalang sila!

tadaaa!

2005-06-20T13:30:00.000+08:00

I am officially under Colgate-Palmolive's payroll.

move away!

2005-06-11T14:58:00.000+08:00

If you think you’re the reason why I’m in a really bad mood today, do not read the text below because you’re in for some bashing. This is my territory and I can say whatever I want to say.

I know of some, pardon the crass language, assholes and bitches in this world and I have always told myself that I don’t have to deal with them.
Unfortunately, I came across two assholes yesterday. The only difference between the two is that one is bigger and a lot darker than the other.

You have acquired expertise but obviously, not the finesse that usually comes with it. Your manner of speaking and choice of words are way below the standards for a man of your stature. I may be incompetent but you’re still an asshole, asshole.

2005-06-07T18:19:00.000+08:00

i miss college. (kostka hall,2003)

Tish-tashi

2005-06-03T18:03:00.000+08:00

Except for the permissible prolonged hugs and mushy I'll-miss-you’s, there wasn’t any melodramatic scene at all—at least none that I noticed or none that happened between the two of us.

This was how I described to my non-benchmate friend the farewell scene at the airport as I said my final goodbye to a friend who was leaving for the United States for good. At that time, the thought of not seeing her for 5 years wasn't sinking in yet. Besides, it was difficult to picture future bench events without the girl who never missed any of it in the past.

It would be wrong to assume that my emotions were contained. To put it bluntly, I was devoid of it during the final farewell moment. I felt nothing until I saw her walking away…

Right there and then, I felt like making a scene reminiscent of soppy teleseryes on television. I wanted to run towards her and tell her once again that I’ll miss her. I told myself, this time i wouldn't omit the word terribly. But on the second thought, I knew it would be my other friends who will run in different directions if I do exactly that. So I just uttered those words in my mind hoping that she'll read my blog one of these days.

Also, that’s when it finally dawned on me that my parting message for her failed to do justice to our fond memories together. To name a few, these were the conversations under the Batibot Tree during our freshman year, where she would tell me what she knew about men and about life in general and the jeepney adventure going to our house after watching Jeepers Creepers.

I wonder what bench parties would be like without her shrill voice and her loud burps (hehehe)
And much as I would like to phrase it differently, a cliché still captures the perfect description of the kind of loss that we felt. Bench get-togethers, or the bench for that matter, wouldn’t be the same without Tish around.

2005-06-02T17:22:00.000+08:00

the green girls during the despedida party for tish. picture muna, katams pa ako magsulat eh. (standing l-r: moi and lani. seated l-r: ina and iya)

2005-05-28T18:35:00.000+08:00

(l-r) edel, moi, krizelle and jamie

Chasing Time

2005-05-28T18:24:00.000+08:00

The lull between graduation and employment proved to be the perfect time to explore new environments while retracing the route leading back to the seemingly forgotten ones.
As a self-confessed computer illiterate, blogging is just one of the many areas I can explore in cyberspace. And in the process of dolling up my blog, I have slightly familiarized myself with internet terms that used to shock the hell out of me.
Yesterday, I also found the time to finally meet up with friends who I haven’t seen for the longest time. Back in high school, I have pledged my allegiance to a small barkada consisting of four individuals whose contrasting personalities all the more highlighted each one’s idiosyncrasies.
In a quiet corner of the restaurant, all four of us lounged comfortably as we took turns updating each other with the events that transpired over the last two years. Some were hilarious while some were scandalous. For the most part however, we talked about the same topics we used to discuss over recess and over lunch. But if there is one thing that changed overtime, it would have to be our reactions to these topics.
A lot of names had been brought up, names of ex-boyfriends and ex-boylets in particular. These people, whose behaviors we used to analyze, were the ones we poked fun at during the discussion. I never realized how something can be so hilarious and so humiliating at the same time. We laughed at how stupid we were for liking them while feeling embarrassed because after so many years, we still remember them.
So there we were, at the far end of the restaurant, bringing up memories from the past much to our hearts’ delight. And as we reached the conclusion of our unfussy reunion, I realized that after so many things that happened through the years, nothing much has changed.
- Jamie’s lower lip still trembles when she lies.
- Much like her other trips to the ladies’ room, Krizelle still flirts with boys even when her kidneys are about to burst.
- Edel’s still the same girl who keeps her relationships low-profile.
And no matter how many times I tell myself that we’ll always be different from one another, I can never explain how I can actually see myself whenever I look at them.

2005-05-21T14:31:00.000+08:00

* think happy thoughts*

2005-05-21T14:25:00.000+08:00

* think happy thoughts *

2005-05-21T14:22:00.000+08:00

* think happy thoughts*

Growing Pains

2005-05-21T11:02:00.000+08:00

The other night, I experienced the second heartbreak in my life. It took me ample time to decide whether to write about it or just let it pass. After all, the last thing we want to happen after being defeated is to get exposed. While that is true, the best thing to do in this situation is still to let all emotions out just like what I'll do today.
I just experienced the first blow in my career, if I may call it a career at this point. I heard from a friend that someone got accepted for the position I was vying for in a particular company. Before I learned about it, I already knew that I didn't make it to the short list. In fact, with all honesty, I didn't really expect that I'd make it there. So, what's the fuss all about? The breaking news extinguished my last embers of hope.
I have always believed that the line, "it's not meant for me", can only come from someone who has accepted defeat. And as I found myself uttering those words, I felt something has struck me like a sword through my heart.
For a topic as shallow as this, some might say my emotions are too profound or to others, simply blown out proportion. I guess it's too early to rationalize everything at this point, no matter how many times people say that logic is the best anesthetic. Whichever way I look at it, everything's still the same. I cannot deny the fact that it hurt me like you wouldn't believe.
Very few people know me for my persistence. But let me tell you that my persistence is often misplaced. And in this case, I stubbornly pursued something I probably did not have the right to even want.
The last thing I want to see is to find myself in places where I shouldn't be. That has been my mantra since I realized that each one of us has a fitting place in this world. But in the process of becoming too ambitious, I probably dug my own grave.
If yesterday you told me that life goes on, I'd retort, "yes, but where to?"
Yesterday, I still showed up for the two interviews, one scheduled in morning and the other late in the afternoon. But as I walked along the streets of Makati, I was a picture of a girl roaming around the city wearing her heart on her sleeve. I was in low spirits and I couldn't hide it.
Although what I said didn't cover even half of how I feel, I actually feel better now. I realized that disappointments are factors naturally attached to ambition. And I guess, hope actually springs from disappointments because they constantly remind us that the best is yet to come.

2005-05-17T11:49:00.000+08:00

that's my cousin's 3-month old daughter, Althea.

Who's going to the province?

2005-05-12T09:52:00.000+08:00

The domestic situation is getting worse everyday. This morning, I ate on a paper plate. Somebody help me!

"Good" Morning!

2005-05-09T10:18:00.000+08:00

Our maid hasn't returned from the province. I felt her absence when I saw the laundry basket overflowing with clothes. Worse, there were plates, spoons and forks on the table but no food!

Tadaaa!!! I had Soupysnax for breakfast.

And since I'm jobless, I might do my own laundry this morning.

"As Long As We Both Shall Live"

2005-05-08T10:49:00.000+08:00

In stark contrast to the simple wedding that I attended last month, last night's Golden Wedding anniversary was as lavish as lavish could get.
The couple happened to be the maternal grandparents of my cousins. Although nearly unrelated, their maternal and paternal sides of the family, of which I am included, have always maintained pleasant relations. In fact, during my grandparents' golden wedding in 1997, the couple was present during the event. Perhaps, such friendly relations can be owed to the fact that both families hail from the same town in Laguna.
Speaking of the humble town of Cavinti, nearly half of the 400 invited guests have shuttled from Cavinti all the way to Makati. Apart from relatives, the group included the town mayor and his vice mayor no less.
I have never seen Sanctuario de San Antonio get filled up the way I have seen it last night. Although most guests were senior citizens, their quiet elegance worked in perfect harmony with the solemnity of the mass. (As far as I can remember, that was the first wedding I attended in which no toddler threw tantrums or wailed for that matter) However, it seemed that it was also their age that took them a long time to arrive at the grand ballroom of the New World Hotel.
Everything went on as smoothly as it had been planned, from the registration to the mingling of guests to the video presentation.
The 15-minute video presentation narrated the couple's story that dates way back when their romance started in the 1930s, when they were both 10 years old. I felt like watching a romantic movie at that time. Theirs was the proverbial story of a young couple who witnessed the atrocities of the war. From the words of the narrator, it was during the war that they chased their dreams. And after it, they found themselves chasing their dreams together.
The couple had a chance to thank their guests for celebrating with them their "golden year of wedded bliss". I must say, at their age, they are still very eloquent. During his speech, the groom, who constantly referred to his wife as his roommate, was a portrait of a man relishing the companionship of his wife. He was quoted saying that when he woke up that morning, he found himself humming a tune. And when his wife awakened, they held hands. (Well, the way he said it elicited a guffaw from the guests because at their age, it was all that they could do after all)
All in all, the atmosphere provoked a pang of nostalgia. Words such as romance, dreams, journey and half a century had all been uttered in the hopes of describing the great love that they have shared and nurtured for 50 long years. Likewise, I felt that it was also during those moments that the word forever had been appropriately used.
In all honesty, I went home feeling "in-love" and wishing that, sooner or later, I'd also have my share of the great love that I think I so deserve. *lol*

Eavesdropping Echu

2005-05-07T11:15:00.000+08:00

As I waited for my turn to be served at a nearby McDonald's, I overheard this from a buffoon behind me who was chattering nonstop: Ang third eye ba ng bulag, bulag din? " *lol*

Since I'm in the mood for joking, here are some I received through an email a few months back.

Si ngo ngo at si misis
Dumating si Ngongo sa bahay nila at tinakpan nya ang mata ng Misis nya..
"Nges hu?" he said.
Wife: "Gag*!" "Nges hu nges hu" ka pa dyan !! eh ikaw lang ngo ngo dito!!

An alcoholic son's letter to his Dad
Beer dad,
Gin na 'ko mag-iinom whisky kelan man.
Tanduayan mo yan.
Your son,
Miguel.

Camel and elephant
A camel and an elephant met. The elephant asked the camel "Why do u have your breasts on your back?" The camel, clearly irritated, replies "What a silly question from someone who has a dick on his face."

The Farmer
SPEAKER: who among you had an experience having sex with a ghost? ( a farmer raised his hand )
SPEAKER: really!? how does it feel to have sex with a ghost?
FARMER: ay puta, akala ko GOATS!...

Wala Kayo sa Lolo ko
Boy1: Lahi namin ang mahabang buhay, lolo ko namatay 88 years old na.
Boy2: Ako Lolo ko namatay 98 years old.
Boy3: Ala yan! Lolo ko sa sobrang tanda PINATAY na lang namin.

*hahaha*

2005-05-04T22:25:00.000+08:00

The perfect pairs of leather shoes for men. By the way, they're Kenneth Cole.

Random Thoughts

2005-05-04T17:14:00.000+08:00

-- since chatting with nep two nights ago, i still feel drained and exhausted.

-- hr personnels can be bitchy at times. Tsss... feeling.

-- it's depressing to walk alone, more so, eat alone. i had a modest lunch yesterday at SoupKitchen... got the usual clam chowder and brown bread combo for myself.

by the way, there are lots of eye candies at Paseo Center during lunchtime. although i normally give a second look to yuppies clad in long sleeves and impeccable tie, the ones in linen barongs usually become the targets of my surreptitious glances... suave was all i could say to myself. it gives an illusion of broader shoulders and a perfectly worked out chest. plus, they look more like a young ceo to me than a typical yuppie. (fyi: linen barong is otherwise known as the gusot mayaman barong. )

haha but of course, i want someone who can look just as good in a gutay gutay pambahay as in a barong. contrary to the impression i might have created on you in this blog, the superficial never really mattered to me.

okay, so going back to the superficial....

-- when i see men in business attire, their shoes immediately fall under my scrutiny. The perfect pair of men's leather shoes for me has to be polished of course. jet black. slightly squarish. (and no chunky soles please)

2005-04-30T12:07:00.000+08:00

Enough of European aristocracy. I present to you The Honourable Lords and Ladies of Kostka in their full regalia (?).

(pagbigyan nyo na...)

2005-04-30T11:46:00.000+08:00

HM Eleanor Chu with HRH Tisha Del Rosario (in black, daughter of HRH Prince David of Loyola and wife of HM Czar Nikolai of Russia) and HRH Lani Lao, who renounced her rights to the throne of Kostka by marrying our footman-valet-butler, Julio Gonzales (HM Eleanor's college nemesis).

2005-04-30T11:38:00.000+08:00

my bench barkada (that's me sporting a pink bolero)

Pfff...

2005-04-29T12:07:00.000+08:00

My horoscope yesterday:

The moon is something something blah blah blah. That's the reason why you will be attracted to someone today.

Honestly, I discovered someone yesterday-- a DLSU alumnus, 2 years my senior, of chinese ancestry and very attractive.

But nah, the chance of getting closer to him is very slim if not nil.

So there goes my love life in a nutshell. Dull. Dormant. One-way. Hopeless. Pathetic.

But don't think that I'm giving in to some form of self-pity. I was merely stating a fact.

You see, when the same things happen to you over and over again, you'll eventually get used to it.

I was taught to believe that I'm still young and I'll be meeting a lot more people in the future.

The hell I care. That's what I told myself when I entered college. But look at me now.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining about my being single. I just feel that my life is starting to plateau again.

I want to experience drastic changes in my life now... like living somewhere else, meeting new faces. Basta, I want to start with a clean slate.

Haay, ang bigat.

The Divisoria Experience

2005-04-24T10:35:00.000+08:00

I, along with a friend, made a pilgrimage to Divisoria, the shopping mecca of Filipinos who want to get a good bargain on everything. Name it, Divisoria has it, from casual clothing to wedding gowns to sidetable lamps to sex toys. (what? yes, sex toys. if you're interested, don't ask me. Go to Divisoria instead.)

Getting there was pretty fast and convenient. All it took was a 15-minute LRT trip from Katipunan station to Recto station, followed by another 15-minute jeepney ride from Recto to Divisoria.

My friend and I initially planned on shopping for clothes but when we got there, we ended up hoarding miscellaneous items from a general merchandise store called ORIGNAMURA. (How creative can the owner get huh? and there's another store called MURADITO) True to its name, the store sells its items at bargain-basement prices. Since glassware costs about P10 per piece, i could just imagine how low prices can get for plates and other kitchen utensils. My friend and I bought cute picture frames and some fashion accessories as pasalubong for our sisters.

After burning calories from a 2-hour stroll, we immediately took our lunch at Pizza Hut, where we had a sumptuous meal of pizza, pasta, salad and chicken wings. I must say that my recent visits to Pizza Hut outlets have all been worthwhile. The staff were so friendly and maasikaso and there's more food choices on their menu. But what I particularly like about Pizza Hut is the cozy ambiance of its newly renovated outlets. On our way out, my friend and I decided to ring the bell, an indication that "we had a great time at Pizza Hut".

After recharging our batteries, we resumed our exploration of Tutuban Mall. Hair Straightening irons and Curling irons (which I bought) are sold for P100 a piece and pirated DVDs are pegged at P80 per disc (my friend bought 2 discs so she's the criminal not me hehe)

Among all the things that I purchased, the most precious, albeit least expensive, would probably be the Rose Quartz crystal bracelet that I bought for P50. In a nutshell, Rose Quartz is believed to bring in good luck to the owner's life. I won't specify which aspect though. To those who know me, you probably know which aspect of my life needs some luck, good luck that is.

I've been to Divisoria a number of times last year. The reason why I keep coming back is because a part of it intrigues me. The place has everything I don't see on a regular basis-- urchins wiping shoes of jeepney passengers, people in scruffy clothing selling whatever you can think of on a kariton, two men along the sidewalks engaging in a fistfight.

Inside the jeepney on our way back to Recto, I realized how well i had been sheltered from a lot of things that happen beyond the walls of my house and beyond the gates of Ateneo.

I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. In fact, I have some relatives from one side of my family who can be classified as the type of individuals who frequent places such as Divisoria. I just grew up not realizing how real movies depict stories of poverty in Manila.

Melodramatic as it may sound, I feel strongly about the people I saw and the kind of life they live. It is during these times that I suddenly come up with opinions about the government, its system and the officials themselves.

I believe that everything boils down to the rampant corruption in the government. Laborers are paying a huge percentage of their wages for tax, leaving them with a take home pay barely enough to get them by. Then what, we see the private sector investing in government projects such as the MRT and LRT and then charging ordinary Filipinos a fee for a government service that they have already paid for through their taxes.

I am not known to have so many opinions about issues that confront Philippine society.

So, these are just my two cents worth.

2005-04-20T19:26:00.000+08:00

Children of Princess Caroline of Monaco (L-R: Andrea, Charlotte and Pierre) at the funeral service for their grandfather, Prince Rainier.

2005-04-20T19:10:00.000+08:00

Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark with his wife, Mary... she's pretty but at 33, kinda old. lol.

2005-04-20T19:04:00.000+08:00

The Dreamboat

Midnight Meandering

2005-04-20T02:41:00.000+08:00

These past few nights, I find it difficult to fall asleep as quickly and as easily as I used to.
After hours of tossing and turning on my bed, I decided to make myself a midnight snack, in the hopes of getting that lazy feeling similar to an after-lunch siesta.
With so much idle time in the morning and at night, I could not help but look back on the bygone college days and think about what lies ahead for me in the future.
Since it has been my habit to think too much, I often berate myself for not taking the necessary actions that justify my frequent musings about my life and what I want to do with it. While that behavior constitutes my gravest sins, it is still thoughtless action that remains unforgivable for me.
Perhaps, what keep me awake at night are memories of frustrations and defeats, the consequent fear of its possible recurrence and the longing of starting anew.
I’m afraid it is during my sleepless nights that I realize how boring my life has been, not to mention it is just as bland as the sandwich I ate tonight.
Among all the attributes that I lack, it is probably courage that I have tried to grasp but to no avail. Much to my dismay, my grip has always offered it a clever escape.
Allow me to share two courageous, albeit trifling, acts that I have done in the recent years.
In the summer of 2003, I jumped off a cliff in Tali, Batangas. The following year, I leisurely walked along the coast of Boracay in a bikini.
The kind of courage that I mustered in Boracay can be aptly described only in local parlance—lakas ng loob and kapal ng mukha. =)
While these examples seem too shallow, I can share another one that demonstrated real courage or lack thereof. Taht wsa wehn I fzzzzzzzz………

(echu is in REM sleep)
To be continued…

Trivia Anyone?

2005-04-18T17:25:00.000+08:00

Did you know that...

it's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open?
it's impossible to lick your elbow?
women's hearts beat faster than men's?

for some reason, i like learning trivial stuff. They don't make me smarter but they definitely come in handy when i want to strike up a conversation. But don't get me wrong, they're not pick up lines of any sort.

Another trivia: I won the "pinakamalupit na pick up line" award in one of the block gd's during orsem. =)

Wedding Blues

2005-04-17T18:23:00.000+08:00

my 32 year-old cousin got married yesterday in a solemn, low-key wedding ceremony. A couple of minutes before that, I went to see her inside the bridal car to greet her and tease her mercilessly about the wedding that was long overdue.
When the car window was smoothly sliding down, my heart skipped a beat. An inexplicable feeling suddenly struck me as I caught sight of a face made delicate by the sheer wedding veil.

Right there and then, I felt that my eyes were brimming with tears.
I had known her all my life as a strong-willed, career-driven woman but at that moment, she was a portrait of a bride whose aura radiated gentleness, serenity and all the other tender emotions that, up until today, I cannot identify.
Now that i think about it more, wedding scenes from movies and television flashed in my memory one after the other. All this time, i thought the tears and the emotions during weddings are exaggerations. But apparently, i was wrong. They are real as they are undeniably powerful.
Fast forward to the reception...
The newlyweds decided to adopt an unorthodox way of doing the traditional bouquet and garter tossing. All eligible females were asked to pick and pull out one white rose from a bouquet and the girl who gets the rose with the longest stem, for lack of better term, wins. To cut the chase, I won. But in the truest sense of the word, I didn't.
I was being blindfolded while all bachelors formed a queue. I was told to evaluate each guy on the basis of their scent and in the end choose one guy who i think smelled the best.
I ended up picking a guy at random because i couldn't possibly smell them as the cloth covered almost my entire face! So I chose guy number 4 because i felt like saying the word four.

Voila! For the second time on that day, i was on the verge of tears.
My instict tells me to run away but my logic tells me otherwise.
I don't want to expound on that anymore because just the thought of him makes me cringe. But if you insist that i describe him, i can only say one thing. Mukha siyang mabait.
Yeah i know ang sama ko... I'm not looking for a drop-dead-gorgeous hunk... but who said that I wanted the extreme opposite?
Si Lord talaga, nagpapatawa=)

2005-04-11T15:52:00.000+08:00

Prince Charles and Lady Diana at the balcony of Buckingham Palace on their wedding day(1981)

2005-04-11T15:51:00.000+08:00

Fuerst Rainier of Monaco and American actress Grace Kelly on their wedding day (1956)

2005-04-11T15:50:00.000+08:00

William and Harry

Ivory Tower

2005-04-11T15:03:00.000+08:00

As I was leafing through the pages of the morning paper yesterday, I chanced upon an article with a title that reads: Two Funerals and a Wedding. I liked how the writer played with the words because it reminded me of the Hugh Grant's movie, Four Weddings and a Funeral. Anyway...

While a part of Europe mourned over the demise of Pope John Paul II and Prince Rainier of Monaco, a part of it celebrated the marriage of Prince Charles to Camilla Parker-Bowles, finally ending their 27-year “clandestine” affair.
Since Princess Diana’s death 8 years ago, my fascination for European Royals has shown no signs of burning out. In fact, in this blog, I know I’ll be talking about their lives more than I’ll talk about mine.

A lot of people assume that those who admire royalty build for themselves an ivory tower that offers an escape from the painful truths of reality.
While there are a number of royalty fanatics who fail to distinguish the fine line that separates fairytale from reality, there are still some, myself included, who understand that there is in fact, no line—because fairytales don’t exist at all.
Royalty news making it in the healines is a hullabaloo over mundane events of life. But for some reason, their stories have always tugged at my heartstrings.

I could never forget the tears that welled up in Prince Rainier’s eyes when his beloved wife was being laid to rest; the poignant scene where two young princes, William and Harry, were seen walking behind their mother’s funeral cortege; and Prince Charles’ simple but meaningful gesture of putting back his wedding band on when Princess Diana died.