brain farts

So after this very stressful week at work, I'm now posting an entry that I think will be a pretty long one. You can stop reading it anytime along the way. Doesn't matter. Brain farts--that's what I'm doing right now...farting thoughts.

Anyway, I got home about an hour ago from the wake of Tita Susan, a good friend of my mom and the sister of Tito Dodjie--one of the members of Patatag (the singing group of my mom when she was in college in the 80s...they were composed of student activists who sang their hearts out singing about justice, nationalism, etc). I met Tita Susan last year while rehearsing for the reunion/fund-raising concert of Patatag for Tita Nonyx, another member who really needed help for her to be able to continue her dialysis treatment. Tita Susan's really nice. She's quite funny, and very smart too. I actually found out last year that she sang Babae Ka! I remembered singing that song in my junior year in high school. I think it was for an interlevel competition for the Linggo ng Wika. I couldn't believe that I was actually talking to the woman who sang that very powerful song. I loved the fact that she wasn't just the singer. Tita Susan embodied the song perfectly. She represented and still represents womanhood.

I cried yesterday when I found out Tita Susan passed away. She was already struggling with cancer, and I guess it really was time for her to go. It was a very painful thing to go through for her, so it's right that she's finally resting. It's been only three months since my grandfather died, and I feel like it's too soon for someone (who I know personally) to die. I haven't recovered from my lolo's passing, and I have yet to grieve. The grief is slowly creeping in on all of us here at home. My grandmother has been lethargic, and my mom actually told me she can feel that my lola's grieving has finally started.

People grieve differently, so each of us show it differently as well. My mom's more "showy". She and my lolo were really close, so we do see her cry from time to time. Things are better now, actually. There was a time that she would suddenly cry in public because something would remind her of Lolo Jake. My brother hasn't shown any kind of emotion about our lolo's death. I guess having gone through a near-death experience almost 3 years ago and seeing two of his friends die has changed him and his view on life and moving on after death. My lola has been wearing a lot of black-white combinations since my grandfather died. Most people know that my grandmother usually wears colorful clothes. The fact that she's been opting to wear white and/or black often is quite bothersome. Again, we grieve differently...As for me...well, I don't really want to go into the details. Let's just say the next two months will be quite interesting for me in terms of the grieving process.

It's hard to grieve when you're frustrated at work because of very demanding and difficult clients. Grief doesn't really hit you when you're busy planning so many things for the next few months. It doesn't make it's presence felt when you're trying your hardest to push it back to it's corner though you know you shouldn't fight it. God knows how desperate I am to cry and just get it over with. Am I asking too much? Am I being such an arrogant fool to think that rationalizing things would make me not grieve?

Now let's stop talking about grief...it's a bit of a downer, and I'm sorry for making you feel bad with what I've written. I haven't talked about this, so yeah..Brain farts. Anyway, my company (all SIXTEEN of us) are going to Subic tomorrow for the treetop adventure thingy. I'm expecting it to rain, so I'll be bringing my awesome wow-it's-going-to-snow-so-I'll-wear-this-jacket jacket. It's cream-colored, is made of non-absorbent material, and it has a hood. I wanted us just to have karaoke night at a nice karaoke bar here in the Metro, but since our expat Ben is leaving soon we might as well take him out of Manila.

Brain fart #3: the next couple of weeks I'll be "hating" myself for the fact that I've gained weight since I started working. People's comments about how I seem to be looking healthier compared to before is not making me happy at all. It makes me want to throw something. I don't like weight comments...I actually think it's rude to comment about one's weight if your opinion isn't asked about it. I haven't been able to wake up early this past week so I wasn't able to go jogging. I'll starve myself again if this pattern doesn't change.

Another thought...I only found out last night that I was supposed to be nicknamed Cesca (pronounced Cheska). My parents were already calling me Cesca when I was a baby but Lolo Jake got mad and he said he didn't want me to use that nickname because there was a new product out called Cheska Bibingka (a local dish that's usually served as a snack and often sold during Christmas season). He didn't like Cesca because I might be associated with Cheska Bibingka and I'd be teased by people. My grandfather's the reason why I'm known as Nicole. Why, initially, I've never been called Niks, Nic, Nik...I was known as Nicole for the longest time. People only started coining nicknames for me when I was in high school. Quite strange, actually, for some people to call me Niks (which is my nickname to close friends and family).

My lolo and I were never that close. I grew up living with my grandparents, but I wasn't close to him. Though we didn't have a close relationship, we knew each other well. I guess living under the same roof atunes you to how a person is. He knew what I liked and didn't like, and I knew what ticked him off and made him laugh. Okay, NOW I'm feeling a bit sleepy and my brain farts are starting to sound faint. I might as well end here and continue writing about my dearest Lolo Jake some other time. He deserves entirely for him :)

it's typhoon season and everyone's raving about froyo

And yes, I'm one of them. Hahaha! I'm one of those who you see (im)patiently lined up just to buy frozen yogurt with crushed graham crackers, mangoes, and sliced almonds as my personal fave toppings. Considering it's not the usual rainy season here in the Philippines because it hasn't been raining that often, I guess it's expected that people are looking for food that'll satisfy their craving for something cold, sweet but (hopefully) not fattening. I've been seeing quite a few frozen yogurt places here in Manila. I usually go to Red Mango for my fix of froyo. There's also California Berry, which I haven't tried. I think now's the perfect time for me to do so, because a branch just opened along Tomas Morato which is practically 5 minutes away from where I live!

Now I'm really, REALLY craving for some froyo....hmmmm...

the day before a stress-filled week

Since I knew my mom didn't have plans today (so that meant I didn't need to drive for her! haha!), I set an appointment at Lay Bare, the only waxing salon I know here in the Metro. I was so thrilled to find out from my friend Mishi's cousin that there's actually a salon that specializes in waxing, and there's a branch very near my house. Mind you, I'm so used to shaving my legs and underarms that I forgot how it feels like to have them waxed. Thank God they use cold wax! Honestly, it was a very relaxing process. It stung a bit at first, but after the first five swipes I was practically dozing off on the bed. I definitely recommend Lay Bare to anyone who wants to have a good waxin'! :)

I was about to leave the building where Lay Bare's located when I noticed that there was a nail spa beside it. I checked out the rates of the services, and I immediately went in. Hahaha! My not-so-cheap thrills in life include getting a good mani and pedi. The name of the place is Get Polished! and it's quite a nice, homey nail spa. Now I have two places I'll go to every week or two. It's great that Lay Bare and Get Polished! are beside each other. I'll take pictures of Get Polished! this Thursday when I go back for my pedi. I only got a mani today because I had my toe nails done last week for my friends Mishi and Raiza's graduation.

And oh oh oh!! I bought fabric this Friday for the dress and top I'm going to have sewn maybe this week. I saw a blouse and dress in one of my Preview magazines that I want to pattern the top and dress after. I can't wait to have them done!! I don't have the time to learn how to make patterns and sew (yet!). I keep on telling myself I have to learn how to do these things but I haven't given them time yet. Anyway, I might as well learn on my own. I have the net to rely on :) I'll try to post shots of the fabric this Thursday. I'll post all the pics I'm supposed to share this Thursday. God, it's been so stressful at work that I haven't had the time to blog at all. Whenever I go home, I'm so sleepy I just check my email, facebook, and multiply.

Will post something again on Thursday...till then, everyone! :)

Something that you guys might want to think about...what are your cheap or not-so-cheap-but-relatively-affordable thrills? Is it buying the cheap chocolates you can get at any 711? Is it purchasing ice cream on a very sunny day? Tell me! :)

Coraline

Before the movie will be shown here in Manila, I decided to read Coraline (by Neil Gaiman) first. I wanted to appreciate the book first before I get disappointed (or maybe be impressed) with the movie. I've never read any of Gaiman's works before. Though a lot of friends have told me to read his books, I was never really drawn to Gaiman enough to want to read his works. Maybe I've just been picky with the authors I read, I dunno. Anyway, I bought Coraline a couple of weeks ago...for the lame reason that I liked the cover. Hahaha! Admittedly, that's one of the factors I buy a book--if the cover art tickles my fancy. Most of the books I bought are because 1) I like the author; 2) the cover art was really nice; and/or 3) the description at the back of the book was good enough to intrigue me about the story. I bought Coraline because of reasons 2 and 3. I can't say I like or don't like Gaiman because I've never read any of his works before so there's no point of reference.

So what can I say about Coraline? I LOVED THE BOOK! It scared me a bit, but I ♥ ♥ ♥ it! I actually read it before I slept last night so I had a bit of a nightmare. Hahaha! After reading Coraline, I'll probably buy a couple more of Neil Gaiman's works. Any suggestions? People who've read Gaiman's works, what are your top 3 suggestions on what I should read, and why?

photo credit: about.com

retail therapy need not burn a hole in one's pocket

Since I started working, I've been enjoying the mall more than I did before--primarily because I now have the moolah to shop and buy at nice stores. However, with the situation at home and the financial adjustments we all have to make--thrift shopping is the solution to my retail woes. I do have to wait until July or August before I can shop for anything because my savings account has suffered enough already. Thank God for my mutual fund/insurance! At least I have funds that I really can't touch or else it'll lapse. Anyway, as my thoughts about thrift stores drifted off earlier today, or ukay ukay as we call them here in the Philippines, I suddenly had the urge to blog about them. I'm no ukay ukay historian, and I will not pretend to be an expert, but I do know quite a few things about ukay ukay shopping/hopping.

When I was still studying, the lack of funds actually paved the way for me to discover ukay ukay shops. My mom, aunts and uncles would make fun of me because it would seem like all of my clothes were second/third/nth hand except for my undies (of course!). I do admit that there was a time I went overboard. It's hard not to be an impulsive shopper when almost everything costs just a fraction of the price of clothes in malls/boutiques.

The last time I went to an ukay ukay was last December. I was able to buy quite a few nice pieces of clothing...which reminds me...I should go back to the ukay ukay shops in Tagaytay--DEFINITELY worth the 2-hr drive from Manila :)

Me with my friends Tin and Esther at the Tagaytay ukay ukay (December '08)

trips this year

I'm planning out three trips this year, all with different sets of friends:

to Batanes (an island in the Northern part of the Philippines)

a trek to Mt. Pulag (Cordillera Region, also up North)

and an Ilocos Norte adventure

(Bangui Windmills)

(Burgos Lighthouse)

(Paoay Church)

(Vigan Heritage Town)

My trip to Batanes--with college adventuremates (they're friends from a year lower than me who are fellow-Biyaheng Pinoy enthusiasts); my trek to Mt. Pulag--with the same college friends, officemates, and childhood friends (we need to form a group of at least 15 for the trek to be budget-friendly. hahaha!); and my trip to Ilocos Norte--with two of my good girlfriends. I noticed all my trips this year are up North :p

I'm just so ecstatic with these trips :) I'll be bankrupt by the end of the year, but to experience going to these places..gosh, spending money on these places is SO WORTH IT.

photo credit: ar.jy1207, cruz_jerry, wenmanong, A1 Philippine Travel Asia, davyop, and akosikenet

The weirdest thing happened today. I was listening to the sermon this morning at church when a business idea suddenly popped in my head. I'm toying with the idea of making gift baskets for Christmas, with two options. One would be an herb/bread set while the other would be a cheese-lover's delight type of basket. I could probably start advertising it around August so that orders could be made and I'd have lots of time to prepare. I'll have to continue thinking about this new business but it's something I'm really excited to work on if ever I do pursue it. What do you guys think? Should I go for it or let it go?