kuro kuro ng isang binibini

i forget now which site i got this from. general prediction for this year. 2006, the Fire Dog (Bing Xu) Year January 29, 2006 through February 17, 2007 The optimist sees opportunity in every danger; the pessimist sees danger in every opportunity. -- Winston Churchill (a dog) The Dog is rich in Chinese history and tradition. Whether shown guarding ancient Buddhist temples or depicted as protector of sacred buildings and a defender of law, the Dog is known for it's loyalty, tenacity and watchfulness. Many times displayed in a powerful guarding position, the Dog was the protector of peace and serenity in the sanctuary it was guarding. The "Foo Dog" is a popular representation and is known as the Celestial Dog or Happiness Dog. It is a symbol of energy and value, and is often displayed in a male/female pair. The male holds a sphere that symbolizes the Earth, while the female holds her offspring. The year of the Yang (+) Dog teaches the lessons of watchfulness, defense of the ...

i was out of action yesterday due to menstrual cramps (it happens!). anyhoo, i camped all day and all night in the den. i happened to catch this show on national geographic about comets and their origins -- it was riveting -- trust me on this one. for instance, i learned that the tail of a comet (which is mostly made up of dust and chunks of rocks) can be millions of miles long and that everyday we get showered in cosmic dust -- it's in the air we breath! we breath it in people! some scientists believe life on earth started from cosmic dust because the nucleus of a comet has all the necessary building blocks for life. of course it got me thinking -- which is to say i had more questions than answers. i mean in those instances, i don't know whether to seek a priest or a psychiatrist. so the moral of the story is -- nothing good can ever come from watching (too much) tv! that's huge coming from a self confessed couch potato like me. HUGE!

my friend gina, got married over the weekend and i have to say it was a beautiful wedding. it was the couple who planned for everything -- from the invitations, to the flowers, to the venue, to the tokens for the guests -- everything! it was very well organized -- there were a few close calls but otherwise just perfect. we were honored (and i use that term very loosely) to help coordinate on the day itself and although it was nerve wracking and tiring (running around in heels is not my idea of fun!) not to mention the fact that we had to be up at an ungodly hour because the wedding was to be at 7 in the morning!!! -- it was well worth it though. here are a few of the pictures: the heroes of the day! we accept events coordination for KBL (kasal, binyag at libing)!

i have failed once again to take stock of all the groaning tables i came in contact with over the holidays. there were a few that could necessitate a visit to the doctor but i don't have photos i'm afraid. i do have photos galore of the children though and what fun they had!

cheers to dan my love -- may pagnanasa ako sa kanya! don't we make a cute couple? ;D peace out to dan's fiance -- pahiram lang.

christmas 2005 at the rockwell tent. the venue was better than last year and the food was so-so but the entertainment was great!

i got all my christmas gifts from national -- i got the kids covered and most of the adults too! my fondest memories were the saturdays spent at national quezon ave. we would usually have breakfast at mcdonald's and then crossover to national as soon as they open. you discover something new all the time going around the store. i'd read a book and then hide them on-site so i could get back to it the next week. that was (still is) my idea of fun! check out their website: http://www.nationalbookstore.com.ph/ i just love this store!

it's the first of december! how in the world did it sneak up on me? i made a list months ago like the responsible adult that i am (not!) but i still don't have anything -- no gifts, no ideas, nada! i can't seem to make up my mind what to give to people this holiday season. do i bake or do i buy or do i just give cash?

may blog na din -- see "osang" link. "don't judge me, i'm not a book! and more importantly, don't hate me 'cause i'm beautiful -- no matter what they say. charing!"

what is it about the karaoke that brings out the "singer" in everyone? just take a look at all the wannabes!

i celebrated my birthday last week and boy, oh, boy what fun i had! on the eve of my birthday, i scheduled a dinner and a movie with my sweetie jules and darling eric. we had dinner at chili's, followed by coffee at starbucks and finally, a movie at greenbelt 3. it was goblet of fire and it was amazing! we (the november celebrants and one "pahabol" october celebrant) had planned to stay overnight at southwoods but we never got around to ironing out the details. so on the very day i turned 32 (with no plans whatsoever), by 10 am it was decided we were going out to lunch and by 11:30 we were on our way out to market2. we had lunch at our ever favorite fast food -- KFC! then we bought cake and ice cream for merienda. after work we decided to go out for coffee and a little window shopping. all in all it was a great birthday. thanks to my friends! mwah! it was, of course, a 3-part celebration with mhela, ces and myself.

i read this book recently called "the historian" written by elizabeth kostova. a harmless enough title for a book, right? the book, however, was way scarier than anything i've ever read before. it gave me goosebumps upon goosebumps. i just couldn't put the book down though. first it would lull you into this false sense of security and then quietly frighten you with just one sentence. pretty creepy especially when you're reading it alone at night. a must read!!! From the Jacket "To you, perceptive reader, I bequeath my history.... "Late one night, exploring her father's library, a young woman finds an ancient book and a cache of yellowing letters. The letters are all addressed to "My dear and unfortunate successor," and they plunge her into a world she never dreamed of—a labyrinth where the secrets of her father's past and her mother's mysterious fate connect to an inconceivable evil hidden in the depths of history. The letters provi...

it was a retreat from work and life in the city -- the "rat race" so to speak. it was a necessary break for me. my soul was just raring to go home. home -- how on earth could one simple word evoke so many memories of feelings and tastes and smells? i will never know. my good friend jules, who i saw a few days after i got back from ilocos, mentioned that i was looking more rested and radiant (all right he didn't actually say radiant but it was implied). well, it's because a - i had fun with my nephews and nieces, b - i enjoyed catching up with my siblings and cousins, and c - the weather was just fabulous! that and i'm using this new soap and facial wash that brings out the shine (not oil) in me. of course my holiday was filled with bingeing on my favorite -- chinese bibingka made from rice flour, coconut oil, and sweet peanut paste -- yumm. my sister remembered i looove them and she bought me a few from the market. too bad i didn't take a photo -- i was too bu...

presenting zsazsa zaturnnah! mga mare naloka ako dito! good read promise! at may babala ito -- para sa mga mature readers ever! i can't seem to stop myself with the exclamation points! they make a statement seem fabulous! chuva ever mga tsong!!!

well not exactly a day but we enjoyed every minute of it, didn't we ladies? *wink wink* the day was indeed a treat for the senses. it started with a sumptuous lunch at the seafood club (red crab) in greenbelt 3. deelish! for some reason there was a problem with the electricity at the mall and we ate in the dark for several minutes -- not a good idea by the way. then after work, we hauled ass to get to the spa on time. traffic was horrendous and we couldn't find a cab that would take us. on top of that, our "host" did not know how to get there exactly but we got our (pretty) heads together and we did get to the spa with time to spare. we got to use the steam room but we opted not to use the jacuzzi as you had to be in your birthday suit to plunge into that inviting bubbly warmness. after a quick shower and lots of water and ginger tea we were ushered into the room for a deluxe full body massage. it was glorious! a perfect ending to a relatively stress-laden day. a big...

share and share alike i say...i first read this at the waiting room of dr. lapus -- the family opthalmologist. i'm not sure how relevant that information is -- just thought i had to say something by way of introduction. MURPHY'S LAW 1. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. 2. You will always find something in the last place you look. 3. No matter how long or how hard you shop for an item, after you've bought it, it will be on sale somewhere cheaper. 4. The other line always moves faster. 5. In order to get a loan, you must first prove you don't need it. 6. Anything you try to fix will take longer and cost you more than you thought. 7. If you fool around with a thing for very long you will screw it up. 8. If it jams - force it. If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway. 9. When a broken appliance is demonstrated for the repairman, it will work perfectly. 10. Build a system that even a fool can use, and only a fool will use it. 11. Everyone has a scheme for getting ri...

in my drawer under my table inside my "rummage" bag

basic black pumps -- sexy as they come. one look is all it took, i was a goner for sure! will that be cash or plastic? manolo blahnik's? no, i got it from schu on a budget to boot! life's sweet when shopping for shoes, my most favorite things!

"Defeat cannot dishearten me. It can only chasten me. I know that God will guide me. Truth is superior to man's wisdom." - M. K. Gandhi

is an italian deli/cafeteria -- where the pizza is crisp, the pasta a dream and the gellato is simply sublime try it yourself and see! yumms the word!