the Rain....

i woke up today with an unusual feeling of coldness... yeah..

its not the usual coldness brought by the AIR-CONDITION but something else..

as it was... it was raining outside.. for a moment i thought i was "HOME"..


i let my self dream for some more time.. snuggling further in a blanket, imagining the aroma of hot BATANGAS COFFEE boiling in a pot just like what we always have in "NANAY PELING's house...

the freshly bake "PAN DE SAL.. my mother's cooking, my Tatay's warm smile, my grandma's stories.. even my siblings bantering..

i miss them all...

i wish i could be anywhere but HERE...

HERE in the country where people like me..
...work their ass off..
... give-up the comforts of home..
... leave the family and friends behind,
... endure the pain of being alone..
... miss the family reunion..
... miss the weddings in the family..
... miss birthdays of love ones..
...miss anniversaries..
... miss CHRISTMAS... miss NEW YEAR.. =(

... i miss being PINOY... i miss being THERE... i miss the feeling of HOME..

because THERE is where i really BELONG.

HERE, i am nothing but a part of the minorities and you,r e going to be treated as one.

yeah.. people like will be paid far more better than what we get at home
but at the end of the day... you would ask yourself.. WAS IT Fu***ng WORTH IT???? Considering what we need to GIVE UP.. in exchange for a few more bucks...was it worth it????

Hell NO!!.... not at all..... =(

the COOKIE

I had recently received a Not-So-Very-Good-News. And in life if it is a BAD news, no matter what level it is, it is still bad news all the same. Well, I had to admit that it doesn't necessarily makes me the most "kawawa" in the whole universe but it still "crippled" me in a way.

I would need to make certain adjustments on plans...

i need to change tactics..

i need to re-divert my focus..

i need to accept that things may not be the same as before... (for now)
and i need to still live my life as if everything is just alright when, i know very well that it is otherwise.

in all these.. the latter is the hardest thing to do.

We don't have much options these days, do we? Not when the famous "recession"is on going and all the people suffers from it. Life is foolish sometimes, it gives you THREATS, but the most foolish are the people who takes these THREATS seriously. We people were born warriors, maybe not on a same level as the others but we are equally equipped to fight any battles thrown on our way. On a lighter note, think of ourselves as a SMILEY COOKIES.. they still smile though they know they were made to be eaten... alive... heheh

As Paulo Coelho once twitted : (huh close kami!!! as in)

"Dificuldade" é o nome de uma ferramenta criada para mostrar à pessoa quem ela é.

"Difficulty" is the name of an ancient tool created to define who we are !

So guys, lets greet each day with a great smile on our faces and let's show the world what a TOUGH COOKIE WE ARE ALL MADE OF!!

=) Mars

the martial law.. part2??

PGMA had declared a Martial Law in Maguindanao and nearby provinces. Factual basis is said to be inexistent.. HUH! what's next?? Could these lead to declaring martial law on the whole country... beware Mrs. president.. people of the Philippines would surely never take things sitting down any more!

Let's not history repeat itself this time. enough is enough..

the readings..

Today I just spend the whole day catching up with my readings. Pepe had given me a copy of Cosmopolitan mag (Philippine issue, hah!) as pasalubong upon my request when she went for vacation few months ago. Mommy Joy (of AIAN delos Santos) was so generous as she gave me a lot of her foreign mags.. EMS had phoned from VS office telling me that she had reserve for me some magazines (courtesy of VS of course!) Seems everyone is so aware of my reading addiction and very much willing to support me on that... luv you guys!!

I was on a relaxing mode today so to speak! Setting aside (for the meantime) the daily life troubles (and ignored FB for once) and secluded my self in the myriad of words, facts and fictions, fashion, interesting thoughts.. liberating ideas, inspiring messages, good news/bad news,business, arts..

it's so exciing to read.. you can be ANYONE or ANYWHERE in just one flick of a page!

hayyy.. simple pleasures are really the best.. above all.. it's free..

howbout chuuu?? do you ever read??

the C's.... (the Champ, her Cries.. and her Chanel..)

She is the talk of the town right now..

not only because she is the wife of the CHAMP..

but because of the tears she shed on a supposedly one of the victorious times of their lives.

a lot of women would trade even their mother to be in her shoes..

She almost got everything...MANNY ..then the money. then the fame.. then the fortune, what is there to cry about?? It would take more than a simple problem to make a woman cry like that in front of the public. Not on the times when she should be happy.. or .. shouldn't she??

This "crying"story which is all over the Philippine national TV, tabloids and the net should make us realize that money cannot buy real happiness. We simply cannot get everything in the world.

To those who would rather live the life of others than the life they are having should think twice before wishing. For we do not know the burden that the others are carrying.

The best things in life aren't THINGS...

Pity.... coz I really like her CHANELs.... ;-)

The Fist.. (that delivers the Punch!)

Manny Pacquiao had once again proved to the world that Filipinos are people worth reckoning with. He made history again by winning the match with his recent opponent Miguel Cotto who himself is a title holder of .. whatever. I am not actually a sports-minded person. I know nothing on the technical side of any sports, boxing all the more, but it gives me a great sense of pride everytime Manny Pacquiao wins a boxing match to whomever he is opposing with.

Manny's victory is the victory of all Pinoys. His fight is our fight, his loss would also be our loss. He is the string that pulls all Pinoys together, wherever we are..the whole archipelago stops whenever he has a fight. Regardless of the time differences, he could make all the Pinoys awake in any part of the world just to watch his fight and watch history unfolds.

Sabi nga ni MARK LAGULA on one of his FACEBOOK STATUS: There is ZERO crime rate in the Philippines pag may laban si MANNY. It seems that even the most heartless crooks in the Philippines (not that we are proud of them!) stop at their unlawful deeds when Manny is on the ring. (kasi daw money and Manny sounds the same din naman! hehehe).

Anyways, I could only hope that Manny, in all his blessed glory, would not forget his kababayans, especially those who were greatly affected by the calamities that recently brought the Philippines to a total KNOCK OUT too.

Para namn di lang si Mommy Dionisia ang happy.. di ba??? ;-)

the TEAM..

the VS team on a NIGHT OUT! (clockwise) REK, MARS, TIN, CORNEY, TAMER, VIVEK, FATIMEH, GLO and Walid

My laptop continue to run slooooowww... i decided to do a clean up and defragment the disks..

browsing , deleting, discarding irrelevant and "jurassic" files..

i was surprised to see quite a lot of "trashes" im keeping in this tiny-winy piece of electronics. no wonder its "performance"had deteriorated already.

and then i stumbled upon this picture... a picture i never thought i had..and a surge of melancholia had strike me..

it was just like yesterday when Richard Branson's group had requested Dnata to provide a "fresh team" to handle the Virgin Atlantic Flight in Dubai. Our batch being new to the field was lucky enough to be chosen to "man" the RED counter , after rigorous training and the key preparations the VS Red wings had graced the Dubai skies on the 27th of March of 2006. And the rest was history...

Looking at the pictures had made me realize how things had changed for the past 3 years.. a lot of faces were no longer there.. a lot had moved forward , few had stayed, new faces joined and became an integral part of the Team. Before we were like a new laptop, full of spaces for challenges and motivation. Performances are always on top notch. Idealistic. Works in its highest efficiency. Because then.. we were VIRUS FREE. It was not easy breaking the drive that we have. That was then.

We could only wish that the spirit of TEAMWORK will remain alive in each others hearts, coz.. like my laptop... a teams performance also deteriorates.. if not given proper clean up and integration..

VS TRAINING-LAST BATCH of '06- VIVEK, AHMED,REJNU, MALAK, SHEILA,REK, MARS, ALI, RASHAD, RR, ZIAD, WALID, TAMER

Three years ago, a camaraderie had been formed. By coming together we BEGIN, by keeping together we have PROGRESSED, by working together we hoped to continuously succeed.

the Ties..

Orkut Icons

Today wasn't really a great day...

I just want to rant..

why are there so many people in this world who are so impossible to deal with?

masarap na mahirap talaga mabuhay..

it takes more than courage.. takes more than just strength, you have to be brave.. really really brave to stand up against the world!

darn! but why cant we stay as a child forever? oblivious to the world's terror, with heart do pure and mind so clear.. those were the days... and those days were long gone.

have you ever experience a time in your life when you just want to slumped and give up on everything else? that even thinking of waking up the next day and facing the world again would terrify the life out of you? it does to me.. very often..

but i guess God had specially created me to survive in the turbulent years of the life ahead. coz i am still here.. alive and kicking..

pero minsan kasi sa sobra dami ng trials, you cant just help but ask if you are still normal.

iniisip ko n lang..

i'm still lucky to have friends who would stay beside me on times like these.. not necessarily to help you out, but to atleast be there to listen to your rantings..

they shout with you if you like to call the world sh**t..

laugh beside you if you want to bitch about everyone...

they cry with you if you feel like it..

loves you still even if you are not worth it..

of course not everyone would be there.. but we just have to be thankful for those who are..

In a place like this where the loving presence of your family is missing... the ties of friendship is the next big thing..

to all of you guys... here's my love! mwuaaah

the FOOT-mate

When flying... I always try to make things as comfortable as possible. That means, i need to dis out the "appropriate"footwear that the Staff Travel dictates in compliance to a certain "dress code". I always have my flip flops easily accessible in my hand carry. On my way back from Bangkok to Dubai.. I was happily hopping up and down the aisle of the A380 double-decker airbus.. relishing the 'extra' aisle width and extra seat pitch.... of the aircraft. Once in a while I'm getting an odd glimpse thrown my way from the other passenger s. I wouldn't be bothered.. told my self. Don't really give a fig on whatever they thought about me. It didn't take long for me to

realize the cause of the the odd stares...... nyeeeeek!

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The other pair of slip on was obviously ...NOT mine! It belongs to the Cutie who's seating behind me.... hehehhehe.... (it was a pity, i was not able to take his pics! just his footsie! )

I have discreetly slipped the "big foot"slipper behind my seat to cover my act and no-one's-the- wiser...while Glo was obviously dying in guffaws beside me.

Haay... the lesson: Next time one would u would wear slippers on board... make sure its BOTH yours!

A DAY in HK (HK Diary Part 4)

Sept.17, 2009

129 Old Pun Chung St.

Tai Po, New Territories

Hongkong

I woke up early despite the fatigue got from the "pasyal-marathon"with ate Debbie last night. For a moment I couldn't really figure out where I was. The unfamiliar clock on the wall says it's already 8:45, I felt a sudden surge of panic! Darn.. I am late for work! Why didn't anyone bothered to wake me up?? Then the I remembered! I'm on a vacation, alright! The activity the other night flashed back! haaayyy.. I am so happy.

When I get up, the all the ladies in Ate Debbie's house (including her) had left for work. Ria was the only one I saw because her work in the shop starts later than the normal working hours in Hongkong. She offered me to have a coffee first, to which I was so happy to oblige.

The whole apartment was clean.. no single trash lying anywhere. The sink was empty of ucleaned dishes. Seems Ate Debbie is really a neat freak! hahahah.. Few minutes more and I was totally alone. I asked my self..Now what?? You want challenge.. then challenge I would have. I need to remember what ate Debbie told me about the MTR.. "get ticket going to Kowloon Tong, then take the Interchange train going to Mongkok and from there take the Argyle St." With that in mind, I took a shower and went out. I took a picture of Ate Debbie's gate, just in case I got lost there is something I could be able to with in finding my way back.

It's a good thing that HK MTR is so effective. I reached my destination without hassle at all. I had breakfast at KFC, chose not to be too adventurous in food at that moment coz first Im alone, If something doesnt agree well with my stomach, Im pretty sure that finding a rest room would took me ages, just like ordering a dimsum that took 30 min. due to LANGUAGE barrier! An upset stomach and a confused Chinese are the last things I want to deal with this time.

Mongkok was such a lovely and lively place. Buildings are almost covered with billboards and signage and although you couldn't understand most of it, the way they play with colors and stylehave given an ordinary market a sense of character and chic.

And the Adventure Begins..HK at Night (HK Diary Part 3)

Based on my research.. Hongkong can be subdivided into 4 major attractions : The HONGKONG Islands, Kowloon, New Territories, and the Outlying Islands. I decided to skip the first and the last and focused my "mini-tour" in Kowloon and New Territories.

( Remember: I need to stick to my 30-Dollar Budget. I am pressed for time as well because I need to take the Flight to Bangkok the next evening to meet a friend for a small business venture.)

I arrived in Hongkong at 17:21 local time. I exchanged my dollars to HK money and a got a total of more or less 220HK dollars. I called BELL (a friend's niece) to ask instruction on how to go to my arranged accommodation. Yes.. I didn't arranged for a Hotel. I opted for a "SHARED Accommodation" in the apartment owned by a kabayan, Ate Debbie, where I paid for only 35HK dollar for a 1-day,1 night stay.

From the airport, I took the E41 bus going to Tai Po RD. At the 2nd Station from the Tai Po boundary, Ate Debbie picked me up.

I stayed at #129 Old Pun Chung, Tai Po.(New Territories) The moment I saw Ate Debbie and her "angels" I know right away that I have made the right decision. They were so accommodating and more than happy to tell me the best place where I can buy good pasalubongs for my family and friends in Dubai. After some rest and few chats with the ladies at the boarding house, Ate Debbie decided to show me around the area. It's still weekdays and so all of them will still be working during my stay there. So nobody could be able to accompany me to where I want to go.

What supposed to be a "show-around"had become a pasyal na bonggang-bonga.. she probably thought that I'm kawawa =( ... because I will be left to fend for myself on a country I know nothing about. So she decided to bring me that night to Kowloon.

We took the MTR going to Tsim Tsa Chui. We passed along Nathan Road, the designer Shops, The Peninsula Hotel with its fabulous facade. We are going to the Harbour, it is where the famous Symphony of Lights is being played unfortunately when arrived the show is already over. But just the same, the myriad of lights is so fascinating. The camera couldn't give justice to it. I saw the famous "CLOCK TOWER"of Hongkong. We went to the Avenue of Stars where I had a chance to be hand-in-hand with Jackie Chan.. =).

Here are some pics I managed to take.. I am not very good with camera, coz when I travel I always chose to capture each moments more by heart.. less in lenses.

haaaayyyy... tomorrow will be another day..=).. laaavvettttt!

The 32 Dollars 50 Cents HK TRIP... (HK Diary Part 2)

When I decided to avail this loooong (as said by Ate Jane) planned journey.. i was still half-hearted up to the last minute. Should I go or Should I not?.. It's now or never!

Although all the signs are there that I have to go (expiring ticket, my unused leave credit due for forfeiture), there are still so many reasons that are keeping me from leaving. First, there is the H1N1 scare. Secondly, there is an issue on the Travel Budget. And lastly, I feel guilty that I am leaving to see another country on my Vacation Leave and not visit my family in the Philippines. Well, for the latter, i have thousands of reasons for not going home and my family knows that and they supported me on it. After all, for the last 4 years that I have been working overseas, I never failed to go visit them twice each year. This time is my ME time and i had their blessings.

So, that sorted out the most important concerns, my family.

H1N1- I was thinking, I cannot stop what I WANT to do because the environment says so. If its my time to leave the EARTH, then it's my time, and I would leave whether I am ready or not, one way or another. be it H1N1 or otherwise! With this is mind..the score is 2-1, so far, so good!

Now here comes the most bloooody thing! My travel budget. Just the mention of the word B-U-D-G-E-T, is enough to give me NOSEBLEED! Everyone knows that every single penny we have in our pocket at this point in time has to be spent wisely. After making an accounting on my Wallet Statement... there were only 32 dollars and 5o sent left.

Now the question of the year is... how the heck would I be able to travel from Dubai to HongKong with nothing but 30 bucks to spare????

PAULO COELHO wrote in one his books "when you want something, all the universe conspire in helping you achieve it".

Well then.... HONGKONG... here I come..!!!

The Ticket... (the HKG TRIP diary Part 1)

It has been quite a while since I last posted a blog..

I was so lazy to write about anything..mainly because there was nothing interesting for me to write about at all.

The last few days have given me a lot of reasons to blog again.. the reason..? I went on a short adventurous trip to Hong Kong! My family and the people close to me knows that traveling is my "FUEL". If you want me to keep going.. you should allow me once in a while to change environment and "recharge".

And so, the adventure began as soon as my 15-day Vacation Leave had been approved. After one and a half years of not going on a vacation I finally got my chance. Its not that I was not given a leave. I just didn't apply for one. Well, blame it to the credit crunch.

I have 2 unused FREE tickets. I decided to use my 3-band SERVICE RELATED CONCESSION ticket, giving me a slot for a 2 country destination of my choice. I have opted for the DUBAI-HONGKONG/HONGKONG-BANGKOK/BANGKOK DUBAI routing to maximize its use. It is a staff ticket, which means I will be waitlisted to all the flights. But it's ok, I have all the time in the world!!!

And so I started packing.. making sure I have with me my travel essentials.

When my travel will last for 5 days, I make sure I have these things in my Carry On bag:

1. Emirates Amenity Kit- small bottle of perfume, facial lotion, unscented hand lotion, towelette, toothpaste and brush.

2. liquid packs- In compliance with the LAGs (liquid, aerosol and gel) airport regulation, I have packed my LAGs in a clear plastic container for easy checking at the airport. I always carry, deodorant, 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner, alcogel.

3. The KIKAYs- I minimize my kikay items into 2 only when I travel. I seldom use make up when I go on a trip because my face is oily and prone to acne so I just carry a baby powder to freshen my face. I especially love the Chanel Lipstick (New York Red #60) and the red nail Polish that I bought in Bangkok (10 baht orP13 or 1 AED or 0.25usd!!!!) Wearing these two could give an instant boost to ones face... and personality as well.

4. Med Pills- my frequent travels have thought me to carry OTC pills like paracetamol, claritine, and Vitamin C. I usually get these 3 to beat fever i usually get when my body adjust to a new weather, claritine for first aid treatment on allergies.

When traveling I always makes sure also that I have my BOREDOM-BEATERS as well, like the MP3 which proves to be so helpful when the in-flight entertainment becomes boring. A pen and note book to record my thoughts during the entire trip. A pen is always a must in filling up the immigration forms being distributed on-board before disembarking.

With these stuff and a sense of adventure.. I am ready for my 30 Dollar-2 days-Travel to HKG..!!!

the Yellow Ribbon

Our Nomadic Life in Dubai had made us shift house... again! Yes.. for the nth time and hopefully the last time... we moved to a new place. We had our internet lines transferred again, sadly this time it took us 4 weeks to have it done. Grabe.. but those 4 weeks seems 40 years! I felt i have missed quite a lot.

I missed the blog world, I missed chatting with friends. My messages in my mail box almost reaches a hundred! But what made me so sad was the news about President Cory's death. I cried a lot when i have heard from the news that she already passed away. Just few months ago, i have send her a message to her official website sending my support in her battle with her illness, feeling close huh!

Of course i didnt know Tita Cory personally, but you do not need to be blood-related to her to be emotionally attached to her. Her contributions to restoring democracy in our country, giving back to us our freedom, her advocacies in keeping the peace and her undying faith to God have endeared her to all of us. Indeed, the lady in Yellow have done a great job and she have done it with flying colors. Even in her last days on earth, she had proved the whole world that despite her death.. the Cory's Magic will forever live.

As an individual, Cory have instilled in me the spirit of Nationalism, she often say that the Philippines is the only country we have and we should love our own. While Ninoy said that the Filipinos are worth dying for, Cory believes that Filipinos are worth living for. Now that one of our strongest pillar is gone, how do we start in preserving the democracy that we have?

Tomorrow is "Araw ng Dilaw". I may be not physically present at home to join the people in wearing yellow and be able to join my kabayans to help SPARK THE YELLOW FAR AND WIDE to commemorate Ninoy's and Cory's love for the Filipino. But I know deep within me that the yellow ribbon would forever be tied in my heart and my spirit as a Filipino wherever i may be.

the Book...

its been a long time.. since the last time i blogged..

and as usual if i am not blogging, it's either i am watching movies online or i am reading a book..

the latest book that caught my interest was the book entitled "the Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian writer who wrote this book about following one's dreams in the form of fable. The said book was first published in 1988, and imagined my surprised knowing that this book was published 20 years back but the lessons it convey are still very much up dated.

I had fun reading it, apart from the story's valuable lessons, it is also intellectually simulating, the use of the figures of speech was really fascinating. Santiago's journey is the journey of all mankind. He is a representation of what we people are: he dreams, he loves, he fears, he fight, he fails but he never give up til he get his goals in life.

I have penned down some interesting excerpts from the books in my journal that i wanna share..

Dig in !

** the secret of life is to fall 7 times and get up 8 times.

** Everyone seems to have a clear idea at how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.

** What's the world's greatest lie? It's this: that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what's happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate.

** if you believe yourself worthy of the thing you fought so hard to get,then you should become an instrument of God. You help the soul of the world and you understand why you are here.

** when you want something, all the universe conspire in helping you achieve it.

** if you start out by promising what you don't even have yet, you'll lose your desire toward getting it.

** The wise men understood that this natural world is only an image and a copy of paradise. The existence of this world is simply a guarantee that there exists a world that is perfect. God created the world so that, through its visible objects, men could understand his spiritual teachings and the marvels of this wisdom. That's what I mean by action.

**In his pursuit of the dream, he was being constantly subjected to tests of his persistence and courage. So he could not be hasty, nor impatient. If he pushed forward impulsively, he would fail to see the signs and omens left by God along his path.

** Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure. You've got to find the treasure, so that everything you have learned along the way can make sense.

** love never keeps a man from pursuing his dreams, if he abandons that pursuit, it is because it wasn't love.

** One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.

** People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don't deserve them, or as they'll be unable to achieve them.

Our hearts become fearful just thinking of love ones who go away forever, or of treasures that may have been found but were forever hidden in the sands; because when these things happen, we suffer terribly. We are afraid of suffering... and yet, the fear of suffering is worst than the suffering itself.

** I don't live in either my past or my future. I'm interested only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you'll be a happy man. Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we're living now.

** the darkest hour of the night comes just before the dawn.

**It's not what enters men's mouth that's evil.
It's what comes out of their mouths that is

** there is only one thing that makes dream impossible to achieve.. the fear of failure.

** no project is completed until its objective has been achieved.

the Washing Machine..

It's Sunday today...Day off at last after 6 days of toiling.

My body clock woke me up automatically at 5 am, that's the maximum time it gives me to prepare for work on a daily routine.

So i went back to sleep..chiding my "body clock"for not remembering that I'm not supposed to wake up that early today. it's my off for heaven's sake! i drifted off to sleep again after that.

I finally got up at 8:56am. It's nearly 9 and i need to put my laundry at the washing machine to make sure my uniform will be ready for ironing in the afternoon!

In Dubai, a typical day OFF is a laundry and iron day only. We are in a sharing accommodation so everything is on schedule. So you better not miss your laundry schedule, otherwise you will have to wait till next week to do your laundry. Availing the service of laundry shops is out of the question, apart from the fact that its so expensive and not at all practical these days, you can never be sure of the cleaning quality.

After i made sure that i have already "guarded"the washing machine, i took the magazine that i had bought the day before and finished reading it along with my HOTDOG sandwich brunch and 2 MUGS of Black coffee (while all the OPM stored in my laptop is being played from sun up to sundown). This is how I typically achieve my "rythm" during my day off .

Without the noise of the airport, the silence at house is really deafining. This is one of the millionth times, when homesickness really strikes; and in my 5 years of living outside my home country, I have learned all the possible ways of "filling-in the BLANKS of my life, desperately trying to achieve balance in my day to day lving without my family and the so-called "Philippine Spirit".

I have read somewhere from one of MOMMY JENNY's messages that, reading will take you somewhere when you need to stay where you are, (not the exact wordings but the thought is the same) and i couldnt agree more! When I want to travel but couldnt afford to, money-wise or otherwise, I just settle in reading travel magazines. The excitement of course is not the same but it somehow appease my "travel addiction".

Maxwell Coffee is not as good as the kapeng barako ng Batangas but just the same, the smell of a brewing coffee makes me feel close to home.

The hotdog sandwich is not as appealing as those I always bought at 7 eleven back home but it still reminds me of home; sad thing is, no matter how many kilos of garlic I put in my adobo it still will never achieve the taste of my mother's home cooking.

I miss my Tatay's silent support everyday, he is really a man of few words but his actions and his presence is a lot more assuring. Inay is a different case, we are as different as night and day. Like Cory and Kris.. me being Cory and her being Kris.. (hahahahah!) But just the same i miss our small bantering and manicure bonding.

My Nanay (grandmother), has a lot of kwento.. most of it she had related to me for a zillionth times.. hahaha.. and those stories took place way back 19-forgotten, all stories i couldnt even relate to but still humorous nonetheless!

My oldies are getting old every day, my siblings are just babies when i left, now they have their own lovelives to boost and its a lot more interesting than what i ever had! There are a lot of damn good things that i am missing but i dont have any choice but to stay here in a warm country who offers temporary refuge to someone like me, seeking for a greener pastures and better oppurtunities while the government of my country is so busy plotting for their next corruption, exposing fiascos here and there that involves almost everyone that we are supposed to trust.

If only the government has something "decent" to offer to all the millions of OFW who are working their ass off , enduring every hellish days of being away from their family just to put food in the table, send kids to school and lead a good life, we would probably take the next flight back home and invest our skills and knowledge in our own country instead of working for someone else's.

Hmmmmmmnnnn...

I look back at the spinning washing machine.. how i wish all my longings can be washed away by this so-called technology! It would have been nice if I could take all the TRAPO's (traditional politicians) back home, put them in the WM and give them a good cleaning so they could come out clean and think "clean"as well.

I want to go home. I want to enjoy my life with my family. Life is too short to spend it away from the people you love and afar from the place you call your own . Im sick of being treated as apart of a minorities from the alien residence we are are currently in. I am sick and tired of settling for the life's second best because i couldn't get the "real"ones.

And i am sick and tired of using this washing machine which does nothing but discolor and ruin my clothes!

Darn it!

The Maiden Voyager

its been a awhile since the last time i blogged...

there had been a lot interesting things that had happened in the last 14 days but i was just too lazy to hit the keyboard and put my thoughts into writing...

Virgin Atlantic had just celebrated its 25th B-day so you cant expect anything less from the "fiery maiden" who have been gracing the skies for a quarter of a century already.

View the VIRGIN ATLANTIC's latest TV ADS HERE

With it's theme "still red hot at 25th"... VS had prepared a lot of surprises for all its passengers on that day of 22nd June.

I had a passenger whose B-day falls on that same day, and she was upgraded from premium economy to Upper Class .. whooah!

The cabin crew had changed into 80's look as soon as the flight was airborne. Games and fun have been prepared on board and champagne was given to everyone!

VS staff had prepared a lot of surprises for the ground staff too. We had a quiz bee to which i had actively participated. Mr. Arul, the regional manager was so amused that he gave me a chocolate apart from the other gift that we had received. Not even knowing that the next day would be my own "birthday"!

Trust VS to keep the party roaring! Bottom line is.. we had a great fun!

I love GARY G...!!!

One of my favorites! Mabuti pa sila ...

Song of Gary Granada that won the Metro Pop Award..

Looking for an Original Gary G. Video but found none.

Hope this will do:

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Mabuti Pa Sila

Mabuti pa ang mga surot

Laging mayrong masisiksikan

Mabuti pa ang bubble gum

Laging mayrong didikitan

Mabuti pa ang salamin

Laging mayrong tumitingin

Di tulad kong

Laging walang pumapansin

Mabuti pa ang mga lapis

Sinusulatan ang papel

At mas mapalad ang kamatis

Maya't maya napipisil

Napakaswerte ng bayong

Hawak ng aleng maganda

Di tulad kong lagi na lang nag-iisa

Ano ba'ng wala ako na mayron sila

Di man lang makaisa

Habang iba'y dala-dalwa

Pigilan n'yo akong magpatiwakal

Mabuti pa ang galunggong

Nasasabihan ng 'mahal'

Kahit ang suka ay may toyo

At ang asin may paminta

Mabuti pa ang lumang dyaryo

At yakap-yakap ang isda

Mabuti pa sila, mabuti pa sila

Di tulad kong lagi na lang nag-iisa

Mabuti pa ang simpleng tissue

At laging nahahalikan

Mabuti pa ang dating bisyo

Umaasang babalikan

Mabuti pa sila, mabuti pa sila

Di tulad kong umuuwing nag-iisa

Sensya na po .. pagbigyan nyo na me.. Homesick lang kasi.....

Kapag Sinabi ko Sayo...

I was waiting in que to the bathroom today...

My normal "slot" is 5am in the morning so since i reported äbsent"from work due to some things i need to personally attend to, my "turn"had passed and need to wait for all of my housemates to finish their thing with the loo.

I don't know but i just but started to murmur a song that was my personal favorite sometime in my college days.. its a novelty song from Gary Granada,i know it is my "homesickness" working, so i just give in, i took my laptop and hit the music sites.. but this is what i got!

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credit for this widget goes to the original uploder

KAPAG SINABI KO SAYO

Kapag sinabi ko sa iyo na ika'y minamahal

Sana'y maunawaan mo na ako'y isang mortal

At di ko kayang abutin ang mga bituin at buwan

O di kaya ay sisirin perlas ng karagatan

Kapag sinabi ko sa iyo na ika'y iniibig

Sana'y maunawaan mo na ako'y taga-daigdig

Kagaya ng karamihan, karaniwang karanasan

Daladala kahit saan, pang-araw-araw na pasan

Ako'y hindi romantiko, sa iyo'y di ko matitiyak

Na pag ako'y kapiling mo kailanma'y di ka iiyak

Ang magandang hinaharap sikapin nating maabot

Ngunit kung di pa maganap, sana'y huwag mong ikalungkot

Kapag sinabi ko sa iyo na ika'y sinisinta

Sana'y yakapin mo akong bukas ang iyong mga mata

Ang kayamanan kong dala ay pandama't kamalayan

Na natutunan sa iba na nabighani sa bayan

Halina't ating pandayin isang malayang daigdig

Upang doon payabungin isang malayang pag-ibig

Kapag sinabi ko sa iyo na ika'y sinusuyo

Sana'y ibigin mo ako, kasama ang aking mundo

The BUS

I went to the bank in Karama to collect my new ATM card. In line with the merging of Emirates Bank and National Bank of Dubai, they are replacing our old ATM cards with a new one. I took a taxi going there but only because I want to make it on time before the bank close its doors. It’s now or never again!

Since I have embarked on a saving-mode, I have decided to take the bus going back home. I was thinking that given our financial situation nowadays, riding a taxi is almost a sin and a waste of money. Why pay 15dhs (approx.3.20 USD) if you can take a bus for 2dhs only (approx. 80 cents)??

So, I went to the nearest bus station and waited for Bus no.19 to arrive, 10-minutes and I am already on board the bus. Everything could have gone well, except for a fact that it took for about 2 hours for me to reach home, and NO traffic at that! The route that Bus 19 is taking is

seemingly the longest route in the history of RTA!

The journey time was so long that I have begun to think that I took the TOUR DUBAI bus mistakenly. When I get down I felt so tired, thirsty and hungry that I head straight to the nearest grocery store. I bought Tuna, Lettuce and Ice Cream on stick to cool down my boiling temper. As soon as I am out of the store I opened my ice cream box immediately and started to munch on it. Too late! The temperature outside is 46 degrees celcius, I have eaten half of the ice cream half of it have been melted and scattered on the road leaving My trail on the way to the villa! If I am a criminal walking , I could have been caught easily because of my “ice cream traces”…

Haaaaaaayyy (again!)

When I get home, I stared at the groceries I boughtthat cost me 12.45dhs… add 2 dhs bus fair and that would make it almost 15 dhs also! A cost for a 15 minute taxi ride!

Fine! Just to make me feel better I would just think that I took taxi..with FREE tuna salad for me for Jeff and Pepe, a melted ice cream bar plus a tour to BUR DUBAI.

Should I include the severe migraine as well???

Shu hada!

the MiCroWave

I arrived at the villa 1:00pm on the dot today. Took the company bus from the airport and took a 10-minute walk from my drop-off point in Hor Al Anz, braving the 43degree Celsius heat of the sun! Just saw the sandstorm happily spreading itself in to the air officially declaring Summer season. Darn! My brain got nearly baked by the scorching heat hanging in the air and it did nothing to appease my heated mood as well… its almost a year since the last time I got home. I miss my family, I miss my friends, I miss Manila’s unpredictable weather, I miss the province’s summer smell. I miss home.

I know I will be alone at the house today, I was always the last to be out and the first to be in due to my early working schedule. Took few minutes rest, I went down at the kitchen to take my lunch. Alone as usual, the microwave was my constant companion during lunch time. I shove my food I, press the start button.. ding.. ding.. ding…. ding..

Haaaaaay… Home…. I miss home…

When I am taking a vacation to the Philippines, my mother makes sure that the food on the table would be something that I can’t normally find in Dubai. My favorites are “bulanglang” and fried fish, adobong batangas, pinais na dulong, pork paksiw, and humba and pork barbeque served with salted egg with tomatoes. Of course you can eat all of those every where, but “home cooking” is always different no matter what.

In the morning Tatay would go to the market just to buy my breakfast, native delicacies of course, puto, kutsinta, bibingkang kanin, ensaymada and Banana Q and turon.

I remember when I was younger, when we go vacation in Batangas, the famous “pinindot”, buchi-buchi, and tamales will never be missing at the breakfast table, while Kapeng barako is free flowing the whole day in Nanay Peling’s house.

Come 3pm, my cousins and I will go to Thomas’s carinderia, where we will eat Lomi, or Palabok, fish balls, kwek-kwek and all kinds of Inihaw…betamax, isaw, adidas and whatever comes to mind. We will finish it off with Halo-Halo with lots of ube and leche flan on top! As soon as our monstrous intestines managed to digest all of the food we ate (which was very soon, in fact) we will go to the field and aided with our slippers on the right hand and bagoong bottle on he other, we will try to steal green mangoes in Amados’s land. Half of the time we get away with our “mango escapades” the other half we go home running with missing slippers and an angry Ämado in tow! HAHAHAHAHA!

Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiingggg…..

The microwave has beeped already…. Time is up.. food reheated… I stared at the plate with a left over rice from last night, 1 ½ piece of sausage and half fried chicken….left over from last night as well and then I thought….

Haaaaaaaay… welcome back to Dubai.

I got Cairo-d Away!!

September 13, 2008

I was really blessed to be given a chance to visit the country where the one of the oldest civilization in the world history had begun... Cairo, Egypt. To say that we got carried away by the amazing creation of a man, that was the Pyramid, was an understatement! Nothing had prepared us for the breathtaking mystery that surrounds the city. If not for anything, the Pyramid alone is worth the trip to one of the most sought after destination in the planet..

The proud Pyramid stood tall and greatly in the midst of the bustling city of Cairo. Upon looking at this great creation of man, you would think that the ancestors of Alexander the Great have absolutely done a superior architectural skill relying only in physical strength and amazing structural techniques. It is said that the Pyramid was made by blocks of stones and nothing else. (it means no use of cements or anything). How they did that was beyond me!

Though it was generally agreed that the Pyramids were build as a burial monument during ancient time, there are still the endless theories being given as to the real purpose of the construction of these monuments.

As of November 2008, there were 118 Pyramid that have been identified. Egypt's deep history is still very much tangible in its people and cities. There is a nagging mysteriousness in each corner of the place that not even a hundred thousand of years could possibly eradicate.