Side note: I listened to CNBLUE's First Step album, I miss CNBLUE and remembered how my fangirling started and how far did I go for it and not regretting it.
[RANDOM] Just Saying
Side note: I listened to CNBLUE's First Step album, I miss CNBLUE and remembered how my fangirling started and how far did I go for it and not regretting it.
Eid Fitr Holiday - A Sum Up
Evaluating (evaluate really?!) ok, “Summing up”. I am summing up my holidays, to see if I did something fruitful. I believe that holidays should not go to a waste, first it doesn’t happened all the time, but if your in the Philippines you can easily plan your out of towns for a year since there are quite a few reds in the calendar. However in this part of the world, the Middle East is not keen on holidays. They do not have Bonifacios, Rizals and Aquinos to honor. But I fret not because in this part of the world, we have Ramadan that mandates every office to cut 2 working hours for a month! (tongue sticking out) and after the Ramadan month, Eid Al Fitr follows and its usually a 2 days off! We are lucky that the moon smiles so timely on a Saturday night to mark Eid and therefore Sunday and Monday was declared holiday.
I actually just got 3 days off, as I come to work on Saturday for overtime. My Friday is the usual whole day church. It is sad that we (the ladies) just rested, for me I dozed off and did not have a devotional. The one who is supposed to discuss being a virtuous woman is sick.
Come Saturday and I almost get a good news because my boss might not be coming to work. I reasoned not to come for OT stating that he is not coming. My friend said “might” and for me not to be cursed after for not coming by my boss, I came because he “might” be coming. Though he did not come, I forgot that I’ve got another boss that asked me to do a tedious task and ended up working till 6pm. I just reminded myself that it covers my utility bills a bag that I want to buy!
Sunday. I feel like I am in a “normal” country that day offs are Saturdays and Sundays. Nothing beats the feeling of going to church on a Sunday morning! This time we had dinner and a movie, which I already made a post how disappointed I was. We are all still full because of the snacks we had while watching the movie. Dubai Mall is a huge mall but why I find like 3 people in every square meter of the mall? Its so crowded and its so stressful getting around the mall and dine. We ended up with Uno and its sad that we did not get their signature deep dish pizza because we are still full. I feel like cursing my friend for not developing his taste palette that we can’t eat to a restaurant that does not have steaks or burger. The diner is courtesy from Lai that got her salary early. Yay! Thanks Lai! It’s a thanksgiving dinner for finally getting a good job placement.
Monday. I woke up late and was surprised that Nerisa did not come to work as our boss is not coming either. Its 10am because I stayed up till 2am watching the remainder of dorama, Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge aka The Wallflower (hopefully will do a separate post about it). Did some chores namely, laundry, vacuuming, mopping and waxing my legs. And yes, it’s a chore. Ha! I painted my nails too which is an epic fail because I was doing it while watching Dream High. Speaking of Dream High, I watched episodes 1 to 9 and if only I don’t have to work today, I’ll finish till 16 which is another 7 hours!
Dream High brought me find a new KPop idol to stalk, Taecyeon! And I love Suzy now and it let me remind my love for KSH, I almost forgot how your eyes are to die for. For Eunjung, reminds me T-ara's debacle.
I made this entry for I am sad of people complaining about coming "again" to work. I mean, isn't a 4 days off is good already Gratitude people! GRATITUDE. Some don't have a job, just be thankful you still have one. After 40 days, another Eid! Eid Al Adha, I know their names because its a holiday! But as I googled, it may fall on Friday, 26 October :(. Now off study.
Goodbye Jeanette! - Reality Bites
As I sink (I think) a quarter of my life now a days to Kdramas and Kpop. Its rather living in a fantasy and I must admit that getting into those things are just excuse of not facing the real deal. Today, I got a message, a very sad one that puts me back to reality. A message from one of my friends listed in Facebook (really how many friends are really your friends). Emer, an old colleague told me to look into the wall of my friend, Jeanette. It gave me a shock to read RIPs, condolences and only good works about Jeanette. I did not cry right away as I cannot believe what I just read and convincing myself that its not her, but it is. I cried inside the toilet. I cried because I will miss her. She is one of the colleague that became a friend. I cried because of regrets, I failed to see her the last time I went home for vacation. I cried because I do not know if she trusted Christ as her Savior and that I did not share it (salvation) with her. She said that she is agnostic at one of our conversation, it broke my heart back then but did not press on the issue of trusting Christ.
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I suddenly remembered how she laugh, her infamous mole, how slow she eats, how tasty is her Bicol Express, how generous she was, how hard working, how fast she fall asleep in the bus station's waiting after I left her to get our tickets (which is just 2 minutes), that she is such a magnet of thieves, our days in PLM and of course in Informatics.
Hinetz , thank you for being part of my life, I will not forget you. Its too bad that we weren't able to do some of our plans together, as I didn't know that we do not have much time.
Jaworski!
Of all teams in PBA, I rooted and placed bet on Ginebra! Well it is my dad's team, I don't know why I did not choose another team but l'm glad l didn't.
Today, we (l put we as l am writing a post) pay tribute to the number 7 Jersey.
The Barangay is so noisy in twitter. If only Filipinos are as united as the barangay Ginebra fans, Philippines will be a better place.
To Jawo, though your not really my favorite player but you have been part of how I loved Ginebra. *APPLAUSE
Hello July!
There you go, half of the year just passed like that. My 8th day of this year let me experience Kpop at its best at least for me - CNBLUE's Bluestorm concert in HK! Like most life, its a mixture of ups and downs, bitter and sweet, from ecstatic feelings to torments.
So July, lets beat my June posts. March is still my winning month in terms of no. of posts. I wonder am I not that busy at that time?
Cobyness - In a spending spree!
I've been a bad bad girl this month! Spending left and right in malls because of left and right "SALE" banners! Argh! Here are the things that I bought so far:
Kipling bag. Been dying to have one for years.
Lacoste shoes. I don't have a decent pair of sneakers.
Blue skinny jeans, saw Park Min Young wearing one. hehe
Superdry shirt. Been drawn to this brand because of the Japanese characters on it. I still wish for the shirt with a big number 8 in front and says Osaka.
Accessories from Aldo. Got 2 earrings, two bright colored earrings. One in fuchsia pink and the other one in orange! They look like bubble gums. Oh that pop fashion in me! Also on sale was a hair clip with peacock feathers pattern and a foot cover in fuchsia pink, white and black to go with my new sneakers which is an epic fail by the way, for it is slippery. And with that, I ended up buying a new pair of ankle socks (way cheaper and better) in Tchibo, its like the German "Ikea" or "Daiso".
Brasserie from Triumph. Triumph seldom goes on sale and even on sale items are still sometimes pricey. I got one in 55 AED!
My spending spree did not end there as I am accustomed and I'd rather use that word than "hooked" to online shopping! The thing about online shopping is receiving packages. It teaching me patience. haha! But I just realized that the rates that my bank uses for a dollar is 3.8 AED which should be 3.68, the fixed dollar exchange rate in UAE.
Online I bought, 2 books and one booklet over at intouch.org. The package was sent 08 June and I received it 24th of June. Just in time for my friend's birthday. I decided to give her a book this time, so much for bags, perfumes or trinkets. This time its for our spiritual well being for maturity. I have the same book for my self which I started to read last night and hope to post some thoughts about it here.
The next item is Galaxy Note flip cover in orange! yeah same as Kim Hang Ah's flip cover in The King 2 Hearts! I ordered it from ebay. I am wishing to have the OEM flip cover but getting it online is difficult and tricky, so I just settled for the copy/pirated/fake one, since there's no way to validate the genuineness of the cover I intended to buy. It will come from Hong Kong, so it will be here after 3 weeks. See I told ya.. PATIENCE.
Lastly (and I hope this will be the last purchase for me this June and the upcoming July), I ordered the device for the flip cover! haha! Its funny that I bought the casing first which leaves me to almost no option for me to change the phone that I like to buy. This will be my first expensive phone, and jumping back again to the smartphone world. Before I was skeptical of getting a full touch device as my fingers wants to feel the buttons, but it seems inevitable nowadays. My BlackBerry was expensive too but that one was the entry level phone for BB. I am hoping to get it on Thursday but the lady said 4 to 5 days and as I reckon, this is day 1. Again PATIENCE.
Just now I realized that I have not ordered the must have MTV Unplugged of CNBLUE! Now this will be the last!
Stale Victory – Pacquiao-Bradley bout
As a Filipino, I take pride in any Pinoy that triumphs. One of them is Manny Pacquiao which is by the way a congressman in their Sarangani province, south of Philippines. I don’t know but that’s how politics is in our country. I first witnessed how he fights on one of those local boxing matches being shown late at night. Me and my brother don’t have anything else to watch at that time and we tuned in. We were so glad with the fight because he knocked down his opponent with just a few punches!
On June 10 (Manila), millions of Filipinos watched our Pambansang Kamao fight with Timothy Bradley. It is not an exaggeration when you will hear in the news that crime rate literally drops when there’s a Manny Pacquiao bout. In some places large screens were being setup for everyone to see the fight. Sadly he lost. I did not get to see the fight as I have work. Here in Dubai, a lot of Pinoys will call in sick or take a half day off. As for me I just opened twitter and just get the updates there.
Now one thing that you will hear when Pinoys lost in fights or a tournament and even TV ratings is “dinaya kasi” (because there’s cheating). Whether its basketball game in the smallest barangay, or on a larger scale – national election, the loser will cry foul.
As I said I did not see the fight live or even check it over at youtube. As expected, Pinoys cried foul. Whether or not the claim was true or not, just now I read, that WBO says that Pacquiao won over Bradley. It may appear like a total redemption of the cheating/conspiracy/game fixing claims, but for me it felt like a total CRAP! Its like they made a big joke on us Pinoys, the feeling of a loser is never good especially a Manny-Pacquiao-boxing.
The report says that it will not overturn the result, but it can constitute an approval of a rematch, even a force rematch between Bradley and Pacquiao. The rematch is set on November 10.
I love to watch sports and boxing is one of them as I grew up with my dad and uncles watching it feverishly, however with this one, I don’t care anymore.
Getting into the Hallyu Wave
Ever since foreign dramas (thank you Marimar!) were introduced in the Philippines, sad to say that I never looked at another locally produced drama, except for Amaya and the Pinoy remake of Full House. I might know a bit about Lobo (Wolf) which is a failed (epic fail) attempt to do a Twilight drama because our flat have TFC and I have no choice but to see it. Though Twilight doesn't own the whole vamp vs werewolf storyline, but I believe that it jumped into the bandwagon, the Twilight saga.
Meteor Garden started it all for me. Although that may not be Kdrama, but a Tdrama, it made me realized that my neighboring countries (Mexico is too far) have their own dramas too! hehe.. I really like dramas to the point of patronizing one drama that was being broadcast over the radio! yay! I am so accustomed I should say in dubbed dramas, and at first I really find it funny as their mouth is saying something else that what I am hearing (I got over it after 15 minutes I think, told ya I like dramas!)
When Kdrama was introduced by GMA 7 I believe, it was their answer to the ABS-CBN's shooting up of its rating while having Meteor Garden. I think it was Endless Love, one of the Season Dramas, and as the season changed, there were more and more tears. I got an impression that Koreans are melodramatic, but upon seeing the comedies, and the other genres, I begin to love them. And that's what you call, hit by the hallyu wave! I can never look back now and one of the things on my bucket list is to go and visit Korea.
And so I've got some Kstuffs...
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Samsung Galaxy S3 - Designed for Humans! Errrrrr..what?!
Hello all humans! Now a phone designed just for you! Samsung Galaxy S3!
When I heard the tagline, "Designed for Humans" I cringed! I clicked on the ad not to convinced myself to buy one, but with an expectation to see a Kpop artist on the CF and to my disappointment, there's none. To add to my dismay, it was ended with that line! All creativeness were I guess poured on developing the phone and not much on choosing a tagline! But still I wonder when will I get my hand on those smartphones? Its so expensive and with a butter fingers of mine, its not practical.
Happy Labor Day!!!
All of us have labor woes. Right now I have an outstanding request to my employer that the possibility of it being granted is dim. Labor day simply means a holiday to me (well at least while I am in Philippines). Every 1st of May the streets of Manila and other major cities in the Philippines will be full of demonstrators that are not getting tired to carrying placards and yell for a wage hike. I wonder when will be a time when laborers will go the streets and simply thank God that they have a job. I just actually thought about it right now and displeased to myself for that seeing the 1st of May to be an opportunity to really thank God for me being capable of having a job.
I thank God for my job, that I have a job, that He give me strength and wisdom everyday to perform my job. Let us be reminded and comforted with the verses below. Happy Labor Day!
Col 3:22 to 24 (KJV)
22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Google - Zip it!
As I try to go my wordpress account, I was greeted by this cool google! Since google is my homepage, it brought to their site with a big zipper in the middle. We all know that google's logo can be interactive at times which is so cool! The first one I really enjoyed was the tribute to Les Paul that you can strum the guitar! Now this time as tribute (his birthday is today) to the one who developed the zipper - Gideon Sundback!
Thursday is BLOG TIME!
I miss you my blog! My fourth year in our company was marked with a change that I prayed about it. New office, new people to work with and most to all new boss! I was happy about it, till some factors made it no fun anymore. Now I am not going to put up all the details here as I've read news about someone sent to jail because of trashing his/her company.
Its a new environment, with new procedures that made it so stressful and I don't even have the time to blog. :( sad... sad...sad... My March have a total of 52 posts and now its already the 5th and I don't have much entries, in fact this might be just the second one.
Will be writing a couple of entries, one re: Kdramas and hopefully CNBLUE!
Happy Thursday everyone!
My Dubai Stint - An Answered Prayer!
It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lam 3:22-23 (KJV)
It is my fourth year in UAE! I was scheduled for 2, well that's what I said to myself. Enough to let me fund my sister's tuition. I remember jogging around Zabeel Park and thinking of when will I come home. My initial reason for coming to the desert land is just to earn more money. The fact that our church has a mission work here, is an icing to the cake. Never did I imagine that God will let use of me.
Nerie has been bugging me to come to Dubai since 2003 or 2004. I remember sending my CV to one of the boss here at our company. I never got a reply and it seems to be that it was not read. I was not really keen of coming to a foreign land to work for the reasons of a) I'm afraid of the language. The thought of speaking English every now and then would probably end up into a nose bleed. b) A nationalistic pride. I want my skills to be used in my country. c) I don't have money to spend. The horror stories of most OFWs about selling everything that they have, getting loans (our family was once asked to loan our relatives for placement fees) and being conned to name a few are enough reasons for me to be afraid. I don't have savings for my money all goes to my family and my almost every weekend out of town with my teammates during summer or simply, I don't manage my money well.
Late 2007 when Nerie offered us (me and Tin) to go to Dubai. That year I thought I'm gonna get a promotion since I am being backed up by my supervisor. It was sad though that I didn't get it so I considered the Dubai offer (to appease myself). This time she said all I need is to fix my papers. No placement fees! Tin went first and I was supposed to come next after she gets a job. My hopes went dim when after 3 months she still not able to find a job and that she threatened to simply go back to Philippines. Well will that thought how can I possible be next to go if she goes home and how can I possible find a job if she get herself?
That time, I prayed to God. I actually had a devotion and it says there that we are to submit to God's will. Its not easy to say "Lord, Thy will be done.", because sometimes we do not want what God wants for us. Initially we are focused on getting what we want and if God gave otherwise, we become sad and others to some extent, hate God. I remember weeping in my prayers while saying "Thy will be done" because I know that there's a possibility that He did not want me to go to Dubai which at that point, I really want it bad. After that, I blown my nose and slept with peace in my heart. After 45 minutes or so, I got an overseas call, and Neri said that Tin got a job and submit my resignation! To some it may say magic or luck but for me its an answered Prayer!
I've been so blessed here, I gained new friends, joined and served to a new church, provided more to my family and get to do things in my bucket list. Now its easier for me to say "Thy will be done" for I know God have a better best plan for me!
It's March!
Wow its March already! There are a lot of significant dates for me for March... my first boyfriend, graduations, resigning, getting a new job, going to Dubai to name a few. Somehow March is the one of the 'perfect' month... not too close to January where people restart on what was left on hold due to the holidays (Christmas and New Year). March is the month when things settle down, from the year-end hullabaloo, to the overflowing need to be loved during February. March is when people like me (I supposed) think of things to do for the year (yea I suck in planning). Oh I mean getting all those New Year's resolutions to be acted upon (wait are they again…haha).
One thing that starts on March is Formula One! Kimi Raikkonen (yes the Iceman himself) is returning to F1! Too bad I missed him when I watched F1 way back 2010 in Abu Dhabi, where in Fernando Alonso was just one race away from being a World Champion… that I even bought a pricey Ferrari cap ($50) and that he failed to win. There I said my first F1 live experience woes. He will be with Lotus-Renault team.
100th Blog Entry
Whoa! I have never dream that this blog will actually work. Work in a sense that first, 100 posts! I created a blog way back 2008, which housed 2 entries one of which is about the feeling of discrimination or simply bad customer service of Starbucks here in Dubai, and the second was my mad reactions to I a hoax news about ABS-CBN one of the big networks in the Philippines is trying to re-create or rather do a drama riff-off of Twilight! My beloved Twilight… back then (chuckle)…that’s a lesson for me. After that I quit blogging. I realized that I do not have much blog worthy idea back then, well maybe until now but what the heck! (laughs)
Tim Hortons - A Brief Love Affair
Last Thursday, as we rush to church for choir practice and as I was listening to FT Island 's Grown-up while I am trying to catch up with Neri (who is walking so fast to get into Villeroy and Bosh for her uber expensive utensils). I saw a line in Tim Hortons. I tasted their regular coffee the first time I went there and it wasn't bad considering its cheap.
So that there was no queue, I quickly ordered a doughnut and I told myself that will start with their basic doughnut. The good old honey glazed doughnut! I wasn't able to eat it that night so I reserved it for my Friday morning breakfast with coffee! I was disappointed to see these curly doughnuts in which I though I just ordered the regular round ones. Oh what the heck I didn't check it so its my fault. I put it into the microwave for a few seconds then began to eat it! Its heavenly! It was a good mistake that I was given the honey cruller! I love how soft it is, and the filling, the filling of a cream puff!
And I literally said, "I found my new love!". My friend couldn't agree more and cursed me for letting her eat a doughnut. I right away took my phone (the only camera that I have, because I left mine back home in Philippines ) and took a shot of it and thought of posting it here.
When I find something good, I would have an overdose of that until I had enough and actually hate it in the end. That's an exaggeration, rather it will take sometime before I will think about it.
So as I pass by the mall last Sunday, I decided to buy that doughnut again and was surprised to see theres no queue (we are indeed meant to be!). I discovered that it will be cheaper if I buy it by the dozen (hello? its always cheaper by the dozen). So I bought just half a dozen and a regular coffee (the cheapest). The other guy from the counter that served my coffee is courteous enough to offer me a sleeve since the coffee is hot.. oh how thoughtful. It reminded me about that Starbucks incident way way back here in Dubai that I was so pissed and even blogged about it. Going back, I waited for my lovey dovey doughnuts and before I go, I asked for napkins as I am clumsy surely the coffee will spill. So the LADY (take note of all caps) pointed me to go to the corner where I could get it. So I said "Ok, thank you" was almost singing since I have a good coffee in my hand and my six pieces of my lovey dovey doughnuts. Until she muttered, "Sugar is also there, just don't get a kilo of it."
Music suddenly stopped, I cringed and walkaway. It took some moment for it to sink in to my system. And it was like WHAT?! PFFFFT! Some racist and what makes it worse is that it came from a Filipina. I thought of going back to her and take a full refund. Some customer service. This morning I googled (the darn receipt do not bear any phone number). Google did not help much then I remember that girl asked me about having a "Club Apparel Card" I told her I don't have my phone with me. So I googled club Apparel then clicked on Tim Hortons. I spoke with the manager. although apologetic but I didn't feel any empathy. He asked me what happened so I told my story. I planned to nag at the manager but to no avail, he right away asked me to come back to their shop and willing to compensate the insult I got from my kabayan. Hmm I wonder if they will give the best bagel they've got or like a lifetime 50% off! Tsk tsk why I didn't ask? oh well
What a sad sad experience for me, I was looking forward to taste their famous bagels (I love bagels) but having this kind of experiences cut the love affair. I will definitely miss you honey crullers!
**kabayan - simply means co-patriot, but usually refers to Pinoys (Filipinos) here in UAE, even other nationalities would call us kabayan (so much for etymology)
New Post - mind is loaded with things to post!
I'll be bidding my not so busy day in the office, wherein I could do a virtual staking of CNBLUE, tweet about it and even post in this blog. There are a lot of things that I want to post in this blog and composing a blog entry in the office is perfect for me. Nice chair and fast internet connection, besides nothing beats the comfort of working on a desktop. My laptop at home sits on a breakfast-in-bed-table and under it is small plastic chair. Yea..yea.. I just cannot throw the acacia wood breakfast-in-bed table that cost about $30. The beam (I think its called a beam, I'm no carpenter) where the legs are attached to cracked so it would not stand. Gladly, we have this little plastic chair, that now serves as it legs.
Sorry, I don't know why half of this entry is about the breakfast-in-bed table. Reading the above is enough to tell that I really love that table that I cannot throw it an even would have a space on this blog.
Anyway the things I want to write about are:
- My thoughts about the Flower Boys Ramyun Shop (dunno if I got the title right) and why I even bother to watch it.
- Why I don't mind if Kim Soo Hyun would yell at me.
- About how impossible to simply google "Your Eyes by Unbekannt mp3 mediafire" (yes there is a band/singer named like that) and get results.
- My own pet peeves re: Kpop and Kdrama but still patronize them
hayz! I got to log out now. Maybe if I finish all things that I need to do, I'll have time to write those!
Have a blessed Sunday!
Boice Ramblings
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Sad...sad...sad - Whitney Houston is dead
Just this morning we all heard the news that the Queen of Pop - the Diva herself is dead. No news yet of the caused her death. How many more like her (artist) who once had a great career and die just like that. So sad that she didn't die on a high note.
Its February Already!
Time flies. Sometimes I like fast forwarding the days to see the end. There are times that I think life as a drama, it have episodes, seasons and ending. Why would I want to see the ending? I ask myself sometime. Well maybe because I want to see a new drama, a better one with the one I am in – my life. Everyday as if I drag myself to work. Not that my work is a sucker, my work (and company) is way better than most OFWs here in UAE and that is one thing that I thank God everyday. I am guilty of feeling that I am somehow cruising into life without any direction of my destination. It’s a sad realization but what I am doing? Everyone have our own share of these life ‘issues’ what will make a difference is how are you going to respond.