Back to Nature

School's over. I can finally sit down and relax, away from all the clutter of my desk. I can finally breathe. I am going camping soon, up in the Easter Sierras! No cellphone ringing, no wifi signals, no TV, no radio. Just me and the sound of a crackling campfire and the sweet melody of chirping birds to wake me up in the morning.

------------------------------

This is a photo of Mono Lake (long exposure at at dusk). Mono Lake in the Eastern Sierras is a vital habitat for millions of migratory and nesting birds (about 300 species).

Fun Saturday

Z and I strapped our bikes to the car and went biking in San Francisco. We only biked around 11 miles at Golden Gate Park, exploring small trails and main roads then stopped at a little cafe on Irving for a nice afternoon snack. It was beautiful day, a little foggy at first but it burned off. I just wish we rode more - I enjoy pumping my leg muscles this way and it's a great cardio exercise.

Golden Gate Park is such a bike-friendly park and lots of green grass to sit on and rest whenever you need to. Our last stop was the Shakespeare Garden which is rarely ever crowded unless there is a wedding ceremony. And just like the last time I was there, it was empty. We had the garden to ourselves and it was so nice to take my helmet off and lay on the grass to relax.

I am hoping we could log more miles this week. Need that exercise you know....

My First Long Weekend

We're talking about a real long weekend. A weekend where I did nothing but fun stuff! I spent Wednesday night working on my research proposal and got a feedback from my Professor the next day saying I no longer need to edit anything because it's close to perfect and gave me an A+ for it. Thank god she responded on Thursday. I was able to enjoy a leisurely weekend.

Roda, Z and I went on a day drive to Glen Ellen up north in Sonoma and visited Jack London State Park. It was quite a nice walk through the woods all the way to the Wolfe House, built by the famous author Jack London. We also walked all the way up to where his ashes were scattered marked with a big rock. It was so quiet up there. So relaxing. There was nothing but the sound gentle sound of our footsteps on the trail and the occasional chirping of birds.

We drove back to Glen Ellen and stopped for some chocolate tasting. Hmmmm. I love the tiramisu cabernet the best. They were about $1.50 per piece which was a little steep. But they're so worth the money. On our way back, we went through Napa, sipped espresso and just enjoyed the day fading out.

Friday was spent doing chores at home and dinner with Z's parents. We took his mom out for mother's day. Per her request, we took her to a Chinese restaurant on Piedmont Ave. called Little Shin Shin. It was absolutely good! After dinner, we walked to Fentons for dessert. God, it was packed and loud in there but the ice cream was so good we couldn't complain. We spent some time in their boat docked in Alameda after dinner and looked at our Spain/Germany photos. They are planning on going on a 6-month Europe trip next year and they loved our suggestions on places to explore, things to do, places not to miss.

It was a wonderful family time. Saturday was also family time. Z and I took my mom on a drive to San Francisco, relaxed at the Golden Gate Park, sipped some tea at the Japanese garden and stopping by Sausalito for some afternoon coffee.

Today was bike ride day. My good friend Bolivs let me borrow his bike and had to test it out. So Z and I drove to Alameda and tested it on the trail by the bay. Man, the bike rides so fast! I'm hooked!!! I loved the wind against my face and the views were fantastic. Z couldn't even catch up to me with this Trek Hybrid bike.

Now, I'm back to reality. Gotta finish a few more papers and I'm done for this semester.

Muy Fantastico

Z can't be restrained. He went ahead and bought a '07 Toyota Prius. No, I didn't really persuade him not to buy it because 1: the dealership gave us a great deal and second, it is such a damn great car. So after waiting for about 4 hours at the Toyota delearship, we drove away with the Prius.

It took a while for us to drive off the lot because they told us they didn't have the color that Z wanted and they wanted him to drive off with a black one. And when they finally relented, the magnetic charcoal car that Z wanted had a crooked license plate holder on the front. They also tried to scam him as the salesman tried his best to convince him that a crooked license plate holder can be easily fixed by either boring another hole on the bumper or replacing the whole bumper itself. I thought that was certainly ridiculous and so I put my foot down and said no, we are not getting a brand new car and then come back for the bumper to be replaced. It doesn't make sense at all!!!!

They also tried to scam him into checking his credit history although he walked in there intending to pay with a check issued by another lender. They told him it's the law!!!! When he was told this, he was actually thinking of walking away without the Prius. But it was sort of hard because of the great deal. So he asked them to pull out a proof that it is indeed the law. Ha! They couldn't come up with anything!

But we did get a great price in the end. $200 less than carsdirect price and $500 less than edmunds.com price. It came with all the great stuff - fog lights, heated mirrors, back-up camera, navigation system, a smart key (no more fumbling with keys - just walk up to it and it unlocks) and a lot more. No more key ignition either! Just press the power button and voila - it starts!!!! Plus we get 50-60 miles per gallon!!! Isn't that fantastic?

We've driven Prii a lot since Monday and yes, we are loving it!!!!!

:) Photos coming soon

Not So Typical Sunday

Z and I were craving for some good breakfast and considered going to some good local places but I kinda wanted to go to Hometown Buffet instead. As we were leaving, his coworker called to tell him about a big accident that happened on the McArthur Maze, a major interchange in the East Bay. I immediately grabbed my camera since the accident was on our way. We drove down to the Ikea parking lot where we thought we are gonna get a good view of the accident. And yes, we sure did.

Apparently, a truck with gasoline tank took a turn too fast and hit the guardrail and all of a sudden it exploded. Temperatures reached more than 200 degrees and melted the steel supporting the ramp and next thing you know the structure fell into another ramp. The fire destroyed the whole truck and tank. It's a good thing it happened at around 3 am and miraculously, there were no other cars around. Even the truck driver escaped the accident although her walked away with second-degree burn.

While we were taking photos, a reported from the Tribune came and asked if she could interview us. I declined as I don't use that route and I take the train to commute to San Francisco. Z obliged and a few minutes ago we saw his name on the Tribune and of course, misquoted. Oh, well. I guess that's how media operate. According to CalTrans, around 75,000 cars go through that interchange everyday. So I'm sure tomorrow will be a big mess. Glad to know that BART are adding more trains and public transportation from the East Bay will be free including AC Transit and Ferry Service.

We also went shopping for a new car for Z. We test drove a Toyota Prius, a Hybrid Toyota Camry and a Hybrid Honda Civic. Z was looking for something that could help save gas and at the same time save the environment. And guess what, I loved the Prius the best. I fell in love with it and wanted to take it home tonight. Hehehe. But of course that's not the way it works. The Camry was so comfortable, beautifully engineered. And I would pick it over the Prius if not for the $30,000 sticker price. Who needs a leather seat?! The manager quoted us 25 grand on the Prius which is a really great deal with all the extras like Navigation and Smart Key System. It doesn't have the torque that the Camry had but man, I absolutely loved it. We went down to Honda immediately after after Toyota warned us that nothing could beat the Prius. And yes, they were right. The Hybrid civic sucked. We test drove it and it felt cramped. And for the price you pay for it, I think it's a rip off. The salesperson said price depends on the demand and could range from $24,995 to $28,995. I don't quite understand that kind of pricing but I think it's BS. And it didn't matter because we didn't like it at all. With that price, it doesn't even have a smart key system! Anyway, we were just shopping around. We'll see what happens next.

Of Spain and Other Things

Finally, after months of waiting for a good movie I got to watch Volver which was totally awesome. I hate to spoil it for those who haven't seen it. So if you haven't, go rent it and let me know how much you liked it.

As for me, I really, really enjoyed it. It reminded me of my recent trip to Spain. It reminded me of the beautiful people and the amazing culture in that region. I wish I was able to blog when I was in Spain but there was so much to do and so little time. But yes, Spain is a wonderful country with great food, amazing architecture and an excellent transportation system so Z and I were able to get around without any trouble. I will be posting photos of my trip as soon as I have more time. I got a job as Research Assistant to one of my professors and I still have a few projects to finish but as soon as I'm done, I will be posting here on a more regular basis. Who knows? Maybe I'll even find the energy to explain my long hiatus from this blog.

So stay tuned. J

Things That Matter Most

I spent the whole weekend and Monday at the State Capitol learning more about the legislative process and how appropriations work. It was definitely an eye opener for me, having the chance to understand Assembly Bills and Senate Bills and what they really mean for me and the population I work with.

We discussed the governor's proposal of $456 million dollar cut on CalWORKS in 2007-2008 and $566 million annually thereafter which will directly impact families and children. It looks like the governor is trying to balance the budget on the fragile backs of California's children. We say no to this budget cut because it is unfair. We say no because it will create great difficulties for low income families, especially children, who will be at risk of hunger and homelessness.

We also tackled the issue of homeless. Senate Bill 2, if passed, will mandate cities and/or counties to designate a space as shelters in their planning. I'm not really sure about this bill. I think it is shallow, temporary and palliative and doesn't really address the problem of homelessness.

One thing that I was passionate about was Universal Health Care for all Californians. The state of California is the 6^th largest economy in the world. We already spend about $180 billion dollars in health care and $20 billion is wasted over unnecessary administrative cost due to HMO's and what nots. Yes, $180 BILLION and many Californians are still without access to medical care. What are we thinking? Yes, we want health care. And we want it for everyone. Senate Bill 840 will allow every Californian to have access to health care. It won't be based on employment. Health care which is a basic right will be available to all. Universal Health Care will cut the unnecessary administrative cost, thus saving the state more money. In the long run, the state will save around $346 billion dollars in ten years because of the focus on preventive care and other cost saving measures.

Before leaving the capitol, we were able to meet with a few senators and members of the congress about these bills and how much their votes matter. We appealed to them in behalf of their constituents that would be impacted if they reject this bill.

It was an amazing experience just being there, learning all the tools on how to lobby for a bill that would impact me and other fellow constituents. Plus I got to spend some time with friends and colleagues in exploring Old Sacramento and touring them around the State Capitol.

Let's be proactive. Write to your senators and your local representatives. Tell them how Universal Health Care would benefit you and others. IF you voted for your senator, tell them so. Let them know that you voted for them and that you expect them to represent you and the people. You can email your local representatives using this easy form.

I am looking forward to that day when health care is available to every Californian. Young and old, working and non-working, students and professionals having access to doctors and medical care. Prop 63 happened. SB 840 can and will happen.

For more information about the Universal Health Care Bill (SB 840), visit www.onecarenow.org

Spaghetti Night - Pinoy Style!!!!!

by Waves.

I was so stressed out for the past three days that I decided to just load up on carbs - Spaghetti Pinoy Style!!! I deserve this meal after eating healthy for the past month or so. I need a break :D

So here's how I made this for those who are interested in making their own Pinoy Style Ispageti.

I sliced 4 Filipino Style Hotdog and fried them in olive oil. In a separate saucepan I sauteed garlic and onions and about half a pound of ground beef. I added fried hotdog, 2 bottles of Banana Ketchup, small can of Tomato sauce and half a cup of water. I added a dash of salt and pepper and let it boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes. After the sauce thickened a little bit, I added 1 small can of tomato paste and a tablespoon of sugar.

That's it! I added grated cheddar cheese on top. Just the way a traditional Pinoy would do it. :)

Yummy.

Back To My Books :(

by Waves.

A few of my books waiting to be read - and a cuppa tea.

I'm Not Only Burried Under A Tall Stack of Books....

I am also going crazy because I got a job two weeks ago as a graduate Research Assistant which I absolutely love. Yes, I do love it but with all the books I have to read, decisions to make about next year's internship, papers to write and my own research proposal to prepare for IRB, I am going absolutely insane.

So somebody help me decide...... these are the places that offered me an internship position next year. Yes, after going to numerous panel interviews, I finally got offers. So here we go...

UCSF doing Psychotherapy with adults exposed to violence
Kaiser Pediatrics (Psychotherapy with children and their family)
County Department in the East Bay doing Play Therapy, Sand Therapy and Family Therapy
County Department somewhere near the South Bay doing Psychotherapy with Youth

I have to make my decision by Monday. :(

Now I'm off to see Usapang Puki (The Vagina Monologues) at the Herbst Theater in San Francisco. My old college roommate is performing :)

Roller Coaster

My class met at a restaurant yesterday as sort of a Holiday celebration and as a celebration of such a wonderful group of graduate students. We were allowed to order alcoholic drinks so I did. I ordered their cheapest house margarita and guess what! I got ID'd. Not that big of a deal if your in your 20's but once you hit the big 30, that is a big deal. Trust me. It made my day.

What is up with this age thing? I was at a group supervision with some Psych students earlier today when one brought up the topic of cultural assimilation. She then asked me when did I move to the US. So I told her I moved to the US in 2000. And she made a comment that totally cracked me up. Here: "I wonder how it was for you to move to the US as a teenager!?" I stared at her and replied: "I moved here six years ago. I am 30 now so I was 24 then." And she was shocked. So were the other interns and our clinical supervisor. They all said I look so young for my age. Ooooooh, wasn't that music to my ears!!!!!

So yeah, I've been feeling good about this and the successfull, awesome, glitch-free powerpoint I made for class. One of my classmates actually said I could totally put together a module for a Powerpoint Training. I incorporated all the video clips etc. that we needed and what can I say, it turned out really good. So now I am bragging. :D

But yeah, life's a roller coaster. I am happy and next thing I know I'm almost on the red. Oh the life of a student. A... I... I don't know. I really don't know what to say. I am this close <--> to being broke. No, I've never been this broke my whole life. At least in the past, when I get this close to being flat broke, I knew I was getting a paycheck the next day or the coming week. But this time, there is no paycheck to expect, no lottery winnings, no trust fund. Nothing. Zilch. Absolutely nothing.

Am I freaked out? Of course I am!!!! Do I have a plan???? No, not really. I've been planning to turn in my application for a job at the General Hospital but I'm not really sure how that would play out with my internship schedule and once my classes start for Spring, it might get all fucked up. So no, I really don't know.

So this is Christmas. There's always a first right? So this is it for me. My first flat broke Christmas. And no, it doesn't feel good at all.

Thankful

• I am thankful for public universities that made graduate studies possible for me.
• For a library system that acquires books when they are not available on the shelf.
• For a laptop borrowing program in school where I can take em out for 4 hours within the school to do my powerpoint presentation in class.
• For desktop computers in the library and for writely.com so I don't have to bring with me a CD or flash drive every time I work on my paper.
• For the rain that makes the grass glisten when the sun comes out.
• And the cool, crisp November air that gets me excited for Christmas.
• Thankful for professors who inspire me to be the best that I can be
• And thankful for my professors who challenge me with their unrealistic expectations - they are actually bringing out the best in me.
• For flickr friends who amuse, teach and inspire me to take better photos.
• I am thankful for a childhood friend who has been and will always be the sister I never had.
• For a friend who knows me inside out and yet accepts me for who I am and who I am becoming.
• For classmates who became my friends - because they understand the way I feel, and the tough times I am going through because of school and its demands, intellectually, financially and even emotionally.
• And a family that will always be a haven when I need love and acceptance.
• I am thankful for all the lessons learned, wounds healed and memories. They made me into who I am today.
• And I am thankful for Luna, the best cat in the whole world. She warms my feet when I sleep at night and kisses me good morning as I wake up.
• I am grateful for this wonderful life - no matter how bleak it looks sometimes, I am thankful for everyday reminders that it is a wonderful life - birds chirping, fog rolling in, a squirrel scurrying into the bushes, creamy chocolate ice cream and a slice of homemade tiramisu
• I am thankful for everything that makes this life a wonderful one.

What Would It Take

So what would it take for me to write again?

Maybe the rain will. Maybe I'll start writing again because I got home soaking wet from the pouring rain and I had no umbrella. It felt good to walk in the rain, at first but it got old real quick. I started shivering as my not-so-waterproof jacket started to cling to my skin. I cursed in silenced and so here I am, trying to stay warm, typing away again on my blog.

Maybe I'll start writing again, to talk about things that lost their significance in me, things that suddenly are coming to life again. Like racism, classism, sexism, etc. Isms that I've long dismissed because at one point I became hopeless. At one point I thought they are too huge for me and that i am too small to make any difference. So here I am, writing again.

Maybe all it takes is to be treated like crap at a store because of my skin color in the United States of America because I happen to be too brown for their taste. Maybe it takes a friend getting pulled over by a cop because her car registration is expired. And when the cop checked her license, it is also expired. And it just so happened that she didn't have a car insurance. But she got away with it. The cop let her drive the car without a license and without a car insurance. All because she is a light skinned woman. Talk about white privilege. I'm sure if my friend was an African-American man, the car would have been towed and he could have gotten a stiffer fine. But she was white.

Looks like it takes favoritism, inequality and maybe the poverty of a graduate student for me to start writing again.

So yeah, I am writing again.

Golden Gate Bridge

"People suffer largely unnoticed while the rest of the world goes about its business..."

------------------------

"One-thousand, two-hundred eighteen dead. The lives of families devastated. Two dozen deaths filmed by Steel and his crew in 2004. They also taped more than 100 hours of interviews with friends, families and witnesses, who recount in sorrowful detail stories of struggles with depression, substance abuse and mental illness.

The result is a moving and unsettling film, The Bridge that cannot help but touch everyone in the Bay Area in one way or another, not least because it admittedly raises as many questions as it answers: about suicide, mental illness and civic responsibility..."

We simply need that wild country available to us,

even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in,

for it can be a means of reassuring ourselves of our sanity as creatures,

a part of the geography of hope.

~ Wallace Stegner ~

Waves 2006 © All rights reserved.

There is always some madness in love.

But there is also always some reason in madness.

~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~

Waves 2006 © All rights reserved.

Lovers in Chinatown

Waves 2006 © All rights reserved.

"'Twas not my lips you kissed, But my soul."

~Judy Garland~

.

"Whenever I see couples kiss and make up,

watch romantic movies and hear love songs,

I smile and feel good because I know

love still works...

if not for me, at least for others."

~Ally McBeal~

Waves 2006 © All rights reserved.

Tombstone

Done With "The Zahir"

Wow. Although not as compelling as “The Alchemist", Paul Coelho’s new book “The Zahir”was thought- provoking, similar to “Eleven Minutes”, written by the same author. After reading its final page last night, I sat still on the couch, mulling over questions provoked by Coelho’s thoughts.

Thoughts about love, marriage, rules, taboos, happiness and life. I sat there and reviewed my life, my past personal history and how much of it was spent conforming to other people’s rules and standards. How I should love. Who I should love. How I should be loved. How long I should love. That marriage should be according to whatever our own religions taught us.

I wanna write more about the book and the stuff it made me think about, the feelings it stirred in me and the new learnings it brought to my heart. But I shall not do so. I know I have a few friends who might wanna read it too and I don’t wanna spoil it for them.

All I can say is that after reading the book, I decided that I shall let no one dictate me of how and who I should love, ignore the pressure of social norms and let go of my personal history for me to enjoy life today. I shall go and do things not because I read them in some stupid “Things To Do Before You Turn 30” kind of books but because I made my own list.

And when I grow old, I will be happy for I charted my own course and drew my own map.

And so my epitaph shall say:

Here lies a woman who lived and died without regrets…

Itunes + Phone?

Should I seriously consider getting this new phone? My contract with T-mobile expired a while ago so maybe I should give this phone a test drive at the Cingular store. It's first phone in US to play Apple iTunes and holds up to 100 iTunes songs! It includes surround-sound stereo speakers and headset.
Hmmm.... Sounds good but... we'll see.

Too Soon

Isn’t it too soon for overcast skies and cooler temps? Too soon for falling leaves and earlier sunsets. No, I’m not ready for Fall yet. I haven’t had enough with my Summer. I haven’t had enough of late sunsets, blue skies and the warmth of the midday sun. No, please, don’t go yet Summer. Stay for a while…

(I still have new running shorts to wear and cool tank tops I just bought. Hehehe.)

But I know you will go and nothing can stop you. You will leave me just like all the Summers in my past. They all left me, pining for more. But nevertheless, they all left me knowing that in less than a year, another Summer will come. Another Summer shall caress me with its warm days and beautiful sunsets. Another Summer that will always seem to be better than the last.

Oh Summer. Why do you have to be so fleeting? Why do you have to leave me dreading long winter nights and cold, rainy days? When will I learn to enjoy Winter just as much as I enjoy you? And when will I learn to embrace Fall just as much as I embrace you? What with its beautiful warm colors that soothes the heart that still grieving for Summer. Spring comes carrying bouquets of pretty flowers yet still not enough to cheer my heart that’s still longing for Summer.

Though I’m quite sad that you’re leaving this soon, I won’t cry. I will just rest inside my warm cocoon, content to just wait for another Summer to come.

So goodbye Summer. Go. Don’t hesitate now. No more of those tiny glimmer of false hopes peeking through dark winter clouds. And please don’t confuse me anymore with warm temps in early spring that last only for a moment.

Please, just go. And let me patiently wait for my next Summer to come. And when it does, your memory, too, will be long gone.

The New iPOD Nano

The New iPod nano - everything you love about iPod... only smaller. Up to 1,000 songs.

Excerpt From My Fave Author

from pp. 34-35 of Paul Coelho's book: "The Zahir"

“Some people appear to be happy, but they simply don’t give the matter much thought. Others make plans: I’m going to have a husband, a home, two children, a house in the country. As long as they’re busy doing that, they’re like bulls looking for the bullfighter: they react instinctively, they blunder on, with no idea where the target is. They get their car, sometimes they even get a Ferrari, and they think that’s the meaning of life, and they never question it. Yet their eyes betray the sadness that even they don’t know they carry in their soul…

“I don’t know if everyone is unhappy. I know they’re all busy: working overtime, worrying about theur children, their husband, their career, their degree, what they’re going to do tomorrow, what they need to buy, what they need to have in order not to feel inferior, etc. Very few people actually say to me: ‘I’m unhappy.’ Most say: ‘I’m fine, I’ve got everything I ever wanted.’ Then I ask: ‘What makes you happy?’ Answer: ‘I’ve got everything a person could possibly want – a family, a home, work, good health.’ Iask again: ‘Have you ever stopped to wonder if that’s all there is to life?’ Answer: ‘Yes, that’s all there is.’ I insist: ‘So the meaning of life is work, family, children who will grow up and leave you, a wife or husband who will become more like afriend than a real lover. And of course, one day your work will end too. What will you do when that happens?’

“…What they say is: ‘When the children have grown up, when my husband— or my wife— has become more my friend than my passionate lover, when I retire, then I’ll have time to do what I always wanted to do: travel.’ Question: ‘But didn’t you say you were happy now? Aren’t you already doing what you always wanted to do?’ Then they say they’re very busy and change the subject.

“If I insist, they always do come up with something they’re lacking. The businessman that hasn’t closed the deal he wanted, the housewife would like to have more independence and more money, the boy who’s in love is afraid of losing his girlfriend, the new graduate wonders if he chose his career or of it was chosen for him, the dentist wanted to be a singer, the singer wanted to be a politician, the politician wanted to be a writer, the writer wanted to be a farmer. And even when I did meet someone who was doing what he had chosen to do, the person’s soul was still in torment. He hadn’t found th peace yet either. So I’ll ask you again: ‘Are you happy?’”

Ako Ba Ang Malabo?

Ang kulit talaga minsan!

Tumawag ako sa Lucky Money kanina para ifollow-up kung natanggap na ng tita ko yong pinadala kong pera kasi tinatawagan ko ang cellphone niya, eh, wala yatang load. Anyway….

Eto ang conversation ko sa taga Lucky Money:

Siya: Hello
Ako: Itatanong ko lang kung natanggap na ng recipient yong pinadala kong pera nong isang araw.
Siya: Kelan niyo po pinadala?
Ako: Noong August 30
Siya: Ok. Pero kailan niyo po pinadala.
Ako: August 30 nga
Siya: Oooh. August 30 nga pala.

Ang gulo! So binigay ko information like receipt number, recipient name, etc.

Siya: Nasa banko na po yong pera pero hindi naming malalaman kung pinik-up na yong pera. Pero ti-next na po yong recipient.
Ako: Yon nga yong problema ko, kaya kahapon pa ako tumwag sa inyo. Kasi wala na yatang cellphone yong pinadalhan ko ng pera.
Siya: Paano niyo alam na wala nang cellphone.
Ako: Eh kasi tumawag ako, eh wala yatang load, kasi cannot be reached.
Siya: Pero ti-next na po siya eh.
Ako: Baka hindi natanggap yong text kasi nga hindi yata nag-wowork yong cellphone.
Siya: Eh sabi niyo tumawag kayo. Paano niyo alam na wala na siyang cellphone.

By this time, sobrang iritado na ako! Gusto ko siyang murrain kasi hindi niya magets yong sinasabi ko. Pero naisip ko, baka naman ako ang malabo! No wonder bakit maraming relasyon na hindi nag-wo-workout. Mahirap pa ring makipag-communicate kahit pareho na kayo ng salitang ginagamit.

Ako: Kasi nga, (malumanay tinig ko – nagpipigil lang ako non) tumawag ako, eh hindi na nag-wowork yong telepono. Siguro walang load. Dahil don, baka hindi natanggap yong text na ipinadala ng bangko sa kaniya para pik-upin na niya yong pera. So ngayon, hindi niya alam na may pera palang nag-aantay sa banko. Anong paraan ang pwedeng gawin para masabihan siya.
Siya: Ay, mahirap po yon, kasi text lang talaga pwede. Sige, padalhan na lang po naming siya ng sulat.

Kamot ako sa ulo. Haaaaay. Makapag-lunch na nga lang.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Got this email at work today so I'm posting it here just in case someone wants to take advantage of this opportunity...

Hi All,

ABC's hit reality show Extreme Makeover Home Edition is looking for API's to be a part of their program. This is part of their effort to include more people of color in their programming. Below are a few guidelines for consideration.Please support their efforts by forwarding this message to clients, friends and acquaintances. Remember, you can nominate families who you think are deserving of this wonderful opportunity.Please note the deadline date for submissions, and please send your nominations/applications directly to CHARISSE SIMONIAN, Family Casting Director at Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (address below) so she can review the applications personally (as opposed to the general p.o. box on the application).

Melinda

ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"

We are currently casting families in the Southeast / South and Southwest for Winter shoots. All others are still welcome to apply, however if they're on the East coast we can't consider them until Spring of 2006.

* Families must OWN their home. The home should not be larger than 2,000 sq.Feet and MUST be a single family residence (no townhomes, condos or apartments)
* Families must have a clean criminal history and pass an extensive background check.
* Families should have children (School age) still living at home
* Families should be outgoing, emotional and yet humble and extremely likeable.
* Families should speak Fluent English
* They should be in a situation where, by changing their house in some way,we can help that situation. Their story should be compelling & moving.
* Currently we ARE NOT looking for the following stories relating to: Adoption, Wheelchair accessibility, Cancer, death of or dying parent, ArmedServices, hearing impaired or visually impaired
* They should be "deserving" - i.e. help out the community, their neighbors or hold jobs such as police, fire, teachers, nurses, medics, do voulnteer work, non-profit, etc. (not all members but one at least!)
* Families houses should LOOK like they need repair!
* And, finally families should live on an accessible street, no hills, no cul-de-sacs

To download an application for the show, go to this link:http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/casting.html

Applications should be sent DIRECTLY to me at the address below, NOT the PO Box on the application. This way I can personally review each application.If the family is in the Southeast or Texas, we will need applications in nolater than Sept. 15th! If they're in California, October 1st.But, the sooner the better!

Charisse Simonian
Family Casting Director ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
1149 N. Gower St. Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90038
extremehomes@hotmail.com

Life Gets Better

The doctor left a message on my voicemail today. Everything is ok. Absolutely nothing to worry about.

So I am relieved. But it almost seemed like it was a very close brush with death. And it actually made me think about life and what I really wanna do with it. This experience brought me so much closer to who I really am and the things that matter to me.

I had so many things happening at the same time for the past 3 months that after my birthday, it felt like I just started a brand new life. For the past 3 months, I suffered so much but I know that after having gone through the fire, I came out shining like gold.

I definitely feel stronger, definitely appreciating life and the people around me more. Life is good, no matter what. Life is good even if it doesn't seem like it. Life is good.

And yes, life does get better.v

Birthday Party

My mom and my cousin threw a surprise for me and my nephew Jay-R. His birthday is one day ahead of mine so it was perfect. They rented this private place and invited family and friends. It was so fun spending time with the whole family. For the first time in many years, I had a birhtday cake again. It sure was fun making a wish and blowing the candles. And it was funner having shared it with my favorite nephew Jay-R who's almost 3rd year College now.

Lot's of good food, good company, good music and gifts! HEhehe I've never gotten that much gift in my whole life! Lots of envelopes (and that meant money - hehehe) from aunties and uncles and grandmas.

It came right in time when REI had an awesome sale on almost everything!

My Birthday Song

"I Wanna Do It All"
by Terri Clark


I'm sitting in traffic
For the 5th year in a row
Wasting my time
Just to get where I don't even wanna go
I started jaunting things down
On a krispy kreme sack
Everything I'd do
If I could leave this place
And never look back

I wanna do it all
Visit paris in the fall
Watch the yankee's play ball
I wanna take it all in
Catch a few beads down at Mardi Gras
Start a tradition
Lay down the law
I wanna do it all

I want to drink tequila
Down in Tijuana
Say why not
When somebody says "Hey do you wanna"
I wanna get my heart broke
Once or twice
Settle down with the love of my life
Rock little babies to sleep at night

I wanna do it all.

Wrapping It Up

Last entry for my 28th year. Tomorrow I will start another year. And hopefully it will be a better one. I'm sure it will be coz I can feel it already. Then I will be hitting the big 30. Booooooo.

The 28th year of my life was certainly an interesting one. I lived alone in my own apartment for the first time. No roommates, no cats, no dogs, nothing. It was just me and the occasional sound of my TV or sometimes the droning sound of the computer's hard drive. There were the occasional sound of the end of a broomstick hitting my floor which was my neighbor's ceiling. I guess they were irritated by the sound of my closet doors. But who the hell cares! We were all living in an apartment for God's sake. So when I found out that a single mother with her 4 month old baby was moving into my place after I left, I was ecstatic. I'm sure the baby irritated them so bad, more than the sound of my rolling closet doors. Hahaha

I had my first lay-off notice on my 28th year but found a great job before I was actually laid off. I visited Canada for the first time and a few other places, filled my laptop with thousands of pictures and my refrigerator door with souvenir magnets.

Approximately 2 months before my 28th birthday, I met a man that I eventually had a relationship with. I've always called him D in my blog. My 28th birthday was spent with him. As a birthday gift, he decorated my apartment and gave me lots of other stuff. Some of my friends said that D kinda went overboard given the fact that we've only known each other for 1 1/2 months.

It was a rocky 28th year for me; a wild roller coaster ride with my relationship with D. It was a year of loving without reservations and without fear of being alone. It was a year of lies and deception, something I thought would eventually change but never did. It was a year of listening to stories that never added up and acting like I bought every explanation while deep inside I was actually tormented because I knew they were flat lies. Yeah, my 28th year was definitely a year of learning and discovery of what people are made of and of what I am made of.

But hey, here I am, ready to be 29 years old - a year older, a year wiser and 18 lbs. lighter. I'm ready to face life again. So let's get the ball rollin. As Paul Coelho said,

"Life is too short, or too long, for me to allow myself the luxury of living it so badly."