[Project 365] Week 52

12.19.11
Day 353: Drift And Drive

My mom was driving with me sitting in the passenger seat. When we reached a T-road, she didn't slow down, made a quick turn, that sent the car drifting until it crashed into some parked cars. Everything started moving in slow motion. Heard the sound of shattering glass and a lot of screaming. I think some of it were my own. Asked my mom if she's ok. She responded with a weak nod before bursting into tears. Then she told me she's pregnant. My dream-mind raced with questions. How far along is she? Do we have enough money to support another kid? I thought she already hit menopause?! Forgot what my dream-self actually said. A resounding "Huh?", I suppose, coz that's how I would've reacted if it was in real life. Hehe. I offered to take the wheel from there. Then an ant bit me and yanked me out of my dream world.

...

What the hell was that?

12.20.11
Day 354: Three Stars And The Son

The tricycle that I rode on my way home was running with holiday cheer. Britney Spears' "My Only Wish (This Year)" was blaring from his stereo. He also had these little parols hanging by the windshield and a picture of Jesus nailed to the cross. A simple reminder of what Christmas really is all about.

12.21.11
Day 355: World Wide Wait

I was without an internet connection for almost two hours. Hopped from one table to another, trying to connect through their LAN cables. Saw this jeje shades on Inoy's table. It even had these crazy lights that flash and fade in three modes. Why he owns one, I dunno. Jejeje.

12.22.11
Day 356: Top Soul

Look what I got for Christmas! A new pair of sneakers! Oh wait, it's Havies!!!

12.23.11
Day 357: The Long And Winding Line

Had to secure an NBI clearance for my visa application. Roxie told me that as early as 5am, people are already in line even though they start giving out numbers at 8am. Decided to work from home so I could be at Robinsons Metro East before 6am. Well, that was my plan until I fell asleep at around 5am. Hehe.

Woke up a little past 6am to the crow of a rooster. Now that I think about it, I don't think we have roosters around here. Oh well. Texted Roxie to know how long the queue was. She told me that there may be about 40 people already in line.

Threw myself into a cold shower. Asked my dad to drive me to Robinsons. Wanted to at least be among the first 100. Arrived at around 7am. When the clock struck 8am, a number of people started complaining to the guards. I started to think that maybe, all assigned personnel were already on leave and we're just waiting in line for nothing. Good thing I was wrong. It was already 8:45am when they started giving out numbers. I was number 62.

After an episode of Lost Girl, a haha-larious episode of SNL and four chapters of Jennifer's Body, I was finally behind the counter for Step 1. The next steps (data encoding, finger scanning and picture taking) took place within an hour. I was expecting to receive my clearance when the girl behind the claiming counter returned my receipt with a red stamp that read: HIT. Shit. I had a hit! Somewhere in these 7,107 islands, someone has the same name as me. Weh, di nga?

Chris came up with a possible "bug" in their system that may have caused the hit. What? We can't help it! We're programmers! Haha. I approached one officer, explained the "scenario" to him, and asked if it's a possible "error". He told me that it's not how the system works. He also checked the records again and confirmed that I am indeed sharing my name with another person. Wala lang, gusto lang namin magmarunong. Haha.

Nweiz, I would have to wait for another two weeks before I could claim my clearance. Hopefully, the other "me" hadn't pushed drugs, robbed a bank, killed anyone or anything like that. Hehe.

12.24.11
Day 358: Corn Factory

What started out as a 252 KB JPEG file is now set up at StarMall Edsa-Shaw and is ready for business!

12.25.11
Day 359: Reason 4D Season

May we not forget the real reason for the season. Merry Christmas everyone! Happy birthday Jesus!

[Project 365] Week 51

12.12.11
Day 346: Jah Is Love

A floor shot of SM Megamall's parking area. Is this the color of Christmas or the color of Reggae and Rasta Love? This is my message to you-ou-ou...

"Don't worry about a thing
Coz every little thing's gonna be alright."
--- Three Little Birds, Bob Marley

12.13.11
Day 347: Eat (Repeat 4x)

Joined Derick, Grace and Ryan in their project milestone dinner at Circles. I'm not part of their team but I wholeheartedly, or should I say whole-appetitely, sat down and enjoyed the buffet table as proxy for Cands. Hehe. First round was a plateful of meat. Indulged my sweet tooth with cakes for round two. Had shrimp and mussels sautéed with butter and garlic for my third round. I then ended my eating binge with another round of desserts! =P~

Huh? Sinong matakaw?!

12.14.11
Day 348: One Way

There's only one way to live: His way.

12.15.11
Day 349: The Pink Frog

I have always loved designing stuff. From logos, invites, banners, posters, even jackets for family and friends. Now, my dad asked me to design my mom's food booth. After a couple of drafts, color adjustments and whathaveyous, they were finally satisfied. Hehe.

As I'm typing this entry, I could hear Kuya Chris' saw and hammer working the wooden slabs at our garage. Can't wait to see how the actual booth would look like! Hihi.

Catch The Pink Frog here!

12.16.11
Day 350: Fastfood St.

The Graceland Plaza along Lamuan has finally opened its doors to the public. We are now a five-minute walk away from a Robinsons Supermarket, Chic-Boy and Jollibee!!! That's a good thing, right? Haha.

12.17.11
Day 351: Domo Clones

Went to Greenhills for some last minute Christmas shopping. The tiangge area was literally jam-packed with shoppers so we just limited our gift-hunting at Virra Mall and Shoppesville, which were a lot less crowded.

Here's an army of Domo-kun that Franz bought for his officemates. RAWR! Haha.

12.18.11
Day 352: /|b

For last year's Kris Kringle, I requested for a gift certificate from National Bookstore. Spent Php500 on a bunch of Twisted books by Jessica Zafra many many moons ago. The other Php500, I kept in my wallet waiting for the next title that would tickle my fancy. I almost forgot about it until I decided to declutter my wallet. The GC was dated December 4, 2010 with a year's validity. Waaah.

Started browsing some marked-down books at the /|Bestsellers branch in Podium with no intention of buying anything. Then I saw one interesting title, and another, and another. Next thing I knew, I was holding a pile of books in my arms. Asked the cashier if they accept NBS gift certificates and she said yes. Asked if I could use it for the marked-down books displayed outside the store and she said yes. Then I showed her my GC, asked if it's still valid, and she said YES! Weee! Hehe.

Brought home the following titles: The Loser's Guide to Life and Love by A.E. Cannon, The Bible's Promises for Life, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant by Darren Shan, Jennifer's Body by Diablo Cody and The Best of Chico and Delamar's The Morning Rush Top 10! All for just Php550!

[Project 365] Week 50

12.05.11
Day 339: Mad Science

Been watching a lot of Ellen episodes via Youtube featuring Science guy Steve Spangler. His messy and explosive but fun experiments would make you want to put your lab coat on and be your own mad scientist at home (or your enemy's home)!

Here's a simple experiment. Grab a hair dryer, switch it on, then gently place a ping-pong ball on top of the nozzle. What do you think would happen? If you think about it, the ping-pong ball would fly out of the air stream. But according to Bernoulli's Principle, moving air exerts less pressure in a direction at right angles to its motion than still air does. Since the air stream from the hair dryer moves faster around the side of the ball and thus exerts less pressure than the still air on top of the ball, the heavier air pressure on top of the ball will make the ball FLOAT in mid air. Coolness!

Now we know how Criss Angel does his levitation stunt. A thousand hair dryers! Hehe.

12.06.11
Day 340: In The City

Reflections, lamp posts, light trails and a fountain. Taken at the intersection of Shoe Avenue and Sumulong Hi-way on my way to the office.

12.07.11
Day 341: Cuties

Disney baby cuties!

12.08.11
Day 342: Happy Sticks

Woke up feeling a bit under the weather. I guess I breathed in a mouthful of virus when an officemate deliberately coughed his lungs out inside the conference room. Add in the cold weather and I'm all curled up in two blankets. Had to call in sick for work tonight.

My mom asked if there's anything I wanted them to get me. I would normally ask for something sweet - a bar of chocolate, cake or ice cream. Surprisingly, this time I asked for California Maki. I dunno why. Hmm, I guess I just wanted to use my happy chopsticks. Hehe.

12.09.11
Day 343: Final Fantasy

This is how I would look like as one of the demented students of South Park Elementary. This is how I would look like as a yellow-skinned, four-fingered Springfield denizen. When Deriku showed me the Anime Face Maker Flash application, I wondered how I would look like as an anime character. Like this! Hehe.

I also gave my brother the link to this application. He was up until 6 o'clock in the morning and was able to create 21 characters from the different releases of Final Fantasy!

Mico: "Madami pa nga akong naiisip na gawin kaso inantok na talaga ako e."

Adik lang.

12.10.11
Day 344: Yodele Hee Hoo

Had our Western-themed Christmas party at John's house. The food went along with the theme - grilled pork, burgers and sausages. Needless to say, I didn't quite enjoy the food. Good thing there was a California Berry booth where I got my fill of fro-yo. There was no mobile bar so we didn't drown in weng-weng and blowjobs. Sayang. Hehe. The red wine mix was delicious but it's got no kick. The raffle prizes were grand - iPads, Macbook Air lappies and trips for two to Boracay with 50k pocket money! But for G1 employees, the chances of winning were slim to none. Boo!

The programme was much shorter this year coz based from experience, everyone just wants to party and drink. Hehe. Sadly though, when the programme ended, it seemed like the party ended as well. Everyone just settled into their group of friends, some even left. Unlike last year, I left the party early and sober. Felt that it just wasn't as fun as our previous parties. Is it me getting old, the company getting bigger, or there was just not enough booze? Haha.

But the bigger question that burns in all of us: Where's the loot bag?!

12.11.11
Day 345: Walkman

Ever miss the clunk of changing cassette tapes? Or the squeal of the Rewind button? Or the magnetic tape scratch when you simultaneously press the Play and Forward buttons? Then turn your iPod into an old-school walkman with the Cassette Deck MP3 player application!

Me: "Umiyak ka ba?"
Mom: "Halata ba?"
Me: "Bakit?"
Mom: "Naiiyak kasi ako kapag nakakarinig ako ng old songs."
Me: "Hahaha!"
Mom: "Oo nga! Hindi ko alam kung bakit."
Me: "Baka kasi nare-remind ka sa edad mo."
Mom: "Ewan ko sayo!"
Me: "Hahaha!"

[Project 365] Week 49

11.28.11
Day 332: Christmas Feel

More decorations were put up in the office. It is starting to feel more and more like Christmas!

11.29.11
Day 333: Chocolate? What Chocolate?

Enrik just got back from Japan. Last time I talked to him, he couldn't find any Pinky Street dolls in Akihabara. So I was really happy glad ecstatic when he handed me the P:Chara release of Rei Ayanami! This set costs around Php1,700 in Greenhills and he was able to buy it for only ¥1600 (Php800)! And the best part is, no need to pay for it na daw! Weee! Thanks Enrik! I promise to stop calling you Henrik! Hehe. Domo arigato!!!

11.30.11
Day 334: Dump It Like It's Hawt

Nasa gate pa lang ako, naririnig ko na ang boses nila Papa at Tito Arnel. Parehong nagngingitngit sa galit. Parang gusto ko na ngang tumakbo pabalik sa opisina. Kundi lang ako antok na antok.

Saan ba nagsimula ang lahat? May basura si Tito na nakalagay sa bakuran. Si Papa ang naglalabas ng basura tuwing Miyerkules para kolektahin ng basurero. Ilang linggo ang lumipas na hindi nilalabas ni Papa yung basura ni Tito. Ang katwiran niya, madalas na syang pinupuna nito kapag nagagalaw ang gamit niya. Kaya yung basura niya, sya na din ang magtapon. Ang katwiran ni Tito, tutal naglalabas na din naman sya ng basura, bakit hindi pa isabay yung kanya? Ang ending, si Mama ang naglabas ng basura ni Tito. Nung napansin ni Tito na wala na yung basura niya at nung nalaman niya na si Mama ang naglabas, inaway na niya si Papa. At dun na nagsimula ang sigawan at ungkatan ng nakaraan.

Me: "Tama na yan! Para basura lang.. Matutulog na ako, wag na kayong maingay!"

Haha. Syempre, hindi sila natinag doon. Natigil na lang ang gyera kasi kailangan nang pumasok ni Tito sa opisina. Late na daw sya. Hay salamat, makakatulog na rin ng mahimbing.

Pagkagising ko, tinanong ko kaagad si Mico kung nakauwi na si Papa o si Tito. Sabi niya, si Tito na lang ang wala. Naisip ko kasi malamang itututloy nila yung naudlot nilang pag-aaway nung umaga. Pagdating ni Tito, ganun na nga ang nangyare. Sa sobrang inis ni Mama, inabutan na niya ng kutsilyo at hinamon na magpatayan na lng daw sila para matapos na. Buti na lang naisipan kong lumabas ng kwarto para umawat.

Franz: "Anu na nangyare? Tapos na?"
Me: "Mukhang tahimik na naman. Iniyakan ko e! Haha."
Franz: "Anu sabi mo?"
Me: "Sabi ko, Hindi pa ba natapos yan kaninang umaga?? Hindi ba pwedeng mag-move on na?? Ganun ba kahirap magpatawad??"
Franz: "Yees, while crying!"
Me: "Gumaganun e noh? Haha."
Franz: "Awaaaard!"

12.01.11
Day 335: Live. LAUGH. Love.

I laugh at silly stories. I laugh at corny jokes. I laugh at my mistakes. I laugh at my failed attempts. I laugh at moments I once regretted. I laugh at the days behind me. I laugh when my emotions get out of hand. I laugh coz I've been given the gift of laughter. I laugh and I do it out loud.

Life didn't lose its comedy. You know what happened? You just stopped laughing.

12.02.11
Day 336: Haunted Sky

Went to San Sebastian College in Manila with my parents for their booth setup. Took this photo while waiting for them to finish. Didn't do any post processing whatsoever. That's exactly how the sky looked like. Haunted.

12.03.11
Day 337: Eat, Shop, Skate.

We were supposed to have a birthday-celebration-slash-despedida for Ate Medi, Derick and Cands. We've changed plans from Zambales to Enchanted Kingdom to Mall of Asia. Then they decided to cancel it for lunch some other day. Hmmm.

Came up with a "huling-hirit" plan to just hangout at MOA with whoever is still up for it. Turned out to be just me, Derick and Ate Medi. Well, three is a party so c'mon come on!

Had lunch at Tempura Japanese Grill where we each had a platter of ebi tempura. Hopped from one boutique to another looking for Ate Medi's glam dress for their Christmas party. Almost felt like we were in one of those cliché scenes from chick flicks, either giving the outfit a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Hehe. Finally found the perfect little black dress in Cinderella's collection. Gave our legs a rest at White Hat. I had my usual toppings: almonds, mangoes and dark chocolate chips! Then off we went for some ice skating! I was still in high school when I last stepped foot on a rink. Forgot how much I loved skating! So much actually that I'm starting my hunt for a pair of hockey skates! Oh, now I know what I want for Christmas! Hehe. Stepped out of the rink as they resurfaced the ice. Had dinner and a little drink at Gerry's Grill then called it a night at around 11pm.

Who said hanging out in the mall is no fun?! I think we should do this again. Hehe.

12.04.11
Day 338: Color Splash

A cool splash of color courtesy of my light-leak-filled strip of film. :)

[Project 365] Week 48

11.21.11
Day 325: Photoline

My latest roll with shots taken during Ate Medi's despedida at Marriott Hotel (March 2011) and our trip to Cebu-Bohol (October 2011). Took me seven months to finish a roll of 24 shots! Waha.

"I've got my memories
Always inside of me
But I can't go back
Back to how it was."
--- This Is Home, Switchfoot

11.22.11
Day 326: Brown Belter

Loving the patterns on my belt! :)

11.23.11
Day 327: Choosing Joy

Are you chasing Happiness or are you choosing Joy?

There are many things in this world that we could chase after to try and experience Happiness. For some, Happiness can be found in buying a new gadget, or winning the lottery, or having a sexier body, or getting married. For me, Happiness is usually found in a cup of Reese's Peanut Butter. Or a bag of chewy chocolate chip cookies. Hehe.

Most of us go through our lives trying to pursue something so fleeting and elusive. I am guilty of this myself. The problem with happiness though is that it comes and goes with our circumstances. And chasing it could wear you out in time. Joy, on the other hand, offers rest. And while it doesn't require a cheerful situation, it requires Trust and Faith in God and His plans. That everything happens for a reason, as cliché as it may sound. That no matter how impossible life may seem, you know that He will always turn it around for your good. And with that, you find Joy.

Choosing Joy is like choosing what to wear. It's a conscious decision that we have to make with the help of the Holy Spirit. Right at this moment, in everything that I've gone through and in everything that I will be going through, I've made my choice.

11.24.11
Day 328: Attitude Of Gratitude

Dear God, thank You for painting us a pretty rainbow, it perfectly ended my shift. Thank You for blessing us with a good weather, Divisoria almost felt like Greenhills. Hehe. Thank You for the cup of Brownie Temptation, it made my headache go away. Most of all, thank You for tonight, for we get a night off from work! Yippee!

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

11.25.11
Day 329: In Me, As Me

God dwells in me, as me. With all my imperfections, uncertainties, and inconsistencies.

11.26.11
Day 330: Parade Of Lights

Several festive floats of colorful sea creatures lined up in the Big Dome's parking area.

11.27.11
Day 331: Whaddup, Doc?

Went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned and to have my braces adjusted. After an hour of irrigating, picking, brushing, flossing and rinsing, she replaced the almighty power chain on my upper teeth with a tighter one. And boy am I in pain! In four months, I'd be wearing a thicker wire and that would be much worse! This is dental torture!!! Waaaah.

[Project 365] Week 47

11.14.11
Day 318: Teabags For My Eyebags

Trying to reduce the bags in my eyes. Am not sure if it's working, though. (o_0)

11.15.11
Day 319: SuperProxy

There's no substitute for the real.

11.16.11
Day 320: Gone In 30 Seconds

Soft and yummy home baked chocolate chip cookies from Deriku! It tasted a lot like my favorite Soft Batch cookies... only bigger!!! =P~

11.17.11
Day 321: Gummy Bears

My favorite thing about eating gummy bears is knowing that they can't fight back when you bite their heads off. One of my favorites from Zi. Hehe.

11.18.11
Day 322: Lights On

Lights and sound show at the Ayala Triangle. Na-miss ko mag-jackstone. Hehe.

11.19.11
Day 323: No Evil

Speak no evil. See no evil. Hear no evil.

Everytime we pass by these angels in Greenhills, my mom would always gush at how cute their faces are. So Franz and I bought the set for her birthday! Hihi. :)

11.20.11
Day 324: Golden Years

Dinner at Amici to celebrate my Mom's birthday! Service was painfully slow. Slow to take our orders, slow to bring a pitcher of water, slow to serve the food, slow to serve the desserts, and slow to process the bill! We could've left for another restaurant, if not for the cakes and gelato.

Me: "Ilang taon ka na nga ba, Ma? Fifty-three?"
Mom: "Don't say bad words!"

Happy happy birthday, Mom! Every year is a blessing so be proud of them! Hehe. :P

[Project 365] Week 46

11.07.11
Day 311: Just Around The Corner

My mom's Santa decor as seen through my fisheye viewfinder. Ho! Ho!

Dear Santa, I'm just wondering.. Did I make it to the Nice List this year? If my name is on the list, you know there's only one thing on my wishlist. ^_^

11.08.11
Day 312: Playing With Fire

"Pardon me while I burst into flames
I've had enough of the world
And its people's mindless games."
--- Pardon Me, Incubus

11.09.11
Day 313: Bus Stop

Nung isang linggo:
Jap: "Anung sinasakyan mo papasok?"
Me: "Dati MRT, ngayon nagb-bus na lang ako sa Cubao."
Jap: "Hindi ka natatakot mag-bus?"
Me: "Hindi naman..."

Kanina:
Abby: "Paano ka pumapasok?"
Me: "Nung una, nag-MRT ako sa Cubao. E kaso tinatamad na ako maglakad-lakad kaya nagb-bus na lang ako."
Abby: "Ngak. Sige ka, lalaki nanaman tyan mo!"
Me: "Wahaha."

Bigla ko lang naalala. Takot nga pala ako mag-bus.

11.10.11
Day 314: Do The Dew

Hey look! My Mountain Dew glows in the dark!!!

11.11.11
Day 315: 11-11-11

We were looking forward to witnessing a thousand sky lanterns take flight at Banchetto Megatent. It would've been a stunning sight, a magical, Tangled kinda night and a nice photo opportunity. But due to some safety and security issues, the organizers decided to cancel the event at the last minute. Boohoo!

Nweiz, here's my photo for today's momentous date. Not as magical as the sky lanterns, the sparkler candles didn't spark (Another disappointment!), but I still kinda like how it turned out. Hehe.

Happy 11-11-11! Make a wish! And make it grand! :)

11.12.11
Day 316: Circle Of Fun

Dropped by the Quezon City Memorial Circle where Dino and Iyah launched their "Health-Tea" business. Funny how a lot of girls (and bekis!) would pass by, shoot a glance at my brother and get kilig! Haha.

Iyah: "Sabi ko sayo tumambay ka jan sa harap ng booth e!"
Me: "Haha! Tama! Kaso puro silay lang ang ginagawa!"
Dino: "Alam ko na! Buy three get one free kiss! Dudumugin tayo nun!"

Shet, kapeeet! Haha.

11.13.11
Day 317: Sounds Like Autumn

Love the crisp sound of dried leaves cracking beneath my feet. The sound of autumn? I wish! But actually, it's more like "the sound of my brother not cleaning the front yard". Haha.

[Project 365] Week 45

10.31.11
Day 304: The Mummy

A mummified Athena wishing everyone a Happy Halloween!!! Awhoo!

11.01.11
Day 305: God's Forever

Went to Loyola Memorial Park to visit my grandparents' grave. I miss them both so much. Lolo Marcy and Lola Soly, please continue to watch over us.

11.02.11
Day 306: Dance Into The Light

"I cannot believe my eyes
Color ocean paradise
Dancing until the sunrise
Under the neon lights."
--- Neon Lights, Rico Blanco

11.03.11
Day 307: Loose Screws

Found a bucket full of loose screws in our garage. Mine? Definitely not. I think I'm still pretty sane. Well that's what the voices say, at least. Hehe.

11.04.11
Day 308: Bangkang Papel

Rain has been pouring down all day. Our internet connection is down. All 81 floors of my Tiny Tower is fully stocked. And my head's too heavy for a movie marathon. What to do? What to do?

"Pagkatapos ng ulan, paligid ay pagmasdan. At sa ating bakuran, may naipong tubig ulan. Tubig ulaaaaaan, tubig ulaaaaaan, may naipong tubig ulaaaaaan! Kaya't kumuha ng papel, itupi-tupi ito. Ayan bangkang papel, makakapaglaro ako!"

Haha. If you grew up with Kiko Matsing, Pong Pagong, Sitsiritsit and Alibangbang, then you probably know that song. Brings me back to my younger years when life was much simpler...

Would you promise to go sailing with me on this paper boat?

11.05.11
Day 309: Rock With Me

Ever had that art project in grade school where you melt crayons to create colorful droplets on a paper? Remember how fun it was?

Well, I saw this cool melted crayon art at Pinterest a month ago and knew I had to make one myself. Since our connection is still down, I thought now is the perfect time to put my right brain at work.

Bought a canvas, a brush, poster color, and boxes and boxes of Crayola. Glued the crayons on the canvas and with the help of my trusty hair dryer, I stopped the world and started melting the crayons! I then painted the rockstar silhouette and that's it! Astig, diba? Hehe.

Oh the things I could do besides surfing the net! Nyaha.

11.06.11
Day 310: Rose

Yesterday was Lolo Marcy's death anniversary. Walked around the chapel near my grandparents' grave and found this rose in the columbarium.