addicted to BLOG!

dang.

i finally got the nerve to check out people's comments on my first assignment for that journalism course i'm taking. so far so good, considering i totally took a dive into rushing through that assignment, i didn't even think.

the lecturer said it reads like a blog entry. dang.

i submitted my second assignment today. only half the class did so. i think it reads like a blog entry, too. very free form. dang. why do i dislike structure? perhaps i feel like i've mastered the rules long enough to break them.

there's always room for improvement.

Tell me, what are you in the mood for?

"gimme some sticky rice!"

kat came in this morning with a 'thing' of sticky rice wrapped in something that looked like banana leaf to me. i remember my dad telling me it's some sorta tea leaf they'd use. i miss sticky rice. used to eat it a fair bit. costs about 10 pesos for the small ones with only beans. yum yum with ketchup (a.k.a. tomato sauce in aussie terms). kat had it with sugar. i miss my sticky rice with ketchup.


"i just worked my ass off!"

8am to 7pm. nuff said. as if i can so call it a day now. wrong.

assignment due 30 May 2006, 9:00pm American EST. got lots of work left undone. i have 14 hours and i need my zzzzz's plus my meals. bro is on cooking duty, at least.


"tv time!"

taking 4 july through to 7 july off. not for american independence day. decided to volunteer for the hillsong conference. fingers crossed i'll be on cameras. fingers crossed, eyes closed...


"so what do i do now?"

i didn't get the copywriter job. *scratch head*

raging nincompoop!

what the bleep do we know?
i love that title. i still wonder what that movie is about. i don't really have time, though.

the pitch letter.
oh ever so scorned, how do i write thee? how do i begin to draft thee?

the whole assignment.
perfect timing. i'm meant to be reviewing an axhibition and it's just that season when exhibitions finish and new ones are JUST about to start. except for over-reviewed Sam Taylor-Wood. I think I'm pretty much on the right track with a world-touring exhibition that has a website featuring more than what is actually on exhibit. This one's just perfect. I just have to think of a kick-ass angle and something to make it sound assignment-worthy. this, afterall, encompasses many seasons.

the mind.
focus! concentrate! i am doing my laundry, sorting my thoughts, calming my senses and prepping myself to do tv tonight. sigh. i still gotta iron work clothes. what's for lunch? sigh. i don't feel like cooking. i want to just crawl to bed and do nothing. i feel like bailing out of tv. as to why i am not quite sure. perhaps it's the chicken in me taking over. perhaps. ok, let's just blame the chicken.

crank me up, scotty!

busy busy.

i still want to scream off the peak of a mountain. til my lungs explode.

i have to admit i'm stressing.

why does everything have to push me to the edge all at the same time?

i gotta call mom come monday.

kick-ass.

waaaarrrrggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!
groan! groan! groan!

dang! the journalism course is one bootcamp indeed! currently lunching on my desk. on a saturday! and reading through my course notes, the most essential of which i can't even access. there are like 53 messages i have to read. blech.

that plus my suffering gym time and the strain of the demands of a social life.

alrighty. back to work. sigh.

an interesting glimpse

Dear Journalist/Dear Editor

with some kapow involved, i've got assignment one due in the morning.

lucky i got permission to rock up at 9:45 or so at work.

sometime before 10am, i was told. cool as.

resorted to interviewing my twin.

my first two choices kinda bailed out on me.

i don't blame them.

everything's just so last minute.

seriously.

Work me like a dog

crazy busy without B.

never thought i'd miss him!

oh well, i'm managing

and proving my worth at the same time.

i do think about other prospects.

that prospect.

but maybe this is best for me for the time being.

afterall, there's NYC and all.

Filo Fest

had filo nosh sat dinner

and then again sunday lunch.

argh.

i so miss filo food.

we looked at the menu and wanted to order EVERYTHING.

ate too much sat dinner but was good nonetheless

sinigang na baboy (pork in tamarind soup)

chicken adobo (soy, vinegar and pepper sauce)

sisig (pork whatevers on a sizzling plate)

leche flan (milk flan)

still ate a lot sun lunch

lechon kawali (fried/roasted pork)

kare kare (beef and veges in peanut sauce and shrimp paste on the side)

The Filo Lunch Incident

over excited and hungry

ate the kare kare too fast

was so so full.

i felt my tummy react but did not quite get the signal.

almost doubled over.

was so painful i wanted to say goodbye to everyone...

decided to take a trip to the loo for relief.

was such a far walk from the back of the kitchen.

i felt dizzier by the second,

ran over two milk crates, hit my shin like aowwww....

caught a glimpse of meself on the loo mirror.

pale as.

black out.

-splitsecond-

lights on.

my shin hurts so bad.

what's wrong with me?

Shopping Trip

always thought shopping in the suburbs is better.

cos the city's almost always out of everything.

everything i want, that is.

i just had to shop cos my work clothes felt big.

spent a bomb on 4 tops.

yay.

i thought of buying a sony mp3 player.

looks really cool.

i would have bought it if they also double as a hard drive.

i wish.

Esther's Farewell

Amy's friend.

someone from cell group.

my friend, too.

she's off to travel around asia for a month

and then europe (mainly london)

for about 10 months.

bye bye Esther.

will miss ya heapz...

meanwhile, i gotta get rid of my eye make-up

before i turn into a racoon again.

long day, longer night

i don't think i'll be sleeping tonight.
trust me, that aint as bad as what i thought would be my fate.
i thought i'd never leave work.

a colleague's gone on a 2-week hiatus.
i have to take over his stuff and i'm a bit rusty.
worked from 9 am to 8pm.
ain't so bad if you're in asia.
but hello this is australia.
where everything and practically everyone's laid back.

i haven't really finished work but i left everything there.
they can wait til tomorrow.

i'm home working on my writing assignment.
checked my emails.
got one from a recruitment agency.
they gave me a gentle snub.
'we do not handle entry-level positions.
but if you want to be in an ad agency,
you gotta go to AWARD school, blah blah..'

i found that email in my bulk mail.
he was kind enough to offer some kind advice.
sigh.

i mailed my thank you letters.
if i failed to mention it here,
you'd know that i went to an interview,
if you were my friend and i managed to update you.

that letter was to exercise good manners
and also to redeem my poor interview performance.

i really want to be elsewhere.

i really should get this article out of the way.

p.s.

mom told me the other day that there's gonna be another piece of platinum plastic coming my way.

it's gonna be an AmEx. BTW, I got my 10-year US Visa this week. yay!

i just need the ticket to fly.

the so-called calm after the !$%@!& storm.

clock's about to strike 2.
i should be catching my z's
and letting the french man go into deep slumber
without flashes of light trying to squeeze into his eyes

***

had a rollercoaster of a day
couldn't sleep last nite
due to interview slated midday today
i had to prep my portfoli
it's for that much coveted ad agency post

***

interview went okay
but they are screening a few other people
i want to get short listed

i had to ask everyone to pray for me
perhaps pray i'll get what is best

i got emotional
realizing i want the post so bad

just have to wait and see
and pray.

***

dying to do something creative

perhaps build an online portfolio
and learn all those adobe stuff

***

got overly tired at the end of the night

skipped life group

haven't started on my assignment

back to yoga tomorrow

at least i feel better now

after having shared half my angst with frenchie.

uberANNOYING!!!

ikea

the wretched furniture shop!

1. mom bought a chest drawer

which an ikea staff assisted her with

gave her 2 box twos and no box 1

2. we have not opened the boxes.

next time i went to ikea

i realized the mistake so i rang them

3. they asked me to pay $75 for delivery

if i want them to exchange it

bloody expensive and unfair

4. went there with flatmate

as she decided to buy a furniture

and have the items delivered together

5. ikea staff arranged my box one

sent them off tue

and meant to pick up box two

6. delivery day tuesday

delivery peeps refused to pick up box two

sans instructions from warehouse

7. i have 3 boxes in my living room

decided to build the drawer

realized it is of a different breed

8. rang up ikea asked

how many 6-drawer MALMs they have

the answer: three!

9. after much chasing around, wretched manager

who sent off erroneous box one

says she sent off the correct box

10. i hit the roof.

please tell me how i would be

getting the boo boo box?

Add means that we have to do something. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save nor sanctify ourselves— God does that. But God will not give us good habits or character, and He will not force us to walk correctly before Him. We have to do all that ourselves. We must "work out" our "own salvation" which God has worked in us ( Philippians 2:12 ). Add means that we must get into the habit of doing things, and in the initial stages that is difficult. To take the initiative is to make a beginning— to instruct yourself in the way you must go.
Beware of the tendency to ask the way when you know it perfectly well. Take the initiative— stop hesitating— take the first step. Be determined to act immediately in faith on what God says to you when He speaks, and never reconsider or change your initial decisions. If you hesitate when God tells you to do something, you are being careless, spurning the grace in which you stand. Take the initiative yourself, make a decision of your will right now, and make it impossible to go back. Burn your bridges behind you, saying, "I will write that letter," or "I will pay that debt"; and then do it! Make it irrevocable.
We have to get into the habit of carefully listening to God about everything, forming the habit of finding out what He says and heeding it. If, when a crisis comes, we instinctively turn to God, we will know that the habit has been formed in us. We have to take the initiative where we are, not where we have not yet been.-- No author assigned in CUT

For the ignorant, old age is as winter; for the learned, it is a harvest. —Jewish proverb

BootCamp it is!

I'm in the course.
Apparently my non-fiction piece was powerful.
Thought it was some kind of a joke. ;)

Gotta work hard now.
And deal with the 'rents come sunrise.

On a mission to France.

"She's got a platinum credit card because where she's from, they do not require anything for Platinums. It's just so easy." (overheard from the street)

What kind of a dum dum bank would let this happen? Que imposible!

I cooked dinner - steak with onions, stir-fried brocolli and carrots + spinach and ricotta ravioli on the side.

Ate too much and the [fake] french man talked almost non-stop. I told him some of my woes [for this season] but not all. He asked if I tell my friends everything. I said I tell them bits and pieces cos you just cannot tell one person absolutely everything.

Most often than not, there's not that one person who would fittingly want / care to know every single detail. That taken into consideration and so much more.

He chuckled for he knew what I meant.

So how are things in the life of me? The two things of main concern are the two main dilemmas of most people I know.

One thing I can partly control, the other, I believe someone else is taking charge for me.

I've applied for an online course. Fingers crossed. I have not told the 'rents about it though I would be charging it up to the plastic thang.

If I don't get to go, there's France I can go for. Perhaps I might need a recharge in Paris - go to museums and wander around. Beware of pick pocketers.

Either or. Both is good for moi.

*stark* CONFUSION

ideas dancing around my head

as always.

i'm back to square one.

what do i do now?

scrapped new york.

i should really focus

on my so-called (what?!?) career.

*somehow i cannot cancel my US visa interview appointment!*

the courses.

need to further equip meself.

where will the moolah come from?

heaven.

the agressive take.

sigh.

i'll try... but sourcing the contacts...

harder than i thought!

paris end of june.

tempting.

need to check the bank account!

that one big task of thinking...

nuts...

i'm sick today.
sick in my book, at least.
ditched my friday night thang.
to wallow in lonesomeness for a tad.

i love friday nights.
bright new beginnings.
of rather short lived "happy days".
but we will keep having friday nights.

my mind wanders off.
thnks of 'old fart-ness'.
four and a bit years left.
where will i be and what will be of me?

consequences.
of decisions made.
right at this very instant.
maybe in the next few days to come.

there's the career.
the travel, the next destination.
the other half of my existence.
passions in life, dreams to be fulfilled.

flashbacks, flashforwards.
maybe or only if i put pen to paper.
i would have something to start off with.
there would be a film festival entry, a ticket to places.

maybe. or maybe not.

The *crap* that I had today...

Being a girl, I can juggle multiple tasks, have at least two streams of thought flowing and pretend to be sober...

12:15pm
off to cockle bay wharf to meet irei in front of the aquarium
returned joy's call from 10 minutes ago and was walking the talk...

12:30pm
had to sms irei that i am running a tad late
she replies that she is on her way
i assume she just left the office
walked around the 'under renovation' aquarium site
sat on the bench for a good few minutes
decided to ring irei
i was in the wrong spot and had made the wrong assumption

we headed to Meat & Wine Co (meet & whine) for lunch
got lost into time
had a fair bit of catching up done
matchbox size steak, a bed of salad + glass of red
consumed half the red

2:30pm
got back at the office
worked speedily with a pout on my face
neglected a whole heap of work emails
(making sure i respond to the personal ones!)

4:30pm
tummy growling
headed to the kitchen for some cookies
paid $1 for the normal $1.20 can of coke zero from the vending machine
my favorite vending machine :)

5:00pm
left work with 3 other colleagues
into one colleague's car
off to Fox Studios where the preview of MI:III is
corporate function, we call it

5:45pm
parked the car, walked around, grabbed a drink

6:55pm
headed to the cinemas
grabbed the freebies - popcorn, ice cream + coke

7:00pm
movie kicks off...
some laughs, some thrills...

9:00pm
movie ends
entertaining but not fab
just glad it's free and came with all other perks!

9:10pm
headed to the after party!
stood strategically posed just off the kitchen exit
taste tested a whole heap of canapes
yummo...
lotsa talk, some drinks
great atmosphere, great bonding

10:00 ish pm
headed home...
good night out
let's do it again!

When "Adelaide" screams at you (me)...

So what do you do when choice words seem to jump out of a page? Do you nonchalantly ignore the idea or do you dwell on what could have brought about the seemingly biased perception?

The other night, I dreamt mom drove me to Glenelg, South Australia. I went there (for real) in February 2005 with her and we loved Glenelg. My friends and I have recently been planning on going to Adelaide in July. As to why is because they haven't been to Adelaide and I missed out on Kangaroo Island so I do have a reason to go back. When you've exhausted ideas of going to Brissie and Melbourne, you set your mind on the next closest destination, which in this case is Adelaide.

Funny though as in my dream, it took us less than an hour to drive to Glenelg. That may be true if you're coming from Adelaide. But the home base was neither Adelaide nor Sydney. It was Manila. Upon realizing that, I awoke from my dream, knowing it is definitely a dream. But somehow I had that feeling of achievement somwehat akin to knowing in your heart of hearts you have achieved something you have been so passionate about.

Weird as.

har-di-har-har...

currently stuck. just like when you step on a gum. you can still move...

your job defines you. most of the time, that is. i have yet to look for one that's gonna define me.

sydney. melbourne. singapore. new york. london.