How Can a Cactus Die?

Darned if I know! My mom has the greenest thumb I know. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for myself. Despite the fact that several plants have withered away to brown nothingness under my care, my mom still likes giving me her creations every now and then.

Her latest gift was this small pot of cacti that she placed in my bathroom. It was cute. A splash of green always livens the room up. And a cactus shouldn't be that hard to keep alive, right? After all you don't really have to water a cactus. Or do you?

I don't really know. All I remember is Jerry asking me "How the heck can you kill a cactus?"

Excuse me? I don't KILL plants. I may kill ants, but not plants! They just die by themselves!

Unfortunately, when I checked the bathroom yesterday, I indeed found the cacti desperately struggling for their lives. I don't know the how or the why...but they are dying. Take a look:

(This pic taken using Kvothe's cam. Apparently, it is not very good. Have to go back to using Garcia)

They're still mostly green but the roots are a sickly black/brown. Good thing mommy is coming over tomorrow...maybe she can resuscitate them?

And in case you are wondering what a REALLY DEAD cactus looks like, here is one I saw on http://www.hardison.info/february_5,_2005.htm. My cacti do not look like that, do they?

I'm Destined to Struggle With Weight

You Are Destined to Struggle With Your Weight

Like most people, you find it a little difficult to stay at at weight you're comfortable with. If you change a few habits and make food less important, you may find the struggle hardly exists anymore.

Are You Destined To Be Overweight?

I don't need to say anything more, do I? Oh, it says, "make food less important" - I do not understand how this is even possible! ;)

Me<--Either a Lazy Blogger or a Busy Bee

I would like to think that the latter fits me better. I thought that all the busy-ness would be left behind when 2009 entered but I was wrong. Work (day job) has been a bit quiet since yesterday, at least, but this is going to change come Monday.

My other job (writing) is another story altogether. That is sheer craziness. I find myself having to catch up every single day. I am loving it but it can be stressful.

On other fronts, I have been busy planning for the two trips we are having in the next 2 months. Early February, we're going to Baguio for a weekend to attend the wedding of two of our friends. I am quite excited about this because it's going to be at the Baguio Country Club and we are going to stay at The Manor in Camp John Hay. I have never stayed there before and I am sure it's going to be a lot of fun. Jerry has not been to Baguio and I am pretty sure that he will love it there - especially with the temperature being so low.

This wedding is another reason I have been busy. You might find it weird but I do not have a single article of clothing that is appropriate for a wedding. My friend knows this so she sent me a text message (a warning if you wish) early this month telling me that pants and slippers are not allowed. To translate: Go get yourself a dress, nice shoes, and some make up!

I never knew that preparing to attend a wedding would be this tough. Heck, I didn't exert this much effort for MY wedding!

The second trip will be in early March for my birthday. We were supposed to go to Camotes Island in Cebu but plans have fallen through. Instead, we will go to Bohol then back to Cebu to catch our flight home. Everything is in the planning stage so if anyone has suggestions and tips, do share.That's where we might be staying in Bohol - this is what's keeping me going...and going...and going. ;)

That's it for now...Oh, and Jerry's picking Jethro today - the techs say he's dead. :(

MONDAY PICK ME UPPER: THE Workstation

Talk about optimizing your time at work! Here's the perfect workstation for those who have to give 4 lessons in a row and do not have time to go to the loo for a break.


Perhaps a nicer toilet seat would do the trick for me.

More funny pics at http://www.comedy-zone.net/pictures/work/work01.htm

Trip to the Doctor, New Baby, and the Baconator Challenge

It's not what you're thinking. Allegations that I am in the family way have been flying around like anything, but I am NOT - just checked the other day.

Anyhow, you know how Jethro (our PS3) conked out on us...we took him to the doc (Datablitz Megamall) yesterday for a check up. They're sending it to their tech guys and we won't be hearing anything till Tuesday. Naturally, that left us in a really dark mood. Oh, and right before we left the house, we discovered that Jerry's new phone was missing. We're unsure as to where it is but the consensus is that it somehow got lifted off the store again. Go figure. They say bad things come in threes - at least we're done:

One, the lamp exploded.
Two, Jethro conked out.
Three, phone is gone.

Going back to yesterday, we decided to lift our spirits by taking on the Baconator challenge at Wendy's. So what was it like?
It was big - as you can see - but I have to say that it is not extraordinary. It tasted just like any Wendy's burger, minus the veggies, which I missed sorely. The sheer size is enough to intimidate anyone with an average sized appetite, though. I thought that I ate a LOT but I lost the challenge - I had about 1/4 of the meat left but Jerry won.After that, we went around the Cyber Zone looking at phones and mp3 players. We spent a good 2 to 3 hours on this as I could not decide on what to buy. I almost walked away empty handed but I couldn't resist. Meet my new baby, Kvothe.
I actually tried out the iPhone and the iPod Touch at the Apple store but - I hate to say this - I had a h&*# of a time trying to use the virtual keypad on them. I still want the Touch, though, but practicality won out. It's way too much right now - I could buy a new PS3 for the same price! Maybe for my birthday...

So when I found this red Nokia E63 for a good price, I decided to go for it. I have been playing with it all night and I am having fun!

Can anyone guess where his I got his name? (Go Vicki!)

Test Post on Opera Mini

Finally decided on what to get earlier after 3 hours of looking around in Megamall. We took Jethro to the doc - Datablitz - and we were just too depressed to go home.

Anyhow, I went home with a new baby, which I am using right now to write this post. More details and pics later, I am so sleepy my eyes are closing on their own.

I Need A Break

Yeah, I know, the first month of the year is not even over yet and I am already yearning for a weekend (or week!) getaway. It's been that kind of month. What with my workload being crazy and Mercury messing up our toys, I really really need to go somewhere and immerse myself in something new. Perhaps I am not the only one in this boat, yes?

You guys in the US are lucky - I ran across some info on Branson, a city in Missouri. It is actually dubbed as the "Live Music Capital of the World," and has so much to offer those who are in need of a refreshing break. If you are not that much into live musical performances (I can't imagine why you wouldn't be, though), they also have tons of other attractions like theme parks, magic shows, drama performances, and the like. For better deals, you can check out the various packages on offer. From platinum ($457/couple, 3D2N plus other perks) to silver ($651/couple, 4D3N plus lots of other perks) - you will find something that will suit your budget and preferences. These packages are perfect for those with a budget since everything is included - except airfare, of course.

What I like best about the idea of going to Branson is the lodging and the atmosphere in general. They've got inns (Settle Inn, Grand Country Inn) which look like they came straight from the past. There's nothing like a historic setting to relax me! And if you want something more modern looking, they also have other hotels to cater to your preferences.

I wish that I were near enough that I could just hop on a plane and spend a long weekend in Branson. Unfortunately for me, I would need weeks to make the trip work. For now, it shall be on my list of places to visit in the future.

YLOD Victim

Not a good day. Definitely not. See that picture above? We're certified victims. Jerry was playing GTA when the PS3 died on him. Now it won't turn on and all we're getting is the blinking Yellow Light of Death and the perpetual blinking red light.

We scoured the Internet for fixes but the only thing we found is to send it in to Sony and they will refurbish the machine if possible. Of course, since it's a couple of months past the warranty, we have to pay for it.

The problem is that Sony Philippines doesn't fix PS3s - I just called. Two options left:

• Buy a new PS3
• Try Datablitz (where we bought the unit) and see if they can fix it

Fun, fun, fun. Mercury, I hate you to the MAX!!! Needless to say, I am not buying a phone tomorrow. I want to so bad though. Then again, maybe I will, just to piss Mercury off.

[UPDATE] It's now just REALLY sinking in. I saw the Aerosmith guitar controller and I wanted to play GH. Oh wait, I forgot, the PS3 is dead. We called Datablitz and yeah, they'll diagnose it but if they need replacement parts, they can't do anything about it. Crap, crap, crap. Useless piece of expensive crap.

TAG: I Got a Butterfly

Many of you may not know it, but I love butterflies. They may be the furthest things from dragons - my love of which is common knowledge - but there is something about them that makes me feel good. And when I got this tag-award from Delaney, I knew I couldn't pass it up.

So here are the rules, every blogger who gets tagged has to pass the tag on to 10 other bloggers. Let me see if I have 10...

Bookish Bimbo
My sissy who's got a very honest and thought-provoking blog. She hasn't been blogging lately but hopefully she'll do this.

Weaselbear
My hubby who got forced into blogging. His blog's got huge potential - how can you go wrong when it comes to video games and life?

A Taste of Married Life
The best food you can find - this couple knows what good food is all about!

Random Rants of a Starter Mom
The mommy of mommies. Oh, and she bakes too.

Wickednesse
She loves yoga and loves to explain things even more. Get ready for soul searching in this blog.

Momma Mia Mea Culpa
Laughs - and lots of it - are to be expected from this awesome blogger.

Husband Clothes
One of my very first blogger friends. Wives who want to be able to see marriage and their husbands from the lighter side of life should bookmark this blog.

Ooops - that's all I have. Oh another rule - leave a comment in the blogs that you tag to let them know that you tagged them.

Going Bananas

I stumbled across the perfect gift for the big boss before he leaves in Feb. Aves, Vicki, Livi, and Ren - shall we get him one?

Now don't go gutter mind on me...these cases are for real. For those who carry around bananas in their bags - and they're good for those on a diet, by the way - they will keep the sensitive skin of the fruit fresh and unbruised. Only $5.99 each!

Monday Pick Me Upper: The Beginning

Doing my daily blog rounds on Saturday, I came up with the idea of starting something new in my own blog. Meleah has her Friday Funnies, which never fail to make you laugh. Delaney has her everyday chuckles, wherein you will find funny and beautiful pictures.

I thought I would do something to make myself (and hopefully others) be a tad bit happier that it's a Monday. I strongly dislike Mondays. Here I am, it's 9:30 on a Monday morning, after (finally) getting some sleep at around 2 or 3. So this is really more for me than anything else (yeah I have an underlying motive).

What's my pick me upper for the week?

TOP TEN EXCUSES FOR FALLING ASLEEP AT YOUR DESK

"They told me at the blood bank this might happen."

"I wasn't sleeping, I was trying to pick up contact lens without hands."

"I wasn't sleeping! I was meditating on the mission statement and envisioning a new paradigm!"

"Amen"

"This is just a 15 minute power-nap like they raved about in the last time management course you sent me to."

"Whew! Guess I left the top off the liquid paper"

"I was doing a highly specific Yoga exercise to relieve work related stress."

"This is one of the seven habits of highly effective people!"

"Boy, that cold medicine I took last night just won't wear off!"

"Darn! Why did you interrupt me? I had almost figured out a solution to our biggest problem."

I think what I (unthinkingly) told my boss when she woke me up one time was better though - "How dare you wake me up?" (She hates excuses more than anything else.)

Happy Monday!

Thanks to Funny Office Jokes for the list and media.techeblog.com for the pic

STOP

I went to bed an hour ago but it seems that even with only 4 hours of sleep last night (or this morning, rather), my insomnia is not going away. Worse, as I try to lull myself to sleep, I can't help but think of the Apple iPhone.

I had convinced myself last week that I would NOT be getting one. I was considering the Sony Ericsson G900 or C905 OR the Nokia E63. These are all more affordable choices.

Yet in SM today, after we were done with the groceries, the iPhone beckoned again. I got the papers needed for the postpaid line and was told that they do not carry the phones I wanted. The very eager and helpful salesman said the very words I was trying to forget "Eh, ma'am, bakit di na lang iPhone? (Why not the iPhone instead, ma'am?)"

A week's worth of thinking about alternatives and "deciding" not to get the iPhone...all gone to waste...STOP!!!

Insomnia Strikes Again

Why does this always happen? I have decided to get my body clock back to its normal rhythm this weekend. I knew it was going to be hard but I didn't think it would be this bad. It's almost 6am and I still cannot sleep! I am thinking of just staying up all day and sleep early tonight. I hope I'll last because otherwise, I would end up sleeping the day away and then staying up at night again...and it would be disastrous come Monday. Someone give me something to sleep! ;)

Lazy Weekend - NOT

I miss lazy weekends. Those weekends wherein you do not worry about waking up at a certain time. When you get up whenever you feel like it, eat when you feel like cooking, and just lounge around the house with no specific purpose in mind. I guess it's just not going to happen for a while yet.

Right now, wishing for a lazy weekend is like wishing that I would drop 20 pounds without having to consider exercise or taking diet pills like Anoretix. It's just plain impossible with the workload that I have taken on. Yeah, my fault...

There, I have done my whining for the day. Happy weekend!

What My Husband Thinks of Me as Jackie

The results of the Jackie O quiz has got me thinking...I have found myself looking at it over and over again, perhaps in an effort to understand myself better. I thought that it would be good if Jerry read it as well. You know, maybe he would know how to "handle" me in a more effective manner. That's why when he sent me messages over MSN earlier, I was excited. As our conversation went on, though, I found myself torn - torn over whether to be happy, frustrated, or mad. Here are snippets of what he had to say. Words in italics are his thoughts.

WeaselBear says:
Take your share of the responsibility so I don't end up with all the work. I am trying to get a new job so all the work won't be on you

WeaselBear says:
Acknowledge my achievements. I do and you think I am making fun of you .

WeaselBear says:
I'm hard on myself. Reassure me that I'm fine the way I am. see the answer to the 2nd question

WeaselBear says:
Tell me that you value my advice. I do sometimes but we are to different to see it.

WeaselBear says:
Be fair and considerate, as I am. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ok (this is me: ok I don't know why he laughed. Does that mean he does not think I am fair and considerate???)

WeaselBear says:
Apologize if you have been unthoughtful. It will help me to forgive. Sometimes I don't think it is you just take it the wrong way (I guess he meant he doesn't think he has been unthoughtful? Blah!)

WeaselBear says:
Gently encourage me to lighten up and to laugh at myself when I get uptight, but hear my worries first. go two up and see the answer the only way to do that is if you really want too

WeaselBear says:
Having high standards and ethics; not compromising myself. too uncompromising most of the time

WeaselBear says:
Being reasonable, responsible, and dedicated in everything I do. Very true but that the way it is here and reasonable again only when you want to

WeaselBear says:
Being able to put facts together, coming to good understandings, and figuring out wise solutions.
true

WeaselBear says:
Being disappointed with myself or others when my expectations are not met . Your expectations not the other people around you. (meaning we have different expectations...)

WeaselBear says:
Feeling burdened by too much responsibility. too much that you take on your self and then sometimes can't handle.

WeaselBear says:
Thinking that what I do is never good enough. thinking what your hubby dose is never good enough

WeaselBear says:
Not being appreciated for what I do for people. you are you just expect more. ( or maybe, I don't see the appreciation?)

WeaselBear says:
Being upset because others aren't trying as hard as I am. Thats the whole thing they are other people not you

WeaselBear says:
Being tense, anxious, and taking things too seriously. All the time

LOL - we really do have very different perspectives, don't we?

Kape Barack

No doubt some would find this funny and some might take offense. Me? I'm somewhere in the border. I couldn't help but think - for ads like these, do the people involved have to be informed? Do they get royalties?



Does Barack Obama even care? And why do we make such ads? Why can't I just lighten up and laugh at this? :P

[UPDATE] After watching it several times, I was laughing...

Mercury's On My Case

Despite my posts on Mercury going on retrograde and all that stuff, I do not really worry myself about these things. However, it seems that the universe is trying to tell me something - or maybe, I am just putting too much meaning in things.

Anyhow, I couldn't sleep last night (insomnia is back I think) and just when I was finally drifting off sometime past 3 am, I heard a crash and lots of cursing from Jerry. Apparently, he was going to the loo and turned our globe light on (it's incandescent, see the post on lights here) and it just exploded! Remember, Mercury in retrograde is supposed to play around with everything electrical? With all the electric/electronic stuff we have, that is a scary thought! Even every day things like the light, the exit sign, heck maybe even the toaster are prone.

Needless to say, I am not repairing anything till this is all over.

Who's Jackie?

Just joking, I know who Jackie O is. Anyhow, got the idea about the quiz from Meleah.

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Jackie!

You are a Jackie. "I do everything the right way."

Jackies are realistic, conscientious, and principled. They strive to live up to their high ideals.

How to Get Along with Me

* Take your share of the responsibility so I don't end up with all the work.

* Acknowledge my achievements.

* I'm hard on myself. Reassure me that I'm fine the way I am.

* Tell me that you value my advice.

* Be fair and considerate, as I am.

* Apologize if you have been unthoughtful. It will help me to forgive.

* Gently encourage me to lighten up and to laugh at myself when I get uptight, but hear my worries first.

What I Like About Being a Jackie

* Being self-disciplined and able to accomplish a great deal

* Working hard to make the world a better place

* Having high standards and ethics; not compromising myself

* Being reasonable, responsible, and dedicated in everything I do

* Being able to put facts together, coming to good understandings, and figuring out wise solutions

* Being the best I can be and bringing out the best in other people

What's Hard About Being a Jackie

* Being disappointed with myself or others when my expectations are not met

* Feeling burdened by too much responsibility

* Thinking that what I do is never good enough

* Not being appreciated for what I do for people

* Being upset because others aren't trying as hard as I am

* Obsessing about what I did or what I should do

* Being tense, anxious, and taking things too seriously

Jackies as Children Often

* Criticize themselves in anticipation of criticism from others

* Refrain from doing things that they think might not come out perfect

* Focus on living up to the expectations of their parents and teachers

* Are very responsible; may assume the role of parent

* Hold back negative emotions ("good children aren't angry")

Jackies as Parents

* Teach their children responsibility and strong moral values

* Are consistent and fair

* Discipline firmly

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

Mercury Rising Again

Well, I am not sure that "rising" is the appropriate word for the occurrence but apparently, it's time for Mercury to go on retrograde mode again. If you remember my post on blaming things on Mercury, it's basically the same. More info on Mercury Retrograde here.

Again, it might not mean anything but to be on the safe side, as my boss put it, why don't we all go home and not work while this is happening? Ha ha...I WISH!

From that same blog I linked to above, here are some things that we can do:

• Review your life and the decisions you’ve made. (Ok, this could work but it will take me more than a week to go through everything!)
  
• Readjust your priorities. (Doing this...)
  
• Retreat to give yourself the space you need. (Hm...a weekend alone at a hotel somewhere sounds good.)
  
• Recommit to the goals you believe are worth-while. (I really want to do this but to be honest I am a bit afraid...)
  
• Reflect on who you are and where you’re going. (Maybe this is what has been keeping me awake for the past few nights.)
  
• Recharge your batteries. (I wish it were as easy as plugging the Wii-motes into the base station!)
  
• Repair any damage you may have caused to objects or relationships. (Whew! What damage?)
  
• Renew your sense of purpose. (Really really need this right now. Where to start?)
  
• Revise your attitudes and routines.(Getting there.)
  
• Return to your core set of values. (Getting there as well.)
  
• Reward yourself for success. (Lol, I have already rewarded myself before the effort to change and reevaluate began. :p)

Image courtesy of http://www.astrologymatch.com

When is the Next Vacation?

It's only the second week of work this year and I am already tired. I can barely get myself out of bed in the morning! I suppose it's not a very energetic way to start the year but I honestly do not know what to do to NOT be tired. All I can think of now is when my next trip will be. There's this short trip in February that we're planning but that will only be a weekend for a friend's wedding. Then we have my birthday in March - a long weekend this time. I wish that we had time to go away for at least a week and find a place to stay like those that Outer Banks rentals offers. That is a dream for now...maybe sometime in May, who knows?

Couldn't Resist the Guitar

I tried but I lost. I was really holding off on spending any more money but after a day of playing Rock Band 2 when we visited our cousin after New Year and Jer and I had so much fun with the kids:

We just couldn't help but get Guitar Hero. Some pics of our new baby.
More songs to play in Guitar Hero World Tour. I just wish we could get the complete instrument kit. Next up...GH Metallica. I hear that they're coming out with one in the next few months.

New Year's Res...Whaa?

I never really liked making New Year's resolutions. Perhaps it's because I do not really reach my goals...I lose interest somewhere along the way. It's interesting how I am actually trying to tweak my life (been doing so for the past 7 days) and this quiz at Blog Things kinda matches my line of thought...thanks to Vicki for the idea.

You Should Make 5 Resolutions

Save Money Get Fit Quit Smoking Now Reduce Stress Overall Spend More Time With Family and Friends

What Should You Resolve to Change Next Year?

Food and Shopping in Subic

Our first impression of Subic?  Blah...  

I guess we just heard so much hype about the place that we were expecting to be wowed.  We were more in awe of the excellent roads leading to it!  After we settled in for the day, however, the place kinda grew on us and off we went to look for food and things to buy.

Now that didn't start off well because Jerry was in the mood to walk and decided not to drive.  He wanted to get cigarettes first and guess what, there was not a single 711 in sight!  He remembered seeing a Mini Stop on our way in - "Oh, it's just a block away."  The one block turned into 6...and you know me, the most I walk everyday is the distance from my desk to the pantry.  We made it to Mini Stop although Jerry had to stop me from hitching a ride every 5 minutes or so.

From there, he wanted to "explore" more so we went around looking for the duty free shops.  I suppose that walk was worth it - he found Miller Lite! Background: this is his favorite beer and he has been looking for on since he got here more than 3 years ago.  His first bottle of ML outside of the US was in Bourbon Street Bar in Thailand - 3ooPHP a bottle!  So when I spotted the familiar bottles, you can just imagine his glee.  Needless to say, we came home with a case.  For myself, I found Asti Spumanti on sale (buy 1 take 1 for less than PHP1000!) and some Malibu Rum (pineapple, they were out of coco).

Aside from the alcohol, we were able to get some stuff that we don't normally see in SM or Shopwise. I am not so sure if we saved money, though, as most of the prices were in dollars and we had to convert to pesos.  I wouldn't mind going back there for some shopping every now and then.

Jer's first swig of Miller Lite in a year or two...

Now for the good part - food.  There was this restaurant called Seafood by the Bay (imaginative, huh) in front of the hotel so we decided to eat there since we didn't see any other place which had potential.  Well, there was Pier One but we have that here in Manila.  We ordered tuna belly, blue marlin, and tiger prawn - all grilled.  We also got some rice and seafood soup.  The grilled seafood was ok and surprisingly, the tuna was so much better than the marlin.  I think the marlin was not very fresh as we both got a little ill after dinner.  The service really sucked - the waiters frowned at us every time we asked for something.  Maybe it was because we kept asking for little things like water, calamansi and soy, and so on...oh well.

Oh, and the seafood soup?  It was supposed to be an appetizer but it was served for dessert.  Go figure!

Perhaps the best place we ate at was Xtremely Espresso (not sure about the spelling), which we stumbled upon on our way home.  The hotel had a free breakfast buffet, which was decent enough, but they only had instant coffee so that didn't do much to wake me up.  We saw the coffee shop right beside Mocha Blends so we decided to stop and get a cup or two.  When I saw their menu, I just wanted to order everything on it!  Unfortunately, I just had all the scrambled eggs I could eat, plus ham, chicken adobo, hotdogs, and all the other stuff they had for the breakfast buffet at the hotel so I decided to get dessert.  And boy, was I happy!  Take a look at this blueberry crepe.

Can't wait to dig in!

My coffee has a heart...I just want to drink it, quit taking pictures of everything!

The menu at Xtremely Espresso

After my coffee and the crepe, I was one happy camper, ready to take on the road south once again.  I had to take this one last picture before we left.

One of the funniest signs we've ever seen.

Making Friends

I am not the friendliest person on earth, everyone knows that. So when I told Jerry that we were meeting Porsche, a woman I "met" through my blog, he was so surprised. I don't blame him - I simply do not meet people.

To be honest, I was actually surprised at myself as well. I suppose that somehow, through our exchanges, I felt a connection there. And when Jerry and I went to meet Porsche and her husband Mike, it seemed like meeting old friends.

I was going to write about this encounter the day after we met but I wanted to think about how to put the experience in words. Almost a week later, here I am still unable to find the words to describe making new friends. It was a novel feeling, one that left me (and Jerry as well, I think) in awe.

What I learned - there are good people in this world and sometimes, in order to find them, you have to go out on a limb and actually interact with those you do not know.

Just a little bit of background...Porsche first left a comment in my blog when she stumbled upon it while looking for info on Tamaraw Beach in Puerto Galera. Soon after, she was leaving comments in many other posts. Naturally, I was pleased, as any blogger would be. What really left an impression on me was when she sent me a message on Facebook for Thanksgiving, telling me how thankful she was for finding pleasure in my writing.

I don't know about other bloggers but I started this blog because I wanted to write for myself (as you can see in the tag line). I have been writing for other blogs and web sites for a while and though I love doing that, what is really important to me is being able to verbalize some things in writing - it is my therapy. And knowing that somehow, inadvertently, you are making an impact on someone else's life gave me a whole new perspective. Call it cheesy but it made me feel good.

This experience has given me some food for thought (and new friends too!) as the New Year starts...

Subic Bay New Year's Trip

Jer and I finally decided to go to Subic for New Year's Eve and it was quite unlike most of our trips. For one, I normally plan our trips well, especially the accommodations. I like my comforts and I really hate having to go around looking for some place to stay - it's a waste of time in my opinion. This time, though, we didn't really plan and decided to be adventurous a bit.

As it turned out, it was the wrong time to be adventurous - New Year's Eve is when everyone else checks into the hotels. We got a room at the Sae Roh Bol (I think that's how it's spelled) Grand Leisure Hotel for double the price I think. We didn't have a choice though and they had a nice looking pool and free WiFi so we just went ahead and checked in.Trying to summon enough courage to dip into the ice cold water.I didn't even try. I was happy enough to be out of the city and sitting by the poolside.

The bedroomView from the window - construction everywhere!

The room was mediocre for PHP3000. The bathroom was really small and didn't have a bathtub. More so, the water heater didn't really work at all. One second the water would be freezing cold and then you'd get a burst of scalding hot water and then it would turn all cold again. Another thing was that the WiFi signal, for some reason, could not be detected in our room.

Aside from those things, though, it was alright. It was right on the waterfront so everything was within easy access. The food at their restaurant was also ok although we really mostly ate outside.Midnight snack after the fireworksGetting ready for the (free) breakfast buffet.

I would have to say that the drive up there was really pleasant. It was my first time driving through SCTEX and we didn't encounter any problems at all. We couldn't help but compare it to SLEX, which has been under construction forever.SCTEX - oh, a bird pooped on Harvey on the way up. See those yellow splotches?

Welcome to Subic!

Going back, we left SCTEX at Clark and decided to have another "adventure" and quite an adventure we had- we found ourselves right smack in the middle of the red light district! I swear, I had never seen such a high concentration of white guys (yes, just guys, no girls) in the Philippines! I wonder, is prostitution legal in the Philippines now???

Click on this picture to see the full size. I couldn't stop laughing.

Anyhow, by the time we got home, we were really really tired and just happy to turn the knob of the front door (this reminds me, we need to look at door hardware this week as the knob is being gay), run to the sofa, and rest.

Directions to get to Subic
We came from Pasig so we just went up EDSA to go to NLEX - you can't miss it there are signs everywhere. Just follow NLEX till you see signs that say SCTEX. Do not get off at the sign that says to Subic/San Fernando, wait for the one that says SCTEX.

Once you get off at SCTEX, you just have to follow the long winding (and very scenic) road till you see the exit to Subic. It really is pretty easy - it was our first time up there but we didn't get lost. Just be prepared to pay toll a lot. The roads are very nice and you have to pay for that but it's well worth it. I don't remember the exact amount for toll fees but I think it should be 300 all in all, one way. Oh, and when going back to Manila from the Subic-Tipo expressway, make sure you take the Clark Exit. We didn't, and almost ended up in Olongapo!

Up next...shopping and food in Subic.

Just Got Back

Bone tired. That's how I feel right now and as much as I want to write about the holidays, I just can't muster up enough strength to do so. Some tidbits, which are (hopefully) going to be full posts later on:

• Made new friends (this is an amazing story)
  
• Went to Subic for New Year's Eve/Day
• Went to LB today to meet family again (got to play Rock Band 2 with the whole instrument set - I want one!!!)
• Writing jobs totally restructured, got tons of stuff to do

That was succinct, wasn't it? Hopefully I'll be back on my feet tomorrow (or later today).

HAPPY NEW YEAR!