follow the yellow brick road

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

-- Lewis Carroll, The Walrus and The Carpenter

It's been fun, it's been great, and now on to better things... please come follow me home:


kwentongwalangkwenta.com

radio ga ga, radio goo goo

Toe was reminiscing about her childhood reads before and how she'd wish for blonde hair and blue eyes (like that UP student who won in the UK). My past was a bit different because the only reading materials I had access to growing up were comics. You know, Pinoy Klassiks, Aliwan, Liwayway, at marami pang iba na nakalimutan ko na pangalan.

My Lola in Manila used to rent comics in her sari-sari store and she'd archive the old issues in rice sacks and bring them to Nueva Ecija - for me! Nanay hated it because I won't stop until I have read each and every issue. I'd ditch my morning baths, ignore my Saturday cartoons, zip thru my assignments & just slump on the floor next to my sacks (there'll be 2-3 sack-full!).

Before our black-and-white television, weeknight entertainment was reserved for our transistor radio. You know the type that takes 4-6 big batteries and the back cover is made of cardboard?

My sisters and I will take our radio and place it next to our papag (wooden bed with no mattress). I grew up listening to Prinsipe Simatar and I delight at copying Eng-eng's high-pitched laughter. If you're not familiar with these characters, Simatar is a young prince from a far-away mystical land and Eng-eng is a witch. The biggest mystery really was the fact that I was growing and ageing every year but Simatar stayed the same age. Come on I began listening to it preschool and he was still prepubescent when I was in school.

When JC Bonnin came out with a film version, my sisters and I watched it in the cinema. I guess being fans of the Bagets my sisters were happy with it (as far as I can remember). But it's not the same for me. It wasn't as exciting onscreen as how I'd imagine it in my head.

On windy nights, I would grip my sisters arms while listening to Gabi ng Lagim. I still remember the intro's voiceover that goes "gaaabbbiii nnngggg laaagggiiiimmm (awwwwooo and eeeeehhhh)..." I think the series was played on Friday nights. But I know I don't sleep for a few hours after listening to the suggestive play. I'd see monsters from the shadows in the room and I hated looking outside the window for fear of seeing a manananggal or aswang, but I couldn't help it I need to confirm if someone was watching me. I become too chicken to pee on my own though our trusty arinola (potty?) was next to our bed. Someone has to watch me wee or else (I'd wet the bed ha ha)! When my sisters were being wicked, they'd scare me to death by feeding my imagination with more rubbish.

My Lola was a fan of lunchtime radio, too. I knew Matudnila because of her. And I laugh at the affected sobbing and Ben David's notable accent (Did I get his name right? He's the big guy with the big nose?). There were other shows that my Nanay listened to but I can't remember.

I remember these entertainments growing up & I easily become nostalgic. When I came home recently I asked about Komiks & learnt my suki doesn't sell them anymore. There was no market for them. I'm not sure if radio is the same.

I can understand why they'll disappear. At the age of XBox and digital TV, our kids don't even know of these Pinoy pop culture unless they become topics in their History class (ok I exaggerate a little). I can only say sayang. I do feel old and odd at the same time.

working mum's bag

Have you seen the film "One Fine Day" with Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney? It's a feel-good romcom. Not great, but not bad either. I was already a mum when I saw that film & the biggest thing that struck me was Michelle's bag.

It was huge. At one point in the film, she produced a zip-lock plastic with her son's toy cars. The toy cars sealed a contract for the firm she works for as the cars provided some focal point in her building (?) model.

When I was single, my bag was an accessory. True, I was a girlscout & you can find most things you'd need in my bag. But the bags were stylish & petite. Since becoming a mum, my bags went from medium size to combat-ready-size.

I carry less stuff now that Kelvin is nappy-free but I still need an extra shirt, some wipes, food, juice, and other munitions to keep him amused whenever we go out. So rather than go thru the trouble of re-organising my bag-containers, I just keep that huge bag & use it all week (or month at work). Imagine what I look like when I'm also lugging a laptop & struggling to stay upright in the Tube.

Anyway, you know what they say when some people are given storage, we find ways to fill it to the brim? It's 100% true for me.

So my daily bag is filled with my packed lunch's container, scarf, gloves, makeup bag (that I rarely use), papers, clips, band-aids, mints, moleskin, pen, map, train schedule, etc etc.

The laptop bag? I manage to fill that with my water bottle, papers from work, mouse, arm brace, and every now & again, stuff for Kelvin. See below.

okay that's my lunch "box"

See now that's how you balance your work and family commitments. Use everything at your disposal, no matter how heavy. Afterall, when you're in love the weight drops off the scale.

PMN Fam Pics: What is your green-rating?

Okay let me try to actually join this month's PMN Fam Pics. The theme is green. What do you associate the colour green with?

Do you think of nature?
Do you picture trees...
... and grass?
Do you think of flowering plants?
Or are you simply green-minded?

why my desktop??

Long ago I'd spend hours looking for that perfect wallpaper. I used applications that would swap pictures every day. I used my celeb-crushes, I used quotes, I used motivational pictures, animes, family pictures, etc. etc. These days I don't remember the last time I've actually been bothered to "personalise" my computer. But I did just recently change my wallpaper.

Pining tagged me (suki mo na ko ha) for this "show me your desktop" going around the net like a virus. I might actually be the last person to do this as I've seen this on most blogs I've been to. So I guess I will end this here & not tag anyone okay lusot na hehe Oh hey if you still want to show me/us what you got, just pick this up!

As I said before, my hormones are taking over & I've been fancying McAvoy for some days now. So here's my work-desktop. And like I said, I've got dual monitors so his face is plastered on both. Awfully nice.

See that pose? I think it's perfect. He gazes at me whenever I close the 20-odd applications (when actually busy, right now I'm blogging -- bad auee) I've got open. Is this geek Heaven?

vanity is the fall of man

Dear friend (smile you're on candid camera),

Magugulat ka kaya kung sasabihin kong talaga'ng gigil na gigil ako sa baba ko?

Dahil libre namang magtanong, e nag-email ako sa Belo Medical Group (nasabi ko na ba'ng nag-email na din ako kay Dra Holmes nuon tungkol sa isang article nya??).

Anyway, aabot na mahigit 100k PhP ang magagastos ko kung ipapatabas ko ang baba ko dahil may minimum daw sila na usually e coupled with different procedures. Siguro dahil pangit nga naman na manipis tyan mo tapos puro bilbil ang extremities mo 'no?

Sa gusto kong mangyari (sa aking double chin) sa Session 2 ako. Nung nakita ko yung List inisip ko "oo nga kelangang alisin yung wings ko, saka yung excess fat na halata sa likod ko"... Ayayay.

Early signs kaya ito nang tendency to abuse surgery??? Dito kaya nagsisimula yun?? Kaya ko kayang sikmurain na umubos ng 100 thousand pesoses para lang "gumanda" ako?? Hindi kaya ako mapunta sa impyerno for wasting money? Most importantly, saan kaya ako kukuha nang ganuon kalaking extra money?

Mukhang kailangang i-workout ko din ang schedules hhhmmm how to fit these procedures in my 2-week leave?? <<-- parang totoo ha!

---------- From the original message ----------
Cost information on SMART LIPO:
Session 1:
Upper Abdomen= Php 33,600.00
Abdomen= Php 33,600.00
Waist= Php 33,600.00
Hips- Php 33,600.00

Session 2:
Arms= Php 44,800.00(both arms included)
Wings= Php 16,800.00
Back= Php 33,600.00
Chin= Php 28,000.00

Session 3:
Inner Thigh= Php 33,600.00
Outer Thigh= Php 33,600.00
Anterior Thigh= Php 33,600.00
Buttocks= Php 33,600.00

Others:
Armpit= Php 22,400.00
Chest= Php 33,600.00
Breast = Php 33,600.00
Knees= Php 16,800.00
Calves= Php 33,600.00

We do three to four (3-4) areas (minimum) per surgery and is usually categorized like the one seen above. We can space the sessions 5 days to a week apart, depending on the capability of the patient.

{Additional 20% for professional fee of Dr. Belo}
Smartlipo for the face=Php56,000
+ Anaesthesia= Php 11,200
+ Binder= Php 5,600

For more information about Smartlipo, you can go to http://www.belomed.com/services_NEW_smartlipo.htm.

ETC ETC ETC

===========================
Note guys, these figures are for me ha. So if you're thinking of seeing the Belo Medical Group, ask them for your own quotes, of course after you've seen the specialists. And as with anything medical, make sure you are not just mentally ready but also physically-able to undergo such invasive procedures.

feel it burn, baby!

In Kat's recent post she was wondering whether she was sub-consciously censoring her posts. It really made me think. Are my posts censored, too? By posting the following racy admission, am I going to turn some readers away? Am I opening myself to ridicule? Do I care? hehe Of course, I do. But people, what I'm going to say (or write) is nothing but universal truth. Take it like Sally revealing that women fake orgasm (When Harry Met Sally).

I love feeling flirty & having that ticklish feeling of a teenager with a major crush: giggly, self-conscious, you put multiple meanings from an accidental glance, or construe electric vibes during casual conversations.

I am in-love with hubby and he can get me all hot just by naughty text messages or casually dropped innuendos while telling me to pick up groceries. But the thrill of the "chase" can still get my blood boil-a-degree, too. It's not just men who have open sexual desire, you know.

Married women, a mum in my case, still desires (a lot). Marriage did not bind my libido. It didn't blind me to other men, and it certainly didn't blind my husband to other women. Marriage and the promise of monogamy can make some rebellious, I'm not (yet). But it certainly didn't take my (animal) instinct away. The only thing I'm not sure of is whether menopause will, sad if it does.

I am a flirt by nature. I like it when the men I like likes me back. Who doesn't? When I was single, I was terrified of committing to hubby (then bf) because I was having so much fun dating and he was way too serious. (Un)fortunately I didn't sleep around, just dated & flirted. You know: you chat, you hold hands, there might be a touch here and there. Sometimes you cuddle. Sometimes you engage in teasing kisses. Most of the time you just exchange loaded glances. Other times you let yourself go stare longingly at each other but do nothing.

It gets me going. Thinking, wondering. Perhaps I'm masochistic, more likely it's just the hopeless romantic in me. But it's fun. It's a recreation. It doesn't really matter if it was an unrequited desire (note: not love).

Perhaps brought on by my returning glory, I now have McAvoy staring at me on a daily basis when my desktop (@work) shows up. Since I have two monitors, I have two McAvoys sending shivers down my spine - joy! Soon I will have more.

I also found a more human (i.e. physically here) eye-candy. Every time I remember Jason, I wish I could post this guy's photo here to show you WHY. Hot dude's into kite-surfing so he's really buff. He smells clean. He wears tattered jumpers (sweatshirts to non-Brits) when casual, business suit when formal. He's single and a real hottie. Funny though, I discovered he also knows about Owen Wilson's problems. Hmmm.

But in any case, just having these guys to entertain my dull moments, makes up for the 8-9 hours I spend stuck in the grind of daily work. If I wasn't married & I do have an office-affair, I think that might make the Tube a bit tolerable, too.

For now, I just enjoy the ride.

xxx
Oh yeah, hubby knows. And come to think of it, this is not so risque afterall.

red tape in the First World

One of the evils of Democracy is the "red tape". It's in every bureaucratic (thank you spell checker!) organisation you have the misfortune of dealing with.

True, I laughed my ass off when I read this email about a Filipino employee trying to obtain a TIN from the Philippines' BIR (anyone have a copy of that email - pa-forward naman uli it's a classic worth re-reading when you're down).

I raise my middle finger subconsciously every time I go the London's Philippine Embassy. As soon as you step in their compound (that needs an overhaul, please!) I am transported to the hateful memories of queueing and waiting and watching our dear civil servants walk like zombies then be super-sonic when it's 10 minutes to: lunch time or end of day. I faced our legal counsel one time while he was munching a Burger King and he's happily chatting to someone-who-should-not-be-there-while-I-discuss-my-personal-life.

Yes, I do love (!) visiting the basement of the Embassy where you're reminded that the Philippines is indeed poor, we cannot even maintain our Official HQ. I mean, you'd be scared to piss in the toilet & you'll definitely hang on to your dear life when you try to climb down the stairs.

Then if your business is not done within the right hour, you are reminded how pitiful you are by begging/bribing/cajoling the clerks into "please, please madam put your super-expensive stamp on my paper before you have your adobo & we freeze outside". Ok we do not freeze outside, we're sometimes forced to "come back tomorrow".

Anyway, you know what? Red tape & all the stupidity hate frustration that goes with it, is not only for the sick countries of the world.

I received an Inland Revenue letter saying I have to pay them back some Tax Credit because they apparently overpaid me. Ok, fine I will. So I called & waited. When I got thru, I answered 6 different security questions & then the operator said I failed one of them so I have to call them back. WTF?! Can't you ask me again? Nope, "I already told you what you have to do & we cannot go any further". 1-2-3-4... am still counting coz talagang imbyerna ka ha.

Fine I called again. This time I answered all the questions correctly. Then I stated my purpose & the clerk says, "Oh ma'am you have to dial another number for that request". AARRGGGHH.

1-2-3-4-5-6-7.... Fine. I dialled that number. Gone thru another 6 security questions (by this time I wish I could just replay recorded answers). Then I stated my purpose hoping that this will be it! Nope. But thankfully, she could put me through directly to the correct department (how many of you are familiar with this phrase?).

Deep breaths, deep breaths. Finally after some more security questions (which I'm thankful for - honest - just exasperated), my request was dealt with!

People remember, this is a call that is meant to GIVE THEM money. I cannot imagine how it would be if I was to request for money or complaint. Que barbaridad.

image from: home.aanet.com.au/hcrosby/

Are you flip or Pinoy?

A British colleague asked me whether Filipinos are called flips. His roomie is a Filipina and told him so but he was sceptical.

I know flip originated from America. Wikipedia says some Filipinos avoid the term and "prefer to be simply called Filipino or Pinoy/Pinay instead". I am one of those "some Filipinos".

Am I being narrow-minded? My being revolts at the thought of responding when called flip by anyone. Perhaps because I'm not from America, I don't fully understand the value of turning this negative term into positive. But I do understand why blacks would call each other negro but would be offended if non-blacks do the same.

Perhaps because I grew up in my native soil I just refuse any non-Filipino label. I'm not flip. I'm not a flip. I'm Pinoy. More specifically, I'm Pinay.

How about you? Flip ka ba?

you did it, SBD!

Eureka! I'm young again! hek hek NOT!

But I did lose my intended 5 kgs (11.02 lbs or 0.78 stone). The best thing is my muffin top is not as bad as before! Depending on the measuring tape (!) my lower waist (I don't like high waist trousers) can swing between 28-28.5 inches these days. Not bad at all considering I was at 30-31.5 ins when I first started on my South Beach Diet. Hopefully Kelvin will not say "bigger" anymore when he sees me trying on new clothes.

There are two downsides to losing weight though, people.
One: I lost some of my "ample" breasts. Now they're just perky (or should it be optimistic?) mounds hehe
Two: My bum definitely doesn't look big in anything anymore. As friends often pointed out before "wala akong pwet" - again.

Please don't think me arrogant by being happy with an average BMI of 20.8. I'm hardly model material. But after struggling with post-baby weight for three years (!!) I would be glad if SBD took off 1 kg! To have lost 5kgs in less than 6 months is a massive achievement for me. To think I stayed on Phase 2 for just a month and have been "winging" it since early August.

Anyhow, I think this is the conclusion for my SBD posts. I bought this "6 seconds Abs" thing I saw on TV which I'm "hoping to start using soon" (eek!).

Perhaps I will post about that next. Who knows, if it works I might have a few pan-de-sal's and monay's to show for it ha.

To those new on SBD, keep at it. It really works. I'm trying to encourage a few friends to get on it, too.

sabi ko nga!

Kainis kapag umuulan at tulak-tulak ko ang stroller ni Kelvin. Mas nakakainis pag na-realise kong wala pala akong pera'ng pang-cab.

So kanina'ng umaga ang lakas ng hangin at ang lakas din ng ulan. Bumigat ang pantalon ko sa sobrang basa at para kong naligo uli. Pagdating ko sa opisina, sabi ng opismeyt ko kamusta daw. I was going to reply "I feel like a wet chick" but it doesn't sound right. Paano ba ita-translate nang maayos yung "Eto parang basa'ng sisiw"?

Sa traffic light may couple na sobrang affected yata ng bed weather, halikan ng halikan. Gusto kong itulak nung nag-green man at sabihan nang "Pwede ba, mamaya na kayo mag-sipsipan ng mukha?"

I kept my cool. Naiinggit lang ako.