Feeding Frenzy

Today's theme was "food," because my entire day was punctuated by it. Funnily enough, considering that yesterday I was just so happily involved in doing what needed to be done that I had my first meal of that day at almost 5:00 pm (and only because I almost passed out).

This morning, I went to our Prism office in Greenhills after what seemed like a very long hiatus (I almost forgot what floor we were on, haha!) - especially since my partner John and I were both sick over the last week. After just a few minutes of conversation, John pulled out his lunch ("You can have half my scrambled egg sandwich, it will make you very happy!"). Speaking of which, you just gotta ADORE this guy: he would have been my absolute-st favorite-st classmate in elementary school if we had in fact gone to school together...but instead he was my favorite classmate in the Landmark Advanced Course, who eventually became my favorite matchmaker and relationship guru, and is now my favorite business partner (sorry guys, I love all of you, but John takes the cake). And, speaking of cake, our beloved Tita Calay whipped out slices of banana cake for John and myself, while offering her own very interesting lunch of pesto rolls. At the end of the hour, John still had half his sandwich (I didn't have the heart) and I'd had about half a slice of Tita C's cake, on the excuse that Gaile had lunch ready and waiting for me at the law office.

Fast forward a few minutes, and I found myself at nearby Santi's to break a PhP500 bill - my parking fee was short of PhP5 and I didn't want to shortchange the attendant. In the process, I spent almost PhP200 to make good on a PhP20 parking fee, as I got tempted by a few grams of Gruyere cheese and a beer sausage.

And that wasn't even lunch, since Gaile had gotten me some beef tapa and batchoy at the new tapa restaurant near the Wack-Wack law office. I ate that while exchanging anecdotes with my law partner Kenneth, and then settled down to review a contract and do some studying, while texting Lianne in Cebu that I remembered the name of my favorite puchero restaurant over there (Abuhan!). After which...

I headed over to the Landmark Education workspace near Rockwell in the pouring rain, toting my cheese, sausage, and crackers. Inside was a hungry posse who demolished the offerings in a few minutes (always a good thing to bring food to the Center, just like a week ago when Luch went through two bags of barquillos a street vendor sweettalked me into buying). Because that was just a snack, I ordered an early catfish salad dinner from Som's next door to tide me over while working...which I was in the process of consuming when Susan came in with bags of food, food, and more food: Kenny Roger's chicken and sidings plus BreadTalk goodies. Yummers.

After what seemed like just a few minutes, Arvy walked into the Center with boxes of revel, fudge, and oatmeal bars (dessert!!), what would have been the perfect cap to the evening...except that Ging appeared next with bags of potato chips, chocolates, and soda! What the heck was going on in here!! (And just in time too, as I had the craving for munchies...duh). Not only that, she ordered even more food from Som's for her own dinner, enough to go around, so I had a bowl of really delish Tom Yum Goong as well.

I was surprised to look at my watch to see I'd spent almost six hours working at the Center (so the food "deliveries" were pretty well-spaced after all), so at around 11 pm, when I got home, you'd think I'd be pretty much full...but there was bistek Tagalog on the table, too good to resist...

And as I started to write this, my Santi's sausage seemed to be a little sad from the neglect, so I'm doing it a favor and putting it out of its misery.

Darn it, I've been gunning for the Lena Headey body, and this is what my day turned out to be. Oh well, Cebu tomorrow is another day...in Abuhan, barbecue at Larcian, crispy danggit...

No Lying

1. Last beverage - Red Horse
2. Last phone call - Susan
3. Last CD played - Pauline's 2002 compilation
4. Last time you cried - last Wednesday (good tears)
5. Last text message from - Judith

SIX HAVE YOU EVERS.

1. Dated someone twice? Yes
2. Been cheated on? Yes
3. Kissed someone & regretted it? No
4. Lost someone special? Yes
5. Been depressed? Yes
6. Got drunk and threw up? Yes

LIST THREE FAVES
COLORS - orange, blue, white

THIS MONTH, HAVE YOU -
1. Made a new friend? Yes, many, today!
2. Laughed until you cried? No
4. Met someone who changed your life? Yes (everyone I met this month, did!!)
5. Found out who your true friend is? I've always known who they are.
6. Is there something you want to tell someone? No, I'll just go right out and tell them.
7. How many kids do you want to have? This month???
8. Do you have any pets? Yes
9. Do you wanna change your name? No
10. What did you do yesterday? Errands, business meeting, ILP coaching
11. Last time You had pizza? July 2007 in the US
12. What time did you wake up today? 11:30 am!
13. What were you doing at 12:00 midnight yesterday? Reading
14. Name something you CANNOT wait for? The rehabilitation of EDSA!
15. Last time you saw your ex? June 2007 hehe
16. What is one thing you wish you could change? I wouldn't change anything.
17. What are you listening to right now? The fan.
18. Have you ever talked to Tom? Selleck?
19. Who's getting on your nerves right now? No one.
20. Most visited webpage? Friendster, Facebook, Philippine Inquirer, EWTN
21. Coke or Pepsi? Coke (Light)
22. Have you seen anyone naked? Yes, shut up.

I Take the Fifth

RULES:
1.) You can only say Guilty or Innocent.
2.) You are not allowed to explain anything unless someone messages you and asks!

GAME:
Danced on a table in a bar?
...innocent
Ever told a lie?
...guilty
Had feelings for someone whom you can't have?
...guilty
Kissed a picture?
...guilty
Slept in until 5 PM?
...guilty
Fallen asleep at work/school?
...guilty
Held a snake?
...guilty
Been suspended from school?
...innocent
Worked at a fast food restaurant?
...innocent
Sang karaoke?
...guilty
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?
...guilty
Done something you regret?
...guilty
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose?
...guilty!
Caught a snowflake on your tongue?
...innocent
Kissed in the rain?
...innocent
Sat on a roof top?
...guilty
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on?
...guilty
Shaved your head?
...innocent
Slept naked?
...guilty
Made your boyfriend/girlfriend cry?
...innocent
Been in a club?
...guilty
Shot a gun?
...guilty
Donated blood?
...guilty
Eaten alligator meat?
...guilty
Eaten cheesecake?
...guilty
Still love someone you "shouldn't"?
...innocent
Have a tattoo?
...innocent
Like someone, but will never tell who?
...innocent
Hang out with people you shouldn't?
...guilty
Wanted to do something, didn't do it, and regret it?
...guilty
Been too honest?
...guilty
Cursed at someone coz he/she's not calling?
...guilty
Ruined a surprise?
...guilty
Ate in a restaurant and got really bloated that you can't walk afterwards?
...guilty
Erased someone in your friends list?
...guilty
Dressed in a woman's clothes (if your a guy) man's clothes (if your a girl)?
...innocent
Joined in a search for Mr Pogi pageant (if your a guy) Ms Beautiful pageant
(if you're a girl)?
...innocent
Got totally drunk one night and you have an important exam tomorrow morning?
...innocent
A total stranger treat you by paying your jeepney fare?
...innocent
Get totally angry that you cried so hard?
...guilty

Lakbayan

Not bad, but there are a couple of thousand more islands yet to set foot on...

My Lakbayan grade is B-!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

Market Day

Today was the first time in a long while that I went grocery/market shopping (not counting the times I was in the US scrounging for ingredients for the handful of dinners I prepared). The baby brother wanted bangus, the eagle wanted galunggong, I'm in a new eat-healthy phase - and so off to market I had to go.

First stop, semi-large supermarket that I've frequented since I was knee-high. The quaint thing about this place, aside from their regular fabulous selection of "sale" items (dried Chinese mushrooms for PhP80 instead of PhP150!), is that the cashiers still punch in the tag prices instead of scanning the bar codes. And, up until a couple of years ago, they still used those antiquated cash registers that went *kachaching, kachaching* as the item was punched. Funnily enough, they're much quicker than those scanner-supermarket deals.

Anyway, at that particular supermarket, I stocked up on a whole lot of tofu. I love tofu; but, aside from the tofu sisig that's been a hit for the catering business, I hardly know how to cook it. But I'll order it like crazy at Sushiya (Agedashi Tofu, Tofu Furai...yumm), Som's (Red Curry), or North Park/Next Door (Sauced Tofu) and be one happy camper.

I think that's my thing - the food I most love is the food I can't cook myself. Seafood is a prime example (next stop, save for a detour at the bookstore, Commonwealth Wet Market). I adore all kinds of seafood - crabs, squid, lobster, fish, oysters - but I can't cook it. That's my culinary Waterloo...and I'm rather grateful that I can actually be a consumer with respect to this kind of cuisine. I could eat paksiw na isda every single day of the year, or chili crab/special alimango ni Aling Tonyang. I cannot halabos a shrimp or ihaw a samaral. I make a mean ceviche, which is probably why I don't crave for it as much; but I will die for adobong/inihaw na pusit, ginataang kuhol, or Chinese steamed lapu-lapu, which I have no idea how to make (I actually do, but it's never quite turned out right). So I leave those to the experts, and just enjoy the end results.

Thus went my Sunday Market Day. I think I'm going to call in my trusty on-call cook to whip up the week's seafood menu, and perhaps cook a few dishes myself (that I won't be eating any time soon - you know how it is when kitchen familiarity breeds contempt). Maybe I'll find a tofu dish I can make and still manage to eat - who knows.

Bakas Ng Nakaraan

1.Anong Student # mo?
85-***60, password ko pa rin yan hanggang ngayon, kaya secret. Oo, 85!

2. Ano ang 1st choice mo na course?
BS Biology

3. 2nd choice?
BS Zoology (nye)

4. Anong kurso ang natapos mo?
BA Communication (Broadcasting) - double nye

5. Nag-SHIFT ka ba?
Yup, from BS Humanities (Pre-Med) to the fun world of BA Comm!

6. Chinito/Chinita ka ba?
Kinda sorta

7. Nakapag-DORM ka ba?
Frustration...10 minutes away lang ako from campus, no excuse!

8. Nakauno ka ba?
Oh yezzz

9. Naka 3 ka na ba?
Hmph, only in law school

10. Lagi ka bang pumapasok sa klase?
HINDEEE

11. May scholarship ka ba?
Iskolar ng bayan! Ano nga kasunod nun?

12. Ilang units ang naipasa mo?
LAHAT. Pwe! 'Tsura nito...

13. Nangarap ka bang magcum laude?
Ng gising...di ako nerd (masyado)

14. Fave prof/s?
Jess Ramos (totoo!!), Diane Teotico (RIP), Malu de Guzman, Prof. Maranan ng Spanish Department, Pekto Fernandez, Arno Sanidad!

15. Worst teacher?
Asawa ni Pekto...sa PI 100

16. Fave subject?
Sa undergrad, Spanish and Broadcasting Prod. Sa law school, remedial law!

17. Worst Subject?
Punyetang math yan. Physics and Chem.

18. Fave Building?
SM Edsa mwahaha...Plaridel Hall syempre

19. Paboritong kainan?
CASAA, Rodic's, Pampaguena's, SM Food Court...ano nga ba yung may masarap na tapa sa Katips..

20. Magkano ang binabayad sa jeep?
Di ko nagje-jeep (actually, di ko maalala kung magkano, mwaha)

21. Lagi ka ba sa library?
Ano ka, tungak?

22. Nagpupunta ka ba sa Clinic?
Sa Infir-matay?

23. May Crush ka ba sa campus?
Si Francis Pangilinan!!! Proud to say. Senador na siya ngayon, kaibigan at boss ko pa nung unang panahon. Meron akong taste. Kahit siya, wala. (Ooops!)

24. Anu-ano ang mga naging PE m?
Swimming, tennis, PE 1, modern jazz (nye)

25. Kamusta naman block niyo?
Dalawa lang kami ng undergrad (fun di ba). Masaya kami nung law school. Sosyal daw kami. Chorva...

26. Memorize mo ba ang hymn niyo?
Lubos-lubusan, kahit tulog o lasing. Grade 3 palang ako kabisado ko na yan.

28. Nakaperfect ka na ba ng exam?
Malamang.

29. Dito ka ba natutong uminom ng beer?
2nd year college, 1987...

30. Ano ang pangalan ng school m0?
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City!!!

Three Words

You have to use 3 words to answer each question. No more, no less.
It's harder than you think.

1. Where is your cell phone?:
Right beside me.

2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend?
Not beside me.

3. Your hair?:
Behaving itself well

4. Where is your father?:
Flying to LA

6. Your favorite thing to do?
Have a conversation

7. Your dream last night?:
Don't really remember

8. Your favorite drink?:
San Mig Light!

9. Your dream car?
I have it

10. The room you're in?:
My personal sanctuary

12. Your greatest fear?:
Not being liked

14. Who did you hang out with last night?:
ILP, Dad, Mom

15. What aren't you good at?:
Sports sports sports

16. Muffins?:
Strawberry macadamia...yum

17. One of your wish list items?:
A transformed Philippines

19. The last thing you did?:
Answered this question

20. What are you wearing?:
Disney night shirt

22. Your pet?:
Not here yet

23. Your computer?:
Toshiba Satellite laptop

24. Your life?:
Empowerment commitment love

25. your mood?
Getting kinda sleepy

26. Missing?:
Someone out there

27. What are you thinking about right now?
Nothing really significant

28. Your car?
You asked already

29. Your work?
I choose everything

30. Your summer?:
USA vacation fun

31. Your relationship status?:
Single and committed

32. Your favorite color(s):
Warm orange sunset

33. When is the last time you laughed?
An hour ago

34. Last time you cried?
Last Sunday evening

35. School?:
Full blooded Maroon

Four Things

FOUR JOBS YOU'VE HAD IN YOUR LIFE
- Advertising and Promotions Assistant for a major film studio (i.e., dakilang alalay)
- Lawyer: Junior Associate, Senior Partner, Corporate Counsel, Law Professor
- Caterer
- Writer: Newspaper columnist, Travel magazine Editor-in-Chief/writer, translator, book editor

FOUR MOVIES YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER
- When Harry Met Sally
- Breakfast at Tiffany's
- Sabrina
- Sound of Music

FOUR CITIES YOU'VE LIVED IN:
- Quezon City
- Chicago
- Paris
- Baguio City

FOUR TV SHOWS YOU LOVE TO WATCH
- Project Runway
- Iron Chef
- Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
- Heroes

FOUR PLACES YOU'VE BEEN ON VACATION:
- France
- Republic of China (Beijing, Shanghai, Macau, HK, Shenzhen)
- Italy
- New York City

FOUR WEBSITES YOU VISIT DAILY:
- Friendster
- Inquirer.net
- EWTN
- Facebook

FOUR OF YOUR FAVORITE FOODS:
- Lechon
- Seafood, all sorts of
- Spaghetti alla Vongole
- A very nice steak

FOUR SCHOOLS YOU'VE ATTENDED
- OB Montessori Center
- University of the Philippines
- Universite Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne (Cornell Law)
- Landmark Education

FOUR PLACES I'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:
- Nowhere else than here

FOUR THINGS I'VE DONE TODAY:
- Witnessed miracles (coached a leadership program)
- Had lunch at Legaspi Market
- Went to Mass
- Kicked some butt

FOUR THINGS I DID YESTERDAY:
- Got fully self-expressed
- Led an Introduction to the Landmark Forum
- Went to the He Cares' 11th Anniversary
- Had a good night's sleep

Idle Time

1. Did you just wake up?
No

2. Whose car were you in last?
Mine

3. When is the next time you will kiss someone?
Tomorrow, for sure

4. What color shirt are you wearing?
White

8. Last movie you watched?
The Company of Women

9. Last thing you ate?
Chex Mix, see last post

10. Last thing you drank?
SML

11. Where did you sleep last night?
In my bed

13. Are you happy right now?
Yes!

14. What did you say last?
Wala akong boses

15. Where is your phone?
Right in front of me

16. What was the last museum you went to?
Nelson-Atkins in KC

17. What color are your eyes?
Dark brown

19. How was your weekend?
Jampacked with breakthroughs and possibility!

20. When was the last time you had your heart broken?
Last year :-)

21. Who/what do you hate/dislike currently?
N/A

22. What are you listening to?
The airconditioner

23. Are you excited?
Always!

24. What is your favorite store?
Any book store. 168. Target/Walmart/K-Mart (shhh)

25. What day is it today?
Sunday

26. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Having a conversation

30. Are you left-handed?
No

32. What's for dinner tonight?
Had it already. Fried chicken and roast pork - cholesterol!!!

33. What was the last alcoholic beverage you had?
SML

34. When is your birthday?
July 31

35. How tall are you?
5'2

39. Where was the last place you went shopping?
168 Mall

40. Who made you laugh today?
ILP!!!

41. Do you have any expensive jewelry?
Yes, but I hardly use it.

42. AIM or MSN?
Yahoo

43. Where do your cousins live?
All around the country and the world

47. Are you an only child or do you have siblings?
1 bro, 2 sisters

48. Would you consider yourself to be spoiled?
No

49. What was the first thing you thought when you woke up?
Ouch! My legs still hurt.

50. Do you drink beer?
YES!

52. Myspace or Facebook
Facebook

53. Do you have T-Mobile?
Whenever I'm roaming

54. What was your favorite subject in school?
English

55. Do you smile a lot?
:-)))

57. Do you have any talents?
Very many

58. Have you ever been in a wedding?
Very many, not my own.

59. Do you have any children?
About 600, again, not my own :-)

60. Did you take a nap today?
No

61. Ever met someone famous?
Yes

63. Do you want to be famous one day?
I already am. Bwaha!

64. Are you multi-tasking now?
Just breathing and typing

68. What's one of your favorite things to do?
Have conversations

72. Ever been to Las Vegas?
No

73. What are you doing today?
I'm done.

74. Have you ever been gambling?
Sure

75. When is the last time you updated your blog?
Today

76. Have you been to New York City?
Yes, love it

77. Ever been to Disneyland/world?
No

78. Do you have a favorite cartoon character?
Darna!!

79. Last thing you cooked?
Fried chicken and sukiyaki the other night

Present Past

PRESENT PERFUME
Dolce Gabbana Blue

PRESENT SHAMPOO
Sunsilk Brown

PRESENT FAVORITE SONG
You are the Universe! (Brand New Heavies c. a few years ago)

LAST FOOD YOU ATE
Chex Mix

LAST GIFT YOU RECEIVED?
Cig case from Gaile

LAST GAME YOU ENJOYED PLAYING
The game of life, heh heh

LAST TIME YOU HAD YOUR HAIRCUT
Saturday, a week ago

LAST ALCOHOLIC DRINK U DRANK
San Mig Light

PRESENT PET
Still waiting for that puppy

LAST BIRTHDAY ATTENDED
He Cares' 11th, yesterday

LAST GIMIK/ OUTING?
Last Friday doesn't count as a gimmick - meeting over drinks; Barcino with Miles, last Saturday, a week ago

LAST THING YOU DO BEFORE YOU GO TO SLEEP
Close my eyes. Doh

LAST THING YOU BOUGHT
Two bottles of Lipa Buko Juice, a lighter

LAST MALL YOU VISITED
168!

LAST TIME YOU CRIED
Today - extremely moved by miracles :-)

PRESENT PERSON YOU HATE
No one!

LAST PERSON YOU TEXTED
My beloved Ninang Peng L

LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO
Or whispered at - have no voice: my Dad.