Cute can only go for so long

N: I'm finally going to get my lipstick!!!!
I: So you're going to see Goldie?
N: Nope, he's going to drop it off sa guard and I'm going to drop off his ipod... in my trashcan. CHAR!
I: Bitch!!!! Nyahahaha
N: I don't want to see him. Hahaha
I: You're such a guy to drop him like that!
N: He's cute. But cute doesn't excite me.
I: Yeah.... Cute can only go for so long.. Cute doesn't sustain.

I love my job: Valencia

If there's one thing I really really really (yes, three times) about my job, it's the simple perk TRAVELing.

Last weekend, instead of partying it up in Sinulog, where most people were. I went to a province in the middle of... not nowhere exactly but... in the middle of the whole entire region/land mass... Valencia to be exact.

Valencia is a province in the middle of Bukidnon and Bukidnon is 2-3 hours away from Cagayan de Oro and about 6 hours away from Davao. There's no direct flight, ergo you can only reach it by land.

I took CDO (Cagayan de Oro) flight in. First flight out, which was like 4:40AM. And yes, I was up by 1 AM. Oh I love my job!

Although the flight was more or less an hour only, I think I'm beginning to master how to sleep, unperturbed in these kind of flights. The moment I fastened my seat belts I wandered off to la la la land.

Anywhoo, here are some photos I took and I'll try to make kwento as we go along. "Try"

 

 

Emotastic at 6:00AM

Arrived around 20 minutes early in the airport while the driver was 20 minutes late. So everybody checked out already and there I was... alone in the arrival area... waiting... CHAR! I was trying to go all emo and everything but that's all I got. I was actually looking forward to the bed in the hotel, waiting for me so those kind of emotions were non-existent so to speak.

Hotel Valencia

Lo and behold I didn't only get one bed but two! Well all their standard rooms are for double occupancy so the smaller bed went to my stuff so they could also rest.  Obviously the interiors are old school but who gives... a night would only cost below P1,000.00. This rate already includes a breakfast for two. But don't get your hopes up, it's not buffet and don't fret you're tastebuds won't miss a lot. They have nice pool which I'll show you later... and drum roll please.... *drum* *drum* *drum* my favorite part in this hotel *drum* *drum* *drum*......... the fastest wifi evaaaaah!!!!!!!! It's the fastest I've tried in the whole existence of internet!!!

Of course after a long day "working," we get to eat something "local" for dinner. Well there's nothing local about it except for the venue but... walang basagan ng trip. Haha

Ihaw would always be the shiznit

of course my favorite: chicken isaw

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know if they we're just sh*ting me but there's this rice in that place they call, "hanging rice". It's a ball of rice wrapped in palm leaves similar to what we call "palaspas." (It's the leaf/leaves we wave during Palm Sunday. --- DUH Haha) So I had two of those rice then 5 chicken isaws and 1 chicken paa. Just a little bit more chicken parts my tummy would probably be able to produce a whole live functioning chicken. Afreyd!

We capped the night early since we had a 6:30AM call time the next day.

Comite International Geneve

Say what? Nosebleed! Kidding!

So I googled what this phrase supposedly means, and here's what I got so far: It's the International Committee of the Red Cross. This humanitarian institution is mandated to protect international victims of war.

Riding in that vehicle is prestigious enough for me. But I have doubts if I have the stomach to be a composed, pacified and non-violent humanitarian (i don't even know if I make sense in that). Well I've been one for the past weeks but let's just say it's friggin' hard.

Back to regular programming...

Cheese.. cheese.. cheese squares?

 I have no idea what these are called. Their like brownies but cheese. Their one of the best cheese thingies/foodies I've tried in my entire life next to Cream Cheese. Buy them at the NVM Mall in the Angel Log's Stall. Oh and their cheesesticks are also to die for.

We finished work so the "tourists" decided to have a night out since it was also our last night. We dined in a restaurant called, El Comodore where their specialties are sea foods. Apparently, we're not the only ones who wanted tome sea foods and night out. 

Well hello, M Mouse!

Anwar & Rich

Since the driver, for the nth time was running late, we decided to just catch a "Motorela." (sounds like a Motorola knock off) It's basically their tricycle, but the seats are located at the back of the driver so it's as if you're riding a mini jeepney.

Motorela Koyah

Here's the pool I was talking about. Kinda neat huh?

Hotel Valencia

These are my hotelmates... From the land of white river rafting, Rich. And from the home of the most badass fruit in the universe, durian, Miss A.

But before we came to the hotel, the entire city of Valencia was experiencing brownout. Fortunately, our hotel has generators. Well actually, every hotel should have one. The only downer was there was on cable. I was hoping to spend the wee hours of the night watching Britain's Next Top Model and watch those bimbo's make a bimbo out of themselves.

Before I flew out, there was just another stopover I made. The Monastery of Transfiguration in Malaybalay. It was solemnly breathtaking. That's the only description I have. Check out my photos below.

Monastery of Transfiguration

good choice of wood

Chairs probably inspired by grade school classrooms

Color Contrast at its finest

Groomsmen preparing for the big event

View on your right

The view in this last photo is not even close to how beautiful it was to stand on that spot where I was. I'm not a connoisseur on traveling but I think the art/passion for traveling is allowing yourself to be surprised at what a place can offer and take it from there. :) Uhm.. a lot like love? CHAR!

This is only the second week of the year I say... I looooooveee my job!!! :) I have 5 more lined up until summer, hopefully I won't screw up that big so I still get to enjoy it.

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it... I'm about to lose control and I think I like it. Say what Pointer Sisters?!?! (Sisa mode: ON)

First Day High

Today is the first day of the rest of my life "The future depends on what we do in the present." -Mahatma Gandhi... One step at a time.... - Lindsay Lohan

Yeah, a few hours ago, I saw this on Twitter and BAM! I got jealous.

Ergo... Today is the first day of the rest of my life... January 5, 2011.

A few minutes after this declaration, I had my eyes already on some workable "goals."

These goals are actually old but let's jut give them a relaunch for the sake of my First Day High. :D 

• life este work is elsewhere (crossing my fingers for Asia first)
• more book reading
• more writing
• more new things
• more traveling 
• more praying 
• more weight (yes i plan to force feed myself) 

Like any school girl in her first day, it is only but natural to be too prepared for such goals and expectations. So I decided to make a 2011 folder on my desktop. In there are the following:

1. a copy of 500 days of summer (yes i will finally watch it)
2. Basic Spanish Tutorial Audiobook   
3. New Music smuggled from someone's ipod
4. 48 Laws of Power Audiobook

I'm currently reading ala James Patterson book, a book of encouragement for Women (given to me a s Christmas gift by a friend who's getting married on April 26 - YEY!) and Our Daily Bread - a giveaway in one of the shoe stores I shop in.

So I guess that's enough to jump start my first day. :D

And oh... before I really really really (yes three times) move on to my day...
It happened, two people were involved (not one), the other party wasn't man enough to settle/fix it, I owned up to it, took all the heat, apologized, offered to talk.
Apology wasn't accepted, fine.
Another drama blows from God knows where (i'm guessing storytelling at its finest), attacks were made without confirming the story, I didn't budge because at the end of the day I believe at some point that person was a friend to me even for a milisecond in the past.

So here I go again being a victim of my own optimism hoping this would be the last time...

Because today i'm pressing the reset button.. and today is the first day of the rest of my life...

The next time I'll probably reset is when I get married (in 50 years) Hahahaha

At least...

If you make your best effort to be kinder, nurture compassion, make the world a better place, then you can say 'At least I've done my best’. - Dalai Lama

 

wooossaaahh mamita.  no to violence.

The Art of No: 2010-2011

"I have a history of making decisions very quickly about men. I have always fallen in love fast and without measuring risks. I have a tendency not only to see the best in everyone, but to assume that everyone is emotionally capable of reaching his highest potential. I have fallen in love more times than I care to count with the highest potential of a man, rather than with the man himself, and I have hung on to the relationship for a long time (sometimes far too long) waiting for the man to ascend to his own greatness. Many times in romance I have been a victim of my own optimism." - Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat Pray, Love

That's my life written in 5 sentences.

The moment these lines touched my eyes, I knew that I have to do something about it.

In 2010, I learned how to put my foot down and refuse to be a victim of my own optimism.

The reaction I received however is another story. Describing it as CHAOS would be an understatement.

Nevertheless, I pulled through it from the support of my...

Friends

Family

and of course Him.

Someone surprised me by saying, "You're a woman of your own. You're on top of the world. You have and can have everything. You think you can always do everything on your own. He needs you to learn that you should give leave some for Him to do/give."

And I did.

He gave me...

"Make new friends but keep the old...

...one is Silver...

... and the other Gold."

Quoted song is a traditional girl scout song. (very random) haha But kind of sounds like variants of Patron.

Cut to...
Rekindled friendships.

kris kringle theme: give something offensive to your baby.

Cut to...
Cougar "Love in this club" story with a not so fairy tale ending because of my excessive use of the word... NOPE, which eventually got back to me.

You had me with the Corona

No worries, I have a...

Perfume

Mac Lipstick

As consolation prizes. :(





On a lighter note.... I....

conquered Asia's Longest Zipline

No. I will conquer my fear of heights.

While flying above chopped down trees  I have come to realized that... I think.. I should think more... Ergo... Friends... This effin' zipline is the root of all the paranoid evil you get from me.







I took a peak at HK....

 





Where I realized that some adventures are better experienced alone or with friends. In short, I didn't enjoy it as much as i expected.












So where does the art of No come in, in all these babbling?

After the first major "NO" in my life.... I began to slowly climb my way to the realm of saying YES to every friggin' possibility there is. It got me over-thinking, turned me crazy, made pimples appear after so many years. It basically turned my life upside down. I shouldn't have believe that YES MAN movie. Where you should just say yes and yes and yes...

I capped of my 2010 and started my 2011 quite messily mostly due to unfamiliar waters dabbled on. And like a wise-ass run down rookie, you play it cool... go with the flow follow the leader... and then bam!

I've acquired the yes attitude but it diluted my ability in confronting an unfamiliar situation.
It's like me refusing to watch 500 days of Summer because I haven't heard (from other people) of a movie that touches to close to reality. And I didn't like that. So I refuse to watch it.

Three times I tried confronting 3 people who were potentially important/unimportant..
First one, I had note scribbled down my left palm. I ended up pretending to be asleep because I don't want to be rejected.
Second, I didn't want to use the phrase, "let's talk..." because I want to play it cool. I ended up gloating my brains out figuring out how to get answers.
Third, I got caught up with the celebration, the booze and the "no one's looking" phrase. Pulled a fast one on me next thing I knew. Bam! I'm the douche.

And as much as the saying goes that it takes two to tango... I'd rather man up for all of these, and start my 2011 humbly recognizing my own mistakes by saying Yes, when I had an option to say No or vice-versa.

To all my lovers and friends..
Who I...
Stole food from while you weren't looking
Convinced you that it's okay when it isn't
Said something hurtful to
Backstabbed
Broke your heart
Offended by any means (consciously or unconsciously)

....... I humbly ask for your forgiveness.



And for all the naysayers, haters, even those who just can't sit down and listen to understand me (yes including you Mom...)

...... From the deepest abyss of my heart, you have my love.




So my next steps especially starting the third day of 2011....


 “Your mistake does not define who you are...you are your possibilities” Oprah Winfrey


Happy New Year!