Saving The World Together

Help in Identifying Stamp

2011-07-16T15:31:00.000+03:00

which country issued this stamp?

i want to....

2010-10-20T14:27:00.000+03:00

feed my misery with sad songs

spill tears over sad silly movies

stare into nothingness for hours

strip my mind of everything

but what i want the most....

is for you to be beside me to share this moment

19-08-2010 Bottled-Up

2010-08-19T13:22:00.003+03:00

I used to write a lot. Privately, but a LOT. I kept journals; sometimes two at a time. I exchange snail mails with a lot of friends - even those that I see daily. I pour out my thoughts and sentiments through these letters. I rarely have excess baggage, my head is clear most of the time unless of course something else in liquid form muddles my brain J

From 5 years ago, my writing became sporadic. Nagni-ningas-cogon, I could hardly finish an entry. My thoughts strayed halfway to unreachable corners. And from then on I kept a lot of things hidden in a compartment in my head. I am beginning to see the reason for my change of disposition. I have so many pent-up emotions. I am a dam about to burst. I think I need a…..

14.08.2010 thoughts...thoughts..thoughts...

2010-08-15T01:05:00.006+03:00

Ramadan Kareem!

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On "forced diet". I thought fasting would be a great way to kickstart my nth attempt at dieting. A girl could only dream. I end up eating more before going to bed and after sundown both because of being actually hungry and of the fear of becoming hungry in the middle of the day. Duh! I must really work on that fruit diet.

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Although due to a family circumstance, I still lamented on the fact that hubby and I are in the house at the same for the whole day, two days in a row. I have repeatedly asked him not to take an impromptu day-off on my day-off. Sure, spending time together is a must for couples but I do value my "alone time" a lot.

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I spent half of this day arranging our movie collection. My movies spread across different genres but his is limited to horror. After hearing him complain forever about not having a decent movie to watch, I convinced him to watch MY movie - Blood: The Last Vampire. As expected, he lost his interest halfway. Right after he commented that the heroine is Blade's cousin. It occurred to me that he never did like movies that involves samurai, kung fu, ninja. And I wonder why I enjoy them. And I did remember why. Back in the 80's, after the Sunday morning mass, me and my brother used to watch Chinese movies on TV. And more often these Chinese movies would have something to do with martial arts. Fixation?

just another day

2010-01-10T17:43:00.006+03:00

my day started in a mildly bad mood after just 3 hours of sleep trying to get more flags from plants vs zombies. i expected and satisfactorily had a bumpy ride all throughout the day. i swam through papers that needed my attention; i wasted time in FB while also trying to figure out the colorful status message; i sat idle for 30 minutes, i had lunch in a daze and then my boss tells me at the last minute that the meeting is tomorrow. at 5 pm i figured i must move my butt a little faster to gather data. then hubby and friends decided an impromptu movie date for Avatar. and despite having repeated thrice that the show starts at 845, they picked me up at 835 from office and zoomed 5 minutes to the movie mall. we were just 5 slots away from the teller and only 2 minutes before showtime when she announced that all seats are sold for the 3D movie. we cannot possibly wait for the midnight show with my reports pending and their asses required at 7 am in the office. we ditched movie for a fast food dinner for me and fresh juices for them. and that's when the day took a livelier turn. our melon, pineapple and mango juices at 1.2 BD each were probably the most horrible fresh juice we have ever tasted in our lives. my pineapple was at room temperature and just bland. hubby made faces with the bitter aftertaste of his melon juice - the taste when you scraped off flesh too close to the skin. also in room temperature. the mango juice tasted better though it wasn't even worth at 100 fils. i said sugar will adjust my juice while the two decided on getting mangoes instead. and the mangoes came in almost pure puree, dark yellow orange in color. ms mango went and complained why her mango is like water mixed with drops of mango while theirs is MANGO! i said don't eat the poor guy, the mall is deserted, let him make money. he laughed and changed the drink while admitting that it is his first day of the job and he knows nothing about juice making. we laughed amidst stares from nearby tables, finished off our drinks and headed home. i worked myself to finish the reports before dawn only to have the internet acting up. can't get any of the reports attached to the mail. went ahead to catch some zzzz's and dreamt of ways to stop the zombies from eating my brains.

getting this out of my system

2009-12-20T16:31:00.002+03:00

- a rant needed to be blogged so it won't clog my system -

December 16, 2009

I have heard the strangest words of wisdom today from someone who is ironically the least qualified to supply such adages to his unenthusiastic listeners. So this ‘friend’ of mine rattled about how we should give respect to get respect in return. And how if we give respect to something that we do, only then will others respect it as well and not be so nonchalant with the whole procedure. The last thing he said nearly blow up my mind had I not strained myself to go through the whole ordeal expressionless and to just let the words pass from one ear to another. And so I quote “We have to give respect, even if he is a bad man, we have to give respect”. He even has the gall to insert reference to religion and personal principles. I bit my tongue to stop myself from asking if he was referring to himself.

What happened was that I and the other guy were talking about tolerance levels. We had both agreed that the art of being able to tolerate someone or something is indeed a personal feat. We also came to the conclusion that we had high levels of tolerance but like everything else, all good things must come to an end. After all, change is inevitable. Time will come when all you have taken in and decide to tolerate will just lump into one big ugly ball of fire ready to burst. And then you can’t stop yourself. And by then all respect you try to put in together will just shatter into small irreparable pieces. I am no saint; I cannot forever keep my mouth shut and just dismiss things.

Sometimes I know people wonder how I can harbor such hatred to someone. AS I always say, I am not naturally vengeful. I may have certain unexplainable dislike for some people but I will never be the first to provoke a fight. I will pretend that the person doesn’t exist. Only - and only – when the person does something to me do I retaliate in each and every opportunity that I can.

Trust me; I have tried my best to ignore him. But when a person deliberately (or maybe unconsciously) puts himself again and again in a position for you to lose that respect you have worked extra hard against your will, the only thing left is to give in to the desire to fight - verbally of course!

And if it weren’t enough, he came to softly reprimand my talking partner about trust. He went on to say that hiding the key to the safe is an expression of insecurity; a lack of trust to his colleagues. The funny thing was that we have specifically discussed that my talking partner alone would know about the key’s whereabouts because yes, we didn’t trust this guy. In more occasion than we can count, we have cases of disappearing and appearing documents. And our discussion of these “magic” moments has always ended up with the assumption that our preacher has all the reason and opportunity to play the magician’s part. On one part I am happy he actually understood the logic behind the key hiding. The only sad thing is that he is in denial that the act was directed at him.

coming out of the hole

2009-11-19T20:17:00.000+03:00

oooooh…i’ve been away for sooooooooo long! i got contaminated with the FB fever!

i guess i maybe coming out of my hiatus in celebration of the first raindrops for the coming Bahrain cold season

or FB is simply slowly losing its appeal

well, what else is there to say?.......WELCOME BACK!

Wow! Apparently, raping is "harmless fun".

2009-03-04T11:32:00.004+03:00

This GDN report made my blood boil.

How can gang-raping and robbing a defenseless woman be considered as “HARMLESS FUN”? Fine, they MAY have done it for the lack of better things to do in their free time and they do not have any small intent at all to commit a crime. BUT THAT IS NOT AN EXCUSE to go about grabbing women off the streets to add spice to their lives!

True, young people often do crazy things for fun - a lot try their hand on shoplifting, some engage in road rages, others turn to drugs. The norm is young people try to commit minor misdemeanor hat would usually end up with a stern reprimand from their guardians or inflict harm only among themselves. It is the misguided ones who goes for major stuff like this. Stuff that forcefully involves people who are innocently going on with their own lives.

If you ask me, I think the proper punishment for rapists is to CUT OFF their EFFING d*cks.!!!

If you are a woman, can you even imagine a stranger touching your intimate parts???? How can someone ask for an acquittal for such a heinous act? I wonder if a group of male teenagers snatches her and does exactly the same thing and she can forgive them and say they did just it all for fun.

Does that mean that our bored teenagers have the freedom to just grab a random female off the streets to entertain them?

If these teenagers really did what they are accused of, how sad that a woman's life is now scarred for life with this horror...and yet there is the possibility that her assailants will walk free and not suffer the consequences of their actions.

Don't get me started with screaming racism.

Maldita and the Pomegranate

2009-02-11T20:20:00.002+03:00

Z and I sat in the backseat of hubby's car with our spoons poised to attack a packet of sliced fresh fruits for lunch the other day. We were halfway through the mix of papaya, watermelon, kiwi, pineapple, pear, apple, orange, grape and pomegranate when she noticed I was avoiding the pile of pomegranate seeds.She asked me if I didn't like them. I said, "I love them but it's a hassle to eat them with no tissue box inside this d**n car. I have nowhere to spit the seeds out". She stared at me in disbelief with her mouth agape. And I did wonder why. And then she burst out laughing till tears ran down her eyes. And she said, "You idiot, you eat them ALL! Chew the seeds and swallow them all of them" And all I managed to say was "Oh"

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If you must know, pomegranates are not grown where I come from. They are not popular either. We have our own share of tropical fruits to feast on.

The Case of the Bored Bahraini Teenagers

2009-02-10T17:13:00.003+03:00

Bahrain seriously needs to put in more recreation options for the teens. At least that’s what I thought from what I witnessed yesterday…

Last night, an unusual throng of male Bahrainis in their best teenage fashion garb, congregated around a miniature roundabout. Most of them were on their phones alerting their comrades on a spectacle about to transpire in the small round circle. We saw young boys on bicycles patrolling the nearby traffic with their cellphones ready on hand, on the look-out for an oncoming traffic policeman.

Just as we neared the roundabout, a boy about 12 years of age stuck out his hand to stop the traffic, as did another boy on the opposite lane. And a black BMW screeches hard on the round-about, executed about five 360 turns. Engine smoke and the smell of burning tire creeps through the crowd. The driver straightens his car, let out a huge grin and sped away through the claps and cat whistles.

Okay so I can’t do that and I am actually amazed. But hey young man! Races and showing-off are best done in the racing track! You may not care about your safety but there are people who care about theirs and they are in equal danger simply for being next to you while you flaunt your “driving skills”.

Ironically, Bahrain hosts Formula One and has a racing circuit that has seen the likes of Schumacher. You would think these kids have nowhere else to go and nothing else to do. And quite surprisingly, as these boys were having fun with the impromptu exhibitions, we saw a lot of young boys of various ages in Dair waiting patiently for their turn to kick footballs or are just contented watching the rest. Now that’s what I call CHOICE. There are a lot of ways to go against boredom. Those that does not pose any form of threat or nuisance to other people.

Amelie

2009-02-07T20:41:00.001+03:00

At least you’ll never be a vegetable; because even an artichoke has a heart

When a finger points to heaven, only an idiot stares at the finger

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It’s my blog, I can write whatever I want to

The Pinoy Boyfriend

2009-02-07T12:39:00.003+03:00

.... there's a hundred and one reason a Pinoy boyfriend is your best boyfriend ....

and so I name one and I rest my case...

ONLY a Pinoy boyfriend is a real romantic at heart and is never afraid to be mushy & corny ...

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if you can only guess why I chose to break my blog vacation with a weird post

Random Musings

2008-12-01T17:57:00.001+03:00

20.11.2008

There are just moments when I feel sad for no apparent reason. Just like now. At this exact moment I just want to cry. Perhaps I feel pity for myself… or maybe I am just sick and tired of it all. I don’t want to be a cynic. I know there are a lot of things I should be thankful for. Maybe my life can sometimes be a sad tale, but I can never say it is worthless.

25.11.2008

I am angry; again at no one in particular. Whenever I feel frustrated and generally furious, I long for the times when a stick or a bottle is enough to drown the misery and rage. Somehow it is even infuriating to realize that no else is to be blamed for my misfortune. Yes, no one else but yours truly. How sad. How maddening.

28.11.2008

Revenge is sweeter when you don’t have to lift a finger to make it happen. I don’t usually revel in a person’s downfall but when it is one that you had eagerly anticipated and had blown out of proportion, I let go of my manners and just suck it all in. Well, that made me happy. EVIL LAUGH!

PC Game - Virtual Farm

2008-10-18T12:12:00.004+03:00

Only a few of my friends know that I can spend a lot of my free time with PC Games. It's relaxation for me. Probably the same way men act like boys glued to their Playstations and Xboxes. I play games with the goal of getting all awards as they are mostly easy that just finishing the game will be a breeze. Last month's game is Virtual Farm. I got most of the awards but getting the 7 processing plants at one shot was difficult and starting to irritate me. The space is limited and I can quickly put only 6 plants at a time. At first try (for idiots like me) the first instinct is to put the first plant in the uppermost middle, two plants on each side and one plant on the middle lowermost, forming a circle. Then try to put the last plant in the middle like this:

Like I said I am idiotic. I finally decided to cheat by finding the solution online. And even then it is difficult to put them together. You have to carefully place them with just enough space for the other plant.

And just when I had done this, would you believe that my PC automatically shut down. After shutting down thrice I am convinced my version is corrupted and I gave up on the trophy. Now I am taking my revenge by putting the solution online. Har har har har!

You can download the game here.

You Do Not Have Kwenta

2008-10-15T14:05:00.005+03:00

Have you ever used those translators? Why do people use them anyway when 99% of the time it doesn't work.

Take this for example:
The correct translation would be "You are not worth anything", kwenta being worth.

Nevertheless, it did translate a bit correctly; "Wala kang damit" have correctly translated to "You do not have clothes"

Ay naku! Walang kwenta!

A Mystery Solved in Ramadan

2008-09-25T09:55:00.005+03:00

The next day after I first came to Bahrain, I attended hubby’s extended family dinner. It wasn’t a fancy one, just your normal get-together with Arabic food and not to forget the harees which I assumed everybody liked by the way they all flocked to it. To my non-Arabic friends, harees Is a traditional Arabic dish much like lugaw but a little dry, salty and infused with chicken or meat strips. I initially thought it is made of rice, it is actually made of wheat.

Anyway as we were eating I couldn’t help but noticed that plates and bowl comes in various shapes and designs, and only a few of them matches. I am accustomed to seeing food vessels in uniform designs at the dinner table. I found it rude to ask so I kept the oddity at the back of my mind.

Ramadan came and so I figured out the reason for the assortment of plates and bowls. Apparently during Ramadan, his Aunties cook a really large pot of harees. It is distributed to all family homes and other households in the freej. In turn, we receive several plates of food from them. Some plates comes back, some don’t. Some plates are returned, some plates stay. Every year, and including this year, the household buys a few plates for Ramadan, and trust me, I haven’t seen any of the plates reach my home. And every day of this Ramadan that hubby brings food from home, they all come in plates different from the ones I have dined and washed.

Of Abbreviations...

2008-09-24T12:12:00.004+03:00

Don’t u just h8 it when people overly use TXTSPK and ABBR?
From my office mail today:

PURPLE Overload

2008-09-23T00:03:00.008+03:00

Yahoo urges me to start wearing PURPLE. Hey I don’t need prodding; I love PURPLE and PINK for a very long time now. Purple is loud but pleasant to the eye. It’s the COLOR OF THE MOMENT. Everywhere I go that vibrant color is just so there. I looked around and realized I have a lot of things in that eggplant shade – pillows, bags, pouches, clothes, notebooks. I really ought to stop buying PURPLE things before I could think of feeling nauseated at the sight of something PURPLE. Yeah, I should – after I buy those gorgeous PURPLE shoes I saw yesterday.

2 weeks ago I bought a bag solely because of its color. At closer inspection I see it’s a Prada imitation. I bought the bag anyway because I liked it from afar. And then I wonder how Bahrain could allow obvious ~~substandard~~ imitations to be sold at a ludicrous sum (value for quality) and at a relatively posh mall at that. At least if I spend a few dinars more in Hongkong I’ll get a good quality ~~FAKE~~ brand bag.

Yaaaaaaaaaay!

2008-09-14T22:38:00.001+03:00

It's nice to be back online. I finally got my home connection repaired. Yaaay! again!

test post of video of an old visayan song

2008-09-08T10:55:00.001+03:00

Ramadan Kareem!

2008-09-01T09:43:00.002+03:00

.

...and my boss couldn't be more cranky than ever...

.

a chicken to decide your fate

2008-08-26T17:19:00.003+03:00

i just have to share this.. i can't imagine a chicken deciding my future =))

What do the Miao do with a chicken during a wedding?

In China's far province of Guizhou, the Miao people are very superstitious, with strong beliefs in spirits and demons. For marriage approval, a chicken is killed in front of the parties concerned. After the chicken is cooked whole, the size of both its eyes are examined. If both eyes are identical, it symbolizes a blissful union. But if they are of different size, it is considered a bad omen, and the wedding plans canceled. The weight of the chicken is also of importance. Either party that breaks an engagement after the formal announcement must pay the other party an amount of silver equivalent to the weight of the chicken.

Source: Arcamax Trivia
Additional reading

my new word

2008-08-26T17:02:00.004+03:00

I love blog-surfing - reading blogs randomly. Last week I came across a blog rant (for puropose of reference, I can't remember which blog it was). The author ends his rant with "eeedeeeeeeyot". It amused me and so I have a new word: "eede".

Logic

2008-08-21T08:27:00.003+03:00

In the washroom, my girl friend rummages through her bag and yelped happily after finding her cigarette and lighter.

Me: Hey don’t smoke! Your dentist just gave you meds so he can take out your second wisdom tooth on Saturday. You wouldn’t want to irritate that.

Girl friend: He told me I could now eat solid food. That means I can smoke too.

Me: SPEECHLESS

Ditch Your Prozac For This

2008-08-17T23:12:00.005+03:00

Maybe you haven’t heard of this yet - my favorite all-time upper, “Ken Lee”. I have seen this video a hundred times and it ALWAYS brings a series of snorts and giggles and eventually a good laugh. You just have to admire her confidence and certainty. Popularized by youtube, (with a huge audience and followers!) Valentina Hasan graced the Bulgarian Music Idol once again and I must say her English has improved quite well. Apparently, she “learned” the song by listening to it the old-fashioned way, in a recorder - play/pause/play. Now that’s what I call perseverance! =D Enjoy!

What I Discovered in Yahoo Answers today

2008-08-03T22:40:00.004+03:00

I decided to spend time answering at the Languages section of Yahoo Answers and came across this question. I am so curious to try it out. Hey! I didn't know my PC can actually do that! I had fun, needless to say!

Serbisyo Publiko Muna =)

2008-08-03T19:44:00.000+03:00

The Philippine School Muscat (OMAN) needs teachers for Pre-Elementary, Grade 1, Grade 6, High School (Math & English), Computer Education with knowledge in AutoCad, HS and Elementary and a Guidance Counselor.

Salary package (including only) basic, housing, transport, utility and advisory fee depends on educational attainment (Bachelor’s Degree / Master’s Degree). Ranges from PHP 35 – 41K.

Anyone interested, please drop me a mail for the email address where you can send the CV.

Eclipse-Watching Anyone?

2008-07-31T17:22:00.003+03:00

A full eclipse is on tomorrow, August 01, 2008. Unfortunately for Bahrain residents, only a partial eclipse is visible. So you want to watch it? Get ready to observe safely and not with your naked eye. The partial eclipse for Bahrain will be from 1:43 to 3:01 pm. If you want to watch it in the comforts of your home, this site is giving a live broadcast.

WTF?!?!

2008-07-31T00:27:00.001+03:00

That’s exactly what I had to say when I read this in Gulf Daily News yesterday. Apparently it is a growing trend in the region for men to divorce their wives via SMS. And more disgusting than that, in more than one instance this cowardly method has been accepted in court. It is sick, really sick!

Isn’t it that when a man seeks for a life-time partner, he goes through a long process of asking a girl’s hand for marriage and they arrive at an agreement after considering a lot of factors? Do you think it is just so ironic how easy you can pick up a phone and send an SMS to convey your desire to end a commitment you have made in the name of God?

In my culture where boyfriend-girlfriend relationships are accepted and quite common, break-ups carried out through a text message is indeed a trend that have been going on for sometime. Even then, it is still viewed as quite stupid, tasteless and cowardly.

I can’t say more….

A Bug's Death

2008-07-20T12:45:00.001+03:00

As many of you know by now, I have been invaded by a lone chirping cricket; probably from the stables behind our building. The cricket “sleeps” by day and continues its mate calling by night. I searched online for an ecological way of getting rid of it and found out that I could entice it with water mixed with molasses mixed and vanilla extract or lemon juice. So much for the sweet tooth, the damn chirper did his thing for 3 days straight until hubby couldn’t stand it any longer. On the third day we arrived home and he had his mind intent on getting rid of our friend no matter how long it will take him. It must have been our friend’s time, he had came halfway out of his little crack. In less than 3 seconds, poof! Sayonara Jiminy! Hello Dreamland!

2008-06-28T23:55:00.004+03:00

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarggggggggggggh! I really ought to be in dreamland now. But that damn cricket chirps from our bathroom drives me insane. Somehow a chirpy little friend has found its way in our bathroom and we couldn't figure out where it is exactly. Just an incessant chirping echo. Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!If he lives for another day, I'll burn down our house. Harrrumph!

2008-06-24T09:19:00.004+03:00

I see that La Senza in Bahrain Mall has taken down their huge window ad presumably to put up a new collection window display. I feel a little sad, I have a reason to smile whenever I see that blonde dolled-up in a cute pink pajama. My hubby and I once saw a charming little girl around 5 years old, babbling non-stop and wildly gesticulating, looking up at the blonde in pajamas. I couldn't understand a word that she's saying and hubby likewise said she's speaking Arabic but it doesn't make sense. We both have a good laugh and decided insanity seems to hit it young these days. Some kids have imaginary friends and wild imaginations; this girl seems to have the latter but a more visible albeit non-talking friend. =))

What Happened????

2008-06-17T15:27:00.005+03:00

I’m still in blog-hibernation-mode. I just heard news of a huge traffic accident just now involving a number of cars in the highway in Manama, near the street that will lead you to Bab Al Bahrain. I haven’t heard of any concrete news and there’s no way I can access a radio from here. For some reason I wanna know what exactly happened. Anybody here knows?

*btw, I think that highway is a tad small and full of traffic lights for a "highway". Bahrain's population is growing and the highway seems to have grown congested. the ride home used to be stress-free and quick. now the roads are clear only on friday mornings and when a foreign dignitary is being whisked to the airport.

---- edit

Okay so we heard it wrong. The accident took place below the Seef bridge, involving three young men in a car and a 6-wheeler truck. One has died on the spot, two are seriously injured and the truck driver is on the run. Investigations are still underway.

ready for battle?

2008-05-27T08:23:00.000+03:00

Is it odd? On our way to office today we saw three US army tanks set up on the three sides at the end of the airport runway – all of them with 3-5 men in full battle gears. We also met two military jeeps with soldiers who looked rather tense in my opinion. As far as I can remember when US Pres. Bush came for visit, they only set up one tank near the runway. Is it some sort of exercise or is something brewing up? Everybody and everything else looks normal but this picture is eerily out of place. I feel more disoriented knowing it’s entirely my own fault that I am somehow oblivious to important things…

Home Alone VS Left in the Airport

2008-05-15T11:52:00.003+03:00

I came across this new piece and I am torn between laughing, pitying the child and getting angry at the parents. Of all the stuff the traveling Filipino immigrant family have to left behind, they actually left their 23-month old toddler in a huge international airport! The poor boy speaks no English and was left all alone wandering near the departure area. I suddenly envisioned a brave Home Alone Kid and a brave Wandering in the Airport Alone kid. =))

It must have been a frenzied journey and while it's an honest mistake, it is a wake-up call for all parents. It is not enough to "love" your kids. They deserve your full attention too! Their safety and needs comes as top priority.

It is a happy ending for the family, they are lucky this time. I'm pretty sure they'd take no chances next time. What a great story for the boy to tell someday: how brave I was all by myself in Vancouver.

Click here for the full story

Color-Matching

2008-05-05T12:12:00.003+03:00

I like to color-match in a haphazard way: make-up with clothes, shoes, bags, accessories. Today I learned that over-matching can be an eyesore. I just happened to glance at the selling area below and saw a stylish thin young man dressed in a neon-green cap, neon-green printed shirt and a neon-green shoes. (I wonder is his undies and socks were also neon-green!). There you go a color-match outfit! Would have looked good except that he had a very dark skin and he definitely looked like an electric post dressed in flashing green. It looked horrible, really. Before someone jumps in and call me racist, I have seen a lot of black folks who dress in colors that makes their skin gorgeous. This is just way funny for me. =)

Tube Entertainment

2008-05-05T11:42:00.003+03:00

Personally I think the screen advertising in the Middle East is still to see the best in terms of clarity and creativity. I have yet to see TV ads that makes me smile, laugh and want to buy the product endorsed.

My current favorite TV Ad as of the moment is of the toothpaste commercial showing a boy and a girl sitting at both ends of a long bench everyday, both pretending not to mind the other. In the end, the guy goes to the bench in the middle of the night armed with a saw and cuts half the bench. The next day they sit close to each other.

My least favorite ad is the Lux commercial both in Arabic and English. For the love of me I just hate the singing voice. Case Closed.

And my all time funny favorite:

In Search for the Tree of Life

2008-04-26T09:06:00.005+03:00

A very dear friend came to visit me (a double purpose on visa change) for the weekend. Among the tourist attractions of the island, I have long been dying to see the Tree of Life. A mesquite tree about 400 years old so named because no one has been able to figure where it get its water source. It is said that it is standing in an area with no nearby water source.

Our journey begins with arguing what time we should leave even after discussing the day before that we leave at 9:30 am ( as usual! ). We finally left at ten armed with junk food, water and good music CDs. Just as we were in the area, we lost track of all notice boards and signage that will lead us to the tree. We were circling the deserted area full of oil wells and oil pipes. People are so mean, they wouldn’t stop for a car carrying lost passengers. At one point we considered harassing a police car ahead of us so they would stop and give us directions. When they turned right, I suggested we follow them until they get annoyed but the others decided to retrace our route to look for a marker. In the end, we found someone who told us to go: “sida, roundabout, sida, sida, siiiiiiida, sida, sida” (straight, straight….) Dang! We went the same way the police car went. I should follow instincts all the time. And yes, it was indeed an endless “sida” before we figured that must be the tree wit all the cars parked.

If there is one thing that excited me more though, it is the camels! The wild camels and the not so wild camel that crossed the road waiting for me to finish my shot. The lovable camel snuggling against his mother. The curious camel that laid there immobile staring at us. The weird camel that kept on grunting and stayed put when the European lady next to us petted him/her.

The Tree of Life was indeed lovely to behold. Except that I wish I knew who was that stupid b*st*rd Santhosh from India who had vandalized the tree with his name in black paint and the others who painted their name in red.

I Heart Nemo!

2008-04-21T15:00:00.002+03:00

I saw Nemo in Bohol (another story, another time)!

But I saw Nemo, Dory and Gill (2003) in 1996 issued Philippine stamps. Cool huh?

Sharing My Inbox

2008-04-16T13:45:00.000+03:00

Bakit Single ang Status Mo ?

11. Destiny Adik

Eto yung mga naghihintay kay "Destiny" na gumawa ng paraan para pagtagpuin sila ng kanilang mga "partner in life"... Ayannn... Kapapanood nyo ng "Serendipity" eh feeling nila ang nangyari sa movie eh mangyayari rin sa kanila... Such a cliche... Hindi ba nila alam na kung walang effort, destiny is useless...

10. Perfectionist/ Mapili

Yes, isang taong perpeksiyonista. .. Yung tipong dapat ganito ang magiging kapartner ko... Pag may nakilala, nakita lang na pangit ang kuko o may dumi lang, turn-off na agad... O kaya ang daming ayaw. Ayaw sa mabait - boring daw, gusto ng bad boy/pilya pero kapag pinaiyak ka, tatanungin ka bakit ang sama mo at bakit mo nagawa yun! Adik ka ba?! Ayaw sa cute, ayaw din naman sa panget. Meron dyan gusto ka ayaw mo naman. Ung gusto mo eh halos magtambling ka pero deadma pa rin yang stunts mo sa kanya! Pasaway ka rin e! Ano ba talaga kuya?

9. Busy-busyhan

Opo, eto yung ang mundo e gumagalaw lang sa libro at ballpen kung estudyante ka o kaya naman sa computer at files kung office staff ka. Yung tipong aalis ng bahay ng alas 6 o alas 7 ng umaga at uuwi ng bahay ng 6 hanggang alas 8 ng gabi [baligtad naman para sa mga nag tratrabaho sa call center].. Sabay tulog na.. Kapag Sabado masaya na sila sa Internet (o sa Multiply), sa pagkain na niluluto ni mama at sa Linggo naman sisimba at maghahanda na ng kelangan para sa lunes hanggang byernes.. Pssssst.. Pause for awhile..

8. Friendship Theory

Ano naman ito? Eto yung ang buhay ay kay bestfriend o kaya kay special friend na hindi masasabi-sabi sa friendship nya sa loob ng kanilang mahabang panahon na pagsasama dahil baka daw maapektuhan ang pakikipagkaibigan at iwasan sya.. Yung tipong pag may kasama si friendship na iba, nagseselos na wala naman sa lugar, pero syempre wag pahalata, kunyari happy sya for friendship.. Aba! Oi lakasan mo ang loob at baka mamaya forever mong pagsisihan yan kaw rin. Minsan pa naman pareho kayong naghihintayan. . Hmmp!

7. Born-to-be-one (Autistic)

Eto yung nasa palad na ang pagiging single daw.. Walang reasons.. Basta lang nabuhay sya sa mundo na mag-isa at feeling nya mamatay sya sa mundo ng mag-isa.. Kesyo magmamadre o magpapari na lang.. Asa kang tatanggapin ka pa noh!

6. Happy-go-lucky

Eto yung taong walang alam kundi kasiyahan at trippings.. Kahit sino nalang basta no strings attached.. For fun lang daw.. Walang halong seryosohan.. Aba hoy! Yang init ng katawan mo e ikiskis mo nalang sa pader.. Makakahanap ka rin ng katapat mo!!!

5. Wrong Place

May nakaranas na ba nito? Yung pakiramdam mo nasa ibang mundo ka. Yung ang Nakakaharap mo e yung mga hindi mo gusto, yung mga hindi mo hinahanap. Alam mo yun? Halimbawa nasa ibang bansa ka, pero ang hinahanap mo e yung amoy ng nasa sariling bayan mo. O kaya naman e nasa sarili mong bayan ka, nasa normal na lipunan, pero ikaw ang abnormal at hindi mo kayang sabihin na abnormal din ang hanap mo kung ayaw mong ibitin ka nila ng patiwarik.

4. Wrong Time

Eto yung mga tao na sinasabi na "hindi pa ako ready e, bata pa kasi ako" o kaya naman "hindi pa ako handa sa panahong ito, wala pa ako kayang ipagmalaki.. " Yes meron pong ganyan.. Yung feeling nila may tamang panahon para sa love.. Awwwwwww.. Aba kelan yun? Pag uugod ugod ka na at yung time mo e bitin na? O baka naman pag pang out of time ka na? Oist, sugod lang ng sugod..

3. Si parents kasi!

Yes, factor din ang komunidad na ginagalawan mo.. Una, ayaw pa ni mader o pader na magkaron ka kahit 22 anyos ka na at kelangan umabot ka muna raw ng 40 bago magkaroon ng gf/bf.. O kaya naman ikaw mismo! Takot sa sasabihin ni parents at ni kapitbahay na tsismosa sa magiging kasama mo.. Aba ikaw ba naman ang sabihan na "Alam mo hindi kayo bagay.. Langit at lupa kayo.." Awwwww.. Payo ko sayo, Pakialam nila diba? Palibhasa inggit!

2. Traumatic Experience

Eto kalimitan ang reason ng marami. Ayaw ko na! Takot na ako mangyari pa ang nangyari dati! O diba ang drama ng layp? Yes, tama ka.. Eto yung dahil sa past relationship mo, e until na ayaw mo ng magkaroon at sinumpa mo na ata ang magmahal.. Dahil sa pinagpalit ka sa mas pangit, o kaya naman iniwan ka ng walang word na bye-bye, o dahil binugbog ka! Ano pa ba? Madami yan. wag na nating isa isahin at baka tumulo si tears.. Heheh! Gayunpaman, eto lang masasabi ko mga hija at hijo.. Iba't-iba ang lasa ng pag-ibig.. May mapait, may mapakla, may matamis at may maasim.. Aba mapalad ka at natikman mo ang iba't-ibang lasa nito.. Kaya ikaw, do not be afraid to fall in love again.. Malay mo sweetiness na ang malasahin mo next time.. E di panalo ka sa lotto.. Yan ang nagpapalakas sayo, yan ang bumubuhay sayo, ang pag-ibig.. Tsk! Drama!

1. EX to the nth power

Oi aminin!!! LOVE parin si ex kahit 1 or 2 yrs na ang nakakalipas. . May ganito naman.. Yung tipong ilang taon ang nakakalipas, hindi parin makalimutan si ex.. Yung pinagsamahan, yung tawanan, yung iyakan, at lahat ng nangyari sa inyo nung kayo pa.. Malungkot man at sa kung anumang kadahilanan, maganda man o masama ito, kelangan nyong magpaalam sa isa't isa.. YES, after a year sasabihin natin, im over him/her na, pero pag- usapan natin ang love at ang nangyari sa ating relastionship from the past, TADANNNNNNNNNNNNN, eto na, sya agad ang naalala mo.. At habang nagkukwento ka, ouch may kirot, o kaya may ngiti at may bumabagabag sa ating kalooban.. Ano kaya yun? AMININ mo na kasi MAHAL mo pa si EX.. Isa lang ang masasabi ko, well mahirap sya kalimutan, alam ko yan, pero open your heart and makipagdate ka, lumabas ka, at try to entertain someone.. Wag mo ikumpara si ex sa iba.. At give urself a Kitkat, take a break..spread the love

Pitter-Patter-Pat-Pat-shhhswshwshshhshwshwsh

2008-04-10T10:22:00.002+03:00

It's raining!!! I can hear the raindrops over the office roof. I woke up to a cool breeze and a slight shower, now it's pouring. Rain, rain, rain =)

Office Whine #3

2008-04-10T09:17:00.005+03:00

Eto na naman...hayop talaga to si Kamot. Porke ba may pagkabobo sya eh lahat na ng tao sa paligid nya eh feeling nya bobo din???? Nauna akong dumating sa opisina subalit pinagliban ko ang pagbukas sa aking mga liham sa computer. Pagkadating ni Kamot, ito ang una niyang ginawa -- hango sa suhestiyon ko na umupo muna siya at magbasa ng mga liham bago sya bumaling sakin at magdakdak ng anong dapat gawin. Paunawa lang, hindi ko kailangan ng dakdak pero ugaling ayaw matanggal na 'to ni Kamot. Ayun, balik sa kuwento, nakatanggap pala kami pareho ng liham galing sa kabilang bansa na nagsabing ibalik sa kanila yung dokumento ng 3 aplikante dahil sila na lang ang kukuha sa mga taong yun. Actually hindi ako ang kausap ni Kamot kundi ang sarili nya pero parang pinarinig na niya sa akin. Si Kamot may pagka master na rin ng soliloquy, hahaha! Pagkatapos mabasa ng malakas ang email eh bumaling sa akin at sabay sabi: "BG, kailangan natin ipadala yung mga dokumento sa kabilang bansa at kailangan nila yun". Anak ka ng angry bakunawa naman oh!!!! Narinig ko!!! At pareho tayong may liham niyan!!! Ke aga-aga eh pinag-iinit mo ang ulo ko. Ilang bese ko bang kailangan sabihin sa kanya ng ayoko ng inuulit-ulit ako ng paalala kung anong gagawin ko. Alam ko kung anong dapat ko gawin. Hindi ko kailangan ng paalala sa bawat LIMANG MINUTO. Naglitanya na naman tuloy ako na hanggang 3 bese lang niya ako pwedeng paalalahanin at dapat may tatlong oras na pagitan. Kung hindi, manigas siya, HINDI KO GAGAWIN!!! Pasaway na buhaaaaaay!

Black Cloud over Me

2008-04-06T09:53:00.002+03:00

Have you ever been in a mood so bad you don't know whether to sulk, scream, bitch, cry, slap someone, jump up and down, rant non-stop, or just sit down and count 1-10 till your heart beats normally?

And then a friend comes in with a cup of coffee and your anger melts...aaaaahh life.

What If?

2008-04-05T13:11:00.004+03:00

03 April 2007

A Bahraini was sentence to ONE YEAR in jail for pocketing BD197,000 (approx 21M PHP or half-million USD) that was wrongfully credited to his bank account instead of BD197.

I don't want to be a hypocrite, I thoroughly envisaged a life if it had been me. With that money I can donate 5 million pesos to charity and still have enough money to invest and live a better life. I'd probably run away and live somewhere else. That, if my conscience does not get the better of me. Someone is bound to pay dearly for that mistake - for entering a comma instead of a period between 7 and o. Hubby says he'd be willing to go in jail for a year for all that. Probably he forgot about spending eternity in jahannam. Logically, yes. What is a year anyway for that amount of money? I saw it once and I saw it again, this country has a funny way of issuing verdicts and setting punishments..

If it is your bank account, what would you do?

A Letter To My Dying Laptop

2008-04-05T10:39:00.007+03:00

My dearest Laptop,

I am really sorry to have used abused you in the worst imaginable way. I am terribly sorry for not caring when you moaned, wheezed and screamed in agony. I should have taken you to a PC doctor but I never did find the time to do that.

I remember when I first had you. I could still imagine how I spent hours preparing your niche in my work corner; how I had lovingly stroked your cover; how I had marveled at your beauty. I never knew boredom with you around. You told me tales of far-away land, entertain me with your songs, displayed images of my loved-ones (and of me!), and occupied me with your gaming treasures. And most important, you are my confidante.

I tried to revive you, restore your system. You stubbornly refused, threatening to delete all my documents. My heart almost jumped out of my throat. I don't know if it's at the thought of losing you or plainly losing access to my documents. You did get a little better but I promise not to play PC doctor again.

Yesterday I tested your patience by downloading a trial PC game. I immensely enjoyed that game. I thank your intermittent error breakdowns for allowing me to play the game a little longer. But when I left you open last night in the hope of you having a seizure so I can continue that game, you steadfastly remained opened. Now I don't know whether to curse or sigh. I feel guilty for hoping you'd have a relapse. I should be happy you're okay although I really raise my head to heavens wondering why you just didn't shut down when I needed you to.

Anyway, my dying laptop, please don't go as yet. My new plaything is coming soon. It will have more speed and more memory than you do but you will always be the best in my heart. I promise to love you and keep you in a special place in my work station.

XOXO,
BG

.....

2008-04-02T12:52:00.003+03:00

I'm feeling so lethargic today. Can't even force myself to move even my stomach is grumbling at it's best. I want to sit with a frozen stare at the monitor. I want to blank out every thought and every sound. I can't even scowl with irritation at all the shouting, arguing and laughing in Arabic, English and Hindi going on the room next to mine.

Office Whine #2

2008-04-01T12:52:00.003+03:00

Ayan tumaas na naman ang presyon ko kakaisip ng mga kagugahan sa opisinang ito. Kaninang umaga nagtatanong and aming matandang amo kung nasaan na daw yung pranses na tagapamahala ng panaderya. Ayon sa kasunduan dapat sa susunod na buwan ay pormal na sasali sa kumpanya na ang naturang tagapamahala. Dahil si Tamad ang namamahala ng mga trabahong ukol sa mga bisa natural na siya ang napagtanungan ng amo naming may regla ata ngayon at napakasungit. Ito namang si Tamad, dagliang tumawag kay Kamot para itanong kung nasan na nga si pranses. Ay ang lolo mong Kamot ay nagwala. Paano nga naman, si Tamad ang namamahala ng bisa at ng mga bagay ukol sa paglalakbay, bakit siya nagtatanong sa amin ng sitwasyon ni Pranses? Hay naku, buhay ko sa office nga naman...

Saying No To Plastic: Reusable Shopping Bags at Bahrain Supermarkets

2008-03-30T12:53:00.007+03:00

I am thrilled and happy that the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment & Wildlife of the Kingdom of Bahrain has undertaken a project of reducing use of plastics in the kingdom. The program will be launched on July 1^st but the commission along with its partner supermarkets have already started its first phase of the program. Jute bags are available now in lieu of plastics bags that are non-biodegradable and harmful to our environment. Jawad Supermarkets gives it for free while Geant Hypermarket charges BD 0.500 and BD 0.800 for it’s small and big bags which are reusable. By the 1^st of July, both companies will charge a small fee on plastic bags all which will be given to the Public Commission to be donated to charity.

I have started using the jute bags and they are adorable. I feel strangely proud bringing my jute shopping bag with me as I walk through the hypermarket entrance. It’s practically easy to pack groceries with more space and being and more durable. What more, it is easy to lug around instead of those small plastic bags. Just sling them over your shoulder if you really don’t have enough loads that require use of the trolleys.

Hubby has complained that now we can’t use those bags as trash bags anymore. Yes we do our part of recycling the plastics but it isn’t enough. I patiently told him that the earth is there giving us what we she can offer. Yet, think of it, what about our children’s children? Will she have enough to give the same? I already talked my friends and everyone I know to make use of the bags and contribute to the effort of saving our planet. If you are in Bahrain, please grab one when you do your groceries!

Geant Ad

Banned Shrimps and Preggy Safis

2008-03-30T10:52:00.010+03:00

Just over two weeks ago, Bahrain announced a halt of harvesting, selling and buying shrimps. I thought it is a little puzzling since I had the notion that shrimps thrive and are available all season. Hubby’s cousin explained that at this time of the year, there are only mainly baby shrimps available. I’m glad to know at least Bahrain is interested in safekeeping its resources. Shrimps do bred easily to cater to human consumption but there are several reports claiming overharvesting of shrimps all over the world. So I do my part, leave a rest to buttered shrimps and sinigang na hipon.

Since I gave up temporarily on shrimps I decided to feast on Safi. This is a local fish that Bahrainis are fond of. My in-laws just love fried Safi coated in Arabic Masala coupled with a tomato soup appetizer and fragrant spiced rice. For me, I like them simply seasoned with salt, fried a bit crunchy and dipped into soy sauce with lemon. (wishing for a lemonsito though!) On the way home I stopped by a road peddler and saw the freshest Safi I have ever seen in Bahrain. Glossy, clear eyes, red gills and fat. Priced at a higher BD2 per kilo (approx. Php230) I took over a kilo instead of my normal half kilo simply because they were really fresh to my eyes. When I reached home I cleaned them one by one (fish cleaning is a trick I learned in college with roommates equally undomesticated as I was. I was the bravest then J ). Imagine my surprise and delight, all of them had eggs! All seven of them! Heavily pregnant! I don’t like caviar but I do like plain fish eggs. My mouth literally watered at the thought of those fish in my plate. One of my friends had Safi as well and she said she’s not sure but they could actually be banned that’s why they were priced higher than normal. Eventually my guilt got into me. If we pick up all the pregnant Safi in Bahrain, what’s the future of our safi-filled plates? Hah, keep in mind BG, don’t advocate peddlers selling preggy Safis.

----

Right after writing this thought I did some minor research and I think that I don't have much to be alarmed with. The GCC in general have invested a harmonized shrimp ban to give time for shrimps to multiply and Bahrain's Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment & Wildlife has invested in breeding Safi to replenish natural fish stock in the kingdom and for exporting purposes

Safi on my plate:

External Link

Live Safi

Picture courtesy of Budak

Safi farming/breeding project in Bahrain

Shrimp Ban across GCC

The Golden...

2008-03-26T10:23:00.008+03:00

And so yesterday I woke up muttering "Where the f*ck is Eira University?" Congratulate me, I had the strangest dream I ever had in my whole life. When I started to be aware of my dream, I was engage in a high speed chase with two other guys running with me. We ended up in a port and got on a ship via the starboard. There were three single occupancy cabins across the ship, the first occupied by a fine young man waved off by his Dad and two somber looking men clad in pristine black suits. When I passed by the 3rd cabin, that's when I realized that it isn't exactly a passenger ship, rather it is a barge of some sort with places for passengers in case they do come. But instead of an open barge, the cargo side is enclosed and instead of cargos, there is nothing except a gigantic basketball court with wooden floors. A long bench adorns the left side of the ship along the court and on front are several rows of benches reserved for the sporadic passengers. I engaged a young lady in conversation when she suddenly coverd her mouth in surprise. Alarmed, I asked her what is wrong. She said she farted. Now that really puzzled me. So what if she bloody farted? Who doesn't? She said I didn't understand. She had a golden fart!!! Hold on, a what????!!!?? I glanced at the steel column behind her and true enough part of the column changed into gold! A commotion started because apparently the same bad guys chasing us were after her and her brother who shares the same GOLDEN FART! The guy in the first cabin is her brother.

As we were running away, my dream changed. I was running in a scavenger hunt with the clues pointing towards some universities and colleges in Manila. I and my partner have already finished 9 out 10 clues saved for Clue # 8. Just as we were heading to the finish line, someone screamed "It's at Eira University!". That's when I woke up wondering where the hell is Eira University...

Office Whine #1

2008-03-19T10:07:00.005+03:00

Hayop talaga si Kamot. Nanahimik ang lola mo, bigla ba naman akong tawagin para titingnan kung tama ba yung ginagawa nya. Okay na sana kasi nagpatulong magvalidate kung tama nga. Eh ang hinayupak na Kamot pagtingin ko sa screen nya yung instructions naka step by step as in detailed step by step na pala inemail sa kanya ng administrator namin. Shieeet! Naisip ko na naman bakit ba nagta-tiyaga akong mapaligiran ng sandamakmak na bobo sa opisina???? Napagtanto ko na rin kung bakit ganyan sya magbigay ng instructions sakin, yung kelangan isa-isa at pa-ulit ulit. Kahit ilang beses kong sabihin na maintindihan ko at hindi ako tanga. Kasi pala siya hindi makaintindi ng simpleng instruction. hay buhay nga naman!

New Bahrain Banknotes Out Today

2008-03-17T09:20:00.004+03:00

I am hoping I can lay my hands today on the new Bahraini Dinar banknotes now in circulation. Apparently, the change of the notes is imposed because the old notes carry the name of the now defunct Bahrain Monetary Agency (BMA). The new notes now are under the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) which superceded BMA.

What do I get with these new notes? For one, I will have crisp bills! Hahaha! I’ll have to change my wallet as well! Bigger notes this time..hmmm..shopping opportunity! I can also grope the right denomination should I be in the most unfortunate scenario of having to pay someone in the dark. The new notes are accommodates the visually-impaired. At the top right, they have incorporated a series of short, raised lines to identify each note. A line for the half dinar; two lines for BD1; 3 lines for BD5; 4lines for BD10; and 5 lines for BD20. (Dang! Would anyone come up with glow-in-the-dark notes please???)

I browse through CBB’s website for a walk through of the new currencies. They have a wonderful interactive show that allowed me to look at the notes up close. Some of the changes I took more notice of:

BD10. The back side features the Shaikh Isa Bin Salaman Al Khalifa Causeway. The same bridge I cruise on from Muharraq to Manama everyday.

The new BD5 has the Riffa Fort and the Shaik Isa House in Muharraq whereas the old one features the airport…

The 1BD has the Pearl Monument, the same monument I have been trying for months to take a clear picture of in a moving vehicle =)

The ½ dinar features the F1 racing track, the same track I have never been into. Shame on me!

Main Article from CBB

Lost In Translation

2008-03-09T11:33:00.004+03:00

Subtitles in "The Librarian". A funny reminder to buy original DVDs =))

"I have goosebumps seeing you both"
"Excalibur?"

Rude Awakening

2008-02-26T10:56:00.005+03:00

Thou shall not waken up a sleeping Tarsier
You wouldn't want to be stared at by huge mean eyes

Vacation....!

2008-02-20T20:31:00.002+03:00

Hurray for vacations!
Had a wonderful time at Boracay...

A Solitary Shisha Affair

2008-02-08T14:35:00.000+03:00

After today's lunch with my colleagues, one headed alone towards the shisha shop for a nice smoke. My friend commented on how you can enjoy a shisha alone. I too have the notion that shisha smoking is at its best when it's shared. Shisha smoking is a social affair very much like how Filipino teens would gather friends around for a leisurely afternoon of conversation and beer. We figured shisha is very much like a cigarette. Once you get into the habit it's hard to break the habit. You just have to pop in a butt between your lips after meals. As for the ladies of my family-in-law, nothing is more relaxing than the gathering in the ladies' sitting room late in the afternoon with two homemade shisha pipes to accompany the gossips, advise and old stories. I once observed the whole affair with round eyes and mouth slightly ajar. It's amazing to see old and young ladies alike catching in sinful smokes of pure tobacco. In my own family no one living smokes rolled up tobacco leaves while chewing "nganga"*. Let me see, when I grow old and I'll be forced to take up either one as a "hobby", I think I'll go for a flavored shisha =)

* i actually don't know what is that thing old Filipino folks chew on while smoking tobacco leaves. The same one that makes their saliva brownish or reddish

2008-02-08T12:51:00.001+03:00

Adik

2008-02-08T10:23:00.000+03:00

dazed and braindead

cinnabon buns and muffins and 3 black coffee in small medium and large

Happy Chinese New Year

2008-02-06T15:41:00.000+03:00

Ask. Answer. Discover.

2008-02-05T11:35:00.000+03:00

Flying Carpet Ba Ito?

2008-01-29T09:21:00.000+03:00

We went to the Autumn Fair at the Exhibition Center last night. Among the lingerie, fabrics, honey, chandeliers and wood arts, Irani carpets stood out among the stall. Our living room desperately needs a carpet so I nudged hubby to ask the price of one particular carpet that caught my eye. Two thousand five hundred (2,500) was the reply. We both asked BD or AED? BD. Maaay gulaaaay???!!!! PHP 270,950!!! Flying Carpet ba ito? We both were amused and decided to pick a mediocre carpet at Home Store for less than BD100.

Anyway as roughly explained by hubby "Iran" is synonymous to "carpet" and these particular carpets are hand-woven. I promise to research more on what makes the Irani carpet expensive.. =)

I Want You!

2008-01-23T10:21:00.000+03:00

NSO Paper

2008-01-12T15:21:00.001+03:00

NSO Paper

3rd Muharram

2008-01-12T11:21:00.000+03:00

Winds and chill greeted me at the door today on my way to office. Bahrain seemed to be in a somber mood with dark clouds and fog enveloping the city. The waves are restless and the streets are damp reminiscent of the scattered rains last night. I saw four soldiers clearing some rocks near their camp at the airport being guarded by a comrade on watch atop a tank with his arms poised in the machine gun's barrel. I wonder who would try to attack them from the sea.

The roads and sidewalk are exceptionally clean today and colorful. The rain washed out most of the city's grime away. I remembered that last week the workers had uprooted the "overnight garden flowers" from the sidewalks and replaced them with new healthy and blooming ones. I remarked to my hubby on the seemingly unnecessary expense of putting in new blooms on top of the daily watering they do. And so today I understood all the oddities. The US flag flying high beside the Bahrain flag in the Muharraq bridge reminded me that President Bush is visiting Bahrain today for talks. My hubby commented with disgust that black flags to commemorate Muharram in a largely Shia community are nowhere to be seen. Instead US and Bahrain flags are flying high and the streets bloom with pink and white flowers.

I bet the roads and highways will have less traffic and the drive to home won't be as jammed as it should be. I am always amused at how the roads are easy to navigate when a foreign dignitary is due at the airport. Traffic lights from Seef to Muharraq bridge is always at green. A traffic enforcer stands by each signal ready to push the button at a command from his radio.

As we cruised along the highway, I noted with a smirk that all the huge billboards of the rulers are gone and a crane has lifted all the scattered stones away. I saw two magnificent mares getting readied. For parade, perhaps?

I wonder why countries beautify their facades when the President from a more influential country comes for visit. I shudder and marvel at the hypocrisy of it all. As a good leader/ruler you beautify country to please your people and to uplift their well-being. You don't try to achieve false good impressions. The well-being of your country and citizens comes first.

Stress & Inspirational Emails

2008-01-07T11:33:00.000+03:00

A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it.

He held it up for all to see & asked the students

“How much do you think this glass weighs?”

“50 gms!” … “100 gms!” …. “125 gms!” … the students answered.

“I really don’t know unless I weigh it”, said the professor, “but, my question is: What would happened if I held it up like this for a few minutes?’

“Nothing” …the students said.

“Ok what would happened if I held it up like this for an hour?” the professor asked.

“Your arm would begin to ache” said one of the students.

“You’re right. What would happened if I held it up for a day?”

“Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress & paralysis & have to go to hospital for sure!” …ventured another student & all the students laughed.

“Very good. But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?” asked the professor.

“No”… was the answer.

“Then what caused the arm ache & the muscle stress?”

The students were puzzled.

“What should I do now to come out of pain?” asked the professor again.

“Put the glass down!” said one of the students.

“Exactly!” said the professor.

Life’s problems are something like this.

Hold it for a few minutes in your head and they seem ok

Think of them for a long time and they begin to ache

Hold it even longer and they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything

It’s important to think of the challenges or problems in your life, but EVEN MORE IMPORTANT is to “PUT THEM DOWN” at the end of every day before you go to sleep.

That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh & strong & can handle any issues, any challenge that comes your way!

So friend, remember to PUT THE GLASS DOWN TODAY!

In The Mood For...

2008-01-07T10:21:00.000+03:00

... a veeeeeeeeeeeery loooooooooooooooong hibernation.

It's very foggy and cooooooold today. As usual I'm slaving away with month-end and year-end reports. My irritation is continually building up. I feel suffocated and frustrated. When I grow old, I think high blood pressure will be the end of me, hehe..

I wish I could just go home, snuggle comfortably at the living room, watch TV and be unreachable for a week or so. I am so looking forward for my annual leave.

Home..home..home..dreaming..visualizing...home...home! Sigh...

Numerical OC

2008-01-06T11:08:00.000+03:00

Rain in BahRAIN

2008-01-05T08:49:00.000+03:00

Getting Married in Dubai Courts (Part II)

2008-01-03T10:18:00.001+03:00

In the Dubai Courts, Sharia Section Court, the following documents are required:

Original Passport + Passport copies of bride, groom and the bride’s father
Original Passport + Passport copies of Two (2) witnesses
Health Certificate from accredited hospital
In case the father of the bride will not attend the wedding, a representative has to be there. For this, a letter of consent for marriage from the bride’s father is additionally required.
If the bride is Muslim and her father is not, a No Objection of Marriage Certificate from the Philippine Embassy/Consulate is required.

The very first thing I did was to secure my father’s consent (form here). Our Emirati friend trooped over to the Shariah section to procure a format of the consent. After filling up all the details (In Arabic) I emailed the same form to my Dad. Of course he refused to sign since he didn’t understand a single thing. I explained that it is nothing great, just a note stating that he has no objection of me getting married to my hubby and that my cousin will act as my guardian in his behalf. It would have been required to submit the same papers with English translation to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) – Manila for Red Ribbon (attestation). Only then would the UAE Embassy stamp its seal for the final attestation (for PHP1700). However the UAE Ambassador is a very kind man and we asked for assistance from a mentor who knew him well. (READ: ALERT!!!! RED TAPE!!!!) The UAE Ambassador patiently asked my Dad if he knew what the document says and only smiled in amusement when my Dad didn’t recognize my cousin’s name – to which I got a tongue lashing from Mom who was embarrassed. Damn us Filipinos for having a pet name/nick name that is so detached from our baptismal names J

Once I got hold of the attested documents, I had once again sent it for attestation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (UAE) (for AED150), and finally for attestation at the Philippine Embassy. They refused to attest since my document does not have a Red Ribbon. After a few minutes of verbal battle, the clerk finally agreed to have it “Noted & Seen” by the Embassy (for AED 100 and next day pick up).

We learned of the Health Certificate a little late, only we I prodded and nagged my fiancé to visit the courts to make sure that our documents are all okay. We were instructed to go to a government hospital and ask for medical exams specifically for marriage. Most hospitals follow a 3-day urgent / 5-day normal processing. We went to the --- Hospital in Deira which promised us a next day result at AED250 for both of us. The hospital was bare and opened at 4 in the afternoon. We spent the free time we had by having lunch – mehndi special in a small cafeteria beside a Lebanese shisha shop. By the time we went back to the hospital there is already a small queue. We patiently waited in line, received greetings of mabruk from the doctors and wrapped up our blood test and chest x-ray in no more than 20 minutes. Since all is written in Arabic I have no idea exactly what blood tests they took. What matters was that stamp in red ink “FIT”. I presume those were tests to ensure we don’t have HIV and we do not carry genes of Sickle-Cell Anemia – a hereditary disorder common in the Gulf.

After having all documents and our witnesses ready we went to the Courts where we were “entertained” by a court clerk who was so determined in making our lives a living hell. He didn’t bother masking his disdain to my hubby because he belongs to a different Islamic sect. Our Emirati friend who was a champion of verbal battles, threats and menacing looks and who is in the same sect as the clerk demanded to show my father’s authorization letter to the Sheik to determine whether it is enough or not. After losing the campaign he grudgingly asked us to pay AED100 for the document. I gritted my teeth when I realized that the verbal sparring took more time than the actual “wedding ceremony”

We waited for half an hour for the Judge to finish his marriages and sign our original certificates and promptly left for Bahrain after a day. That was a mistake. In order for the document to be valid in our home countries, we had to attest the document at the Ministry of Justice and once again at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Being out of UAE, I spent a fortune bribing my friend to finish the attestations so we can register accordingly in Bahrain.

All said and done, my say is that getting married is a very costly affair. =)

Photos: Father's consent form, the form attested.

Getting Married in Dubai Courts (Part I)

2008-01-03T10:17:00.002+03:00

My fiancé and I have decided to tie the knot after 3 years of being together. The decision itself is a giant leap for both of us. You see we have different religious beliefs. I am a Filipina and he is of GCC Arab descent. We were both unwilling to give up each other’s faith that early on the relationship we told each other that we cannot marry. We would simply enjoy the relationship and see what the future hold for us. At the end of it all for whatever circumstances, we ended up with the decision to get married.

I had no idea that preparing for marriage documents in Dubai equates to a major headache. I am told in fact to be so lucky that I was able to put all documents together in about 4 months. I had a Slovak colleague who had initiated the prep 2 years ago. By all luck, she is still not past the official translations and attestations. She moved to Singapore with her beau even before she could finalize her papers in UAE.

I am having a UAE residence status and he is a GCC national. For the lack of online reference, it had become frustrating for my part to prepare the documents. We are both career-strapped individuals and we simply do not have the luxury of time to run around Dubai for requirements. One thing I learned in UAE is that you can never get proper official information by browsing the internet if you don’t understand Arabic text and just by simply calling up. You have to be physically there to get the info right. Even then, it can likewise be exasperating that your best bet is to bring with you a local to do the talking. My quest for acquiring the right information has been so frustrating that I made several mental notes to blog on this. Maybe I can be of assistance to someone in the future.

Even in the court we had to bring our Emirati friend to work as a wasta (a different story in another time). We chanced upon a civil servant who lets his sectarian interest mix with that of his professional duties. We were tormented with thousands of questions, demands and arguments that we took three times longer than normal to finish our registration. We were all more relieved than happy when we got over the “contract signing”. A ceremony less than 10 minutes with less than 2 minutes participation of the bride is worthy only called as such, and not as a “marriage ceremony”. On different thought, this would actually be appealing to hardened souls who cringe at all the sappy ever-lasting vows.

Dubai Courts – Marriage Section: +971-4-3347777.

Part II (requirements)

Twist of (Flick) Fate -- Part II

2007-12-31T11:32:00.000+03:00

The connection in Twist of (Flick) Fate:

1^st week
Theme : Mongol Warriors

2nd Week
-- The Museum of Natural History were both featured in Movie 1 & 2
-- Chris Evans starred in Movie 3 & 4

3rd week
-- Laura Ramsey stars as a love interest =)

And by luck another "coincidence" in my hubby's film choices on love, deception and house swapping =):

Tara Road
The Holiday

Bait

2007-12-31T09:51:00.000+03:00

Twist of (Flick) Fate

2007-12-27T11:51:00.000+03:00

My hubby watches flicks to pass time. He is not one to enjoy, criticize or analyze films. I let him choose whatever he happens to pick up at the DVD shop. By sheer coincidence whatever we watch for the week are connected to each other in some way. Can you guess what these flicks have in common?

1^st week

Movie 1: Nomad

Movie 2: Afghan Knights

2^nd Week

Movie 1: Night In the Museum

Movie 2: The Nanny Diaries

Movie 3: Fantastic Four

3^rd Week

Movie 1: She’s The Man

Movie 2: The Covenant

2007-12-23T08:02:00.000+03:00

Bahrain registers at 12C-18C today. It is overly chilly and moderately windy as I stepped out of home today. I feel the cold piercing while i silently reprimand myself for not wearing a long-sleeved shirt underneath. The wind continues to howl albeit a little softly unlike the raging moans that kept me awake last night. The cold must be contagiously lethargic because the roads are clear despite being a Sunday and the first day after a long weekend.

It's only 8 am but already I'm looking forward for a nice sleep snuggled under thick covers tonight. I smile at the thought of the Bahraini men who have long replaced their relaxing "ghahwa" parties by the roadside with a larger gathering of shisha parties inside the comforts of their homes. At night, young people I haven't seen from the time I moved here congregated by the roadsides with their jackets and scarfs. Aahhh..., longer and colder nights are here.....

Joke Time!

2007-12-16T13:01:00.000+03:00

The Difference Between Irritation, Aggravation and Frustration

Two friends were in a bar, drinking and they were arguing about the difference between irritation, aggravation and frustration.

To better illustrate his point, Bill cited an example. "I will show you an example of irritation. Bill looked at the time, saw that it was 2am and he dialled a random number. After several rings, a sleepy voice at the other end answered: "Hello?" Bill said; "Hi, may I speak with Jones?
The other person angrily answered; "there's no one here named Jones!" then slammed the phone mightily. "That my friend, is an example of irritation.

An hour later, 3 am, Bill picked up the phone, dialled the same number and again after several rings, the same sleepy voice answered; "Hello?". Bill said; "Yes, can I please speak with Jones?" The other party at the end screamed; I told you there's no one here named Jones!" and slammed the phone again. Bill said; " that my friend is an example of aggravation.

Then again, after an hour, 4am, Bill picked up the phone again and after several rings, the same sleepy voice answered; "Hello?". This time, Bill said; "Hi, my name is Jones, have there been any phone calls for me?" Now that my friend is an example of frustration! He said as he heard the
other party groan over the phone.

The Philippine Chili

2007-12-11T16:40:00.000+03:00

photo courtesy of my brother and my Dad's garden

Thou Shall Not Break The Chinese Toilet Rules

2007-12-11T10:33:00.000+03:00

taken from here

Calamansi - The Philippine Lemon

2007-12-11T08:34:00.001+03:00

photo courtesy of my brother

Getting Ready for Bahrain National Day

2007-12-10T17:38:00.001+03:00

Something new seems to come up on the highway nowadays. My short trip from Busaiteen to Sanabis is now worth window-watching. Rather than catching up extra sleep I find myself marveling at colorful posters, the Bahrain Flag scattered all over, adorning light posts, fences, buildings and everywhere else. At night the highway looks livelier with all those dancing lights they draped over the fences and trees. Competing against the number of flags and lights sprouting overnights are those massive billboards of the ruler. I smile in amusement to see fellow commuters raising their hands with a smirk, sometimes a look of disgust or equal amusement at the sight of the boards which seem double in numbers overnight. A week more to go, I bet more lights and flags and huge photos to come. =)

Manic Sundays

2007-12-10T17:32:00.000+03:00

In Bahrain (and most of the Gulf) the busy week starts on a Sunday. I hate Sundays. That’s when the traffic jams starts as early as 7:30 am. I hate manic drivers who speed like they own the road, doesn’t use signals and swerves in and out the lanes. And I throw dagger looks on our driver. He has the habit of swerving the car almost out of the line in the hope of changing the lane and swerving it fast back when he feels like he couldn’t make it. I hold my tongue and keep my counsel. I take comfort in the fact that I always been an anxious passenger although I am also manic driver.

It Ain't Friday the 13th Yet!

2007-12-09T16:16:00.000+03:00

Today's a bad day...
It started at exactly midnight when my laptop just refused to cooperate. I have deliberately delayed my reformating schedule so I have to suffer my laptop going bonkers. She just shuts down without warning when she feels like it. Most of the time she just stood there graphically frozen and belting out like a "sirang plaka".

I tried to read instead. I picked up "Mother Without A Mask" and started reading 3 pages back from my bookmark. I barely finished 5 pages when a she-cat started screaming like a banshee. I think she's about to get cat-raped. I tried to ignore her cries until I decided to let the coward in me takeover. It's 2:30 am and I certainly don't want to be dreaming of her blood-curling cries.

My hubby as usual is so busy and focused with his work he forgot to call me. He seems oblivious to the fact that his dearly coward wife is home alone..

I switched on my Ipod to drown noises but after a few minutes the battery blinks. I remembered today is one of my friends' birthday. I scrolled my contact list and found out she's not in my list. How can I be so unlucky todaaaaaaaaay???

Finally I drift into oblivion and woke up dreaming about ghosts and evil. I literally jump out of bed to see the time: 8:15!! WTF!!!?!! I got more frenzied when I recalled today is the first day for our 5th Leadership Training and I am supposed to coordinate with the Trainor in setting up the venue. I curse myself for asking our driver to pick me up at 8:30 instead of the usual 7:30. I picked up my phone and once again throw expletives at myself when I saw 3 missed calls from my manager, 2 from the training coordinator and 5 from office.

I barely have time to catch my breath when I my rude colleague asked in his normal rude high-pitched voice: "Where is my USB? I have work to finish at home also" I flung the USB to his direction along with mild expletives. I then kept silent from then on and wore a permanent scowl for the day. He did not dare talk to me again. I normally ignore his poor communication skills but today I am in my worst spirits. I wanted to lash out and point out that his Flash Drive is old and worn and slightly faulty and bulky and has a mere 512mb capacity. I, on the other hand have 3 branded Flash Drives in 1, 2 & 5 G. I held back myself and decided to keep my scowl.

My colleague, despite his mathematical prowess, is very rude. He is actually not being rude. It's just his way and tone of talking and explaining is almost akin to arrogance and rudeness. I am a normally calm person but in time I hear myself speaking to him in the same manner. We say in Tagalog "pabalang na sagot/tono". We talk and discussed in raised voices and I usually end up more frustrated for being in this damn office. I silently recall the circumstances which led me to stay in our Bahrain office along with this autistic rude man, the lazy "mudir" (manager or boss, you can say) who spends more time on tea and cigarette breaks, the lady skeptic who have long been frustrated with these idiots that she simply won't give an extra mile at work, and the Bahraini who resents the fact that we are her superiors and tells everyone she has a psych degree from Egypt and she shouldn't be doing these lowly clerical duties. I so long for the appropriate day I can throw my degree certificates in her face - & also that for the rest who have likewise earned their degrees, contrary to what she thought. Welcome to my chaotic world!

I took a peek at YAP to see how my "other world" is doing. Things are even crazy over there. Trolls are staging their mighty troll wars. I am amused at all the cloning and figured that one legit account will get suspended and things will be back to normal. That until a new set of TC-hungry newbies and troll masters will come to wreck havoc. The last one is over 6 months. So I guess this will come to rest on 2nd quarter 2008 and start again on the 4th quarter of 2008. Everywhere is crazy. I think I shall fly back to Pluto =)

Rainy Days Are Here To Come

2007-12-04T17:00:00.000+03:00

waiting for the dark clouds to pass over in UAE and Bahrain =)

Indian 12 Days of Christmas

2007-12-03T10:49:00.000+03:00

Hehehehehehehehehe...

2007-11-29T12:43:00.000+03:00

I was just browsing GMA news and came across this. I am glad Michael Fajatin's career was not jeopardized by this really funny news reporting.

Trouble In Paradise

2007-11-29T12:05:00.000+03:00

I have a headset glued to my ears. That bloody Antonio Trillanes IV struck again. Can't help but think, this guy seems to have a penchant for staging coups in upscale Hotels. Four years ago along with the Magdalo they staged the Oakwood Mutiny. Now after storming out of a Makati Trial Court and calling for GMA to step down, he sits with them at the Manila Peninsula Hotel. What's next? Makati Shangrila?

Right now I am listening to online AM radio broadcasts and could hear fires shot, reports on tear gases at the lobby. I am reading news on guests leaving hastily...NEWS

I do admire people with a burning passion to change the government for the better. Initially I did admire his guts to express his discontent although his way of expression is not something I approved of. Even as a student I have not advocated petty rallies and dramas such as this because I believe there are other effective ways of getting a problem solved. And walking on the streets and disrupting peace. As time goes by I see Trillanes as childish and impulsive and hot-tempered. I don't see anything good coming out of this second coup attempt. Only the fact that our tourism and economy will once again go down. I am no GMA supporter but seriously I believe she has done her job the best that she can. Show me a an honest, clean and brilliant Filipino politician who is fit to head our nation right now. I'm racking my brains to find one. But definitely Trillanes IV won't be one of them.

Stubborn Itchyface

2007-11-27T10:11:00.000+03:00

It was in the early 2000’s that I was initiated to the world of allergies. I swear the Makati smog did me no good. Throw in my penchant for fast-food being the undomesticated human that I was. And yeah, don’t forget the processed food and de lata junk whenever I and my housemates did find the time to cook. Such is the dilemma of one who has lived more than half of her life away from the nurturing cocoon of a home with Mom and Dad. My eating habit is weird enough for my parents. No timetables - will eat anything, anytime except veggies. My Mom looked aghast when I told her I lived with noodles in college partially because unlike other teens, I find it hard to ask for extra money or call home to talk about the weather. She has to practically hold herself in sending next month’s allowance to force me to give her a ring and update her.

Back to the allergies…and so one fine day I just woke up with horrible itchy rashes. I went on to see a dermatologist who couldn’t tell me what it was but sternly warned me to avoid eggs, chicken and fish. It was gone in a week’s time but from then on I’d periodically get rashes. A week on chicken and egg diet would make me itch like hell. Sometimes I push my luck and feast on eggs or follow my friend’s tactic. Gulp down Celestamine before eating the no-no stuff. My dermatologist takes pleasure in saying “beh, buti nga sa ‘yo” and telling me I’m stubborn. She’s begging me to take a skin test but being the coward that I am, I declined steadfastly. Now my allergies have reached another level. A change in the weather or water salinity warrants a trip to the clinic. And just last week I stubbornly dined in Chicken Adobo, Chicken Tinola, Chicken Afritada, Chicken Wings, Chicken Barbecue and Fried Chicken. My face is itching like crazy and dotted with rashes much akin to prickly heat rash. Serves me right I know. And for three days starting from tomorrow I have to suffer once more with my face peeling as if I have treated my skin with Extraderm. No sweat, I still love Chicken..hehe..and I’m keeping my meds accessible.

The One Who Got Away

2007-11-21T08:37:00.000+03:00

I don't claim ownership of this piece. It has been in my computer for ages and I truly forgot where I had taken it from so I can't quote the author.

The One Who Got Away

In your life, you'll make a note of a lot of people. Ones with whom you shared something special, ones who will always mean something. There’s the one you first kissed, the one you first loved, the one you lost your virginity to, the one you put on a pedestal, the one you're with…and the one that got away.

Who is the one that got away? I guess it’s that person with who everything was great, everything was perfect, but the timing was just wrong. There was no fault in the person, there was no flaw in the chemistry, but the cards just didn’t fall the right way, I suppose.

I believe in the fact that ending up with someone, finding a longtime partner that is, does not lie merely in the other person. I can actually argue that an equal part, or maybe even the greater part, has to do with the matter of timing. It has to do with you being ready to settle down and commit to someone in a way that goes beyond the little niceties of giddy romance.

How often have you gone through it without even realizing it? When you're not ready to commit in that mature manner, it doesn’t matter who you’re with, it just doesn’t work. Small problems become big; inconsequentials become deal breakers simply because you’re not ready and it shows. It’s not that you and the person you're with are no good; it’s just that it’s not yet right, and little things become the flashpoint of that fact.

Then one day you’re ready. You really are. And when this happens you’ll be ready to settle down with someone. He or she may not be the most perfect, they might not be the brightest star of romance to ever have burned in your life, but it’ll work because you’re ready. It’ll work because it’s the right time and you’ll make it work. And it’ll make sense, it really will.

So that day comes when you're finally making sense of things, and you find yourself to be a different person. Things are different, your approach is different, you finally understand who you are and what you want, and you’ve become ready because the time has truly arrived. And mind you, there’s no telling when this day will come. Hopefully you're single but could you be in a long-term relationship, you could be married with three kids, it doesn’t matter. All you know is that you’ve changed, and for some reason, the one that got away, is the first person you think about.

You'll think about them because you'll wonder. “What if they were here today?” You’ll wonder, “What if we’re together now, with me as I am and not as I was?” That’s what the one that got away is. The biggest “What if?” you’ll have in your life.

If you're married, you'll just have to accept the fact that the one who got away, got away. Believe me, no matter how fairy tale you think your marriage is, this can happen to the best of us. But hopefully you're mature enough to realize that you're already with the one you’re with and this is just another test of your commitment, one which will just strengthen your marriage when you get past it. Sure, you’ll think about him/her every so often, but it’s alright. It’s never nice to live with a “might have been,” but it happens.

Maybe the one that got away is the one who’s already married. In which case it’s the same thing. You just have to accept and know that your memories of that person will probably bring a nice little smile to your lips in the future when you're old and gray and reminiscing.

But if neither of that is the case, then it’s different. What do you do if it’s not yet too late? Simple…find him, find her. Because the very existence of a “one that got away” means you'll always wonder, what if you got that one?

Ask him out to coffee; ask her out to a movie, it doesn’t matter if you’ve dropped in from out of nowhere. You’d be surprised, you might just be “the one who got away” as well for the person who is your “the one that got away”.

You might drop in from out of nowhere and it won’t make a difference. If the timing is finally right, it’ll all just fall into place somehow and you know, I'm thinking, it would be a greater feeling, in the end, to be able to say to someone, “Hey you, you’re the one that almost got away.”

Winter-y

2007-11-18T09:40:00.000+03:00

I feel winter-y today. Bahrain is all foggy and misty. I even saw dew collected up in the parking lot roof. Coooooold mornings are here! Time to don heavy sweaters and jackets. Time for hogging the bed covers. Time for lazy mornings. Time for extended alarms. Time for a lazy lounge with a good book and a large cup of coffee during weekends. =)

Bahrain Through My Z610i

2007-11-12T10:39:00.000+03:00

My Sony Ericsson Z610i doesn't really give a nice resolution but it's almost a part of my anatomy so I make the most out of it =)

my favorite AD

another AD that caught my eye =)

What's In A Fish Name?

2007-11-11T08:30:00.000+03:00

I’ve been so out of YAPping for quite sometime that I forgot to grieve my lovely Nema. Nema my aquamarine and red betta splendens forgot to breath. =) Isa found her colorless one Thursday afternoon and blamed me. Either she went real hungry or she had a very rough mating :P I told him she couldn’t have died of starvation because bettas can live unfed for 3 days. And I did feed her well a day ago after I changed her water. Feeling sorry for Nema, he buried her with his own special ceremonies in the common parking lot. Tsk..tsk..I bet she she decided she couldn’t bear her name anymore. Who the hell names their fish Nema to partner a betta Nemo? Nemos are supposed to be clownfish(es) for heaven’s sake!

Anyway, making up for Nema’s loss we bought a new female betta. He insists on naming her Nema after Nema although I am still thinking of a better name. She’s spooked by the camera and I put her back in her isolation glass. I found out she’s taking time to adjust and she certainly hates to swim in the common tank with Hideeey. Yeah, that reminds me. Hideeey is such a hideous name for a fish who keeps on hiding behind his tank plants. We ran out of creative juices, sorry..

Nema in Isolation

Ravaged after mating

Recuperating

And meet my new fish!

Hideeeeey!

(Nema2) wtf am I doing here?!

darting down

gasping for air

swiish to the left

swiish to the right

watcha lookin' at?!?!

talk to the tail!

get away lady! i'm warning you!!!

And The Inday Saga Continues

2007-11-10T15:43:00.001+03:00

Another new Inday story from my mailbox that I'm passing to anyone who cares to read my blog =)

WARNING: May cause severe Nosebleed!

Kris: Magandang gabi mga kapamilya, sa gameshow na ito importante ang sagot sa nag-iisang katanungang Deal or no Deal. Ang ating player ngayong gabi ay walang iba kundi ang fastest-rising household services manager na si Inday!

Kris: Ok Inday, choose a briefcase.
Inday: Kris, I would opt for case #4 please.
Kris: Briefcase # 4… si Sharmel. Inday, matanong ko lang, how did you come up with the number 4?
Inday: Oh, do you really want to know Kris?
Kris: Oo naman. I’m sure kaya ko naman maintindihan yung sasabihin mo eh.
Inday: The number 4 was acquired based on a probability distribution function that involves integrating up to an area greater than or equal to that random number which should be generated between 0 and 1 for proper distributions.
Kris: Syet. tanong tanong pa kasi eh.

Kris: Ok Inday, choose 6 briefcases to open.
Inday: I would opt for 7, 24, 12, 2, 15 and 20.
Kris: Wait lang Inday, usually isa isa lang ang pagbubukas natin ng case…
Inday: Why is that? As if I can change the outcome if we’re to open a case each time I blurt out a number as opposed to opening each case immediately one after the other right?
Kris: Hayyy…babaguhin pa talaga mechanics.
Kris: Anwyay, di bale na lang nga… tuloy tayo. Number 7. Natalie buksan na!!
[Yung audience sumisigaw ng LOWER!! LOWER!!!]
Kris: Teka lang, bago natin buksan… Inday, usually ang mga contestants naten ay sumisigaw ng “LOWER” every time magbubukas ng case.
Inday: Kris, I guess that’s not the way I was taught in grade school. You see, I was taught that we should only use the comparative form of the word or add “ER” to the adjective if we are comparing two things. And since it is only the first briefcase that we are going to open, we have nothing to compare it to. Am I right?
[natahimik ang audience at napaisip]
Kris: Oo nga no!

Kris: Sige Natalie, Buksan mo na.
[Ang laman ng briefcase 7 ay Piso… Palakpakan ang mga tao]
Kris: Good start! Ano yung next case mo ulit?
Inday: Case number 24 please.
Kris: Chloe… buksan na…
[Audience sumisigaw ulit ng LOWER!! LOWER!!]
Kris: Wait lang guys, Inday may nabuksan ng case baket di ka pa rin sumisigaw ng “Lower”?
Inday: Oh my goodness Kris, how long have you been doing this? Have you ever encountered a value that is lower than a peso in this game? Tell me, is there any value left lower than the one we just opened? Sheesh.
[Napaisip ulit ang audience at natahimik]
Kris: Aarrgghh!!!! Chloe buksan na lang nga, pati na rin yung 12, 2, 15 and 20 buksan na rin para matapos na. [naiirita na]
[At sunod sunod na ngang nabukas ang mga case ni Inday]
(nag-ring ang phone)

Inday: Ahh Kris, to save more time can you tell Banker that I’m not interested in his first offer. In the history of this game of chance, I have yet to see someone accept a first offer from the banker. It’s quite pathetic and pretentious for contestants to pause and look around the audience as if asking for advice before ultimately rejecting the first offer. I mean come on, isn’t that a waste of airtime?
Banker: Potahhh!!! [narinig sa set kahit sarado ang kwarto ni banker]
- Ito ang unang pagkakataon na marinig ng mga audience ang boses ni banker sa Deal or no Deal.
… dumating na sa kalagitnaan ng show at mukhang minamalas na si Inday…
Kris: Ok Inday, mukhang kelangan na natin ng tulong sa mga friends mo… sino ba yung bigotilyong lalaki na naka-polo? Ano name nya?
Inday: Ahh, that’s my master Mr. Montemayor.
Kris: Ahhh sya pala yun, how cute naman pala eh. Sige sir, give us a number.
Mr. Montemayor: Hi Kris, good evening. I’m a fan. I choose number 12 please.
Kris: Ano Inday ok ba yung number 12?
Inday: Whatever, we shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds us anyway. Go ahead.
Kris: [taray naman] Sofie, buksan na!
[ang laman ng briefcase 12 ay 5,000]
Kris: Good job! Sino naman yung gwapong lalake na naka jumper na katabi ni Mr. Montemayor? What’s his name?
Inday: Ahh, that’s my on again off again boyfriend, Dodong the gardener.
Kris: Ooohh, sya pala yun. Ok Dodong, give us a number!
Dodong: Hi babes, I choose briefcase 9 if it’s ok with you. If not, it’s ok with me as long as it’s ok with you.
Kris: Ano raw? Inday, number 9 daw ok say0?
Inday: Yes Kris, it’s fine with me.
Kris: Wow ang bait pag kay Dodong. Ederlyn… buksan na!!
…nanlaki ang mga mata ni Inday at hindi sya makapaniwala. Natahimik at mukhang kakapusin sya ng hininga…
Inday: YOU!!! How dare you invade my moment!
[nagulat si Kris at ang mga audience sa reaksyon ni Inday. Nagpatawag si Kris ng commercial break at nagpakuha ng tubig para kay Inday.]
Nagkatitigan sina Inday at Ederlyn. Nakangisi si Ederlyn habang hawak ang briefcase ni Inday.
Ederlyn: Pinapangako ko, Inday… pagbukas luluhod ang mga tala! hahahahaha!
Inday: What? Can you speak up? What are you mumbling up there. Can somebody give her a microphone please?
Kris: Ano ba!! Tama na nga ang drama ninyo, Ederlyn buksan mo na ang case at umexit ka na kung ayaw mong mapalitan! (naiirita na si Kris)
Dali-daling binuksan ni Ederlyn ang briefcase at ang laman ay… P3,000,000.
Nanghinayang ang mga audience… Ang mga natirang values ay 250, 1K, 20K, 50K, and 500K.
Inday: NooOoo…. (sabay tingin kay Dodong at napapaluha), how could you…
Dodong: I’m so sorry Inday, please forgive me.
Kris: Hayyy, drama again. Ang offer ni banker sa pagbabalik ng Kapamilya, Deal.. or No Deal!
[pagtapos ng commercial break… mukhang composed na ulit si Inday]
Kris: Inday, are you okay? Ang offer ni banker ay 99 thousand pesos. ‘Sing rami siguro ng pilipinong pinadugo mo na ilong. Is it a Deal or No Deal?
Tahimik lang si Inday tilang may kinocompute sa ulo habang ang mga audience ay nagsisigawan ng “No Deal”, ang iba naman ay “Deal”.
Kris: Wait lang, kung mapapansin ninyo we have only have 5 cases left, and among those 5, apat doon ay mas maliit na value…
Inday: Kris, do you mind? Can I do my own thinking?
Natameme si Kris, pati ang audience ay natahimik.
Kris: Taray to the max! (pabulong sa sarili)
Inday: Ok, I’m ready. Upon looking at the reality of the situation, 80% of the cases left have at least 49K less than the banker’s offer. The only way I can do better than what is offered is that if my case contains the 500k or I’d get to open one of the four lower values. But I have to keep in mind that there’s only 20% probability that this would happen. I have to take note, however, that the banker’s offer is roughly around 15% lower than the offer I expected based on the arithmetic mean of the values left.
Kris: Lorddd… panaginip ba ‘to? Ayokonaaa….
Inday: Accepting a deal for less than the mean should generally be regarded as a weak decision so I would say, NO DEAL!

Limang briefcase na lang ang natitira at kasama na doon ang case ni Inday…
Kris: My God, nakaka-stress itong episode na ito ha. Baka dumugo na rin ang ilong ko sa’yo Inday. Sige Inday, go ahead and choose 1 briefcase!
Inday: Ok Kris, I choose briefcase #5 please?
Kris: Briefcase #5! Mimi bago mo buksan yan I would first like to thank Figliarina by Schubizz for my sandals, Bambi Fuentes for my hair and make-up and Pepsi Herrera for my gown tonight.
Kris: Ok Mimi, buk…
Inday: Ahh Kris, can I also take time to thank a few people? I mean, I did save us a few minutes of airtime right?
Kris: (“kapal naman talaga ng mukha”…bulong sa sarili) Sige, ok lang go ahead. (naka-smile pa rin)
Inday: Thanks! Yes, I would like to thank Frank Provost for my hair and make-up, Jimmy Choo for my sandals and my dear friend Oscar dela Renta for my gown tonight.
BLAG!! Tinumba ni Kris ang podium at nagwalk-out. Hindi na natapos ang show kaya’t binigyan na lang ni Banker si Inday ng kalahating milyon para sa kanyang oras.
Inday: Oh, and thanks to the people of Cartier for sending me these nice earrings for tonight!
(Ito ang isa sa mga un-aired episode ng Kapamilya, Deal or No Deal)

Music Mood

2007-11-08T09:59:00.000+03:00

So melancholic.. I'm in a Tracy Chapman mood

I've Been Here

2007-11-07T09:56:00.000+03:00

hmmm.... kelan kaya maging blue lahat to? marami-rami na rin pala akong napuntahan kahit paano =)

courtesy of Lakbayan :

Your Lakbayan grade is C!

Ang Laswa

2007-11-06T11:30:00.000+03:00

Pinanood ko ang Eat Bulaga ng buo sa unang pagkakataon. I'm a channel surfer. I rarely stick to a TV channel. Pero kahapon isa yatang himala at hindi ko naalala ang remote control. hehe..

Medyo matagal ko na rin napanood ung "Kagat Labi" portion pero ngayon ko lang naisip at ngayon lang ako nagtaka kung bakit sobrang sikat nito. Napagtanto ko na hindi ko 'ata nakita ang nakakatawang anggulo ng sayaw na to. Sabi ng tag line sa GMA (c/o of my Orbit Cable, of course!) hindi na daw uso ang running man at ispageti dahil ang kagat labi na daw ang kinababaliwan ng bayan. para sa akin malaswang panoorin ang mga bata na kinagigiliwan ang sayaw move na ito. opinyon ko lang naman ito pero sa tingin ko may sexual connotations ang pagsayaw ng may kasamang kagat labi at pagpikit ng mata.

Para sa akin ang sayaw na 'to ay hindi naman weird para sa mga taong nasa wastong edad na pwede nang bumili ng alak at mag bar ng legal. Ewan ko, pero nanayo ang balahibo ko pagkakita ko ng bata na napapapikit ang mata at kinakagat ang labi habang kumekembot.

Sadyang berde lang 'ata ang utak ko pero hindi pa rin ako natutuwa sa "kagat labi" na dance move.

All Because of Meredith

2007-11-05T13:07:00.000+03:00

I've become a major TV junkie. I have been up till 4 am for five days straight last week catching reruns of Grey's Anatomy (1st Season). I can't believe I ignored GA in my channel surfing life. Surprisingly I now find the lives of these interns rather interesting. A warm welcome just in time when One Dubai (TV) cancelled it's Gilmore Girls for this season. Yeah, one might think I'm living in Ice Age but I can't complain. One Dubai gave me the chance to see episodes of shows I have missed being the TV-free Makati working girl. 2 years ago I caught up with the pilot seasons of Charmed and Gilmore Girls among others.

And so I finally got back my decent number of hours' sleep after Addison came to smoothly introduce herself with fine composure:
Addison Shepherd: Hi I'm Addison Shepherd
Meredith Grey: Shepherd? (questioning look)
AS: And you must be the woman who's been screwing my husband.

Book Wishlist

2007-11-03T10:54:00.000+03:00

I am still dying to have these books to add to my collection...I'm still on the quest of finding the appropriate time to do some leisure book shopping at any Bahrain bookstore..(sigh)

So I'm posting a wish list so when good friends and good souls feel like giving me Christmas gifts, they can pick one and pick all. Teehee

Gulf Books:

The Girls of Riyadh

Reading Lolita in Tehran

Truly Pinoy:

Sugar & Salt

Over a Cup of Ginger Tea

Sawi: Funny Essay, Stories and Poems on All Kinds of Heartbreaks

Kilig Factor

Mac Arthur

The King of Nothing To Do

That Heavenly Scent of Cofee

2007-11-03T10:45:00.000+03:00

I am sure there are thousands like me who just find that heavenly scent of coffee maddening. I can’t imagine a day without a regular large mug of coffee to boost me. I’m not particular with my brand of coffee. I down almost everything, branded, plain, fancy, light/low-fat, instant, flavored, plain, iced, creamy, Arabic espresso, name it. Getting your boost from a well-known coffee-shop may be an added factor but never a requirement. Nonetheless, which coffee-lover could resist that divine whiff coming out of a Starbucks outlet? Are Starbucks fanatics really over-doing it? Do you get an unnatural high when you have a cup of Starbucks in your hand?
……
Just a tidbits from my leisure net-surfing:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=starbucks
--------

1. Starbucks 361 thumbs-up, 194 thumbs-down
A major coffee chain that people obviously think is the devil's brew. Starbucks is apparently 'The Man' taking over the Earth.
Naysayer: "I hate Starbucks! It's turning America into mindless clones!"
Me: "Dude, get over it. It's just coffee. Let me drink my frappuchino in peace."
--------

2. Starbucks 531 thumbs-up, 373 thumbs-down
the status symbol plague of america in liquid form...it's the only beverage accessory to your outfit now. and every mindless drone who goes there thinks that they're artsy, posh, and sophisticated if they visit a starbucks or carry around a drink with its logo, despite the fact that just about anyone can buy from there?

Serena stopped by starbucks in the morning to buy a mocca java and she finished it in 5 minutes flat but more importantly she carried the empty cup with its starbucks logo around to each of her next 6 class periods of the day.

Tara almost sold her soul to work at starbucks, now she finally got the job, thinks she’s in paradise, and brags about how she can make the best frappacinos and can serve her admiring friends for free. As you can see, she’s truly made it in life.

10 Years Time

2007-10-14T12:57:00.000+03:00

October 14, 2007
01:50 a.m.

I should be sleeping now but I’m happily succeeding in getting bloodshot eyes. I have been glued for the most of the day since 9am on a pc quest. I am temporarily hooked to Plant Tycoon, discovering new Isola plants. On the side, I am channel-surfing. My hubby still don’t understand why I alternately watch TV & play the radio while tinkering with my laptop.

I came across Gabrielle’s MTV “Ten Years Time” around 4 times today. I stopped and wondered. Where was I, ten years ago? That would make me 17, a college sophomore. I’m past the year where I met my friends for life; past the horror of cramming and worming my way to conclude 1st semester. By this time I am now comfortable with coming to classes in a shirt, shorts, sneakers and a backpack. I have graduated from freshmen dorm and chose to stay at a boarding house with friends. These are the friends whom I shared countless fond memories. The same friends I am with when I tried my luck for a career in Manila. The ones I shared an apartment with and spend Friday & weekend boozing. The ones I matured with.

In 1997 at this time of the year I am probably carrying out a tantrum after unsuccessfully convincing my Mom to spend school breaks in Iloilo. The logic was that a part-time job in Jollibee/McDonald’s/Greenwich is a more life-forming experience rather than spending a whole month with my family. After all, how do you enjoy your carefree college days if you are stuck in a place where you don’t know anyone your age? Even if I did, the fact that I have never stayed longer than 6 weeks is enough to have never formed lasting bonds. Ah..life..

-------------------------------------------

Ten Years Time
Gabrielle

Do you have a vision?
Do you have a goal?
I'm watching you shrugging your shoulders,
Telling me you just don't know.
Do you get emotional?
Is there something you're passionate about?
I can tell that you're still searching,
Still trying to work it all out.
It takes time
Take your time
Mm mm
You will know
When it feels right

Where you gonna be in ten years time?
Will you be happy with the way
you've been living your life?
Will you be alright?
And when you're looking back to now
All the years gone by
Will there be something that you say
That you should have done right
In your life

What would you fight for?
For what do you stand?
How will you go about it?
And do you have a masterplan?
What are your demons?
How much for your soul?
Have you found religion?
And gone down that road?
Guess we all need
Something to believeoh oh oh
Times haven't changed
Thats how it's gotta be

Where you gonna be in ten years time?
Will you be happy with the way
you've been living your life?
Will you be alright? Yeah
And when you're looking back to now
All the years gone by
Will there be something that you say
That you should have done right
We're talking about your life

Are you a dreamer?
Tell me all your dreams
Can you say honestly
What you want to be
What would you do,
When your back's against the wall?
Would you stand on your two feet?
Would you admit defeat?
These are the times
You need to be strong
Don't you know,
Don't you know that is hard
Have you learned to find a way?
You gotta find a way to carry on

Where you gonna be in ten years time?
Will you be happy with the way
you've been living your life?
Will you be alright?Yeah
And when you're looking back to now
All the years gone by
Will there be something that you say
That you should have done right
We're talking about your lifeYour lifeW
here you gonna be in ten years time?
Will you be alright?
Tell me will you get it right?
get it right?

Learning Chinese

2007-10-09T12:26:00.000+03:00

Another email joke in my inbox:

Nag-aaral ako sa La Salle . Ang dami kong kaklaseng Intsik. Apelyidong Uy, Lim, Tan, Co, Go, Chua, Chi, Sy, Wy, at kung anu-ano pa. Pero sa kanilang lahat kay Gilbert Go ako naging malapit. Mayaman si Gilbert kaya mangyari pa, madalas siya ang taya sa tuwing gigimik ang barkada. Isang araw na-ospital ang kanyang ama. Sinamahan ko siya sa pagdalaw. Nasa ICU na noon ang kanyang ama dahil sa stroke. Naron din ang ilan sa kanyang malalapit na kamag-anak. Nag-usap sila. Intsik ang kanilang usapan.... hindi ko maintindihan. Pagkatapos ng ilang minutong usap-usap, nagkayayaan nang umuwi. Maiwan daw muna ako at pakibantayan ang kanyang ama habang inihahatid nya ang kanyang mga kamag-anak palabas ng ospital. Lumipat ako sa gawing kaliwa ng kama ng kanyang ama para ilapag ang mga iniwan nilang mga gamit na kakailanganin ng magbabantay sa ospital. Nang akmang ilalapag ko na ay biglang nangisay ang matanda. Hinahabol nya ang kanyang hininga... Kinuyom nya ang kanyang palad at paulit-ulit siyang nagsalita ng wikang intsik na hindi ko maintindihan. "Di ta guae yong khee"..... "Di ta guae yong khee"... "Di ta guae yong khee".. paulit-ulit nya itong binigkas bago siya malagutan ng hininga. Pagbalik ni Gilbert ay patay na ang kanyang ama. Ikinagulat nya ang pangyayari ngunit marahil ay tanggap na rin nya na papanaw na ang kanyang ama. Walang tinig na namutawi sa kanyang bibig. Ngunit iyon na yata ang pinakamasidhing pagluha na nasaksihan ko. Nagpa-alam muna ako, dahil siguradong magdadatingin uli ang kanyang mga kamag-anak. Sumakay ako ng taksi pauwi. Habang nasa taksi.. tinawagan ko ang iba pa naming kabarkada. Una kong tinawagan si Noel Chua. Dahil marunong si Noel mag-intsik, tinanong ko muna kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng "Di ta guae yong khee". "Huwag mong apakan ang oxygen. "... "Bakit saan mo ba narinig 'yan?".

The Mighty Itlog

2007-10-06T10:16:00.000+03:00

I spent my weekend with my eyes glued to my laptop and happily clicking away.

Meet the giant itlog i have to battle after hours of annihilating killer chickens and cursing at terminator chickens who managed to slash my number of lives into half.

See more of Chicken Invaders 3: Revenge of the Yolk at http://www.interactionstudios.com/ci3/chickeninvaders3.php