The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.

Yup, that's the line I learned from Mrs Ponce's typing class back in high school. Had to type out the freaking line with a paper bag covering my entire head.

And so everytime I use a keyboard for the first time, that's the line I type out to test how comfortable I feel using the keys.

Thanks honie for replacing the old wireless keyboard with a new one. (God, I hate using a really lousy keyboard.) And I didn't even ask him to buy a new one. I just told him that I'd rather use the old wired keyboard, but instead he bought a new one, without me asking. Woah, galante. Hehe.

it is not a good day today

you will survive

"It doesn’t matter how many new haircuts you get, or gyms you join, or how many glasses of chardonnay you drink with your girlfriends… you still go to bed every night going over every detail and wonder what you did wrong or how you could have misunderstood. And how in the hell for that brief moment you could think that you were that happy. And sometimes you can even convince yourself that he’ll see the light and show up at your door. And after all that, however long all that may be, you’ll go somewhere new and you’ll meet people who make you feel worthwhile again. And little peices of your soul will finally come back. And all that fuzzy stuff, those years of your life that you wasted, that will eventually begin to fade."

-Iris (portrayed by Kate Winslet in the movie The Holiday)

i'm on a roll! (Pantry Magic and Laine's Papeterie)

...On a blog-roll, that is. I miss Nana and I have to take my mind off from missing her, so I need to type type type away.

Hubby and I, ever since we were still mag-syota (eewww wataword), would play this Dream Q&A that goes: "What's your dream closet?" Then there would be categories like, local brands, or foreign labels, etc.

Well, when I was still in high school, I would say, "Uhmmm, I think Blued." (Uso pa Blued 'nun e.)

Then when I was a newbie in the labour market (read: aliping sanggigilid. translation: corporate slave), I answered, "Ahh, Sari-sari and Maldita!" (Buhay pa ba mga shops na to? I dunno hehe)

But these past few years, now that I am slowly, very slowly blossoming into a homemaker (full time housewife is now my greatest ambition in life, just second to lead singer in a band), the question "What's your dream closet?" is now "What's your dream kitchen?". And I would, in turn, ask Jun "What's your dream bedroom?" and "What's your dream living room?"

I discovered this shop, which is just a couple of blocks away from our flat, and it is my "dream kitchen". Most of the stuff at Pantry Magic are high-end (don't ever compare to Ikea prices) and comes from the best suppliers. Eyelovet! What an (kitchen) orgasmic experience! Hehe.

And because our dream house contains a nook-slash-study room for my creative (and nerdy) side, this shop located at Wheelock Place is my dream nook. Look at all those scrapbooking stuff! And I'm talking about hard core paper scrapbooking, beb! Not the shortcut digital scrapbooking (which I love too, but lately have been taking for granted). Whenever I am in Laine's Papeterie, I feel like I am in scrapbooking nirvana!

If I do get to splurge on these shops, then I would have reached my nirvana and achieved multiple O's. Haha!!!

it will take 6 weeks to get my new passport

Last month, we went to Indonesia for a much deserved R&R in Bintan and as I went through the usual customs check, the immigrations officer reminded me: "You need to renew your passport already."

And so I was reminded that my passport will expire in April 2009. And since we generally can't travel if one's passport is less than six months valid, I need to renew mine asap.

So last Sunday, I went to the Philippine Embassy here in SG to submit the requirements for my passport renewal.

In my four years (and counting) of staying here, I've only been there for about two or three times, sometime in 2004 and 2005. The first time, I went there because I had to sign up to be a an OWA member (mabuhay ang mga bagong bayani). The second (or third) time was to get my OEC, which would allow travel tax exemption for OFWs (again, mabuhay ang bagong bayani). But since we gained our Permanent Residency status in 2006, there was really no reason to go there anymore.

And in the two years that I didn't go there, nothing much has changed, except that there are more people in line, because of the influx of Pinoys coming to Singapore to work.

It is a bit frustrating to wait while standing up with only a simple roof to cover you from the sun. You see, they make you wait outside, in this garage-type waiting area. Not too bad actually, if you don't mind naman. But it would help if there was a proper waiting area. At least the, errmm, bagong bayanis can see even just a bit of their contribution to the Philippine government. Magkano lang naman ang orocan chairs di ba? Kesa naman nagkakandungan while waiting for so long. Buti na lang, I only had to wait for about an hour and a half in total (uuuy, I've changed--I'm so patient na noh? hehe). But I heard the others were waiting for a longer time pa.

The Philippine Embassy in Singapore looks like a house, IMO, less grander than the other embassies, even if you compare it to the Indonesia and Thai embassies.

Thai Embassy

Indonesian Embassy

Philippine Embassy

The saving grace is that the service level was of reasonable standards and the staff are generally helpful and warm. There seems to be some system in place, which I think is the most important thing anyway.

I'm not writing this para mang-okray. Just to vent out that hopefully, our government can still improve on their services to Pinoys who bring in the dough through their remittances. Even through simple needs like the freakin' Orocan chairs. Don't get me wrong, I do love the Philippines and I haven't lost hope in us, unlike other Pinoys. It's just that sometimes, you can't help but feel frustrated, na even if you're on foreign soil, you still directly feel the incompetence of the government.

It will take six weeks to get my new passport, but one of the friendly staff (konting chikahan upon learing that I work in the Singapore government) said that I can check on the fourth week--maybe it will be ready by then. I just hope I get my new passie in time for my departure on 30th December, otherwise, magwawala talaga ako!!!

it's ok to be depressed today

Nana went back to Manila today. She decided to retire and maybe set up a small business in the Philippines.

I went to see her off at the airport this morning. How I hate seeing friends and family off. It makes me cry buckets of tears. I hate goodbyes. Even if (as the song goes) goodbye "doesn't mean forever" and it "doesn't mean we'll never be together again". (Yes, it is one of my favourite songs.)

On the surface, I may be sad because she left, but really, I'm happy for her because she'll finally be home. Really happy. I prayed that she be enlightened that it is indeed time for her to go back.

Without Nana here, my life here in Singapore will not be the same again. I will miss her so, but I shall see her whenever I go back to Manila.

As I left the airport to go to the office, I told myself: "I will never make hatid sa airport ever again!" I know I can't live up to what I just said, but really, I hate saying goodbyes--fleeting or not, it still means things will not be the same again.

So I'm depressed today, as my friend L told me today: "Give yourself today to be depressed." And I did, and I still have about two hours to be so.

never argue with a woman who reads

I seldom open forwarded e-mails. Except if it's from those sensible and witty people like my friend L. She forwarded this to me yesterday and I'd like to share it with my girlfriends who luuurve to read.

***

One morning the husband returns after several hours of fishing and decides to take a nap. Although not familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take the boat out. She motors out a short distance, anchors, and reads her book.

Along comes a Game Warden in his boat. He pulls up alongside the woman and says, 'Good morning, Ma'am. What are you doing?'

'Reading a book,' she replies, (thinking, 'Isn't it obvious?')

'You're in a Restricted Fishing Area,' he informs her.

'I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing. I'm reading,' she replies.

To which he replies, 'Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment. I'll have to take you in and write you up.'

'For reading a book?,' she replies.

'You're in a Restricted Fishing Area,' he informs her again.

'I'm sorry, officer, but I am not fishing. I am reading,' she replies, again.

Again he says, 'Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment. I'll have to take you in and write you up.'

'If you do that, I'll have to charge you with Sexual assault,' says the woman.

'But I haven't even touched you,' says the game warden.

And she replies, 'That's true, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment.'

'Have a nice day ma'am,' and he left.


MORAL: Never argue with a woman who reads. It's likely she can also think.

Catch me if you can!!!

Woohoo!!!

It's been one year+ten months+one day (as of today) of not inhaling Philippine air! Lo and behold, I'll be home soon!!!! Can you just imagine how homesick I am, even if Singapore is just a mere three hours away from my beloved Pinas?

It's gonna be a short vacay...so catch me if you can!

The pre-school downstairs and my school bus days in St Scho

There's a PAP pre-school at the ground floor of our flat. On most mornings, I would see parents hurriedly bringing their kids to school. Last Saturday, I think they had some sort of a program because they were wearing these colourful costumes. Here's some of the pics I took:

And oftentimes, Jun and I would have conversations starting with "Siguro kung may anak na tayo, diyan din sha magpepre-school."

And I would answer hubby: "Ay naku, magrereklamo yun bakit ang lapit lang ng school nya. Bababa lang sha ng ground floor, school na nya! Hindi exciting."

I guess this reaction is just natural for me who spent my grade school and high school days in St Scho taking the school bus (ermm, actually it's more of a "Fiera" than a bus)--Mang Joe during my grade school years, and Mang Goody during my high school years. It was then that I formed friendships, friendships that until now--though we are millions of miles away with separate lives of our own--are still alive.

Realities are much simpler then. You only need to know that the good seats--the ones near the door or in front--are reserved for the seniors. That you HAVE to buy snacks before going back, such as hilaw na mangga with bagoong or Cheese Tortilla and Melon Juice from Manang (who was able to send all her kids to college from the fruits of selling snacks outside Gate 6. That it's so fun to write and pass notes to each other inside the bus (ermm, fiera) even though you're just seating beside each other. And that you feel so mature when you are allowed to go back late and you can say: "Mang Goody, second trip po ako ha." That the best stories--tsismis, horror stories, love stories--are shared within the hot confines of Mang Goody's service.

Then as you step into your junior and senior years in high school, you develop different interests--some into boys, some into books, some into barkadas. Sometimes, you would even skip riding the bus anymore because you'd rather carpool that day or you would rather commute with your friends (Manang, pakisabi kay Mang Goody di ako sasabay.). But when you do decide to take the bus that day (Mang Goody, sasabay po ako ha!), you are still the same person that has boarded the bus (fierra pala) every morning, for more than ten years of your life.

And if life is indeed a "one great ride", like what most people say, then my ride would be my school bus ride. And no matter how long it arrives or no matter how many rounds it takes, no matter how I look or how I act outside of it... it will still bring me safe home, amidst the bumps, the tiriks, the heat (hindi sha aircon, shet), and sometimes even the smell (if the Don Bosco grade school boys share the bus with us, yuck amoy pawis!).

And when I reach home, I'll still be the same person that I am, only wiser, stronger, and many pounds heavier now.

Heinie with Love

Guess whose hands?

Calven Klain

Found this in a tiangge near Sheng Shong at Commonwealth MRT station.