Shrimp & Steak Feast

It's Friday and what better way to unwind & end the busy work week than to have a great dinner and enjoy the company of friends.

For tonight, we decided to have some shrimp & crabs. Unforch, Grandmart didn't have crabs so we replaced them with steak. Once again, Joy is the queen of the kitchen ;oPJet brought his cam with him.

Changeling

Joy rented this movie but I was too tired to watch. I actually fell asleep during the first few minutes of the film. I had to get a copy so I could watch it fully. My friends told me that it's really good.

I noticed right away how bony thin Angelina Jolie is in this film. There's this one scene where she's nekkid and you can see her ribs sticking out.

Anyhoo, the story is about a mother who lost her child. After a few months, the cops informed her that they found her son. Only, it's a different one and the police was quite insistent that it IS her son. But how can a mother not know? Too bad they didn't have the Maury show back then where they could get some DNA testing ;oP

But there's something more to this missing-child case and it is QUITE shocking & disturbing!

I won't reveal any more deets but after watching this film, Angelina truly deserves to be nominated for her acting. She actually won a couple too!

Go watch it and don't forget your tissues.

Reunited with Weight Watchers

Determined to get back to WW program (my friend, Linda, scolded me for not continuing), I left my cube around 11 and looked for our new meeting room. I wasn't informed that they moved to a new location. I thought they just stopped meeting totally. No phone calls, no e-mail whatsoever.

Anyhoo, I found the room after asking our HR.

I greeted our leader, Marilyn and her assistant, Sharmaine. I told them about my situation. Marilyn thought I left the company. Teehee. Anyhoo, I weighed in and Sharmaine congratulated me. I lost 3.6 pounds! I flashed a big smile. So I did lose something!

Then we listened to peeps sharing their weight loss. Somebody reached her 10% goal. We congratulated her by clapping our hands.

Listening to these success stories inspires me to reach my own personal goal. I'm 4.9 pounds away from my 5% goal. So maybe in the next week or two, I could finally get my first star. The General Motors diet is very tempting.

Name Game

Rules: It's harder than it looks! Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following questions. They have to be real . . . nothing made up! If the person before you had the same first initial, you must use different answers. You cannot use any word twice and you can't use your name for the boy/girl name question.

Have Fun!!

Today's words are brought to you by the letter S (parang Sesame Street):

1. What is your name: Salvador

2. A four Letter Word: Sigh (after finding out about my cellphone bill)

3. A boy's Name: Shawn

4. A girl's Name: Saffron (ganda, no?)

5. An occupation: Singer (my dream to become one)

6. A color: Salmon

7. Something you wear: Socks, a pair of

9. A food: Spaghetti (from Shakey's, the best!)

10. Something found in the bathroom: Shampoo and Soap

11. A place: Singapore (memorable 'cause I've got really nice friends there)

12. A reason for being late: Slept really late

13. Something you shout: Shut the Eff up!

14. A movie title: "Somewhere in Time"

15. Something you drink: Soda

16. A musical group: Simply Red (all together now, "That I wanna fall from the stars...")

17. An animal : Sssssnake

18. A street name: Sully Road or 28

19. A type of car: Saturn by GM

20. The title of a song: "Sometime, Somewhere" (one of my favorite shower songs)

3-in-1

THREE NAMES THAT FRIENDS CALL YOU:
1. Don
2. Dondon
3. Donish
Bonus: Donald by a certain person

THREE MOST IMPORTANT DATES IN YOUR LIFE:
1. September 25th
2. December 11th (mom's birthday)
3. July 7th (dad's death anniversary)

THREE THINGS YOU'VE DONE IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES:
1. Still chewing gum
2. Worked
3. Checked FaceBook

THREE WAYS TO BE HAPPY KAHIT SA BAHAY LANG:
1. Blogging
2. Singing
3. Eating

THREE GIFTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE:
1. Next model of MacBook Air
2. A cologne (Fierce or SoCal)
3. Anything from A|X

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. Singing
2. Blogging
3. Traveling

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO FOR VACATION:
1. Bahamas
2. Paris
3. Amsterdam
Bonus: Australia, New Zealand, Cambodia

THREE FAVORITE DRINKS:
1. Beringer White Zinfandel
2. Apple Juice
3. Soda

THREE THINGS FOUND IN YOUR BAG:
1. MacBook Air
2. External Harddisk
3. Passport

THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
1. Teal
2. Red
3. Pink

TOP THREE HANGOUTS:
1. Tysons Corner (love this)
2. Dulles Town Center (the nearest mall)
3.

TOP THREE U LOVE SO MUCH:
1. Mommy
2. Kuya
3. Nephew, Niece and Angela
Bonus: My friends!!!

TOP THREE WHO DO YOU THINK WILL ANSWER THIS SURVEY:
1. Jet
2. Jane
3. Trixie

TOP THREE "THINGS" SPECIAL TO YOU:
1. MacBook Air (can't live without)
2. MagicSing (can't live without)
3. iPhone

TOP THREE THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY LATELY:
1. Shopping
2. Singing
3. Having ***

TOP THREE REASONS WHY YOU ANSWERED THIS SURVEY:
1. I support Facebook surveys
2.
3.

75 Truths About Me

Yet another survey from FaceBook:

001. Real name → Salvador Balan
002. Nickname(s) → Dondon, Don, Donish
003. Status → Single
004. Zodiac sign → Libra
005. Male or female → Male
006. Elementary → St. Anthony Nova School
007. Middle School →
008. High School → St. Anthony Nova School
009. Hair color → Originally black but now Mahogany Brown
010. Long or short → Long hair (getting there slowly)
011. Loud or Quiet → Depends on the occasion
012. Sweats or Jeans → Jeans
013. Phone or Camera → Pwede both?
014. Health freak → Sometimes
015. Do you have a crush on someone? → Of course!
016. Eat or Drink → I don't think you can live without the other
017. Piercings → One ear piercing (planning to have two more)
018. Tattoos → Planning to have one
019. Water or Fire → Water (I love the beach)
020. Love of your life or 4 Billion Dollars → Pwede both?
021. First fear → Cockroaches then Height
022. First best friends → She goes by "Worst A-L"
023. First award → Best in Conduct
024. First crush → Alyssa Milano
025. First pet → Can't remember my first dog's name anymore but I remember we had "Boomer"
026. First big vacation → Bataan
027. First big birthday → I think I was 9 then when we moved to Bulacan. Complete with video and photo coverage and all that

THIS OR THAT:
028. Orange or Apple Juice? - Apple Juice.
029. Rock or Rap? - Rock
030. Country or Screamo? - Don't like listening to Country so I'd go for Screamo
031. N'Sync or Backsteet Boys? - N'Sync (I can sing most of their songs)
032. Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera? - Christina for the voice
033. Sun or Moon? - Moon (mas romantic)
034. TV or Internet? - Internet
035. PlayStation or xbox? - Nintendo Wii
036. Kiss or Hug? - Kiss
037. Iguana or Turtle? - I'll pass
038. Spider or Bee? - I'll pass
039. Fall or Spring? - Fall (most especially on Thanksgiving)
040. Limewire or iTunes? - iTunes
041. Soccer or Baseball? - Baseball

CURRENTLY:
042. Eating → Just had Zuppa Touscana and Spaghetti with Meat Sauce at Olive Garden
043. Drinking → Just had Diet Coke
044. I'm about to → Watch "Changeling".
045. Listening to → Ogz singing "All at Once".
046. Plans for today → Watch movie then take a bath then go back to work.
047. Waiting for → Happiness

YOUR FUTURE:
048. Want kids? - Yes
049. Want to get married? - Yes
050. Careers in mind - Theater Actor

WHICH IS BETTER WITH GIRL/BOY?
051. Lips or eyes - Lips
052. Shorter or taller? - Shorter
053. Romantic or spontaneous - Spontaneous
054. Nice stomach or nice arms - Nice stomach
055. Sensitive or loud - I'll pass
056. Hook-up or relationship - Relationship
057. Troublemaker or hesitant - Troublemaker

HAVE YOU EVER:
058. Lost glasses/contacts - N/A
059. Ran away from home - I once thought about it when I was a kid but didn't do it
060. Hold a gun/knife for self defense - I'll pass
061. Killed somebody - I'll pass
062. Been Heartbroken - I got over it quickly
063. Been arrested - I'll pass
064. Cried when someone died - When I lost my dad almost 2 years ago

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
065. Yourself → Yes
066. Miracles → Yes
067. Love at first sight – No
068. Heaven → Yes
069. Santa Claus → *rolls eyes*
070. Sex on the first date → But, of course!
071. Kiss on the first date → But, of course!

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
072. Is there one person you want to be with right now → Yes (Pwede 2 or more?)
073. Are you seriously happy with where you are in life → 80%
074. Do you believe in God → Yes
075. Post as 75 truths and tag 25 people→ If you say so

On the Telly

Okay, last week, I didn't get to watch my favorite tv shows 'cause of work. Thanks to the internet, I was able to catch up. Here's a roundup:

American Idol - Not sure if I like the new format. They will only get 3 contestants from each week for the Top Twelve. That means 9 contestants will go home crying/disappointed. And then to complete the Top Twelve, they will get some more from the pool and give them their last chance. I'm rooting for Danny Gokey (we call him "Robert Downey, Jr.") and Scott MacIntyre.

Lost - I'm really enjoying this season of "Lost". I'm happy that Jin is back and Jack & the gang are gonna save Sawyer and the rest of the island survivors. I want a Sawyer-Kate reunion.

Survivor - Sierra reminds me of Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). I don't have anyone to root for yet. Too early.

Dancing with the Stars - Remember Chelsie Hightower from last season's "So You Think You Can Dance"? It looks like we haven't seen the last of this very talented gal. She joins the cast of DWTS and pairs up with Ty Murray (the hubby of Jewel). Oh, Dmitry too will be there. You can expect more chest-baring moments.

How Filipino Are You? -- 49 points

Place an X by all the things you've done and leave blank the ones you have not, then count your X's and see how much of a Filipino you are - as based on this checklist (remember, this is just for fun).

Eaten the following...
(x) Balut (and penoy) <-- never had penoy
(x) Kwek-kwek (quail eggs wrapped in flour)
( ) Kambing (goat)
( ) Aso (dog) <-- I will never eat this!
( ) Bayawak (giant lizard)
( ) Wild boar or wild deer
( ) Durian
( ) Palaka (frog)
(x) Adidas (chicken feet) or isaw (intestine) <-- yes to isaw
( ) Soup #5 (bull's reproductive organ)

Rode the following...
(x) Tricycle
( ) Karitela / Kalesa
( ) Trolley/push cart along the riles (railroad)
( ) Banka across pasig river
(x) MRT / LRT during rush hour
(x) Jeepney where you had to stand (sabit)
( ) Bus where you had to stand (sabit) at the estribo (doorway)
(x) Top load on a jeepney (mayroon niyan sa probinsiya)
( ) Top load on a PNR train <-- what the hell?
(x) Rode in a Love Bus

Been to...
(x) The Rice Terraces or Sagada
(x) Star City (x) Enchanted Kingdom
( ) Shooting the Rapids (Pagsanhan or elsewhere)
( ) See the Tarsier (small wide-eyed primate) or Butanding (whale shark) in Bohol
( ) See Magelan's cross
( ) See the Black Nazarene in Quiapo
( ) Manila Zoo
(x) Crocodile farm (Palawan or Davao)
( ) Seen the Philippine Eagle in Davao

Tried the following...
(x) Played Patintero
(x) Played Tumbang Preso
(x) Played Piko
(x) Played Sungka
( ) Played with Spiders (Gagamba derby)
(x) Played Chinese Garter
(x) Played Chinese Jackstones
( ) Climbed a coconut tree
( ) Caught fish in the canal during a rainy day
( ) Had a salagubang (beetle) for a pet

Culturally oriented activities...
(x) Danced the Tinikling or any other native dance
(x) Attended Simbang Gabi ( Midnight Mass )
( ) Participated in Ati-Atihan
(x) Attended/participated in any religious procession (e.g. flores de mayo, block rosary, salubong, etc.)
( ) Rode a kalabaw (carabao) or baka (cow)
( ) Used gugo for shampoo - the commercial/branded kind
( ) Tumulay sa kawayan (walked on a bamboo pole bridge)
( ) Kept Vigil at the Cemetery for Nov. 1st
( ) Visited 9 (or more) churches during holy week
(x) Greeted your grandparents or elders by kissing their hand or having them touch your forehead

Provincial living...
( ) Eaten fish head
(x) Drank Lambanog (coconut wine) or Tuba (rice wine)
( ) Drank Batangas barako coffee or Cordillera coffee
(x) Told manananggal, aswang, capre stories during a brownout or rainy night
(x) Slept under a mosquito net or on a banig
( ) Eaten champorado with tuyo
(x) Eaten pandesal filled with condensed milk <-- love this!
(x) Dunked pandesal into hot coffee
(x) Ate crispy rice with coffee as your soup <-- is this referring to "tutong"
(x) Took a bath under a "poso" or by the "ilog"

Young life...
(x) Gone to the beach in summer
(x) Rode horses at Wright Park in Baguio <-- I climbed on a horse but it didn't move
(x) Eaten otap, piaya, or buko pie
(x) Polished the floor with coco husk (bunot)
(x) Seen Taal Volcano
(x) Called anyone "pare/mare", "tol", or "bos/bossing"
(x) Took a bath in the rain
( ) Got a tattoo (a real one)
( ) Attended an exclusive boys/girls school
( ) Cut class - and got caught and suspended because somebody squealed

Metro living...
(x) Got stuck in the EDSA parking lot (traffic)
( ) Walked in a flood
( ) Lifted furniture up away from the flood water
(x) Eaten Dirty Ice Cream
(x) Eaten fish balls / squid balls sa kalye
(x) Attended an inuman (drinking session) in the neighborhood
( ) Lived in a boarding house
( ) Gone to the casino - show money and all
( ) Gone inside Malacanang Palace
(x) Gone shopping at 168 / Divisoria

Historic Events / Places...
(x) participated in EDSA 1 / 2 / 3
( ) Marched in Mendiola
( ) Attended a Makati rally
( ) Visited the Ayala Museum
( ) Visited Corregidor
(x) Visited Bataan shrine
( ) Visited Biak na Bato
(x) Visited Rizal's house in Calamba, Laguna
( ) Visited Lapu Lapu's shrine in Mactan Island
(x) Visited Ferdinand Marcos' resting place

Others...
(x) Got stuck in your office / car / elsewhere during a storm
(x) Experienced a strong earthquake while in a floor 10 stories or higher
( ) Attended World Youth Day in Manila with Pope John Paul II
( ) Watched the Thrilla in Manila
(x) Get stuck in NAIA because of a VIP coming in or out

Sports events...
( ) Watched horse races at the karerahan (at the oval or an OTBS)
( ) Monitored the Tour of Luzon / of the Philippines - bike race
( ) Watched a PBA game live
(x) Watched a Pacquaio fight <-- only on tv
( ) Bet in a cock fight

With Joy

Almost Over You

Love Regine's version of this Sheena Easton song.

Donishology

FOODOLOGY
*What is your salad dressing of choice?
Right now, I have Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing from Kraft.

*What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
Olive Garden. Just love their Soupa Tuscana and their eat-all-you-can salad. Plus the choco mint after every meal.

*What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it?
Adobo. You forgot to ask if it's only for brekky, lunch or dinner.

*What are your pizza toppings of choice?
I'm a meatlover—pepperoni, salami, ham, bacon, and italian sausage with cheese & green peppers.

*What do you like to put on your toast?
Smucker's Orange marmalade.

TECHNOLOGY
*How many television sets are in your house?
Only 1.

*What color of cell phone do you have?
Black.

BIOLOGY
*Are you right-handed or left-handed?
Right-handed. Although I could also use my left in.....

*Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
Teeth?

*What is the last heavy item you lifted?
I lifted a foosball.

*Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
Nope.

BULLCRAPOLOGY
*If it were possible, would you want to know the day you are going to die?
That would be helpful.

*If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
Dylan.

*Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
Does it have to be in one sitting?

DUMBOLOGY
*How many pairs of flip-flops do you own?
I have six pairs. 2 A&F, 2 Polo Ralph Lauren, 1 Reef (a gift) and 1 very fluffy brown slippers for the bedroom.

*Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
When I "ran" a red light in Illinois almost a decade ago.

*Last person you talked to?
My roomies, Ogz & Joy.

*Last person you hugged?
Nikks.

FAVORITOLOGY
*Season?
Autumn.

*Holiday?
Christmas and Thanksgiving for the shopping. Are you kidding me?!

*Day of the week?
I love Fridays. I wish it's always Friday.

*Month?
My birth month—September.

CURRENTOLOGY
*Missing someone?
Yeah.

*Mood?
You really wanna know?

*What are you listening to?
I'm inside my bedroom. Hearing nothin' but silence. I have my Bose noise cancelling headphones on. Love it!

*Watching?
Just watched "Top Chef".

*Worrying about?
Nuthin'. Worrying makes you ugly.

RANDOMOLOGY
*First place you went to this morning?
Office.

*What's the last movie you saw?
"Ang Tanging Ina Nyong Lahat".

*Do you smile often?
I freakin' smile a lot.

*Do you always answer your phone?
Depends on my mood.

*It's four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it?
Couldn't care less.

*If you could change your eye color what would it be?
Blue or Brown maybe.

*Do you own a digital camera?
Yes.

*Have you ever had a pet fish?
Yep. I had 2 before named Swift and Flame.

*Favorite Christmas song?
"The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole.

*What's on your wish list for your birthday?
Hmmm... I wanna go on a cruise.

*Can you do push ups?
I could do 2.

*Can you do a chin up?
Are you challenging me?

*Does the future make you nervous or excited?
Am always excited.

*Do you have any saved text messages?
I clean up my messages.

*Ever been in a car wreck?
I don't wanna experience this. Ever.

*Do you have an accent?
Sometimes.

*What is the last song to make you cry?
"Here I am, Lord" never fails to make me cry. As in!

*Plans tonight?
I was planning to watch "Marley & Me" but when I opened the zipped file, it was asking for a password. Fudge!

*Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
I hit rock bottom before.

*Name 3 things you bought in the last week
Clothes from A&F, a hamper & slippers from IKEA

*Have you ever been given roses?
Never.

*Current worry?
I try not to worry too much.

*Current hate right now?
Scroll up.

*Met someone who changed your life?
Yeah. Do I have to mention the name?

*How did you bring in the New Year?
2009: Spent it with family in Boracay. We had videoke and drinking sessions.

*What song represents you?
Hmmm... Y'know what? I have not thought about a song that could represent me.

*What were you doing at 12 AM last night?
Eating dinner.

*What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up?
Must pee.

48 Notes

48 Notes From Facebook:

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
My nickname is Dondon (after Dondon Nakkar). My real name is Salvador for saving my mom's life during my birth.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Saturday when I watched 'Ang Tanging Ina Nyong Lahat'. I thought this was a funny movie.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Yes, I write in 2 styles. Script when I wanna write fast. Print when I want most people to understand my handwriting.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Beef.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
I dunno. Maybe.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Are you kidding me?!

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
You bet!

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes and I don't wanna lose 'em.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Yes, after taking my BP meds.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Kellogg's Frosted Flakes.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Never.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Magnolia's Chocolate Marble.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
I dunno. Face?

15. RED OR PINK...
Love both. But if I have to choose, pink.

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
I have my "topak" moods.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My mom.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST?
Of course! I did my part, eh?

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
I'm at home so I'm not wearing pants nor shoes. I'm wearing green boxers and green flip-flops.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Audiobook of "New Moon".

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
I'd be Teal. That's my favorite color nowadays.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
"Fierce" by A&F and "SoCal" by Hollister.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Kuya.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
Yup. Got tagged by Joy first and then Jhe.

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
I don't watch sports. Boxing, maybe, when Pacquiao is fighting.

27. HAIR COLOR?
Dark brown. Black is my original.

28. EYE COLOR?
Black.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No but I wanted to. I found out that I need to have my eye examined first.

30. FAVORITE FOOD?
Spaghetti, Pork Adobo, Adobong Pusit.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Ang Tanging Ina Nyong Lahat.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Pink.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Why is Autumn not in the options? Summer.

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Kisses, of course!

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Jet. Don't fail me ;oP

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?


39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
New Moon. I'm also listening to it when I don't have my book with me.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Never a fan of mouse pads. I'm a trackpad user.

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" featuring the Philippines.

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S).
Easy listening (when I'm taking a bubble bath), Pop (when I'm driving), Light Rock (when I'm working out). No sound (when I'm about to sleep).

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Beatles. I don't know any RS song.

44. WHAT'S THE FARTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME?
I am far away from home right now. Am in the US of A.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Uhm, I can sing. I can dance. I can paint. I can illustrate. I can draw. I can cook. Are any of these special?

46 WHERE WERE U BORN?
Pasig, Rizal Philippines.

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
I will read all the answers later.

48. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER or EX?
Help me find my special someone.

Skiing @ Whitetail Resort

The group left Ashburn around 9. Vans & Tina got the GPS so we just followed them with me behind the wheel and Ogz doing the navigation (Joy is driving later). We reached Whitetail Resort before 11 in the morning.We first paid the 80-dollar ticket which includes an hour-and-a-half training. We're all beginners 'cept Ogz. Vans & Tina preferred snowboarding while the rest of us will try skiing for the first time.

Before heading to the ski rental, we checked out the shop beside the ticket booth. They're selling a lot of ski stuff but they're pretty overpriced. I bought my ski pants/sweatpants at Walmart for 15 bucks ;oP

Before you can even rent shoes and ski, you have to sign this paper. It contains info such as your height & weight, shoe size and age. My shoe size is 8 so I asked for an 8.5. I noticed right away how tight it was. The shoes, I must say, was VERY challenging to wear. It took me, like, 20 minoots to wear both. Broke a sweat even. The shoes are also damn heavy.

We then walked towards the ski rental. The guy behind the counter used this clipboard containing tables of values. Then he got me my skis and adjusted it to my shoe size. Before leaving the shop, I got the yellow poles as advised.

We went out and tried our skis. I was able to slide a few distance. Yay! 'twas fun. There were a lotta people in the resort. We could see different slopes with peeps sliding down on snowboards or skis. A lot of peeps were also going down on their bums. I'll be one of them soon.We waited for our training. At 12:30, we were met by Ruby. She was fun and full of energy. She asked for our names and discussed the basics of skiing. She taught us the correct posture, how to turn and how to stop.

After an hour and a half of trying how to ski, she then asked us if we already wanna try the real slope. I guess that's the signal for "graduation". Most of the participants got excited. I said 'no' the invitation 'cause I ain't ready yet. I still had to practice my turns and my breaks. Plus, I was scared too (am afraid of heights, remember?). Ogz tried it. Joy stayed with me.When Ogz got back, we had our late lunch. We saw Tina & Vans by the cafeteria. My feet were also killing me so I kicked off my shoes while eating a cold Angus beef burger. The crab soup was too salty for me. Didn't enjoy it but I had to eat sumpthin'.

Before we skied again, I went back inside to replace my shoes & readjust my skis. This time, it felt better. I got a 9.5.

So we tried the lift this time. I was trying not to think about the trip down the slope. Ugh! When it's time to get off, we lifted the bar and did a Superman-like position. I thought I'd be able to ski and turn to my right. But I fell down for the first time ;oPRuby didn't teach us how to get up with the skis on. I looked for help. Joy was also down ;oP And Ogz was too far away. I asked Joy how she got up. She removed her skis. That's what I did.

Then it's time to go down the hill. Ugh! I cannot do it. I kept imagining myself going down and losing control. Joy & Ogz were a few distance away and they kept urging me to move my ass. So little by little, I moved. I find it hard to turn to the right. To stop, I turn to the left and most of the time, I fall down. It's fun to fall 'cause it doesn't hurt ;oPAnyhoo, we all made it downhill with no injuries (thank gawd!). Ogz must have gone up and down, like, 3-4 times. He's the best skier in the group. He glides! I enjoyed my first skiing even though I couldn't muster going up the hill again. 'twas a dayyum fun adventure!

The General Motors Crash Diet

Ogz's kuya Vans tried this crash diet and has lost 10 pounds in just 7 days. No kiddin'. This program was designed for the employees & families of GM. It's also FDA approved so there's nuthin' to worry about.

Here's the deal:

Day One. Fruits, fruits, fruits. All you can eat fruits, with the exception of bananas. Watermelons and melons are highly recommended. 10 glasses of water.

Day Two. Veggie day. You can start your day by eating one baked potato. Then it's all you can eat veggies the rest of the day. 10 glasses of water.

Day Three. No potato and still no banana but it's a mix of fruits & veggies. Again, eat as much as you can. 10 glasses of water.

Day Four. You can eat as many as 8 bananas and 3 glasses of milk. My friend, Tina, combined the two and made some milkshake ;oP This is for the potassium and sodium that are missing from our diet. 10 glasses of water.

Day Five. It's beef and tomatoes day. Hamburgers are allowed but you can only eat, at most, 2 10 ounces of lean beef. 6 whole tomatoes must be eaten too. Increase water intake by a quart.

Day Six. Beef and veggies. I think, so far, this is the looking-forward-to day in this program. You can eat as much beef (for iron & protein) and veggies (for fiber) as you want.

Day Seven. Fruit juices and veggies. You can also eat brown rice but I'm not a fan of this.


The more I read about the program, the more I wanna try it out. I'll let you know if it worked for me.

Happy Birthday, Alwyn!

Am always happy when Alwyn cooks spaghetti. I just ♥ it! He has copied the taste of Shakey's spaghetti which, I think, is the best spaghetti I've ever tasted. For his birthday celeb, he offered to cook for all of us.While waiting for dinner, we setup the videoke. I sang "A Little Bit". After a few minutes, the chicken wings arrived. We brought wine and Richie bought some ice cream. This will be a fun & filling night ;oP
Afterwards, we played poker. Jet won. *sigh*

And then, we sang the rest of the night away. Jet got his highest score on "Princesa". I think he got a 95 or sumpthin'. I sang "I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You". Alwyn played around with the MagicSing and found a way to change his voice and the accompaniment.

The Bucket List

Place an X by all the things you've done and remove the X from the ones you have not. Things you have done during your lifetime:

( ) Gone on a blind date
( ) Skipped school
( ) Watched someone die
( ) Been to Canada
( ) Been to Mexico
(x) Been to Florida
( ) Been to Hawaii
( ) Jumped off a cliff-sanddune
( ) Bungee jump
(x) Parasailed
(x) Been on a plane
( ) Flown a plane
( ) Been on a helicopter
(x) Been lost
(x) Gone to Washington, DC
(x) Swam in the ocean
( ) Cried yourself to sleep
(x) Played cops and robbers
(x) Recently colored with crayons
(x) Sang Karaoke
( ) Paid for a meal with coins only
( ) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch
( ) Been to New York City at Xmas time
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(x) Made prank phone calls
( ) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans
( ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose & elsewhere
( ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
( ) Danced in the rain
( ) Written a letter to Santa Claus
( ) Been kissed under the mistletoe
( ) Watched the sunrise with someone
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice-skating
(x) Gone to the movies
( ) Been deep sea fishing
( ) Driven across the United States
( ) Been in a hot air balloon
( ) Been sky diving
(x) Been scuba diving-in shallow water
( ) Surfed
( ) Gone snowmobiling
(x) Lived in more than one country
(x) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars
(x) Seen a falling star and made a wish
( ) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser
( ) Seen the Grand Canyon
( ) Slept out in the desert
( ) Been to Napa, CA and tasted wine
( ) Been on a cruise
(x) Traveled by train
(x) Traveled by motorcycle
( ) Been horse back riding
( ) Ridden on a San Francisco CABLE CAR
(x) Been to Disney World...
(x) Truly believe in the power of prayer/thought/energy
( ) Been in a rain forest
( ) Seen whales in the ocean
( ) Seen a volcano
( ) Been to Niagara Falls
( ) Ridden on an elephant
( ) Swam with dolphins
( ) Been to the Olympics
( ) Walked on the Great Wall of China
( ) Saw and heard a glacier crack
( ) Been spinnaker flying
( ) Been water-skiing
(x) Been snow-skiing
( ) Been to Westminster Abbey
( ) Been to the Louvre
(x) Can sign language
( ) Swam in the Mediterranean
(x) Been to a Major League Baseball game
( ) Been to a National Football League game
(x) Ever been skinny-dipping
(x) Laugh so hard you cry
( ) Follow a map for treasure
( ) Drive a dune buggy
( ) Get lost in East L.A. after dark
( ) Got a Tattoo

And I Love You So

Yesterday, I gave you "Tell Me That You Love Me" video from Regine's latest album, "Low Key". Here's the follow-up single, a Don McLean original. Thanks to the fan, c2rax, who uploaded it on YouTube. That's her real boyfriend, Ogie, and that's her real dog, George (this dog is getting a lot of exposure!). The video was shot in her own house in Quezon City.

Tell Me That You Love Me

Here's the carrier single of Regine's first album from Universal Records called "Low Key". A Terri Gibbs original. First time I heard her version, I fell in love with it. The guy in the vid is Akihiro Sato, a half-Brazilian & half-Japanese model.

Lights! Camera! Action!

A few months ago, I saw this booth at Tysons Corner that looks for young actors who want to be a part of "High School Musical". While walking past it, the lady behind the counter smiled at me and asked if I wanted to put my name in the list and audition for a role.

I stopped and thought, "She had no freakin' idea that I'm waaaay beyond the demographics that they're looking for". Anyhoo, I signed my name and gave my contact info.

Today, I got a call from "Youth Film Academy" and the caller asked me if I wanted to attend an audition this Saturday.

I was, like, oh!

Dancing with the Stars Contestants

Last year, I got SUPER excited when I found out that my ultimate crush, Brooke Burke, is gonna be dancing in this show. Of course, I voted for her multiple times and was extremely happy when she got the mirror ball trophy. She deffo deserved that one.

For this season, I only know a handful of the contestants:

Jewel - there has to be a singer in the bunch; last year, it was Toni Braxton; She is dancing against her hubby, Ty Murray

Steve-O - one of the comedians in the group; the other one is David Alan Grier

Chuck Wicks - beautiful Julianne Hough's boyfriend; Lucky bastard! 

Gilles Marini - the hottie neighbor of Samantha in the movie version of "Sex and the City"

Denise Richards - she'll bring the sexiness in this bunch but I don't think she's at par with my Brooke

On March 9th, the show will be back at 8 pm. Mark your calendars!

Ahh, Saturday!

The past week has been really hectic. Worked till the wee hours of the morning. 'twas so tiring. Consumed Red Bull and so much coffee the past few nights. I need to take it easy....

I'm glad I get to enjoy my weekend without looking at a piece of code. Two relaxin' days. Yay!

What I normally do when I had a busy week is I get my bubble bath, read a book or catch up on tv shows or movies that I missed watching.

For today, I'll do my laundry and get some more sleep.

See you on the other side.

He's Just Not That Into You

When I saw the trailer of this movie late last year, I thought, I'd deffo watch the film. For one, it stars a lot of familiar faces (don't hold your breath): Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Connelly, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper (Will from "Alias"), Justin Long (the Mac guy) and Kevin Connolly (E from "Entourage").

As expected, the lives of these peeps are intertwined. I won't give you any spoilers though ;oP The movie also used comments by real peeps--very "Sex and the City".

I must say that Scarlett is SO effing beautiful in the film (I enjoyed ALL her scenes most especially the last office scene). Bradley Cooper is one lucky bastard.

According to Joy, Greg Behrendt, the co-author of the book, made a cameo during the wedding scene of Aniston's sister. Watch out for that. Speaking of books, I'll start reading the e-book that Faye sent me.

United States of Tara

Toni Collette is, for me, one of the best actresses that we have around. I loved her in "In Her Shoes" and "Little Miss Sunshine". She's one of those few people on screen that tug at your heart when you see them cry.

For fans of "Sex and the City', John Corbett (aka Aidan Shaw) is in the show as Tara's husband. And Diablo Cody, the writer of "Juno", is one of the executive producers (Steven Spielberg is another one).

For the first few minoots of the Pilot episode, I was, like, what the hell is going on? And then I figured out that Tara (Collette) has multiple personalities raising a dysfunctional family. What a weird combo!

The opening credit is cute. You'll see there the different personalities: you get "T" (she wears a thong), "Buck" (the biker dude) and "Alice" (a Bree wannabe). Tara refers to them as the "Alters".

I found a show that I could watch while waiting for "So You Think You Can Dance", "Californication" and "True Blood" to come back later this year.

The House Bunny

If you just wanna relax and get entertained by a silly movie, then "The House Bunny" is for you.

The story's about Shelley (Anna Faris), a Playboy House Bunny, who got kicked out of the mansion and found herself in the company of misfits from the ZETA sorority. Since she's basically homeless, she applied to be the House Mother of ZETA.

The movie has a "Legally Blonde" feel to it but Anna's type of comedy is way different than Reese's. She can deffo play the dumb and sexy blonde. In this movie, she looks like one of those bunnies (minus the ginormous boobies).

Of course, what's Playboy Mansion without Mr. Hefner himself. He made a cameo with Holly, Kendra and Bridget in tow.

Katharine McPhee is just plain gorgeous. Emma Stone (Natalie) reminds me so much of Lindsay Lohan (back in the ole days).

Watch out for the transformation of the ZETA girls.

Teddy Bear

When I saw this blue bear on top of my cube, i was, like, "how cute!" I thought my friend, Leslie, just wanted me to see it 'cause it has a "Makati, Philippines" stitched to it.

So I had to ask her what it's doing on top of my cube. She asked me if I wanted it. I said, "I ♥ stuffed toys!" She gave it to me that instant ;oP

25 Random Things About Me

Got this from my friend, Vicky. I'll also post this on FaceBook.

Now, this is difficult 'cause I've already written 100 Random Things about me-self. I'll try to be creative again:

1. I share my birthday with Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Christopher Reeve and Will Smith. What a wicked league!

2. When I go shopping and I find an item I really love, I buy it. I don't care usually how much it costs. This has always been my problem.

3. I fell in love with the Mac in '95. I used to teach Adobe products on the Mac too. So when I got my very first Mac last year (2007), I was the happiest!

4. I wanna buy my own La-Z-Boy someday. There's this one time, I found an old orange La-Z-Boy in someone's yard. I brought it home. Too bad, I was in IL then. I wasn't able to bring it home to Manila =o(

5. I've memorized 90% of the songs in "Miss Saigon". I've seen it twice even. First time in NYC and second in Manila. I was extremely happy to watch/hear the original Kim, Lea Salonga.

6. I wrote one of my dogs a poem the night he died. I could still remember his sad face.

7. When I got bit by my puppy, Butter, I thought I'd die. I was already thinking about my funeral service.

8. My mom used to call me, "Salva", which is short for Salvador. When a kid overheard this, she asked, "Baket po, Salva? Salvahe po ba sya?" (Why Salva? Is he bad?)

9. I love grocery shopping. I enjoy looking at different brands and just walking down the different aisles.

10. I prefer thin crust pizza over thick or deep dish. I love 'em meaty.

11. I hope someday I could go on a cruise.

12. The first item that I ever bought with my first credit card was a pair of Bally shoes.

13. The first CD that I bought was the "Yentl" soundtrack. I know all the songs there.

14. I love listening to Jim Chappell when I have my bubble baths.

15. Am a huge fan of Bath & Body Works' "Black Currant Vanilla". From lotion to body wash. Very sensual smell.

16. I could finish a bottle of garlic peanuts in one sitting.

17. My favorite ice cream flavor is Magnolia's Chocolate Marble. Am not a fan of Rocky Road. I want my ice cream to be smooth. Don't like anything extra in it. No mallows. No peanuts. No fruits even.

18. Speaking of fruits, I'm not the biggest fan of fruits. I only eat a handful: apples, grapes, strawberries, bananas, watermelon and melon.

19. The longest I've driven is from Virginia to New York.

20. First time to drive in Manila was only last year. From Makati to Tagaytay. I don't know how to drive a manual transmission, y'see.

21. Beringer White Zinfandel is my favorite wine.

22. From short to long, with highlights, with color, skinhead, dreadlocks to Emo. I have tried various hairstyles. Next project: Afro.

23. I wanna experience an authentic Oktoberfest.

24. Am such a night owl.

25. I wanna have my nipple(s) pierced.

Lego-las

Channeling Bree Again

No time to go to the gym today. Instead, I channeled Mrs. Van de Kamp and did some house cleaning. That would still burn me some calories, right? Anyhoo, I concentrated on the bathroom.

To keep me company, I sing while I clean. The acoustic inside the bathroom is really, really, really great.

I targeted the walls and the tub first. After, like, 30 minoots, I was done. The scrub-free spray is not actually being honest. The dirt still needed some scrubbing though.

Next was the toilet bowl and the floor. Last was the mirror.

After more than an hour, I was finally done with my work. Now, I could have bubble baths again. Yay!