Love Friday: Our 67th month

This week has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Two of my closest friends had a misunderstanding, it has been a crazy work week for me as I ran around the office and skipped two hours of Project Management Seminar that I am attending, and today is our 67th monthsary. Crazy, huh?

Well, I won't dwell much on the friendship thingy either my workweek, but i believe its more apt if I focus on how old Louie and I been together. We were never been the ordinary couple. Some of his friends think I am out of my mind since I took him in my life and jokingly they would say that they still don't get me. 

Louie is never that ordinary person - he was (and always will be) the king of corniness, that me myself can't avoid. He is never the quiet one, I managed to be that person on this relationship. He was more of that feminine person, I was the masculine. I never liked cheesy moments, he would insist to hold my hand, or hug me every time he wants to. But, we are both crazy. We bet on NBA, we bet on everything worth betting, and I would always think of bets that he will not ever ever like until he shakes his head and pull his hair. Funny thing, despite him being the corny one, I think, I am getting on his wits end every single time. 

Today is our 67th month. Of these 67 months, he got 50% right on the right number, 50% on the wrong. I would always, everytime ask him if he is spending that (n) number of months with another. All he answers: "Kagatin kita dyan e." We are a childish pair. I am not used to PDA, but I would treat him more like a brother and a bestfriend when we are outside. 

I am lucky to have this guy, we have been through a lot. Break up bets, no communication week, months and months of waiting for each other, spending our anniversaries apart and managing work and relationship. He understands me and my work, he would inspire me to do my best, approves my shoe addiction and other requests and he balances that craziness and rightness frame of mind within me. 

He maybe one of those people you wouldn't like to spend the rest of your life with. But just in case, we will stay together, I am prepared if ever he hit the alarm. A night outside our (future) house. No worries, I will buy him a tent so I will not be the bad person. :D

67 months, and hopefully, more and more months to go. 

When life gives you lemons, exchange it with something else!

Its the final month of the second quarter. Time passed so fast, I am on my third month in the new job, third month of studying things, forgetting the rest and learning new ones.

Last Friday, I met up with my former officemates, and I am really glad (and ecstatic, despite its not budgeted) to meet them. But, I was not prepared of how they looked now. Khriz was thinner than ever, Ryan was a lot horizontally challenged than before. I am afraid, their workplace has taken a toll on them.

This night, one of my closest colleague posted that she was missing so much of her life, and is not very happy on her work. I was never a good adviser, but I am open on sharing what I have learned based from my experience.

Last year, I was on the same page. I wanted to move on, find another job or to the minimal extent, divert my attention from what is happening to the four corners of the room. I never want to complain, its not even my nature, but situations have emerged that it made me think, "what would I become if I stay in this company?". Its not a challenge for the company, but instead, it was a challenge for myself.

I started to think about taking masters degree, everything was laid out perfectly. I have my exam schedules, I thought of how I would spend the remaining hours of the evening for review, where will I go, how much would I spend on the exams. I even read blogs and universities' policies, just in case I managed to pass the requirements. I even imagined myself staying in a campus dorm outside of the Philippines, thinking how much would I save from the monthly stipend, how my life would be in a foreign university. Little by little, I finally lessen the hours I complain with people, however, I found myself being alone. I don't want to ruin the momentum I have that time. However, some things happened that you are not in control of. I am ready to let go, yet, I stayed for a year after all the plans have been laid. Simple, I don't want to ruin somebody's life because of the thought that I will leave.

Months passed, workload became heavy and the masteral degree took a backseat, or more so, was put in the trunk and simply forgotten. But, the questions remained at the back of my mind, "what am I going to do for the rest of my life? What is it for me outside that glass door and after the shadow of these people?" Lastly, "why do some people land a job better that where I am now, given that I believe I worth more than this?".

Masters degree was forgotten, I believe, this is not the right year for it, so I diverted my attention in looking for a new job. Its not I don't like my job anymore, its not challenging for me - and moreso, I don't find myself making "kaplastikan" with some people in the workplace. I never want to be a burden in the team - that they would constantly ask how I feel, if I am alright. So I decided that maybe, shifting to a new environment would make me think what I want to be and where will I spend the rest of my life with.

Many would say, when life gives you lemons, make a lemonade. Simple, accept what life gives you and make something ordinary out of it. I want to think I am not one of those. I believe, when life gives you lemons, exchange it to something else, apples maybe since its more abundant in the food industry, you can make more amazing things out of it.

Changing what you have is never easy, and I've experienced it. Its literally back to square one.

Its the time of the month for May!

While I am anxiously waiting for my monthly visitor to knock on my uterus wall, I had another monthly meeting with my great friends last night.

They felt that they are cheating on me, since they more often see each other after their respective language classes on Saturdays and I wasn't able to answer their texts, tweets, posts and calls since I was busy with the new job and responsibilities. So yesternight, while Mother Nature is busy watering the Metro, we went out for dinner and tea.

We tried Bfast, a quaint resto in Ayala Triangle Gardens, owned by Chef Laudico (Chef Lau for short). It is famous for its all day breakfast meals and buffet breakfast sets. We tried out Angus corned beef (not the corned beef that we usually know) - which is nearer to chopped pork set, Angus tapa (since Angus tocino is not available) and Karne-vorous omelet (yes, the spelling and thus, the pronunciation when you order it). Amae bought us a big (and heavy) cake from Calea, one of the best cakeshops in the Philippines, since she came from Bacolod the week before. With a corkage fee of just Php100, we were allowed to eat the cake right in Bfast.

BFast menu

Oo, cake yan. fail lang ang lighting. 

As the heavy rain comes, and more nahihiya na kami sa Bfast for staying long, we changed venues to CBTL, our favorite coffee shop in the world. It was really nice that you have such great friends and bullies, since we had our conversations:

Story 1:
Me (to Coeli): Teh, may utang ka pang kwento sa akin. Did ____ already shared to you?
Coeli: Ay hindi pa teh. Sa (event) na lang daw.
Me and Amae: Teh, itext mo, magpost ka. sabihin mo, sabihin na sa iyo.
(Coeli obliged and text and posted to her (actually, our) friend's wall. Friend answered and insisted that she would share it with Coeli on the event. Bilang bullies and "The friend" as our favorite conversation topic, we asked Coeli na kulitin nya ang friend namin. So friend told what the rumor is.)

Amae: Teh, hindi naman yan ka-rumor-rumor. We will tell her what true rumor is all about. And its based on facts! (FAVE LINE 1).


Story 2: Me talking about a gay friend's lovelife and sharing that he had this love triangle. So I termed the triangle as: Jowa 1 (original jowa), Common Jowa (as the cheater boyfriend) and Jowa 2 (my gay friend).

Common Jowa - AMAE's FAVE TERM OF THE NIGHT.


Story 3: Since we are going to Indochina this August, I have to ask them what's their preferred mode of transportation from Siam Reap to Bangkok.

Me: Mga teh, ano ang mas gusto ninyong sakyan? Tren o bus? Ang tren, third class ito, parang PNR train from way back.
Coeli: May cafe ba dun?
Me and Amae: LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!

Third class train cafe : OUR FAVORITE LINE, EVER.

Ang mga Atei.. :)

Amae: We look like kids! :)

Bucket List: Food Category

Here's the list of the best food that I have eaten so far...

Chocolate Sin  (Zuzuni Boracay). The best chocolate thing I have ever consumed. 

Couple's Halo-halo (Halowich Boracay)

Quattro Stagioni (Aria Boracay): Pizza with four toppings (Aria, Boscaiola, Napoli and Frutti de Mare)

Jonah's Fruitshake (Boracay)

Jeepers Creepers cake (Banapple)

Triple Decker Cheesecake, Mango Cheesecake and  The Dome (Parvati)

Fish Tonkatsu with Cheese and White Topping (John and Yoko)

Spam Musubi (UTT 7.0)

The Man Sandwich (Mad Marks)

Cello's Doughnuts

Stores:

Aria: Station 2, Boracay, Aklan and Bonifacio High Street

Banapple: Katipunan, Quezon City and Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati City

Cello's Doughnuts: Katipunan, Quezon City and SM North Sky Garden

Halowich: Station 2, Boracay, Aklan

John and Yoko: Greenbelt 5 and Alabang Town Center

Jonah's Fruitshake: Station 1, Boracay, Aklan

Mad Marks - Kapitolyo Food Strip (that's what I call it), West Capitol Drive, Brgy. Kapitolyo, Pasig City

Parvati: Trinoma (near Fully Booked and Beabi)

Zuzuni Boracay, Station 2, Boracay, Aklan (near Havaianas store)

Lazy Sunday: Photography Books

What I love about Sunday is that I can sit around our house and be prisoner of written principles and moments.  I am a reader, not very fond of fictions, but more of non-fictions. I would go straight on business and marketing books and self-help (aside from pens section) once I am in a bookstore. (Yes, bookstores here in the Philippines are not merely "book" stores, but they offer stationary, home and office supplies, bags, kids stuff and magazines. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you would see various gift items (like bands, mugs and alike)).

Anyways, since its Sunday and I have one of the cherished free times in my work, I am busy checking out Photography books. As many of us will notice, teens and young alike are lurking around malls carrying their DSLRs. I wouldn't like to be dubbed as a poser photographer, so I believe it is necessary that I start reading materials that would make me understand my new hobby.

Google is our friend, and thus, I found a list of photography books suited for a beginner. I have two saved in my laptop though, National Geography's Ultimate Guide to Digital Photography and Five Steps in Shooting in Manual. These are light reads, and being a fast reader, I should be buying another book by the end of the month.

So while looking for new books,  I stumbled upon these few recommended for photography hobbyist like me:

My goal is by the end of the third quarter, I will on the next step in photography and will be reading the following:

I would like to think that this is my own way to be able to differentiate myself from those poser photographers. I don't like to be named one, so I am doing these extra steps in improving myself on this new craft.