Just when I thought I was back on schedule...

...workout schedule that is. I'm coming down with something. What started out as a sniffling-sneezing-runny-nose head cold, has now become a tickle-in-my-throat-coughing-congested thing. Ugh! I was thinking of toughing it out at the gym, but I didn't want it to get worse. I've done the chicken soup thing during lunch already, so I guess I just need to pump up on the vitamin C and drink lots of liquids. Or I could just take some drugs. =P *sigh* I hate being sick.

Random Thought

I can't help but wonder
if what was told to me before
is becoming a reality...

Amazing, what certain comments can do
The harder you try not to think about it
the more it occupies your mind
It wanders
and you wonder
if what was said
foreshadows what's going to happen...

Movie with Irma

Since it's cheap Tuesdays, Irma and I went to see The Mothman Prophecies at Eaton Centre. The movie was...well...weird. Don't know what else to say about it. But I do agree with Irma in giving it a 2.5 stars out of 5.

Slowly getting back to normal

I actually did a couple things today. Did some banking, filled up the car (gotta love full service especially when it's cold out), and went to the gym. Yup, I finally made it to the gym. Woo hoo! And I'm so glad I went. There's nothing like going to the gym and feeling so revived after. Granted I had a pretty easy workout, but hey I have to slowly ease my way back to my schedule. Don't want to overdo it after not doing anything for 2 months!

Day 5 -- What a Day!

I was a bit overwhelmed yesterday with the workload. I didn't realize how busy it could get, but then we were processing stuff from the weekend. I managed to get through it though. Took me a little bit longer than I would've liked, but I'm sure when I finally get the hang of this stuff it won't be so bad. Now if only I can get myself on some kind of schedule. Since it's my day off today, I think I'll be able to attempt that. Hmmm...now where should I start?

3-way calling...

... the alternative to our traditional Café Select thing, only without the café. I had quite the conversation with my confused & delirious and hyper-menopausal friends (yes guys, we're back to the name/status thing again. hehe). And during our "insightful" conversation we decided to come up with a rule book for 2002. So, here goes:

Rule Book for 2002:

1. Get with the program (this applies to all confused people);
   
2. No hitting below the belt;
   
3. Do not get others confused with you;
   
4. No more rules;
   
5. [OK, maybe one more] No swearing (I won't mention any names)

The first offense constitutes a warning; the second offense results in "probabation" [no, I'm not dyslexic and I don't stutter either =P]; the third offense is means for punishment (to be determined by the secretary)

Key notes:

• Q: So that's $15 for sex? A: Yes, and that's with 2 girls and a surprise bonus. For $2 more you can get the one that loves you the most. Plus, you get free shipping and handling. And if you sign up right now, you receive a free pen! LOL!! =P
  
• Someone's "fermenting" in their room
  
• 2 months -- IP3

Just another one of those "you-had-to-be-there-in-order-to-understand-moments" with my whacky friends. hehehe. :-)

Cold Night Out

Although it was -28C last night, I still went out with Irma, Irma's aussie friend Matthew, and Jo Anne. [sidenote: throughout the night, Irma had her seizures. hehe =P]. We all met at Montana's for a quick bite to eat then headed to Gateway Lanes for 10-pin bowling. Before we got our lane, we did a bit of car racing (which gave me a headache), and Jo Anne and I played a bit of golf. Then it was off to our lane. I think I got one strike, but it wasn't enough to win. ;-) Jo Anne played really well on the last game. After bowling, Irma, Matthew and I went to Keegan's for tea and then called it a night.

Highlights of the evening:

• Q: What did you do to the door? A: It had a seizure
  
• I was bowling the wrong way AND broke a nail
  
• Irma fell off the wagon and is drinking again (hehehe =P)
  
• being "haunted" with memories

Something I picked up from my cup of tea:

To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour
William Blake (1757-1827)

Weird Scheduling

I went to work today only because I'm still getting used to the procedures at my new job. Apparently, we get Sundays and Tuesdays off. Which is different. In a way, it's kinda good that I get Tuesdays off because it breaks up the week. But at the same time, I get Sundays off, then work Mondays, then off again on Tuesdays. Not sure if I like that. Oh well. It's only the beginning. Once I get the hang of the systems used here, I'll probably be able to change up my schedule. One thing I like about this job is that the hours are flexible. As long as I work 40 hours a week, that's good enough. I don't have to work a typical 9 to 5 shift. From what Larry told me, I could work in the morning, take off in the afternoons, and then come back in the evenings. But I don't think I'll do that since I'm trying to get back into my work out schedule, which will take up my evenings. Unless of course I do my workout in the mornings. But that would mean I'd have to wake up really early. Ugh. I need to figure this out...

BRRRRRRRR!!!!!

It's f-f-f-f-freeeezing!! It's days like these when I wish I were still in PI. What really sucks is the fact that my car won't heat up properly. As I was driving home from work, my car barely got warm, the inside of my windows were frosting up, and I had the heater on high. Ugh. I think I need a new car. Just need to save up a bit of money. Hmmm, maybe in the spring/summer? Hopefully the weather won't get any c-c-c-c-colder than it already is.

Day 2 at my new job

It went pretty well. Learned a lot of things, some of which were similar to my previous jobs. Only the systems used were a bit different. I was a bit dizzy this morning from all the driving though -- from location A to location B, then to the bank, then back to A, back to the bank (because we forgot something), back to A again, then finally back to B. Whew! My day was going OK until I had a "run-in" at the bank. I ran into a former co-worker's wife which made my day. I didn't appreciate the comment she made about me working for this new company. Plus she made it sound like I made a bad mistake taking my current position. I could've made a scene right there, but I held back. It just wasn't worth it. Despite the minor annoyance, overall I had a pretty good day. I'm just hoping that I can get the hang of these systems pretty soon.


Shopping

Seeing as I just came back from PI with a bunch of stuff, I wasn't really anticipating on shopping here. But since it's so warm in PI, and all the stuff I bought were spring/summer clothes, and the fact that it's COLD here means that I can't wear them just yet. Plus I got some Christmas money from my uncle, so I decided to spend it. OK, maybe I'm making excuses but there was also a sale going on. =P I didn't get too much (only 2 shirts and 2 skirts). But I think it will be a long time before I go shopping again. What, you don't believe me?! ;-)

First day at my new job

It was pretty laid back (only worked half day). Didn't get into too much stuff, but so far it seems pretty straight forward. One thing's for sure, the work environment here is TOTALLY different than my previous job. The people I've met so far have been friendly and easy going. And one thing I like is the fact that I don't have to dress up. I can wear jeans to work. Woo hoo! Can't really say anything else since my first full day of work will be tomorrow. So we'll see what happens then.

Feeling sleepy...

...and it's only 7:45 pm? Maybe i'm still on Philippine time (it's 10:45 am there). Or maybe it has something to do with the fact that I took Tylenol (nighttime formula) for my headache. I think I need a nap...

I have a job!

I went for the interview yesterday and it went well. I was left with the choice of whether or not I wanted to accept the position. After thinking about it, I decided to take the job. It's a bit different than what I was doing before, but different is always good. Plus I'll be exposed to an entirely different industry, which will be a good learning experience for me. The hours are flexible (not as flexible as Gary's =P), I get discounts on stuff (sometimes free), and it seems like a fun work environment (totally different than my previous job). The only thing is I'll be taking a pay cut and there are no benefits. But at this point, I can't be too picky. I've been out of work for 2 months, and I have all these bills to pay. From what they tell me, this is somewhat of a new position so I'll be able to "set the standard" in a sense. There is potential for growth within the company, and they may even expand into Calgary. The way I see it, it doesn't hurt to give it a shot. Worse case scenario is I might not like it and end up looking for something else. And should that happen, I'm not too worried about finding something else. But I like to be optimistic about things. Who knows, maybe this will end up being a good thing for me.

Still not quite in the groove of things...

I set my alarm for 8:00 am thinking I'd get a head start on my day. Also to adjust my sleeping patterns to Edmonton time. I heard my alarm, but I felt really tired. It also didn't help that my head was pounding. So, I went back to sleep. Seeing as I'm unemployed (but not for long), it doesn't really matter what time I get up. But I don't want to get used to waking up at 10:30 am. Plus I REALLY need to hit the gym. Something I so missed while I was in PI. I was thinking of joining the fitness club near our house, but my mom didn't want me walking around by myself. Understandable since the people could tell I wasn't from there, so you never knew what people would do to you. Trying to get back on track is a bit harder than I thought. My motivation level is on the low side and it doesn't help when my to-do list is getting longer and longer. Argh!! But really, I am glad to be back.

I can finally publish this now...

Just got back from Irma's and did we ever talk each other's ears off! hehehe. But it was all good though. It was good to catch up on things and I'm sure I missed a few details, but there'll be plenty of time to fill you in. [mental note: coffee guy].

Well now that I can finally post this, I think I better get to sleep since I have a meeting tomorrow morning. *sigh* I didn't think it would be this hard to adjust, but my sleeping pattern is still whacked out. Then again, I was gone for 2 months so I'm still on filipino time.

Sorry Irma...

...but I couldn't resist. It may have seemed like I toured most PI, but I actually didn't. I did go to those places mentioned before, but I was stuck at home most of the time. So you can understand how I came up with the plan to pull that prank on you. I had all that time to "conspire." I even had hold off on posting my previous entry just in case you happened to be online (had to cover my tracks y'know). And sure enough you logged on. hehehe. Sorry man. But chatting with you online made things a bit easier for me. At least you weren't be able to hear me laugh. I'm sure you'll get me back, but just remember...LUV U... ;-)

Guess who's back in town?

Yup, I'm finally back from the Philippines after being gone for 2 months (65 days to be exact), and it feels good to be back home. I actually got back 2 days ago and would've posted something then, but I had other things to do, like unpack and SLEEP (it feels good to sleep in my own bed)! After getting the rest I needed, my mind feels more refreshed to post something.

Let's see, where do I begin? From the beginning I guess, duh! =P I was thinking of writing what I wrote in my journal, but 65 days worth of events would take too long. So, I'll just have to summarize my days' events, observations, etc.

The trip to the Philippines
Very long. After a total of 10 hours waiting in airports and 17 hours of flying time, my mom and I finally made it to PI. Although it wasn't as hot as when I went in May 2000, it was still hot. It didn't take me too long to adjust to the humidity, and in no time I was sweating.

It's different
Anyone who visits a foreign country says that "it's different." The way of life in PI is much different than our technologically-advanced-somewhat-high-society way of living. Sure there's technology and wealth in PI, but it usually denotes social status. Just driving through the neighborhoods depicts the classes of the people -- you're either rich or you're not. While one building may be this high-class hi-rise condo, right next to it is a shack which is home to another person. There are also a lot of people driving BMW's, Benz's, etc. You have to wonder how the people can afford these things when the Philippines is considered a third world country? So with that in mind, I would say PI is the "richest" third world country.

Traffic
The streets are filled with vehicles which have transformed a 3-lane street into a 4 or 5-lane freeway. There's no speed limit (that I noticed), and even though the drivers don't follow the "rules of the road" they are very skilled. With only inches between the cars, people are able to maneuver through traffic without getting into accidents. Makes you wonder how people who take driver's ed still turn out to be crappy drivers?

With all the vehicles on the road, they also have this traffic reduction program where you can't drive you car on a certain day (until 7:00 pm) if your license plate ends in the specified number for that day. But even with this program, there are still all these cars on the road, besides the buses, taxis, jeepneys, etc.

Pollution
With driving comes pollution, especially from the black smoke-belching buses and jeepneys. I remember when I was in PI in 1982, most of the people covered their noses with panyô. But I noticed that not many people use them now. Maybe they got used to breathing it in? Yuck.

What also adds to the pollution is that some people burn their garbage in front of their houses. Maybe they don't want to add to the accumulation of garbage. Yet at the same time they're adding to the pollution. It's a no-win situation.

Depending on where you are, there's definitely lots of garbage in PI especially on the streets. The only area that I went to which had absolutely no garbage whatsoever on the streets was in Marikina. And it's because they have a good mayor. Anyway, in some areas there are even signs that say "bawal mag tapon ng basura dito." And ironically, garbage is placed right underneath the sign. I think part of their garbage problem is due to excess packaging. It seems everything is wrapped in either plastic or paper or both. Even magazines are wrapped in plastic. Not to say that PI is the only place with garbage problems, but trying to cut down on packaging would be a start. Come to think of it, this problem is everywhere to a certain extent.

Creepy Crawlies and Other Critters
I was welcomed by my biggest fans in PI -- the mosquitoes. =P They just love me. I guess it's because of my "imported" blood (hehehe). But towards the end, they stopped bothering me. Uh, perhaps it's because I don't have much blood to give in the first place?

Then of course there were ipis in the bathroom, butiki on the ceiling, and a mouse in the house. Ayyyyy! There were also 2 tiny baby snakes (the size of big earthworms), that we noticed in the kitchen. Ugh! Just thinking about it gives me the heeby-jeebies.

Food
One thing I will definitely miss about the Philippines (besides my relatives) is the FOOD! There always seemed to be way too much food at our house. And you're constantly eating (try 6 times a day).

I did eat out a few times with my cousins. A few key places were:

• The Okavango (on the Riverbanks) in Marikina was really cool. It's a 3-level patio with an African theme to it. Awesome margueritas!
  
• Cloud 9 (reminded me of Bern) in Antipolo which was on top of this hill overlooking Metro Manila. And right next to it was another restaurant called 7th Heaven.
  
• Don-Don Japanese Restaurant in Robinsons Galleria had good food and was really cheap. P75 for a combo meal (approximately $2.50!). Can't go wrong with that.

Nightlife
Ano ang gimik? (slang for what's the plan?). My cousin, Lawrence, took me to a couple night clubs. One was WherElse in Makati. We went on R&B/Hip-Hop nights, so it was cool. Lawrence pointed out the types of people that went there. There was one specific table where the escorts/call girls sat. And there was one girl who was notorious for her "business." During the evening, she seemed to be expanding her clientele. Then there was the table next to the DJ booth where the groupies sat. On the second floor is where you'd find the ballers, high rollers, etc. Speaking of ballers, it was kinda weird to see black guys there (basketball imports) towering over everyone. One thing I have to say about this place is that the girls were so maarte. Maybe it was just that night that I went. But I did have this funny experience in the bathroom. As I was waiting to go into a stall (I didn't have a buddy with me), I noticed these girls fixing their make-up and making sure everything was in place. OK, nothing wrong with that. But then out of nowhere 2 of them stood in front of the full-length mirror and started bustin' a move as if they were practicing or something. Hehehe. Maybe they just wanted to make sure they didn't look like dorks on the dance floor. Uh, too late. They were already dorks in the bathroom. =P (and for the record I'm not like that. =P).

Another club we checked out was Orange (also in Makati). They played house/progressive music (not my cup-of-tea), but it was OK. It was Lawrence's friend's birthday so we went. Plus they had free drinks so I was definitely up for that. ;-) I remembered some of the people there, since I met them on my previous trip to PI. And I was surprised that a couple of them remembered me. Lawrence introduced me to this one guy (I think his name was James?) who's a dancer (no, not a stripper). We played a trick on him and I had to "pretend" that I didn't know how to speak tagalog. It was funny to watch him try to communicate with me. I mean, he knew how to speak english, but since he was already drunk he had a bit of trouble spitting out the words. Not to mention he kept asking me what my name was. I couldn't help but laugh. He was fun to talk to but I didn't like how he kept holding my hand like I was with him or something. Uh, I don't think so.

I was also able to see a concert while I was there (we got free tickets). My cousin and I went to Greenbelt Mall in Makati to watch Weekends with Pops. Ironic how I watched Martin Nievera last year and Pops Fernandez this year. Anyway, it was a pretty good concert.

Entertainment
Movies in PI are cheap (P100-120). And the theatres in Glorietta are much better than any I've been to in Edmonton (comfy bucket seats, lots of leg room between rows, etc). I watched:

Harry Potter. I liked this movie. I'm not a big fan of wizardry and stuff, but I enjoyed watching this one. I did notice that some of the parts were different in the book than in the movie. (For the scene with Hagrid's dragon, in the book, they gave the dragon to Ron's brother Charlie in Romania. But in the movie, Hagrid said he gave it to Dumbledore. And some parts were missing (the part where Harry and Hermione were supposed to do that logic puzzle with the potions after the chess thing to get to the trapdoor being guarded by the 3-headed dog).

Monsters Inc. I thought this movie was really cute. Would definitely watch it again.




Lord of the Rings. I didn't really like this movie. Maybe it's because I didn't read the book in school when I was supposed to, but some scenes dragged on and I didn't like the ending.






American Adobo. This was a funny movie. Check out the site for a showing near you.

Shopping
Of course, what would my trip be like if I didn't go shopping? And if you know where to go, it's really cheap. My mom and I made several trips for Virra Mall/Shopsville in Green Hills because it was close by and they had tiyange (bargain market). I got a pair of jeans, a Ferragamo purse, and some other stuff for a great deal. We also made a couple trips to Sari-Sari Store (also in Green Hills), and after the second trip there, the sales lady knew us. Oops, perhaps we shopped there one too many times? But it's a cool store.

I also enjoyed shopping in Makati at Glorietta Mall (Ayala Center). They have a lot of cool shops and the prices are reasonable. One thing to definitely avoid is the department store. It's just way too big, with too much stuff to look at, and the people that work there don't seem to be too helpful (at least at the department store I went to).

Security
One thing I did notice while shopping is the amount of security they have. I don't recall there being this much security last year? Or maybe I just didn't notice. Almost every store/shop had a security guard at the door. The banks even had 4 guards. I realize it's a bank and they need tight security, but 4 of them? They all looked bored out of their minds, opening doors for customers.

Family Reunion
As much as I wanted to have a family reunion in PI, it didn't happen. My cousin Alex was organizing the whole thing, but it was tough getting a hold of all our relatives. We have quite the extended family, and I was able to meet most of them (cousins, 2nd cousins, etc). Alex and I started forming the family tree, so it will be interesting to see it once it's finished.

The trip home
Again, very long. 11 hours waiting in airports, 15 hours of flying time (somehow it's faster going home). The flight from Hong Kong to Vancouver was not pleasant. Just when I thought I'd get some sleep (because I didn't sleep the night before because Lawrence and I went to WherElse again), I didn't. I was sitting beside this 10-year old kid who was totally restless, constantly moving around in his seat. And just when I was about to doze off, he'd "accidentally" elbow me because he was using my armrest. ?@!#$?$?$!! After a while, I didn't pay any attention to him. Since I would only get a couple hours of sleep here and there, I was able to watch bits and pieces of a few in-flight movies (Jurassic Park III, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, The Score, and Lady and the Tramp).

When my mom and I finally made it to Edmonton, the weather was a bit of a shock to my system. Here I was coming from 25-30C heat to -7C weather. Although it's not considered that cold, I was freezing. But it's great to be back. Now it's just a matter of getting back on track with my life here. New year, new things to look forward to, new things to try.

So that was pretty much my trip. Yes it's a long entry, but hey I've been gone for 2 months and I'm making up for it. Hehehe. =P There seems to be so much to catch up on. Leah, I was reading your blog and you mentioned a trip to SFO? What are you talking about? Oh and by the way, Gary, you can take me off your blog slacker list now. ;-)