Christmas reflections...

This year’s Christmas gave me a very important lesson: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. For the past few weeks, I’ve been complaining about being very tired, and not having enough time to feel the Christmas spirit. Now I realized how blessed I am. God has been so kind and generous to me. My rakets have been flowing in non-stop. Because of that, I have earned enough money to pay for my car’s monthly amortization for the next 10 months, and my Picanto hasn’t even arrived yet. My family has been very supportive, especially my parents. Mom and Dad were encouraging me to go on, keep on accepting the rakets regardless of the budget and the talent fee. Some paid pretty good. The others so-so. But they just told me to take them, and thank God for every opportunity and every blessing. And so my calendar has been loaded to the brim. And my savings account – very happy. My Hon has been very supportive and understanding. I don’t know how he does it – but he still loves me to bits inspite of my biting moods and my getting angry for no reason at all. I share a bond with my besty that’s indestructible, even if we don’t see each other for months. I have a great pal at work – Mareng Ida, who can make the sun shine even on unbearable days. And even if I’ve been very busy this month, there were still lots of shared moments with my loved ones – laughing, telling stories, and enjoying each other’s company, opening gifts at midnight and making fun of the really stupid presents. :) Yes, I’m so blessed. And I feel so foolish, complaining about really dumb things. This year’s Christmas gave me a knock on the head. Be thankful. Be grateful. Life’s been kind, God is always good. Instead of sulking in the dark whenever it rains, I should just go out with arms stretched out and savor each raindrop. For after it pours, the skies always turn blue, the flowers are brighter, the land refreshed, and things get sweeter and better. Merry Christmas!

Busy Christmas!

I spent my Christmas working this year. I hosted the Smart Kid Sparkling Ice Show at the SM Megamall. It was a two-day event, 25 and 26.

Just when you thought people stayed either at home or in the province during Christmas, I guess that doesn't apply to everyone. Megamall was crowded! And so was the ice skating rink. Which was good for the event. A lot of kids participated, especially in the Princess For A Day contest. They really came in their best Princess costume - shiny gowns, crowns and headdresses and all.

The best part of the event was The Blue Dress ice show presentation. I was the one who wrote the script for that musical play, and I was the narrator too. And the whole production was beautiful, the very graceful skaters brought the whole thing to life. It was lovely!
And even though I missed out on the traditional Christmas family get-together, I don't regret accepting this hosting job. I had fun, and I earned a whole lot of moolah in just two days! :)

Ming Ming is home! :)

Ming Ming is back! I thought our pet stray cat already found a new home, because we didn't see him for about four days. But yesterday, when I came home, Ming Ming was there, strecthed out on his favorite spot, and looking at me with lazy eyes. :) I immediately ran to him with outstrecthed arms and cuddled him. My cat has found his way back home! :)

Missing Christmas...

I'm afraid Christmas would be passing by, and I haven't and still won't be able to savor much of the Holiday spirit. I was looking at my calendar the other day. And I was surprised, almost shocked, when I realized that Christmas was just a couple of days away, a week to be exact. I asked myself - what in heaven's name have I been doing? Well...I've been very busy, loaded with work. I loaded my December with rakets, hostings, VOs, recordings and everything I could get money from. I had a gig everyday. I even have a hosting job on the 25th and 26th, when everyone else is enjoying Christmas day with family and friends, I'll be holding a mic and doing the job that I love but has taken so much of my time. All because I'm saving up for my car. I can't wait for the Picanto to be delivered by January or February next year, and buying the car has given me the drive to save and work even harder, to push my body and my strength to the limit, even getting two to three gigs in a day. But it also made me miss out on all the fun stuff - shopping for the holidays, eating out everyday, all the things you do several days before the big Dec. 25. I don't have gifts yet for my Hon. I haven't bought myself anything new for Christmas (because I'm so scared to spend these days, I just want to save every peso). I'm afraid this year's Christmas will pass, and I wouldnt have enough time to savor it. I miss the Christmases past, Hon and I would complete the 9-day simbang gabi, we would have breakfast with Tito Rey after that, we would go shopping, or skip work and just be intimate the whole day. I'd meet up with my bestfriend, or with Nadine. I'd spend all my 13th month on gifts for my family, and new clothes and shoes for me. Now...I'm so goddamn busy. I'm not complaining, but I just miss Christmas.

Kidney pains and a whole lotta love!

I was rushed to the hospital yesterday, and I spent my entire Sunday (7 hours and 35 minutes to be exact) at the National Kidney Institute with my mom and dad. I had another attack of this mysterious ailment I have. I had this pain last month, and the doctors at St. Luke’s said I might have an infection, but they couldn’t tell exactly because I took the tests just a few days after my period, and the pain subsided so they just asked me to take the tests again next time I have the “attack.” And so it came yesterday, as soon as I woke up at 7am. Mom and Dad took me to the hospital. And although I was writhing in intense pain, I couldn’t help but feel special and loved. My parents stayed with me, and my Dad had his arms around me and rubbing my back because it was so goddamn cold in the emergency room. My mom was holding my hand, and whispering prayers for me. The pain yesterday was worse than the first attack last month. Dad’s doctor, Dr. Purugganan, prescribed medicines for me because he found an infection in my urine test, and I have to get a kidney ultrasound ASAP o see if I have kidney stones. I am worried, and hoping for the best. And although my painful experience yesterday wasn’t something to be happy about, I still won’t forget the hours my parents spent with me, staying beside me, holding me close. I felt how much they loved me. And I loved the feeling! I know most 25-year-olds would rather not be mushy-mushy with their parents, and would rather spend time with friends, away from home. But for me, even if I turn twenty more years older, being with my parents will always be one of life’s most wonderful moments. Deep down, no matter how old I am, I’ll always be their “little girl.” :)

Yawn! Yawn!

Only had two hours of sleep. I hosted the Reyes Haircutters Christmas Party last night at the Party Central along Mo. Ignacia. It would've ended early, if the people came in on time. It was supposed to start at around 7:30. But you know how Filipinos are. The program started at 9. And I was there 4:30pm. But it's okay. Jess The Blade from Klite hosted with me. So while waiting for the party to start, we just sat and ate and chatted. Good thing I recommended him to Tita Bing. At least I had someone to talk to while waiting from 4:30 - 9pm.

As I was getting dressed for the event, I had this funny thought. When I was in high school, I used to be glued to Magic 89.9. Jess was still part of TM, and I used to listen to him and my other fave jocks. And now, after almost 12 years, here I am, working together with Jess. :) I dunno. Just found the thought amusing. :) Who would've thought that the young, naive girl who used to call TM to make requests and bug Gaucho would now be part of the radio broadcasting industry, a jock, now the one at the helm, playing the songs, rubbing elbows and working with people who used to be just her "idols." :) Makes you smile. Life can be surprising, and very kind to you sometimes.

After my show, Hon and I are going to LTO Pasig to get my student license. I already enrolled at A1. I'll be starting my lessons tomorrow morning. If I can finish work early today, Dad and Mom are going with me to Prince Motors to pay for the 10K reservation for the Picanto. I'm so excited about this "adventure"! :) It's going to be a new challenge for me, a pretty good reason to finally get serious about saving my money. :)

Good food, best flavors and Bridget Jones!

For me, good food is one of the best stress relievers. Hon and I had Japanese last Friday. And although Kitaro isn't as good as Saisaki, it's a good place to go if you're craving for delicious yet inexpenisve Japanese chow. My favorite - Tuna Sashimi and Tuna Temaki. Plus a pot of ocha. Delightful! For dessert, we had a cheesecake sampler at Cheesecake Etc. Their desserts are absolutely divine! And of course, the course is never complete without a cup of peppermint tea!

Saturday, Hon and I went to Shangri-La to watch Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. Before the movie, we had dinner at Cafe Sugarhouse. I LOVED their steak and mushrooms with mashed potatoes. And their blueberry cheesecake - HEAVEN! Speaking of Bridget Jones, I loved it! Just as good as the first. Though reviews would say otherwise. To each his own. I found the flick just as light, frothy and funny as the first. And Colin Firth will always be my favorite guy. :)

Putumayo, videoke and my loving pet cat :)

SATURDAY...
Hosted the Putumayo World Music Launch at the Shangri-La Plaza. It was a new experience for me and Vin because the night was filled with reggae music, and with me being a Wave jock, we're usually exposed only to R&B and all the acoustic chuva. So we enjoyed this new gig, watched 'til the end of the show (I usually leave after I host), and had fun! Most of the people there were reggae lovers, some looked like they were on jutes...hehehe. But it was an OK event. They gave me a Putumayo calendar and t-shirt as token of thanks, and a card signed by people from Galaxy Records and some members of the guest bands. I loved the card. I don't think I've ever received something like that before, it made me smile. They don't have budget for the host, so I'm getting my talent fee from the Wave fund.

After the show, we had dinner at Pasto in El Pueblo. Then we went to Eastwood for dessert. I wanted to have ube cheesecake at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. But the place was crowded so we just settled for Seattle's Best. The blueberry cheesecake was rubbery, the Choco Mint Mocha was lame, but I enjoyed sitting beside my man, sharing smiles with him.

SUNDAY...
Stayed at home. And my siblings and I pounced on our Videoke and sang to our hearts' content. It was really fun! It's great to have your own videoke system at home, complete with the scoring and all. You can sing without having to worry about the hours and the bill. We spent about three to four hours jamming, in our pajamas, unwashed faces and unruly hair. :) Trippin' on Eraserheads, Spice Girls, Natalie Imbruglia, Jewel, Mr. Big and Sharon Cuneta. :) Super fun!


We got dressed afterwards because Dad wanted to go out. Ming-Ming, our pet cat (originally a stray cat who found shelter, love and harmony in our humble abode) was in his usual loving mood. So he purred and rubbed his fur against our legs. He's so adorable! So I took his picture, but as you can see, he wasn't very cooperative. Camera-shy cat. :)

We went to the Kia Center near our place. Dad showed me the Picanto I'm going to buy. Yes, I am buying myself a new car. A brand new Kia Picanto. It's a bit scary. But Dad said I should take it as a challenge. Dad and Mom are lending me the 85K for downpayment, and they're just gonna get it back from my dividends from our AICS Marilao branch. The monthly payment of 8k for the next 4 years will be from my own pocket. Oh my Lord! I've asked myself and Vin this question a thousand times - KAYA KO KAYA? Vin said I can do it. I just have to have rakets every month. I can't afford to have an empty month for the next four years. Wish me luck! Besides, I really need a car. I think that's better than paying 300 bucks to my taxi service everytime I have a gig. Hopefully by January I'll be driving my own car. For the meantime, I have to trek to the nearest A-1 center. :)

Friday updates...

Feeling extremely exhausted today. Having a hard time keeping my eyes open. Only had two hours of sleep last night...or should I say this morning. We went on a videoke spree - me and Vin, my besty Len and her hubby Edward and our good friend Momi Shena. Actually, our plan was just to have dinner. Then Momi Shena had this sudden urge to sing...hehehehe. Nagkakwentuhan kasi about our videoke gimmick before with Nadine and the others. And so we went to IO at ABSCBN. And we brought out our "diva" sides until 1am. Like I don't have work the next day, and like my besty didn't have a 6am flight to Boracay. :) But it was all worth it, the pagpupuyat and all. We had such a great time. :)

Today, I was supposed to go to Roadrunner and sign the contract for DAU episodes 21-30. But I got stuck at work, finishing stuff for Sir Joe and Tita Bing, and this proposal thingy for Nesvita. And I'm just too tired to go to Makati. Good thing Diane said it was OK to go there na lang on Wednesday, my regular dubbing sched for DAU. Talking about the telenovela... I'm enjoying this raket 100%! Unlike my other job over at Dream, I accepted the job for kicks, and now I'm really not enjoying it anymore. And I'm especially not impressed with the way they're handling the processing of my paycheck. I find it so unprofessional, and utterly disappointing. So unlike my telenovela job, it's super fun! Some may find it funny, corny, even. But for me, it's a cool job. Maybe because I've always loved acting. Drama has always been in my blood. :) I took a pic of the studio during a break. I sit in front of the big TV, with the script, and the mic hanging high over my head. And when the dubbing starts, I instantly lose myself in every scene. I am transformed into Arriana, the character of Vina Morales. And I act with all my heart. :) It's the best raket ever! So much more fun than hosting or doing VOs. And the pay's not so bad, too. :)

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

One of the most divine experiences is having cheesecake and a cup of good peppermint tea. Mmm...heaven! I have discovered the perfect cheesecake. Hon and I had dessert at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf over at Eastwood last Saturday. I tried their ube cheesecake...and my goodness, what a delight! A creamy mild blend of ube and cream cheese, topped with flakes of toasted coconut. One of the most perfect cheesecakes I've tasted, if not the best. I cannot recall if I have tasted something better. (Although the cheesecake at the Manila Diamond Hotel was good, too.) And the cup of ginseng peppermint tea... I can only describe it with a smile, a long, satisfied sigh and the relaxing feeling of sinking into a lush couch.

Chillin' at Chili's

Wave had an event last night at Chili's Morato, celebrating their 4th anniversary. We had Jimmy Bondoc, Thor and the new artist Noah. Mareng Ida hosted, and I went there so we could hang out and share a gigantic dessert. Had so much fun! Tonight, we're hosting Mossimo's event at Eastwood. Feels great to work with good friends!

Puerto Galera

As promised, pics from my Galera vacation! I enjoyed every minute of it! Hon and I went on a non-stop food trip, and tried everything - massage on the beach under the morning sun, snorkeling somewhere on a different side of the island, getting henna tattoos and getting drunk! :) It was pure HEAVEN!

Henna tattoo galore!

You can actually go to Galera without any packed clothes. Go buy your beach outfits there! Two women on the pic with me are Virgie and Nora, they gave us our massage on the beach! Heavenly!

Beach lovin'!

Snorklin' and swimmin'!

Missed blogging...

Back from my Galera vacation! It was one wonderful and relaxing experience! I'll post some pics soon. :) Last week, Hon and I tried out this new restaurant in Galleria. It's called Kitchen. I love the food, especially what I ordered. Pasta sauteed with spanish sardines. YUM! I forgot what Hon ordered, but it was also good. And they have really big plates, and big utensils that are placed inside these really cute wooden boxes. :) Your bill comes rolled up inside a little glass. Kaka-aliw. :) Do try their food. Really nice. :)


'Twas my Daddy's birthday yesterday! In the pic you'll see him flaunting his presents - the cap from Adie, the little armadillo from Andrea and the Mossimo shirt from me. :) Just spent the day at the mall, simply enjoying every minute spent with the family. Luv ya, Dad!

Clean-up Weekend!

Decided to clean my room for a change. I've been planning to do a major clean-up job last week. But I was never in the right mood, and I guess I was always so busy. But today I told myself, "This room is terrible!" And so I vacuumed, and dusted, and arranged my shoes (I swear to God I am running out of space for shoes!). And I cleaned my cabinet. I placed all the old clothes, the tops I didn't want or need anymore, some of them unused, all the jeans I barely use - I put them all in paper bags and gave them to Freddie, our trusted helper, so he can give them to his wife or his mom or whoever, I don't really care as long as they're out of my room. Still, I think I need another cabinet. :( I was looking at all the sahes I bought, all the belts, and now I even have a beret - and I remembered that before, I thought they wouldn't look okay on me, and everytime my Honey asked me if I wanted a belt, or a hat, I would say "no thank you." Hehehehe. Honey says he is now my fashion consultant. :) While I was cleaning, I found these nice slippers I bought from Tita Bing (Joe D'Mango's wife) two years ago. I already forgot I had these. Now I can wear them to the beach on Thursday! Yehey! Heading to Puerto Galera for a break. Finally, a REAL VACATION! :)

Featuring the Fairy... :)

The Wave Halloween Event was featured in the Just For Kicks section of Manila Bulletin. (Many thanks to my good friend Blair Agero!) The short article really made me very happy, especially with my solo pic in the center. :) Now I'm really glad I came in a fairy costume, and spent 500+ for my wings and wand, and an extra 300 for the fabulous chandelier earrings that matched my gown. :) Blair, Mareng Ida (Jada) and I have an evil scheme against our "bestfriend." Hehehe. This is just the beginning. ;)

Crazy shots!

Having fun while on our way to the cemetery in Laguna for the Nov. 1 ritual. :)

Strange Encounters - The Wave Halloween Event

Pics of STRANGE ENCOUNTERS - The Wave Halloween Event at the Metrowalk. These are some of the contestants. The big guy in whte bagged the 10k! The fairy in blue is me. :) If you'll notice, there's a tall black figure behind the mulawin girls. That's the guy dressed as Death. You'll see me there interviewing "Death" while he grips his gigantic sword. :)

You have to agree, I had the PRETTIEST costume! :)

Weekend in a nutshell...

Spent the weekend with my folks. We went to SM North for dinner and some shopping. Dad is planning to buy a new home theater system for his room. He already has his sights set on one, but knowing Dad, he's probably gonna buy it months from now. His canvassing takes FOREVER! :) Mossimo was on sale yesterday so I wasn't able to buy a birthday gift for Adie. (I can't use my GCs during a sale.) So I'll have to wait 'til next week. She just chose her gift yesterday, and she wanted a jacket. Mom and Dad bought her new shoes for her birthday, and they ended up buying shoes for all of us. Hehehe. :) I love what I got - white sandals with multicolored straps! Sexy! In the pics you'll see me and dad wearing a beret. Hon bought that for me last Saturday when we went shopping at Fubu. My very first hat! :) And Dad decided to try it on. :)

A little something about Friday...

The Wave Halloween Event went well, and for a new place, MetroWalk was pretty much full that night. Only a few people went in costume. But those few people were really serious about winning the 10k. "Kinareer" is how to best describe it. :) The winner was this big guy who was dressed like the big fat bloody guy with the big fat bloody mom in the movie 13 Ghosts. Hehehe... Basta he was wearing a gigantic white shirt with dried blood stains and sweat on it, and his skin was wrapped with stretched plastic balloon and dried tissue painted in such a way that it looked like rotting flesh. He scared the shit out of me. One look at the guy and you knew he'd grab the 10k. Eh tapos he was so big pa talaga. Grabe. 2nd runner up was this guy from Discovery Suites who was dressed as "The Crow." He really looked like the character, complete with the violin and all. :) 3rd place was this mysterious guy who came dressed as "Death." He wouldn't show his face. It was hidden under the layers of his black robe. The "head" of Death was placed on top of the guy's real head, so that when you looked at him, the first thing you'd notice is just black cloak and no face. Creepy! Then there were some in Mulawin costumes. And one guy came as a robot. Roby said he looked like an "Egyptian Voltes 5." Hahahaha! Some kids were in costume too. But I was the only adult in a fairy costume. At first I felt shy, when Hon and I got there and saw that the other Wave jocks didn't come in costume. But after seeing the contestants and their really creepy costumes, I thought what the heck! I had the prettiest costume. :) Feels nice to be the star, even just for a day. :)

I'll post some pics soon.

The big night!

Pretty excited about the Halloween event tonight. I just hope there would be enough people to fill the place. Metrowalk is quite new, and a lot still don't know about the place. We're hoping that our 10K prize for the costume contest, and the famous Erik Mana, would be enough to lure a big crowd. We're keeping our fingers crossed. This morning I got really pissed off with a colleague of mine. She was wishing the event would be cancelled because she had no idea where the entrance to Metrowalk is. Talk about DUMB! And another colleague said she won't go if we're not required to. It's really sad. I guess Sir Joe is right in a way, most of us don't care anymore. We just go about our daily routine, boarding and leaving, and having our own lives, our own rakets and all. It's like people are just in this for the money, or the popularity. The LOVE for the station...well, it's just not there anymore. And I wonder if there ever was. I wouldn't want this event to be cancelled, even if it rains. Sir Joe said we might cancel if it rains because we don't have a tent. That would be a big disappointment for people who will be getting ready with their costumes and hoping to win the 10K. And I have worked so hard for this event - brainstorming with Jada and Roby, writing the scripts for the teasers and merch plugs, planning the decorations, and making sure Garry wouldn't forget about the bands and the psychics and the booths. That's why I'm excited. Not because I have a super fabulous fairy costume. But because I've worked so hard for this. I wanted us to have the best event. Even if our sister station got the better venue. I made sure we had better promotion, more interesting contests with bigger prizes. I wanted to prove that Wave still comes up with the BEST events. It's just sad that the others don't care anymore. And one person can't possibly do it all for them, have the initiative and be super enthusiastic to cover up the others' disinterest. It's tiring. Oh well. I just hope everything turns out okay tonight. PLEASE GOD, BLESS OUR EVENT! I went to Toy Kingdom this morning to buy Hon's Viking head costume. It's really cute! :)

We joined Tita Mags for breakfast this morning at Discovery Suites, me and Jun DJ. Then we checked out the bazaar there. I got these FABULOUS slippers for just 500! Well, I'm not really sure if that was a good bargain, but the original price was 650, and I convinced them with all my might to sell it to me for just 500. And anyway, I LOVE the slippers! They're so girlie! :) Can't wait to wear them with my short denim skirt or capris. Tita Mags and Tito Jessie will be joining our event, and they even have matching black costumes. They'll be the 2nd "game" couple for the night, next to me and Honey. :)

What up, what up, what up?

I spent the whole day Saturday in bed, finishing Angels & Demons, and finally starting with The DaVinci Code. I say Dan Brown is marvelous and his books are intelligent, uber interesting and gripping! Never before have I been so carried away and taken control of by a mere novel. I'm now halfway The DaVinci Code, and I am truly fascinated! Haven't read the books? Well, here are teasers intriguing enough to convince you to buy them: THE ILLUMINATI, JESUS CHRIST - NOT DIVINE?, MARY MAGDALENE NOT A PROSTITUTE AND HER ROLE IN CHRIST’S LIFE, THE HIDDEN SYMBOLS AND MEANINGS IN THE MONA LISA AND THE LAST SUPPER, THE DESTROYED GOSPELS OF THE BIBLE CONTAINING THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRIST. All-raves and two-thumbs-up for Dan Brown's ANGELS & DEMONS and THE DAVINCI CODE.

Sunday was a super busy day for me, and my Honey, who went with me. I hosted the Hands On Manila VIP Auction at the NBC Tent. It was a big event, participated by big names in the society. I was actually working side by side with Inquirer President herself - Sandy Prieto. And one of the HOM founding people - Nicole Fandiño. The Zobel de Ayalas came in the afternoon. The very rich giving time for the less fortunate. After the event, we dashed to Virgin Café for the Dreamcast Fashion Show Event. I was doing VO. It was super tiring, but rewarding in itself as I met new (and important) people, and I earned enough moolah for the Puerto Galera trip Hon and I are having two or three weeks from now. Actually, now I have enough money for a Boracay trip. But we decided to just go next year. I'll pool as much TF as I can so that next year, when we head to Boracay, we can splurge and overindulge! :)

I checked out the bikinis at Surf World and Nothing But Water, and found them too much for my budget. So I'll make do with my two-piece swimsuit. Bright green, flowery and exposes enough tummy - I guess that'll do. I'll buy me a bikini next year, when I have enough money, and courage, and a tummy that looks ironed-flat. :) Before our Puerto Galera trip, we'll schedule a Greenhills visit to grab board shorts and flip-flops for me, and beach shorts and Nike slippers for Hon.

When Hon bought me my new personalized bracelet, he bought a little Chinese character pendant that he placed on the bracelet I got him from Hong Kong. He got the "love' symbol. It's so cool, so bling! :)

I'm super excited about the Wave Halloween Event on Friday. I'm going to be dressed as a Fairy Princess! I'll be wearing the gown I wore during my besty's wedding. I was thinking of having it cut halfway above the knee. But my mom said I'd look more like a real fairy if I wore a long gown - elegant and enchanting! I'll buy the Viking head costume for Hon. I was thinking of just buying him a cape, then he can dress in black and look like Dracula. But I wouldn't know where to buy a big black cape. I guess the Viking hat will do.

If you're free, do join us!
STRANGE ENCOUNTERS - THE WAVE HALLOWEEN EVENT, Oct. 29, MetroWalk Ortigas. Party starts at 8pm. See ya!

Happy Thursday!

One good thing about Honey's new (but temporary) schedule is we can have breakfast together after my show. And with me not having to do anything important until lunchtime, we can while away for two to three hours in the mall. So we went to Galleria this morning, had breakfast at Sushiya, and walked the calories off afterwards. Hon bought me a really nice personalized bracelet. I've always wanted to have one that looked like my sister's. Yehey! Now I have one! Thanks baby! We walked around 50th Avenue for a couple of minutes. I'm thinking of buying a beret. I'm just not ready to take that daring step yet, 'coz I've never really worn hats before, not as a part of my everyday get-up that is. But it looks okay on me, don't you think? I think I'll start with a safe color - like black, plain white or beige. :) I had to cancel my recording at Dream. Too busy here at Wave, with Gerric on leave. Tonight I'm hosting our gig at Chilis Greenhills. Sigh! Long day for me.

The Viking and his Fairy Princess!

Hon and I went to Toy Kingdom Megamall this morning to look at wings for my Halloween costume. They have a big section of costumes, and it was super fun browsing through all of them. They got masks and wigs and witch gowns - the works! I found the perfect pair of wings for my fairy costume! Not as big as the angel wings I wanted to buy in Quiapo, but they're pretty much OK. I got them for less than 400, sans the travel and traffic. Plus I got a really cute wand to complete the get-up. Now all I have to do is look for a lacy pink dress, some glitter makeup, and the Hot Fairy Mama is set to go! :) Alvin had fun trying on the different wigs and head costumes. Check out the pics. He looks really cute wearing the Viking wig. He should wear that to the Wave Halloween event. I'm sure we'll make a striking pair - The Viking and his Fairy Princess! :)

One exhausted Vina

Yesterday we had our dubbing for Darating Ang Umaga for TFC. We did 4 episodes, and we recorded for 7 hours! It was exhausting! I wasn't even having fun anymore. I was having a migraine fit. That really made it hard for me to concentrate. But I did pretty okay naman. Pressure lang playing Vina's role. I really have to act my best because she's the lead.

I was so tired and drained and starving! I only had crackers for breakfast before the recording. Alvin bought me McDo after picking me up a little before 6pm. No food in between. I think I'm starting to develop an ulcer. And I was super tired after the whole recording. My body just wanted to crash. I was in need of a warm hug and warm food and some consoling. At the end of the day, I had to settle for clean sheets and my always-inviting bed. Things are gonna be better the next day. So far...it's so-so.

A corny flick, Chinese food and FAMILY!

Over the weekend, after starting Saturday with my beau, my family and I went to Eastwood to watch Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. Dad picked the movie, and tickets were on me. After seeing the very first scene with the gigantic robots, we already knew it was gonna be a CORNY flick. Entertaining in a way, but really corny. The only thing that kept me from dozing is Jude Law's incredibly handsome face. I loved him together with Angelina Jolie. Gwyneth Paltrow is a bore. I caught Dad dozing several times. According to him, the movie was: "sobrang baduy, di ko ma-take." :) We had lunch at Super Bowl of China. One of the best stops for Chinese chow! Adie and Anthony couldn't come with us since they had their own appointments. So it was just the parents, me and Andrea. That's why I didn't feel bad paying for the tickets. Hehehe :)

Happy Saturday!

Hon and I are celebrating our monthsary today. Four years and six months of being together, and many many more years to count and share! He surprised me by waking me (and my whole family) up early, just to invite me for breakfast. And he gave me a bouquet of my favorite "happy" flowers, which I personally think are more beautiful than roses. We had breakfast at Chocolate Kiss, and as always we enjoyed our food. I just LOVE their iced tea! Then we went to Ever to buy some personal stuff, and I got me a CD of The Sims Superstar. Once again I've become an addict. :) I bought chicken wings for Snow White (our Jap Spitz) and Ming-Ming (our new fat, gray stray cat)...and guess who ate them? Hehehe... my mom. Later we'll be going to Eastwood to catch Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. My dad's not going to work today, so I decided to treat them to a flick. Yipee! Another great day to spend with my mom and dad! Even if the movie looks a bit cheesy, pwede na din. :) It's going to be one fun Saturday! And I'm happy I started it with the man I love! Love you, baby! Happy anniversary! :)

Missed blogging!

Hey, missed this so much! I haven't been able to make entries to my blog because I've been so busy this week. I spent Monday with my beau because he didn't have work that night. Tuesday was super loaded, I had my first dubbing for Darating Ang Umaga - english version for TFC. Then I had some stuff to record for Dream. After that I had a meeting with my highschool friend Kata and Doy her business partner. They organized this event I hosted yesterday at Mandarin Oriental - Alcatel Forum 2004. I even bought a dress and new black heels for that. I didn't have anything corporate in my closet. :) Anyway, it's a been a very busy week. I'm still trying to catch my breath. I wasn't even able to change my mood icon. It still says TGIF, and what do you know, it's TGIF again! :)

Perks of the week:
- I finally got the shoes I want! They're not Shoe Salon, but they're multi-colored and I LOVE them! I got them at the B Club Boutique at the Greenbelt 1 Shopping Plaza. And the best thing about it is that they were on sale! I got the sandals for just 840! Cool, huh?
- We were able to come up with a really exciting Halloween event for Wave. We're calling it STRANGE ENCOUNTERS. We got a walk-in movie, roaming "ghosts," psychics and fortune tellers, and our very own illusionist Erik Mana! We're giving away 10K to the person with the creepiest costume. And we also have this contest called "Prove that Ghosts Exist" where listeners can send in photos or videos where they were able to capture a ghost/spirit. The scariest and most authentic-looking entry wins. Here's a pic of Robi the Rascal doing a zombie act. That's gonna be his costume for the event. :) I'll either be an angel or a fairy, depends on the wings I buy. Do join STRANGE ENCOUNTERS - The Wave Halloween Event, Oct. 29, at the MetroWalk Ortigas.

Friday with a friend!

Mareng Ida and I went to Makati this afternoon. We submitted our voice samples to AdFarm. One of their studios was vacant, so we were able to read some scripts. Super fun! Next stop, Roadrunner! We'll probably go there next Saturday. We'll be doing some studio-hopping probably. We just need to find out where the other studios are located. :) After AdFarm, we had heay lunch at Chili's. Ida had GCs so lunch was on her. Thanks mare! Cheers to friendship! :) We're thinking of putting up our own studio. Problem is, we don't have the money for investment. I'll try to talk my dad into it. And we'll probably look for more partners. My besty and her hubby are perfect! Voice talent and editor duo. Maybe Gerric would want to join too. Gerric is the uber-talented and creative sound engineer of Wave 89.1. Jason has recording equipment already at home. We hope he joins in, too. We'll probably use the Wave studio for the meantime. Hehehe.... squatters. It's a great plan, because we don't really need to get people from outside or people we don't know. And besides, this is what we do best! We hope it pushes through! On our way back to Wave, it was super traffic! And we both needed to use the bathroom...urgently! So to distract ourselves, and our bladders, we just put out our compacts and lipsticks, and smiled for the cam! :)

Things to be thankful for!

A month ago, I auditioned for the english dubbing of a local telenovela which will be shown on, if I'm not mistaken, The Filipino Channel or something. I auditioned for the role of Arriana, played by Vina Morales. Yesterday, Diane of Roadrunner texted me and told me that my voice was chosen. And I couldn't help but grin and text her back - YEHEY! Some people may find it funny, but for me, it's a great experience! I enjoyed the audition, trying to follow the movements of Vina Morales's lips while doing my lines. And I even had to sound heartbroken during the scenes where she was crying. Super fun! Now I'm very happy I was chosen to play the part...or should i say 'voice' the part. I've always enjoyed acting. Back in high school, I was so much into theater. I starred in major productions and a lot of school plays. In college, I had a heavy drama role when we made our 30-minute movie for our Film class. Truly a drama queen - heart and soul! :) We start dubbing for the telenovela next week, and I can hardly wait!

I also did some acting yesterday during our shoot for Wed TV. I played the role of a desperate bride-to-be, hating the gown a designer made for her. So she ends up going to the mall, discovering Sari-Sari, trying on a couple of gowns and finally finding the perfect wedding ensemble. I had the time of my life! :) The shoot was super fun. And Aya, the director, is really super nice! The gowns were lovely! And I got to wear the best one with a veil, tiara and swarovski jewelry! I looked like a queen! :) Too bad my beau wasn't there to see me, or take pictures. Well, anyway, just watch Wed TV on Monday, 11pm on RPN9.

I'm super BROKE! Good thing I have three events during the weekend. So that means MOOLAH! I'm hosting the Wave/Ambi-Pur stick-on on Saturday in Greenhills. And I'll be doing remote broadcast for two McDonald's events. Thank God for "rakets!" They save you from bankruptcy. :)

Home Sweet Home!

I find it amusing – everytime people talk about family, I get all emotional. Melodramatic at times. I love my folks. Even more now that I’ve grown old enough to leave our home. Sounds funny, I know. When I was younger, I couldn’t wait to leave and get my own place and not follow my dad’s rules anymore. But now, I don’t even want to think of leaving. I can’t stand being away from my parents for a long time. I miss them terribly. I miss my dad’s corny jokes and funny dance steps. And even his loud voice when he’s angry or when he just feels like yelling. I miss my mom’s cooking, and stories, and her wrong lyrics. I even miss my siblings when I’m away. I’ve grown so attached to them, and I don’t know what changed me. Maybe it’s growing up, and finally understanding why my parents are so strict. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen how very lucky I am, having a family I can joke around with, share life with, and sing videoke with. I’ve seen other families, and it made me realize that mine is so much better. We have our own imperfections and misunderstandings. Sometimes we fight like crazy. But we’re intact, tightly knit. And my parents are just wonderful! You should see them together. They do the funniest, most baduy things! Everyday, I thank God for giving me such wonderful people to call my own…my own family! They’re absolutely the BEST!

Model bride!

Wed TV will be featuring Sari-Sari this month. The store will be launching its one-stop wedding shop. Wed TV director Aya chose me to model Sari-Sari's RTW wedding gowns. Yesterday I had my gown fitting in Katipunan. It was fun! I got to try on half a dozen wedding gowns! Tubes, spaghetti straps, halters, tulle, plain silks, beads, pearls, crystals - they were all lovely! I got to wear a lovely gown during my besty's wedding. But wearing a bride's gown really makes you more beautiful! And I enjoyed every minute of my fitting session. We'll be shooting tonight, at Sari-Sari Megamall. Exciting! Last night, I was thinking about the fitting session, my modeling the wedding gowns, and remembering how overweight I was about two years ago. Had I not lost weight, nobody would offer me this chance to model on TV. And I'm really thankful. Thankful I stuck with my diet. Thankful to GOD for helping me shed off my body's excess baggage. Thankful for opportunities like this. This may be just a few minutes on the tube, but just the fact that they chose me to model their gowns is rewarding enough. :)

GRR!

My old blog was sabotaged! I don't know how or why it happened. That's why it was empty yesterday. I checked the template, and found all the details deleted! Grrr...! Now I'm fixing everything. I have to put back haloscan, the tagboard, the counter and everything. Really, really weird. I don't know if this has something to do with the Fahrenheit 9/11 review I posted, and the stuff I said about...well, the star of the movie. Maybe you're not allowed to say anything bad about...the star of the movie. Hmm...

Bestfriends for life!

Had lunch with my besty yesterday at Chilis Morato. We had a great time as usual. We haven't seen each other for...what, weeks? months? A very long time! So we did a lot of catching up, stories, chika and all. Being with her is always like therapy for me. She's the only person I can really talk to about anything and everything (aside from my beau), and she knows and understands me inside and out. She and her hubby Edward are thinking of migrating for greener pastures. I think of what it's like without my bestfriend around, when she's no longer just a phone call and a cab ride away. It's a sad thought. :( But of course, I'm here to support her, and I wish them luck. Len told me to go to her OB. I'm having second thoughts, all the tests sound scary. And what if they find something wrong with me? I'd rather not know if I'm sick or dying or something. Hehehe. :) But maybe I'll give it a try one of these days. Let me gather enough courage first. Looking forward to our next lunch date. Luv ya, bespren! :)

Lunch Date

Hon and I went to Megamall this morning. I had to get clothes at Mossimo for my hosting tonight. Wave is having this R&B Journey event at The Basement. Actually I swore to myself before that I wouldn't host any event that would be done there. I abhor the place! I hate the atmosphere, the crowd is too young and rowdy, it's too damn dark and noisy and everyone smokes like there's no tomorrow. The Beatbox 2 Competition was really a culture shock for me. And Rye and I said we wouldn't host anything like that anymore. Well, here I am, hosting there again tonight. I hope this time people would be tamer. No need to cuss and all. It's just gonna be a listening party anyway. Hon bought a new cap at Mossimo. We've been looking for a right-sized cap for weeks now. Good thing we found one. Actually he wants a beret. (Did I spell that right?) But that's even harder to find. So for now, the cap will do. We had lunch at French Baker. And I had chicken asparagus soup. Chicken! :( There goes my cleansing diet. Tomorrow we plan to have buffet dinner at Saisaki. Then maybe catch a flick at Rockwell. Last full show for Fahrenheit 9/11 is at 10pm. Just perfect. And that's the only thing that's good to watch right now. Wish me luck on my hosting. I hope I survive tonight. :)

Thursday Sentiments

It's the last day of September! We're getting closer and closer to Christmas! That means getting your bonus and 13th month, and losing every peso from shopping. Hehehe. :) Although radio people don't get to take breaks during the holiday season, it's still nice to be working when everyone else is busy unwrapping gifts and pigging out on ham and lechon and queso de bola. You know the listeners are there, sharing the holidays with you. Some nice people even give us gifts. And it's wonderful to receive presents from people I don't even know, but they know ME because I'm on their radio sets every day. :) Advance Christmas greetings to all! May we all have a festive and prosperous one this year.

I'm sitting here in front of my PC, waiting for my beau to pick me up. I'm having lunch with my besty in a while. While waiting, I browsed through some pics and found one with me and Tita Mags of Mossimo, taken during the premiere of The Notebook at Greenbelt 3. And one pic with me, Jun DJ and Garry, taken during the SMB Wave Senses event at Moomba. Just thought I'd post them. :)