Been feeling a little under the weather the last few days, bothered by some “talented” people's decision of leaving, nursing a stomped pride (BFF says not to allow bitterness to consume me, so I really needed time to cool off), then I didn’t like how my haircut turned out, my continuous increase in weight is a nuisance as well coz I can’t just wear anything I want.

My undisciplined and often carefree life is causing me so much trouble nowadays. Or is it because I’m so woolly-headed that I just can’t stick to one resolve? Other than being oblivious, it occurred to me recently that I am so dense in some aspect of romance especially if it’s directed toward me....Arrrrgggg, this is not a post to scrutinize my life or tell the whole world about my personal gaffes, stupidity… Blabbering again!

This post is about MANGA. I just finished sorting out my growing collection of manga! After an audit, I have almost 500 manga series and oneshots eating my laptop’s memory, and adding more. When I turn on my laptop, it’s already a routine to check my favorite manga sites hoping there are new scantalations of my favorite "unfinished" series. I’m this obsessed eh?

I got acquainted with Manga when I was googling my favorite shounen anime', Naruto. I just don’t have the patience of waiting for the latest episode of the anime’, so through the help of google, I found out that it was derived from an ongoing manga series. To make the story short, I was way ahead of the storyline as compared to those Naruto anime’ addicts.

My interests was piqued by another form of manga, the popular SHOUJO. I was adamant at first since I don’t really like high-school romance that don’t have any closure (As in "they live happily ever after"..."till death do us part"kind of thing) but to my surprise, I was hooked! My first shoujo read was Mayu Shinjo's, Love Celeb! I thought shoujo are wholesome and romantic, only to be amazed that “smut-ness” actually makes them click! Not hentai mind you!

You see, even how far fetched or trite the plots are, I never get tired (I love staring at those hot bishies, hehehe). What makes them tick? The "ART" and the R-O-M-A-N-C-E…In any form, written, anime, comics, romance completes us --- well romantic buffs like myself. Who wouldn’t want to feel “in-love”? So for those unfeeling people who chose to live in self-denial, it's worth a try. If it did not work...guess a visit to a shrink is necessary.

Aye! I already know what to post next time. Clue? Awwwwwww....I love ACHERON!

Tata~

I’ve always been applauded for my ingenuity. I guess it’s something I’ve developed through the years. Circumstances forced it on me; then eventually it became a habit, and fused with my instincts. A quality that isn’t inherent, rather, learned.

In retrospect, it aided me through a lot of things…trials and tribulations… most importantly; it helped me secure R-E-S-P-E-C-T. But when you start thinking of it as a curse rather than a gift, you begin to ask yourself, “Am I getting overboard?”, “Am I not doing the right thing?"

I don’t want to be in this predicament; it frustrates me, makes me restless, and causes my mind to swirl around negative possibilities. My mom asked me why I looked so depressed; I did not answer and just sought refuge in my room. Recoiling in self-pity, I sat on my bed for minutes, arms wrapped around my knees, in a world of my own. I did not even notice my eyes welling up until my cheeks were wet with tears. Momentarily, I felt stripped of my self-worth.

But contemplating on what happened, it dawned on me that I actually felt flayed alive, lol (How easy is it to type “lol” just to connote humor but sadly, it doesn’t change anything). But pride be damned, I knew I needed to learn from it, and just charge it to experience.

I really hate disappointing people I love, or people I have high regard with, may it be personal or work. I’m glad there is someone who showed support and never pinned me down. He showed not sympathy but encouragement and re-assurance and for this, I am truly grateful. Ahhhhh misery loves company…why do my friends have to be so far away?

Sigh~…The feeling lingers, I don’t know till when.

I've been bugging some colleagues to relieve stress by watching ISWAK and then TKA. It is not “emotionally abusive” unlike other dramas. Plot is very simple, a bit dragging at the start which is not surprising since it is adapted from a "supposedly" 26 volumes manga [Itazura na kiss], but overall, I’ll recommend it. Anyone who wants to feel the thrill of being in-love should try it. I’ll bet, you’ll gush every time you watch the scenes with Joe Cheng! The male lead character is just soooooo cute and it’s the main reason I got hooked [oooppss!]!

Seriously, it is nothing "out of the ordinary". Some scenes lack substance [very trivial], character development is slow and the climatic scenes are very few for ISWAK. What redeemed and made it successful was the chemistry between Joe Cheng and Ariel Lin. Just so you know, here's the synopsis of "It started with a kiss" [from Drama Wiki].

“After an earthquake destroyed Xiang Qin's house, she and her father moved in with the family of her father's college buddy, Uncle Ah Li. To her surprise, the kind and amicable aunt and uncle are the parents of her cold and distant schoolmate Jiang Zhi Shu, a genius with an IQ of 200 whom not too long ago rejected her endless crush on him. Will the close proximity give her a second chance to win Zhi Shu's heart? Or, will her love for him end under his cold words? What happens when there is competition for his heart?”

The manga was halted due to the sudden death of the mangaka. Because of this, the manga is not yet concluded. Before watching TKA, I was very curious on how they'll end it. Thank goodness there are sites that host the videos online like mysoju.com and crunchyroll. TKA or "They kiss again" explores the married life of Xiang Qin and Zhi Shu. And compared to ISWAK, there is more depth to it and more "drama". There are a lot of intimate scenes, which is okay since they're now married. For the Korean and Taiwanese novela suckers, this may be atypical but it's nothing compared to Latin novelas where the kissing scenes are most aptly described as "scorchingly hot" and "torrid", rather than "sweet" and "intimate".

TKA synopsis from DramaWiki

“The sequel of It Started With A Kiss begins with Xiang Qin and Zhi Shu's wedding and honeymoon. Even after marriage, they experience problems and interferences within their marriage such as mistaken pregnancy, misunderstandings, and a run-in with a girl from Zhi Shu's past. Xiang Qin and Zhi Shu switch to medical school to become nurse and doctor. During that time, Zhi Shu meets new rivals who wish to outdo him and Xiang Qin makes four new friends, and one of them likes her and wishes to replace Zhi Shu.”

My eyes were really puffed up when I finished the last episode of TKA. It's the end of the series, although the ending could have been better, I am still overjoyed. Did I mention "rupture" last time? Ahhhhh, this time I savored it. Since the manga does not have any ending, the director and writer just created their own, which I think scraped the glistening notion of "happy ending" that I've been looking forward to. I understand that they're trying to convey a "true love against all odds" theme. I suppose it's just me. My imagination often goes wild so I am already trying to picture what might happen in the future! This is just my opinion, and does not in any way dissuade anyone from watching it. In fact, I'll say GO FOR IT and you're not going to regret.

Oh and I learned that there is an anime' version already. I checked narutowire and there are already 14 episodes that are subbed! Weeeeeeee, I'm so excited! The husband of the late mangaka says that the ending will be how his late wife wanted it. It'll definitely be different from the ending of TKA! I'll start watching it this week and see the main difference. I never bothered to read the manga since only 5 volumes are scantalated.

And did I say I just "loveeeee" Joe Cheng? I did eh? I love Joe Cheng! On July 28 (I think), it'll premiere in ABS-CBN. So for those Asian-drama-loving peepz out there, don't miss it!

I frequently have this “oh-so-captivated-by-Japan” relapse. I’m still….well, I’ll use the word enslaved rather than engulfed since it best defines my fascination to this country. And sometimes, it becomes worse, in fact, I want to book a ticket now and fly to Japan.... que-sera-sera. Although I may seem mad, I ain’t that mad to give in to my impulses. My recklessness is not worth the thought of being financially broke….yet. So after forcing myself to be sane, I planned my next trip but the land of the rising sun is not in the list…not yet…but one day. I guess I won’t be seeing sakura blossoms anytime soon…nor visit those historical temples…Traveling ….geeezz...it's slowly becoming an obsession, and it’s frightening to the…“pocket”.

After a long hiatus, this is all I can blog. I’m too stressed that all I can rattle my brain with is an ongoing bleach marathon (thanks to Narutowire) and now it sucks since I’ve watched all the anime episodes to date. Actually, I’m still stuck in this “rapture” stage Nora Efron so calmly instilled in my head after reading her book, I feel bad about my neck. I recall having dreams about Kurusagi Ichigo last night! Damn!

Then, I can’t find a better read that piques my interest other than shojou mangas with trite plots and yet they still give me shivers. Oftentimes, I fall into the pathos’ trap…crying for the heroine with those big and round manga eyes!

Now, my back and neck ache. I need a haircut and my hair color looks dry and dull. This facial center keeps on texting me…perhaps as their valued customer years ago, they are…not curious but rather worried as to how I may terribly look now since I haven’t visited them for ages…(Well, sugar seems to work as a temporary facial scrub). Then my under-eye is getting darker, result of too much sleep and the lack of it. I remembered what my ex said before, you can’t compensate sleep that you’ve lost yesterday for today. Your body may have taken its damaged already. And talking about remembering…I haven’t even celebrated my birthday yet! My only treat to myself is a bottle of olive oil mist that I just used twice since I bought it. Geeezz…I feel like I look horrid…Only my nails are well-maintained, thanks to my sister’s regular manicurist, if that’s what you call her.

Oh well, I’m a bad case…..a really, really bad one. Till then, I’ll be back when I’m more stable.

I give up! I can’t force myself to sleep, and there’s no sense of lying on the bed, feigning sleep while my mind is wide awake. A few more hours and I need to prep for work… do the usual stuff in a whoosh and praying not to be late…. I need to work after all…And yes, sleep deprived once again. Slumber will definitely kick-in around midnight...so a cup of strong coffee will be a welcome companion (It always has).

The last few days, I kept on thinking that I'm getting dumb, day by day. With the type of work that I do, logical thinking is predominant but sadly, my creativity is restrained. I'm getting forgetful, and just writing in my blog is strenuous. This has been the reason why I haven't even posted anything, not that people are looking forward to my ramblings...

I haven't even watched any movies recently. The last I've seen was Forbidden Kingdom. Yeah, a feel-good movie, funny and since I’m a kung-fu sucker, I loved it. I stood for a couple of minutes with Jackie Chan in HongKong! Now, not in flesh, but in wax! I also want to see Indiana Jones since I'm a huge Harrison Ford fan. You know, he really resembles a wine, he gets better and for me, becomes more appealing as he grows older. Then there's SATC. I admit, I'm one of those frenzied fans who had been waiting for this movie. I remembered when I did an SATC DVD marathon and finished watching all 6 seasons in one month. I haven't grown out of it, I guess. I still wanna hear Samantha talks how good sex is.

I was back to Potipot last April and then felt compelled (since we paid for it) to try some daunting rides at Enchanted Kingdom with my previous team. I posted the pictures in FACEBOOK. Yup, I deserted Friendster, I invited people to join me but I guess, my plea was ignored, hahahaha!

Oh, today one of my girlfriends is flying back to Dubai. Hopefully, I'll see her again next year. It'll be her birthday next week. And today (US time), another BFF is celebrating her birthday. Then a week after...It's ME.....Good grief, I am still in my 20's! And then my BFF Jan before the month ends.

To the June babies, Rhia, Rosie and Jan....and ME....Happy Birthday to all of us!

Opppsss....till then.

Prelude ramblings: Well, I woke up last night with a bout of sharp pain in my gut. Felt like my insides are being ripped off (Well, how would I know exactly?).

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What I really wanna blog is about my recent trip. It has been weeks since I returned and a pity, I can't recall all the specific details, hehehe. I've uploaded pictures in "multiply" without any captions (or else it'll take years) and what's lacking is just this. So I'll try my best to recall what happened before I get distracted.

Macau

My first stop was in Macau. At the airport, I asked a Chinese guy where to get a taxi and it was like déjà vu….Lost in translation again...similar to what happened in Thailand. He didn’t understand English (my bad) but good-naturedly lead me to someone who can…Well, someone who can understand but can barely speak. But I was able to manage through his indiscernible words and added gestures.

Macau was fascinating as it was relaxing. The fusion of Chinese and Portuguese architecture was very evident. The roads were paved, most of were cobblestoned stretching through a line-up of signature boutiques and bistros. One of the famous destinations was the Senado Square (Leal Senado) with its fountain landmark. Although I haven't been to Europe (well, hopefully once I'm done with Asia, with enough $, I can go to Europe...I know it may take year-ssss), the place exuded neoclassical atmosphere, you'll feel like you're in Lisbon strolling in a Renaissance costume, hehehehe. The blend of modern and colonial architecture made Macau a must-see in your travel destination list.

Here's a rather unforgetable experience. One time it was late and I was so hungry, I scourged the area for a place to eat and saw this Chinese eating place with a lot of people. I supposed it served good food so I went inside. I saw what they were serving on tables but ignored it (maybe because I was starved). I looked at the menu and it was all Chinese so I asked the waitress for an English menu, she did not speak but just nodded her head. When she came back, she was bringing a menu with English translation. After perusing it, I was so embarrassed to stand up and leave, so I just ordered milk with banana. Yeah, the place only served milk! Fresh milk with banana, fresh milk with egg, and the list just went further. Looking at the people in there, they seemed like they’re enjoying their late night fresh milk binge so even how disappointed I was, I still expected something scrumptious (Well, it was expensive!) but to my shame, I was given a glass of fresh milk with a tinge of banana flavor. I drank it all with a gulp and was so upset I got out that place in a huff. Thank goodness McDonalds was still open that late, so I gobbled down (as in literally due to hunger) two boxes of chicken nuggets.

Moving on, Macau is touted as the Las Vegas of Asia. Gigantic Casinos sprawled everywhere, more were being erected. I needed to at least enter one so I joined this nice and friendly Thai family when they went to "The Sands" and "The Venetian" Casinos. Most of the casinos offer free bus ride so after going to "Sands" Casino (not inside, but I was told they give out free drinks), we made our way to "The Venetian" aboard their luxurious-looking bus. Well, "The Venetian" was a hallmark of its own. Inside, you'll feel like you're in Venice, I guess this description will suffice hehehehe. That's why I have the pictures, so If I can't describe the place in words, let the pictures do it. Also, one drawback of traveling alone, you’ll take a lot of pictures and you’re not in most of them. Sucks eh?

Well, I've met a lot of people in Macau. Filipinos who left their families in the Philippines to earn a living in Macau, backpackers from Europe, a very nice Canadian gal who teaches in Malaysia, a warm Singaporean who works in Logistics and a US exchange student who just came from the Philippines, describing Filipinas with "beautiful color", hahahahaha! Then of course you'll meet a guy who looked like Anthony Bordain who had all these undesirable prejudices to Filipinas working in Hong Kong, who can't believe I can afford to travel alone! I guess I was able to convince him a bit coz he invited me to eat at McDonalds (Yeah, hamburger anyone?).

Pictures here: MACAU

Hong Kong

Well, I really want to see Disney Land and that was the reason I made a side trip to Hong Kong. Actually, I had another humiliating experience and it involved "almost" getting lost. Rather than writing it here, I'll just share it to my friends for a few good laughs. To conclude, I just reached the entrance of Disney Land but did not go inside. I've decided that going there alone may not be as good as when you're with your family. I'll be back.

So....I've just decided to go to Victoria's peak and visited the Wax Museum. Then the next day, made a trip by sky cable car to Po Lin Monastery to see the giant Buddha.

Pictures Here: HongKong

Singapore

From Macau to Singapore, there was a drastic change in the weather. Macau’s temperature was a bit chilly but still pleasantly refreshing, whereas Singapore was harshly dry and stale like the Philippines. I was glad that the train can bring me to the hotel without disembarking outside so I don’t have to tolerate the heat. The trains’ AC was adequate but my nose was subjected to a blend of Singapore’s cultural odor. I'm sorry, I have no further comment on this (with pun intended).

After I found the hotel, I immediately scouted the vicinity for an eating place. I was starved (Geeez, I was always hungry!) and I could have eaten anything, even curry! I made my way through the first Chinese restaurant that I saw and man… it has the best sea food noodles in the world! Throughout my trip, I’ve been “noodles trip-pin” going to different eateries and in Singapore; I believe I found the finest! The signboard was in Chinese and I can’t read Chinese so I just took a picture instead.

After eating and relaxing, I started my tour and strolled along the bustling streets, dropping by at the Raffles hotel and trying their lift (A very old fashioned lift). The map was a good tool and I supposed I’ve become a good navigator. I checked some high-end malls but prevented myself (with much effort) from buying anything. I kept reminding myself of the exchange rate to dissuade my growing urge to shop and successfully ignored those gorgeous shoes and clothes. I even saw the new book of Jim Rollins in hard bound, “Judas Strain”!

Funny thing about me (or maybe it’s an idiosyncrasy) , a dull moment will become an eating spree. Yes, I did a lot of walking but I also never stopped eating, geeezzz that’s why I gained weight again. By sundown, I rested my tired legs and spent time in a park somewhere near the city hall and feasted my eyes on the wide arrays of buildings, illuminated by lights, color constantly changing. Well, if you have been to Hong Kong, the tall buildings were no longer enthralling. But still, staring at those skyscrapers at night still amazed me, that’s why I can’t forget the view from Victoria's Peak in Hong Kong. Well, after resting and eating (again! But I wasn’t littering!), I ended up at Esplanade (Brenz, my cousin who now lives in Singapore called it “Big Durian” because of its shape). It was an opera and theater house and during that night, they had the “We will rock you” live musical. But it was already half past eight and the concert already started, so I just strutted my way out of the “Big Durian” and traversed the well-lighted street. I walked across a big football field and caught a glimpse of the F1 race car inside a tent. Some crews were prepping up for the big show down, which I already have plans of attending.

The next day wasn’t that fun. I woke up late and by mid afternoon, I went to Sentosa. My mistake, It was bloody hot and though I was wearing cotton tee, shorts and flip-flops, I still can’t escape the scorching sun. I guess It wasn’t the best time to tour Sentosa, but luckily it rained. Maybe other people can appreciate Sentosa, it has its attractions, the beach, the landscapes, the underwater adventure, etc. but I found it all boring (maybe it was just my mood). I walked a few blocks, ate, then walked again while snapping some pictures. I guess what I enjoyed most was the “Songs of the Sea” show. A show set in the sea with pyrotechnic effects, water jets, lasers and computer imagery with live musical. Well, that concluded my day in Sentosa so I rushed to the bustling bugis district again to meet my cousin Brendz and her husband. Brenda was surprised on how familiar I was with the streets and local landmarks as compared to them, considering they’ve been in Singapore for almost a year. But I haven’t been to the Merlion park so they brought me there while eating peppermint ice cream! After chatting for an hour (or I guess two), we enjoyed a midnight feast in an eat all you can Steam Boat eatery in the strip. We wrapped up the day….eerrnnn….morning, stuffed and sleepy!

Well the next day, I woke up past noon, rushed to the Bugis Street to buy some souvenirs and then Nick, a cute blue-eyed (or blue green?) British bloke I met accompanied me to the “Vodafone Mclaren Mercedes - Live in action” show near Stamford Road where I saw the F1 race car. I believe, this was in preparation for the Singapore F1 race in September, first time in Singapore and it will be held at night (Wow, a first night race in Singapore circuit). Former F1 champion Mika Häkkinen (saw him from afar) demonstrated the skill of the Mclaren F1 race car. With all the high speed accelerating and a sudden stop, deafening engine and wheels skidding, it was all cool, but I was not captivated coz I am not a car or race car enthusiast, sorry. But there were a lot of people watching the event and since I can't find a shade and I was sweating profusely I was surprised how easy it was for my companion to lie down on the greens under the sun (Oh he said he just came from New Zealand and it was freaking cold there and he welcome the heat!)! Well at least I managed to take one picture of that event after pushing my way through the circuit to get a closer look (though it was all futile). Nick, perhaps seeing my predicament was a gentleman enough to offer his shoulders! Well, I knew he was tall and a big guy but I doubt If he wouldn’t have trouble carrying me! I had enough of the sun and I barely saw the race car anyway in all its speeding glory, so we just left and bought ice cold fruit shakes!

Finally, we found the famed “Long Bar” (Was looking for it with Brenz a night prior). I read in a travel mag that your stay in Singapore will not be complete without visiting the “Long Bar”. To my dismay, it was just located on the second floor of Raffles. Well, I don’t drink but I occasionally indulge in light cocktails. Nick had planters (I really can't recall) and I tried their pina-colada. I think the bartender took it seriously when I said to lessen the vodka so my cocktail ended up tasting like pineapple with coconut milk (adding coconut milk is part of their specialty).

Pictures Here: Singapore

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Geeeezzzz, I'm already sleepy. I have work tonight and I already missed one day so I have tons of things to do. To sum it up…I still like HongKong. Macau is a nice place, but I ain’t fond of casinos. Singapore may be booming but it doesn’t tick…. Probably it’s just me. I wonder when will I be able to travel again. This time, I wanna visit Ho Chi Minh and then Cambodia to see Ankor Wat. Oh well, when?

One thing is for sure though….I’m bloody broke!

My BFF was right, I'm MIA...again. Every so often I disappear from the face of the blog world and I can't say this wasn't forthcoming. The question is always gonna be....when?

Oh well, I'm doing a last minute blog before I leave. My flight will be in 8 hours and I am double checking my things. I don't want to do a hasty and insane last ditch preparation like last year so I organized everything last night. There was still the old procrastinator in me breaking through coz I barely finished my travel itineraries, hehehe. But I have several print out(s) of travel guides, I hope those will suffice.

Well, a lot of things happened. I can't recall all the intricate details but one thing is for sure, I still possess that certain amount of notoriety and I guess, It sticks beyond eh? I reckon... defining myself is too perplexing. And I always come in too strong...Geeezzzz....(My haterz will definitely love this!)

I always write metaphorically especially about work, you know leaving everything for the readers who "know" to figure out. But again, professionalism aside, this is something I can't stifle....."I am thankful to my previous employer for equipping us leaders with experience, first-rate trainings and making us experts in the field....Seeing other leaders make me blanch with distaste and disappointment... Their leadership is too mediocre"...that's all...bitch eh? I wasn't particularly thrilled about saying this but I guess I got fed up. You know, assertiveness is not enough....use your heart and your brain man!

Enough....hehehehe. Jumping to the next topic, I was asked the question on how do I balance my work and personal life...I was like, me? Is it balance? But again, I thought of it seriously. It's a serious question that needs a serious answer so here it goes. Btw, while I am composing this, the reckless me is currently throwing a fit, hehehe...

There is really no pragmatic way to achieve a work-life balance. Suffice it to say, what might have worked before may not work today. What makes me content and happy are the things that I do right now. (Bitchy J says, "I said right now. A list of temporary refuges making me sane!")

1. At work, I schedule things using a calendar and I list my TO DO activities daily. I've done it before, juggling workloads and finishing everything on the same day even if other things can be done on the next day. It was stressful. Not that I procrastinate; rather I am a classic multi-tasker. So right now, I prioritize urgent and highly important things. I allot a wiggle room in my daily schedule to make it more flexible for unexpected turn of events. (Bitchy J says, "The word is "multi-tasker", then couple it with being woolly-headed, equals??? I punish myself by doing a lot of things at a time and then continue to add more. ")

2. Go home on time and take things one day at a time. "Learn to live each day at a time (not dwelling in the past or the imagined future) then we can become happy and free" is now a personal mantra. (Bitchy J says, "Interesting huh? Following this is really difficult...tsk..difficult!")

3. Get enough sleep daily or I'll end up cranky and always on the edge. Caffeine only has a fleeting effect so at least 8 hours of sleep is still the best. (Bitchy J says, "Curse those books! Curse those manga(s)! Damn, I'm still hooked. Who's fault is it now?")

4. I spend my days off with my family and organizes a food binge. I slack at home and watch DVDs of my favorite movies and TV shows. And I also play computer and PSP games. I'm a sucker for adventure and medieval role-playing games. (Bitchy J says, "Who can define a slacker better than I?")

5. At least once every two weeks, I go out with friends and enjoy a good movie and good food.(Bitchy J says, "Definitely! My social life is in the verge of turning kaput!")

6. Every pay day, I spoil myself with a pair of shoes, a new book or anything I can add in my wardrobe. (Bitchy J says, " I deserve to be pampered...But then I end up ...broke!")

7. Two things I enjoy the most. I read books and mangas/manwahs and I write. At the end of the day, what gives me the enjoyment is the idea of fulfilling my long term goal of finishing my first English novel. My passion in writing keeps me going, and though I haven't touched my unfinished manuscript for weeks, knowing it's there continually triggers a profound effect. (Bitchy J says, "Geeeez, up to now it remained untouched. ")

Lastly, something new that I have recently discovered is MEDITATION. I'm still new at it, but I'm positive it'll help me immensely. (Bitchy J says, "I need to figure out a better chant....Hmmmm...Puuu....liii...ttzzz...kkkkaaahhhh...")

Yeah, some friends knew I'm a sucker for animes, shojou mangas and manwahs so I've been invited to cosplay. Well, my insanity....errrr...spontaneity hasn't reached that stage yet so I needed to beg off. Though I've been contemplating who's character I'll portray just in case, hihihi. Manwah characters are pretty eclectic and fashionably forward, maybe one of them?

Btw, my travel buddy Anjie and some Adtrek members had a short weekend getaway two (or three?) weeks ago in Potipot Island, Santa Cruz. A small privately-owned island on the outskirts of Iba, with fine white sand and turquoise water. The place oozes with serenity, unlike Boracay which has become a permanent nook for night-life prowlers. Pictures are uploaded on my flickr badge and If anyone is in interested in visiting it, ping me.

I realized recently that I am slowly evolving into a bibliophile like my BFF Jan (Oh I miss her!). I've been collecting and buying books and started defying my own reading convention by trying different authors of varying genres. I'm now hooked on thrillers and adventures that explore and exploit historical myths and legends. Out of curiosity, I bought two books of Steve Berry. No idea at all on who he was or what his style of writing. I did not even google him yet!

Perhaps what pique my curiosity was the title and it reminded me of Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code". After reading "The Templar Legacy" and "Alexandria Link", I was totally into him, well his writing I mean! I shoved my ass to the bookstore once again and bought three more of his novels and I am currently reading the "Romanov Prophecy". Though I admit, I still don't have the courage to read the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I don't think I am ready for the emotionally sapping challenge these types of reading materials will evoke. Next time eh?

Reading [Book]: The Templar Legacy [...too much delay in reading already]
Reading [Manga]: Series updates: Masca, Kaikan Phrase, Love Celeb, GMC and some shojou one shots
Watching: Just finished The Closer 3 and now watching CSI Miami 5 and Criminal Minds 2 alternatively
Playing: "Heroes: Naruto" and "Untold Legends" [level 22] in PSP
Food Binge: Marinara/Seafood pasta and deep-fried dumplings

So much to tell. Let's see...Training is ongoing and everyone is dreading their very first "call". And sense of responsibility is waning. It even reached a point where it had forsaken me (Well at first it was difficult. Succumbing to complacency is not easy, mind you!) . You see, I've given myself some slack...which took soooo long (I quite enjoyed it) and now the effect is unpleasant. I need to catch up and this means, work double time!

On the other hand, my impulsiveness got the better of me once again (And I am pretty psyched about it...no, not that much...). Just a few minutes ago, I booked Int flights to Macau and Singapore this coming March. No itinerary, no specific plans, but I know I’ll be in Macau on Easter and hopefully, I can go and visit Hong Kong Disney Land and meet with some friends in Singapore. Traveling is stimulating. Being on places where I’ve never been (or perhaps had been) evoke a sense of nostalgia. The longing is so addictive, similar to my frailty in shopping….with shoes…with clothes…with food…with books…withDVDs… Geezzz…

Ahhhh, I’ve always been inclined to make hasty decisions….And sooo reckless most of the time. I even bought the cryptic puzzle purple edition but I don't even know anything about cryptics! (Well, just a little idea...insufficient...scarce)...

Mayday! Mayday! My tickets are not refundable and I need a travel companion!

Alrighty, I need to get some "zzzzzzz"...My thoughts are going haywire! I'm back to my nocturnal ways and I no longer have a social life!

Practically, we don't have to wait for the end of the year to create resolutions. But again, the pre-conceieved notion and the motivation brought about by the New Year hoopla is hard to stifle so here's my own listing...

1. I really wanna finish my manuscript this year, and hopefully earlier than what I have calculated. Also, I'll make sure to use my planner in jotting down ideas and "spur of the moment" scenes, dialogue(s), or passages. Typically, I'll just let the ideas rattle my brain, enmesh myself into the emotional sensation, and let my imagination weave the story. But that's it, like a fleeting memory, forgotten afterwards... Sucks to be me... So from now on, even though I am no longer accustomed to manually writing using my idle fingers, I'll do it! Fighting!

2. Ever since I got exposed to the art of tattoo, not just mere adornments permanently emblazoned on the skin, but arts that signify something profound, I am willing to let my body be subjected to the unimaginable pain. But my wish is not simple but rather, ambitious. Who can do it better but the best? It'll only be Chris Garber or just forget about it! (Well, unless you can introduce me to someone who has the skill, email me please!)

3. Save money, save money, save money. Less shoes, less clothes, avoid too much binging on food....erase, erase....Just try to save!

4. This one may contradict number 3 but heck, enjoy life! My number 4 is to travel more and explore the beauty of the Philippines or the neighboring countries.

5. Be less jaded and have mind-boggling-insanity-rocking sex, bwahahahahaha!

6. Replace my laptop with a vaio or mac....Dreaming~

7. Finish reading all the books I've bought in 2007 (whether I like it or not) and buy a new book cabinet. Sigh~

8. F A J O O T C O M T C

9. Pay all debts! No more credit card? Well, just one will do. Oh, ok two.

10. Be less oblivious. Give up the "Queen of Obliviousness" crown.