my favorite pen

i collect pens like crazy. whenever i get the opportunity to drop by a bookstore, i will purchase a minimum of two pens, never mind if i have a dozen waiting for me inside my oversized pencil case

but now, i have a favorite pen. i doubt if i will ever use it. it is too small, and im afraid of the ink running out. but i will put it on a small pedestal, and treasure it like the most precious piece in a museum

it is a pen that was given out of random thoughtfulness from a friend that i thought i lost forever.
it is a simple memento to the power of healing and renewal
it is a testament to the hope that shoudln't be allowed to die when you know that something is still worth hoping for

i'm being melodramatic, but i swear, it is the best pen ever

Things I'm Loving Right Now (aka My Addictions)

in no particular order

1. The moment when I'm the first person in the office and I can lie on the pink bean bag and listen to my songs of the day wholeheartedly, with eyes closed and a silly/sad/ecstatic grin on my face

2. Standing immobile under the showers for a few minutes and just letting the water rush over me after an intense workout or at the end of a hot and stressful day

3. Me tickling Lola and then her pinching me and exclaiming how "tabachingching" I am already.
She's the only one who can get away with that.

4. Devouring books at the most unusual times and places, like waiting for the bus in Kamias, standing in line at the bank, waiting for the bus to fill up, in the middle of the work day when my head can't take it anymore, waking up unexpectedly in the middle of the night. And yes, I devour books like there's no tomorrow

5. Arranging, rearranging, manually editing my song titles and info in Itunes. Goodbye winamp

6. Looking for and downloading old and new TV commercials and music videos from Youtube and iFilm. It's addictive I tell you. I get inspired. I am thoroughly amused. And the old videos are truly nostalgic. It's addictive I tell you. Now if only we could come up with ads as great as these

7. Having non-sensical and silly YM conversations that may or may not contribute to my development as a person

8. The smell of the different Body Shop bath gels. And the smell of the shampoo and soap at Planet Infinity. And the smell of my faux Light Blue perfume from Bench

9. Internet window shopping and then the day when I actually buy something and they actually deliver it to my office and then unwrapping it and then showing it off to everyone. Again, addictive

10. Watching crime procedural shows (CSI, Bones, Law and Order, Without a Trace, Medium) with my brother and then discussing them in a serious but fun way, like which actor has guested in all of the above, or how yummy the autopsy is, or how realistic that particular case is

Now, tell me what you love....

Quick Reviews

Vacancy
It's probably the best movie ever! NOT! It's such a crappy, crappy movie and I can't imagine what possessed us to actually watch it. After the movie, I wanted to scream, "Give me back my 140 pesos!". The most horrifying moments were actually scenes which I refused to see, because lots and lots of rodents were involved. But my colleagues and I enjoyed trying to scare each other silly. Miss Kate Beckinsale, please don't ever play another damsel in distress role. I much prefer you to the kick-ass werewolf killer of Underworld. And sheesh, can you please make a little less noise when you're trying to get away from murdering maniacs?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
I don't know what's the record for fastest time for reading a 759 page book, but I did break my personal record. Dude, 9 hours straight! And I have to say, I am definitely satisfied with how JK Rowling ended the series. (But please, don't go back on your word and make another Harry Potter book after a few yours. Leave the story to rest.) I will not give away any spoilers, but suffice it to say, there were some tears involved and I am thoroughly satisfied on how she closed the story on one character which everybody loves to hate, but oddly enough, I sympathized with. Okay, I will shut up now


Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko
As much as I love the world of Harry Potter, if I had to live in a fantasy world apart from Middle Earth, I would choose to live in this world where vampires, werewolves, witches and magicians engage in constant battles and philosophical debates, sometimes at the same time. This is the basis of that awesome Russian movie which Ailene describes as Underworld meets The Matrix. I am currently reading the second book, Daywatch, and I cannot wait to get my hands on Twilight Watch and Final Watch. When it comes to literature, even fantasy and horror novels, you Russians kick ass


the hotness that is Matthew Fox

Lost Season 3 Finale
Everyone was buzzing about Heroes and a lot of people kinda lost hope that Lost will regain its former glory. I do like Heroes but it's season finale was such a letdown. But when I finally watched Lost, I totally forgot all other TV shows (except for Battlestar Galactica. Why doesnt anyone I know watch this show???). Of course I won't give away spoilers coz I know AXN and Studio 23 arent finished showing the season yet, but people, I have got to tell you this: stick it out to the end. I know some episodes were hum drum (Nicki? Paolo? Who are you guys again?) but wait it out and the last six or seven episodes are truly worth it

and on a final note:

Taco Bell's Green Margarita Slush
If I could drink it everyday, I would

just some questions running through my head

when will you ever look at me the way i want you to look at me?
when will you ever see the you that is reflected in my eyes?
when will my feelings for you stop fluctuating every other day?
when will you ever admit that you know what i said a few days ago?
when will the fascination with things i know are out of my reach stop?

and when will i start to finally ask these questions to your face?

Switchfoot Concert 2007 Manila Philippines!

Switchfoot Concert for the benefit of abused & exploited children



On September 10, 2007, the alternative rock band, SWITCHFOOT, will be staging a concert in Manila, the Philippines for the benefit of IJM. Proceeds of the concert will help fund the legal and educational assistance provided to more than 100 children assisted by IJM.

International Justice Mission (“IJM”) is a non-profit organization that documents and monitors conditions of abuse and oppression, educates the public about the abuses, and mobilizes intervention on behalf of the victims. Our Manila office provides free legal, investigative, and social work assistance to abused or exploited children in the National Capital Region.

SWITCHFOOT popularized the following hits:
Only Hope (later re-recorded by Mandy Moore for the movie "A Walk to Remember")
New Way to Be Human
Meant to Live
Dare You to Move
This Is Your Life
Stars

Their latest CD is the rock scorcher "Oh Gravity!".

Ticket prices are:
P1400 (mosh pit)
P1200 (floor seats)
P1000 (special ringside)
P800 (reg ringside)
P600 (special lower box)
P400 (lower box)
P250 (gallery)

Please visit www.ijm.org for more information about IJM and www.mtv.com/music/ artist/switchfoot/artist.jhtml for more information about Switchfoot.
OneMountaintop is the producer of the concert.

Centralized news will be in http://switchfootmanila.blogspot.com
So go there and bookmark it!!! And call up for ticket reservations.

IJM and OneMountainTop is also looking for Corporate Sponsors, BTW

random thoughts while listlessly exercising on the treadmill

if i fall down the treadmill, will people laugh?

what the heck are those women in the spinning class doing? is this self-inflicted torture?

how many minutes more?

i hope no one is looking at the junk in my trunk

i wish i could make like those "ok go" guys and just dance away on all these treadmills

note to self: look at people wearing bandanas or else you might miss seeing piolo again

how many minutes more?

how the heck did i get from 90 lbs to 1 _ _ lbs? i'm now regretting all those chocolate bars and ice creams over the years, while at the same time, i am dying to have one

i have got to get an ipod video. staring at pokemon on the tv while working out is not so conducive. where is that damn remote?

how many minutes more?

it's only in the movies where you meet "potentials" at the gym. most of the people around me are mommys. or gays. or women who dont need to go to the gym anymore. but yeah, i didnt go here to meet anyone anyway. so there

how many minutes more?

It is a dreary Monday morning.
The skies are threatening to once again blanket the Metro in unwelcome tears.
My eyes are threatening to give up on me and catch up on the sleep I've been depriving them.
My head is mentally preparing itself to a gruelling week of meetings, plannings, brainstormings.

It's not supposed to cheer me up, but weirdly enough, it does

For the past weeks or so, I've been feeling this emotion that has been foreign to me for so long. Completeness. Satisfaction. Peace

I have made peace with my Father. There are still some issues up in the air but I know that if He got me through the darkets parts of my life, He can get me through these. They say that sometimes He has to break you in order to reach you, but this time around, He blessed me continually in spite of my unfaithfulness, until I couldn't resist anymore. He really has his weird ways and I love Him all the more for that




I am finally home with my family, where I belong. It involves a lot of late night commuting and struggles to wake up early in the morning but at least I can be there whenever my brother cracks a corny joke or Mama cooks a delicious meal or Lola needs me to comfort her when she's sick. At the end of the day, family is still the most important thing



I love my job, my boss, my co-workers. How many people can honestly say that? No matter how many headaches I get from clients, how many meetings and brainstormings in a day I have to go to, I would still declare my love for a job that I know I am meant to do (after years of dilly dallying as to what I want to do with my life, this is truly a great achievement)


Broken is alive. For those of you who don't know what Broken is, it's my band during my college years that was such a big part of my life then and now. And even though 2/5 of the band are married with children (with one more due to tie the knot this year), we are not old enough to love music and to share this love with other people. I imagine that even when we're 60, we would still find a way to play geriatric music together.



There are still so many big and small things that I am thankful for, but I might ramble on and on and on and on...So I will just leave you with the words of Stephen Speaks...

If i lay my voice down at Your feet
would you still hear my song echoing
i might end this game of hide and seek
because in You

i am complete
oh in You
i am complete

all the voices i hear in my sleep
all the sins of my past echoing
to stay off my knees and on my feet
oh but they,
they can't complete
cause in You i am complete

Song Menagerie

it's that time again when my own words fail me, and so i need to borrow other people's poetry

Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost
- Lead Me to the Cross, United Live

She said what on earth made you stay here
When you finally figured out what I was all about
He said I always knew you'd do the right thing
Even though it might take some time
She said, Yeah, I felt that and that's probably what saved my life
- When It Was Over, Sara Groves

So I don't want to be the last, I don't want to be the first,
Don't want to be alone with my thoughts tomorrow,
And I don't want to be afraid, don't want to look away,
I'm learning to breathe
- Learning to Breathe, Nerina Pallot

But sister you know I’m so weary
And you know sister
My hearts been broken
Sometimes, sometimes
My mind is too strong to carry on
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies
- Orange Sky, Alexi Murdoch

I feel like I am watching everything from space
And in a minute I'll hear my name and I'll wake
I think the finish line's a good place we could start
Take a deep breath, take in all that you could want
- Finish Line, Snow Patrol

If we only got one try
If we've only got one life
If time was never on our side
Before I die I want to burn out bright
- Burn Out Bright, Switchfoot