I’m not really feeling good. My throat started to sore again. Maybe it’s because of those many sweets I had last Wednesday. And last night... I was hot and chilling. I'm not sure though if I had fever. I didn't have a thermometer with me. But even my breath was hot. I hope I’m not getting the flu. *Sigh*
I went half-day last Friday to see a doctor. I was having a bad cold then with dry coughing. Anyway, it turned out ok. I was in the city at almost 5pm and boarded the Greyhound bus to Boston. I got an hour and a half earlier than the 1st time I used this route.
Tita brought me to the mall on Saturday. Just a backgrounder…I saw this hat from Gap. I didn’t want to spend $24.50 + tax for just a hat. I’ve been waiting for it to go on sale but it never did. So I decided to just get it since I need one. And they no longer have it in black to my surprise. Know what?! Gap in Leominster, MA had it in black and it was on sale too. And mind you…no tax (since clothing and accessories are non-taxable in MA). I got it for $12.99 and I’m so happy about it. I also bought some long-sleeved shirts from Old Navy.
It was my 1st time spending Christmas in MA. I have only been spending Thanksgiving Day there for the last 4 years. Nothing really unusual but I was so glad to have spent it with a close relative. Tita gave me a Victoria Secret silk pajama in Cranberry color (see picture below) for Christmas apart from the money that she also gave me. I got another set of pajamas from her friend, Rowena and some money from Meme.
Joe who got a lot of presents from his parents was the happiest. How nice it is to be a kid huh?! :) They’re mostly for his Ski sport. On the 25th itself, Tita’s in-laws came to the house. Her mother-in-law prepared the food. Her ham with pineapple was so delicious.
Tita and I went to BJ’s on Monday to get some stuff. I drove her Kia Sorrento which was actually good for me since I haven’t driven in a while. How I wish I could have my own car soon! Anyway, I left for NY around noon time but didn’t get here till 830pm.
Next stop... New Jersey, where I will be spending New Year with Tita Gie and her family. :)
This will be a quick one. I've been really busy today at work. Well not really my work but I helped in the year end inventory count. And this would mean I still have a lot to do tomorrow.
I got home last night at 830pm. The bus was caught in traffic and was delayed for almost an hour. I felt so tired. I'll tell you the story of what happened during Christmas some other time.
I'm so happy that all NY buses and subways are now back to normal. It truly is a relief for most New Yorkers. Some even say it's a very nice Christmas present. Business establishments had come up with creative ways like free stuffs, chocolates for the kids, or even hot coco while having a foot spa to attract customers.
And as for me, this means Christmas in Massachusetts...
The union board has agreed to go back to work while negotiations still continue. They haven't set a time though as to when they will resume their jobs. This is actually one reason why I can't decide up to now if I'm still going to MA for Christmas. I hope it'll all be over by tomorrow. You can read more here...
25 years ago, a massive transit strike caused billions of dollar losses to the New York State and gave so many workers a hard time getting to work with no public transportation. That strike lasted for 11 days before they could come up with an agreement.
A transit strike which started yesterday has shut down most of the public transportations in the city. And while it is against the law, the union members have chosen to fight for what they believe in. New Yorkers have to find creative ways in order for them to get to work. The state has ordered the police to only allow cars with 4 people or more entering Manhattan. Strangers shared cabs and some would even give strangers a lift just to be able to go in to the city. I was a witness myself since I was in the city yesterday for our annual inventory count.
A transit worker walks through a deserted Astor Place subway station early Tuesday in New York. On Tuesday, New York transit workers walked off the job for the first time in 25 years, affecting millions of riders who rely on buses and subways daily.
Transit union picketers keep warm around a fire in New York Tuesday, after Local 100 of the Transport Workers Union ordered a strike against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Manhattan-bound vehicles on the Triborough Bridge come to a standstill Tuesday. Traffic clogged all of Manhattan's inbound bridges and tunnels.
Pedestrians crowd a Midtown Manhattan intersection on Tuesday. Millions of New Yorkers who rely on the transit system had to find a new way of getting around the city due to the strike.
Irvin has sent me a text message late afternoon yesterday asking me how I am going to get home. He said he has seen the news about the transit strike. Luckily, the company I work for is located in Nassau County and Long Island Buses (LIB) are not part of the strike. I have been worried since last week thinking of what I should do if ever they join the strike. I’m just glad that a co-worker offered a ride to and from work worse comes to worst.
it's only 10 days till christmas. i'm sure a lot of kids are excited and giddy about it. and in as much as i don't want to think that christmas is just for kids, it's a fact that they are the happiest during this season. i miss a lot of things being a kid though. no worries... easy to be pleased... always getting a lot of gifts... and more. i remember those times when me together with my siblings and cousins were lining up to receive money from 'ima'. and papa makes the best ham too every year. every traditional family is expected to have a variety of good food in their tables at christmas. the only thing i never liked is 'queso de bola'. i don't know why i'm not really crazy on this cheese.
now at 31, how many godchildren do i have now? jeez i'm not even sure if i still remember all of them...not even their names... oooppss! let me see...
1. janice's daughter
2. kat-kat (tita ching's daughter)
3. fil's son
4. kido (mommy lerma's daughter)
5. mj (marc's daughter)
6. christy's daughter
7. lyn's newly born
8. jr (tito dicky's son)
9. alvin's son
10. grace's son
i know there are more though. i'll just update the list if i remember.
sorry kids, ninang is too far away right now. actually for 4 years already. i hope i can still make it up to all of you given the time.
merry christmas everyone!
Currently, there is a heavy snow mixed with rain and sleet. Temp is 31 deg F but the feel is like 25 deg. And it's not even winter yet. Well almost... Commute wasn't that hard. There were just a few minutes delay with some of the buses but still I made it for the connections. It's really nice watching the snow but I find it a mess when it's done...they turn into mud-like slush especially on the roads. And it's colder also as they turn into ice. Watch out for the crystal-like ice. It's slippery.
I took some pictures so I could share them but I don't know yet how to upload those from my new cellphone. Haha! I'll ask my brother to teach me don't worry. :)
I've been really lazy to blog these past few days...well considering that there are a lot of things to post. Anyway, I took a different route going to Massachusetts last Thanksgiving. I took the connection in Boston. Jeez I can't believe how nice the buildings are in Boston. Well, I've only been there once in 2002 getting off from the airport. And I didn't really see much since it was at night time. My aunt even told me that I should see their shopping district which is even nicer. Maybe one of these days huh?! Hmmm...
We had so much fun during Thanksgiving. It was celebrated at my aunt's house for the 1st time. Her mom-in-law made the turkey and sidings. Everything was just sooo good. She really makes good gravy. I just love it! There were a little dancing. It was really fun!
Then, we went to the mall the next day. That's usually how it is here. There's like a big sale the day after the celebration. But even so, I didn't really shop. I just got myself a nice scarf and a portable cd player.
My aunt's husband asked me if I'll be spending Christmas with them though. Can i say no?! No, I don't think so. And of course, I'd rather spend it with family you know.
I also helped my cousin set up the new laptop I purchased for them. He was just very happy learning how to download and burn songs. Cool huh?! Well he is just 12 years old what do you expect!
mood: 
Thanksgiving Day is fast approaching and I can’t wait. I’ll be spending it in MA as usual. It’s something that I just can’t give up as it’s the only time of the year that I get a 4-day weekend. And of course, it’ll give me much happiness being with a close relative… Tita Laling.
mood: 
It is pouring out. So depressing… I’m not in my usual self. I don’t know what to think. Some things have gotten so complicated lately. My mind is too pre-occupied with so many things that I don’t anymore know how to move on. What should I do?!
mood: 
I came to the US on March 11, 2002. I went straight to MA that time and stayed with Tita Laling (Mama’s cousin) for about more than 2 months. Having found a job in NY, I moved here on Memorial Day (May 2002). While I have always spent Thanksgiving Day in MA, I haven’t visited my family in the Philippines since.
Finally, after a little more than 3 ½ years, I went home for a month’s vacation. I arrived there on September 18th. The trip was long. It took 14 ½ hours from NY to Seoul, Korea and another 3 hours & 40 minutes going to Manila. It was my 1st time to board Korean Air though. I would say their service is great. They make sure their customers are satisfied. They served good food. The plane was nice. We had individual monitors where there’s a great selection of music and movies.
I had mixed emotions while on the plane. I was excited. The happiness I felt was really overwhelming. I was even nervous I don’t know why. My heart was beating fast when the plane captain announced that we were landing shortly. As the plane got lower, I’ve seen house roofs and cars on the road. I was like… I’m finally here! I didn’t really have a hard time at the immigration. I should say I came out of the airport fast. The very 1st person I saw while going down the ramp was Irvin. My sister said he has been there since 9 AM. My arrival time was 10:50 AM by the way. Papa and my brother Mickey were there as well. We went to Duty Free where Papa bought some liquor. We went to San Andres directly afterwards. The 1st thing I noticed when we reached home was the message “Welcome Home Faye” by the living room. Everyone was excited as I opened my luggage and ‘balikbayan box’. I wasn’t even feeling tired considering I flew for 18 hours. The feeling of being with my family is just very special. The whole family attended the mass and my brother Adoy treated us for dinner. They initially wanted to go to Chef d’ Angelo but I requested for Filipino food. We went to Dencio’s. Whew! We were stuffed!
To be continued…
mood: 
I had my annual check up last Saturday. My doctor also took blood works and urine sample...part of the process. Then, I went to Cabrini where Tita Gie works. She had a co-worker who gave us a ride to NJ. We went to Walmart and Marshall’s. I found the shoes similar to the one I saw at DSW. It’s almost half the price but still I didn’t want to buy it. I kept on saying it’s just a ‘want’, not a ‘need’. Tita Gie maybe noticed how I wanted the shoes so she got it for me. Thanks, Tita Gie. We arrived at Tita Gie’s house. No one was home. We had dinner and went upstairs to watch tv. I went to bed late that Saturday…2am. I finished the movie I was watching. I woke up at past 9am. I wasn’t able to sleep well. I kept on waking up then forcing myself to go back to sleep again. Tita Gie made breakfast…bacon and eggs. I ate it with toasted bread. Hmmm yummy! We went to church at 12noon. We were a little late. Her kids were just taking their time dressing up. After mass, we headed back home and cooked lunch. Tita Gie made chicken barbeque while I fried lumpia shanghai. Tito Freddie finally arrived at about past 3pm. But we didn’t leave for NY till an hour later. We went to Tita Inday’s house in Manhattan to drop off KC, had dinner and left at around 8pm. Monday was a holiday being Labor Day. I just stayed home the whole day fixing things. I organized all my paper works and picked those that I’ll be bringing with me. What a tiring day!
I got a text message from Tita Baby last night at almost midnight saying Nanay is in the hospital. She was in the operating room that time for appendicitis. I tried sending a text message to Tito Paqui but didn't get a reply. And I don't know Tita Aba's cell number. So I called Tita Baby but didn't get much information. She said she hasn't talked to them yet and that she was about to leave her house to go to work. And so I went to sleep.
Just a few minutes ago, I got another text from Tita Baby asking if I called them in the Philippines. I said not yet. She said she called them again last night (like after 2 hours from the time Nanay entered the operating room) and Nanay hasn't come out yet. Nanay had raptured appendicitis. Tita Aba called Tito Paqui crying for help at around 4am. Nanay was really in pain and she didn't know what to do. Tito Paqui asked Tita Aba to bring Nanay to Las Pinas which she did. Then upon bringing her to the hospital, they learned that the infection has already spread. Earlier, Nanay already spent overnight in a hospital in Marikina. But never did they think that it was something this serious. They were only told she's high in potassium. I feel so worried that I want to see Nanay badly. I hope she'll be ok. Tita Baby said everybody thought Nanay is leaving us this soon.
I also called Irvin but Mommy said he went to the hospital to see Nanay. I'll just call him again to know how Nanay is now.
mood: 
I called Tzie last Tuesday knowing that her due date is August 27th. I wasn't able to talk to her and got her voice mail instead. I left a message but had to call again and asked their receptionist if she's still reporting for work which she actually is. Then, I got a call from her at exactly 8:08 pm last night. She said she went to work that Tuesday but having felt that the baby wasn't moving, she asked her husband Jay to take her to the hospital. True enough, her water bag already broke. But she said she wasn't feeling any labor pains. So she was admitted. She gave birth on August 24th at 11:52 pm to a healthy 7.2 lbs baby girl. Yey! Congratulations Jay and Tzie! I hope to see you before I leave for the Philippines.
mood: 
I’m leaving for the Philippines soon and as it gets nearer, it actually gets slower. Am I being impatient?! If I can only pull the days towards me!
I have finished buying all the ‘pasalubong’ that I intend to bring to the Philippines. I’m sure a lot of people are expecting something from me. I know I will hear many side comments and half-gag, half-truth reactions. I feel bad for I can’t meet everyone’s expectations. I just can’t please everybody! And that’s the truth…
By the way, it was my Tita Aba’s birthday last August 14th. Belated Happy Birthday Tita! May all your wishes come true!
mood: 
I went to pick up my plane ticket last Saturday in Flushing. Finally, I met my travel agent Annie. She’s rather nice in person and very soft spoken. I think she felt comfortable with me right away having opened some of her personal issues in life. And I was flattered. We had lunch at a Korean Restaurant which I can’t even remember the name. Food was good. We ordered Beef Kalbi Tang and Grilled Salmon. It’s also common for Koreans to have a lot of side dishes. Believe me…just for these appetizers you won’t even need to have the main course.
Then I went to Manhattan to return something to Target not knowing that they never had a store in the city. A guy told me there’s one in Queens Plaza. It was actually my 1st time to ever ride the N and R train. But jeez I had to waste almost 3 hours just for the travel…looking for a Target store. There wasn’t also a Target store in Queens Plaza so again someone said I should go to Queens Center Mall. Then, there it was. Whew! I got a laced camisole and a shrug for a reasonable price.
I started packing yesterday. I just don’t want to rush things later. And since I don’t have much space in my room, when it’s summer, I usually put my winter clothes in the luggages. But now I need one for my trip to the Philippines so I unpacked that and sorted all the clothes that I plan on bringing including the ‘pasalubong’ I have bought for my family and friends. I weighed them bag per bag just to have an idea of how much it’ll be in total. Guess what?! It reached 145 lbs. and I’m only allowed 140 lbs. Well 2 boxes of 70 lbs. each to be exact. So I decided to just return some of the soaps and chocolates I got from Costco. I don’t think it’s practical to be paying the excess baggage fee.
Right now, I feel so dead-tired. I hope I can sleep early tonight though.
mood: 
It’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been busy with work lately which is really good for me. I mean I’d rather have busy days than slow ones. Anyway, I was supposed to meet Tita Baby last Saturday but I couldn’t reach her since Friday. I asked her to make me a blazer and a dressing gown. She would have accompanied me in buying the fabrics in Manhattan. But now I changed my mind. I don’t really need a blazer. It’s going to be hot in the Philippines in the 1st place and I might end up not wearing it. I also don’t need a dressing gown. I’ll just ask for a robe since we’ll be at a hotel on that day. I bought some chocolates too…well a lot actually. I don’t want to be rushing things later when it’s almost time for me to pack. I’m all set other than the vitamins for Nanay. I’ll be picking up my ticket this coming Saturday and have lunch with my travel agent as well. I'm so excited that I just can’t wait to go home!
mood: 
Saturday
I went to NJ for a dinner celebration of Tita Baby’s birthday. Speaking of which, her real birthday is today. I just sent her a text message. I arrived there at noon…a little past 12. The food was good. They had kare-kare, tinumis, rellenong bangus, pansit bihon and the best of all, leche flan. It was supposed to be an early dinner but her friends didn’t come until 6:30pm. And since I had to go with Tito Ariel to the train station, I had to eat fast and left.
Sunday
It was a very tiring day for me. Since I wasn’t able to do any chores the day before, I left the house at 8:30am to do my laundry. I attended mass at 10:30am alone as my landlady hasn’t arrived from camping. As soon as I got back home, I just took my bag and left not realizing that I didn’t bring my house keys with me. I had to wake up Lester just so I could get back in. It took a few minutes before he opened the door for me. I went to the supermarket and bought the things I need for chicken asado and sweet & sour meatballs. I went to buy lunch at the Chinese restaurant and ate it at home before I decided to check the things I bought earlier. It was after an hour when I learned that I left the meat at the store. Uh-oh! I called them right away but I was told there’s no bag with meat left in the counter. Then I went with Kuya Nel to Wal-mart thinking that I needed something. I ended up not buying anything. I went back to the supermarket to buy the meat and then cooked. It was already 5:40pm when I finished cooking. Tiring, right! Yeah I know! I cooked mongo ginisa for dinner. We ate. I washed the dishes. I cleaned the house. I fixed my bills…sorted and filed them. Geez! It was already 9:40pm when I finished everything. I was so freaking tired that I didn’t anymore have time to iron my office clothes. I took a quick shower, made a phone call and went straight to bed.
Monday
I called my friends/former colleagues in Castrol. It’s been a long time since I last talked to them though we exchange emails from time to time. It was quite long of a talk actually…an hour and a half. I spoke with Ruby, Fhatty and Dudes. I just miss them. Soon enough, I’ll see them again.
Tuesday
It was my sister whom I called last night. I just wanted to ask her about the favor I previously requested. She told me she hasn’t done it yet but she said she will. Then I had a quick conversation with my niece. She basically just asked me if I want a donut. Yes a donut! Isn’t that cute!
mood: 
I’ve been staring at the computer for a while now. I just don’t know what to write. The words just won’t come out naturally. I am not quite sure what I want to write about. I can’t compose my thoughts. I feel like I can no longer manage the baggage I’m carrying. It’s as if my head is about to blow. It has become overwhelming. It has gotten into my nerves. It has affected me in so many ways. All I want is… to be at peace! Peace of mind… quiet life… happy self…
mood: 
These past few days have been very stressful for me…personally and with work as well. I am trying my best not to be affected by it but I just can’t help it. I have said in my previous post that I have to learn to let go. I can’t control everything! I can’t let it happen the way I want it to be! I can’t please everyone! Many say God only gives us trials we can handle. I’m just happy and thankful that He didn’t just give me the challenges but also great friends I can count on. It is hard whatever I’m doing right now but I know I can overcome this…in God’s time.
mood:
I’ve been trying to go to bed early these past few days but I just can’t sleep right away no matter what. Maybe it’s because of the hot weather… or because of stress! Last night was different. I had a really good sleep for almost 9 hours. Yes! 9 hours! I’m a person who should have at least 8 hours of sleep. And it helps a lot. I don’t feel tired. I don’t feel sleepy. I don’t feel cranky. I just have the energy that I need! I hope it’ll be like this... always.
Mood: 
Having a misunderstanding with someone close to your heart is the worst feeling you could ever have. Every human is unique…different. And being one that is, we can’t just agree to something all the time. I feel so down right now. I feel like I’m floating in the air waiting to be blown away to where it will bring me. I’m totally confused. I keep asking myself what I did wrong! I just don’t understand how things are lately. All I know is I’m being honest with what I want to say and do. But you know what? There are times we have the tendency to say things that we don’t really mean. I’m trying my best not to hurt anybody. I try to choose the words I will use. But do I have to do all these just by myself?! They say it takes two to tango but it seems like it’s not happening the way it should be. I’ve done more than enough. Now I am choosing to learn how to let go. Oh yes it is not easy! But I think it’s the wisest move. I can’t please everyone. I can’t control all situations. I will have to try to accept things as they are because no matter what, she will not see… she will not realize… she can’t appreciate…unless she chooses to. Right now, I just want to be at peace… happy… content. And if it doesn’t come out as it’s expected, I don’t have to blame myself for not doing what I’m supposed to do because I know I tried. Only time can tell…
A friend of mine (Aileen) told me this very powerful line… Stress-free Life is Liberty!
mood: 
My sister's birthday was last Friday, July 8th. I'm late in doing my post again. Haha! I greeted her on that day! I sent her a text message! It's just that I don't blog often enough to remember it.
Anyway, as I always say, I really want you to be happy! All the best sistah! Mwah!
mood:
I made a post before on how really hard it is to leave a place with so much memories for good. ‘Nanay’ was crying her heart out last night. She was saying it’s not easy thinking that she’s in Manila not just for a vacation. She said she couldn’t voice out her concerns because she doesn’t want to be misunderstood. She wants to live close to her children but it’s really hard for her to be away from the place she has gotten used to. She said she can’t just stay home most of the time watching tv, eating, sleeping. And even if she wants to go somewhere, she doesn’t know the ins and outs of the place. She doesn’t even know how to get to the bus station so she could go to the province. Over there, she can just go to the market by herself…go to church…go visit ‘Tatay’ at the cemetery. It’s really different not being in your own house. And I feel for her. I didn’t exactly know what to tell her other than be open with her feelings. She has to tell them how she feels and what she wants. My aunt was also saying last night that 'Nanay' will stay with me had I been in Manila. I think so too. I remember her saying that to me a few years back. I just miss her. I’m just glad I’ll be seeing her soon…
mood: 
We went out for dinner at Boulder Creek in College Point. It was our first time there except for Lester. It's basically American cuisine. The food was great. I had a full rack of baby back ribs in hickory sauce. Yes it's very yummy! I didn't want to order steaks as I might not be able to finish it. It came with my choice of fries and house salad with vinaigrette dressing. I didn't like the dressing though. I think it got some herbs that made the taste different. But overall, I enjoyed their food.
Side story... I told them I should have brought my camera with me as soon as we entered the restaurant. They were like...'yeah you could have taken your camera with you'. They even suggested to buy a disposable one at a nearby store. I'm like, forget it! I said don't worry about it! It's really ok. But little did I know, Manang Fely (my landlady) had her camera with her. I also didn't even notice when Sylvia told the waiter that it's my birthday and so 3 waiters came with a very delicious dessert called rocky mountain avalanche (hot fudge brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream) and sang a happy birthday song. Isn't that great! Oh and I'm just happy they took a picture of me blowing a candle.
While my family and friends are not here to celebrate with me, I'm just glad...really happy that I have Manang Fely and the family with me. Now as I go to bed, a sweet smile remains...
mood: 
I knew it! There will be more greetings!
Pat just called (3:50pm) not so long ago. I haven't talked to him since they moved to North Carolina. I understand since they got so preoccupied with so many things being in a new place. He also told me his wife Sheryll is pregnant.
Tita Laling phoned me at 9:16:52 pm to say her greetings. We didn't stay that long on the phone as I was still out. She asked about my age. I said 31 without hesitation. Haha! I never denied my age. Though this will be my last year to be in the calendar. :)
Then Tita Neri called at 9:50:20 pm. I can hear her daughter KC in the background singing a happy birthday song. That's so sweet! Tita Neri also asked if I had a nice time last night. I'm like it was too short. She said I could sleep over next time.
Also, I got some more emails from my godson Migs (which of course was made by his mother Caryl), Diggs and Sarah as follows:
Happy Birthday Ninang Faye !!!!
Wish you have a successful life and prosperous marriage ahead....
See you soon!
Love,
MIGS
Diggs - Belated happy b-day 2 u Faye....
Happy birthday, Faye!!Blow out, blow out, blow out !!Pictures ulit, ha..Kelan ba uwi mo?Sarah
Lastly, a greeting from Cathy while I'm doing my post right now.
Oops, one more...
Fhatty - Sis hapi bday! Glod bles u! 11:02:04pm 7/6/05
mood: 
Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday to me!
Yes it is my birthday today! Nothing much special is about to happen except that I’m taking my landlady’s family to dinner tonight. I think it’ll be just like an ordinary day. It used to make me feel sad but not now that I’m counting the days till it’s time for me to go home for a visit. Yey! But I’ve got text and email messages from relatives and friends which I have included below (unedited):
Ruby/Arnold - Pepay, happy birthday! Saka mo na kami i-blow out pagdating mo dito.
*****
Rea - hi faye-belated happy birthday to you:)
*****
Hi Faye!
Thank you...Happy birthday too!!
Wishing you all the best in life!
Aubrey/julie
*****
Sharyn - hi ate faye!!!... how are u na po?...just want 2 grit u a blessed birthday!!!!... ...
ngatz ka po lagi dyan...we're praying for u always...lapit na din naman mag sept, uwi ka na...YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... ... GOD Bless!!! muah, muah
*****
Dudes –
*****
Tita Baby (Switzerland) - good morning!happy happy birthday!
card message:
an:faye
alles gute zu deinem geburstag.viel glück und gute gesundheit.
ate baby
*****
Raphael -
card message:
an:ate faye
ate faye happy happy birthday to you !wish you all the best!
from ,
raphael
*****
Arlene - hi pepay, happy happy birthday... buti ka pa 18 years old na... ay 2005 na nga pala ngayon, mas me edad at mature ka na.. hehehe. joke lang friend. Happy Birthday and i wish you and Ervin na din a good
and happy life together.
*****
HELLO FAYE, JUST WANTED TO DROP YOU A LINE TO LET YOU
KNOW THAT YOU ARE THOUGHT OF ON YOUR SPECIAL DAY ON
JULY 5 AND ALWAYS...WITH SPECIAL PRAYERS THAT GOD
GRANT YOU YOUR HEARTS DESIRES.
MALU
Fondly
*****
Rene - I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT JULY 5 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY. SO, I'M GREETING YOU ADVANCE HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY, AND ON JULY 6 BELATED HAPPY
BIRTHDAY. BUT YOU'RE IN A DIFFERENT TIME ZONE YESTERDAY, TODAY AND
TOMOROW SO THAT'S RATHER CONFUSING. PERO SANA MATIYEMPUHAN NG
GREETINGS KO ANG BIRTHDAY MO. AYOS! HEHEHE..
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
*****
On your birthday, I wish you a beautiful and peaceful day ... Have fun and enjoy your day... your loved ones are truly happy for you!!!!
Have a blessed birthday!! Keep in touch my dear friend...matutuwa akong makita kang muli.. malapit na ang iyong kasal.....
Regards.
Ernie Gutierrez
*****
Vel - Faye, lapit na ng birthday mo a, tatanda ka na naman.. (ngek ako rin pala).
*****
Jay - Happy birthday!!! B7N card will be given sometime later this month. I don’t have any for now. Soon as I have a chance to get it, I’ll give it to you. Sorry. Happy birthday again.
*****
Ayan ha! I didn't forget your birthday. You were complaining last year.
Jing L. San Pascual
*****
Hi Faye,Wishing a very happy birthday. May the Lord God showers you with more blessings,good health,more love. And also to guide & bless you especially on your forthcoming wedding. God Bless and take care always.alwyas,ellen
*****
Marie - to faye, belatedHAPPY BDAY?!
Here are the greetings I got via the text:
Aileen – happy bday. Have a good one.
*****
Miqui/Fionna – oi…hapi bday! Ingat dyan parati! Malapit k n balik d2.
*****
Ana – hapi b-day.
*****
Mama – wishing u GOD’s perfect touch…may ur heart b filled wid love…HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love u!!!
*****
Papa – HAPPY BIRTHDAY ito lng ang kaya naming ipadala s iyo, anak.
*****
Adoy – Wei!!! Happy Birthday!
And of course, Irvin called me twice…12mn of July 5th, Manila time and 12mn, USA time. I don’t think I was making sense last night though. I was really sleepy I couldn’t get to my senses. But it was definitely appreciated. He even sent me a card more than a week ago. Irvin also told me Aou want to extend her greeting. It's just that she couldn't text me since she doesn't have any load in her cell. I also got calls from friends today like Maridel, etc. I received the card that she sent last Saturday. I specifically requested from her to look for the card that she forgot to send last year so I have it now. Also, she saw my interest into this special edition book of 'Friends' when we were in Virginia last year. I didn't buy it. I don't find it practical. Along with the card is the complete 9th season of Friends. Nice huh! :)
It’s only noon. I wonder who else will greet me today! Hmmm…
mood:
Happenings for the last 3 days
Saturday
I treated myself for a full body massage. Geez! She was so good. I felt really relaxed. I didn’t feel like doing anything anymore after that. She is nice. She asked how much pressure I wanted. I also filled up a paper…some sort of a background of my daily routine so she could have an idea which part of my body is more tensed and which parts need concentration. Overall, I’m very satisfied. And I don’t think it’s bad to have another session sometime. Haha!
I also went to Flushing to scout for a Motorazr V3. The retail price is $320 for the silver one and $360 for the black. The Chinese guy offered it to me for $40 should I get it with service. I agreed to get it with the plan. Oh and I have to get the $39.99 plan to get that deal. He specifically said I could downgrade after 4 months (since I don’t really need that much minutes) without extending the contract. I’ve signed contracts and credit card slip for $500 just in case I cancelled the service for whatever reason. Yup it’s $500 if I cancel or do some other changes. There’s even another $200 fee to be paid directly to the provider for cancellation. That’s $700! Whew! Upon getting home, I was playing with the phone so I could familiarize myself with the features, it being my first Motorola phone. Then, I’ve scanned through the documents that I’ve signed. And… it says that I cannot make any changes not until after 185 days! That’s 6 months! Having calculated all the money it’ll cost me, I decided to return it on Monday.
Sunday
I went to church in the AM, had lunch, watched the movie “Hitch” and then, went to the mall. I got a lot of stuff from Victoria's Secret. It’s their semi-annual sale and you could get so many things at good prices. I’m just so happy to have bought ‘pasalubong’ for female relatives and friends. Now I just have to worry for the kids and the men which I don’t even have any idea.
Monday
I went to Victoria's Secret again (this time at a different location) to return one make up set that’s actually a little bit rubbed off and missing brushes. I saw lipsticks on sale and got some.
Then, I went to see Tita Inday (Tita Gie’s cousin). It was my first time to go to that area so I wasn’t that comfortable at first locating for their apartment. Then I saw Tita Gie and the family right at the corner. I didn’t even notice them until Vanessa said, “Huy!” I ate so much. There was a lot of good food… Kare-kare (ox tail), Crispy Pata, Pinapatisan, Chicken Curry, Camaron Rebosado, and Sotanghon. I had to admit that I ate twice and brought some pancit and shrimp home. Haha!
It was so funny on the way home seeing people going in the other direction. Well that’s because they’re going to see the fireworks display. I decided not to since I don’t want to go home really late. I arrived at around 10pm already.
I may be a little tired right now but it was such a fun-filled weekend.
mood: 
We’ll have a three-day weekend because of the Independence Day on July 4th… no clear plans yet though. Well tomorrow I’m going to treat myself for a massage spa. I’ll have a combination of Swedish and Shiatsu massages. It’s cheaper at the Fresh Meadows Spa (the fitness center that I used to go to!) compared to other spas. Nope! Forget about those ones in Manhattan. It’ll definitely be more money. Maybe I’ll do my laundry too tomorrow. I might go to Jersey City on Sunday at Aaron’s house. We’ll have a little barbeque party. Of course, Tita Baby Evelyn and Tito Ariel will be there. Don (relative of the other side) might be there too. I might stay will Manang Glo overnight since she’ll be home alone. Manang Baby, her sister, will go to Rhode Island to visit a relative. Whew! Hope I won’t be too tired with the travel and all.
mood: 
I went to New Jersey for the weekend. I haven’t visited Tita Gie since the New Year. It was the graduation party of Viviene and Vaughn. I got there around 1pm. And as usual, Tita Gie was busy in the kitchen. I just had some ziti and hotdog on a bun then I helped her with the cooking. There was so much food…good tasting food like lechon, bistek, sotanghon, pininyahang manok, menudo, lumpia shanghai, ginataang langka, chicken lollipops, palabok, and desserts like ube and cassava. There was also green salad with ranch and thousand island dressings.
The people who came weren’t as many as before though. And… my cousins made fun of me…well kind of, by letting me drink Smirnoff. I don’t really drink but I got to like this beer since it is flavored. And believe it or not, I had 4 bottles for the night. I had the apple and cranberry-flavored. The bad thing is I had map-like marks (reddish) in my body. I don’t have history of any allergy…not even from food. So I really suspected there was an ingredient of that beer that’s not for me.
I went to pick up Tita Inday and KC at the Journal Square Station. Benny who was with me served as my navigator since I’m not familiar with the area. I haven’t driven in a long time. I’m just very happy and excited when I got to drive again. It wasn’t bad at all though I must say the steering wheel was kind of shaky at times. Well maybe because I’m not yet used to driving. I was glad that Tita Inday came. At least I had company for the night. We talked until the wee hours of the morning and decided to go to sleep at around 5am. I woke up at 11am, had lunch and Tito Freddie took us to Manhattan by 3pm.
As soon as I got home, I just fixed my clothes and went to the Laundromat. I made some phone calls last night and finally went to sleep at 10:45pm. Now, I’m back to work.
mood:
A lot of us are afraid of death, aren't we? But whether we like it or not, it's a stage of life that everyone has to face. Some may be sudden due to an accident or sickness and some will be normal because of old age. I've come accross this topic on another blog and found the websites supporting this... Death Clock and Bella Online.
Death Clock:
Your personal day of death is... Tuesday, September 16, 2053
Seconds left to live... 1,521,969,230 as of 2:58pm
Bella Online:
YOUR LIFECLOCK RESULTS
You are born on: 05-07-1974
Given your current habits, you are likely to die on: 2/7/2062
That is in:
57 Years
680 Months
20683 Days
496378 Hours
29782630 Minutes
1786957741 Seconds
You will be 88 Years Old.
The thing is I got different results on each. Now which one is correct?! Hmmm...
mood:
As usual, I’m making my post a belated one. I called him on Saturday anyway. I didn’t stay that long on the phone though. I spoke with Mama for like an hour already before I got hold of my Papa. Anyway, Happy Father's to my Papa!
Over here, we went to a Malaysian Restaurant named Satay to celebrate Father’s Day for Kuya Nel (my landlady’s son). That was our 2nd time to dine in there. They have good food I should say. And the price is very reasonable too. I love the Roti Canai. The spicy curry chicken dipping sauce is really good. Hmmm… yummy! Their chicken and beef satay with the peanut dipping sauce also taste great.
That's about it!
mood: 
It’s been a long time since I last posted. There have been a lot of things that had happened in the past days but I was just too busy at work making me tired when I get home.
It was my first time to visit the Philippine Consulate of NY on June 3rd. I have nothing much to say. Well it’s still the same system that we have back home…manual. I had to go back the following business day just to pick up the docs that I had them processed.
My Uncle Dennis came for a visit on June 2nd. But I went to see him in NJ at their friend’s apartment on Saturday. He’s now based in Singapore. He teaches ballroom dancing and he attended the Salsa Congress in LA so he decided to go east. We basically just stayed there the whole day, cooked some food, catching up for the years we have not seen each other. You can see the picture here.
There was a sudden change of the weather this past week. It’s freaking hot! You feel tired…you feel sticky…you have headache... name it! The only good side of it… you’re wearing light clothes. I’ve had enough of sweaters and jackets. And… we’re still getting too much rain.
Yesterday, I had a general cleaning of my room. I washed all my sheets, vacuumed, dusting, threw out stuffs that I don’t need/use, and basically organized my things. I did my laundry already late about past 4pm. Today, I feel so lazy. I woke up almost 11am so I missed the 10:30am mass. I had brunch and literally just stayed in my room until 4:30pm. I went out to do some grocery shopping. Exciting huh! Oh and before I forget… it was my landlady’s granddaughter’s birthday today. We had good food…grilled pork belly, shrimps, ‘pansit’ (noodles), ‘lumpia shanghai’ (meat rolls), baked salmon, green salad, and the yummiest of all…ice cream cake. Hmmm…
I better go to bed now! It’s getting late and I have work tomorrow.
Note: I did this originally last night but I had to delete it and post it again. It changed the look of my blog when I published it.
mood:
May 29th – Shopping at Tanger / Adoy’s birthday on May 30th and also Malu’s
Memorial Day is a national holiday in the US. This is being observed every last Monday of May. I would say it’s one of the big holidays wherein you could also get good buys from the stores.
Tanger is an hour drive from home. It’s kind of worth it since there were really a lot of items on sale. I got some good deals. At least I have already started buying stuff for my siblings in preparation for my trip to the Philippines on September.
Happy Birthday, Adoy!
It was around noon when I sent a text message to my brother. His birthday is May 30th but since they are 13 hours in advance, I greeted him in time that they changed date. I didn’t get a reply from him though. Hmmm…
Happy Birthday, Malu!
I called and greeted Malu at 10pm. I also learned that they went to Seattle to take advantage of the holiday sale too. She said she had fun and she got stuff for their new house. We didn’t talk much as she will still go to church.
mood:
May 28th – NYC Tour with Roy
Roy used to be an officemate in the Philippines. I haven’t since him in more than 5 years I guess. He went to Canada when he left the company and not long enough, he moved to California. He came to the US on November 2001 which was just 5 months before I got here. Anyway, he called me around 2 weeks ago to let me know he’s coming to NY for a family reunion. We agreed to meet and I made a promise to take him for a tour in the city.
I met him in Grand Central Terminal at around past 8AM. We took the No. 4 train to go to Battery Park. This is where we took the South Ferry to go to the Statue of Liberty. There were so many people in line wanting to see Liberty. While we were at the Ferry, Roy was busy talking to 2 Japanese ladies. I, on the other hand, was busy taking pictures of the view. We didn’t get the chance to go inside though. We didn’t know there are 2 kinds of tickets. The ticket which will allow you to go in will have to be purchased at least a day before the visit. We enjoyed the view anyway. It was also a good thing Roy brought a tripod for the camera. At least we didn’t really have to bother someone else to take a picture of us.
Then, we went to Chinatown. We took the same train going there. This is the place for cheap stuffs and oh well…imitations. It felt like I was in Divisoria. Too many vendors on the sidewalks…too crowded…people were loud…so many bargains. We headed next to Little Italy which is just 2 blocks away. There you can see a lot of people eating outside the restaurants enjoying the nice weather. We had lunch at Benito One. Roy was craving for the traditional spaghetti with meatballs. It was good though. I made the wrong choice though. I was looking for the Seafood Linquini in their menu but I couldn’t find it. I ordered something with seafood then not realizing it doesn’t come with pasta. It tasted good in fairness. We had Starbucks coffee before we headed to Times Square. Roy accompanied me to scout for fabric swatches. We had a hard time locating those stores considering I didn’t find the exact fabric shade that I was looking for.
Our day together ended at 4:30pm. It was nice to have been with a former colleague…that I haven’t seen in a long time. He’s scheduled to go back to CA on Sunday.
mood: 
I was on the phone last night talking to my grandmother. I really feel bad for her. She’s currently living with my father’s youngest brother, his wife and kids. My uncle’s family made a big decision however to move out of town which is 3-4 hours away from where they’re at right now. I haven’t actually talked to my uncle but whatever reasons they have, let’s just leave it as it’s what they think is best for the family. They will now leave the rented apartment for good. With this, my grandma has no choice but to move to Manila. She can’t definitely stay alone in our house in another town 45 minutes away from the apartment. They have lived in that apartment for a very long time now. They’ve been there even before I was born. My grandma was expressing her sadness to leave that house full of memories especially that of my grandpa who passed away in 1997. I can feel her pain. And like her, I was also saddened with the news. I was really surprised. I’m just worried that she’ll be stuck at home in Manila since she’s not familiar with the place. She couldn’t go anywhere else. In the province, she goes to the cemetery to visit my grandpa at least every week. She can go to the church alone. She can do grocery shopping alone too. More importantly, she knows the people around her…the neighbors. Now none of these will be possible for her anymore. Our province is 3-4 hours away from Manila. She could only get there if someone will actually take her. I just told her to try to keep herself busy. Do some chores if she can so she won’t get bored. Maybe go out at times and walk around the block. I made a promise that I’ll just call her often. If I’m only staying there right now, I’ll definitely ask her to live with me. It’ll be my pleasure to take care of her just like how she took care of me when I was little.
Also, I mentioned this to my childhood friend Aileen and she herself was surprised. She even asked if we had considered getting someone who can accompany my grandma in the apartment. That’s possible but I don’t think they will even entertain that idea. I was in that house from four months old till the age of 12. And even I moved to Manila after graduating elementary, I still go there for a visit at least twice a year until I left for the States.
Again, this is one change in our lives that we have to accept.
