If I Were an Album...

I got tagged by Ela and here is the result.

Artist/Band: Ulbus Glabra "Holgeri"

Album Title: They Think It's Thei Fault

Mga Eksena sa Spa

Mama treated me to a massage at the California Nails and Day Spa at the Midtown. Chivas and Sep were our therapists. They were both really nice. Chivas was assigned to Mama and Sep was assigned to me. Chivas was the funny one, while Sep was really nice.

We availed of their new offering, the Filipino Hilot. This massage has a fresh take on the traditional hilot, where you can derive a lot of pleasure from the pressure. They used Dagdagay sticks from our very own Ifugao tribe. Pressure was applied with remarkable precision on different points of our feet.

Sep asked us to undress and to just leave our underwear on. When she and Chivas left to give me and Mama some privacy, I dilly dallied since I did not hear the initial instruction. Besides, when I hear the word undress, it sort of makes me frazzled. After a couple of minutes, they still find me fully clothed and Sep gives me a smile.

Sep: Ayy hindi pa po kayo ready?
Me: Oh so we are supposed to take our clothes off.
Sep: Yes Ma'am, pati po bra.
Me: Can I leave mine on?
Mama: Virgin kasi!

I was so embarrassed that I only managed an awkward smile. Haaay!

In the middle of our session, Sep used the Dagdagay sticks on my feet to apply pressure. She rubbed one foot at a time and I was squirming on the massage table trying to contain my giggles because I am the most ticklish person you will ever know. Sep stopped since she did not want me to feel uncomfortable and stiff. I said it should be fine so long as she is not bothered by my squirming. She said she was fine with it and she just said that i should relax. I managed to contain my giggling but I had to breathe in a weird way then I heard Chivas go

Chivas: Ay si Ma'am mukhang may sapi!
Sep: Hah?
Chivas: Si Ma'am kakapigil sa tawa nya mukhang may sapi!
Sep: (starts to laugh herself) Ikaw talaga Chivas!!! Gusto matulog ni Ma'am eh ang ingay ingay mo.
I let out a snort as well. Haha!

I did want to get get some shuteye and I managed to. I fell asleep because the massage was really good.

When we were done, they served us with hot tea. They were very very nice and really good with their service. Mama and I plan to come back.

Post-Valentine Greeting

To redeem myself from my response to Tina's "Happy Valentine!!!" greeting last Thursday...which came off as a funny albeit bitter "Pffffttttt!!!" (with matching face hahaha!!!), I am posting one of my favorite songs (and what could actually be the soundtrack of my non-existent lovelife) The Real Thing by Kalapana. I dedicate this song to all my dear single girlfriends Tina, Che, Kathy, Dada, Dietz and Michelle. The song says it all and it is my prayer that that one person meant for you would find his way to you soon.

Here comes the night
Once again
I'll be feeling lonely
Oh, if only things could work out like you plan
Where can love be
Tell me why it's so hard to find somebody
Who will stand by me
And take the time to understand
And show me love again

I want the real thing
Or nothing at all
I need someone that I can be sure will catch me
If I should fall
Someone who'll be there when I call
Then I'll know that it's the real thing
I want the real thing
To hold me each night
Someone to love me over and over
Making the future bright
Oooohh someone who'll be there when I call
Just give me the real thing

Where is the moon?
Won't it smile
On just one more dreamer
Let your beams come down
And fill my empty room
Here comes the night
But if there's still a chance
That love can find me
I'll be here
Crossing my fingers

I want to know for sure
That I can feel secure
Knowing I've found an everlasting love
And once I get that under control
Then I won't let go

Facing the Inevitable

I have been nursing my cough and colds for the longest time now and I was never one to immediately go to the doctor if I feel something is a little off with me. However, I started to feel alarmed when last week, I have been having on and off fever for three consecutive nights. I also do not want to continue to tire out Mama at night when I have my coughing feats while she monitors my temperature as well. I never really liked going to the doctor but then I realized I had to when I felt pain creeping up my left ear as well as chest pains and headaches I cannot brush aside. I went to see my doctor as the weekend closed in because I wanted bronchitis and pneumonia to be ruled out. Thank God because my trusted pulmonologist Dr. Mateo said I had nothing to worry about and that it was just my asthma not being controlled. She ended up giving me three different steroids, an anti-asthma, and antibiotics for three days. I got myself an organizer for my medicine and it was quite funny as I got one from my Lola (daig ko pa si Lola since yung organizer ko ang laki hahaha!). I am due to be back at her clinic after three months. I really hope everything turns out all right since it will be very busy at work for the next 3-4 months.

To everyone who sent in their warm thoughts and well wishes, thank you!

I Got Tagged!

I never took part in tagging activities in the blogosphere. However, as I am in the mood for one now (and out of kahiyaan to E), I am responding to the 25 Random Things About Me. Off the top of my head are the following:

1. I am wearing my yellow smurf statement shirt saying I'M GROUCHY.
2. I just had a very good breakfast from the JEEPNEY Deli.
3. I can cut my finger nails without looking at them.
4. I love dark chocolates.
5. I am now a Fango Facial junkie.
6. I am neck-deep in work but I am also learning to destress and let go.
7. I am blessed to have a family who's always there for me, and wonderful friends who always got my back.
8. I destress with a glass or two of sangria.
9. I love Larry's Bar's Choco-e Martini and strawberry shisha.
10. I can make my irises disappear as I roll my eyes, and can sustain it for a while. (Hahaha! Freaky I know!)
11. I own an action sampler which is a gift from my sister.
12. I have a lot of booze at home, and maybe I'll bring some to Osang's room this week.
13. I have yet to do tita's request.
14. I finally got the closure I was waiting for...on my birthday no less.
15. I learned that work is just work, and that at the end of the day, how you know and define yourself are the things that really matter.
16. I just learned that the adage "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" can be true.
17. I like somebody a lot...shhhhh hahahah!
18. I have been dreaming in color lately (I vividly remember a blue hawaiian shirt).
19. I do not like guys (or anyone for that matter) with no sense of purpose or direction in life.
20. I have blueberry bagels expired in the fridge.
21. I envision myself settling somewhere else with my own family.
22. I miss my sister and papa, and I also miss the beach.
23. I miss my pencil collection.
24. I am looking forward to repainting the house and fixing up the spare room.
25. Currently, my dream destination is Santorini, Greece.

I am not one to tag people but if you want to answer this post, then by all means do so. I hope that you learned something new about me. :)

Day Off

No, this post is not about that show on QTV with Carmina Villaroel and Pekto:p Hahaha! It just so happened that I really really love the weekends now and I love spending time with Mama. I call our weekends our day off. Mama and I just usually go to the mall, the Midtown mall being our favorite go-to place. My favorite frozen yogurt is available there, and my aesthetician Ate Jo, Mon, and Jonel also work at Fix at the Robinson's Place, Manila. Too bad that when we moved to Paranaque, it takes twice as long to go there than when we were still in QC. But hey, we still go there whenever we can. We are still right at the withdrawal stage (hindi nga maka-withdraw eh:p).

This weekend dayoff took quite an unexpected turn since last night, when I got home, our water supply got cut. I called Maynilad and found out that we will not have water supply until tomorrow noon. I cannot not have water supply. I just can't!!! Immediately, I thought that Mama and I should just get out of there and check-in at some place where there's water. Hindi kami pwedeng magtiis na walang tubig kasi pareho kami magsusungit at mangangamoy. Hahaha! I immediately booked at the Intercon after some research. I remember that their newly-renovated rooms are reasonably priced based on the recent Christmas get-together my UP girlfriends and I had. Besides, the location is superb and it will be very convenient for us to meet up with Tita Baby and Tito Gen tomorrow, before Tita Baby flies back to the US.

Mama managed to get a hair treatment and I forced myself to get a facial (thanks to FVR, related story to follow). I got the Fango Facial at The Spa (at the old Greenbelt) which was just what I needed. Parang niliha yung mukha ko and I felt the mask tighten my skin, para talagang ni-vacuum pack yung mukha ko. I love it! Pia was my aesthetician and when I come back, she will be the one I will look for. Thanks Pia!

Mama and I met up at SM where she shopped for curtains and I got us some shawarma for dinner. Hehehe. Once we got back to our room, we decided to take pictures of us as requested by my dear sister EA (please bear with the poses and crazyness).

Singapura 2009

Every time I miss my sister, I just think that she is just a three-hour flight away and that I can just go visit her whenever the time (and budget) permits.

Last December, I booked myself a flight to Singapore as an advanced birthday treat to myself. It was a good excuse as well to visit my sister whom I have not seen in four months. Mama was supposed to come with me but then she will be there in July with Papa.

The minute I saw my sister at the airport, I shouted her name "EA!!! EA!!!" and for more melodramatic effect, she came running towards me and started crying. All my defenses went down the drain when I heard her crying, so while I was shush-ing her, tears rolled down my cheeks as well. Hahaha!

It was a jampacked four days yet it was surprisingly relaxing. We ate at the old Town White Coffee, Aston's, Tori Q, MOS Burger (my fave!), and the takeout section at the new Jurong Mall. Went to Chjimes for a nightout and I got to meet up with old friends too. As a birthday gift, EA treated me to Cinderella, where Lea Salonga played the title role. I had a great time although I was a bit tired. I even got hit on by someone who asked for my number (well it was more of the auntie getting my number, hahaha) while my sister and I were having brunch one morning.

Given how I love my sister and how much I miss her to death, what some people call Singa-bore might just as well be my second home.

Birthday Post

Dear God,

I thank You for my third decade. Never did I imagine that I will make it this far considering how my health has deteriorated in the past couple of months.

I thank You for my family, my mama, my papa, my dear sister ea, my dear cousins jeri and jeo, my tita mia and tito jing, my lola, my tito oweng and tita liz, and cousin jec, my tita baby and tito gen, and cousin alex for always being there for me, in good times and in bad. They have seen me shine and they have seen me at my darkest hour but they always believed in me. They are the reasons why I am the way I am and why I am right where I should be. I thank you for surrounding me with people who keep me sane and grounded as they love me unconditionally.

I thank you for wonderful friends who never forget and have always stayed at my side throughout the years. Thank you for Michelle, for being my soul sister, secret keeper, and dream sharer. With her, I can be myself without being judged. Thank you for Ela, for bringing the extra zest and kick in what could be my outrageously ultra normal life. I am grateful for our ocassional chats and banters because these are a welcome respite to what could be a very stressful workday. Thank you for my college friends, Ren, Tina, Kathy, Da, Yas, Pola, and Che because they always got my back. I know I can run to them when something's troubling me. I thank you for Eric and Dietz as well. You brought them into my life for a reason. Thank you for Osang, a real friend I found at the office. They say one seldom finds genuine friendship at the workplace, but in her I did. Thank you for Yong as he always brings laughter in my life. Thanks for Cha, despite our petty fights. I consider her family and she's always been there for me. I thank you for Maan, Kai, Khaye, Paulynne, Kat, Pia, Tati, Kevin, and Paz. Their friendships I treasure despite the distance.

I thank you for all the trials I have been going through, those that I have surpassed, and those that I have yet to go through. I know that through these, you are turning me into someone precious, like a diamond that has to go through fire to achieve the right cut, carat, and clarity.

I thank you for my job which I still love to do. I ask for You to continuously guide me so that I will continue to make the right choices, no matter how difficult they are.

Always help me be a better person, as I start a new decade. May I always be a light to others as I try live my life in Your name.

Your Loving Daughter,
Ana