Over and out...

I'll be away for a few days. Not going anywhere special, mind you, it's just going to be a rather busy Christmas and New Year for me is all. I'm afraid I won't be able to update for awhile.

Here's just a brief look at what's currently in my social calender:

1. Complete furnishings at house
2. Go to Sassafras
3. Christmas Party at Mum's place
4. Boxing Day party at friends' place
5. Arnie's sister coming down from New South Wales - staying at our place
6. Accompany said sister shopping for probably 3 days
7. New Year's Eve party at my place
8. New Year's day party at my place

This is just a tentative list which I am quite sure I'll add on later during the week.

I'll be taking the whole week off from work and will be back on the 2nd of January wherein a ton of work will be waiting. I have just received my targets and it is rather challenging. I will definitely try and meet it. After all, the monetary incentive is quite promising!

Just in case I don't "see" you guys, thanks for your continued support, for reading and taking an interest in my ho-hum life.

Have a safe Christmas and fantastic New Year!

My current alcohol fave

The Sassy Melbournite Recommends...






This happens to be my most favourite wine at the moment. I first got a taste of this at the Sky High Bistro in the Dandenong ranges wherein I took a chance and ordered a glass to accompany my anti-pasto platter.


It is one of the most beautiful tasting wines I have ever tried and I have been hunting for a bottle since. I have been unlucky. I recently found out from the franchise owner of Vintage Cellars in Port Melbourne that this particular wine is not available in the shops. You can only buy it in the winery cellar itself.


So last Sunday, Arnie and I drove to Yering Station Winery off Melba Highway in Yarra Glen (just 30 minutes from Ringwood). Yering Station happens to be the first wine vineyard in the state of Victoria, dating back to 1838. It is the most lovely property and judging by how "country" the place looks like, you would feel like you have travelled hours to get to the place, when in fact it is only about an hour from the city.


So, off to the cellar to purchase the wine. The great thing about wineries is that you can taste everything in the menu for free, except for certain items that specifies it is not available for tasting. I have tasted about 8 different varieties of wine... all this before lunch!


Arnie and I bought 4 bottles. It's Tuesday today, and we only have 2 left. Not enough for New Year's eve!


So, we're planning to go back to the winery on the 30th and probably purchase a whole case... hahaha!


Highly recommended if you like your wines easy and sweet but not sickingly so like botrytis blends. Perfect with chilli hot food and light desserts. Can also be enjoyed by itself.


A bottle costs $17.50, a whole case costs $199.50. Excellent value for money!

Old and grey...

I know it sounds vain...


but yesterday after my morning shower, there it was...


standing at attention, a terrible sight...


I found my very first grey hair...


ARGH!!!

I wish I was the first...

I am in love with Arnie and have been for the past six years.


No other man has invoked womanly feelings from me. He made me aware of my desires and allowed me to let go of my inhibitions without judging me but instead, supported and guided me in finding my way.


We enjoy our lives together. It's barely a week and we are both settling into our shared domestic lives very well. We are very compatible in every way, if you get my drift.


Amidst the packing, I stumbled across old pictures of him when he was in his 20s.


Regardless of the 80s garb and hairstyles, he looked so cute, so taut, and so hot.


Not that he isn't less of a hottie now, but a young Arnie?


It made me quite... excited.


God, you'd think that having sex with the same man for six years would have quelled any pent up frustrations, huh?


Damn photos!


Just looking at a younger Arnie made me think, if we met around the time he was 25 I would have been 16... yikes!


But it still didn't stop me from fantasizing... how about when he was 18? Around the height of his clubbing days? If I were the same age as him, we could have met in one of the numerous night clubs he frequented back then. Apparently, he was an exceptional dancer - still is now - and anything could have happened...


I understand that experience is the best teacher. Arnie at 18 would not be the same as Arnie at 31 (his age when I first met him), but still... that young, firm, taut, cycling God that was MY Arnie...


Have to get a cold shower now...

A legend dies...

Maximo V. Soliven, publisher and writer for the Philippine Star, died last November 24 of complications from cardiac arrest.


Being an alumnus of O.B. Montessori Centre, I have had the privilege of meeting the man in person numerous times in parties, Tuesday assemblies, and just seeing him pass by to visit. I even served him a glass of wine during a Food Technology project we had to do in third year and he even praised me for pouring it perfectly in his glass without a drop of it spilling! It's a well known fact that his wife, Philippine Ambassador to UNESCO and O.B. Montessori Ex-President Preciosa Soliven, was his wife.


A very intelligent man, he never ran out of interesting quips to tell us impressionable teens back then. I especially enjoyed his stories of the past when he was a younger journalist battling injustices head on during the regime of Apo Marcos (as he so fondly called him).


I will no longer see his Latin quips, his catch phrases (Salamabit, Sanamagan, Susmaryosep), and his fair but critical views of the current government. First Teddy Benigno, now him. What is left in Philippine Journalism?


Rest in Peace, Mr. Soliven. May you enjoy sipping Earl Grey tea with Alexandre Dumas discussing "The Three Muskateers" in heaven.

To Pinoy new wavers...

If you grew up in Manila, you probably heard of the song 'More To Lose" by Seona Dancing. It was such a big hit that till now, New Wave clubs play this!


A bit of trivia for you... do you know that Seona Dancing's lead singer is no other than Ricky Gervais from the hit TV show, The Office?


I saw this video from a recent TV interview he had in England and they played a short music video clip of one of his songs... too bad it wasn't "More To Lose" though...





"More To Lose" was one of those very sad, danceable songs that unfortunately never made the charts in England, nor did the band. Ricky looked absolutely embarrassed when the video was played, but wasn't he such a cutie?


And talented too.


If you're a fan of "The Office" or Ricky Gervais in general, go and see "Extras". Fantastic concept, fantastic writing, all courtesy of Mr. Gervais.

Because there's nothing better to do...

I finally succumbed to this craze: checking which celebrities I look similar to using MyHeritage.




Scarlett Johansson? Cate Blanchett? Hikaru Utada? NANA MOUSKOURI???

I seriously doubt the accuracy of this thing! Oh well, it was all in good fun anyway :)

Grrrr...

Just because you think people ought to know what you know, does not mean that you are justified when you get pissed off at them if they happen not to know.


Just because you think you're older and so-called "wiser", does not mean that you can dispense unsolicited advice.


Focusing on small things and making it big by creating an argument with everyone is not a mature thing to do.


Saying that you see things that I don't see but fail to logically explain yourself to me, when asked what it is, is just plain idiotic.


Accusing me that I am blind for not seeing whatever it is you see is insulting and demeaning.


Judging people when you've only met them once or twice is just plain wrong.


When you listen to a moron who lives in his own world (read: 19th century values), it makes me question your intelligence.


And before you say things may not work out, please, give me some credit.


How can you possibly know that when I have not even tried it?


I am old enough to know. I'm fucking 28. Let me go and let me live my own life!

The voters' choice...

State elections happened last Saturday and once again, Labour Premier Steve Bracks is in power which I am very happy about. Steve Bracks is now in history as the longest serving Labour Premier in the state of Victoria. Hah! He kicked Ted Bailleau's (so-called "Hunk from Hawthorn" - puh-lease!!!) arse from here to Carrum! Bwahahaha!


*****


Last night, the new Australian Idol was crowned and it was no other than Irishman Damien Leith. I am also happy about this. Jess is a wonderful singer but there are far too many belters out there for my liking. Irish crooners aside from Bono? Nuh-uh.


I downloaded Damien's new single and it is fantastic! I can't wait to get his CD when it comes out!


Whoopee!!! Go the Irish!

The weekend that's been...

This past weekend has left me completely tired yet satisfied. Last Saturday night, as mentioned in my previous post, Arnie and I went to see U2 at the Telstra Dome for the much awaited Australian leg of the Vertigo Tour. The concert originally was scheduled last year but because of unexpected familial circumstances, it had to be cancelled. With a wee bit of Irish luck, Arnie and I secured tickets on Friday morning and off we went to see the biggest band in the world!


From start to finish, it was a roller coaster ride filled with beautifully sang songs, political messages, and making people stand up against poverty. Bono is a very passionate man and he stands up for what he believes in. He is also a brilliant show man. Him, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. rocked the Telstra Dome off its hinges. Everyone was on their feet, stomping and dancing to their songs - even people who were in the reserved seating section!


They played the best of their songs - Vertigo, Elevation, One, With or Without You, Where The Streets Have No Name, Angel of Harlem, Desire, I Will Follow, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own (which Bono sang in his father's funeral), City of Blinding Lights, and lots more.


Arnie was in heaven, to say the least. I guess to be able to see your most favourite band live is any one's aspiration. In my case, U2 is up there in my "favourite band" list. It was a spectacular show with an audience of diverse age groups but who are all fans of the band led by a man with such charisma that if he decided to run for "President of the World", he'd win without question.


We ended the night meeting up with some friends who also watched the concert. We went straight to an Irish pub in the city called Pugg Mahones - how quaint!


*****


Yesterday, it was a day filled with a lot of Paella, Salsa, Churros, and Cuban cigars. Arnie and I went to the Latin American fiesta in Johnston Street, Fitzroy. Spanish and Portuguese flowed freely, with people pigging out on something as simple as fairy floss or something more exotic as chorizo in a bun. I actually had the former and was jumping out of my skin because of the sugar. People were dancing in the streets to lovely Brazilian music and there was a lot of "eye-balling" between singles. I have to admit that Latinas have such beautiful skins and bodies (I am so glad that a lot of Filipinos are of Spanish decent).


I did a bit of shopping and got a nice knitted bag from the Jamaican stall and a beaded bracelet from a lovely Argentinian lady. Arnie got a couple of Peruvian whistles. We also bought some classic Spanish hot chocolate and some churros. Yummy!


*****


The Sassy Melbournite recommends...


Chocolateria San Churro - located at 277b Brunswick Street, Fitzroy


For all your chocolate needs. Filipinos would love their hot chocolate - similar to what we are so used to having back home during New Year's Eve! Their churros dipped in melted chocolate are to die for! For cold drink lovers, I especially recommend the White Chocolate & Berry - far less sweeter than Max Brenner's Strawberry White Chocolate Float.

One man come in the name of love...

It was definitely last minute but this morning, I was able to secure two tickets to see U2 tomorrow night on possibly what may be their last world tour - The Vertigo tour.


U2 happens to be one of my favourite bands of all time and Arnie's number one band (with Metallica a close second). Needless to say, we are both very excited. What luck, huh?


The weekend is looking rather nice... sunny spring weather and the best band in the world, what more can one ask for?


So till tomorrow night, I'll be singing...


Youre packing a suitcase for a place
None of us has been
A place that has to be believed
To be seen
You could have flown away


A singing bird
In an open cage
Who will only fly
Only fly for freedomW


Walk on
Walk on
What you got
You cant deny it
Cant sell it or buy it


Walk on
Walk on
You stay safe tonight


-- Walk On from the album All That You Can't Leave Behind, 2000

Go the Irish!!!

To all Australians, please vote for Damien Leith so that he can be this year's Australian Idol.


I have never been a big follower or fan of Australian Idol but this Irish cutie just blew my socks off with his lovely, angelic voice. OMG, that falsetto is to die for!


Have a listen and let me know what you think...


Best of luck to Damien!!!


Damien Leith singing "Crying" by Roy Orbison (with judges' comments)





Damien Leith singing "Wicked Games" Chris Isaak... it'll make every woman swoon!





Damien Leith singing "Nessun Dorma" by Pavarotti... wow, that voice!!!





GO, DAMIEN!!!

Adult decisions

Arnie and I decided to cancel our house hunting for at least six months. With the interest rates fluctuating at the moment because of the upcoming elections, it may be a good idea to wait till it all settles. Besides, we're in no hurry. It's not like we both don't have a home to go to.

Except that this decisions sets us back, again, from finally living together.

We've been together for six years and have never lived together aside from our "bahay-bahayan stints". We really want to experience being together almost 24-7 in the same space, sharing the same kitchen, lounge, bedroom, and all the that.

So, we also decided to bite the bullet and speak to my mum about us living together in a rented property for the time being till we finally decide to buy our house.

And to my surprise, my mother was quite accepting and understanding.

She also says that it'll be good for my independence.

Okay, I'm not lazy but you know when you live with your mother, you tend to leave most of the housework to her. Mothers being mothers, you know.

So, Arnie and I will be moving in together after all. It may not be our own place yet, but it is the start to our brand new life as a live-in couple.

We are now in the process of looking for a place that is practical, reasonable, and pretty.

Will keep you guys posted.

Hmmm, come to think of it, we are still house hunting in a way, huh?

Exciting times ahead!

Of Holidays and Horses

It's been a short but very busy week. Last Tuesday, Melbourne had a holiday because of a horse race that was visited by the Queen a long time ago.

Go figure.

But what the heck, we all need a break anyway.

Considering that Australia has far lesser holidays compared to other countries, like the Philippines.

We only have 10 Australian holidays and 2 Victoria-specific holidays.

How many does the Philippines have?

13!!!

Okay, it's just one more than Oz but take a look at some of these countries:

Indonesia: 16
Thailand: 15
Japan: 19
Taiwan: 14
South Korea: 15

How come Asian countries have so many holidays? Western countries, on the average, have 12. Weird...


*****

Speaking of the races, the horse that won was owned by a Japanese man and had a Japanese jockey. For the first time ever, the Melbourne Cup will be travelling to Asia. Fantastic stuff. This just proves that the Melbourne Cup is not only a "race that stops the nation" but a race recognised world wide!

Too bad I didn't bet. Turns out that the horses that won are 2 -12... My birthday! Frig! If I bet $10, I could easily get $500 back! Shucks!

NaNoWriMo

Just in case you haven't seen the addition to my profile, I have decided to join the NaNoWriMo Contest.

As if I don't have enough to do, I have committed myself to completing a 50,000-word novel in a month. By the 30th of November, my first novel will be complete. Yeah, right...

Oh well, here's hoping... and wish me luck :)

I'm not high maintenance!

Who ever says that I am high maintenance is, well, highly mistaken!

Moi? High maintenance? Puh-lease! I loathe people like that and to be one of them? Sheesh!

It does not take a lot to make me smile or laugh, really.

The simplest things in life usually makes me feel content and completes my day. I have listed some things that never fail to cheer me up:

• Sitting by beach, enjoying the breeze while pigging out on ice cream
• Being inside Borders book store, surrounded by all the books, wishing my personal library was as huge
• Listening to music (currently mad about the Scissor Sisters. They are so camp!)
• Driving around with Arnie and Meeko during the weekend
• Visiting the Warrandyte Strawberry farm and eating their delicious homemade ice creams and hot jam donuts
• Going up to the mountains and having homemade scones with cream and jam
• Sitting in a cosy cafe drinking coffee or tea and reading a book
• Playing with Meeko
• Watching anime (currently watching all the Dragonball episodes... I'm such a kid!)
• Learning new things
• Kissing :p
• Hugs
• Playing bowling
• Going to the gym (health is wealth >wink<)
• Taking walks in Elsternwick park with Arnie and Meeko running around
• Giving my mum everything she wants
• Yummy home-cooked meals made by my mum
• Going out with Mig and Jet (Brothers who have been my friends since grade school. I am so happy they're here in Melbourne with me!)
• Being with my school girlfriends (a very intelligent and funny bunch :)
• Intelligent conversations
• Going to Art galleries
• Pug pictures
• Dogs in general
• Holidays
• Small tokens of affection or appreciation
• David Jones Food Hall (they have the best cheeses, yoghurts, and wines!)
• Chai Tea Lattes
• Pigging out on Japanese food
• Being inside JB Hi-Fi. If Borders can make me drool over their books, JB makes me drool over their CD and DVD collection!

That's about what I can think of for now. So you see, not hard to please me right?

Basically, if you want to shut me up, give me a tub of ice cream and a handful of books. Oh, don't forget to turn up the music. I'll be out of your way... hahaha!

Another reason why the Howard government sucks...

It's just one of those days when I think, "Why, oh why, did I stop my law studies?"

My mum just heard back from the union and told her that she does not have a strong case. WTF? Any simple-minded bogan can see that she definitely has a strong case! Argh! If I finished my law degree, I could represent my mother in court and take that blasted company to the cleaners!!!

The union is nowhere near as strong since bloody John Howard introduced the Industrial Relations Law which basically gave employers a lot more power and employees far lesser rights. It is so unfair!

Gone were the days when Bob Hawke was the Union President and represented the workers to the best of their ability. Now, they just take the union fees and not do anything! Sissy little f*cks!

I told my mum to withdraw her membership. They are so freaking useless anyway... Grrrrr!!!

The injustice of it all...

My mother got sacked from work last Monday.

And she did not deserve it.

I am not just saying this because she's my mother.

Sure, she had her faults. She had a temper that won't quit and stands up for herself quite well.

In a country like Australia, you are expected to stand up for your rights. We were both bowled over by the obvious harassment and discrimination the supervisors did to my mother.

You see, my mother started working for a particular contractor 6 years ago who was overtaken by another contractor just 8 months ago. Since then, my mum was harassed, constantly checked, and picked on.

A lot of my mum's former workmates left on their own accord because they too were harassed constantly. These contractors were dead set on getting rid of all the old workers to put in their own, who were mostly made up of family members and friends. It was the ultimate act of nepotism!

They had a meeting this morning and started accusing my mother of being constantly late from her breaks. of not following SOPs, etc, etc...

They were lying through their teeth and were being completely unfair.

Now, my mother's confidence is shot. She had worked her butt off for the past six years and that was what she got. She has constantly complained to me about the company since they've taken over and have told her time and time again to leave and look for something else. I kind of knew this was going to happen and I am definitely not happy that they beat my mum to resigning.

I feel so sorry for my mum. She did not deserve to treated like a dog. She went through this alone, regardless of her other work mates going through the same poor treatment.

On the other hand, I am proud of her. She stood her ground and did her job the best she could. She gained the respect of her colleagues. A job can come and go, but her pride at least is still in tact.

We are now in the process of filing an unfair dismissal law suit against the contractors which we are quite sure we'll win. I am also helping my mum look for a new job and on Thursday, she has an interview with a potential employer.

I know I don't ask this often, but please pray for my mum. She needs all the positive vibes that she can get.

And I am personally sending a "Kiss my arse and go to hell" to those c*nting f*cks who gave my mum hell at work. They'll get their comeuppance, I'm sure of it.

The top five series part 4

It's been awhile hasn't it? I know my male-loving blog readers have been waiting for this so without further ado, I present to you my...


TOP FIVE FILIPINO MEN


... I am so tempted to put Arnie in here but that would be very biased of me and I don't want others ogling my man :p...


5. Francis Magalona




And they say that Jin Tha MC from America is the "first Asian rapper"? Hell, I beg to differ! FrancisM has been around since the 80s and he's a very talented rapper. The fact that he was part of the Bagets gang and is current the Vice President of the Bagets foundation makes me like him more. Not to mention he loves dogs (as seen in the photo - gorgeous Whippet!) and has a lovely wife and family.

4. Aga Muhlach



Another Bagets original. He just looks so neat. He is an excellent actor. My most favourite of his was "Sa Aking Mga Kamay" with Christopher De Leon and Chin Chin Guttierez. He still has his boyish good looks at the age of 38. I love his dimples. He has a penchant for dating beauty queens and ended up marrying one. Personally, Charlene was a much better choice than Janice De Belen. Honestly, who in their right mind would say "God was with us when we had sex?" Puh-lease!Remember when he was dancing like Michael Jackson to the tune of "Wanna Be Starting Something" in Orange-coloured Chucks? Who ever knew that it would be back in fashion?

3. Carlo Aquino



This kid is very cute! He is in the same level of my infatuation with Daniel Radcliffe, only that he is of legal age and is Filipino. Talk about a talented actor. I have especially enjoyed watching him in "Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?" He's now all grown up, taking on more mature and challenging movie roles. Sayang split na sila ni Angelica Panganiban. She is such a cute girl! Lucky guy...

2. Rico Yan


Napaghahalataan na mahilig ako sa chinito! Hahahaha!
Too bad that this nice guy is no longer with us. Back in my uni days, I often saw him with his friends. He's all smiles and he's a very friendly and approachable fellow. I was in shock when I found out he died. I guess Billy Joel was right when he sang "Only The Good Die Young."
He's not much of an actor, but I will always remember that commercial where these two girls were watching guys pass by and rating them while eating something (can't remember that product). Rico, with his cute dimpled smile, got the highest rating, of course! :D

1. Herbert Bautista


Hmmm... I seem to be following a theme here. Another Bagets member. He may not be as cute as other actors out there but I have always had a crush on the guy since I was 8 years old! Excellent actor and comedian. I fell in love him in Bagets when he played that shy, awkward, typically torpe teenager. It takes me back! The memories! He has a penchant for courting most of his leading ladies and surprisingly, they end up going out. I can only think of two people who said no: Lea Salonga and Mikee Cojuangco.

I recently watched an interview conducted by Ariel Oreta in "My Favourite Show." His rather frank and blase story-telling of all the loves of his life, his successes and failures, and his way of thinking made my silly childish crush turn into reverence for the man. That interview made me realise that here is a man - an actor and politician - who has no pretences, who loves life and love, and who does not have any regrets. It's very refreshing to see men who readily admit that they are human and prone to making mistakes.

Regardless of obviously womanising ways, I love his boyish charm and intelligence. He is the long serving Vice Mayor of Quezon City. He is a well-educated man (San Beda and UP). I just hope that he finally settles down instead of just having kids left, right and center. I guess being the bolero that he is, he just can't help himself. Oh well...


Note: It is so difficult to find pictures of Filipino actors for some reason so apologies if the ones I got don't do the guys justice...

Halata bang Bagets fan ako? hahahaha...


Next time: Top five Irish Men

House hunting

Why is it that most people's definition of adult responsibility always includes the following?

1. Get married
2. Have kids
3. Buy a house
4. Buy a car

So if one refuses to do so, does this make you any less of a responsible adult? My mother has always been one to drill it on me - make a name for yourself, get property, get a car, get on top of the career ladder.

Without sounding arrogant, I've done it. At the age of 22, I got myself a stable job and slowly crept up to where I am now. At the age of 24, I purchased a car. At the age of 25, I bought a house. At the age of 26, I got engaged. Now, at the ripe age of 28, I am buying another house with my fiance - soon to be husband - Arnie. We are getting married in 18 months - I'll be 30 by then. Will we have kids? Probably when I'm 32, who knows?

Anyway, Arnie and I have been looking. We have been very particular about the location of the house we're buying. In terms of real estate investment, this is very important. A house in an excellent location can increase in value within just a year. Mum is getting a bit impatient with us (probably because she really wants to kick me out of our house) but these things take time and a lot of planning.

We have narrowed down the top three suburbs we're planning to buy in - Boronia, Bayswater, and Ferntree Gully. All suburbs are at least 28 km from the Melbourne CBD but are very good in terms of location, population, and affordability. Also, the Eastlink is being built and once that is completed, we expect a real estate boom within the area.

Have a look at some of the houses we checked out. Click on the pictures to see the property details.

I personally love the last house because it has a colonial cottage feel to it. I can see myself sitting by the verandah gorging on Devonshire tea. And the furniture I can put in there!

Arnie and I will be spending the coming weekend inspecting these properties and making offers. Hopefully, if everything works out, I'll be spending my 29th birthday at my new home!

Must love dogs

If I had some sort of application process in getting a man, this would be in the criteria for sure...

Must love dogs.

I have always been a dog lover. I grew up with dogs of all shapes and sizes - Spitz, St. Bernard, Pug. I find that having a dog is the best end to a stressful day. They are always so enthusiastic and excited to see you that even if you've had a crap day at work and almost killed someone while driving home, you feel all your tension wash away as you're greeted by a furry family member.

Meeko is the first pug I have ever owned. In fact, she is the first dog I ever had here in Melbourne so she is quite special. Not only that, Arnie and I consider her as our first child. She knows that we're mum and dad, while grand mum and grand dad are my mum and stepfather. She's nuts. She knows she's loved and she loves the fact the she's spoilt rotten.

In case you're asking, Arnie has passed this qualification with flying colours. In fact, I think Meeko loves him more than I. I don't mind, really. She is daddy's little girl :)

Arnie took us to Torquay for the weekend. Meeko enjoyed the sun, surf, and ice cream :)

A new look!

Hi blogfriends!

How do you like the new sassy look of my web home? Picked out the template and added a few things. The banner picture is actually an original artwork by Josh Agle otherwise known as Shag. The print is called "Collins St.", named and modelled after the fantastic street of the same name in Melbourne.

Hope you enjoy the new look :)

Another tag...

Been tagged by Karen Kristie.

1. How often do you blog?

As much as I can. There are times when life gets in the way that I don't blog as much as I want.

2. Online Alias:

Jaguarxjsau, quidditch_champ, Dark Mistress... don't ask about the last one :)

3. Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew?

I always keep my appointments. It's the right thing to do.

4. What do you do most often when you are bored?

Watch my DVDs, usually Daria, Ranma 1/2 or Rurouni Kenshin. I also read, play PS2 or Nintendo DS. On hot days, I hit the beach and relax with a cold drink and a good book.

5. When bathing, which do you wash first?

My hair.

6. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight?

Yes, and it was not a good thing to do.

7. What color looks best on you?

Black. I'm partial since it's my favourite colour. Recently, I've been wearing a lot of pastels. Mum reckons I look good in torquise.

8. What?s your favorite alcoholic drink?

Japanese Slipper, Screwdriver, Dry Martini

9. Do you believe in heaven and hell as a real place that each of us will go to after death?

I question the existence of heaven and hell now, as opposed to the past when I truly believe in it.
10. Do you find that you have more online friends than offline friends?

No. As much as I love meeting really nice people online, I still prioritise my offline friends of course.

11. What was your favorite subject in school?

History, English Literature, and Japanese Literature.

12. Are you a perfectionist?

I prefer not to be, but old habits die hard.

13. Do you spend more than you can afford?

I've fallen into this trap heaps of times. But I've been good.

14. Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved before?

Definitely. It's part of growing up.

15. Do you consider yourself creative?

Oh yes. My hands are very busy!

16. Do you give yourself the credit you deserve?

Yes, and I never fail to reward myself afterwards! :)

17. Do you donate time or money to charities?

Yes, to causes I believe in.

18. Have you recently done something yourself that you've criticized others for doing?
Who hasn't? We're only human.

19. What's on your mind right now?

How long I have left at work before the weekend officially starts!

20. Say one nice thing about the person who tagged you and the five people that you are going to tag:

R*yan - I like the fact that he is very honest about himself and his oh-so-romantic lovelife... and I also like butts :)

Bridget - Such a cutie... sayang hindi tayo talo! hahaha! Bati tayo, Jher-papa :)

Jaynir - artsy fartsy like me, likes the fine things in life like me :)

Jayce - I love his musings... sayang he's been so busy with life that he doesn't get to blog that often anymore

Kat - former schoolmate. I'll alsways remember her as Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho :)

Pardon my absence...

It's just one of those hell-weeks at work. Been trying to complete a data analysis project for my boss but to no avail, simply because I do not spend 24 hours in the office. I am supposed to analyse 2.9 million items of data and check the destruction dates. Bringing the data up in the system already takes a couple of hours, sifting through the info will take me another couple of hours. That's 4 hours gone! Then, I'll have to sort the data according to account number... that will just take ages!

Oh well, soldiering on...

*****

I just found out that I'll be flying to Brisbane, Queensland on Monday for a conference. Talk about a very short notice! Thank goodness there are flights available or I'd probably wouldn't make it. Funny thing is that my boss was not aware of any conferences that require my attendance but he did say that the nature of the conference seems important for me to be involved. As far as I know, the attendees are mostly from Sales and Customer Care. I'm the only person from Operations! Oh well, it'll be a good chance to meet new people in the business. It's amazing that even with me being in the company for 6 years, I still meet new faces almost every week.

*****

I had a quick case of the flu over the weekend. To top that off, I also had hay fever. Tell you what, having a runny nose from the flu, itchy eyes and throat from the hay fever is definitely not a good combination. I just wanted to tear my nose off. It was so annoying! Thank God I'm over it now. I had to skip gym this week to make sure I'm completely healed. I don't want to spread my germs around.

*****

Melbourne has been experiencing bizarre warm weather these past few days. I expect summer to be an absolute scorcher if we're already getting 30 degree days mid-October. I'm kind of not looking forward to summer now. Too much heat is just unbearable. Oh well, at least I'll get to even out my tan quicker than usual.

*****

I bought a fantastic book last Tuesday. It's called "Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture" by Ariel Levy. As part of my thesis proposal, I bought this book to further explore on what raunch culture is about. It's an excellent read. Levy argues convincingly that women of today may think that their actions are liberating and freeing but what they don't realize is that they are just perpetuating the images and ideals of a male dominated society. It seems rather harsh and conservative to think so, but feminists like Erica Jong even say that females today who brand themselves feminists have gone a bit too far.

To quote:

"If male chauvinist pigs were guys who treated women like pieces of meat, then female chauvinist pigs are women who make sex objects of other women, and of themselves, and think of this as empowerment."

Fantastic reading, girls. Go check it out!

Dissertation brainstorm

I am still in the process of writing my 600-word thesis proposal for my PhD application. I know, 600 words does not seem to be a lot, right? Well, I am seriously shitting myself since it has been a while that I attempted to write a thesis... a good six years back. It has been long.

I thought long and hard about what my topic would be. Science fiction, Jane Austen, Crime Fiction -- the list goes on and on and on. There are too many things that I can explore and research on, but it has to be something that I am willing to commit to for the next 6 years.

Then, it hit me. Raunch culture, the stuff that fascinates, intrigues, and disgusts me in some ways as a woman. The belief that women simply enjoy being liked for their bodies and they exploit it. They do not believe in old school feminism. They are the women that get attacked by old school feminists. It started off with women simply "surrendering" to men -- taking on the "female" roles that have been instilled by society for generations. Then, it became overtly sexual -- women dressing up like strippers, women learning how to pole dance, women becoming more attuned with their sexual desires. Like all sub-cultures, there is always the good and the bad stuff. I intend to explore this in my thesis.

Finally! A topic I can commit to! Now, it's just a matter of putting my thoughts into paper... wish me luck and have a great weekend!

Blog upgrade?

I'm thinking about changing my blog, organising my posts better, and getting a snazzier template.

What do you think?

Thoughts on sex...

At the risk of being called names again (who knows if the psycho-stalker bitch is lurking - see March 15 entry), I shall endeavour to talk about a little thing that has been bugging me for a while. I apologize in advance for the choice of words I have used - blame Girl With A One Track Mind :)

Have you ever wondered why women who have a huge sexual appetite are often called nymphomaniacs whereas men are never labeled as such? Is it because society has molded people into believing that it is okay for men to be so sexed up whereas women should always be playing the "receiving orifice" role?

Isn't that a bit unfair? I mean, why is it that women cannot enjoy themselves during sex? Is sex all about the penis? Isn't it about the vagina as well? Isn't sex suppose to be an act that should be enjoyed by all parties involved?

In this day and age, I believe it is absolutely okay for a woman to acknowledge that they want a good shag. Is that so much to ask? If men can think about shagging, why can't women? I think it's only fair that women demand a good rogering. After all, women have the equipment that men need to get off - unless they intend to grow hairs in the back of their hands from tossing too much.

There is nothing wrong with a confident woman who knows exactly what they want and how to get it. If a woman goes to the pub and picks up a good looking bloke because she just wants a good seeing to, does that make her a slut? Of course not. I believe that she is honest with herself. If I were a bloke, I find that very sexy. Confidence is a fantastic trait to have. Of course, not all men think this way. Some men actually want all women to act virginal. These same men go out of their way to bed as many women as they can. Isn't that paradoxical behaviour? Fuck heaps of women and expect them to act like nuns.

In my opinion, it takes a real man to take on a sexually confident woman. It is a rarity even in today's supposedly modern world. In spite of people believing that the world has abandoned backward thinking, just reading the papers every morning is enough to tell you that nuh-uh, it's not happening.

You know what I don't like? People playing games. Women acting all coy and hard to get when their bodies say differently. It's all about appearances, isn't it? How about acting on that want? Scratching the itch? It's all about attitude. Acting like a slut and acting sexually confident are two very different things. It's easy to be a slut. It's hard to be sexually confident.

Here is a list I believe that women should follow to be a sexually confident person:

1. When talking about sex, never giggle. You come across like a damn teenager if you do. Talking about sex like an adult is key.

2. There is always a time and place for talking about sex. You may think about sex all the time and probably sneak into a toilet every so often for a quick fiddle, but you cannot talk about it when it's inappropriate.

3. Dress appropriately. I cannot stress this enough. When at work, very low cut blouses that show off half your boobs is not on. Very short skirts that shows your bum off when you bend is not a good look either.

4. Flirt smart. Listen to intelligent women flirt. There is a huge difference with how they go about it than their slutty counterparts.

5. Confidence is a big part of the package. How you walk, how you talk, how you carry yourself in general.

6. Never giggle. Smile, laugh, but never giggle. You will come across like you're nervous. Having the confidence to smile and laugh at loud at a man's jokes is a sure fire way to come across as being completely in control.

7. Have a lot of different interests and be prepared to talk about your interests with passion. Remember that there is a difference between being passionate about something and being obsessed.

Easy enough? I think so. These tips are not only about being sexually confident, but also about being a woman whom men can take seriously. How do I know these things you may wonder? I'll be the first to admit that may experiences in sex is limited and that most of what I know I learned from my current relationship. I like observing human behaviour, reading books about the subject, and experimenting myself on how people react to different types of behaviour. I actually found it amazing that something as simple as giggling can invoke a different reaction from men.

I would like to ask my readers to comment freely on the topic and share their thoughts. Feel free to contradict what I said. I encourage a discussion in the matter for I believe it will just lead to better understanding between the sexes.

And please, no name calling or similar. This is an adult forum so let's talk about sex like adults, okay?

Cheers!

The top five series part 3

What is it about Scottish men? People refer to them as the more brusque and slightly unrefined lot compared to their British neighbours. For me, if we were to take this very shallow observation as gospel, it is part of their charm. They have the greatest sense of humour (having worked with a few Scots in my day, I should know), they are never afraid to take the mickey of anyone (including themselves), and they are so masculine that you can die of testosterone overload if you're in a room full of them!

Oh, I should also mention that their accents are way too cute :D

So, here is my list...


TOP FIVE SCOTTISH MEN


Number 5 - Billy Connolly



Just looking at Billy is enough to make me roll around in peals of laughter. He is such a gifted comedian and refuses to hold anything back (he has a penchant for saying "fuck" all the time). Despite having a difficult childhood, admitted to having A.D.D. and was physically and sexually abused by his father, he has constantly proved to the world that nothing can keep him down. He refuses to act his age and continues to look at the world with the eyes of a child. In his words, he refuses to be one of those old folk playing golf and wearing beige clothing all the time. He refuses to be a "beigist" (as seen in Andrew Denton's interview). He is also an extraordinary actor. Watch "Mrs. Brown" and you will see his talent for serious acting.

Number 4 - Sean Connery



He is known as the first actor to play the dashing British agent 007, James Bond. This man proves that there is such a thing as growing old gracefully. As this man gets older, so does his appeal. It's no wonder that even today, he gets paired up with the most beautiful women in his movies. He can really cheeky ala James Bond or he can be a regal man ala King Arthur. His accent is quite endearing and his arrogant, masculine manner (when he said Pierce Brosnan is a "nancy-boy" James Bond) shows his utter Scottish-ness.

Number 3 - Ewan McGregor



One word: Renton. Any "Trainspotting" fan would recognize him. "Moulin Rouge" proved his ability to sing. "Star Wars" just made him a household name.

He has a charming, boyish look about him that I just find adorable. He is easily one of the most popular young Scottish actors at present and his star is still rising. If movie makers ever decide to make "Porno" (sequel to Trainspotting), I hope Ewan reprises his role as Renton. I'll definitely be the first in line to watch it!

Number 2 - Danny Bhoy



People who are not into the Comedy Circuit may not know this bloke but everyone in the know says that Danny is clearly Billy Connolly's successor. He is funny, he is witty, and he is just bloody cute! He is very talented, quick-witted, and a natural on the comedy stage. I have seen him twice live during the Melbourne International Comedy festival and I tell you, it is worth every buck!

Watch this bloke, folks. He may make it to the International scene like ol'Billy soon.

Number 1 - David Tennant



I am such a sci-fi buff! Okay, where do I start with this lovely man? I love his very expressive, big, brown eyes. I love his accent. I love that he is already 35 years old (I just love men in their 30s!). I love that he can play very sinister characters ("Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" as Barty Crouch Jr. and "Secret Smile" as Brendan) and kooky, cheeky characters (Doctor Who and BBC's Casanova) with ease. He went to drama school and started off as a theatre actor, thus the acting talent. I have also thoroughly enjoyed his role in "Blackpool." He is the cutest detective there is! And being able to do a love scene and sing at the same time takes talent! Hahaha!

Check out this short clip from Blackpool. So hot! Hahaha!

He is such a joy to watch in every role he's played. He has given Doctor Who charm and sex appeal. It's obviously noticeable because soon after shooting the Doctor Who episode "The Girl in the Fireplace", Sophie Myles started dating him (The chick from Tristan and Isolde). Lucky girl!

Next series: As requested by Karen, I'll give you my top five Filipino men.

This should be quite interesting :)

Relaxing weekend

This past weekend has been very relaxing. Arnie and I went away to a town called Warburton which is along the Yarra Ranges close to best wineries in the state.

We checked into a self-contained cottage called The River Cottage.







The cottage was absolutely beatiful. It was a home away from home. Very inviting with a fire place, a double oval spa, and a kitchen with a well-stocked fridge!


The inviting double spa which Arnie and I thoroughly enjoyed and relaxed in


On the decking


Such a cozy cottage!

I just loved the whole atmosphere. We were surrounded by the beauty of nature and relished our stay.

For afternoon tea, we went to a place called the Patchwork Teahouse. I am a big lover of Devonshire Tea. Arnie and I enjoyed each other's company over a nice cup of tea (him, Earl Grey, and I, English breakfast) and freshly baked scones.


Outside the Teahouse. Friendly atmosphere and friendly staff. Yummy scones too :)

Dinner was a quiet affair. I prepared fresh natural oysters for our entree and Salmon steaks with zucchini for our mains. Arnie and I also shared a nice bottle of Brown Brothers Muscato. It went perfectly well with the fish!



Preparing dinner :)


Cheers!

It was a lovely way to celebrate our anniversary. I hope to do something like this again with the man I love.

It's been a fantastic six years and I am looking forward to spending more beautiful years with him.

Doctor Yap???

I made a bold move this morning ensuring my future as a highly educated woman. This November, I am completing my postgrad studies in Information Management. It was a change, for sure, from my original Bachelor degree which was Literature.

I wanted to pursue further studies in Information Management and become the most highly qualified Information Manager in the company I work for. After careful consideration and discussions with Arnie and my school buddies, I decided to do go for a doctorate degree in English Language and Literature instead. Studying for work is all well and good, but I want to do something that I will enjoy for a change, not that I didn't enjoy Information Management mind you.

Literature is my first love. I want to be surrounded by all the things that I immersed myself in during my undergraduate studies. I love to be able to bounce around abstract ideas with people. I love to sit and immerse myself in a topic that I am very passionate about. Heck, I just love to books and reading. The very sight of Borders is enough to give me an intellectual orgasm! Now, at the age of 28, I have decided to commit myself to six years of research. I don't know where this venture will take me. I don't know if this will divert my career path in any way. What's important is that I am starting the road to my ultimate goal: have a PhD before the age of 40.

I have sent an e-mail to the University of Melbourne English faculty to set up an appointment. I am looking forward to hearing from them soon because I am very keen to get started by next year.

So, am I going to be a ponce and re-name myself "Dr. Jennifer S. Yap, PhD" in the future? Who knows? I really want to do this for myself, for my self-worth, and for my love of literature and the English language.

*****

On a different note...

Today, I am celebrating my 6th year anniversary with the man I am lucky to be with - my future husband.

To Lawrence Arnold Estrada - I love you more and more and more each passing day. Thanks so much for your support, your love, and your undying will to keep me happy.

Happy anniversary, love...

The top five series part 2

As promised, here is the second of the series, featuring my favourite British men.

Ah, Brits... or Poms as we Aussies call them :)

What's to love? Is it the posh accents? The devil-may-care attitude? Or the impeccable grammar? Don't know. All I know is that some of them are quite gorgeous. I wouldn't mind if they talk to me all day and I would just be content to listen and nod... hehehe

So, without further ado, here is my...

TOP FIVE BRITISH MEN

Number 5 - Patrick Stewart



Captain Jean-Luc Picard - the man who has "boldly gone where no one has gone before." This man is already in his 60's and he still quite fit. He is a highly trained Shakespearean actor thus the impeccable diction and accentuation. I find him very good-looking, extremely charming, and multi-faceted. He can be a villain( in Conspiracy Theory), he can be a hero (in X-Men), and he can be gay (in Jeffrey). He is very much the British gentleman.

Number 4 - Michael Parkinson



I respect the man. I enjoy watching his show every Saturday on the ABC. His interviews with people are fun to watch, even that absolutely painful one that he did with Meg Ryan (I felt so bad for him then). He has a great sense of humour, as seen in Star Portraits with Rolf Harris and his brief cameo in Love Actually. He is a British television icon and a gentleman.


Number 3 - Orlando Bloom



Okay, I can't help myself. I loved him in Lord of the Rings as Legolas. Heck, I think I just have a thing for gorgeous elves in general. Hahaha. But he is gorgeous. He was even more gorgeous in Pirates of the Caribbean. Him and Johnny Depp in that movie, oh dear, I thought I was going to have a heart attack!

Anyway, he is an absolute sweetheart. He looks like fun, he does not take himself too seriously, and (have I said this enough times?) just gorgeous.

Number 2 - Daniel Radcliffe

I know, he's only 17 - so sue me! But I ain't blind. Daniel is a good looking boy and will only grow up to be a really handsome man! I made no secret of the fact that I am a mad Harry Potter fan and have watched this kid grow up. I even saw his first ever big role in David Copperfield. He was such a cute kid then. I also saw him in Pierce Brosnan's film Tailor of Panama.

If ever Daniel decides to have an older woman, I'm available! I'm only 11 years older than he is. Hahahaha!

Number 1 - Colin Firth



Oh, Mr. Darcy (stares dreamily into space).

My favourite lines uttered by this man:

"I like you just as you are."

"Alone again, naturally."

I guess I don't have to say much about this bloke. Just go and watch Bridget Jones' Diary, Love Actually, Importance of Being Earnest, and BBC's Pride and Prejudice. That says a lot. Cool, stand-offish, arrogant, intelligent, and just plain sexxxxxxy!!!


Next in the series: Top five Scottish Men

(seems like I'm going around the world, aren't I? hahaha!)

TIME's 100 Movies

Here is another higlighting exercise and I'm not particularly tagging anyone so just feel free to do so if you feel like it. Basically, highlight the movies that you have watched and the list is from Time magazine's list of 100 best movies of all time, in alphabetical order...

A - C

Aguirre: the Wrath of God (1972)
The Apu Trilogy (1955, 1956, 1959)
The Awful Truth (1937)
Baby Face (1933)
Bande a part (1964)
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980)
Blade Runner (1982)
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Brazil (1985)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Camille (1936)
Casablanca (1942)
Charade (1963)
Children of Paradise (1945)
Chinatown (1974)
Chungking Express (1994)
Citizen Kane (1941)
City Lights (1931)
City of God (2002)
Closely Watched Trains (1966)
The Crime of Monsieur Lange (1936)
The Crowd (1928)

D - F

Day For Night (1973)
The Decalogue (1989)
Detour (1945)
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
Dodsworth (1936)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Doctor Strangelove: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Drunken Master II (1994)
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
8 1/2 (1963)
The 400 Blows (1959)
Farewell My Concubine (1993)
Finding Nemo (2003)
The Fly (1986)

G - J

The Godfather, Parts I and II (1972, 1974)
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966)
Goodfellas (1990)
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
His Girl Friday (1940)
Ikiru (1952)
In A Lonely Place (1950)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
It's A Gift (1934)
It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

K - M

Kandahar (2001)
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
King Kong (1933)
The Lady Eve (1941)
The Last Command (1928)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Leolo (1992)
The Lord of the Rings (2001 - 2003)
The Man With a Camera (1929)
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Metropolis (1927)
Miller's Crossing (1990)
Mon oncle d Amerique (1980)
Mouchette (1967)

N - P

Nayakan (1987)
Ninotchka (1939)
Notorious (1946)
Olympia Parts 1 & 2 (1938)
On The Waterfront (1954)
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
Out of the Past (1947)
Persona (1966)
Pinocchio (1940)
Psycho (1960)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
Pyaasa (1957)

Q - S

Raging Bull (1980)
Schindler's List (1993)
The Searchers (1956)
Sherlock Jr. (1924)
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
Smiles of a Summer Night (1955)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Star wars (1977)
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Sunrise (1927)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Swing Time (1936)

T - Z

Talk To Her (2002)
Taxi Driver (1976)
Tokyo Story (1953)
A Touch of Zen (1971)
Ugetsu (1953)
Ulysses' Gaze (1995)
Umberto D (1952)
Unforgiven (1992)
White Heat (1949)
Wings of Desire (1987)
Yojimbo (1961)

The top five series part 1

This may be out of sheer vanity or the fact that people actually want to know stuff about me (right!). So, I have decided to start the "top five series." These refer to my favourites in any given category.

So, without further ado, the first part of the top five series refers to my...

TOP FIVE AMERICAN MEN

Girls, enjoy!

Number 5... Tom Hanks



Tom isn't as good looking as other Hollywood hunks, but what he may lack in looks he makes up for his exceptional acting talent. Regardless of what people say (and I agree Tom being casted as Robert Langdon was a mistake), he made the most memorable films in the 20th century - Philadelphia, The Green Mile, and Forrest Gump. His roles in Big, You've Got Mail, and Splash endeared him to me.

Besides, better to choose this Tom than the other Tom, right? Hehehe.

Number 4... Michael J. Fox


I know, he was born in Canada but I decided to include him in this list anyway. Where do I start with this bloke? Teen Wolf was my first favourite movie. I have always loved that look of his - the look of a clueless and utterly lost teenager :p

I loved Back to the Future. I loved The Frighteners. I enjoyed Spin City immensely. When he announced that he was suffering from young-onset Parkinson's disease in 1998 (7 years after he was diagnosed), he earned the utmost respect of his peers and fans around the globe. His autobiography, Lucky Man, is a joy to read and is one of my all time non-fiction books. I hope his foundation would help in finding the cure for Parkinson's.

Number 3... Gale Harold



This hunk-o-spunk became popular because of the television series Queer As Folk. Given that this was the North American version of the popular two-season original British series, the fact that they chose Gale to play the role of Brian Kenney was genius to say the least. He made women swoon even if he played a gay role. As Brian, he plays a lusty, larger than life, unashamedly gay man who picks up whenever and wherever. I will always remember his ever famous line - "I don't believe in love, I believe in fucking." I will always remember Brian as the man whom, regardless of his untiring adage of not believing in the elusive L-word, actually fell for an 18-year old beautiful boy named Justin. I fell in love with Gale because of his characterization of a tough yet softy man.

Number 2... Johnny Depp



This guy just exudes cool without even trying. How hot is this bloke? Even with the ugly teeth and the unwashed look of a pirate, women still wet their pants looking at him. Why? Because he's just sexy.

How cute was he in 21 Jumpstreet? Even in Cry Baby? But the clincher for me was Edward Scissorhands - that made me a fan for life!

I always enjoyed his films - From Hell (which I thought was brilliant), Finding Neverland (loved the Irish accent), Fear and Loathing Las Vegas, and of course, Don Juan de Marco.

And my Number 1 man is... (drum roll please)

David Duchovny



I am an X-phile, so this is quite an obvious choice isn't it? It was his role as Fox Mulder that made me love him so much. A sexy, intelligent, highly educated geek - how cool is that? How did Scully ever keep her hands to herself? My God! If I were in her shoes, I would have tried to land Mulder a week into our partnership!

People may not know that in real life, David is a very educated man. He earned an undergraduate degree in Princeton University and went on to earn a Masters degree in English Literature at Yale. He was already half-way in his doctorate studies when he quit and became an actor.

For more David eye-candy, I suggest you watch his episodes in the Red Shoe Diaries... hubba, hubba!

David is the epitome of a sexy, hunky, absolutely f*ckable geek :)


Next in the series: Top Five British Men


Have a wonderful weekend, folks!

Fashion-vision

My blog readers and friends alike would agree on one thing about me: I love fashion. Regardless of my self-imposed "restraining order", I still can't help myself and buy that cute skirt or top from Cue - just happens that they have a cute item out every damn week! I walk into Ralph Lauren just in case there is a sale, which just so happens it was last Saturday - I bought a nice sweater. I go into Nine West every week to see if they have any styles that I like available. I could walk around David Jones all day and rest my tired feet in the Food Hall and have a nice strawberry yoghurt for a snack.

With Spring being here, the Spring Fashion Festival has arrived as well. A couple of weeks ago, a swimwear designer decided on not using rail-thin models to display her designs and rather used real women of all shapes and sizes during a show. Fair enough. In her opinion, it's not the models who will be wearing her swimwear, it will the everyday folk - you and me.

Good on her!

Then this morning, an article from The Age finds the world's first ban on overly thin models at a top level fashion show in Madrid. Of course, the ban has caused an outrage among modelling agencies who recruit only those who have the "waif and heroin-chick look."

Regardless of what people think, I embrace this idea 100%. Please, how many people in the street do you see in size 6 outfits unless you're 13 years old? I have heard of people who take diet pills so that they can lose weight fast without the pain of doing exercise. Hogwash. All you end of doing is getting addicted to the damn pills and getting all weak. I am a big fan of the "no pain, no gain" philosophy. I work out four times a week at the moment. Monday night I meet up with my personal trainer and go through a tough training session. Tuesday night I go to my Pilates class. Wednesday night I take Spin classes. Saturday, you'll find me either running along Beach Road or swimming if it's not too cold. I have maintained a healthy size 10-12 and I am well within my BMI (body mass index). I am rather strong and have an enormous amount of energy. I enjoy eating the food I want without having to worry constantly about my calorie intake (unless it's Krispy Kreme donuts... hahaha :p).

Using very thin models in advertising, magazines, and fashion shows can be very damaging to an impressionable teen who is starting to tackle the issue of body image. This is the stage of a person's life when they are so vulnerable and susceptible to suggestion, even if it's not blatantly obvious.

This whole concept of "thin is beautiful" is a load of rubbish. In my opinion, "health is wealth." Being healthy is all that matters and that's that.

Taboo

Religion and politics have always been considered as two of the worst conversation topics between acquaintances. Not only is it pointless but you are sure to offend regardless of how P-C (politically correct) you try to be. I always steer clear of talking about the current state of government in this country to just anyone, unless it's Arnie or my mum whom I share the same sentiments with.

So, imagine my surprise the other day when a work colleague from Sydney came down for a meeting with myself. We were having sandwiches for lunch and for some reason, the topic diverted to whether I follow politics or not. I said that as much as I don't like it, I can't help but follow it - my background, having a father who is a solicitor/consultant and very much involved in the Philippine senate when I was growing up, has been steeped in political awareness.

We started talking about politics - about, as a British national living in Australia, he's become so disappointed with how our government is being run, how Britian itself is being led by a PM who is well-known for American arse-kissing, and that the war on Iraq is just wrong. Then, he started talking about religion. His sentiments were exactly like mine. People just use religion nowadays to justify the evil they do and attribute it to the cause of glorifying their god.

What god would want this? What god would want people killing each other off for the sake of Allah or freedom or revenge It's just hogwash. Pure baloney.

Whatever happened to just getting along and embracing each other's differences? The Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard and Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, have made a faux pas for making statements regarding Australian Muslims, that they should embrace the "Australian way of life" - whatever that means - and not just be loyal to their belief as Muslims, but be loyal to Australia. I don't know what they were thinking when they made this pronouncement. Singling-out Muslims or any minority for that matter just screams sheer prejudice and ignorance, doesn't it? The fact that it is just the very loud and ignorant minority that's creating the problem(e.g. Cronulla riots) does not merit this kind of statement. This country for some reason always had a problem with integrating with other races/cultures .Before, it was the Aborigines during the colonial period. Then, it was the Europeans during the 60's and 70's. Then, it was the Asians' turn in the 80's. Now, the Muslims. When will it stop?

I don't want to think of Australia as a racist country. In fact, I believe it not to be. The fact that I am living in a multi-cultural city (not just in terms of food but also of how different cultures are embraced) and have never experienced a racial attack, I have every reason to believe that Australia, specifically Melbourne, is the place to be. However, if you've got the nation's so-called "leader" spouting very irresponsible comments, it does not reflect well to the rest of the world 'innit? For a country who prides itself for being "multicultural", the statement just reeks of prejudice. We are no better than the red-neck southern states of America.

I expect a lynching next...

A week of mourning

This past week has been big in terms of the sad demise of a couple of Australian icons.



Last Monday, the Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin was struck by a sting ray through the heart while he was scuba diving. Footage apparently shows Steve pulling the barb off his chest and then he fell unconscious. He was 44.



Today, at exactly 3:06 pm the Age (a Melbourne-based newspaper) posted a news feed that sports racing legend Peter Brock was killed when he lost control of Daytona Coupe during the Targa West race which started today because of wet conditions. The car hit a tree side-on, with no chance of survival. Peter died on impact. He was 61.

I respected bothof them. Steve contributed a huge chunk of his earnings to wildlife conservation and educating people of how important it is to nurture nature. Peter was a road-safety advocate and started a foundation to help disadvantaged kids. It also helps that I am a big car-nut and I follow most of the races - V8, Bathurst, etc.

I guess the only consolation is that they died doing what they love the most.

Rest in peace, Steve "Crickey" Irwin and Peter "King of the Mountain" Brock. You will be missed.

Highlights

Got this from Jac.

Highlight the ones you've done:

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. Sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played DVD for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, despite someone looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours within 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind on something you care about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad
135. Read an "important" author you missed in school
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Talked with someone with no common language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to a stranger
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone's life

Now, I tag Kat, Jaz, and Karen... enjoy!