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!

Nostalgia

Mum returned from her short trip to Manila last Sunday. As expected from any holiday-maker, she brought back pasalubong. She brought back food, cute beaded sandals, and some clothes from my cousins.

She also, unexpectedly, brought back some photos that we left behind. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the photos were in albums compiled by my grandmother, comprised of photos of myself back in high school and college. My grandmother painstakingly salvaged them from getting completely destroyed by a storm that ruined most of our photographs.

Wow, I thought. Talk about a blast from the past! From high school were pictures of myself with my friends in a summer excursion to Laguna, my graduation with my high school bestest buddies James, Ryan, and Brian, schoolmates during the World Youth Day celebrations in Manila, and a stack full of official grad pictures from my batch mates. From college were heaps of random photos taken during my stint in a Japanese school during the cultural exchange program I participated in, hanging out with my close girlfriends DJ, Lynette, and Janelle, and other photos of myself in the traditional graduation toga with friends during the graduation mass. There was one particular picture of me and a boy I used to be in the same classes with during my freshman year. I was telling Arnie that the boy should have been my boyfriend and not the other one I had. Back then, I would never dream of telling a guy I liked him. In hindsight, I should have had the courage to tell him that I did. He is, after all, a very nice boy whom I've been really close friends with up until he decided to shift majors.

Alright, my dear friends... if that wasn't enough of a hint... hehehe.

Yes, there were a couple of group photos which had the ex in it. Upon looking at the photos, I could not make myself angry. I was actually happy. I have finally acknowledged the fact that yes, that relationship did not work out but we had happy times as well. We both graduated in the same year and we were surrounded by friends. I mean, yes, if I were given the opportunity to go back in time I wouldn't have a relationship with him and instead concentrated on being just friends. I guess I am now past the whole "I hate him" stage. I can honestly say that if I go back to Manila now and have a reunion with my college classmates, I would not mind him being there. I will go up to him and say "hi" and apologize for whatever hurt I have caused him. I guess it's just the mature thing to do.

Looking at old photos of yourself and your friends just makes you realise that time passes us by in a blink of an eye. I graduated from DLSU 8 years ago. In my circle of friends, one is about to give birth to her first child. Two of my friends had a tift and is still yet to reconcile. Another friend has moved to the States for good. One is working in their family owned business. From what I last heard, the ex is very happy with his girlfriend. As for me, I'm in different country that I have grown to love where I have met the love of my life, my future husband. I know that I still have a lot of growing up to do regardless.

It was nice to know that at some point in my life, regardless of all the adult complications that seem to litter my life at present, I was once a mere child who enjoyed her youth as much as the next person. Those photos were evidence of that.

I will try and post some of the pictures here shortly. Cheers!

The first day of spring.

It's the first of September and that marks the start of a brand new season.

Spring is here!

Gone are the dreary, cold days and nights that winter bestowed upon Melbournites. Today, we are blessed with a sunny 23 degree day. How wonderful!

Being that it's casual Friday today at work, I took the opportunity to wear a short-sleeved polo shirt, jeans, and my trusty, comfy Nike runners - heels 4 times a week is killing my feet!

I love the sun! It just means more fun and more outdoor-sy activities once again!


Taken from outside my office building. What the fuck am I doing inside?

I would love to go out and spend my lunch break at St. Kilda, get seated on a table by the beach, and just soak up the rays. Finally, I can get my tan back... whoopee!

Have a great weekend, everyone!