How I spent my Valentine's day

For the last three years, I have always had someone special to celebrate valentine's day with.  This is the first time again that I'm single and well, celebrating Valentine's day with my friends. Although there is nothing terrible with that idea, of course I cannot help but feel a little jaded with all the consumerism that is being attached to this day. I think that's how all single girls must feel hehehe.  Nonetheless, I still celebrated Valentine's day with a red shirt :) I actually did it for luck, since this year, the Chinese New Year and Valentine's falls on the same day.                                       

Every year, UP holds their annual fair where the biggest bands in the country converge for a weeklong long celebration.
It's certainly an event not to be missed. I invited Mon, a Dire Husi artisan from Cagayan de Oro to visit Manila.  Nope, I am NOT his date. Mon is really a nice guy but our relationship with each other is extremely platonic and truth is, that is all i'm wishing for.

Crazy as it sounds, I actually played Cupid for him. There's this one girl that I asked to be his textmate. They did meet at the fair and it was really fun seeing them together.

On heart's day, Mon and I visited my community in Banaba wherein he had performed his magic tricks for the kids of Buklod ng Kabataan. Afterwards, we headed to Taco Bell where I treated Mon for a big burrito. We also visited Cubao Expo where I showed him the shops where we can sell the DH crafts. After that, we went to UP again to watch the bands. 

Some thoughts that crossed my mind that day.

If the X and I were still together...

1. I wouldn't have met the Dire Husi Artisans
2. I wouldn't have gone to Cagayan de Oro in the first place
3. I wouldn't have participated in the Buklod ng Kabataan Valentine's party

And if I missed out on these things, I think I would be a very sorry lass. There are moments to be thankful for and not to be bitter about. When something terrible happens, you have to see the whole picture and just deal with it.

My new baby, Molly

Yesterday was an eventful day for me. I went to Robinson's Galleria because I needed to get a new journal. The other day, I bid goodbye to my old journal. I still keep it but I got no intentions
of writing entries on it any longer. I've had that journal since 2004. 6 years is quite a long time but it still has at least 10 blank pages on it. Given that, I think, my old journal has some negative feel into it ever since I started writing about my ex. I just remembered that my ex actually prohibited me from writing on my journal. He never ever wanted me to see me writing on it. He felt that I was trying to hide things from him. I think that's just plain nuts. Which adds to the fact that I really am better off without him. hehehe. Well, going back, almost all of the entries there are just plain text, I never tried putting any artwork on it. The last few pages though, I pasted my origami works. Parting with a journal is not easy. It was like bidding goodbye to a friend. My last entry was a prayer.


So my new journal's name is Molly. It's short for Moleskin. I've always wanted one. I absolutely adore that small notebook. It is awfully expensive though, almost 1000 pesos. Ouch. I think I should start exercising and just take walks when I need to ride the tricycle.

old journal in blue, new journal in black

Borrowing words from Dahl, it is whizzbanging and fantabulous! It is the same notebook that Picasso and Hemingway has. I'm not claiming that I am in those ranks haha, but somehow, we all have the same passion for a good notebook.And although blogging is easier and friendlier to the environment (since no trees are cut, yey!) I think, notebookism is still alive these days. The other week, I have read Orwille's blog about losing a notebook. It made me realize even more that notebooks are friends. I rely on my notebook as much as I would rely on a close friend...sometimes even more. When my spirits are low, writing makes me feel secure about myself. Writing on journals is like second nature to me, like drinking water.


My first entry on my notebook was a letter to Molly. If you have ever read Anne Frank's diary, you would know why. It was like an introduction of myself to her. However, I didn't notice
that I actually wrote my first entry on the 3rd page of the journal. So I went back to the
first page and wrote a small prayer for Molly. My next entry is should be a visayan paragraph about my memorable moment in Cagayan de Oro. This is my assignment from my CDO friend, Mon! I think my comprehension in Visayan dialect is getting better but I really need to practice my speaking skills.


Going back about my malling, my trip to Galleria didn't end with my purchase of my new journal. I went to a japanese store and I was expecting to see origami papers; I was not disappointed. I saw so many origami papers, it was crazy! There were papers for folding animal origami, insect origami, and they even have glow in the dark papers! However, since I used up all my money on my new notebook, I didn't buy anything at the store. For 85 pesos per set, it was a bit pricey.















I also saw weird items in the store. It was a banana keeper. Maybe the inventor of that item went bananas over bananas (pun not intended). It was made so that if you want to bring a piece of banana to work, to any place, it would not get bruised or mushed. hahaha. I must go back again! It was really fun just looking at amusing stuff you have no intention of buying.

Today my mother will be coming home from Davao. Wish me luck. I am alone in this house. It is so quiet I can hear the buzzing of the fly. I really hope that I can do all the cleaning before she comes home.

Manila-Makati-Paranaque

I'm behind.
I'm really behind.

Last Thursday I sent out a nice package to a friend to DireHusi.
They were 2 sets of origami papers and a book.
The origami papers were from Yuka, which were sent to me last Monday.

Friday, Jan 22

I had to do 4 important things that day.
My agenda?

1. Go to SSS Marikina to provide a sketch of my house. I was told I need to submit that.
2. Go to Manila to pick up my calling cards.
3. Go to Makati to pick up the hat that I won from a Freebie group in Facebook.
It is a very tasteful hat; a Kangol, in fact! I wanted to go there right away because there are 5 of us who won, so I wanted to get the first dibs on the hats.
4. Purchase the ticket for my cousin at PAL Makati.

I took a jeepney from SSS Marikina Office to Santolan train station.
I brought my camera because I want to take nice pictures of Manila and Makati to put here on my blog. From Santolan, I got off at the last station, Recto.






The staff told me that the cards were ready.
These business cards are actually of my own design. But I got some inspiration from the cards that I saw from the internet and from a book. I do not claim originality on these ideas--I just fused the designs and basically, had it done my own way. We had a little argument about the number of boxes I have ordered. But I really do not want anymore hassle since I need to go to the PAL office before the office closes at 5pm. Anyway, I let it go. I realized that some people in Manila are not so nice and that they really do try to trick you sometimes.

From Doroteo Jose station I jumped to Gil Puyat. Then from there, I asked directions how to go to Makati. I took an FX to Ayala. From Ayala, I took a jeepney thinking that it take me to MRT Ayala station. I was wrong, it was going back to MRT Guadalupe station! It was extremely difficult for me to ride the jeepney at Makati. I was not so used anymore with the city life I guess. Marikina is more laidback than most of the cities in the South.





While I was walking, I remembered how I used to be back when I was still working at the call center. It was a rat race. Dog eat dog life. You spin in circles, making money, then going home, tired, unsatisfied. Although I was more independent back then, I can say that now, I am happier. I am optimistic that I would be successful in my travel company.



So I ended up getting a jeepney again at Ayala then I got off near the MRT Ayala station.
Since it is past 5pm, I decided to just go directly to Greenbelt 5. I had to put off going to the PAL Ticketing Office. I told myself, the Cubao office is open on Saturdays anyway.





I finally arrived in Glorietta. I went to Landmark brigdge to go to Greenbelt. Greenbelt 5 is the newest addition to the Ayala malls. It was so nice there! It has a park and there are lots of shops. But these are pretty high-end shops and I don't really have the money to buy stuff like that. I just like looking at the shiny windows.










The people from Bratpack were extremely nice. Although I am just getting a freebie, I was treated like a paying customer! I wore my hat right away.

While doing all these in Makati, I was also texting my friend Es** if I can be a third wheel. She usually has a date with her partner every Fridays. But I can't pass it up, I have to be with them! They were parked in Makati Avenue. So we had to walk to Jupiter street.

Jupiter street is like the red light district of Makati. So there are tons of LCD screens with asian girls clad in skimpy clothes being displayed on and on. I took a video of it. We don't have those stuff in Marikina.


We left Makati then went to Paranaque. I have never been around Paranaque at all. Only when I go to the airport, that's the time I get the chance to go there. We had dinner at a place called Flaming wings and they had a great serving of buffalo wings with rice and a tall glass of red ice tea. Perfect! Then we hung out at a place called PERK, a coffee shop. While we were hanging out, I was telling my friends about Dire Husi. I gave ES** some origami papers and she surprised me with a pretty origami of a school girl uniform. Sweet!

Les* drove us home to Marikina around 12am. Although Makati and Paranaque are two of the most progressive urban places in the metro, I still prefer my own city. Give me Marikina anytime!

children get older too.

A week more and and I am gonna be a year older.
I haven't realized how time goes by so fast, until I saw the profile of a kid who I used to babysit when I was in highschool. Isn't that nuts? The kid has a facebook account. My, my. I almost fell off my seat.

I went to Marikina City Hall today and passed the requirements for my business permit. Everything seems to go my way. Even the government staffs are friendly.

Now I am swamped; I have to make quotations for my friends.
Facebook makes me lazy. The free wi-fi is a curse!

Just around Marikina

Today I will be renewing my business permit for my small travel agency.
So it means, I would have to go to Marikina City Hall.
I remember one time when I went to the City Hall and they didn't allow me to get in for the simple reason that I was wearing flip flops. Since I really have to get in, I was forced to buy a new pair of sandals for about 300 pesos! That really sucks, you know. I learned how important the dress code the hard way.

I will go to the Marikina Post Office too.
I shall be sending 2 packages today. One for Yuka, a nice card for her birthday and some crafts from Dire Husi, and second, to Orwille, a nice book and some origami papers. I'll be sending the package to Orwille by courier though. It's easier and faster that way.
I think, I am pretty much done for today except that I might need to go to UP again for the discussion of Most Significant Change with some guys from OXFAM.

I don't know what to do with my dog, Pacman.
He's getting super annoying.

He is now bigger than what you see on this picture. 2 pounds heavier, I guess.


I'm thinking a doggie walk around 12am is a great idea!
Hehe. Maybe afterwards, I go to McDonald's and get something to eat. 24 hours Mcdonalds rocks! Especially if it's a stone throw's away from your house.

My addiction to snail mail

I'm such a snail mail addict.
Although I love sending emails to my friends, I still find the usual envelope and paper more comforting and yes, cooler! Today I called EMS because Yuka sent a package for my birthday.

She emailed me yesterday and informed me that she has just received the Christmas card that I have sent her. It took about 3 weeks to get there; I mailed it from Davao. Such a drag!
Anyway, here's a pic of her holding the card.





Later on, I shall have a pic of myself holding the package she has sent me. So excited! The package contains the origami papers that I will be giving to a friend in Dire Husi and some sweet, kawaii stuff from Japan!

I worried about the EMS thing because I saw a lot of posts, which says EMS steals mails and stuff so I checked the site and here's what I found.

Detailed EMS search result

The item number searched is EG019105572JP (EMS).

Date	Status	Details	Office	Prefecture
			ZIP code
Jan 15 18:34	Posting/Collection		YOKOHAMAMINATO	Kanagawa prefecture
			231-8799
Jan 16 2:56	Arrival at outward office of exchange		TOKYO INTERNATIONAL Branch	Tokyo metropolis
			138-8799
Jan 16 11:10	Dispatch from outward office of exchange		TOKYO INTERNATIONAL Branch	Tokyo metropolis
			138-8799
Jan 17 9:16	Arrival at inward office of exchange		MANILA	PHILIPPINES

Things are super! Kudos to EMS! I paid 35 pesos for tax. I was so happy I gave the delivery man 50 pesos.


Here's me with my loot.

Should I stay or should I go? Back and forth Marikina-Mindanao

I practically lived all my life in Marikina. My family first came here in 1989 when my parents bought their first house in the quiet neighborhood of Marikina Heights. I love my neighborhood. However, the media hype tarnished the reputation of this peaceful community since a lot of news has been written about rape tragedies and salvage killings during the 90s. But to me, it is a great place! I love my friends that I grew up with and also I love my school, St. Scholastica's Academy of Marikina. I still live in Marikina Heights with my sister, my cousin, and our pet beagle Pacman in St. James Villas.

This is our second house since the first one was sold when my parent's business went bad. This house is an apartment type building. My parents do not live here anymore because they have already gone to Davao for our business.

Because of that, I usually invite my friends to come over and stay with me during the weekend.
I have also hosted a lot of travelers from different parts of the world!

2008 was the year when I first got the chance to travel to Mindanao. My cousin from my father's side will get married and they have invited us. I like Davao. I like how you can go to Samal island and then go back, all in the same day. I like how it is clean, similar to Marikina.



This year I went to another part of Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro. It was a great trip for me!I was able to meet some friends from a youth organization, Dire Husi whose Art House is along Nazareth street.




Thanks to Cebu Pacific promo fares, I was able to book a flight to Cagayan de Oro from Davao for a really sweet price. I'm so excited to know more about Cagayan de Oro like which are the best places to go...and not just the touristy places. I like the small surprises of everyday, like 2 shirts for 5 pesos? Wow, Cogon is an ukay-ukay paradise I must say.

I love Marikina, no doubt about it. The small cafes like Pan de Americana and our favorite Tapsilog hangout, Tapsi ni Vivian, I will truly miss those. But I think, I'm ready for Cagayan de Oro! I'm actually planning to move out of Marikina but I don't know which is a good place for me, Davao or Cagayan de Oro? Truth be told, Cagayan de Oro was the first city that really made me want to stay...