Happy Winter Holidays!

EU has come up with a rule ordering all religious content in holiday greetings to be removed. All holiday greetings must be generic. Hmm...ok...here goes...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

*grin*

Newcastle v. Tottenham Part 1

I watched my first ever live football game today. I don't think I've had so many things happen to me in one single day. I didn't get any sleep the night before and at 7am I dragged myself to the shower. We took a cab to the train station as it was too cold to take the tube. The whole place was packed by the time we got there. Everyone who couldn't get a flight out went to the station to take the trains home. I was still hoping we could get seats until I saw the reserved seating tickets. All seats were reserved and there were lines at every entrance. We walked along the platform towards the end of the train and back. All entrances already had a group of people huddled together with the minimum amount of space possible before you get the urge to say *Please stop breathing my oxygen...* After getting on the train we made our way to find somewhere to stand. We ended up in the buffet cart (I don't think they knew what "buffet" meant. At least there was still a bit of space there to stand and hold on sor some sort of support.

I was standing beside the buffet cart. It stayed there the entire journey, the server didn't attempt to serve drinks. The whole place was just crammed with people those without seats blocking places where the cart could go. The couple who got the best standing only room were deep in coversation (I confess, I did listen in to the converstaion). In my weak attempt at my defense they were talking loud enough for me to be distracted from reading the paper. Right. Anyway, the guy was an astronomer on his last year at PHD. Amazing, professors really do look like the way they get described in books. Another couple from Edinburgh settled in our tiny but not yet cramped space. They joined in the conversation. Professor Astronomer just got off the plane from South Africa. He was there for work fixing a telescope in an observatory. That is amazing...a totally different world for me.

Professor Astronomer: It took us 10 days to figure out the problem and it was a simple one that we overlooked.
Edinburgh lady: What do you do exactly when you say *fix the telescope*?
Professor Astronomer: Well, we check that the coordinates are correct, program settings, magnification...
Edinburgh lady: Oh ok. I thought you guys were just like plumbers and technicians.
Professor Astronomer: What do you mean?
Edinburgh lady: I thought you just had a spanner with you and tightened some bolts.

This is going to be an interesting trip. Cool, at least I have entertainment.

The lady with Professor Astronomer worked as a tax researcher (whatchamacallit) for a bank. Basically they find loopholes in tax rules and use them to lower their tax payments. She's been with them for 6 years eversince she came to England. She is also a gemologist, mainly as a hobby but she hopes to make it full time in the future. It takes two years to complete a gemology course and she did this while working full time at the bank. By this time couple from Edinburgh had already moved on and were replaced by a couple from North Carolina. It's always interesting when you mix Brits with Americans. They typically don't get each other. Brits find Americans a bit dim. The lady and the professor were talking about their funny (another word for idiotic) experiences with Americans just before North Carolina couple came. After introductions, all four made conversation.

North Carolina lady: Wow you're an astronomer (pointing to Professor Astronomer) and you're a gemologist (to Lady Gemologist)???
PA and Lady Gemologist: Yeah
North Carolina lady: That's amazing cause back home we have this gem that actually uses the two principles!
Lady Gemologist: What's it called?
North Carolina lady: It's g something I forgot. But anyway, it goes like this. Meteor showers pass through the galaxy and the universe and as they pass through it they go through the stars. Particles in the stars stick to the meteors then the meteors fall in a crater on Earth. The people mine the crater then they use these particles to grow the gems!

At this point I had to look away when I saw Professor Astronomer's face...This is getting so good that I can actually forget about my aching feet.

Creature of habit

I can't sleep. It's been going on for 2 weeks now. Since I don't have a routine I can pretty much laze around the whole day and when it's time to sleep I just can't shut off. Tsk. I realize that there has to be structure in my days before I can get a good night's sleep. Why is it that?

On another note...Mike and I are going to watch a live football game. We're going up north to Newcastle to watch Tottenham v Newcastle. I can't wait! Thanks for the christmas present Winnie and Ray. Well it's really Mike's present but I get to tag along! Whoopee!

Happy Birthday to me!!!

Had our advanced christmas dinner with Winnie, Ray and Cindy last Saturday. We had a blast. Went to the gaucho grill and had the most amazing dinner with the best service I've ever had in a restaurant for a long time (probably because I haven't really been going out that much). I loved my presents (is that too childish?) from Winnie and Ray. I got a year's subscription to Vanity Fair and Molecular Gastronomy by Herve This. HOray!!! By the end of the evening Winnie and I were a bit inebriated from all the wine topped off with brandy ice cream (or was it whiskey? I forget...slarp)



Merry Christmas!

I just realized that a year on I'm jobless again. Geez...I hope this won't be a yearly thing.

A celebration for Meh

We had a grand time when Melissa was in town for business. (She ended up at the police station giving statements...typical troublemaker...) And she's recently posted her photos online.

I just had to make dinner for her. Something I like to do when friends are around. Of course Ray graciously lent his flat for the evening.








Our first meal in London in a Korean restaurant (labo I know)

My name is Bond

Mike and I went to watch Casino Royale today. It was great. The opening credits were amazing. Whoever did the artwork did a spectacular job. It was wow. This is definitely one of the best Bond films I've seen in a long time. It puts a new perspective especially since Daniel Craig doesn't really look the part. He does a really good job of it though. All that hype about him not being the typical James Bond look is so unfounded. Sure there are times in the movie where I actually thought *ugh...he's trying too hard to look good* but that's just me. He's actually made this role more three dimensional, not just about looks and gadgets. Bond actually has a bit of personality in this movie, which is good and bad at the same time. There are some lovey dovey scenes that made me *whathefu$*%?!* It's James Bond, I'm not used to emotional.

The movie is devoid of gadgets and it stuck to pure physical grit so all the action packed scenes were actually done by Bond himself. His scenes were just with guns and fists (and a lot of grunting) The chase scene was the best part. No...I can't name the best part. All the action scenes in this movie were really amazing. This movie is cool. I think I squeezed my husband's hand too hard a few times. The storyline is great too, a bit predictable in the end but it didn't take away the enjoyment for me.

The only thing a bit disconcerting about the movie was the mega branding. Sony...sony....sony. He shouldv'e just had a tatoo of sony on his ass (he had nice ass...) Range rover probably didn't pay as much as sony, only half of their logo on the screen at a time. Jaguar probably paid less, it was in a blurred shot...still recognizable though. Ford mondeo...that was a bit of an *eh?* moment. James Bond drives a FORD MONDEO??? Riiiiggghhhhht. Omega probably paid the most. It was actually in one of his lines. *Omeeega*. Pffft. Another weird thing...Richard Branson was in the movie. He was one of the extras going through airport security. Virgin branding to the max!

All in all it was a great movie. A must see definitely.

It's all blank

I've been staring at this for hours trying to jumpstart my fingers to put into words how I'm feeling. It's blank although my mind's swirling with a lot of things that I can't really seem to resolve right now. Things are all up in the air right now. I don't know where I'm going to end up. It's scary to be me at this moment.

Hic...hic...hic...

I'm at home...on a Friday...it's noon. Why you ask? I got sacked (f£*$!)...no I was given the option to go. I was let go. Is that a better term? Well it makes me feel better than sacked. This has been hell to go through. I've never been sacked (who has???) And this has really zapped my confidence level (level...zero). Ok it might be the beer talking here. No not really.

I'm turning 30 this month and I'm jobless. Wow...that scares me. I didn't think I'd be jobless at 30. True, I did relocate to the UK less than 3 years ago. I went back to school to pursue a hobby and become a chef. I can make a mean 3 course meal (heh...you'd die for it I promise). Still, no income really puts things into perspective.

I've been scared a lot lately. My future is up in the air. I don't know how life is going to turn out but I also know it's in my hands. I just didn't think I'd still be dependent on my mom (mommy!) in my 30's (ok not officially yet...and the guy at the supermarket didn't want to sell me beer cause he thought I was 19...ahhhh....vanity) Makes me think it would have been better for me to have continued med school. At least I'd have a good reason to cling on financially to my mom if I were a doctor. Heheh.

On the bright side of things...I keep on thinking...if I hadn't come here, I wouldn't have met my wonderfully kooky husband. I wouldn't have gotten married, and we wouldn't be sharing a life together right now. So that erases the bad stuff that's been happening lately (he lost his wedding ring...again...but that's another story)

Hmm...this has been highly therapeutic. Log on to see how it goes for me...oh yea...pray for me will yah? I need all the strength I can get.

Back from the land of...

Mike and I are back from trip to Tunisia (oh my...I've been married for one whole year!) I had fun but when somebody asked me if I would go back there...uhm... hmm...I'll think about it. Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful...but I can't help feel that it was a bit of a letdown. Armed with the guidebook that Ray lent us I knew which places we were going to see.

Let me digress...when we got to the airport I had to wee really bad so I went to the toilet (of course where else). Now there was a cleaning lady standing by the door shaking her hand full of one pound coins (ominous no?) Then when I was about to wash my hands she started pointing to my bead bracelets. *She (pointing to another cleaning lady who came out of nowhere) likes your bracelet...give give* Then started tugging at them. OK! Welcome to our country! So I gave her a couple since I made them anyway...what's a couple of bracelets. BIG mistake...*I want one too give give* Well, I didn't give so she blocked my way until I gave her a coin. 20p to be exact and she got upset and started pointing at the one pound coins. I walked out. Hmmm...I hoped it wasn't a sign of things to come.

We didn't book a cab to the hotel so...*excuse me...* NO ENGLISH! *pardon moi* Oh my my husband speaks french! So fast forward a few minutes later I found ourselves following this stranger leading us to a cab and negotiating a price. Not the way I wanted but it got us to the hotel. *What if they just drop us off somewhere and leave us for dead?* Yes...my paranoia was really starting to kick in. Anyway we got to the hotel in one piece.

The three days we had to roam around was well spent. I saw everything that I wanted to see in the book. Everytime we saw a place in the book I'd whip it out and point *see see? it's in the book!* Annoying I know. We went to the Bardo museum (a must for roman history buffs). The oldest medina in Tunis. The Roman bath and amphitheater. We were surprised at how rich the culture and history was in Tunisia. You could spend days in one place and find something to explore everyday.

Tunis medina


Carthage ruins


Roman amphitheater


Sidi Bou Said - The town of blue


Pottery...loads of them!


Roman baths


On our last full day, we went to a mosque (my first time obviously). It was interesting, only dampened by the annoying souvenier guy who kept on stuffing my hands with *a gift for the nice lady* and proceeding to charge Mike for whatever gift it was he gave me. So now we're stuck with 2 wooden flutes. Darn. Well at least my husband is enjoying the flute...he feels like peter pan I think.

My husband trying so hard to understand french. And the garb? We thought it was mandatory for tourists but as we walked in whatdya know everyone else wasn't wearing one.


The mosque with it's amazingly beautiful interior.


On our last night we decided to take a stroll in the nice part of Yasmine Hammamet. We ended up having a few drinks in a hotel. I was too drunk to pack my bags when we got back the hotel. *Naaah I'll do it tomorrow.* Next morning...we were woken up by the phone ringing *The taxi is waiting* AAAAAAAA we're late! We were out in 30 minutes. Our cab driver did his best to get us to the airport in time, and we did.

AND... your obligatory tourist pose lambasting the ancient ruins

I'm back!

I just came home from a trip to Tunisia for our 1 year (!) wedding anniversary. Pictures and stories to follow (oh I have a lot of them believe me)

Wake up and smell the...

Last night I did the first adult thing in a long long time. I calculated my budget and spending for the last six months. It was a real shocker. I've been spending so much that I've only been about to save an eighth of my salary every month. Not good. Taking out utilities and food for the month that's 1/3 of my monthly paycheck gone. So that leaves me with....nuninuninu...if I want so save 1/3 of my money each month then I must survive on...200 a month. Hmmm...sounds like a lot....ok...it's doable...that's...oh ok...40 a week. Not so bad...lemme seeeee....5 a day? Things are not looking so bright. I'm taking off my shades. *Sigh*

Read the fine print

Mike is off this weekend and on these rare occasions we try and go out (for the sake of our utterly nonexistent social life). Going out usually means movies...so anyway...I feel a bit cheated with what we saw. Note to self, next time you go watch a movie, don't forget to read the fine print. I will unabashedly admit that the reason I went to see this movie is because it starred Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon *cheesy grin*. The first 15 minutes of the film and I wanted to go home but Mike was enjoying the film... It was a copy of Internal Affairs, a movie I really really liked. It was so disappointing because the whole time I was watching I just felt cheated. Coming home I looked at the summary of the movie and there buried amongst the story and plot line was *remake of the 2002 Hong Kong hit film* Dang... If I didn't see Internal Affairs I would've probably enjoyed this film but as it goes I have seen the original and there's just no comparison. The ending's been changed too to suit American ideals. *Booo hiss hiss* The saving grace I thought was Leonardo's (yes we're on a first name basis here) performance. He was good and I don't even like him. I really like The Godfather, too bad Martin Scorsese had no other scripts and had to copy off another chinese cult film. Tsk.

Oh my! A year of blogging! Yey for me! I didn't think I could keep it up.

I thought you were Spanish...

I've given in. I finally went to see the doctor on Monday to have my finger checked. I was starting to worry that it wouldn't heal properly and I'd lose the bendy finger that I love (ok I love all my fingers...I wouldn't want to part with any of them...). This was the same doctor who told me that my bout of chickenpox was a mild one. A week into it my face was just nightmare on elm street scary (I kid you not, Cindy saw me and just said *Oh my...*). So anyway, as he was checking my finger

Doctor: *Tsk I'm afraid I won't be able to do anything for the scars...*

Right. While he was checking his book to see which medicine he'll prescribe me, I decided to weigh myself using his official this-thing-doesn't-lie weighing scale. NOOOOOO! I've gained 13 kilos in the past 6 months. That's approximately 2 kilos a month good lord! So my good doctor suddenly says...

Doctor: *You're overweight...*

Yah think? Yo...the finger!

Doctor: *You need to quit smoking.*

Yes doctor....my finger?

Doctor: *I'm going to send you to a clinic to have blood tests, you might have some hormone problems...*

Ok, so I'm really supposed to be a guy...finger?

Doctor: *Oh and come back 2:30 this afternoon so the nurse can clean and bandage your finger.*

Can't you do it? It's 11 am.

Doctor: *She'll do it for you.*

Is that red tape or whaaaat? So nu-ni-nu-ni-nu not so little me decided to window shop in chav city Primark. Waiting in line a chavvy grandma went straight up the queue...

I was waiting in line.

Chavvy grandma: There's no line, it's just you who's waiting, besides you should've gone in and waited there.

Ladidadidaaaah.

Chavvy grandma: Besides I only have one skirt and you have 3 things in your hand.

You know what? Never mind...you go ahead.

Chavvy grandma: Silleh gurl.

Hearing her say that I couldn't help but repeat it in her accent. Silleh...silleh? I was fortunate enough to get a space beside her so while I was singing silleh silleh silleeeeeeh she got pissed off. Hmmm...what a wonderful day this is turning out to be.

Afternoon with the nurse comes.

Nurse with her nose hair sticking out: *Why are you here?*

The doctor told me to come back so you can bandage my finger and instruct me on how to use the medicine.

Nurse with her nose hair sticking out: *Can't you read english?*

Right.

Nurse with her nose hair sticking out: *I'm going to prescribe you some medicine. Can you afford to pay for this?*

.....

I really didn't know how to react to the whole thing...but I was left with a moronic feeling the rest of the day. I've been treated with prejudice...for what I don't really know but that's how I felt. I'm not angry, I found the whole thing funny and puzzling really. It just verifies what I already know...you get racist abuse as long as the person you're dealing with lives in a small world. Or maybe it's when they have hair sticking out of your nose.

Today I got a call offering me free broadband. Yey! Finally free webspace and my own porn site! NOT.

Callcenter guy: *What accent is that? I thought you were Spanish...*

No I'm French really.

Callcenter guy: *Reeaallly? I could've sworn you were Spanish...*

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAArgh!

So I am officially overweight again. How depressing. How horrible. I snuck a peek at nurse-with-hair-sticking-out-of-her-nose's monitor and it read...13 kilos overweight. Ideal weight is 60 kgs. I was whining about it to benboy who kindly offered me a healthier eating plan...lots of oats, no sugar and something something. Oats? Isn't that what horses eat? *Grin* Ok I give in, I've bought a box of original quaker oats unsweetened no flavor whatsoever healthy food. Like what I used to have for breakfast back when I was a kid, not pleasant. However, for the sake of my health, sanity and vanity...I will do it. Oh yeah six meals a day so I don't get hungry. I was sharing this with Ed who promptly replies...

Ed: *...that doesn't work...*

Really? Why not?

Ed: *I tried it...I just got fatter.*

Uhm...when you say six meals a day. Where those meals with rice and the full shebang?

Ed: *OF COURSE! I'm from da Philippines, you can't have a meal without rice.*

Heheheh...thanks for making my day.

Weekend spree

I spent Saturday and Sunday shopping for clothes. Woohoo! Considering that I am strapped for cash, I shouldn't really be doing this but... I don't shop that often and I had to restock my wardrobe for this coming winter. Yeah yeah yeah...excuses excuses. Cindy drove to bluewater...it's a huge american sized mall...except it's full of chavs. We had a great time trying on clothes (how utterly shallow but absolutely fun). And then we got lost going back to the car. I told you it was a huge mall.

Sunday was brunch with Philana and Winnie. *The pretty lady* as my mom calls her. She's gorgeous and funny as ever. Afterwards another round of shopping on oxford street. The weather was horrible but that didn't stop us.

So...moving on...

My finger is just not good. Cindy took me to A&E last Saturday because apparently it's a second degree burn. *Gulp* The head of the burn department came to see me. She told me to move my finger often or else it'll curl up when it heals and I won't be able to use it properly again. I cringe everytime I see my finger. Scared. I hope this heals...and my finger becomes ok again. Looking at it...it doesn't seem likely. Scary.

O.U.C.H.

I wasn't very nice today. In fact, I was downright nasty. It's kinda like how my mom talks to me when she's really really annoyed and trying to keep her temper. Only much worse. In the end I decided to ignore the guy. Let's call him Lito (kasi nakakalito talaga sya kausap). I didn't try and help, didn't say anything...zip. I figured it's better to be unhelpful than try to help and scream at the poor guy. It was either me or him. You know? I don't want to be nasty, I try not to be but if I can't help myself then I'd rather not say anything. I want to be nice. Really I do. I was telling another guy at work today how it's been a long week...and it's only Wednesday. I can imagine how Lito feels.

I burned myself today. Accidentally splashed hot smoking oil on my hand as I was putting the chicken in the pan. My left has is now immobile, as tiny movements just exacerbate the pain. Thank god for neosporin. This little tube was my lifeline while I was burning myself left and right in the kitchen. The same thing happened to me when I was in the US sans neosporin and I had to deal with the pain for 3 weeks. Finally when my hand started turning green a coworker of mine grabbed me by the collar and applied this miracle cream and three days later my hand was healed. Ray got me a new one neosporin + pain killer....aaaaaaaaaaah.

I don't feel so good...and I'm not talking about my hand.

Epiphany

Today as I was chatting with Tinah and ranting about how she should leave Manila to get away from the very stifling narrowmindedness of some people...

Tinah: Bun...are you having your period?

Me: *indignant* sabi ko na eh...Of course not!

Tinah: Omigod! You're having pms and dishing it out on me!

Me: *not so indignant* no i'm not!

Tinah: Yes you are!

So there...as I woke up today feeling a bit loopy again and not knowing why it was Tinah who gave me my epiphany. In the form of *OO NGA NOOOOOH* So that explains why I've been loopy, bitchy and downright nasty this past week. Geez...how could I have missed that? After that conversation she left to get her groceries, although I have this sinking feeling that she just wanted to get away from me. I must be in a really bad way, considering that she lives a mere 14 hours plane ride from me. So there you have it, leave it to the people who really know you to spot what's wrong with you, even if you're hundreds of miles apart. Thank god for friends, now I now I'm not losing my sanity afterall. And yes...this is a sneaky way of saying *Sorry Tinah* for being bitchy.

In Bora, Tinah modelling some ube flavored mamon (or was it pandan?)



I actually feel sorry for the guy at work now. I've been impatient (x2) with him since the start of the week and it's only Tuesday. In my defense, I'm not the only one. Everyone he comes across with goes away exasperated....banging their head *I kid you not*. Still, I feel bad for snapping at him. I hope we get through this week in one piece. I'm really saying that more for his sake than mine. *Grin* Ok ok that wasn't so nice.

Now it's time for me to let out a huge sigh of relief. For a minute there I really thought I was going insane. Loopy. Nuts. La cucaracha. I just wanted to say that.

Dampened spirits

Today, as with the past couple of weeks, I woke up feeling...blah. I can't explain it it's just there. Getting out of bed in the morning is just a chore these days. I think it's this city, the subway, the crap people who bring their prejudice and middle aged ways with them. It's the emptiness of the people. I feel like I'm becoming one of them. Bitchy...I snap at people who irritate me, I am abrubt with them, trying to be curt and polite but only managing to be the former. I get scared sometimes when I catch myself being rude, I don't like it. I don't like how I'm becoming sometimes.

Everyday I find something to be grateful about. My husband for one. I try and think of him to get some warmth throughout the day. My mom, although I don't see her at all these days the thought of going back home to see her keeps me going. Just something to get through the awful days. You know them. All of us have them, and I'm in the middle of it.

I was supposed to go to the park and have spend my lunchbreak soaking in the air, reading the paper, and eating a banana. It was raining so that didn't happen. It was a crummy day at work. Communication barriers can really give you a splitting headache. Talking to someone who doesn't have english as a first language, and you not knowing their mother tongue really tests your skills of communication. I think today I failed.

Deep breaths. That's what got me through the day. I'm glad it's over. Tomorrow is a new day. I'm home now so I'm a bit better. Mike doesn't have work so that made me even more eager to get home quickly. Seeing my husband in his houserobe (how positively domestic don't you think?) making dinner or sitting in front of the computer always gives me a laugh (especially if you knew what color the houserobe was...it was once mine).

I'm signing off tonight full of hope that tomorrow will be a lot better.

Random musings and rants

I've had one too many cups of coffee today. I didn't think I would get to a stage where I'd be saying time out to coffee, but hey it's happened. This year, I am turning the big three o and times like tonight I feel my age. Lately I can't stop saying that...*I feel my age*. I think it's hilarious given that I don't feel a day over 20 sometimes. I think it's even more hilarious that I say that because I only hear people in their 40's say that. My circle of friends in the same age group have all had their birthdays and have coped in different ways. Some have analyzed where they have ended up in their lives and careers, others have pulled all nighters to hold on to the wild partying, and some others have gone all broody. Some of us have done all of the above.

I had an amazing spa day with Cindy and Wins. Birthday present from Cindy at Clarins Institute...a must go. To quote Winnie...*....this doesn't have health benefits but it makes you feel amazingly relaxed afterwards.* The whole time I was just thinking of the beach...under the sun. Afterwards we went back to Cindy's flat and she made us crispy pata. Really, this lady has an amazing talent when it comes to bringing back food from home. After a trip from home her luggage is full of vacuum packed home cooked goodies like manang used to make (er...sidenote here...some of our moms don't cook) Laing, adobo, crispy pata (?!) Yumyyyy

British tv just sucks at times...I don't want to put down the whole thing because there's 8 out of 10 cats. I miss having cable *so sign up then you say...it's not at the top of the list right now okaaaay?* There's this really mind numbing, annoying and all the negative superlatives that I can think of comedy show called Miss Jocelyn. She's a hairdresser with a twin sister who's locked up and chained like a dog, a Jamaican restroom attendant who charges 1 pound per square of toilet roll, a customs inspector who eats a pet cat. It's...just...not...funny. Date my sister...passing around pictures of your sister to random men on the street asking them to...tadaaaah date her sister...and when the sister found out she was mighty chuffed...Mel?...L.O.S.E.R, big brother...a lot of times I feel I've had enough of this city. Ungrateful...tsk tsk tsk. And me? Stop watching crappy telly and read a book or let go of the computer so my husband can play football manager. He's got a good reverse psycho thing going on here...

Today I've had a guy stare at my boobs. It's not the first time it's happened and it's just disgusting. It's probably because he came from a country where his eyes would get gouged out if he stared at a woman on the street. I was telling Mike how uncivilized I thought they were and his answer was...*I don't know...I don't have men staring at my boobs.* You gotta love that.