The sweetest escape involves the sun, beach, a cool drink and a good book.

This is kind of an effect a turn-of-the-birth year. Nonetheless, it’s good to be able to introspect; it means you’re not dense, cold and indifferent.

Here goes my 24 thoughts, in no particular order. Cheesy, I know. Bear with it, you’re in my page anyway

1. Food. I live to eat, not the other way around.
2. Neil Gaiman.
3. Financial independence slowly but surely rearing its fantastic head!
4. Law school. Not lying here!
5. Best friends.
6. Sun
7. Moon
8. Stars
9. Other celestial bodies
10. Underwater creatures
11. Land animals
12. Bodies of water
13. Mom, Dad, Ken, Ninai, Hanna
14. Dreams
15. Syle.com
16. Books
17. Knowledge
18. Faith
19. Hope
20. Charity
21. Mankind
22. Thrill of the chase and the unknown
23. The silver lining
24. LOVE.

Only someone devoid of a soul would cringe at the thought of number 24. LOL!

Losing someone in the family feels a lot like an empty vacuum – hollow, void and numb.

I will forever by my lola’s best girl.

Fabulous hand-made abaca bag from Bicol at the Trade Fair

When I saw the newpaper ad showing details on the OK Bikol Trade Fair at SM Megatrade Hall over the weekend, I jumped on the opportunity and went. It was my first fair trade experience  (being an ignorant fool, I thought that buying from Cash and Carry was considered helping LOCAL industry). It did, in some ways, but it isn’t as sustainable and responsible as buying from local trade fairs.

Okay, so what the heck is this talk about fair trade? I’ll make it as simple as possible: fair trade is a social movement that involves, well, trade. You ‘trade’ not just ordinary, household or grocery products that are mass produced by big manufacturers (owned mostly by conglomerates, who may have a lot to do with our environment and political problems… booo). Fair trade involves marketing and buying various products that are locally, organically and responsibly made by local farmers, fisherfolk and rural townsfolk.

Intricate beading and other accessories were abundant - and affordable.

Example: Hazel buys organic moringa biscuits (aka malunggay crackers – they’re yummy I swear, no veggie taste at all) produced by a group of local women from Naga, marketed by a group called Organik Bicol Advocateurs Network. The sale sustains jobs (go back to Economics 11 if you can’t make the logical nexus), jobs to income, income to better quality of lives. Better lives mean happy and smart folk, and happy and smart folk makes a great nation! Bonus is Maria Makiling and Gaia won’t be crying their hearts out in pain as products are organically grown and environment-friendly, and don’t compromise quality.

Isn’t it more fun to buy something guilt-free?

One of my favorite summer shots in Cebu - along this street is where the super duper old church is, and at the end of the street, the entrance to the old style-cemetery. Great for Halloween!

Just when I thought this would never end… I actually see light at the end of the tunnel!

I can’t stop thinking about how much fun this sembreak is going to be – plans in check:

1. Attend reunion/halloween party with Jocks, hosted by Tasha
2. Ghost-hunting tour at Corregidor Island with best buddy, Marian
3. Laze around the house after work, watching Gossip Girl DVDs (to finally know what my batchmate meant by Blair-mania)
4. SWIM!
5. Meet Forensic members and plan for next sem’s activities and practices.

Okay, the last one I really can’t take off my system. I love my fellow Forensics too much!

OMG I HAVE A SOCIAL LIFE!

It’s like that story Kiev told me about the faded star – the one star that you’ve always, always dreamed of, and do absolutely anything and everything for…

…until you’re actually holding that star on the palm of your hand, but you feel nothing.

She says it’s a sad story. NO EFFIN WAY! It’s actually one of the happiest stories out there Reality hit just at the right time! Live with it, grow with it, and move on with it. Find another freakin’ star (or planet, or universe)

It all makes absolutely perfect sense!

Metro Manila at night, as seen from my hotel room in Antipolo

This entry is all about the THINGS (emphasis supplied since this does not include my family and closest friends) I miss about Manila:

…

You read that right. I miss NOTHING. I’d probably be called a sado-masochist if I really missed the following:

1. The heavy commute to any point in the city that’s only less than 10 kms away.
2. The pollution.
3. Expensive food
4. Stress, stress, stress
5. Pretentious pomp of many people I’m acquainted with

I’d rethink placing number 4 there though, since I thrive on stress, like many Manilenyos I don’t think “unstressful” environments makes winners and success stories, di ba!

But really, if Manila gets rid of all the above-mentioned dirt, it would be a very nice place to live in.

Hay nako, mabuti pa ang Cebu

Of all the AYAD-AusAid initiatives I’ve read about so far, the one that really made an instant difference in me would be one volunteer’s campaign on the Evil Cotton Bud. Seconds after reading that humble comic book, it made a permanent mental register – a phenomenon actually, since that skeptic part of my brain does not really see truth in facts that easily.

I will never use a damn cotton bud to clean the insides of my ears again! If only I could make readers puke by posting scanned images of that comic book… hehehe.

And don’t think that those little “spoons” are better. The Earwax Bible says we are all better off seeing a doctor to have the nasty ones taken out of our ears. Oh boy.

*credits to www.sghhealth4u.com.sg for the image

Unlike some of my contemporaries, I never sulk after a break-up. That doesn’t make me a cold, heartless bitch – it only means I have enough bubble wrap around my heart to prevent its total breakage Bubble wrap is cool too, since whoever would be “the final ONE” could pop silly each air pocket until he reaches me. It doesn’t sound that hard. It might even be fun,I think. Haha!

Speaking of bubble wrap, there’s one song my player has been playing more often than the others. I don’t know if this song has been released at all, but it’s one by Jason Mraz and Colbie Calliat (did I spell that right?). I bet this went crazy mainstream, but I wouldn’t have any idea; I live a Cro-Magnonish life, remember? Anyway, the title is “Lucky.” It’s a pretty, bubbly, light and fun song that revolves around the simple (simple nga ba?) joys of keeping a far-away love. Two cute lines from the song: Can you hear me, I’m talking to you across the water, across the deep blue ocean under the open sky, oh my, baby I’m trying/Lucky I’m in in love with my best friend, lucky to have been where I have been, lucky to be coming home again. Download the song whenever you have the chance. Or buy the CD; that could work too (wink).

Oh, shush, being single isn’t that bad! It’s actually one of the most fun experiences; only second to eating if you ask me. Some would be lucky/unlucky enough to stay such until, um, their whole lifetime. I’d like to think of it as a ME phase though. A perfect situation to give yourself unconditional lovin’ you would otherwise get from your mom and your dog. Go shopping! Be your fabulous self! Go network Look where it got me! Lol.

Interesting MRT Cards in Singapore, no?

Whoever said that the best manifestation of wisdom is knowledge hungry for knowledge itself wasn’t kidding.

Today was supposed to be like any other Tuesday – coding car, music popped in my ear, commuters being usually annoying – except my MRT card is down on its final 4 Pesos and is, gasp, missing. I was oblivious to this until the guard rummaged through my bag for inspection.

Shit. Where did I put that damn card? I didn’t want to be a pain, so I went to a corner of the taft station to try to unearth that last card (and avoid the unending queue for tickets). 1 minute. 5 minutes. 10 minutes passed. Where is that stupid card?? I looked into literally every hole in my pretty bag (thank you Freeway) and found nothing but my normal clutter. Oh wait a minute. There was one place I didn’t look. No way, I thought. But I decided to go check anyway. True enough, after hammering through all 706 pages of Atty. Ruben Ladia’s Corporation Code textbook, a lone card dropped.

Uh huh. My corpo book got hungry. Great!