Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Day 151: Coffee and Symphony

Daily fix is the theme for the week.

I have mentioned several times that I cannot function without my coffee at the start of day.  Neither can I last a day without music.  Having this two together can perk me up instantly.  It's a powerful combo, really.  I can run for miles after it.

Coffee Is (Cloud Cuckoo Land) love, and music is it's lover.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Day 150: Skylight

View from the balcony in Canyon Cove.  It was back to the city for everyone.

The organizing committee took longer to leave than everyone else, though.  I have to admit, the management of this resort has a way of ruining things.  It's a good thing the view somehow compensated for their service, or lack thereof.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Day 149: Last Day of Summer

Poolside at Canyon Cove.

Sunday's activities were fun and tiring.  I lost my voice somewhere between the second and sixth leg of the race, while chanting (more like screaming, really) our team number.  The night's socials was also entertaining.  Everyone seemed to have fun.  It felt good to see our hard work pay off.  I'm happy for the winning team, too.  We had time to enjoy the place the morning after, but since I follow EST, it still counts as Sunday for me.

As a tribute to my team, I'm playing the song that got us third place. Telephone vs. enter Sandman (Lady Gaga/Metallica mash-up)

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Day 148: Welcome Flower

Yellow flower on the dinner table.  I did not have much time to go around and take pictures since there were a lot of things to prepare.  So, settling for this flower for my photo for Saturday.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Day 147: Spanish Sardines

This was dinner for two days, too.  I like them on fried rice, but had to settle having it with pan de sal.  Which wasn't too bad, as well.

This is the weekend I go out of town with everyone from work.  It's still the bit cloudy, but the skies look a bit clearer.  So, I'm packing my things as I listen to Everlong (Foo Fighters) build the anticipation.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Day 146: Cloudy

Looks like rain again.  Sigh.  Oh, well.  Let's look for the silver lining then.  What's as Right as Rain (Adele)?

I got home later than I normally would because of this entire preparation our team is doing for the weekend.  I pray it's going to be a wonderful experience.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Day 145: Unwritten

My journal since 2007.  My mother gave it to me as a moving out gift.  If there is such a thing.

This was supposed to chronicle my life since I started living on my own.  I have diligently kept a journal ever since I was eight.  It's interesting that I am not sure where the other volumes are anymore.  Unfortunately, I haven't written much of my thoughts for some time, even when I have enough to write about in the last four years.  I know, I should have filled this with entries to the last page, but it's just so much more difficult to write in this age.  The last entry was dated January of this year.  I haven't written anything in it since.  I didn't have the time, but that doesn't mean I neither had the inclination.  Hopefully, I can devote more time being able to put my thoughts on paper.  Sure, I have this blog, however, there is something about journal writing that allows you to put more things in perspective.  Maybe because it takes you slower to write things down than to type them.  It allows you more time for introspection.

I guess it makes sense that this is the song that goes with it: Unwritten (Natasha Bedingfield)

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Day 144: Blue & Gray

Well, it's really silver, but a little adjustment on the color wheel made it more blue.  No, I'm not feeling down.  I know how to deal When the Stars Go Blue (The Corrs featuring Bono).  I just needed a macro shot, and this is my contribution.  This was inspired by a photo I saw in the 365 Project site which I cannot find anymore.  Drats.

The skies are also a bit gray.  I've been seeing rainclouds and lightning.  While I like the cold after a whole lot of heat, I do feel bad for those who have to deal with inclement weather.  In this country, though, the weather you have to live with is more of in extremes.  You either get a whole lot of sun, or a whole lot of rain.  Sometimes, on the same day.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Day 143: A Lack of Color

Press shuffle and play time!  The last time I did this, I got Jars of Clay.  This time, I got A Lack of Color (Death Cab for Cutie).  Fits my Monday, if you think about it.  It was crazy and unimaginative.  Could have used a certain color, like these grayed oil pastels.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Day 142: Baby Doll

I've been trying to figure out which stuff to dispose off and which stuff to keep.  I got stumped with this bottle of perfume.  I bought this a little over a year ago and have barely used it.  I'm bad with estimates so I'd say it's at least 85% full.  I love the scent of YSL's Baby Doll, however, it's one of those scents that does not feel like it belongs to me.  It's flowery, and I'm not exactly a flower-scent person.  I lean more towards the musky notes.  It's still a little too difficult to let go of, though.  I start thinking that there might be an occasion where I need to smell flowery.  Seriously, though, what kind of situation would I need to smell like flowers?  If there's any, I'm sure my Bath & Body Works Japanese Cherry Blossom cologne would do just fine.

That decides it then, Baby Doll goes to the out bin.  Sheesh, this entire process of letting go and bidding Goodbye (Secondhand Serenade) is a lot more difficult than I imagined.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Day 141: Lazy

Bedtime!  Friday wore me out, so I spent Saturday sleeping in.  I got up to post and eat and that's pretty much it.  I do not intend to haul myself anywhere else but to bed.  Besides, it's hot outside again.  Forget the heat, I'm not leaving my bed.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Day 140: Go

Not as sharp as I would like it to be, but I wasn't shooting much on this Friday.

Green is my favorite color.  It can be an analogy to whole lot of things reflective of me.  I love seeing lush greenery, plant bushes, carpets or grass, and foliage serving as backdrop for pretty flowers.  My socio-civic activities focus only on two things, children and a green earth.  I love the green of wine bottles and stones made of jade and emeralds.  While the color green doesn't make food look appetizing, I do enjoy having pesto and paneer. One of the things I absolutely love about the color, though, is it's a signal to move forward.  On a busy road, everyone's waiting for their lights to turn A Certain Shade of Green (Incubus).

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Day 139: La Mer Galette

La Mer Galette from La Creperie.  While a usual galette would be made with buckwheat, this one was with flour.  I needed something easier to chew for lunch.  La Creperie was playing French music, and I loved that they played J'envoie valser (Zazie) while I was there.

This is now beginning to look like a checkpoint on how I progress eating after having my braces.  I'm so happy to be eating solids again, though.  I even managed to eat chicken nuggets for dinner.  Chicken nuggets! Meat!  Isn't that fantastic?

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Day 138: Money in the Pot

Enough ranting about my forced food deprivation.  I should know better than to believe I'm forced to starve, anyway.

This is my coin bank's contents.  I used to have loose change lying around everywhere.  I got myself a coin bank so I could deposit whatever coins I have in my pocket in it.  They come in handy during emergencies.  At one point, I filled a pot with five peso coins and it paid for my travel tax.  I guess, That's What You Get (Paramore) for putting aside all that heavy nickel in your pocket.  Somehow, though, I still end up with a lot of loose change lying around.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Day 137: Soup of the Day

Crab and Corn Soup from The Soup Kitchen.  I'm running out of creative juices.  I tried taking a picture of just the soup, and it looked... off.  I had to put the bag to give it more dimension.

I've been living on soup for the last three days, so I'm glad there's The Soup Kitchen when I need it.  I was able to eat the crab meat in this soup, because there was no chewing required.  The corn was a bit of a different story, though.  As much as I enjoy soup, an entire bowl still doesn't feel like it's filling.  That by the end of the day, I decided I'm eating something more solid.  A friend and I went to New Bombay and I had naan and palak paneer!  Progress!  I did not get to finish it, like I normally would, but I'm still glad I was able to have something other than soup.  And fruits.  I was able to eat a bit of fruit today, too.  Not bad.

Perk me up music: Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn (Hellogoodbye)

Monday, May 16, 2011

Day136: Coffee Will Make It Better

My morning cup to start it right.  I hope.

It's depressing that I can't eat properly.  The weird feeling of having some foreign object stuck on your teeth, the difficulty with speech, the required extra maintenance, the feeling of having your teeth being constantly pulled, I can deal with all that.  I have a high tolerance for pain.  It's not the pain that's depressing me, though, it's the not eating that's depressing me.  I'm used to eating meat.  Lean, fatty, crunchy.  The kind that will block your arteries in the long run.  Now I miss them.  So much, it's almost painful.  I can't even eat the croutons in my soup without softening them up.  Oh well, I guess I'll have to really find an alternative for the time being.

I need more coffee then.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Day 135: Sunday

Lazy Sunday.  I spent the entire day indoors, save for that hour I went out to buy ice cream, toiletries, and take pictures.  I spent almost the entire time watching movie after movie.  I haven't seen a movie for a long time.  I think the last one I watched was The Green Hornet in January.  I hope I can spend more time like this, curled up on my couch and watching entertaining stories told.  I'll watch all of them like a Daydream Believer (The Monkees).

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Day 134: Pasta

Carbonara at Kitchen of Cakes and Coffee on Tomas Morato.  I love this quaint little restaurant.  They have really good cakes and coffee.

This was my last solid meal before I got my braces.  Yep.  I got braces now.  If you're surprised, then we're on the same boat.  I went to visit my dentist to give her the x-rays and to have my fitting.  She managed to do everything in one go.  You see, I'm afraid of dentists.  She was the only dentist I felt comfortable with in a long time, and I have this history of taking longer than she expects me to get back.  So, when I suggested we do this some other day in the calendar, she said no.  And I don't really blame her.  She only sent me out for lunch.  Hence, the photo above.

It's a bit disorienting, having braces. I feel like I have to check if my teeth are still there every five minutes, because it feels like the brackets are pulling them out.  Bleh.  At least, I still get to eat ice cream, though.

Only Hope (Switchfoot) was playing while my dentist worked on my braces, and I couldn't get it out of my head.  So much so that I wanted to watch A Walk to Remember again.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Day 133: Lamp in the Daylight

This was taken on J.P. Rizal, if I'm not mistaken.  I was in a cab, so I wasn't consciously aware of the street names.  I can tell you, though, that it's across the river from the Makati City Hall.  I have a fascination with lamplights.  When we went up to Baguio, I took pictures of almost every lamplight I saw in Camp John Hay.  Yeah, I'm weird that way.

My disposition has improved over the last few hours.  I had an interesting discussion with the folks in our team.  There's this event at work that requires everyone to come up with a presentation, and we were all debating on what to do.  I used the term "debating" because it was a healthy discussion.  We're professionals, we're not going to turn barbaric and start brawling.  *Wipes bloody nose*  I am kidding, of course.

I watched the trailer for Something Borrowed, because the girls were talking about it and this song stuck.  Little Too Much (Natasha Bedingfield)

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Day 132: Blood Red Summer

Night sky at 3:00AM.  It was red, believe me.  It looked like the sky was illuminated by some sort of fire.  Just like a Blood Red Summer (Coheed and Cambria) night.

Blogger was out yesterday, so I couldn't post this picture.  Thank God for post options, though.  I can still date it for Thursday's post.

I knew I was going to rant.  My ATM card was captured by a machine, and I have since had very limited access to my funds.  I cannot deal with cash because of this, I can only transact with checks.  Don't expect me to have a credit card either, because I do not feel comfortable using money I don't have.  The thing is, these days, the only things you get to use checks with are realty and loan sharks.  Since buying property isn't something I do on a regular basis, I needed to find a way to transact for more basic common things.  Like food, for example.  Tell me, what establishment in this city accepts checks?  Isn't a check supposed to guarantee payment better than credit cards?  If it bounces, you can sue.  So, how is it that hardly anyone uses checks for daily transactions?

I did say I was going to rant, didn't I?

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Day 131: Filling for a Craving


I was craving for Krispy Kreme donuts today.  Since the one in our building is still under construction, I took a walk on Ayala to get myself donuts.  There was something in me that was bullheaded about getting myself donuts, and they had to be Krispy Kreme.  

While finishing off my donuts, I was talking to a couple of other colleagues from work who both told me they were feeling the same way I was.  It's very difficult to explain and justify.  There seems to be something nagging at you.  I think it had an effect on my craving.  Normally, when I'm craving for something, I do not go to lengths just to fill it.  For the donuts today, though, I had to walk that block.  There's something about this unsettling feeling that I'm not sure of, or maybe I'm just PMSing.  *shrug*

Song of the day: Patlang (Cambio)

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Day 130: Parked

Got home before dawn.  I walked around a bit to see what I could take a picture of, and this is what I got.

I've talked about standing still a few months back.  I guess, I'm right there now.  I'm kind of waiting.  Have you ever felt like you're waiting for something to happen?  Although, you're not sure what.  Like waiting for an opponent in a chess game to make a move.  You sit there dreading and anticipating at the same time.  I probably don't make sense.  This could just be an effect of my very weird work schedule recently.  

Monday, May 9, 2011

Day 129: Beastly

My current read, Beastly by Alex Finn.

I'm finally reading a book assigned by the book club.  Not something self-assigned.  I can finally join the discussion.  This is something fascinating to me, because I don't often venture into the young-adult genre.  I started reading earlier, and I'm almost half-done.  So far, I think it's an interesting take on a classic.  I haven't seen the movie, but had wanted to because Neil Patrick Harris is in it.  I probably would after reading the book.

Reading music: Ours (The Bravery)

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Day 128: Summer Showers

BHS during a break in the rain.  All that complaining about the heat finally got into Mother Nature's nerves.  So, she decided to give us summer showers!  I love it!   A tropical cyclone in the middle of summer.  Something that can only happen here.

I planned to take my mom and my sister out for Mother's Day, but they both had plans.  Pft.  Nothing in this weekend turned out how I planned it.  I ended up spending time with a friend, having dinner at Chelsea and gelato at Gelatissimo.  I like having ice cream when it's cold.  It Kickstarts (Example) light, laid-back conversations.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Day 127: Wine Buffet Night

Pink Moscato in wine glasses.  I can drink this all day without realizing I'm getting a buzz.  I think this drink is going to be my ice cream of wines.  It can Lift Me Up (The Benjamin Gate) from anything dreary.

It was a discovery, really.  I was all set to go to Laguna to attend a birthday celebration.  That was the plan.  When will I ever learn that nothing ever goes as planned?  My friend and I ended up at Cerveseria in Greenbelt.  Downing glass after glass of wine while discussing everything from work to improving performance to activism to concert tickets to Anne Hathaway to hair whipping to so-called alternative lifestyles to funny little characters.  It was a very enriching discussion.  We both haven't been to this wine bar, and chose the place because they have wine buffet on the drink list.  Cerveseria has good drinks, just don't expect too much from the food.  I suggest you dine at Kitchen right next to it first, then hit the wine buffet next door after.

Now that the party's over, we owe the celebrant in Laguna dinner for not getting there.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Day 126: Summer Road

I was out on Friday afternoon, visiting.  This is the road from their home.  I should have taken a picture of their house.  It's a lovely stone house half-covered in vines.  The heat was frying my brain, though.

Another summer song to perk me up: Candy In The Sun (Swirl 360).  I am looking forward to the end of this month.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Day 125: A Certain Polish

Some of the nail enamel lying around.  One of the things I realized when I was cleaning house a week ago was that I have several of these things.  Some of them never used.  Never even opened.  So, I decided to grow my nails again and use them even if I do not really like having long nails.  It makes it difficult to type.  I'm still trying to think of how to dispose them along with my other stuff.

This heat is conducive to lethargy.  I don't even want to move right now.  But, I'm hungry...

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Day 124: In Daylight

I've been wanting to take a photo of the view from work during the day.  Lately, the smog isn't as thick and you can see the mountains in the horizon.  Plus the clouds were neat and puffy.  This was my best attempt during break with my ever reliable phone.

I have to admit, despite the crazy heat, I like the fact that summer is the only season that can give you such a pretty sight.  Blue sky, fluffy clouds, and bright greenery.  Even the smog is less visible.  The clouds were my favorite, of course.  They remind me of cotton candy.

There's still a month left of this summer to enjoy.  Forget the sleep music, I'm playing Mint Car (The Cure).

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Day 123: Sanctuary in the Blue Hour

I initially posted my siomai dinner thinking I wouldn't have the time to take another photo.  However, my brain still refuses to accept that I should be asleep at night.  So, I decided to head out in the blue hour.  Why waste an hour of good light staring at the ceiling trying to sleep, right?  This is St. Paul the Apostle's Sanctuary at 5:00AM.  I took a photo of this on my 100th day in the project from my window.  I figured, I can give it another view this time.

This entire move to the morning shift is really weird for me.  I try to get up a couple of hours before work, but by 7:00PM, I start yawning.  Normally, after working through a night shift, I can still stay awake for a few more hours.  This time, though, I just feel really sleepy all the time.  Then I wake up in the wee hours of the morning trying not to hate a normal life.

I need more sleep music: Song for a Sleeping Girl (Devics)

Monday, May 2, 2011

Day 122: Tealight

My wineglass finds another purpose for itself.  A place to put my tealight candles in.  Another one of those days when I almost forgot I had to take a picture.  Who knew this would happen when I'm a third into my project?

I had several things going on today, so I was basically preoccupied.  I'm also currently following a more conventional schedule, which I'm not sure I'm fond of.  The daylight is pretty interesting, it just isn't my norm.  I'm nocturnal, which explains why I follow the eastern timezone and I seem to find myself wide awake at 4:00AM.  I need to be up in about four hours and here I am trying to convince my displaced brain that I should be asleep.  Normal people in this latitude are asleep.  It tells me, I'm not really normal.

Oh well, I need to put my sleep music on: Lie in the Sound (Tresspassers William)

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Day 121: Manila Harbor at Night

I need to work on my landscapes.  Still, I enjoyed taking this picture.  It was a day to revisit Manila.  Aside from the required trip I made the other day, I haven't really been to Manila for some time.  I love Makati, don't get me wrong.  It's my city of nostalgia and eternal wakefulness.  How can I hate the city I was born in?  Manila, though, has a charm all it's own.  It has a chaos that never falters.  I never realized how much I missed seeing the harbor, no matter how polluted it has become.  It'll always have the best sunset, and the melting pot mix of the good, the bad, and the evil.  I'm a sucker for bright lights in black background, and this was my favorite out of the entire set I took.  Manila is another City of Blinding Lights (U2) for me.  Knowing it is a love affair on it's own.