Day 181: Step Forward

This week was ID picture week.  We're required to wear black for the corporate photo.  My friend, the guy in front, had his photo taken yesterday.  That's why he isn't wearing black.  Plus, he's training this class.  So, he decided he has to stand out today.

I have horrible portrait skills.

Day 180: Best Foot Forward

My lovely new shoes.  One of the pairs I got.  Don't ask.  Someone got a little too crazy shopping this week.

My bank account hates me right now.  It does not believe that I have any sense of discipline.  Neither does it believe that I have the capacity to understand the word.  I say, this is all MNG's fault.  If they didn't start it, I really wouldn't be buying things like I ran out of stuff in my closet.  I mean, this week was insane.  I was either in a mall or online.  Either way, I was buying something.  Oh, well, mid-year sales only happen once a year.

Must. Not. Shop.

Day 179: The Doors

I was out most of the day, running errands.  Just before getting home, I dropped by Brohaus for my routine threading session.  I love their retro interior, particularly the cabin doors.  

Since I had the title going, I guess this post deserves a Hello, I Love You attached to it, which is probably my favorite song from The Doors.

Kaartehan. :D

Day 178: Breakfast Table

So, my dinning set is really a breakfast table.  Not that I need a table good for twelve settings in an apartment this size.

This Monday is so unimaginative.

Day 177: Alien Speakers

My sister left me this Harman Kardon speakers when she left for the States.  I call this one of the baby aliens.  They have a parent alien that's a lot larger.  They're weird-looking, but they give really good surround.  It comes really handy when you want to appreciate the sound of your music or movies on laid-back Sundays.

Day 176: Varekai

Today, I watched Cirque du Soleil's Varekai.

I have always dreamed of watching a Cirque du Soleil show.  The minute I found out that the famous troupe was going to Manila, I knew I would watch it.  I had to watch it.  Come what may.  I guess, the "come what may" part was sorely tested when it rained like crazy on Saturday morning.  I was checking the weather reports and trying to find out what things might keep me from watching it.  Thank God, the sky cleared up on Saturday afternoon.  This was something we waited three whole months for.

It was fantastic!  Albeit, I did no get to bring my camera for decent pictures (Their website says strictly no camera, I did not think they meant strictly no use of, so I left Nino home).  It made sense that the show lasted for two hours, I'd probably have a heart attack with all the excitement if it lasted longer.  I must have spent a good hour just clapping like crazy.

The show was just marvelous.  I don't think I can dislike a Cirque du Soleil show.  Imagine the kind of hard work and discipline those artists go through to create one show.  Cirque is known for having everything in the show done by their performers.  They would not use anything technical if they can help it.  Even the music is live.  Even the lights for Varekai were manned.  Other shows would normally have a lighting director who sits in a booth to control the lights.  They had people up those rafters, manually moving the lights.  They do live up to their philosophy, that everything is humanly possible.

I know it's not the biggest production of Cirque, but it was amazing nevertheless.  It has made me resolve to watch as many Cirque shows as I can.  The one I'd truly want to see is 'O' at the Bellagio.  Maybe, I can put it up on my bucket list.

Day 175: Rain on a Friday

The rain ain't letting up.

This was an interesting Friday.  It started with a White Party.  I didn't know what it was for, but I was late for it.  Apparently, the staff came up with a party for all June birthday celebrants.  Which, of course, included me.  So, I was late for a party partly in my honor.  How great is that?  It's also the last day of my current class.  I'm moving to another class next week - as a participant, this time.

Now, I'm getting to bed hoping that Mother Nature doesn't Rain (Ryuichi Sakamoto) on my parade.  This is one weekend I have viewed with anticipation.

Day 174: A Little Comfort

Champorado from Tsoko Nut Batirol.  This weather could use a little comfort food.

I love this week's theme so much, I wanted to take as much photos in black and white as I could.  Hence, my third photo in grayscale this week.

Speaking of comfort, I was thinking about what movies I'd like to revisit and watch again in this weather.  The rain reminded me of one of my favorite films, The Classic, with it's very charming rain scene.

Day 173: Mirror, Mirror

A self portrait.

I really wanted to take a picture of a mirror, as I think it is symbolic of how my day was.  However, I do not have those fancy gilded mirrors in my apartment.  The top half of my living room wall has this humongous mirror, though, and I decided to improvise.

I have a way of gauging my growth as a person.  This is going to sound a bit psychotic, but I take a look at myself in front of a mirror.  I look at myself and see if I like the person staring back at me.  If I like this person better than the person looking back at me a year ago, then I must have done something right.  Today, I had one of those brutal moments where I had to look at myself and decide whether I like myself better today.  I do, and somehow I don't.  There are pieces of me that I see and I want to smash into pieces.  There are parts of me that I really like better.  Regardless of what I see right now, what's important is what happens after.  If I work hard enough on those things I don't like seeing, I know that Someday I'll Be Good Enough (Bodyslam).

Day 172: Black Pepper

Not much imagination today.  Dead tired too.

Day 171: When Life Gives You Lemons

You make a damned lemonade.  Even if you wanted Bailey's to begin with.

Day 170: Chilled

Rainy Sunday is best served indoors with chilled wine.

I had my first adjustment today.  It was interesting.  After the visit to the dentist, I figured I could do my groceries as well.  I love grocery shopping.  Particularly now that I have a fridge.  I can store milk, wine and all those great things you put in the fridge.  I get to chill my wine glasses, too.  After groceries, I went back to my state of dolce far niente.  Cue Aguas de Marco (Elis Regina).  It's so relaxing, I think I should do this more often.

Day 169: Dolce Far Niente

The sweetness of doing nothing.  

I spent most of Saturday just lounging.  All I did was set territory on my couch and watch movies until my eyes hurt.  Even then I didn't turn the TV off.  These were light movies, anyway.  Not much thinking required.  I got to watch some favorite classics, like Amelie and Funny Face, and some new ones I haven't seen.  Like Eat, Pray, Love.  

I read Eat, Pray, Love a couple of years back.  This was the book that launched a thousand soul searches through travel.  I thought it was lovely book, really.  I enjoyed reading Elizabeth Gilbert's chronicle of her year eating, praying and loving.  I remember also looking forward to watching the film, but somehow never got around to doing so.  I think the movie did well, considering.  I have learned to accept that there will always be missing pieces in an adaptation.  One of my favorite things, both from the book and the movie, was her interlude in Italy.  It's one of the places I have always dreamed of seeing.  Someday, I know I'm going to see and experience it.  For the time being, at least as far as my weekends are concerned, I try to emulate the Italian art of doing nothing.  Dolce far niente. 

Day 168: A Little Over-Exposed

Potted plant at work.  I was running test exposures and worked on this plant as a subject.  I didn't take any other picture that wasn't a portrait for the day.  Fridays always seem to be a busy day for me, but I like it anyway.  Because it marks the beginning of the weekend!

Day 167: Baked and Tempting

No, I didn't bake it.  Got this Bacon and Cheese Pull-Aparts from good old Krispy Kreme.

I do not really need a daily dose of of this baked creation to go with my coffee or milk or tea or juice.  But ever since Krispy Kreme opened shop in our building, I can't seem to avoid it.  My source of Sugar High (Coyote Shivers) just got closer.  I haven't been getting donuts, mind you.  I've been getting pull-aparts.  These pieces of pastries have been stealing the show from my favorite donuts.  I've been intending to get my favorite Custard-filled and New York Cheesecake, but somehow always end up getting a pull-apart.  They just wrap my day up really nicely.  Food is just the kind of temptation I will always give in to.

Day 166: Wanderlust

This passport needs to travel.

I have wanderlust.  Let me correct that.  I am currently wanderlusting.  If there is such a word.  I am itching to go out and travel.  When I was younger, I had traveled on my own on impulse.  Several times, in fact.  Unfortunately, that cannot really happen right now.  Still, it doesn't diminish the fact that I am raring to go somewhere.  Lately, all I've been thinking of is going on a trip.  Somewhere.  Anywhere.  I just need to see another place.  What I like about traveling is it's not just a way to unwind, it's a fine excuse to loosen up the bolts a little.  Tout Enveyor en L'Air (Kyo).  Let it all out in the air.  Being a tourist somehow gives you the license to let your restraints fly for a bit.  You can just blame it to tequila in the morning.

Day 165: Skies Are Bluer

It's just about time to check my start of the year goals and write down my mid-year goals.  The skies are looking bluer and I've been thinking about my blue-sky dreams.

Blue-sky dream, they say, are those visions you have of an ideal life.  Since, I do not necessarily believe in the concept of ideal life, I have pocket blue sky dreams.  These are visions I have of parts of my life and how I want to live them.  One of them, is to live in a country with a language I do not understand long enough to soak in the culture and short enough to be considered a visitor.  Sort of like an affair.  With a place, though, instead of a person.

The first place that came to mind when I thought of this was Prague.  Which is fascinating, because Prague is not at the top of my list of "Places to Visit".  My first two would be Japan and Italy.  Somehow, though, Prague appeals to me as a place where I can be on my own.  I imagine walking the bridge towards the castle.  I imagine taking pictures of the hundred spires.  I imagine sitting at a cafe on the square watching the clock turn.  I imagine listening to the sound of words I do not understand around me.  All these things I can imagine doing on my own.  The other places I want to visit, I think of them and imagine I'm with company.  Family, friends, beloved.  Prague, however, is like a city I can enjoy on my own.

Care to share your blue sky dream?

Day 164: Coffee and Banoffee

Venti Mint Mocha and Banoffee Pie courtesy of my current class.  They did the Sweetest Thing (U2) today.

I came to work not intending to let people know it was my birthday.  I have this habit of not really telling, you see.  I do not have very good social skills.  When people compliment me or greet me on special occasions, I feel unsure of how to react.  So, I avoid all of that by not telling people it's my birthday.  Since a lot of the folks I work with have known me for some years, they kind of shared to everyone else.  It somehow reached my class, who I've only been with for a week.  I thought I had manage to isolate them since we're on a separate floor from the rest of my team.  I obviously didn't know any better.  They've been really sweet, getting me my favorite Starbucks drink and the banoffee pie during break.  Not only that, they also filled the cup with post-it notes with their greetings.

My team also got me cake, which we technically did not get to eat.  I got cake and a tiara.  The tiara is something we pass around.  It goes to whoever is the birthday celebrant.  I also took a picture of it, since I spent the day walking around with it.  I'll be passing it to the next celebrant.

Day 163: Independence

This is my flag.  At least, it's the best drawing I can make of it.

This independence day weekend, I decided to bum at home.  I had half a mind to go out, but not really.  I figured I needed to spend time with myself.  I live on my own, but I'm still somehow in contact with everyone else.  So, I avoided my phone and the internet for the weekend.  I was out of the radar.  At least, for a few hours.  It was interesting what you can manage to do in that span of time when you're not connected.  I caught up on some of the movies and shows I haven't watched, cleaned up my laundry, and cooked.  I actually used my kitchen.  I have to admit, I missed the smell of toasted garlic.  Although, I'm still not comfortable with the idea of getting this domesticated.

Day 162: Hanging Beads and Other Stories

My creative juice is running low.  So, I looked at my blogroll for inspiration.  I got one from myealexis' post.

I spent Saturday getting my plumbing fixed and watching TV shows and movies on DVD that a friend lent me.  It was a trying week, I had no energy to go out.  Interestingly, this is also the first weekend I spent indoors without having anything delivered.  I normally would have food delivered if I'm staying in for the weekend.  I guess, having food stored allows for more domesticity.  I didn't think my rice and corned beef was bad.  It could use some potatoes, though.  Maybe I can pick some up at the grocery.

Hold it.  Did I just talk about cooking?  Oh Lord...

Day 161: On Treasure

I remember Jack Sparrow saying in Pirates of the Caribbean, "Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate."  Sometimes, they come in diamonds or pearls.  Other times, they may not be material things at all.

A lot of what I personally treasure are immaterial.  I treasure life and it's ability to amaze me.  I treasure family ties and friendship.  I treasure memories, particularly the good ones.  I treasure the lessons learned, and my unfaltering belief with almost anything.  I treasure the knowledge of being able to know what matter, and the ability to make this a Good Life (OneRepublic).

Day 160: Weird Things

So, I got weird things in my cupboard.

Here We Go Again (Paramore) with all these weird things I'm sensing.  Obviously, I still have a bit of my funk going on.  I've been looking at my photos for the last few days and it's showing.  I've been trying to shake it off, but I guess it isn't working.  Normally, a cup of coffee and pick-me-up music will do the trick.  If it doesn't, ice cream would.  This one, however, is a greater funk than normal.

I don't know if anyone else feels this.  Every now and then, your instinct tells you there's something that's not right.  I can't put my finger on it, but it's a little bit unsettling.  A little bit weird, too.  Sometimes, when these things happen, I don't really find out what it is.  It's like the weird things in my cupboard.  A lot of them don't fit, but you're not sure exactly which one.  I'm babbling again.  Never mind.

Day 159: Gray

It's still raining.  It's good weather to put yourself under a blanket with Kiss the Rain (Yiruma) on the background.

I have been a bit gray lately.  I can blame it on the weather.  I can blame it on the long day.  Or I can decide to pick myself out of this rut.  I'm taking the last option.

Day 158: Under the Weather

I guess, it's officially the rainy season.  I had my umbrella up on the way home.  It hasn't really stopped raining since.  I've been feeling a bit under the weather every time I get home.  If this ain't Monday blues, then is there such a thing as Tuesday blues?  Ah, well. Allow me to Fight the Blues (Utada Hikaru).

Day 157: Weaved

This is my weaved place mat.  I've used this as a backdrop before, but never as a subject.  I've always liked it's simple weave design.  The gold threads holding the sticks together.  On the surface, it looks kind of dotted.

I guess, I was feeling a bit like this mat today.  Like I'm bound, or something.  Must be because it's Monday.  I'm probably not making sense.  I'm glad I'm back to following my usual schedule, though.  If I Crawl (Kings of Leon) to bed, maybe this will go away when I wake up.  Hmm... Bright idea.

Day 156: My Name Is Memory

I'm currently reading Ann Brashares' My Name Is Memory.  It has quite an interesting storyline.  The tone's a bit too somber, though.  I'm just on my first few pages, so it may be too early to tell.

Day 155: Life Is Funny

I could not agree more with whoever vandalized this wall in UP.  It may not have been the best medium to express his/her opinion, but it has it's merit nevertheless.  I attended a socio-civic movement meeting on child's rights, and that's what brought me to UP.  This was one of the most fascinating things I saw today.

I believe that God is an outstanding comedian.  He has a way of humoring me, and the rest of the world it seems.  There are times when you sit back and think that majority of what you have in life did not turn out the way you planned it to.  I have this insane imagery of God sitting somewhere saying, "You Can't Always Get What You Want (The Rolling Stones)".  Think about it.  You've probably heard this a whole lot of times; 'I don't have the job I want' or 'I'm not with the one I really love' or 'I'm not where I want to be'.  A lot of regrets and a lot of discontent.  I guess, we all have that.  Maybe not regret, per se.  More like things you could have done better, or wiser decisions you could have made.  What's funny about it is, even if we do not get the things we wanted or planned for, we somehow end up getting what's right for us.  At least, that's how it works for me.  That's why I think God is a comedian.  Once you realize how much His plan makes more sense than yours, you end up laughing.

Day 154: Shards

This was really cutting it close.  I spent the entire time fixing my apartment that it never crossed my mind to take a picture.  Not until 5 minutes to the end of day.

Anyway, I broke my oil burner while cleaning up.  That's as imaginative as I can get today.

Day 153: Mint in Chocolate

After dinner at Kanin Club, a friend and I went to Caramia for some gelato.  I got my usual favorite, Mint Chocolate.  

Dinner at Kanin Club was interesting.  Their Crispy Dinuguan wasn't as crispy as I remembered it.  Neither is their Aligue Rice as rich as I knew it was.  A funny incident is, I survived eating lechon last weekend, without a hitch, but I lost a bracket eating Crispy Dinuguan.  Ah well, my adjustment's not that far ahead, anyway.

Day 152: Swirls

My apartment looks crazy right now, but I'm happy.  You have to be proud of me.  I finally got myself a fridge and a dining set.  Yey!  A friend is moving out of her apartment and she practically donated her stuff to me.  I got this two-seater wrought iron dining set dirt cheap.  It fits my wood-wicker-wrought iron decor, too.  And a fridge!  I finally have a fridge!  I can store food!  I've been meaning to get a fridge for The Longest Time (Billy Joel).

I was so happy, I took a leave for two days from work.  I need time to fix and enjoy my abode.