Day 304: Halloween

Happy Halloween, folks!

Day 303: Yellow

I love my macaroons!

I was too lazy to go out or fix myself something to eat, so I had food delivered from Bizu.  Included an order of Macaron de Paris.  Happy kid again!

Anyway, I have to say that this shot was inspired by a travel video I saw a few months back on YouTube about the city of Paris.  I'm not big on the allure of Paris, but this video kind of changed that perspective a bit.

Day 302: Ellie

Meet Ellie.  My spanking new portable hard drive.

I finally got around to getting myself a portable hard drive to move all my files to.  Jack is getting too file heavy, and it won't be long until I won't even be able to move from one window to another if I didn't move them.  So, I spent the weekend doing some system clean-up.  I also bought Sims 3 to pass the time.  Just because I missed Sims and building things in it.

Day 301: Pumped Up Kicks

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks

You better run, better run, outrun my gun

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks

You better run, better run, faster than my bullet

- Pumped Up Kicks (Foster The People)

This is a very disturbing song.  However, it's also very catchy.  It has been my earworm for the last couple of weeks.  It's has a block party tune with angst-ridden lyrics.  I was so caught up with the upbeat melody that I didn't realize it had very dark lyrics until about the fifth play.  I think it's about disturbed kids, but not necessarily for them.  If you know what I mean.

I'd like to dedicate this to my class who made this shot possible.  I asked them to wear sneakers today, to get this shot.  They were very compliant.  Props for putting in that smiley face balloon, too.

Day 300: One Step Closer

300th!  This is amazing!

Here's a confession; the reason why I picked "Song" as the theme for the week, is because I wanted to come up with something similar to the lyric video of Christina Perri's A Thousand Years.  I found the song completely charming, and the video such an eye candy.  I loved the chess pieces best.  Unfortunately, I do not own a chess set.  Neither do I have an apple tree anywhere nearby, or red satin lying around, or rose petals strewn randomly.  Therefore, I figured, I'd make do with the candle holder I have.  Just imagine it's a rook.

Anyway, I liked that particular line in the song, too.  I don't know, it just somehow builds a certain anticipation.  Sort of like this 300th photo is one more step closer to the 365th.

Day 299: For My Memories

I worked for a bit on my journal today.  Not necessarily writing anything, just drawing and putting on stickers.  I tend to design the borders with whatever comes to mind.  I sometimes end up having several pages with artwork but nothing written on it.  One fine example being the photo above.

I've been writing random things again recently.  It should be a good sign, but my muse is a little on the fickle side.  It tends to inspire me at very random moments with very random thoughts.  It has absolutely no comprehension of organization.  Ah, well.  We live with what we have, right?

Day 298: A Taste

Make this moment last forever, steal it - A Taste (The Lalala Song) by Sofia J.

I was craving for a taste of good old taho today.  I needed something sweet to amp my sugar rush.

Day 297: Paper Bag

Hunger hurts, and I want him so bad, oh it kills

'Cause I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up

I gotta fold 'cause these hands are just too shaky to hold

Hunger hurts, but starving works

When it costs too much to love

- Paper Bag (Fiona Apple)

From one of my all time favorite songs.  I ♥ Fiona Apple.

Day 296: Closing Time

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

Met up with a friend to talk over dinner and coffee.  We ended up staying late enough to watch the stores close.  I had not intended this to be in response to the theme of the week, but I guess it fits.

Listen to: Closing Time (Semisonic)

Day 295: Colorful

I have mentioned my partial obsession with pencils before, and this post simply reiterates it.  I can't even tell you how many pencils I currently have.

I decided to laze around this Saturday and spend time cleaning up my place.  I also wanted to spend time writing, since I haven't had the time to do so.  My muse is a fickle entity.  Sometimes it nags me to write something that seems to be born out of sheer ingenuity, and then sometimes it just abandons me.  Next thing I know, some things I intend to write ends up getting Overdue (The Get Up Kids).

Day 294: The Baker's Hat

My favorite fro-yo flavor from White Hat.

I spent time over breakfast and ice cream with a friend.  I love old comforts.  I'm not very fond of change.  I accept it, but I'm not really fond of it.  Knowing there are certain things that are constant makes you value them so much more.  Like old friends, conversations, and the flavor of frozen delights.  I appreciate these things as they make me feel less Crazier (Taylor Swift).

Day 293: A Cross To Bear

I wanted to post another silhouette shot, however, I did not really have enough sunlight.  I have to settle with this and probably try that other silhouette shot I had in mind when it's sunnier.

Day 292: Chicken Fingers

I had a sudden craving for KFC's hot shots.  Unfortunately, they didn't have hot shots when I ordered.  I settled on having fun shots for dinner, then.  It's the same, it's just that I miss the spicy flavor that comes with hot shots. Nevertheless, I'm grateful for the meal.

Day 291: Chocolate Spread

I'm a big Nutella fan.  It's part of my regular grocery list.  I love it best with bananas.  This time, though, I decided to try out Finetti.  I was wondering if it would be better or if it will actually taste the same.  It's very similar.  The mixed cream gives it a different taste.  I can't say it's better, but there's comfort to a good old Nutella flavor.

Day 290: Silhouette

Early post for the theme this week.

This is a gift I got from one of my classes.  It contains thank you notes inside it.  Sometimes, when I get stressful days (similar to today), I look at things like these.  They make me realize I am so much more blessed than I deserve to be.

A song for the theme: We Will Become Silhouettes (The Postal Service)

Day 289: Clock Tower

Clock tower at Eastwood City Walk.

Urban Metro Manila is composed of cities within the city.  You'll find cosmopolitan hubs sprouting left and right like little mushroom villages.  One of the first few of them was Eastwood City.  I remember this space back in college.  It was more of night hub back then.  There were more bars back then.  It has now evolved into a mini-municipality that's family-friendly and even pet-friendly.  It's fascinating when you realize how much time has passed, and how much things have evolved.  That's just my little thought this Sunday.

A little country music for the good weather: Can't Take My Eyes Off You (Lady Antebellum)

Day 288: Flat Bread

I found these flat bread with rosemary at Salcedo Market.  I found it appealing that it can be dipped into anything.  I've tried it with paneer, cheese, cream cheese, chocolate hazelnut spread and jam.  It hasn't disappointed me yet.

Day 287: Cityscape

This is for this week's theme.  I like the fact that when I look out the window next to my cube, this is what I get to see around 6am.  This side of the building is facing Salcedo Village.  I've posted something similar with more silhouette before.  This is just the bigger picture.

Feel good music on a Friday: Runaway (Mat Kearney)

Day 286: Ceramic

I got new plates!  I'm sure this isn't something to get excited about, but I like getting new things for my kitchen.  I went grocery shopping to stock up on my essentials and I found these plates at dirt cheap prices.  When I started living with friends, we only had plastic plates.  I shouldn't complain, since they served their purpose, but I dislike plastic dinner plates.  I also do not like sets in the same color and style.  I like ceramic plates.  It's funny how much dinnerware I have considering I'm on my own.  I have several plates and almost none of them match.  I have some designs that are similar but not in the same color.  I don't know, it's a little quirk I have.

Day 285: In My Closet

Cleaning out my closet.  I've done this before, but I was thinking maybe there's more I can let go of.  A former learner asked me if there were clothes I would like to donate to the folks who were affected by the recent typhoons.  At least, my old things can still be put to good use.

Day 284: Hope For The Hopeless

Jukebox time!  I wanted to come up with something nice today, but I didn't really have anything in mind.  So, I shuffled my iTunes and pressed play.  I got Hope for the Hopeless (A Fine Frenzy).

The dove is an ubiquitous symbol of hope.  A little bible history says it's because Noah let out a dove to fly and when it returned with some plant between it's beak, it let him know that there was land somewhere.  So it became a symbol of hope.  Or was it peace?  I'm obviously not the best person to ask.

Day 283: Stitch Rules!

I mean, seriously.  How cute can an alien get when he's rocking Elvis?

Day 282: A Quote and Atonement

The text is barely visible, I had a hard time focusing on it due to the light.  It says: We must be the change we want to see in the world - Mahatma Ghandi.  Which I completely believe in, but find a little more challenging to do.  Not when we are a society who seem to find fault easily, but never do anything about it.

I find myself wanting to see Atonement again today.  There is this one scene I remember so vividly, and I wanted to go back to it.  No, it's not the one in the library.  When Robbie and Cecilia met for tea before he left for war.  Robbie had been aloof from the start of the conversation, but when Cecilia said she had to leave in half an hour he said, "You can't".  I found it completely heartbreaking.  When you realize how much tragedy one lie brought to several people, it makes you wonder how strongly do we need to stand for the things we believe in.

How much to we push for a change to happen?  A change of mindset, a change of living, whatever kind of change you somehow think should happen, but isn't  If we cannot become these changes, then we somehow affect everyone who suffers because of it.  I'm probably exaggerating, but while watching that scene, I think of how they were never able to see each other again after.  Will the change I don't fight for impact others with the same kind of tragedy?  I wonder.

Day 281: Gelato on a Rainy Saturday

Met up with a friend to have dinner and watch a movie.  We finished dinner early, so we decided to get gelato while waiting for the film to start.  My friend had Amarena (the pink one) and I had Straciatella (blurry one in foreground).  I love ice cream while it's raining.

There was an event at the store in front of Gelatone, and we sat eating our gelato while watching young folks in their party clothes looking savvy and cool.  I realized that I used to be one of those kids.  Not that I'm saying I'm old, but I somehow feel that I don't belong in that scene.  I guess, there will be a time when you will outgrow certain things.  I can't say it's getting old, because I don't feel old.  It's more of moving on.  You somehow get to a point where you realize, there's a lot more to life than this.  So, you go out and search for it.

Day 280: A New Wall

On the way home, I realize that some folks have put up this new wall.  This used to be an old dilapidated cement wall.  It had an old mossy wall charm.  I can't blame folks for covering it up with this tin version, though.  This might be safer than a wall that looks like it's ready to collapse.  I know that there's a developer building a condominium behind this wall.  That's probably why they put this up.

Day 279: Hydrate

I went boxing after over a week of not getting around to it.  We went to the Gilmore gym for a session.  I was sluggish this time.  It's embarrassing.  I was so sluggish I nearly fainted.  The trainer said I should have rested before boxing, and eating at least an hour before.  The last time I ate, was five hours before that session, and I was straight out of class. All that punching made me all woozy.

On the way home, the cab passed by Addition Hills.  I missed going through Addition Hills. I love the little shops you find by accident, and the pretty townhouses.  I've always liked townhouses.  I feel that it's just the right size, and it fits right in the city.  The townhouses in Addition Hills are somewhat how I envisioned my ideal residence.  The hilly roads make it all the more charming.

Day 278: Custard Pudding

My fridge smells like milk.  That's because I made myself some custard pudding.  I know it looks like a lot, but by the time you're reading this post, majority of it is gone.

I bought this instant custard pudding mix from a Japanese grocery store near where I live.  It's interesting because the entire instruction is in kanji and I had to Google how to do it.  It tastes pretty good, specially when you add the sugary topping (similar to arnibal).  I think I'll try making these next time with more milk.  I used only half a cup of milk for this, but I think I would like it creamier.

Day 277: Siomai Dinner

On the way home, I found a Siomao House stall.  The place is also open 24/7.  Fantastic!

Day 276: A Set of Earrings

I bought myself a new set of earrings, just because I seem to have lost most of my pairs.  They're mostly costume jewelry, but they fit the bill for everyday use.  My favorite would have to be the cameos on this set.  I'm addicted to cameos.

Day 275: Curves and Ticking Clocks

Me-time!  I had my braces adjusted today and decided to stay for a bit at Baang Cafe.  It was raining, anyway, and I hadn't bought myself a new umbrella yet.  So, I had a hot and cold combination of cafe mocha (my usual order at any coffee shop) and ice cream cake (check out photo after the jump).

I had time to sit still and think for a bit.  There wasn't much realization, but it cleared my head up a little.  I still don't know where this quarter-life crisis is coming from, it may be the weather.  It doesn't just inspire lethargy, it also inspires depressing thoughts.  I haven't figured it out yet, but I can't allow myself to go through a meltdown because of it.  The world will not stop moving just because I'm Stuck in a Moment (U2).

Day 274: Palak Paneer and Naan

I'm sure some of you do not find this appetizing, but believe me it is.  Palak paneer and naan is one of my favorite Indian food.  You dip the unleavened bread (naan) in a bowl of palak paneer (cottage cheese in spinach curry sauce) and it's perfect!  A little like puto and dinuguan.  It goes well with a glass of lassi.

I never thought I'd like Indian cuisine.  I ended up trying it because I've worked with Indians and they introduced me to their dishes.  Their cuisine is very rich in flavor.  New Bombay ended up being one of my favorite restaurants.  Apart from this, I also like their tikka masala and makhanwala dishes.  If you're taste buds are adventurous, you may want to try it.

Add a little Indian music (Dhoom Taana (Om Shanti Om) and all you need is a sari and some Bollywood movie to complete it.