I want

The Pug is a toy dog breed with a wrinkly face and medium-small body. The breed is often summarized as multum in parvo ("much in little"), describing the Pug's remarkable personality despite its small size.

The word "pug" may have come from the Old English pugg or "puge", which were affectionate terms for a playful little devil or monkey. Pug puppies are often called puglets.

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tagged by Preggy

Two names you've gone by:
Becky & Bex

Two things I’m wearing right now:
brown tube and Havs

Two things I (hope to) have in a relationship:
maximum tolerance and acceptance

Two of my favorite things to do:
munching and sleeping

Two things you did last night:
I watched the Ateneo MBA graduation and played Text Twist

Two people you last talked to:
Jowee and Jo

Two things you’re doing tomorrow:
Be on time for work and play badminton

Two longest car rides:
Baguio and Morong, Mariveles

Two favorite holidays:
Christmas and New Year

Two favorite drinks:
Watermelon shake and dalandan juice

Two things about me you may not have known:
I had a pet rabbit and I don't know how to swim.

Two jobs I’ve had in my life:
Technical Assistant and McDonald's crew

Two movies I would watch over and over:
Sister Act and American President (favs of my sister so nakikinood na lang ako)

Two favorite foods:
Lately, flat tops and marshmallows...

Two places I’d rather be right now:
Skopelos. Greece and Amanpulo

Almost (but not quite) shot at Real Living magazine fame

Two years ago, I wrote Real Living magazine for a room make-over. The unanimous verdict for my room by friends, relatives and my landlord - a hopeless big mess! HMP to them! I'm disorganized, so what? It's genetic.... right? So, I joined the contest, sent a write-up with pictures of my room. A month had passed - nothing. A year had passed - nothing. Demmit! What is taking them so long? After two years..... what entry?

A few months ago, I received THE CALL. One of the mag's stylist, Issa, told me that they chose my room for a makeover to be featured on RL's June issue! I screamed!!! Well, actually, hindi naman... I was smiling from east to west! This is it, I told myself. Sa kada buwan na sasapit eh bili ako ng bili ng RL magazine, sa wakas! This is iiiiiiiiiiiiiit!

However, bigla akong may naalala... teka, wait-a-minit-ober-there, what room are we talking about? Reality check. Isang entry lang naman ang sinalihan ko at ito yung Makati room..... pero, saan na nga ba ako nakatira ngayon? Aaaaaaaargh! Sa Pasig na! Lumipat na nga pala ako! Waaaaaaaaaaaaa! Sadly, I told Issa my current situation and asked her if my entry is transferrable... ehem, nagbabakasakali lang naman ako. She turned down that idea and she was sorry that the room is not my current residence anymore. Sigh. Though my happiness was short-lived, I glowed from her compliment that the write-up I submitted was cute daw and caught her fancy. Here's the re-print and I owe the write-up to my best friend, chubby-wan. She writes very well and I forced her to come up with one to accompany the pictures I sent:

Becky the Bodegera (or The Warehouse Woman)

Once upon a time, there lived a woman... in a bodega. Her name is Becky. Due to the conditions of her abode, she was aptly called Becky the Bodegera by the outraged pristine public. This situation adversely affected Becky's health and social situation, and more importantly, hampered her love life (who has heard of a warehouse romance novel/movie). Through lots of prayer from Mommy and tremendous sacrifice, a truly perceptive man, called XXXX (the ex-bf), saw through all the clutter around Becky and ventured to offer his love (sigh!). Despite the overwhelming love XXXX (the ex-bf)had for Becky, however, his innate Pinoy machismo wouldn't allow him to conquer the clutter. Nevertheless, there is hope for those who choose life...there is an oasis in the desert...there is a woman behind every successful man...there is triumph in adversity...there is The Room Makeover in Manila! Salvation ito!

I felt like a winner na rin. Pampalubag-loob. At least, sa dami-dami kong sinalihan na contests at raffle draws sa talambuhay ko - muntik na akong manalo.

Almost, but not quite. Oh well.

Twenny questions

1. At what age do/did you wish to marry? In my late 20's but I'm 36 and still single. In fact, I am not sure if I want to get married at all. Ang sarap maging singleton e!

2. What color do you like most? - Red

3. If you can have a superpower, what would it be? - What Spiderman has

4. If you can travel anywhere in the world, where would you want to go? - Bora Bora

5. Which part of you that you have the most? - Butt

6. When you get sad, what do you do? - I doodle with my sketch book.

7. What are you afraid to lose the most? - My faith

8. If you win $1 million, what would you do with the money? - Pay off debts and treat my friends to Amanpulo

9. What do you love the most last year (2007)? - Riverfront Residences

10. What is your New Year's resolution? - To renew my fitness goals. Yeah, right.

11. What is the moment you regret most? - Not able to learn how to swim

12. What type of person do you hate the most? - Narrow-minded person

13. What is your greatest asset? My family and friends

14. If you had one wish, what would you wish for? - I wish our house in Bataan will be sold tomorrow.

15. How did you celebrate the New Year? - With my bestest friend at Hotel-Intercon. We watched X-men marathon!

16. Name the one body part your hubby or boyfriend tells you he adores. - Not applicable. I don't have a boyfriend nor a hubby.

17. It's 2008. What are you looking forward to this year? - Another year to grow up and to snap out of it.

18. Anything in your life that you wish weren't so awful? - I wish my cellulites weren't so awful looking.

19. What's the shallowest thing you intend to do this year? - Whiten my siko

20. What is the one thing you can't give up? - My bitchiness

Perspective

It happened to me many times - there are things said by a friend, a colleague, a boss, which struck a nerve. It can be positive, it can be negative. Depende na sa iyo. Here are some... how do you call it, thoughts or one-liners, which I encountered for the past weeks and gave me more... perspective.

"Friends should always give the benefit of the doubt and not take sides."
(Nasabihan ako ni Kumpare nito dahil kinampihan ko yung misis ng kumpare namin.)

"Dalawang bagay ang nagpapaandar sa mundo - pera at koneksyon."
(Kung alin ang meron ka, swerte mo! Kung parehong meron ka.... Hmp! )

"....kaya nga naging active ako this year sa mga clubs and I took up French class - para I have something to look forward to aside from work. It motivates me."(Tama nga sabi ni Doc, find your distraction so as not to dwell on things that gives you stress.)

"Don't take it personally."
(Frequent one-liner during performance review. Kahit masakit po ang nabitiwang salita - don't take it personally daw. Che! )

Peace be with you

Taken in Davao City last year. Chubby-wan was insistent to have the snake all over her. I didn't have the guts. I just made my usual "peace" sign on top of the snake's head.

First Beach-capade

Destination: Talipanan, Puerto Galera. No planning. No room reservation. No baon. No money. And we had fun!


Highlights of our trip:
Luca's - the only authentic Italian resto in Talipanan! Owned by an Italian and a Filipina. It has another branch in Sabang. Superbly delicious pasta and pizza! Big serving! Don't go there if you are super hungry and you want your food to be served fast. Give them a serving time of an hour after you order.


We made a couple of dog friends (Dogster, ika nga!) - a boxer in Talipanan and a Boston terrier in White Beach.



We stayed at Bamboo House Resort. Going rates were P800/night for a non-aircon, P1,500/night for an aircon room. It was a cool weather so we opted for the non-aircon. But, I haggled for P700/night muna. Binigay naman.


This was our second time to go to Talipanan. The first time was in 2004. We love this part of Puerto Galera because it's peaceful, less congested, pwede mag two-piece bathing suit kahit nahihiya kami, and most especially... may Luca's. Mahalaga ang masarap na kainan sa isang isla, you know.

Twelb Part Deux

As usual, I ride a tricycle to reach home. I sat down in the passenger seat.

Trykedriver: Saan po?
Me: Manong, sa San Juan. Dose.
Trykedriver: Ma'm, twelb?

Twelb

I know I have a hearing problem and am often teased about it by friends. And there are lots of tales about it as well! Hahaha! Pero, this time around, ako ang may upper-hand. HA!

Most of the time, I hitch with Reeyah on her way home to Boni Ave. I force her to pass by Kapitolyo first (such a true friend, that Reeyah girl). Anyways, she drops me off in the corner of Andok's in Kapitolyo. From there, I get a tryke to take me home. As I enter the tryke and sits comfortably, I have this exchange with the trykedriver:

Trykedriver: Ma'm, saan po kayo?
Me: San Juan po.
Trykedriver: Saan po?
Me: (in a louder voice) San Juan.
Trykedriver: Ahhhh.... anong number po?
Me: 12 (and I pronounce that as "twelb")
Trykedriver: Ahhhh..... sa 20 po ba?
Me: (talking to myself) Iho, medyo ang layo ata ng tunog ng twenty sa twelb?!! The!
Me: Ehem.... twelb nga. Dose.
Trykedriver: Ahhhh..... Dose.

Mind you, it happened not just once. I think about three times already and all instances, ibat't ibang driver! Ikaw, anong dinig mo kapag sabihin ko ang "twelb"?