What a horrible day to drive! Spent hours just to go to Tita M’s convent (it seemed like the word is out on my secret route and vehicles just filled up all roads and flyovers there — the fullest I’ve seen it to date).  In the stand still, there was a guy aboard a bicycle who got off-balanced and bumped against the rear side of Xwind; before I had time to react, he immediately sped away.  Siempre I can’t run after him ‘coz bumper-to-bumper nga ang traffic.  Good thing wala naman siyang naiwang dent.  Midday, I got caught by an MMDA officer in Makati for being along the bus lane (ok, this was kinda my bad; but thanks to the power of Tita M’s habit, I was given a reprieve).  On way back to the convent, someone sent Tita M an SMS saying there is a fire within their area.  I was kinda feeling the ‘fire’ with the building traffic as we came near the convent; and so I tuned in to A.M. radio to determine my alternative routes.  Shoot, I didn’t have any — the fire was actually right in front of Tita M’s convent! Oooh, my cramping left knee!

Oh well, at least the other day wasn’t totally bad. I got to show Tita M the new Ayala Museum; we got to bond over lunch; she was able to buy ‘pasalubong’ for the African sisters at Kultura; and I got to treat her with a pair of new sandals.  The friggin’ knee pain was in a way worth it. 

            I signed up for SC’s Baguio Summer Session.  Wow, my first despite being on board already last summer.  I didn’t sign up then because of two things — I was apprehensive of the 2005 bar results and Kris was nagging, “what if we get a call from Amazing Race Asia and you’re stuck there?” 

            This year, after considering only the Holy Week and an important campaign/birthday date, I signified my intention to go.  The h*** with the friggin’ results; always constricting my life schedule!  Whatever happens, I think I owe it to myself to experience SC’s Baguio Summer Session and stay at the so-called ‘Amity Ville’ J.  Fight! 

            Pero on the side, yeah, I’m still gripped in suspense…I hate imagining again what if I’m there and I found out negative pa rin pala?  Or what if weeks prior, I find out negative pa rin pala and I’m stuck going up there with my broken spirit and crushed ego — dang, kakahiya! 

            Oh well, both are done — the exams and my signing up.  Nothing else can be done.

            So now, I think it’s better to just think how to combat the ghosts, creatures, and beings in the old SC Baguio compound.  At least this is a matter I can still do something about. Will definitely bring lots of salt, a blindfold, and religious relics.  Wala sanang magpakita, magparamdam, o sumama.  In this too, Fight J!

• I got a portion of Hemin, the so-called holy bread of Padre Pio, and the instructions/prayer that went along with it yesterday.  Another ‘religious’ ritual?  Yes, I’m skeptic as usual.  Pero sige na nga, since desperate times, I’ll go along with this one.  The instructions open with this line: “The bread is called Hemin. It is the bread of Padre Pio and it comes from the

  Vatican

  . It brings blessings to every family who eats it. On the 10th day, you must give it to other good people.” However, according to my internet research:

The myth of the bread has been debunked. People say that Hemin is actually Amish Friendship bread that became popular in the ’70s, a baker’s chain letter if you would. Unlike chain letters though, it wishes no one harm.

What one receives is actually yeast culture, also known as a starter. Your favorite Boudin sourdough bread in

San Francisco

starts off this way. A scant portion of the starter is used to flavor a fresh batch of dough to make into bread.

There seems to be no proof that it is from the

Vatican

. Its origin remains unknown. Some church officials have warned against this practice, calling it spiritual fallacy adding that there is no recommendation from

Rome

or Padre Pio’s monastery, San Giovanni Rotundo. Fr. Jerry Orbos has not even heard of it.

Why use only wooden spoons and glass bowls specifically?
Because anything made of metal might cause a chemical reaction with the starter.

KITCHEN RESCUE: Give Us This Day by Reggie Aspiras, Inquirer, Last updated 00:

07am

(Mla time)

12/14/2006

• Kris is having his first MCLE. Super inggit ako.  He just sent an sms saying it’s so boring.  It may be so, but I’d rather be bored there than being in the limbo I am in.   To all those who think MCLEs are likewise boring, think again of your luck and be thankful you get to go to such.  Sigh…L

• Aside, I did attend a seminar before na can be accredited for MCLE daw.  Siempre nasayang lang yung credits and its not the same as actually attending an MCLE with the coveted prefix already attached to your name.  Double sigh…. L

Happy birthday, Lola! 

Happy birthday, Tito Danny; Val; Sean!

Happy Valentines’ day to all!

• To my SSC friends, remember, I mentioned before, the “Popular” Grocery Store was changed to “Micaray”?  It again changed its name to “Parklane.”  Ah basta, “Popular” pa rin ang tawag ko sa infamous landmark na ito J.
• Speaking of names, I wonder what developers are thinking when naming villages?  Ours is composed of four words — Sxxxx Gxxxx Pxxx Village; but at least, together, they kinda make sense.  Nearby, there is a village called “Innerwheel Rainbow.”  What does that mean?  Worse is the one near to it — “Milky Way and Rainbow Connection.”  Grabe, nawili sa pagpangalan and used all those words up.  I hate to be a resident of the latter village; imagine how long filling up address cards would be!
• Haven’t really thought of this before, but since I’ve lately been hearing different pronunciations of our current month — Feb-ra-ri; Feb-yu-a-ri; Feb-ru-a-ri.  Random House Webster’s Dictionary 4^th ed, p. 260 ©2001 says: feb’roo er/e, feb/yoo er/e.  There you go, the latter two are correct J!

Dang, my officemates fueled an addiction that just obliterates my EQ — koreanteleovelas. Yes, I could just watch a number of episodes per day; but my O.C.-ness likes finishing stuff agad eh. Jackie lent me one; while she and Reyns built up the excitement to watch this other one which stars a now-famous-Korean-singer.

For three days, I went on a telly-marathon.

Some reviews: 

1. with the three koreanteleovelas I recently marathon-watched, pareho lang ng main storyline — forced marriage, the main characters develop mutual feelings but are too stubborn to ‘fess up, conflict with a third/fourth party and family, conflicts get resolved for a happy ending.

2. the characters got weird outfits…pero somehow, bagay sa kanila J

Now a zombie, I’m happy I’m done with both.

As they say: Aza! Aza! Korea! [pronounced as Kor-ya]

• Will be going to Corregidor Island with Tita Madre and the Proj. 2 gang this Saturday. May this third visit be mumo-paramdam/pakita-free!  First visit during high school, my friend KB and I saw a white figure move across one of the barracks. Second visit, Pixie warned us maraming nakasunod sa amin when we explored one of the lateral tunnels in Malinta tunnel (an additional activity for overnighters).

• Nearly finished with my case, but I suddenly saw a loophole with one aspect in my line of thinking. Sigh, will be killing some more brain cells. 

• I’m so glad the major hype over Krispy Kreme is lesser these days.  At least the queue is tolerable, and there are good seats to enjoy doughnuts, coffee, newspapers, and conversations with Kris on certain times during weekdays.  Now, Krispy Kreme in TF can be my happy place na — super babaw, but Krispy Kreme kasi figured big time when I was in the US; thus, smelling and eating the incomparable and infamous doughnut make me remember the happiness I had prior all my bar-inflicted pains.

Globe…making great things possible; but MAKING BASIC THINGS IMPOSSIBLE…again! (yes, another Ria-whining-about-Globe-again blog J)

I applied my mobile phone line in my dad’s name when I was still a student ‘coz I didn’t have any proof of income and/or employment then. Now that I am part of the working class, I tried to finally change his account name to mine. Yes, I could just have terminated his line and applied for a new one for myself; but as I’ve mentioned many times in the past, I want to retain my number ‘coz after many transfers and consequent landline number changes, at least there’s one thing constant my friends/acquaintances/contacts can reach me with. This I emphasized with Globe when I visited its business center in Parksquare.

Called Globe for requirements for the said transfer of account name (just the name, retain billing address). Went to the Parksquare business center (which has a very slow service every time I go there) to submit the needed documents. Returned after a week to submit additional requirements (bakit ba kasi hindi sinabi lahat when I first inquired and last visited eh?). I was told, the next month’s billing statement will reflect the change I requested. Four months after, I noticed the past bills were still under my dad’s name. Called 211, only to find out my request has not even been reflected in Globe’s computerized account file. Poor Ms. customer service personnel, heard a mouthful of complaints from me J. The next day, she said customer service personnel called and asked me to fax an additional document — whada? Strike out na sila kaka-additional-additional.  Again, bakit ba kasi hindi sinabi lahat when I first inquired and/or visited eh?  I faxed said additional document the next day and asked for a confirmation of receipt text.  The reply of Ms. Customer Service Personnel was, she is on leave and will get to see my document the next day pa.

A week has passed without any word from Globe. 

Time to be Smart na ba?

SLEX Update (from betty’s forwarded email)

SLEX Toll Route 1 (TR1) Project TR1 refers to the complete dismantling and replacement of the Alabang viaduct Project duration shall be 20 months (Tollway Corp. Estimate completion by Q4 2008)

By Feb 8, the South Station Toll Plaza going to Bunye Rd. will open as alternate route for vehicles going to Alabang, Las Pinas, and Filinvest. This is to test impact of the new traffic scheme.

From Feb 8 to Feb 21 Filinvest exit may still be used.

By Feb 22, the Filinvest exit will be closed to traffic. Vehicles bound to Alabang, Filinvest, and Daang-Hari will use South Station Toll Plaza and Bunye Rd. To Filinvest Corp City or Festival Mall, vehicles may turn at the following junctions – Corporate Ave., Bridgeway Ave., and Filinvest Ave. SLTC suggest vehicles going to Filinvest Corp City to turn left at Bridgeway Ave.

Southbound vehicles (to Laguna, Batangas) will continue to pass through the viaduct and a new two lane flyover that will be constructed for the duration of the project. Vehicles from Filinvest, Festival exiting to Manila, Laguna as well vehicles from south going to Filinvest will continue to use the Filinvest Toll Plaza as usual.

Northbound vehicles will continue to use the viaduct.

not wanting to cook just for Polo, i’ve been giving him dogfood pellets since nanang left for Cagayan Valley. 

i forgot i am not just feeding Polo nga pala; thus i was surprised when i saw dogfood pellets by my window, on the garage roof, and scrattered all over the garage. 

guess who ‘flew’ them?

just now, i saw the culprits trying to munch on the fresh pellets they stole from Polo’s food bowl.  what a funny sight (but irritating din after the amusement wore off ’cause i got more to clean up tuloy)!