mY wHiTe MoRnInG

recently, i wake up between 10.30 and 11.15 am everyday (even weekends, mind you! :P).

today, i woke up from the cold. for the second time this year, my knees were hurting and my body was unconsciously staying away from the window side of my bed. unlike last time, it was 7.45 am.

it's snowing ^-^

as in right now.




*hey cc, i hope it's snowing there too! happy birthday dearie! :) :) :)

mY wInTeR vAcAtIoN, HoMe (12.23.07~01.10.08)

there were no announcements when i left. there weren't any either when i returned for break. im sorry if i wasnt able to talk to everyone, or meet up with everyone. but i was always thinking of you.

i honestly didn't know if i could get back. a part of me also didnt want to go back. but im really glad i did. :)

at the end of this trip, i have blisters on my right hand from all the driving i did. i also have a ton of memories and a very grateful heart.

i think, my best smile came when i finally got to my room.
the best driving experience was the one when i kidnapped marj and joanini.
the best food i ate, chicken balls. hands down.
my first hug home, papa.
the person who made me happiest, ryan.
the person i saw the most, marj. abibi's a very close second.
the person who touched me the most, evert.
the person i wish i could have spent more time with, kris.
the person i wish i could have spent time with, sherie.
my biggest accomplishment, i changed and accepted my future.
my biggest (and hopefully, only) regret, 24 hours a day isnt enough to spend with friends.


ill be seeing you in fifteen months :)

mY cHrIsTmAs PaRtY (12.21.07)

to prepare. we made flowers out of japanese paper. we drew pictures on the white board. i sooo kick ass in drawing snowmen. haha :P

the following day, the food arrived. and the party was set. :) there was a short program prepared for the afternoon. volunteers helped prepare and cook the chijimi and the yakisoba. 200 mini-cakes were delivered. i brought leche flan (which, i later learned was actually pudding). you can try your skill with the chinese paintbrush. and you can also wear a yukata. :)

everyone kept moving around. there were probably at least a hundred students there. some came in santa costumes with giant bags filled with sweets.props to the cute reindeer and snowman costumes. there were also guys who looked pretty good in a girl's kimono... *toink* and, hmmm..my gulay, i am so bad at bingo.

the best part of the day would be, the fact that after that day, it was winter vacation already. :)

mY TMS aDvEnTuRe! (11.11.07)

drum roll please!

'Welcome to the 40th Tokyo Motor Show'

that says it all. *-*

check out the new mini cooper. think 'italian job'. *kilig* and dont forget to scrutinize the concept cars. as the TMS tagline goes:

the future is here.

My pLaCe ^-^

to entice people to get here already, haha :P kidding ^-^ im posting pictures of my mansion here.

it's a one bedroom unit with a dining kitchen area. it has a built in shoe rack, standard sink, top shelves, bathtub and an oshi-ire (japanese closet for futons). it's definitely smaller than my room at home, but barely (if you exclude 3/4 of my walk-in closet, its just about the same size). it's 2/5 of the burgundy dorm. it's 4/5 of an ateneo CTC classroom. see, there's plenty of space for a house guest :P

anyway, ive got a microwave oven (denchi renji) and a small refrigerator. i have a pan, but i dont have a stove though (wish i did, but no space either >.<). my room has 2 tables, 1 book shelf, 1 bed and 1 cabinet. i got two carpets because the floor really is just too cold. ive got pink curtains and pink bed sheets. ive got 3 pillows on my bed (which is napaka-kulang para sa akin huhuhu), my teddy bear, my snoopy book and my hiragana fairy tales book. my bedside has my treasure chest *love*, my alarm clock (naka-auto snooze setting na yung kamay ko sa umaga huhu), tissue paper and pocket organizer filled with a ballpen, my hairclip, cellphone and usb cables. finally, i have my piano. ^-^ it does seem like an impusle buy, but if you really think about it... it's something ive longed for for 5 years. ^-^

mY jApAn AdVeNtUrE wItH mY fAmILy (07.09.29~10.04)

September 29
first thing i looked for.. does it smell like japan? it does. it is japan. After getting off the bus, we got a taxi and went straight to my mansion. we had dinner at the most expensive Sushi place i've ever eaten.. PhP11,200.00 just to feed 6 people. we all went to the hotel at Shinagawa (40minutes away from my place). and later, my mom, my sister and i went to the mansion to sleep there.

September 30
we woke up and find out we had no heater. so, the three of us went to the hotel to shower. haha :P we had lunch at one of the top floors of the hotel.. and then karaoke! my dad got super drunk that he had to go sleep at 5 in the afternoon. so, my mom, my sister and i went to akihabara to get home supplies but eventually ended up back in shinjuku. my mom left us there.. so it was just me and my sister :P we went to Don Quijote that night with Mr. Ando.

October 01
when we all met up at the hotel, my dad had business at Yokohama and the three of us left for shopping. we went to discount stores, then, dinner was at the hotel again, with my aunt Kimie. since my sister had stuff to attend to, i went home alone. first time i spend alone at the mansion.

October 02
i went to school with Papa to meet up with the sensei who's been helping me. my mom waited for a Tokyo Gas representative to fix the heater. we went to Don Quijote again. When my mom and sister left, I bought my ref and oven range.

October 03
placement day has arrived. they sent me to room 301 and i waited for 1.5 hours. no one came. what happened is they assigned me to the wrong room. haha anyway, the actual exam started after lunch and i was assigned to the wrong room. in the end, i was redirected to the interview section. luckily enough.. he told me i didn't have to take the test! *yey* that night, we all went for yakiniku. that night, i got 7 hugs from papa.

October 04
my family was set to leave for the Philippines today. my classes were in the afternoon so i was able to get to the hotel with 3 hours to spend with my family. we had Nagasaki food - Champon and Sara Udon. :P later that day.. i had my first Japanese-style mcdo haha. oh, at school, i was reassigned to the wrong class again. to the wrong room. again. when the reassigned me, *surprise* the guy who interviewed me was my adviser. small world. :P

mY bIrThDaY tReAt (09.28.07)

after a day of failed attempts.. we still didn't get to leave. so.. on the 28th of september..

i started my day by rebooking our flight. i got home and found marj with backup copies of my surprise videos *thank youuu! i still haven't watched them huhu no pc >.<* later, after a no-go sign from immigration, my dad and i ended up in a ramen house. haha

on the way home.. i texted people for my first real birthday treat in my life. hihi and i found out from queenie that elliot yamin was coming to Alabang Town Center that night. and so.. i crashed at marj's and coerced her to coming with me and set off for ATC. it was the best mini-concert ever. we met with queenie, quina and meggy. myrella came afterwards. we decided to go to California Pizza Kitchen for my birthday treat. and behold.. jomel stops by! and so.. kain kain kain kami. 2 pizzas.. 2 salads.. 1 pasta.. and 2 desserts later.. we're full to bursting. haha

we all went our separate ways. and come midnight, i didnt have a cake left in the fridge so i just took two slices of watermelons and plopped by birthday candles from my 12th birthday celebration. i kept it all these years, and i guess there are some childhood thoughts that really do come true. :)

i want to thank everyone who came. elliot, thank you for singing to me. jomel, thank you for flashing me those brilliant dimples. marj, thank you for staying sane for me for the past 3 months. queenie, thank you for keeping my faith alive. xanne and nhai, thank you for giving me the chance to experience the positive in my life before i left and sharing that experience with both of you- dancing. my, thank you for being very supportive and being so preppy that having you around is always a joy. and, thank you quina and meggy for just being there on my special day. :)