birthday wantlist

It's my birthday on Sunday, Dec. 3, and I will be celebrating it with a big bang—"Reming," a typhoon of "Milenyo" proportions is expected to hit the country today till the weekend. Classes in all levels were suspended today in anticipation of the storm. So there, happy birthday week to me.

My birthday had been rainy for the last couple of years. Two years back, I spent my birthday eve chasing rockstars, covering the NU107 Rock Awards during the typhoon "Yoyong." Last year, "Terno Au go go" at Cubao X was canceled due to heavy rains. This year, I plan to spend my birthday proper at home with my family, since I have tons of Christmas parties/reunions lined up till the end of the month.

I'll have my braces removed soon, and will wear retainers for one more year.

I am now Large from XL and XXL.

I'm kinda under the weather lately (a li'l pun intended), maybe this is pre-birthday blues. I don't think this is quarter-life crisis since I don't think I'll live until 100.

Rainy days and Mondays and Willie Revillame always bring me down.

So let me have this dream wishlist. A list of stuff I want (not need). I have no plans of getting old or looking old but I have all intentions of growing up. And when I grow up I want to be a woman of leisure, maybe it's not too late to be a Hilton. Pwede ba, sawa na kong maging profound, maybe it's time to be a bimbo Kitten. Here are some things I've been lusting after. Because I'm not that easy to satisfy.

BAGS:

I'm crazy about bags. Be it a weave from 168 in Divisoria or patent leather Tod's, bags make me happy. Just don't give me a knock-off LV.

This little pink purse is just so lovely. Nakaka-inlove.

I'm currently obsessed with Chanel. Blame it on the complimentary magazines in the office. I have a small white Chanel purse but big black Chanel bags make me drool.

I've been looking for a green leatherette Lacoste bag but it's already among the discontinued items. They have newer models like this but it's cloth. My old bag is still ok, and it's waterproof and almost dirt-proof. I couldn't say the same with this one, though. But if I can have this, I'll probably be won't devas in a month even with PMS. And oh, I want all colors of Lacoste basic tees, too.

Ah, a Lacoste luggage set. I'll probably sleep with these babies once I get them. Roxy luggage sets rock as well.

I want a new badminton bag since my old one's strap gave way. I carry so many things during badminton day that even L complains when he carries it. The problem, though, is this lazy Kitten hardly plays any sport now, hehe. I wonder if they have this in hot pink.

SHOES:

I saw this in the Adidas shop in Greenbelt3 but didn't buy it 'cause I thought it was too expensive at P4,000. When I got back, it was sold out. I've searched for it in Shoe Salon and other Adidas branches but they don't have it anymore. I still dream about it till now.

Boots! They're so sexy. Feeling ko 24 ang bewang ko when I wear nice boots. This one is from Janeo, I dunno if it's comfortable, though.

This one is from Zara, I think. I haven't bought a single Zara item here 'cause I'm lucky to have a cousin in London who's my size and sends me Zara stuff. She got me a a pair of Prada trainers and knee-high Nine West soft-leather boots but both were too small. Sniff.

If you happen to see someone in Pasong Tamo wearing these boots, it might just be me. Boots are too seasonal in this tropical country. But since I'm practically reared in office air-conditioning, I could wear these on cold months. Wag lang sanang uulan. These Baby Phat stilleto boots are made more beautiful because of the cat logo.

KITTEN/CAT COLLECTION:

Any item from Baby Phat is sure to make me giddy because it has a cat logo! This pendant reminds of the Kitten Swarovski pendant I got from 168 but eventually lost. Sigh.

There goes the dog tag with a cat for a Kitten. Nice no? I've been meaning to buy a dogtag but can't find a design I like.

This CD holder could also double as a purse just enough for a compact powder, lip gloss, cell phone and coin purse.

TOPS:

This top from T-shirt Hell pretty much says it all.

Wear this tank in party where your most rotten ex and his current squeeze is. Flaunt it while singing "Doncha," do a cartwheel sabay split.

"It's not PMS, it's you." The perfect top if you are feeling extremely anti-social. Guaranteed that no one will talk to you, not even your boyfriend.

OTHERS:

Of course, I'd kill for a  date with Cindy Kurleto. Or maybe I want TO BE Cindy Kurleto. She's a goddess. I'm also getting into another bout of groupiehood with Gabby Alipe of Urbandub who's reportedly single now. Tsk, too bad I' taken.
 A spotless mind
 A not-so-bumpy relationship with my beau
 40 pounds less
 A waist
 A better job
 TRAVEL!
 Havaianas (not Havanas, Hawaianas, Habananas)
 A spa package
 lingerie, nightwear, satin PJs
 Write more
 Write prose again
 A large black watch
 A Tim Yap watch (yes, I want that one!)
 Accessories: earrings, bangles, luxe jewelries
 More books (Winterson, Kerouac, Gaiman, Hornby, Joaquin, Hagedorn, Cordero-Fernando); and hard-bound notebooks and multi-colored gel pens
 More CDs (Drip, Chilitees, classic Eraserheads [I've lost my tapes], Smashing Pumpkins, Silverchair, Soundgarden)
 A new cell phone (I dropped mine into pieces, I'm using my old phone that's why I hardly text)
 A kick-ass laptop
 Good health for me and my family
 More Sundays with my nephew, Weiland
 World-peace, really.

FAQ

I'm used to asking L weird questions like: "Am I still your Kitten if I hit 200 lbs?" "Kelan kaya tayo maghihiwalay?" "Love mo ko?" "Pano kaya kung ako ung Omen?" "Have you eaten a frog?"

Depending on his mood and the time of day, he laughs or shrugs it off, or answers me like he would a child.

I ask him silly questions ALL the time, but the most recurring FAQ is: "Bakit mo ko love?"

Whenever I wanna be sweet, I wanna piss him off, or run out of questions, I'd ask him why loves me. I do that practically whenever I have nothing else to say. There was even a time when I'd follow up all his "I love yous" with "Why?" I could be that irritating.

But I've been forever asking because he NEVER answers me.

Often, he'd say: "There's no reason. There shouldn't be one. Because if there are particulars it wouldn't be love. Say, if I tell you I love you because you're pretty or passionate or caring or smart; once you lose any of those, then it would mean I don't love you anymore."

Weh. NOT valid. Fine, he gives me an answer but it doesn't suffice. He gives that reply ALL the time, too. That's kulitan to you.

I've been asking that question for nine months, dude. And it's about time the due date comes.

After a long day and an equally long emo talk, we're making out, er, making up again. As we're standing in my room, he wrapped his arms around my waist, hugged me tight and said: "I love you, baby."

I asked, playfully grinning: "Why?"

He looked deep into my eyes and said: "Because you make me happy. I am most happy whenever I'm with you. Masaya ako lagi 'pag kasama kita."

I wept because, finally, I found an answer. A moment ago I was contemplating if we'd rather remain friends and start seeing other people. He said it's my call, but he insisted that he won't date until I find someone who'll take care of me. "I want to see my Kitten happy first," he said.

So there, I guess I'd be his kulit, kulot Kitten for as long as I could make him laugh and giggle like hell.

Photo by Joel Nito of AFP

vice mayor pacquiao?

By now even my cat knows that Manny Pacquiao boxed out Erik Morales' career. The hero of the masses was today given a befitting hero's welcome and I accidentally witnessed first-hand the Pacquao fever.

I was watching my 11-am Koreanovela ("Yellow Handkerchief," the only soap I followed since "Mara Clara." It interested me because  the lead guy was a such an arrogant dickhead) and Pacquiao news cut it off.

GMA-7 showed Pacman being mobbed in Tondo. Everyone wanted a hand shake, a photo, a hug, and a kiss. He paraded around dingy Manila in high noon, waving at adoring fans. The dude was a rockstar.

News said he will will pass by our street so I anticipated heavy traffic and geared up earlier for work.

So I boarded a jeepney to Makati and lo! Halfway through my trip, I was stuck in traffic because Pacman's entourage is apparently passing by the opposite lane. Traffic wasn't stalled, but my jeepney driver chose to park on the sidewalk for a while to see the People's Champ.

It was a long political parade. Starting off with security men in big bikes and patrol cars; a truck with the emcee and a musiko; and a politician in a fire-engine red polo waving from a top-down. I wouldn't be suprised if this aspiring congressman would explode in flames since his shirt is practically a major heat conductor under that sun.

I thought of only two things at that time: 1. sana hindi ako ma-late; and 2. sana nag-sunblock sila. All of these alipores were wearing "Ali Atienza" T-shirts, by the way.

Then came Pacquiao's brother in the first "float" which we thought was Manny. Sabi ng katabi kong jologs: "Baket di nya kamukha?" I told him: "Eh kase hindi naman sha yun."

Then came Manny, finally. The crowd swarmed around him but were not as wild as those in Tondo as shown on TV. People were waving Pacman posters which were probably picked from the nearest suking tindahan. Those are easy to score now since Pacquaio is advertising everything.

I wouldn't be surprised kung pati FEMININE WASH, i-endorse na nya.

The moment Pacquiao won the third match against poor Mexican Morales, I thought it'll be Manny Pacquiao on TV 24/7. More guestings and endorsements are sure to follow on top of what he has now.

Let me quote Francis:
"The ring sensation inked a two-year dead with Nike, lining up alongside athletic greats Maria Sharapova, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Michael Jordan, Rafael Nadal and Michelle Wie... With all the brands making his boxing shorts looking like a stretch of Edsa dotted with billboards, where in the world are they going to stitch the Swoosh on?"

He covered Pacquiao's two latest fights and texted me the results as soon as the battles were over, thus, making me a Spoiler. On the second fight, I texted everyone about the results, tapos bumili ko ng yosi sa tindahan at sinabi sa kanilang lahat na 'wag na silang manood kase panalo na. Besides, two hours delayed naman yung sa TV.

On the third fight, I read his text an hour late since I fell asleep. And GMA-7 already announced that the match was over after three rounds. Take that, ABS-CBN. Sila na ang spoiler.

L had been begging me on both events NOT to inform him of the outcome. I granted him that one.

The former bakery assistant's victory parade ended in security trucks plastered with pigs' feed banner and more men in "Ali" shirts. Pacman is speculated to run as Manila vice mayor and I pray to high heavens that he won't. Manila has enough artistas already. Our mayor even has his own weekly drama on TV for crying out loud!

I first heard of Ali from Maw who works for a BIG money-oriented half-and-half (half-goverment, half-private) agency. She said way back that some dude, a son of the mayor, was hitting on her. That was Ali, who bought a BMW from her then boyfriend (now husband) but allegedly wasn't able to pay for it. The car was returned to the owner because of that bungled deal.

Maw also told me around two or three years ago that come 2007, Sen. Alfredo Lim, former Sen. Ping Lacson, and former First Lady Imelda Marcos would run as Manila mayor.

I told her that chika was all blather. Turned out that as early as 2003, nililigawan na nila yung BIG half-and-half for election funds.

Good thing sonofabitch Sen. Imee Marcos confirmed that Borgy Manotoc  is NOT running in place of Imelda. 'Cause, really, I still coulnd't imagine Tim Yap hosting our barangay fiesta.

'wasak na wasak'

Now let me be a fangirl for a while. Here's "Wasak na Wasak," the latest video from the Radioactive Sago Project off a yet-to-be-finished album.

I had "Confessions of an Ex_groupie" published in a newspapers' "What's It's Like" issue, and a common friend said it was read by Lourd AND his girlfriend. And they read it a day before a Sago gig which I watched with friends.

We all shared the same table in Saguijo.

Francis introduced me to Lourd's girlfriend and he said she was somewhat "cautious" when she found out that I'm "ex_groupie." He assured her, though, that I'm not a psycho: "Ok yan, mabait yan. Bata pa lang sha non."

Apparently, that was THE NIGHT before I told L my own "confession" and I was soooo agitated that even a Sago gig can't keep me calm. I was marathon-smoking and downed one beer after another. I was shaking. I was wasak na wasak.

Francis thought it was because he introduced me to Lourd's girlfriend and told Alex: "Hala, dapat yata hindi ko na sha pinakilala dun sa girlfriend ni Lourd." 

Gee.

I left Saguijo dazed that July night, waving goodbye to Lourd's beloved. She's waved back, smiling. Lourd beso-ed me goodbye, too. My friends and I headed to KFC for post-midnight snacks. And the next day I was able to relay my highly disturbing "confession" to L which left him wasak na wasak for days.

Of course, L and I are still together. Lourd and his girl are still together. Francis and my friends (I think) are  doing quite ok, too. We all still have our wasak na wasak moments which had a number of spin-offs—like the office alchol festival called Wasakan Nights that I'll be attending soon.

Pano ba yan Francis, hanggang dalawang beer na lang ako ngayon? Matured na ko eh, tsk.

gonuts begone

The first Krispy Kreme branch will open in The Fort on Nov. 30, and they sent two boxes of Original Glazed doughnuts in the office.

If it was a movie, we had an advanced screening. And it was a blockbuster.

It was heavenly. The doughnuts (I had two, straight up) were very soft, fluffy and fragrant. The glaze adds a touch of "crisp" to it.

(I would have said Krispy Kreme is "orgasm in a box" but L, my blog-censor, might have it edited out.)

Max's Fried Chicken brought these babies in the country and I remember my friends and officemates who used to hand-carry boxes of Krispy Kremes from the US and Canada. Well, there goes the novelty of the doughnuts.

Like the way Collete's Buko Pie, originally from Laguna, lost it's novelty when its branches sprouted all over: Tagaytay, Cavite, Bulacan, and even South Luzon Expressway (or is it North?).

Gonuts Donuts is said to imitate Krispy Kreme's "secret recipe" (a la Krabby Patty) and came up with Amazing Glaze which people used to line up for FOR HOURS in Gonuts' first branch at The Fort. I was addicted to Gonuts for some time, good thing I outgrew it after 20 pounds.

Now here comes Krispy Kreme. Damn.

Krispy Kreme IS better than Gonuts which, in the long run, have become oilier and sweeter making it nakakaumay. The bigger difference, though, is the price. Gonuts cost around P16-P20 each. Krispy Kreme sells for P30 each for the Original Glazed, and P38 each for the flavored ones.

I'm now on the last-leg of my Bread Pan stage, and I hope I won't relapse into another doughnut addiction.

L suggested Oishi Bread Pan (P4 for the small bag and P8 for the big) and I was hooked. I brought some in the office and they were hooked. I brought some in Sagada and I'm still to check if my friends were hooked. Kung pusher lang ako, mayaman na ko.

post-oktoberfest post

Pam has been campaigning for real beauty and her shirt reads: "A chubby girl can live large." I told her it should instead read: "A chubby girl grows up with big boobs."

This dude will be covering the coming Pacquiao event in the US and since he just got a Meebo, asking for a pasalubong couldn't be easier.

Me: Pare, good luck. Tsaka pasalubong ko ha. Gusto ko notebook.
F: Uhm, ok. Anong klase?
Me: Kahit ano basta hardbound.
F: Ay, akala ko APPLE.
Me: Papasalubungan mo 'ko ng Apple?
F: Tumigil nga yung heartbeat ko for 10 seconds kase 'di ko alam kung pano hihindi eh.
Me: Tapos nagtanong ka pa kung anong klase? Hehe.

He passed by my area now and I gave him a good-luck hug (napa-praning kase sha na ma-hold sa immigration or bumagsak yung plane). I reminded him of my notebook, sabi ko kahit hindi Apple. Kung tutuusin ayos na rin ung bagong Toshiba Satellite.

I've been having an upset tummy for days and it's killing me since I have a sturdy stomach. So sturdy that it only gets upset only once in two, even three years (my real problem is constipation, a mention of which reminds me of her). The company nurse scheduled me for check-up and I asked L to wake me up tomorrow morning.

Me: Bebe, gisingin mo ko ng maaga. I have to see a doctor na raw.
L: Aww. Yung Kitten ko pupunta sa VET.

I was sick that night but the fantasy of free-flowing beer was just too tempting. I left the house promising my mum I wouldn't drink but she said: "Pwede ba yun, eh Okotoberfest nga?" Well, we were Oktoberfest virgins, and we learned a few things that night in Metrowalk:

before

after

1. A few beer could "possess" my camera. Ruthie said of the "after" photo: "Para tayong nasa impyerno!"

after after

2. Draft beer and light beer doesn't have the same effect on everyone.
Allison asked me earlier that night: "Pareho lang ba yung effect ng draft at San Mig Light?" I told her draft beer is like Pale Pilsen and she could probably handle it.

Apparently, draft and Pale may be the same for most people, but not for her. That's floaty Alli in a "whatever" shot after three full cups of bubble-less draft beer.

3. Beer is love. We are magnificent camwhores that we'd hug this giant beer bottle in front of an amazed public.

4. Miko makes for a very good baggage counter. He carried all our bags while we were busy seducing the giant Pale Pilsen.

5. The last and most important thing we've learned na magagamit talaga natin sa pangaraw-araw na pamumuhay ay: Hindi lahat ng batchoy, may sabaw.

We had post-beer snack in this place which sells cheap, good barbeque meals. I was craving for something warm to ward off the chilly post-midnight breeze and scanned Yoo-hoo's menu.

Me: Yung batchoy ba may sabaw?
Ruthie: Ano ka ba, lahat ng batchoy may sabaw! (hysterically laughs)
Alli: Yung sa Lucky Me, 'pag wala pang tubig, walang sabaw!

She didn't have any memory that she said that, good thing Ruthie caught the dialogue in record. I swear, pati yung guard sa barbekyuhan natawa samin.