Random Blogging.

It's 3:30 in the afternoon on a Friday and surprisingly, I'm not that swamped with work like the past few days. Today, I am totally aware of the time -- which meant that I actually ate on time. When I got back to the office, not so much happening. I've a lot of things to write, yes, but nothing to stress about. It's actually rare that I get to be so...un-busy. Hehehehe.

So ok, here I am blogging. Looking over my shoulder from time to time, cautious that someone might see me logged in my Blogger account. Haha! I look at my to-do list for the day and five out of five things I list down I'll do have been highlighted, which means I have finally done the task. Wow! Seriously, I don't get to experience this often since I started working. Oh well, might as well enjoy the "free" time.

All right. We're about to end the second month of the year, and believe it or not, things are already going so much better than what I had planned it to be. I guess the realization just hit me when I got back from my trips to wherever. Haha! Two months in, and already I've made a lot of new friends, been to nine destinations already and have gone out with friends for four times. I'm loving it!

Work, as always, has been super hectic, of course. Lots of schedules, lots of interviews, lots of things to do. They say, it's all about time management. Well, as a dear friend once said, "It's not time management. It's the art of eliminating tasks." Thanks to him, I think I've gotten the hang of eliminating tasks. Hehehehe...

Now what? Well, ok...this may seem a little over-the-top, but in 53 days, I am celebrating my 24th birthday! Crazy, right? I admit it. But hey...I'm just really excited about turning a year older. There's something about turning 24 that makes me really ecstatic to celebrate. Like last year, I will be preparing a mini buffet for my officemates. Hehe. I already have a menu in mind but let me keep it to myself. I don't want to spoil the fun for my officemates.

When I turned 23 last year, I told everyone that it's the best -- and I do mean the best -- celebration so far! And I have this feeling that this year's going to be even better than the last. This early on, my mom has been telling me of her birthday wish for me. For some, you might know what that wish is already. For those who don't, just wait till it's my birthday. Then I'll tell you all about it. Hahahaha!

Let me take this time to express my gratitude to the blessings that have happened to me for the past two months. Some of the wonderful blessings I have received are:

1. Getting the DVD special collector's edition of one of my all time favorite movies, Forrest Gump ("Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.") -- I swear, this has got to be the most expensive gift I've gotten from anyone outside the family
2. Celebrating Mam Delza's and Ms. Mons' birthdays at Cafe La Carmela with the LEP and InFlight family (Yeah, it was definitely a blast!)
3. Pepper Lunch date with Jan and Det (The monthly bonding moments commence...when's our next date?) -- Who's next? Jan? Where to? Hehehe...
4. Bonding sessions with Alla and Euki (Let's get together as much as possible, all right? Hehehehe... you know I miss you terribly!) -- When's our next date, girls? Haha!
5. Lakbay Norte (This is one of the biggest highlights of my first two months in 2010! The best experience, so far!) -- I've gained new friends and I can't wait to see them soon. When's our next night out?
6. Getting free Starbucks drinks for two separate weeks (Oh I just love the iced soy caramel macchiatto!) -- Just before I went to participate in the Lakbay Norte media tour and just as I am about to go to another business trip, I am getting my favorite customized drink! Oh how wonderful it is to be a regular in Starbucks!

Yes, yes, yes! I am definitely one happy person. Hahahaha! Despite not celebrating Valentine's day (because I opted to celebrate Chinese New Year with the family), everything's great!

All right, it's time to go back to work.

Ciao!

My Pagsanjan Weekend Getaway

Ok. I have a feeling that I have to write something intellectual at this point -- given the whole situation with the passing of the former president Corazon Aquino. But bear with me for a moment. Let me share with you my experience with my friends last weekend when we went to Pagsanjan, Laguna.

I got the idea to go to Laguna when I wrote a news-feature on a newly-opened bed & breakfast in Pagsanjan.I was so intrigued by it that I talked my friend (and my food buddy) Emzi into coming with me. She was so excited that she brought along her friend, Angge. It was decided then -- August 1-2, the three of us will go and stay in Villa Doña Luisa and see what Pagsanjan has to offer.

August 1

We met up at the Green Star bus terminal at 9:30AM. Although it was just then that I had met Angge, it was like we've known each other for a while. It was pretty easy for us to get along, we do share something in common -- food. Our journey begins, and so does our non-stop conversations on random things.

After 5 hours of rain, a bus ride, 3 jeepney rides and a free tricycle ride, Emzi, Angge and I finally reached our destination: Villa Doña Luisa in Hocson corner Garcia Street, Pagsanjan, Laguna. We were all very happy and very excited. There we were -- 3 young travelers, hungry, tired, but still ready to explore! We got there, greeted by the administrator in charge, Tita Aileen. She even gave us a tour of the place. It was absolutely wonderful. Like a home away from home. We entered the Luisa Room, which is actually the Master's bedroom there. The vibrant colors simply took my breath away! I was very happy!

After putting our stuff down, we ate a very late lunch. Chopsuey! I loved it! Simply because it was truly lutong bahay. Before going out, my friends and I talked about how we were going to go about the rest of the day. Yes, even the rain wasn't going to hinder us from our adventure!

Upon leaving the bed & breakfast, Emzi, Angge and I just went where our feet would take us. It was like seeing things during the colonial times. The roads, the old-fashioned homes (most particularly the ancestral home of Don Porong Ejercito), the church, the very delicious foods! Everything was just beautiful.

We ate dinner at Dura-Fe Restaurant. Surprise, surprise! We thought we were ordering a la carte; lo and behold, everything we ordered was good for 3-4 people. But hey, we're food lovers, we ate and ate and ate until there was nothing left to eat.

Hehehe. Afterwards, we went to Emma's Kakanin, where we bought so many delicacies. We were even fortunate to meet Lola Emma, who began her kakanin business when she was still 15. More than 6 decades later, I can honestly say, she makes some of the most delicious delicacies!

That wasn't enough, of course. We were intrigued by this place called "Aling Taleng's Halo Halo Since 1933." So we braved the heavy rains and went there. Their halo-halo was really one of the best halo-halos I've ever had! From what I could savor, the ingredients were kaong, tubo, mongo beans, leche flan, macapuno and kondol. Oh! And their milk! Yummy! I can honestly say, your Pagsanjan visit wouldn't be complete if you haven't tried their halo-halo.

We went back to Villa Doña Luisa around 8:00 in the evening. Yes, it was still raining. Walking back to our place, the streets were practically empty, except maybe for a couple of drivers here and there. We didn't mind people were looking at us because we were walking in the rain without our umbrellas.

When we got back to our room, we each took a shower, hopped onto bed and watched television until we slept.

August 2

I woke up at 7:30 in the morning. My sleep was so heavenly. It was just relaxing! I love that feeling of peace when waking up. Emzi and Angge were already awake. I guess I'm just too tired from work the past week that I slept the whole night through.

We only had a few hours left before we go back to Manila so the three of us ate breakfast (once again, delicious lutong bahay), fixed all our stuff and went to the ancestral house next door. Hehehe...our last minute camera-tripping! Around 1:00 in the afternoon, we went to the Green Star bus terminal and head home.

Yey! Such a wonderful weekend!

Next stop: Davao!