Sigurado akong alam nyo kung saan mula ang mga parisukat sa larawan ko.

Sa panahon ngayon, pang-araw araw na nating ginagamit ang mga ito.

 

We’re having a boy.

We learned last week that our wee one will be a boy, and we’re excited beyond words. We didn’t really have any preference; for as long as the baby’s healthy, we’ll be happy with whatever we’re blessed with. Families and friends who’ve seen me are certain that I’m having a girl; when I first learned of the pregnancy, I checked a chinese calendar and it said I had a good chance of having a girl at this point; I had a dream that I was having a girl. So since everyone pretty much ingrained it in us that we’ll be surrounded with the color Pink in the days to come, I was convinced we we’re having a girl.

And quite frankly, (feeling) pretty pa din ako, kaya feeling ko, girl nga! I jest, I jest.

As if my imagination hasn’t run wilder than an unbridled horse on a field, I envisioned her wearing Wellies for Spring and Uggs for Winter. I imagined her being a Broadway child performer just like the little girl in Les Miz. Yikes.

But a boy it is! We’re just as, if not more excited. Now my imagination has J running the green lawn of a park with a little boy in tow, pulling his little shorts up as he run; of this boy carting a Radio Flyer wagon with a puppy (and, hopefully, some books) on board. Aah yes, excitement is such an understatement.

No thanks to American Airlines, our short trip to Chicago for the weekend is cancelled. Grabe, gustung-gusto ko nang kurutin ng pinung-pino yung agent na kausap ko kanina. Maliban sa monotone yung boses nya (nakakairita!), wala daw siyang makitang return flight after 6am nung tina-try ko ipa-reschedule for next week, kahit hanggang June daw. Hello? Eh katitingin ko lang sa website sandamakmak yung return flights from Chicago - NY, a two-hour flight, walang makita? Distansyang Baguio - Manila ba ‘to? Tapos nung sinabi ko yung nakita ko sa website, sabi nya, hindi daw yun updated. Gusto kong sabihin sa kanya, “Gaga ka ba?” Pero ang sinabi ko na lang, ”This is crazy!” (Naks). Paanong di updated eh unang-una, misleading yun. Pangalawa, several people do their domestic reservations online, paanong di updated? Pagkatapos, pina-hold ako, after a minute, mayamaya biglang nagbusy yung signal at nawala. Grrr. Gusto kong manapak.

Putreska. Mapapa-anak ako nito eh.

Bagamat hindi isang ‘true triangle’ ang pyramid dahil ang base nito ay parisukat, tatlo naman ang sulok ng bawat side kaya marahil ay pasado na din ang aking lahok para sa linggong ito.

Ito ang Pyramid sa harap ng Louvre Museum.

Ayon sa wikipedia, itinayo daw ito para malunasan ang problema sa entrance ng museum dahil sa dami ng mga bumibisita. Maraming kontrobersya ang bumabalot sa pagtayo nito, isa na ang urban legend na nagsasabing anim na daan, animnapu’t anim na salamin daw ang bumubuo ng naturang pyramid. Alam nyo na ang ibig sabihin nyan. Matatandaan din na kamakailan lamang, ang tanyag na landmark na ito ay kumalap muli ng kontrobersya dahil sa nobela ni Dan Brown na Da Vinci Code.

Isang napakagandang lugar na pasyalan, lalo na kung Biyernes ng gabi, dahil late silang nagsasara at mas mura ang entrance fee. Opo, kuripot ako.

~~~

This is the Pyramid in Louvre Museum.

According to Wikipedia, the pyramid was created to resolve the issues of the main entrance due to the enormous number of visitors in the museum. The Pyramid was surrounded with controversy, one of which is an urban legend that said six hundred sixty six glass panes were used to build this. More recently, this famous landmark spurred more controversy when Dan Brown incorporated it into his novel, The Da Vinci Code.

A great place to visit, especially on Fridays when they open late and admission fee is cheaper.

Before the week goes any further, thought I’d let those interested know that Spa Week is on April 14-20, where you can avail of $50 spa treatments from selected establishments in some cities, and most seem to be reputable places. Go have a massage! a facial! a foot spa! pamper yourself! It’s not everyday we get services like these err, cheap this side of the world.

–

Okay. Again, going back to the blog stats issue, someone’s been searching for an “Asian Spa with Happy Ending in NYC” and it lead to this page. Umm. Eww?

Sometimes -on Mondays usually- when I am the first person to get to an elevator bank at work, I intentionally press the Close Door button even though I know people are standing only a few feet from the door and are scrambling to get in. I just need that few seconds of silence before I go up the jungle of another work week.

Para sa unang entry ko sa LP, ang napili ko ay ang larawan na ito na kuha mula sa isang kasal na in-attendan namin noong June 2006 sa Laguna Beach, CA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parang bilog, paikot-ikot lang ang panahon. At sa mga panahon na ito, nagpapakitang gilas na ang init at sinag ng araw, hudyat na Tagsibol na muli.

I could’ve sworn I didn’t remove my left contact lens but it’s nowhere to be found, and now my left eye hurts like hell because of overt prodding. I wonder if there’s any recorded casualty for this type of situation.

It’s a little self-serving, but as soon as I log in to this account the first thing that I do is check the blog stats. I’m a creature of habit, and it’s one of those things I’ve automatically come to do, even though I don’t pay much attention to what it’s saying. Anyway, I log in today and saw the following key words that lead to my blog as a result:

Apparently, someone’s been searching for siopao bola bola around here. Listen, if you do find a place where siopao is to die for in NYC, please, let me know. The closest taste to the ones I’m accustomed to is from Mei Lai Wah at Bayard St. in Chinatown, so spread the love and good cheer when you (yes, you searcher you!) come across one.

I wish I can tell you I’ve been busy with many amazing adventures hence the lack of update. Truthfully, I’ve been bitten by the lethargy bug and have become a mere spectator in the blogosphere in the last couple of weeks. I try not to go online whenever I get home from work, and I must admit it’s a tad comforting that I no longer obsess (that much) about missing a post or a chism here and there. For a while back, I’ve been so consumed with reading about other people’s lives it’s eerily, err, stalker-ish.

On the baby front, my belly’s getting rounder! I used to conceal the bump with empire cut tops because I kind of looked like I just had a heavy meal when I wore a slightly tight one, but I now carry it proudly, and daintily, I might add. I’m a little bit concerned that I don’t seem to be gaining that much weight and except for the bump and perhaps a nose rounder than my already round schnozz , I think I’m still tiny for almost 5 months. The doc says things are well so I’m working my way around the ‘no need to worry’ part.

A few nights ago, I awoken to what seemed like a couple of pokes on my belly. I thought it was J so I didn’t pay much attention to it. When I asked him the following morning, he said he didn’t do poking of any sorts (now, don’t get any ideas…). Then when I was on the train to work the other day I felt something again, but this time it kind of felt like major bubble action inside my belly. I didn’t want to think the baby’s kicking already (baka kasi OA lang), but I read that around this time, faint movements are to be expected. I feel movements when I’m more relaxed, and let me tell you, it’s a weirdly amazing experience. I can’t wait until this kid does major sommersaults so J can finally feel it too. He thinks I’m just making it up, but I think he’s just jealous/sourgraping because I know better. We will know the gender in a couple of weeks and we’re excited beyond words.

I guess  that’s a good dose of make-up entry. If you’ve made it this far, yay! I’m looking forward to a warmer temp in our area, I’d like to get my ass out and do major park-walking, hopefully my entries wouldn’t come so few and far between.

My brother and his family just got back from Manila a couple of days ago, and while I look forward to their stories and pictures, I’m 5x happier because they were able to sneak bring in 10, yes, 10 Kowloon House Siopao bola bola, about 5 bags of vacuum-packed bagnets, 3 bags of vacuum-packed Vigan longganisa, 1 can of burong mangga, 3 canisters of Picnic Ketchup Fries and an SM grocery bag full of my favorite chichirya and pastillas. Heheheeee.

I would have requested them to throw in a few orders of Siomai with bottled chili garlic but that might be pushing it a little bit.

We just saw Avenue Q on Broadway earlier, and what can I say, I’ve never seen a production that has two puppets fornicating in bed. If that doesn’t give you an idea how riotous this musical is, then I don’t know what does.

A humorous take on unemployment, Schadenfraude, racism and homosexuality, the play is a must-see. Forget about bringing your kids; though it is an homage to Sesame Street, it just isn’t cut for their viewing. Do expect to laugh out loud.

This would’ve been my Lasang Pinoy 24: Loco over Coco entry, but my mind refuses to cooperate and I couldn’t come up with a coherent entry. Anyway, it must be said that any viand with coconut milk is a sure hit for me, and the spicier it is, the better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Wednesday, I only had a half hour to prepare dinner since *ehem* I’ll be watching American Idol, so this came about. Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw paired with Pritong Tilapia at Kamatis is as effortless as it is delicious!

Recipe after the cut

Bide away time and help end world hunger, one word and twenty grains at a time.

So I just heard that Swing Out Sister will be performing in Manila soon. Nakakainis naman. I love this duo so much that in 5th grade my monito-monita code name was (surprise, suprise) Swing Out Sister. I prayed hard that my then-crush would pick out my name because for sure he would know that it was me and it could’ve been the start of a Fifth Grade Love Affair.

Alas, he didn’t “get” me. By the end of the year I punched him in the face and I cried my way home and that was the end of it.

Kaleidoscope World is probably my most played out cd of all time. SOS is high up there with EBTG in my music list.

Now, where in the world must I go to watch them? I think I need some sort of closure. Hehe.

I knew there was a reason why I haven’t had tacos in a long while or why I almost never order them.

You would think I remember. But no, two goddamned beef tacos had to remind me today.

I’m hit with tons of deadlines to meet this week and the coming weeks at work, hence the lack of entry. By the time I get home and the weekends come around, I’m so beat. Not that you’re missing anything because things are pretty much same old, same old. Sisingit lang ako (Jen, still here!).

Earlier, I was having a conversation with this person and I kind of casually mentioned that I was expecting. He was happy for me, blah blah blah, so I’m like, yeah we’re very happy too. I thought I said I resolve to be healthy all throughout the pregnancy, but looking back, what I said may have come off as something like; this is the only time I’ve had a healthy disposition in life, which probably meant more like, I’m so happy now because I’m finally out of a negative vortex, of a depressive rut. Gahd. I don’t think talking to him and saying, “Remember when we had that conversation and I said that…that’s not really what I meant” would help me any at all. Ack. There goes another one of my putting foot in mouth moments.

I just went out for lunch and it was snowing a little bit. I know I complain a lot when there’s blizzard and yucky slush all over but when you’re walking down the streets with light snow swiftly grazing your eyelashes, and when you look around and the surrounding looks like a scene from a Christmas movie, it kind of makes you feel tingly happy.

Tom Brady can now kiss Gisele’s Manning’s ass.

Photo cred: Getty Images

For about five minutes, over 200 Improv Everywhere agents stopped in their tracks at the Main Concourse in Grand Central Station in NYC. Watch the “unfrozen” ones’ reactions!

via Chuvaness.

Awoooooo! I’m still here, just watching from the sidelines. Contrary to the past few days, I feel ‘up and about’ this evening. Perhaps it’s because of the fact that when I left the office at 5pm, I can still see the sun as I walk down Wall Street. It’s not so gloomy anymore, though the forecast did say we are up for another cold week. I’ll take any sunshine at this point.

We were having dinner of corned beef with patatas (Mia, now I got why your post was titled that. Hehe.) and rice when I bit my lips at least three times. A boy once told me I eat like I’m jumping… like, I’m excited for that one bite, and the bite after it. I don’t know, other than my overbite, does that really explain anything?

I haven’t listened to any form of music lately, everything just sounded different and the same all at once so I just stopped listening. On the train ride home I read a Club 8 album review so I immediately looked it up at iTunes. I haven’t heard them in such a long time and listening to their songs again felt what seemed like a soothing balm for my senses. I guess on most occasions when things get rough and chapped it only takes so much as one gentle swoop to get it right again.

Did you know Celine Dion’s son and I share the same birthday?

*dead silence*

Uh.

Yeah, I thought so too. Just thought I’d let it out there.

The winter season is truly living up to its reputation around here lately. The temperature hovers between the 15-35 degree mark, and I suppose the colder it gets, the more lethargic people (well, I) can get. Weekends found me bumming around the house wrapped in a blanket as I eat and watch trash on tv. Life truly is a pigsty, Morrissey.

~

This would probably come out as an excuse, but I guess pregnancy brings about weird and strange things in a woman’s appetite. Then again, it could just be me. I do try to eat healthy but often times I find myself queueing for a chicken sandwich and onion rings at Burger King. Or, like today, I went to one of those per pound buffet places and got lo mein and shrimp tempura so I can just stick to an Asian palate. But when I saw the macaroni and super gooey cheese I couldn’t turn my back on it, so I placed a big heaping on my plate, along a dakot of curly fries. So much for Asian grease. I was very conscious about eating lunch on my desk because I didn’t want people to see that I’m eating cheese flavored lo mein. Hmm. Really strange.

~

I recently got in touch with someone I used to be very close with. I sent her my well wishes in the beginning of the year and she replied with what I thought to be a really genial message. We had a falling out years ago and it pained me we had to go through that. She and I were closer than my sister and I were ever before and I admittedly couldn’t sleep the other night because I’m trying to figure out the sudden change of… ah, I don’t know. Perhaps I should stop trying to make sense of intangible things. I know it will never be the same between us but I’d like to be able to know what’s going on with her life without having to watch every word I have to say, just like we were when we thought all we had was each other. I hope that’s not asking for too much.