Sex and the City

Couldn't I have come up with a better title for this entry? Maybe. But it's just that--it's a Sex and the City entry/laud/testimonial (however late, sorry!).


Before the movie opened, I was a bit apprehensive. I couldn't decide whether to watch it or not. Would it give justice to the series that I loved so much? Would it give me the ending that I was hoping for?


The movie opened, and I decided, okay, I was gonna watch SATC the movie. I thought, I want to watch the movie on a time slot that wouldn't involve me standing in a long line for tickets, or grunting at noisy or distracting audience. I thought, why not watch when the cinemas open before lunch? Crazy, but yes, I was considering that.


And then I realized: why am I planning this alone? That was when it dawned on me: my SATC-fan friends were not with me. Ginny actually texted me a week before the opening that she couldn't come to Manila for the opening. Melvin was in Singapore. Camille was in the UK. John was...with Ryan.


Neil kindly volunteered to take me to the SATC show. He wasn't a fan and he didn't really watch the show, but because I loved it so much, he went with me. The downside of it was (no offense, Hun), I didn't have someone to gush with me with the flashing labels, or say "aaawwww" with me on Carrie's "moments". And then, five hours after, I got a text message from Cam about the movie, saying that it was the perfect ending to our favorite show, and that she missed me. I missed her! A few weeks after, John and I also exchanged text messages on the movie (and even related the characters to ourselves, hahaha!).


Indeed, I liked the movie, even if some didn't. I liked that Samantha ended up ending her exclusive relationship with Smith, or Charlotte getting pregnant (yes, miracles do happen), Miranda getting a divorce then getting back with Steve (it was soo Miranda anyway), and Carrie, ending up with Big.


I ended up watching (again) the last two seasons of the show, just to refresh me. And I realized, that even though I liked Aidan so much for Carrie, I would've really chosen (or married) Big over any other guy.


Sigh. I so love the SATC show (series and movie)!


P.S. Oh, one thing I just noticed while doing my reruns: Carrie kept using "...I couldn't help but wonder..." before typing in her "big" SATC question. Couldn't they have done other variations of that? ;p

Desperate for some me time!

My life has been a whirl since I last blogged here! Lemme see...last April I was a regular at the City Hall (kept going there, checking if Kaitlin's transmittal for her NSO-certified birth certificate was already available); last May I arranged Kaitlin's baptism and enrolled Lia in preschool. In between those months I was busy paying attention to the kids and the household, and paying the bills (Yup! I swear, I think that was the most constant thing I did. Aaaarrrggghhh.).


And now, it's June! Last Friday, I realized I've been stressed out too much. I desperately needed something for myself. Time? Clothes? Shoes? But no! I thought: Avenue Q! I needed something gay!!!


So I went to Ticketworld to buy myself (and my cousin) some tickets. I couldn't rely on Neil wanting to go, of course. Hahaha.


It's really true what they say. When you have kids, you barely have time for yourself! Well, I know I can make time for myself, but sometimes I just won't allow it (kids first, of course). So...am so looking forward to Avenue Q-ing. :)


Desperate for some me time? Gay time is me time! :)

Post-partum blues (not)


I have just given birth last month. A month before that, my father died. A week before his death, I was busy preparing for what could be the biggest step in our lives.


That was how my year started: with lots of stress. Someone commented on how bravely I was going through all these: "how can you handle these things?".


It wasn't as if I just breezed through them. Fresh from the Christmas rush (I was very pregnant and had to do the shopping for everyone), I had to do another very important thing in January that needed my full energy, lots of money (that meant bulk of our life savings), and my full concentration. Neil and I worked through the final step in one whole day, with me taking a leave from work to accomplish it.


We finished it on my father's birthday, January 22. Six days after, he passed away.


A month after, February 22, I gave birth to Kaitlin Ava. Underwent caesarian section.


Three "stressors" in just one quarter. "I could have died from stress," someone said to me.


I did submit myself to stress. Grief. Despair.


I stressed over our first task. But I chose to make tress a good thing because we finished it complete, and on our target date.


I grieved over my father's death. But I did not wallow in it, because I had already long forgiven him, and had no regrets with our relationship. We had exchanged text messages a week before he died, and it was a peaceful exchange. I dreamed about him, twice, and it wasn't grim at all. My heart wasn't heavy.


I underwent a painful surgery to bring forth Kaitlin Ava. But I recovered quickly, and stayed in the hospital for just about two days. I fought to purely
breastfeed her, ignoring others' comments that I should give her formula milk because she seemed "not to get enough milk" because of her constant feeding at my breast. I read and read about breastfeeding, and I alone encouraged myself. I know Kaitlin gets the milk that she needs. We're on our sixth week now and she's still purely breastfed.


I woke up today and wondered how I fought all these. And then I chanced upon Exie's blog and read about "The miracle of melancholia" by Eric Wilson (published on
the Los Angeles Times): "We need sorrow, constant and robust, to make us human, alive, sensitive to the sweet rhythms of growth and decay, death and life". I have
not been aware of sorrow's "benefits" until I have read this piece. And there's a mention of Joni Mitchell's take on gloom: she sees her sorrow as the "sand that
makes the pearl". Very well said, indeed.

Fedex SUCKS!

They do--big time.


Last week, Neil sent a package to his sister Sheila in the UK. It contained a Treo 680 and an iPod Touch 16GB--both units with their original boxes, accessories, manuals. Neil spent almost an hour at the Fedex branch to fill up the forms and monitor the packaging (the Fedex people were the ones who put the units in bubble wrap and they also created a customized box). He scrutinized every detail.


Two days after, Sheila sent a text message that she just got the package, and that she'll check it "later" because she was still at work. Neil and I marveled at how fast and efficient Fedex was.


Three minutes after we received Sheila's first text message, we got another one: the package was tampered, bubble wrap was a mess, and there were no units. What was in the package? Just the box of the Treo 680 and its manual and CD.


At first I thought it was a joke. We called her up, and indeed, there was no iPod Touch nor Treo 680 inside the package! According to Sheila, there was a hole at the bottom of the box, which was promptly covered by a Fedex sticker.


We immediately called Fedex's Customer Care number and reported the incident. The CC rep informed us that we can either claim the declared value that Neil put on the form, or request for them to look for the units.


We called up Neil's sister again to discuss the matter. We further found out that:

1. Sheila was not the one who "received" the package. Someone else did, and just handed the package to her after. Per Fedex policy, the package must be delivered to the recipient, and in case the recipient is not available, there should be an authorization letter from the recipient. Sheila did not authorize anyone to receive the package, but Fedex did not ask for the authorization letter, nor for Sheila, who was in the area anyway.
   
2. Upon confirmation with the Customer Care Rep, the declared value that was in their database was just half of the value which was on the form that Neil filled out! (Neil had to then scan and email the form which showed the full value.)
   

We decided that we will just claim the cost, because looking for the units seemed like a lost cause. Fedex said they will investigate, but they could not tell us their timelines nor assure us that we will indeed get our claim.


We never thought a thing like this could happen--with Fedex at that! :( Unbelievable. We've sent other packages to UK before, via our local post office, and they arrived intact!


So guys--extra caution and discretion when sending packages.


And wish us luck that we'll be able to get back what we've lost! :(

Want tickets to the Maroon 5 concert?

PULSE.Ph is giving away tickets to the Maroon 5 concert, happening this March 5, at the Araneta Coliseum! Here's how you can get the tickets for free:

1. Check out www.pulse.ph. If you're a member, sign in. If you're not a member, register (it's so easy!!!).
   
2. Click on the link for the Maroon 5 promo.
   
3. Upload your video of your best interpretation of any Maroon 5 song! It doesn't matter how you took it--via your mobile phone camera, digicam, webcam, etc.
   
4. Deadline of entries is on March 2. PULSE.Ph shall announce winners on March 3.
   
   

Tell your friends about it! :)

Second-time mom

Gave birth to Kaitlin Ava last February 22! Lia has a baby sister now, and Neil and I are proud second-time parents! :) (See my other blog, Mommy Matters, for the complete account of Kaitlin's childbirth! :) )

Across the Universe

We used to sing this, him and I. We'd alternate on the guitar. He'd go second voice on me, and I'd get lost. Jai guru deva om. Nothing's gonna change my world.

It was a comfort song. For me, it meant we could stay on and on like this forever. It was a moment, but for me it meant a lifetime. Nothing's gonna change my world. It was a moment, and I clung to it like anything. It was a moment, that at the back of my mind I knew would last soon because I only had my father for a few minutes or hours, but I stubbornly believed it was forever.

That is my fondest memory of my father. It was my fondest memory even when he was alive, because I could only have him for a few moments. It is my fondest memory of him now that he's passed away.

Yesterday, he died. The strange thing was, I dreamed about him yesterday morning. In my dream, he had his top off, and he was drunk. (I've never seen him drunk before!) He went to my (current) home, and demanded for the refrigerator. Refrigerator?! How stupid was that? In my dream, I told him off for coming drunk, and told him to leave. He left.

I woke up thinking about the dream. I was up for about an hour before I fell back into sleep again. Then last night, my half-brother called me up, saying that Papa had died of a heart attack--that morning.

I said to my half-brother that I'd just send up prayers, because I was sure I wasn't expected to be there (with them). He said okay, that he just wanted to let me know, and that he'll keep in touch.

I felt strange after hearing about Papa's death. I broke down in tears--but I wasn't sure if they were of grief. I couldn't feel that his life was such a loss. I couldn't feel that I missed him. I couldn't feel that I was losing a parent. I didn't know why I was crying. But the thoughts that ran through my mind, while I cried, were good memories of me and him. My chest didn't feel heavy as I wept. There wasn't any bitterness. What could I have been crying about?

I could have been weeping for the moments we spent--my forevers. And as short as those moments--or those forevers--were the moments I wept.

Remember me when I am gone away,

Gone far away into the silent land;

When you can no more hold me by the hand,

Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.

Remember me when no more day by day

You tell me of our future that you planned:

Only remember me; you understand

It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while

And afterwards remember, do not grieve:

For if the darkness and corruption leave

A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,

Better by far you should forget and smile

Than that you should remember and be sad.

-Christina Rossetti

So, Papa, this is really goodbye. But now I know this is a goodbye where I won't have to wait or wonder. And I'm okay with it.

And though I did not get to say this to you, thank you for giving me those moments.

Dazed during the holidays

As usual, we had the tour of South Luzon for the holidays. We started December 23 and headed to Neil's mother's family. Then we went to my tita's at Laguna, where we spent the night, and the next day (24th). I thought I could rest for one day; apparently not. Neil and I spent half the day building Lia's marble mania toy (conclusion: they were lying when they indicated that the toy was for kids--it was so hard to build!). After lunch, we had to go to the store to get batteries and screw driver for the toy; and had gift tags exchanged (because the driver bought the wrong gift tags, sigh). Before we knew it, it was almost sunset! I had to cook dinner. Then prepare for mass. Then we went to mass. Then it was Noche Buena and gift-giving.

The next day, we went to my other tita's house in Alabang for lunch. That side of the family was complete, because my mom's sister and brother went home from Europe. I felt dazed because of so many people (and kids)! After that, we headed to Neil's relatives in Las Pinas for Christmas dinner. It was there that I felt real fatigue from all the partying and mingling. At 8PM I felt ready to retire, but I just couldn't force Neil to go home because he rarely saw his relatives.

I couldn't get up the next day (26th)! So I spent half the day at home, and went back to work in the afternoon. ;) I could tell that Lia got tired from all the celebrations, too, because when I asked her to come with me to the office, she refused.

New Year's was less stressful. We spent it in Laguna again. I visited Marc and her baby; had dinner, mass, then blew horns and lit our sole firecrackers for New Year.

I wonder how our holidays will be like in 2008 when there are two kids around! :)

Red!

Finally! I got my red iPod nano last Saturday. :) I waited for this for a long time. Well, I could have bought this right after I sold my iPod video, but I could not decide then whether I'll be getting the iPod touch, or the Creative Zen player Neil has been bugging me to get.

Last week I decided to go ahead with the red nano. After all, this is what I wanted: a small mp3 player, with just the right capacity for my songs and videos (I really didn't need an mp3 player with lots of memory anymore; what with 2 kids abound). Plus, it's red, red, red! :)

So there. Am nano-happy! :)

Marc's baby girl

I woke up at 5AM this morning to go to the hospital. Nope, am not giving birth yet--my friend and former coworker Marc did. I took pictures of her baby Chloe, inside the delivery room! It wasn't bloody at all (I thought giving birth was all bloody).

We planned to use two cameras: Marc's and mine. But Marc left hers in her room, so I had to make do with mine (which was really slow :( :( :( ). So I had to take rests in between takes. I hope Marc is okay with my shots; I have yet to show her the pics (and stolen videos--I didn't know videos weren't allowed).

Congrats to your cute baby girl, Marc! :)

On canvass mode

Okay. Here I go again, getting impulsive, going out to look for stuff. But! Am not buying yet. ;p Am just on canvass mode.

I already went to Divisoria (and bought some Christmas tree trimmings and Christmas wrappers) to check out the stuff I can buy for Christmas. Have put up our Christmas tree at home, with new blinking lights I bought in the department store (yup, am too cautious of those Christmas lights--I don't buy them at Divisoria).

About two weekends ago, I also went to Paco again to canvass for bunk beds for the girls (yes, baby # 2 is a girl! See my other blog for this.), a TV rack to replace our flood-destroyed one, and a slimmer computer table. Furniture is really cheap along that strip! But I still went to SM Department Store to check out their own collections. Just so I can compare prices.

Now...I still haven't bought furniture. ;p Am waiting for my Christmas bonus for that! :)

What's new?

Sorry, but I really get lazy during first trimesters of pregnancy. ;) I haven't blogged for a while now!!! AND I haven't gone back to creating the pages for my Web site. Aarrgh. But worst of all, I haven't gone to the mall (and lost all interest) as much as I used to, for the past three months! This is bad.

I feel much better now, as I'm in my second trimester already. I slowly gained interest in shopping again, much to Lia's delight. I can cook occasionally, and I can do some freelance work again. And, surprisingly, I could handle my workload, however heavy, at the office.

Hmm. So what else is new? Oh, am selling my iPod video! It's 30gb, white, and still under warranty. Selling it for PhP 8K. Tell me if you're interested!

Oh, and...Christmas is almost here, so...I hope I can go to Divisoria soon! And I hope to chance upon new bargain finds, hehehe.

Anyway...I hope I get to post here more often, from now on. :) So...see you!

My best friend's wedding

One of my best friends, Ruth, got married last month. It was a very emotional moment for me (well, mostly because of my pregnancy hormones) because it was really literally a life-changing moment--we always thought that Ruth would be the last to get married (or even think about getting married!).

She told me she was getting married about a month before her wedding date, to Jose, a guy I (or the rest of us) have never met but nevertheless heard about. Although she has been hinting of wedding plans before, I never thought it would be this quick. So, I admit, I was taken off-guard (yes, no matter how open-minded a person I am!). I ranted to my other best friend Tiffany, who had the same emotions as mine. I know, it's unfair for us to feel that way for Ruth, because we should be wishing her the best. But if you knew our best friend, you'd know that it's just not her.

But don't get me wrong. It's not at all disappointment, because Ruth has changed--for the best. She has converted to Christianity, and along with her conversion, she has transformed into a totally different person--a more open one, a more emotional one, a mature person--and has let go of skeletons in her closet. Our emotions were more of--we were just missing the old Ruth, who was wacky, cynical, sarcastic, frigid--the girl we grew up with, the girl whose personality perfectly balanced with ours, especially during those critical times--our teenage years.

Sigh. We just miss the old Ruth, that's all. We are simply just being selfish. But deep inside, we wish her the best, of course.

To Ruth (though I know you don't really have the time to read my blog)--we still love you, whoever you are. ;) Best wishes!

We're pregnant!

Okay. So this is what's keeping me from completing my Web site. I've been so lazy! Why? I blame it to my pregnancy! :)

Yes, we're pregnant with our second child. We found out just last week. I decided to test when

1. I sent out the maid, late at night, to buy me half a gallon of Double Dutch ice cream.



2. I rejected the food laid out at the table, and had a new menu set.



3. I was always dizzy.



4. I hated strong smells.



5. And, the obvious reason: my period was delayed.

So there. Our baby's 6 weeks old this week. :) I'm expected to give birth via caesarian-section, in March.


:)

New Web site coming soon!

Finally. I have begun planning for the creation of my Web site. Yesterday, I visited godaddy.com to check out their rates on domain name registration and hosting services. After seeing that they do have practical rates (as they are reputed to have), I signed up for my domain name: www.micadelrosario.com. That's about $9 per year, which is not bad.

Of course, I still haven't availed of their hosting services, as I am not yet ready with my Web pages. ;p I plan to create pages through Dreamweaver (yan lang kaya ng powers ko for now; I don't know how to code on my own). Unfortunately, the program I got could not be installed in the Mac! :( I brought the Mac with me in the office to have my coworker help me with it, but still, it won't work. So am still figuring out what to do. But I'm vowing to at least start the pages before the week ends.

I'll alert everyone once my site is up! :)

Now accepting...

Am back to accepting freelance jobs!

No, I haven't resigned from my permanent job (nor have plans of resigning any time soon). I just have more time on my hands now. My baby is now a little girl (according to her three-year-old logic) and understands already when I need to work. :) Yes, she determines whether I get to work or not. And at her age, she now knows when I need to work or not.

So friends, family, co-workers (former or present, hahaha), former classmates, batch mates, acquaintances--I'm offering my writing/editing services again. Freelance, of course. :)

Thanks! :)

Busy momma

Just when I've vowed to update my blog regularly (i.e., at least once a week), I get busy with preps for Lia's third birthday party.

Yup! Been a busy momma for the past month. See my mommy blog: Mommy Matters.

A Golden deal

Here's the deal: I write for Gold's Gym, they give me membership.

Thanks to Toni for informing me of this "contest"! :) Now I can stay fit again (I hope, hahaha). I'm so looking forward to starting my physical activities (oops, now everyone knows I don't have any, except you-know-what hehehe).

Red

I know I said I wouldn't be spending because Neil and I had something big to spend on next year. But I just couldn't stand my Motorola V3X anymore! :( It really really had to go.

I endured eight months of interface issues with my Moto. I actually wanted to replace it already during its fifth month but I had other things to spend on. Last Sunday, I couldn't take it anymore. I searched the Net and found this Sony Ericsson mobile that fit my requirements: 3G, user-friendly, small and light, red (gigil! I've always wanted red), and, just a little amount of cash involved.

I ran to Makati Cinema Square to sell my Moto. I was a proud seller; the phone had no scratches (yep, not a single one!), my accessories were complete (with the box, too). Bidders started at P4,000, then climbed to P5,000, P5,500, P6,000. Someone offered P7,000. I said I still had to go around and canvass. But only two stores would give me P7,000 for my phone. That was it. That was the highest amount they could give me. So I went back to the first P7,000 bidder and sold him my phone.

Then I went to Glorietta to buy myself a brand new one. Yes! A red Sony Ericsson K610i was available. Some sold for P12,000, P11,500, P10,500...but I found one who sold it for P9,800. I took out my P7,000 from my Moto sale and added just P2,800 more. Not bad! I was happy with my new purchase.

So there. I'm with Red (hahaha I named it) now. :)

Winner

I finally wore the dress to my sister-in-law's wedding. It won more votes! ;) I just had the pink sash/belt removed to make it simpler.

Here's the thing though. As I had half-expected, no one really wore formal formal. They were in semi-formal formal. But, since I stood by my decision (and votes), I just wore the dress. Kineri ko na lang sya!

Thanks for everyone who voted (especially Cam-cam, who had to go online via YM to give her vote--according to her it was that big a deal, hahaha)!