Good Karma is Great Holiday Investment

budget planner – Mint.com

Wish I Had A Windfall

It amazes me how winners of super lotteries end up in financial ruin after a few years. The odds of winning the jackpot is surely a million to one - why waste the chance of lifetime and lose it all eventually? That being said, I'm getting myself ready for a windfall. I've listed all the things I would do if I win a million dirhams (or dollars/euro/pounds/whatever) so I won't be caught by surprise and buy the whole stock of Tiffany & Co. at the Mall of the Emirates.

my precioussss...

(how delicious it looks and all for $800! mere loose change)

Paloma's Sugar Stacks Ring

from Tiffany&Co

I Think I Will Go To Cyprus

A few weeks after Hanoi, I became restless. Wanderlust has descended upon me again. But please get me out of Asia. I want to go to Europe or Africa. Not USA because I'm still holding a bitter grudge because they didn't give me a visa. Get over yourself Uncle Sam!!! (As you can see, the issue is still sensitive).

I played with random geographical coordinates in random.org and clicked the random button on wikitravel.com and eventually decided on Cyprus. I hope everything goes well, visa-wise. It's going to be difficult if I begin hating another country.

photo credit: hull.ac.uk

If I Got Pregnant on the Day I Last Blogged....

Yes it has been nine months since my last entry.

Not that nothing exciting happened in my life. On the contrary! In the past nine months:

• I managed to hold on to my job
• Got myself my own apartment (a tiny studio, but still!)
• Joined a nearby Christian church, improved my church attendance and recommitted myself to God
• Traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam

However, I am extremely lazy when it comes to blogging, even my physical journal has suffered from word hunger.

So here I am again, attempting to blog more often.

(by the way, no child was formed during this self imposed "sabbatical". I might adopt another cat though)

14th April 2009

Since we are living in the computer age, it's always a welcome treat to receive something in the mail. Steph sent me a thumb thing, a mini book and a pair of blue earrings. It truly made my day.

13th April 2009

Flashback: There were a lot of foggy days last December 2008. My office was so high up that I could see above the fog. It was beautiful and ethereal.

12th April 2009

This is my decrepit clothes dryer stand. I could buy new one but this still serves me well. I hope I can bring one of these (or two) back to Manila when I go on vacation.

11th April 2009

My mom sent me these shoes last month. I wore them a few times but didn't like how the leather would rub against the sides of my feet. I'm also thinking about dyeing it black so I can use them with any outfit.

10th April 2009

Flashback: New Year 2009 was uneventful as usual for me. There was a nice fog out and I tried to capture the London-y feeling but this photo fails miserably to the real experience. It was nice and cold and dreamy.

9th April 2009

Harrison always lurks behind the laptop. I used to think he does this to get attention. But no - he just likes the warmth that emanates from behind the screen.

8th April 2009

When I'm too lazy to cook I just buy from Lulu Hypermarket. It's great that they have a Filipino section for hot foods. But I still hope someone decides to have a Filipino eatery nearby.

7th April 2009

While unpacking I discovered that I have a lot of wooden frames. I should print out newer pics and display them in my room. I wish Harrison and I have a good photo together somewhere.

6th April 2009

One of the things I'm not smart with is interior decorating. When someone asks me if a particular piece of decor looks good, my mind draws a blank. So it's no surprise that my place is sparsely decorated.

5th April 2009

Flashback: Last Christmas Harrison got a gift from the neighbors too. It contained two face towels. Harrison decided to bequeath them to me instead because he thought his tongue was enough to clean himself up.

4th April 2009

In my new place, Harrison has his own "room".  It's located on top of the cupboard and he seems to like it because he sleeps there most of the time.  I think I'll put a frame on the wall to make it look more homey.

3rd April 2008

The rooftop pool in my building is quite nice and has a nice view of the surrounding area. The bottom of the picture shows a cluster of villas and beyond are some office towers. My office building is farther away and can't be seen because of the haze.

2nd April 2009

Last weekend I moved to a bigger room. Besides my sofa bed this is the only chair I've got. I want to put this in the balcony and buy a swivel chair but I still haven't found the right one.

1st April 2009

This past week it has been raining in Dubai. When I looked out from my balcony, the air had a slightly sepia feel. It looked dreamy despite the absence of greenery.

Hiatus

Two reasons for my hiatus:

- intermittent internet access
- laziness

Now I have internet 24/7 so I am left with no excuses.

Posting will begin again on the 1st of April, 2009. Some will be flashbacks since I took some photos after December 16 but didn't get around to blog about it.

16th December 2008

This is my favorite necklace. I bought this for myself when I resigned from Coral last year. When I go to New York, hopefully next year, I will buy another piece from the Tiffany & Company where Audrey Hepburn stood in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's.

15th December 2008

Back when I was living in a place where there was a balcony, Harrison would perch like this on the balcony rails. Now he has to make do on the armrests of my sofa bed. I hope I can move to another place that has a balcony.

14th December 2008

This is the doorway to my little room. It was furnished with a TV and a refrigerator. I hardly ever open the TV (which has satellite channels) but the refrigerator is frequently used.

The Last Sentence Sums It Up Nicely

Kent Keith - People Are Often Unreasonable

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may just never be enough;
Give the world the best you have anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it's all between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

From Do It Anyway: The Handbook for Finding Personal Meaning and Deep Happiness in a Crazy World.

While Real Troublemakers Are Running Free....

John Coleman has been given a 6 month suspension which led to his quitting as Drum Major of Cleveland Memorial Pipes and Drums for waving at President Obama during the inauguration.

Unbelievable.

13th December 2008

Sometimes I let Harrison walk around the corridor since he's always cooped up in the apartment. Every time he goes out he acts as if he's seeing the corridor for the first time. He likes sniffing on other people's doors - curious of the smells within.

12th December 2008

I'm used to bigger sinks than this. The apartment where I live in now has a tiny sink. I have to remind myself not to gargle enthusiastically every time I brush my teeth or else the water sloshes over the sides.

This Year I'm Going To....

photo credits from flickr.com:

songlines

mrlerome

cati kaoe

endangered angel

jfa-japan

11th December 2008

Every year I send a box of grocery items and other stuff to my mom and brother in Manila. To avoid placing the same things I make a list to keep track. Hopefully I'll be able to send another box by February next year.

10th December 2008

I'm not finished with The Bonesetter's Daughter yet but I've already started with Twilight. I hope Twilight lives up to the hype. I'll watch the movie after I read the book.