At iba pa...... (and many more)

2010-05-16T22:49:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

it's been a few months since I posted here. i guess i just busy with my other blog....but i promise i will keep this one up an running.

anyway, thanks dom for the nice flower and em for the card message. :)

Wii are family.....

2010-01-10T21:31:00.005-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

today was a day full of weired stuff with all you.

first, there's jo and em being sick since the night before. both having a temperature of about 100 degree. second, dom is having his tantrum again - with me and your dad. not sure, why you are like this every time granda pick you up. last and not the least, dylan and nicky, you two made me grin during your wii game. dylan was trying to tell nicky that he was good in most of the games except for this one game because nicky is better. But all of a sudden, dylan for some reason press to play that particular game and said "oh no, why did i press that game". such a good brother.

Up up and away.....

2010-01-09T16:31:00.003-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i finally saw the movie Up by Disney & Pixar. first it was with tita hope and dom...then with nicky. i tried to ask jo but i guess you are too old for cartoons. i wish you watched it with us. it's very interesting. nicky was so intense watching the whole thing.

i better not fall....

2010-01-02T23:12:00.004-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

as promised, i took you (jo, dom, and em) with tita hope to the pond at bryant park for ice skating. you guys have been asking me since beginning of winter when are we going skating.

when i woke up this morning, i was actually planning to cancel for the fact that it was going to be very cold. according to the weather forecaster, the high will only be 28 F with windchill of 30 plus - which means it's going to be very cold.

i tried to convince all of you not to go but you really really want to go. and you were already dress up.

anyway, we did managed to get there before the crowd gets bigger and before the wind actually starts creating havoc.

i'm glad that's over this winter.....now i have to plan again next winter season.

twenty-ten or two thousand and ten.....

2010-01-01T22:23:00.003-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i don't know how you guys do it. what do i mean? with the exception of nicky, all of you did not take a nap but managed to stay up until midnight without loosing any energy. as soon as the ball dropped, all these energy just burst out of no where. cute but it was like someone set firecrackers in the living room with all the noise.

anyway, granda gie was too tired to cook dinner. after what we had last night, i don't see if she has more energy. so tita hope and i decided to buy pizza and buffalo wings at dominos instead. we ordered three pizza, two with pepperoni (which all of you love) and one with just vegetables (for us adults). we try to avoid ordering but granda gave the go ahead signal......

2009...oh what a year

2009-12-31T18:24:00.009-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

before the end of 2009 comes, let's try to recall things that happened this year:

1. i heart the philippines.....

for the fifth year in a row,i made my way back to what i call "annual" pilgrimage to my home country. what made this year different though is that i went back twice in one year. first one was in january with my mom for two weeks. as usual, just visited the family, stay at home, and some party here and there. the second one was in may (my first time to go back during their summer season). originally a one week trip that turned to a month (my longest vacation ever). did my usual thing but a lot of partying. it was also the first time that i made a trip to visayas (one of the three principal geographical divisions that made up the philippines). i went to boracay for a few days to relax.

2. what old is new.....

i started the year in a new company (i was there for only about 2 months) and by the middle of the year, i was back at my old company. it was daring move on my part to hop from one job to another especially when the crash of 2008 economy was still in every ones mind. unemployment is still high and here i am so confident that i will have a secure job. i am just glad that my old company too me back with open arms (i think).

3. hi fb (fb = facebook, you silly).....

while i was on vacation in the philippines, i was introduced to the world of facebook. i am not new to fb. i received an invite before from a friend but i was too hesitant of starting a new social networking site. i was using friendster at that time. but then i realized that everyone (and i mean everyone) was actually using facebook. so if you can't beat them, join them. now i am an fb "addict".

oh christmas tree, oh christmas tree.....

2009-11-29T18:28:00.014-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

oh what a very busy weekend it has been. yesterday (saturday), i had to wake up early so that i can go to do my black "saturday" shopping - i know, i know...the term is "black friday", not saturday. what can i do, i had to work. so anyway, i went to toys r us to look for christmas gifts for all of you. took me about an hour to get all the gifts. not sure if i got what you expect as your christmas gift but as longs as i get something that i think you'll like, i am happy.

this morning, i had to wake up early again. this time i have to get the christmas tree. a yearly tradition that i normally do during the weekend after thanksgiving. i should have done it yesterday but shopping was more important.

the tree that i got this year is smaller than what i normally get (as per grandma, it's the right size). i guess it reflects on what is going on with the economy right now...everyone is trying to save. :)

i concentrated my whole morning on fixing the christmas tree (putting the lights on and the christmas decoration). this year, the motif is butterfly. enjoy!

thanxgiving parade........

2009-11-26T12:05:00.007-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

for the first time ever, i went to a parade here in nyc. not really a big fan of crowded space but since the weather was nice, we decided to go.....with hope, em, mei, dylan, and nicky.

just go with the flow....

2009-11-25T23:09:00.006-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

for the past couple of weeks now, i've seen a few of the magazine talk shows discuss about foods bought on the corner street. i have no problem eating such foods (or what i normally called dirty food)....although there are instances when you think, what is exactly in that or are they really clean?

anyway, i tried a new one this afternoon for lunch - rickshaw dumpling. the cart according to their tweet schedule (always on wednesdays), they are going to be located on 57th and 8th. luckily for me, it was a block away from work.

i ordered the chicken with thai basil dumpling. it cost me about $6 for 6 pieces.

my comments........taste good but i had better. i just want to try it.

oh yeah, 6 dumplings does not suffice my lunch....i had to get a small soup somewhere else. i am such a pig.

uncle allan.....

2009-11-08T22:46:00.003-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

one wonders why all of you call me by my name....you have uncle melvin, tita hope, tita mei, tito rommel, and so forth......but when it comes to me, i go by just being allan. why is that??? hmmm...........

nicky

what now........

2009-11-01T23:03:00.003-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

it's been over a month since i last post here. what happened to me? well i don't really have an excuse. i just got bored and too lazy to post anything here. i'm also too busy with facebook. too sad..... as much as i want to promise that i will try to post here, it's highly unlikely that i will keep that promise. i do want to keep this up and running...and the best i can say is that i will try.

ouch.....

2009-09-27T19:49:00.005-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

rough playing.....i get this small scratches/scars at least once a week. most of the time from niko.

yum yum.......bon appetit supper club

2009-09-26T09:03:00.012-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

yesterday around 11 am, melinda (a co-worker) and i decided to drop by the bon appetit supper club on the corner of 57th st. and 6th ave. since it was only a few doors down from our work....and it was the last day (they were only open for one week), why not go. there was a line already when we get there but it wasn't that bad....it wasn't lunch time anyway (by the way, they are only open from 11 am to 3 pm).

i got the Bon Appétit's Spicy Thai Coconut Soup with Gulf Shrimp ($7), Baked's Chocolate Cloud Cookie ($3) and Brewer's Bar ($3). it was a big pricey for a small soup and dessert but hey, it's not too often to eat something created by master chefs like Cat Cora and Mario Batali.

i heard the next pop up supper club will be sometime in october....and still on 57th street area. oh how lucky i am.

does this make me look fat???

2009-09-13T19:07:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

every single morning before heading to work, i usually check the news or whatever is on tv. most of the time, i see infomercials...and lately, it's the ab circle pro:

i have no problem being bombarded with all these ads. i think they're fun to watch and very entertaining. can you imagine loosing 10 pounds in 10 days?? is that even healthy?

anyway, speaking of healthy, i can say that i'm officially in my target weight. i was trying to get to 165 lbs and for the past month or so, i'm between 160 and 163. i've been getting good compliments for me losing weight...which great. but thinking about it, is our society really that into "being skinny or fit"?? i remember back in 2004/2005 when i almost reach 200 lbs. i didn't realized that i was really that heavy. but every time i go to see my doctor, he would always say "oh yeah mike, you need to lose a few pounds". what does he mean by a few pounds??? according to a story i once read in the national geographic, my BMI (body-mass index) should be between 20-25. i was in my 30-35. scary. i was considered morbidly obese. eeewww. funny.

jump to 2009, my height and weight is proportionate......but how come i feel more relaxed when i gained those weight??

Summer of 2009..............

2009-09-01T19:22:00.008-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

as the summer of 2009 comes to an end, i just want to share with you all the fun that we did this year. i can't wait for next year.....

7/31/09 - splish splash

8/12/09 - bronx zoo

8/18/09 - american museum of natural history and central park

8/26/09 - ny botanical garden

back to the old michael....

2009-07-27T21:54:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

for the first in weeks, i got home feeling like i just want to eat and then hit the sack. i started doing my summer hours again this morning which meant my work day started at 7 am. today was a humid day as well...which is one of my biggest enemy. anyway, it's been a long long day.

i want to sleep.

no man is an island.....

2009-07-25T20:41:00.023-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i drag today my sister hope to go with me to visit governor's island. ever since they open it to the public in 2008, i've been wanting to go there. finally today was the day. the weather was nice....no complains here.

we took the first trip to the island that leaves manhattan at 10 am. walked around for an hour and a half (the whole island) and took the ferry back to manhattan. we went straight to Soho (again dragging hope with me) and had a nice lunch....my treat of course. before heading back home, i asked hope to buy at least a dessert which she did oblige by buying a chocolate ice cream dipped in chocolate at a Mr. Softee truck near the subway.

anyway, i told hope that next time, we should come back here with all of you and rent a bike. have a picnic as well in one of their numerous picnic grounds.

** governor's island is located in the heart of new york harbor, just 800 yards from lower manhattan and even closer to brooklyn. the entire 92-acre national hsitoric district is open to the public for picnics, tours, car-free biking and more. (info from the brochure)

i like the tree lined street...reminds me of our old neighborhood in brooklyn

hope wants to have her picture taken with the castle williams as her background

a little bit of a history of castle williams

weired entrance for a castle...

view of lower manhattan from governor's island

need i say more what this is all about??

this house looks dilapidated but i like the old style

after walking for an hour, we decided to take a break.....they have this red chair scattered all over the place....me like it

another section of the island where most residents stayed

we finally found a house that was open to the public

like the colonial color and setting of the fireplace

just love the classic staircase....

let the summer season begin................

2009-07-19T14:25:00.006-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

this weekend i feel like it was the official start of summer. yesterday (saturday) and today, i can literally feel the humidity. as soon as i get out of the house, i can sense that i'll be sweating anytime soon. not my cup of tea but what can i do, it's summer time.

anyway, just some random thoughts here. yesterday i was asked by someone (and a few colleagues) who hasn't seen me for a few months if i was on a diet because i look like i lost some weight. i said i was not on a diet but yes, i lost a few pounds. i guess going to the gym religiously is "working out" after all....now if i will just do the same thing of going to church.

anyway, i am not a gym freak if that's what your thinking. i only limit myself to the elliptical machine and treadmill. maybe someday i'll venture on the free weights but for now, i'm sticking to the machines. in regards to eating, i try to eat very healthy. less junk foods. it's working so far so hopefully i'll manage to do it for the whole year.

view from the kitchen window...granda gie's mini-garden

2009-07-15T22:58:00.006-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

was feeling lousy today. my cell phone alarm which i keep next to my bed woke me up. as most of you know, i am a morning person so i started the day not in a good mood. left the house early to make sure i get to work before 7 am. train was late and crowded. no seats available. trying to calm myself not to be frustrated.

travel time wasn't that bad. got to my train stop with 15 minutes spare. stopped by starbucks to get my regular frappucino to cheer me up (well more of a sugar rush). just my luck, they didn't have the mixture ready. waited for about 5 minutes. got to work 7:10 am. what a way to start my day.

anyway, the whole day was just weired. luckily, my lunch was good...which makes up for the whole day.

all from au bon pain: large broccoli chowder soup, asiago cheese breadstick, and mini corn loaf

what happened to summer???

2009-07-14T22:14:00.005-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

one of grandma gie's garden flower
i shouldn't be complaining but everyone is asking where is the typical summer weather? humidity? i am not a summer person (and everyone knows that) but the temperature lately feels like it's spring/fall. global warming changes i assume?

i am in pain.........

2009-07-13T22:24:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i am having a terrible toothache. i am in very very very deep pain. ouch moment every single minute. i only got 3.5 hours of sleep last night. i need to see a dentist. soon.........

it's summer alright......

2009-07-12T18:22:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

although it rained (with thunderstorm) last night, this weekend was just beautiful.

Rose Garden, NY Botanical Garden

the week that was.....

2009-07-11T22:42:00.005-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

been a week since i last posted a blog. been tired this past couple of days. started doing the summer schedule...which means i work only for 4 days instead of 5. typically my shift is 9 to 5, but with the new schedule, i do 7 to 5 completing the 35 hours requirement in 4 days. it's great that my boss allowed me to participate even though i've been there for only a month.

anyway, after work, i go straight to the gym for an hour. from there, i head home and play (or should i say another workout) the wii ea active for half an hour. by the time i'm done, it's about 8:30/9 pm. i know it sound still early but i am so tired that i just want to sleep.

before i forget, i want to say that i am getting addicted to facebook. it's just one of those things that i cannot live without. seems like everyone is doing it so why not join.

took a snap shot of #9 west 57th st. on the way to work one morning

independence day???.....................

2009-07-04T11:41:00.004-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

everybody is barbecuing outside and here i am typing this blog. i've never been a big fan of barbecuing nor celebrating independence day. don't get me wrong, i like taking a day of at work but i don't fuss around the whole celebration thing. the family usually go to the beach (most of the time at the finishing ground of jones beach) and wait for the firework. but now a days, it's more of staying at home and just watch the macy's fireworks on tv. does it mean that this is a reflection of tough economy that we are just taking everything slow on the spending?? who knows.

anyway, i am reminiscing my vacation last may. oh how i wish i am just somewhere quiet. hmmmm.

if the shoe fits......

2009-06-28T11:59:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i have a big dilemma here. for the past two months now, i have been searching for a pair of work shoes...the typical black casual shoes. when i was on vacation in the philippines, i went to almost all the stores when i go to a mall. no such luck. as soon as i got back here in nyc, i did the same. i tried even looking at brand name such as prada, gucci, and kenneth cole to name a few. i found one or two a few weeks ago but guess what...they don't have my size. i tried even looking at websites but nothing.

what is wrong with me? why can't i find the right shoes. i just want the shoes to "sing" to me and say buy me. am i asking too much?

just amazing......

2009-06-23T22:52:00.007-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

one word: AMAZING.

i was surfing the net when i saw the pix of johnny depp in his new role as the mad hatter in disney's "alice in wonderland". the pix alone makes me want to go to my bed and cover myself with my blanket. so haunting.......

Photograph by: Disney

to my dad......

2009-06-21T09:13:00.004-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

happy father's day to everyone...

picture circa 1960's??

oh summer......

2009-06-20T13:36:00.011-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

while i wait for my friend for dinner last night, i decided to take a snapshot of what summer should look like. it's the first day in weeks that the sun came out.

washington square park

me gusto............

2009-06-17T21:21:00.005-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

since i am back to my old workplace, i have more choices on what to buy for lunch. before, it was either a salad or junk food like mcdonald's. anyway, here's what i had for lunch today.

el paso chicken from simply fresh: roasted chicken breast marinated in mexican spices, roasted red onion and peppers, leaf lettuce, plum tomatoes, pepper jack cheese and southwestern chipotle sauce. light ranch for the salad dressing

looks yummy huh. well it is. i am glad that instead of potato chips, they have a salad. yummy.

i don't want to do this anymore...........

2009-06-15T22:19:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

ok, here's the deal. my whole legs was in pain due to the wii ea active i tried last saturday morning. but i still went to the gym this afternoon after work. i wasn't planning to do it but since i pay for the membership, i forced myself to go. i am in pain right now as i type this but hey, "no pain, no gain".

green thumb i'm not........

2009-06-14T11:45:00.007-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

purple silk phalaenopsis orchid
the day i returned from my vacation about two weeks ago, your granda gie proudly showed her orchid. well it's actually an orchid given to Mei about a year ago but was given to my mom because it was not flowering.

well, since granda gie has a "green thumb", i am not surprised that she managed to make it bloom. if only i can do the same thing........

i am way over my head.............

2009-06-13T21:30:00.006-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i bought the ea active yesterday during my lunch break - cost me about $65 (after tax). i don't normally buy stuff like this but since Hope is trying to lose some extra pounds, i thought this would be a great way of doing it.

well i tried it this morning (for the first time), and i made a big mistake of doing the intensive workout rather than going for the medium or low impact. i am not the most physically fit person in the world but i am not a dud as well....but OMG, i was hurting......and it wasn't a good sight.

they did not just do that to me.............

2009-06-12T18:42:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

my co-workers played a horrible trick at me today.

a few days ago, i showed to some of my co-workers my blog titled rofl..... (see below). one of them was a very close co-worker that works at our IT department.

well anyway, this afternoon, i overheard my co-worker talking to someone on the phone and mentioned my name. after she hang-up the phone, i asked her what it was. she told me that the director of our IT department is coming down to our office and wanted to talk to me about the video i showed to my co-worker. ok, i know the video is funny but i didn't know that i could be in trouble for it.

after a few minute, my friend from the IT department who I showed the video called me and asked me if i can send him the link. i told him that it was on youtube. he told me that he wants to show it to someone.......then i realized that it was a joke. OMG, i almost lost it. i thought it's only my second week and i'm already trouble. how can they do this to me........

ROFL..................

2009-06-10T23:30:00.004-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

someday you'll understand why i think this is so funny..........OMG moment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

never ever burn bridges..........

2009-06-09T20:13:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

it's been a week and a half now since i started working again from the job i left 7 months ago. i feel like i just went for a very very long vacation. same people, same work. but the best thing about returning to a former job is that how people react when they find out that you are actually back. plenty of praises and a few where thrilled that i am back...i know, my head is getting bigger.

i'm going to say that for the 8 years that i stayed at my semi-new job, i've been helpful to a lot of people and try to do the work that is given to me. so when i left back in october '08, i basically left in good terms not only with my director but with the whole company in general. even the ceo told me that if i do want to go back, to call him personally. that alone is a boost of my ego.

i am telling you this because i want you learn that you should never ever burn any bridges with anything that you do. you just never know when you may need to cross that bridge again.

my first week back to work.......

2009-06-06T10:04:00.004-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

so how was my first week back at work feels? well it was weird. first of all, my jetlag was a major problem. i had to buy a venti black and white hot chocolate in the morning and a venti white mocha frappucino in the afternoon just to have caffeine to wake me up for the whole work day. never in my life i had too much caffeine in one day...and were talking about 3 to 4 days straight. second, since i am not new to the company (and like what i told everyone at work), i was basically just went for a long vacation (i left back in october '08 which makes it 7 months). i should have said i went for a maternity leave as a joke (ha ha ha).

finally i got an office, not a cubicle. it's not as big as the one that i previously had in my former job but whose complaining......at least now i can have privacy. question now is when will i personalize my office??? as i told a colleague of mine, i'll wait for my probation to end. yes, you heard me right. i have a 6 months probation. after working for the company 8 years and was just away for 7 months, i got a probationary period for my new position. it's the company protocol so what can i do except prove to them that i am worth it.....

on a sad note, the first day that i returned to work was also the day they handed out pink slips to a few individuals. one of them was a close colleague of mine so it was a bitter sweet return.

as long as everything's alright between us......

2009-06-02T20:33:00.007-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i almost forgot.....everytime i go back to pinas, for some reason, i always have a theme song. last january 2009, it was "Paano na kaya" by Bugoy. this most recent trip, may 2009, it was "MAD" by Ne-yo.

Oh baby this love ain't gonna be perfect
(perfect, perfect, oh, oh)
And just how good it's gonna be.
We can fuss and we can fight
As long as everything's alright between us
Before we go to sleep
Baby, we're gonna be happy, oh....

job hunting we will go......

2009-06-02T20:22:00.002-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

wow. it's been close to three weeks since i last posted here. what's up with me?

well, let see. i left pinas last thursday, may 28th. that's about close to 4 weeks of vacation. the longest i've ever stayed since moving here in the states. what can i say, i was without a job for one month.

now, about job. well i officially started working yesterday, june 1st. it looks like i got the job too fast especially in this tough economy huh. well, before i left for pinas and quit my most recent job, my former employer had a job vacancy...and i got an offer i can't refuse. i guess not burning bridges between your former employer is always a good thing. how lucky am i to get a job in this tough economy. i'm not only lucky, i am blessed......

d2 ko s BORACAY!!!

2009-05-17T19:13:00.007-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

well well well. i was finally convinced by my dear friend Angelito to go to Boracay (considered to be one of the best beach in the world??). we (eric and I) arrived yesterday morning (sunday, may 17th). funny thing about it was that all of these we booked only the night before. so basically i have no boarding ticket for the plane, no printout of our hotel reservations. so basically coming to "bora" was like it wasn't planned at all.

anyway, it's about 7 am here right now. eric is still sleeping. my friend angelito is staying at a different resort (but will be sleeping here tonight). being a morning person that i am, decided to go online (thankfully they have a free wifi).

oh yeah, cousin Janet, guess where am I staying??? he he he. yes, I am here at Friday's Boracay. Ingit ka talaga ng husto no (translation: I know you are totally jelous).

who is eric? i met eric last january 2009 through a friend when i first came to pinas. he's a nice dude and decided to keep in touch after i left manila. figuring that i will be back again, i just decided to ask if he is free to come along. so here we are.

about the title, well texting is a big deal here in pinas. am i a good texter? not by filipino standard. will i be a good one? not really since i barely text when i'm in the US. I just try to learn how to abbreviate some words to keep it minimal and less words.

greetings from Seoul, South Korea

2009-05-01T16:22:00.006-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

so here's the news that i've been keeping for weeks now. today, may 2nd, i am here at Seoul-Icheon Aiport in South Korea onward bound to manila. yes, i am heading back to the philippines for the 2nd time this year (remember i was just there last january). anyway, what made me decide to go back sa pinas? and worst of all during the summer season?

well, tomorrow is my birthday (YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!). i was planning to travel during this week somewhere in california or in south america. after checking the total cost of going to the locations i mentioned, it would cost me over $1,000 for a few days (plane, hotel, food) compared to going back to pinas where the only cost i would spend is the flight and the regular going out. all in all, the cost going back to pinas out weight the cost of going somewhere else.

well, that's not the big news. the bigger news is that i just quit my job. yes, after starting with the new company, i quit on my 6th months anniversary. it was a bold move on my part the fact that the economy right now is not really that great. US is still in recession and the job market is as bleak as expected. am i too worried that by the time i go back to NY i will be jobless. well, not really. since i left my former work in good terms, i was offered a position - a higher one that what i previously was doing. question now is, did i take the job? would i just stay in manila and be a bum for a while?

stay tuned for the outcome.

so undecided..........

2009-04-20T21:44:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

back in october 2008, i've made a decision that i've never though i would do anytime soon. TODAY, i did it again. what did i do? i'll reveal in a week or two until it's officially finalized....

i think asians are cute.......

2009-04-18T21:26:00.006-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

ok guys, i know you see me and your tita hope almost everytime on the computer. me doing my web surfing and your tita hope watching her korean dramas....anyway, one of my "thing" is follow certain individuals on youtube. one of them is kevjumba. he finally posted after months of being out due to college and i thought it was so funny.....i was laughing out loud that your granda thinks i am crazy. well, i didn't laugh because of what the whole subject of the video, but at the very end of the video, kevjumba said some few words that made me LOL.....

ako ay pilipino............

2009-04-07T22:13:00.005-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

poster by welemski
i just want to share with you guys that i am officially a filipino again.....well filipino-american to be exact. i went to the philippine embassy today and applied for a dual citizenship. i even registered to vote. oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

happy birthday.........

2009-04-01T21:19:00.005-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i was looking at my blog, i realized that today is my blog's 4th birthday. yes, 4 years. can you imagine? wow. time really do fly.

drained............

2009-03-28T20:04:00.002-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i am so tired today. woke up at 6:30 to go to work. yes, work on a saturday. not the usual work day but i had to come in to do some work without any interruptions. luckily my boss will allow me to take a day off during the week in return.

point A to point B..........

2009-03-25T21:10:00.004-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

the big news today here in NYC is the passing of the MTA for a 25% increase on the fare hikes and some service cuts....which means the cost of one ride would go up from $2.00 to $2.50. this is ridiculous. with the economy being at its worst, how can people afford this absurd increase.

ok, at the present moment, i pay $81 for my one month fare but with the new fare, i would pay $103. it's good that i get this special program from my work where they take money out of my check once a month. it gives me a lot of savings since it's pre-tax but still, the cost can be unbearable.

also, one of the service cuts they are planning to do is the bus that i normally take from the subway station to my job. that's about 10 to 15 minutes bus ride. i actually have no problem right now since i prefer to walk and the weather is not that bad. but imagine during the winter time.....not a good thing.

now, the question is, will Albany provided any help? they better do it soon or else it will be in effect on june 1st.

do i really need this????

2009-03-23T22:15:00.002-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

after a few months of hiatus from the gym, i am officially back. today was my first day and boy it was not pretty.

my plan was to keep everything low impact so that my body can adjust. so i decided to go for just the treadmill. oh what a big mistake. as soon as i started running, i felt this burning sensation on my legs. yeah, warm up would have helped but this was more than just a cramp. i was literally just forcing my feet to walk even though it wasn't walking. it was just a total mess. i managed to put in 30 minutes, but it was brutal.

question now is would i try to go back again on the treadmill.....hhhhmm....maybe not.

oh yeah, after the gym, j was supposed to pick me up but j needs extra 1/2 in the gym (another gym). so instead of j picking me up, i went to j's gym and waited for 1/2 an hour. here we go again with the waiting part.....don't i ever learn.

it's a different world alright..........

2009-03-21T23:56:00.005-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

yesterday i officially celebrated my 5 months anniversary at work. yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!! it's good that i still have a job in this economy when every time i opened the tv, read the newspaper, or look at the web, it seems that everyone is losing their job. i do hope that economy will start to pick up again.

anyway, i went to my old job the other day to drop of my mom and my tax papers....i have my former co-worker do it for me. anyway, i didn't realized until i got out of the subway that i miss the tall buildings that surrounded my former work place. you have carnegie hall in one area, bergdorff goodman in another area, and all other tall buildings that made up most of the manhattan skyline. pretty amazing i thought while walking down.

right now, i work in the greenwich village area. consist mostly of residential houses, restaurants, and others.....meaning non-restaurant establishments. i was used to seeing corporate attire on daily basis and now, i see kids running around trying to get to class on time. what a major difference of environment. what can i say, we can only hope that the changes is for the better and not the worst.

spring = snow

2009-03-20T22:09:00.003-04:00

dear jo, do, em, dylan, and nicky:

was it really the first day of spring today?? seems like not because as soon as i stepped out of the house to go to work, it was snowing. were not talking about light snow. it was blinding snow. luckily, it wasn't sticking to the ground. question now is when is spring going to show up?

miniature pot garden by john millman

i am sooooooo tired.......

2009-03-19T20:37:00.005-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

for the first time this week (today is thursday by the way), i got home very early......early meaning before 8 - 8:30 pm. usually after work, i tend to be home by 6:30 (yes, my ride from work to home is about an hour and a half). it can be just an hour if i take the express train but i want to sit down and just rest so i take the local. anyway, back to my story. since j sold the other store, j got plenty of time of doing nothing. yes, nothing. meaning no work on monday, tuesday, and wednesday. since j workout near my work, j decided to pick me up after work to go to dinner......and here's the breakdown:

monday: ihawan
- it's been a while since we've been there (about a year ago) so i suggested that we go there. we both ordered laing which we both like, i ordered binagoongan while j got the sweet and sour fried halibut....or was it tilapia. who knows. for drinks, i got my sago at gulaman while j tried the mango juice.

tuesday: gyu-kaku
- if you had read my previous blogs, you already know that gyu-kaku is like one of our favorite place to go. we always go to the one in st. marks for easy parking. anyway, we ordered: 5 harami miso, lamb, house salad, mushroom medley, kalbi kuppa, chocolate lava cake, 2 lemonade.

wednesday: la isla restaurant
- the traffic heading to the lincoln tunnel was horrible. took us about an hour to get there. located in hoboken, new jersey...literally i can see it from my work across the hudson river. so what did we get: j got bistek de palomilla, i got the wednesday special which is vaca something (i can't remember), empanada de carne, snapple for my drink, and j got batidos.

i know what you're thinking. VERY EXPENSIVE...

i hope this works......part 2

2009-03-08T10:17:00.008-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

just giving you guys an update on my post-soda recovery addiction.

well i am doing a lot better than i thought. i do have cravings every now and then but i always made sure that i don't succumb to the temptation. it's hard but i am trying so bad to quit my addiction to soda. i almost had a relapse yesterday......wow this blog sounds like i'm addicted to a prohibited drug or something. anyway, back to my relapse yesterday. i went to the movie theater to watch watchmen (by the way, i DO NOT recommend watching it). when i went to the concession stand to buy something to eat, i unconsciously order a small coke. i didn't realized what i've just done until i was actually inside the theater. as much as i want to go back and exchange it (the movie was about the start), i just stayed. so did i drink the soda? as much as i want to do so, i just threw it out after the movie.....there goes the $4.....but who cares, i am so proud of myself. question now is, when will my next relapse occur? hhhmmmm............

well, before i end this, i found a new youtube personality. i like his style of music. reminds me of craig david and a male version of colbie caillat....and he's a filipino - gabe bondoc. enjoy.

i hope this works..........

2009-02-20T21:42:00.005-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i am having withdrawal syndrome as i type this blog. for the past two days, i haven't drank any soda. usually i have at least one a day specially at work when i eat my lunch. but i just decide to stop it. this is not the first time i'm doing this. actually about a year so ago, i managed to do it for about 2 months. but there is so much temptation out there. for example tonight, Uncle/Papa Melvin bought a bottle of pepsi. as much as i want to get a cup and pour me just a tiny bit, i had to restrain myself for doing it.

do you think i can do it? well i think i can. if i can stop drinking coffee, why can't i do it with soda....oh yes....it's been 11 years since i had a cup of pure joe. i would get a starbucks mixed drink every now and then...but a cup of coffee....no way jose, the smell alone makes me sick. not sure why but it does.

poster by ~littlexb

always have faith...........

2009-02-08T10:03:00.003-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i've done something today that i haven't done in over a decade. go to an actual church and stay for the whole duration of the mass. yeah, i've been to weddings, christenings, and occasional sunday mass but not because i want to but i am part of the event or accompanying someone. i usually go inside but sit at the back and not participate at all.

so waking up this morning, i figured that maybe i should go back and listen to the mass. yeah, all mass are the same and unless there's something exciting going on, nothing will change. i went by myself and realized how much i have alienated myself from my religion. what happened to me? did i got bored from my church? growing and studying at a catholic school (which is literally at the back of the church) has always been my excuse why i stop going. good reason but a lame one if i might add. i don't know what made me go today. was it the fact that one of my friends back in pinas always give thanks for every meal or was it the fact that i've met someone who even though is not as lucky and privileged as i am still makes time to go to church even at 6 am - all tired and ready to go to bed. maybe that's it.....or maybe it's just that as we grow old, we tend to find something that will make us at peace with our selves and that we require some higher power to guide us in our daily lives.

i know it's weired for me to write such blog but i am trying to wonder why all of a sudden i this feeling to re-connect to my religion. i don't want to make promises that i will be a going to church every sunday. what i can promise (which has also been my view ever since stop going) is that i believe in a higher power and that i believe in my religion.....it's just that i don't practice most of it.

OMG moment......

2009-01-16T16:36:00.002-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

the biggest news today (1/15/09) here in new york was that a plane crashed on the hudson river. the good news about it was that no was killed. the most injury was hypothermia. i usually don't include such news on this blog but the big significant is that i have a flight that night.

granda and i are headin back to the philippines again. this might be the last time i am headin back home but who knows.

anyway, i am here at seoul, south korea right now. after 14 hrs of long flight from NY, this is basically the stopover. it's about 4.44 am. our connecting flight is not until 8.50. so i am killing time here. big time.

finally, i did........

2009-01-13T22:55:00.002-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

this past two years has been a big change for me. i bought my very first cellphone (most of my cellphone are gifts by the way), table lamps, and of course the Wii. I that would be it....but i guess i was not done yet.

i finally took advantage of the bad economy. during the x-mas season, i bought a laptop (my very first laptop bought in 1998...yes, ancient). it was on sale and for the stats, it was a bargain. ok, i've been dying to buy one but i always have this "why buy one if i have a regular PC" attitude. well lately, my PC is not mine. since my Melvin is a tech guy, he has change the configuration of the PC and it's causing me some problem. so rather than argue, i decided to just get my own laptop.

my new 17" toshiba....me like it

why are doing this to me!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-01-04T10:42:00.005-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and dylan:

i finally manage to catch up watching eli stone....so am really saddened to say that one of my favorite show is being cancelled after two seasons. is there a petition that i can start to keep it (like what they did to jericho - even though it was cancelled in the end).

i still say LETS GO BULLS!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-01-03T22:22:00.002-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i miss the game today (international bowl). what a bummer. i had to buy some stuff and was out for about 5 hours. was planning to watch but i miss it big time.

anyway, the score was 38-20 in favor of uconn. i'm glad that it wasn't as bad as everyone predicted. hey, buffalo scored in two digits...

lets go BULLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-01-02T23:04:00.004-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

one of the headlines on abc news today was "Buffalo Bulls Make Bowl After 50 Years". yes, my alma mater finally made it! win or lose, it was a great to hear that the bulls finally get it. i still remember during my time there that no one really cares about the football win/lose record (or any sport for that matter). now, it's a very momentous event for any buffalonian.

is it reallly necessary for 2009???.........

2009-01-01T08:22:00.008-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

wow. it's already 8:30 am and all of you are still sleeping.....that's a first. i guess staying up late until the wee hour of the morning really got 'ya. well at least you all had fun watching watching the ball drop in times square (on tv of course - temperature outside was -5 so definitely not a good plan to go out). anyhow, everyone was here except your tito rommel (he's still back in pinas).

well it's a new day and a new year.....so what to do except make New Years Resolution. right?? same time last year, I posted my resolution and let's evaluate whether it was done or not. they were:
1. go to the gym
- i actually did pretty well on this one especially during the latter part of the year. i had to stop by december because i got a new job in a different part of the city. i haven't join any gym yet because i'll be on vacation soon and it will be a waste of money....but i have one in mind already which is close to my semi-new work. oh yeah, i got a Wii (and Wii fit) so that basically is my exercise for now.

2. find someone (can be a friend or a special someone)
- met a few actually but nothing really materialized. went to a couple of dates but that was it.

3. get a new car
- this one almost happened but with the economy doing it's downward spiral and me getting a new job still under probation, i just have to put this one off for now.

4. continue blogging
- i tried...i really really tried.

5. learn how to play the guitar
- i don't even know why i even put this one on.

What is my NEW YEARS RESOLUTION for 2009? I just want to stay healthy, have fun, and don't worry anymore about small things. I guess those are things that I know I can do and will be able to accomplish for this year.

So what is your new years resolution?

happy christmas.......

2008-12-24T23:54:00.005-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

just want to say happy holidays. enjoy sharing this time with your family and love ones......and try not to be part of the commercialization of this wonderful event.

rockefeller christmas tree....

our 2008 christmas tree...promise me that you will ALWAYS but real tree, not the plastic one.

do i look good in ugg????

2008-12-21T14:15:00.008-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

for the past few years, i've resented buying boots for the fact that they are heavy and uncomfortable. the last time i bought one was 8/9 years ago. so everytime it snows, my co-workers ask me why wear a sneaker when a boots is more practical....which by the way is true. i guess i was just to stubborn to do so (and a typical characteristic of a taurus - my birth sign).

anyway, although i am not as stylish as i want to be, i do check every now and then what's hot and what's not. one of my favorite magazine to look at is this japanese men's magazine - men's non-no. ok, i don't read or speak japanese but i like looking at the picture.

back to my story, their november/december issue featured boots and other winter clothing......and guess what, i all of a sudden have the urge to buy one. so here i was looking for something hip and cool....but the only thing i could find was timberlands - very rugged and heavy. i was ready to give up when i stop by shoemania on Union Square (they had the sign 50% OFF on all stock actually that's why i went it) and found this kenneth cole boots. it was the style that i like and very very light. i was ready to buy one when they told me that they don't have my size. WHAT THE FLOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After all this searching they don't have my size. i also tried searching online at the kenneth cole website but nada. i figured that buying boots wasn't meant to be.

so figuring that i should try one more time, i went to shoes.com. and guess what, they got my boots, my size, and free shipping (plus i got a 22% discount)......what a blessing. anyhow, the boots arrived a day before the winter storm came so i guess all the stars were aligned for me to get my boots.

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow............

2008-12-20T08:38:00.002-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

the first sign of winter came through yesterday morning here in NYC. it was great that it started to snow after 9 am (avoiding any rush hour dilemma).

i took this picture about a block away from where i work during my lunch break (when the snow was really falling hard). i wanted to take more picture but the wind was just picking up and it was too unbearable for me. i like snow. i went to the snow capital of the US for college - buffalo (some people might beg to differ) so this is nothing to me. i drove once in a snow storm and boy it was an experience alright.

kids r us.........

2008-11-30T15:22:00.003-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

random pix i took during this past week (thanxgiving and jo's b-day).......

nicky enjoying a piece of cake.....

this took me a few minutes to get all of you together.....

everyone just wants to blow the candle.....

and guess what, it always works for you guys.....

what's the deal yo.........

2008-11-23T17:05:00.001-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

the weather since the beginning of last week has been below average. usually at this time of the year, the temprature should be in the 40's....not the 30's. i tried going out yesterday and damn, it was so brutal. with the wind factor, feels like it was in the teens.

anyway, last friday night, i decided to just go out and enjoy being single (well actually none of my friends want to go out). anyway, went to the bar/club around 6:30 (you might think it's early but during the winter months, this is already late) and start hitting the 2 for 1 happy hour. i know that i am not there to get wasted. i've learned my lesson a few years ago.....never again. happened only one time and that was enough for me to learn my lesson.

back to my story, so there i was sitting waiting for a phone/text from those i wanted to hangout with. ok, it was a last minute notice but i was hoping someone would be joining me. well guess what, i was out of luck. no one want to venture out the cold, or they already made plans, or that they are out of manhattan already. so there i was all by myself. sad....very very sad.

but don't feel bad for me...it's not that i was all by myself all night long...wink wink wink. that story is for some other time. let's not jinx it yet.

ta ta for now............

2008-11-01T16:26:00.007-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

it's been two weeks since i started my new job. i like the change....A LOT....it's less stressful. anyway, i want to share to all of you the farewell email that I sent the week before i left. i got plenty of comments (not surprising there) and best of all, they say that the email was me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Subject: Ta ta for now.....

Dear friends and colleagues,

I looked at this screen for so long and yet I am at a loss of what to write. XXXX has been the best company I worked in so far… (well, actually this was my first job after college so nothing to compare yet) :) . But it is with a heavy heart that I will leave here…October 17 is my last day.

But moving on, hoping the grass will be really greener is always on everyone's mind, I guess. So here I am writing this email to bid all of you "ta ta for now" in search of the greener pasture.

~~ To all my "peeps", you know how to reach me. (wink wink)

~~ To everyone else, say hi when you see me....and I’ll do the same. If I don’t remember who you are, please accept this now as my formal apology. Meeting more than 5,000++ applicants can be very daunting.

Thanks for the great learning experience – I am eternally grateful. ‘Till next time....

Mike

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anyway, it's been a while since i last posted here so since it's November 1st, here are some pictures that I took a week ago when my aunt, her colleague, my mom, and I went to the Spring Grove Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. A very scary place even in the middle of the day......

As you can tell from the picture, the building is no longer used. There were signs of "Hazard" in most doors due to abestos. It's situated on a big compound but this building was very impossing. For any ghosthunters, this would be a dream place.....of course take your own risk of dying...not of fear but of chemicals....

I QUIT............

2008-09-18T21:58:00.002-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i finally did it. i officially handed my resignation to my boss today at 9 am. i need to give 4 weeks notice hence my official last day is on 10/17/08. it's a very long wait but i have no problem.

change is good. change will make me strong. change will set me free.

Headline NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-09-17T22:27:00.002-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i am ready to go to bed soon but I just want to let you know that tomorrow is the start of something big............something new............and I have a feeling that it's for the BEST.

I will VOTE for............

2008-09-14T19:07:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i was hoping that i will not post anything about the 2008 presidential campaign but it is so hard not to mention it.....it's basically on tv, the web, and newspaper every single day.

ok, this coming election is very monumental....in a VERY BIG WAY. I get it, the first black presidential (with hilary clinton - as a female candidate during the democratic nomination) and a female vice-president candidate. two things that i expect to happen in the near future....not now.

anyway, i just registered to vote a few days ago. on the election form, it ask you your democratic, republican, etc........i chose undecided. i want to keep my options open. let's hear what they say.....

the end of summer schedule.......

2008-08-31T08:57:00.011-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dyland, and nicky:

this past thursday was the last day of the official "summer schedule" at work. we (meaning my co-workers and i) believe that this is the last time it will happen. our boss will probably not approve it next year - just a hunch.

here are some great memories thanks to the summer schedule:

7.31.08 em and her seashell - jones beach

8.7.08 (from bottom to top) dom, nicky (staring), mei, and jo - bronx zoo

8.13.08 picture of an exotic bird taken by either dom or jo - bronx zoo

8.21.08 grandma gie and dom - museum of natural history

8.27.08 dom - ny botanical gardens

life is a beach.....

2008-08-03T11:04:00.005-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

for the 2nd week in a row (during my summer schedule), we did something. the week before last, we (as in all of us) went to six flags hurricane harbor. we got there before they opened and we left basically close to the closing time. it was great. we don't normally do something like this so i can it was successful -- even though it cost me a lot of dough.....it was my plan so i paid for almost the whole thing. i know, what a nice uncle.

anyway, this past thursday, i got bored and since nothing was planned, i decided to go to jones beach. this time though, only you (em, dom, and emily) were around so not everyone came along....by the way, granda and tito rommel was there as well.

now i am not a beach person.....i am tan already, and after getting burnt from the previous week, i am basically roasted and ready to eat. but who cares, life is a total beach.

** jones beach by the way is where we all used to go during 4th of july. fishing ground is our spot and spend the whole day eating barbecue, hotdogs, and whatever is there to eat. when i say we, i meant auntie aning (my dad's cousin) and her family, tita tina and her family, and whoever is in NY at that time. yes, it's a whole crew.

em, granda, and jo........

em, granda, jo, and dom........

dom........

em, granda, and jo........

em, granda, jo, and dom........

dom........

it is summer alright...........

2008-07-20T21:42:00.004-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

it's hot.......it's very very hot (well actually more of humid). it's like 90% humid this past week. as i type this blog right now, i am sweating like sheat. i have the ceiling fan on but it's no help all. i just want to take off all my clothes and soak in the bathtub.

well you'll probably wondering what i've been up too lately. well i am enjoying playing my nintendo wii. love the tennis and bowling games. i'm already a professional in both event. how about the wii fit? still thinking if i should venture going to that long line again.........still thinking.

i am a tvholic and not afraid to admit it. here's some of the shows i am watching this season just to a few (and in no particular order):

- i survive a japanese game show (abc)
- flippin out (bravo)
- dealist catch (discovery channel)
- my life on the d-list (bravo)
- ghost hunters international (sci-fi)
- jon & kate plus 8 (tlc)
- food challenges (food network)
- so you think you can dance (fox)

i also like to surf youtube. new things to find....and to end this blog, I present to you a new find.....Leslie Feist on Sesame Street.

to wii or not to wii...........or maybe a mac

2008-07-06T13:35:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

for the past year now, i'm trying to convince myself of buying a macbook. i purchased a pc about two years ago and it's been serving it's purpose..i have no complaint. i feel like i should get a laptop just for my personal use and something i can carry when i travel. but do i really need another computer when i basically spend most of my time at work in front of a computer and that laptop tends to get outdated faster than a pc.

after so much decision making, i decided to buy a nintendo wii instead - my very first game console that i bought - i had an x-box (gift by "the x"). i got it last wednesday and the plan was to buy the wii fit afterwards.

anyway, the day after buying the wii on my way to work, i figured that since i am early to work, i would venture out the "line" in nintendo world at rockefeller center. by the time i got there, there's about 50 people online already....and we are talking about 6:45 am. i figured that i might get lucky so instead of going straight to work, i would try my luck. i was told by those around me that they give out arm bands (which means you'll get a wii fit) around 8:30. that's good for me since work actually starts at 9 and this gives me enough time to go to work if i don't get the band.

so after 2 1/2 hours of waiting, they started handing out the bands.......question: did i get it?? as much as i want to say yes, i didn't get one. they only handed out about 40. what a bummer!!!!!!!!! the guy in front of me cursed while walking away while i on the other hand just walked away.

would i venture out again for the wii fit? i don't want to say no but who knows. if i wait a few more months, maybe i won't have to wait in line.

i love paris in the springtime, i love paris in the fall....

2008-06-15T14:16:00.002-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

reading the story on ccn travel edition about the changing of the jewish quarter in paris makes me sad. i know that it's inevitable but changes is always hard to accept especially if it something that you don't want to change.

my first trip to paris was back in 2002. i stayed at this boutique hotel in the heart of the marais district - a few blocks away from notre dam and literally a walking distance to the louvre museum. it was also the same hotel that my mom, sister, and nieces stayed back in 2004. it was home away from home. friendly people and a great surrounding.

what is wrong with me?????

2008-05-24T12:40:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

for the second straight weekend, i declined an invitation to go out. last week was a bithday party. this weekend was a christening - that I was to be one of the godparent. this is also the 2nd year in which I have no plans of going anywhere for the summer - no travelling. do i see a pattern here? i hope not.

my dream girl....

2008-05-13T21:42:00.008-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i was checking my usual websites when the title from CNN "Overweight nude to set art world record" caught my eye.

Benefits Supervisor Sleeping
- By Lucian Freud (born 1922), grandson of Sigmund Freud
- Painted in 1995
- Predicted to become the most expensive painting by a living artist sold at auction

more or less of an excuse.........

2008-05-10T09:08:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

what happened to me for the past month and a half? well nothing really. just got tired of blogging. didn't have the urge to write something. i do check emails, youtube videos, and other blogs. but i am just too lazy to update this thing.

anyway, i turned 32 last week. yes, a year older and should be a year wiser....but how come i don't feel like it. i feel like i am still in my teens. maybe it's because i am always surrounded by you guys.....i know cartoon network, nickelodeon, disney channel, and anime network by heart. this is probably the reason why i wanted to have a children's party for my birthday celebration. hhhmmmm.... or maybe I am just trying to deny that I am turning ancient??

bored bored bored..............

2008-03-16T13:39:00.002-04:00

dear jo, em, dom, dylan, and nicky:

was feeling bored today. sky is gray and it seems like it was going to rain. rather than staying in the house again, i decided to take the bus to go to queens. went to main street flushing just to walk around and see what is new. bought some pastry @ fay dah. went back homw in less than half an hour. good trip....for a very very slow day.

i can't take this anymore........

2008-03-15T19:56:00.003-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dyland, and nicky:

woke up this morning with a stiff neck. been having some problems with my pillow falling and bascially making my head in an ackward position while i sleep. see, i sleep with two pillows. it might not be ergonomic but who cares, it helps me sleep. anyhow, the pillow underneath keeps falling and leaving me with only one. i tried getting a much bigger and thicker pillow but it just does not help me. i still like two pillows. now i a suffering and i am not happy.

anyway, i just got your grandma her 2nd cell phone. since she barely use it, i bought the at&t go phone. no contracts and less expensive.

Janina San Miguel is my new IDOL......

2008-03-09T14:02:00.004-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

the end of the world is coming sooner than expected.

first, there was 2007 Miss Teen South Carolina:

then, there's 2008 binibining pilipinas, Janine San Miguel:

my reactions: what the #*%*&??? then ROLF. then calling everyone i know. then watch it again. then laughing out loud.

i know i should be embarrassed since she is from my home country but damn, what is going on. and here's the worst - she actually won one of the top prize. she will be heading to the miss world contest. what were the judges thinking...or should i say not thinking.

oh how i love by coronitas............

2008-03-02T14:44:00.003-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

it's been over a week since i posted my last blog. i've been hittin the gym pretty hard lately (yeah right!!!!!!!! - being sarcastic here). we'll since i can't go to the gym early in the morning, the only solution is to go after work.....which means after 5 pm. but i don't exactly go to the gym after work. i usually go around 6:30 since that's when the gyms becomes less crowded. i actually went there one time last week at around 6 pm and guess what, no treadmills/elliptical machine available. so i just walked out and went back to the office to wait for 6:30 pm.

anyway, gel and i decided to meet after work again. she was with her sister (precy) who is going to a party but just decided to hangout with us for a while. gel suggested to go to this tapas bar in the east village. i was up for anything so i just said go ahead.

as soon as we went to the place, i finally realized that i've been here before. it was in the 2000 when my and my volleyball teammate had a team party in this bar. i remember it vividly since this was the place where my my former team captain kissed one of my teammates (and by the way, my team captain was married -- not to the teammate). scandalous.

anyway, the place is called xunta. the place is very small. so you can actually listen to the conversation of the people next to you. in any case, we ordered a bucket of coronitas. it's basically the smaller version of the regular coronas. like the lady sittin right next to us, "that is so cute, it's like the drink that you order on the plane"....giggle everywhere. just to let you guys know, it's way much bigger that the drinks on the plane. it's just cute to see a smaller version of corona.

we didn't drink much since the snow begins to come down pretty hard. we don't want to get caught in a snow storm so we left pretty early. before headin home, we stop by venieros to buy some miniature puff pastry...and coffee for gel.

what are you doin' here.......

2008-02-23T09:52:00.003-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i should not be here right now typing this blog. i was suppose to be at the gym taking this spin 101 class. i am not new to spinning but the last time (which was also my first one) i took it, i walked out after the first 5 minutes. it was brutal and i was in pain the whole week. yes yes, i know that sounds i'm out of shape. who can blame me? i am not into physical exertion. anyway, if i haven't told you yet, i am back in the gym. cost me a lot of money but i am looking at the future outcome....not there's any.

anyhow, like i said, i should be at the gym right now. but as you can tell, i am not. i have this hangover from drinking last night. it's not as bad as it sounds but i woke up late and my head is just "spinning" a bit. geli and i decided to meet up after work and grab a drink. since i was hungry, i told her that i want to eat first. she recommend going to st. marks area again but i told her that i (we) need a new scenery. so i suggested the west village area.....down the hatch bar.

on the way to bar, we stopped at this random restaurant called Kingswood. It was about 7:15 pm so the place semi-empty. we were seated on the front window area (which was kewl by the way) but next to this two wall street type guys who just doesn't know when to stop talking. anyway, the ambiance was nice and food was great. we order steamed mussel for starter. it was ok but i had better. for main course, gel ordered their famous Ruby's Bronte Burger and i the roasted chicken. for drinks, we settled for a bottle of pinot noir. now, since we ordered a bottle of wine that cost us more than we normally spend for a drink, we decided that we'll just have dinner and not go drinking afterwards......what can i say, NYC is not a cheap place to eat or drink.

anyhow, by the time we left the restaurant (that was about 9 or so), the place was already packed. the two over the top wall street guys was still there (which gel and i agreed that they should stop the yapping foreplay and just get a room). gel and i parted ways on christopher street. gel on her way to see her boyfriend and i on my way home.

the return.....

2008-02-18T08:22:00.004-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

you're probably wondering what happened to uncle allan for the past month. well nothing much. went back to the Philippines as i said for 3 weeks. didn't do anything exciting except go to the gym in the mornin, walk around the malls, eat tasty filipino foods, and sleep. all my plans of going to vigan, cedu, davao, and hong kong didn't materialized.....i blame this on your granda. JUST KIDDIN. i guess i got too comfortable in manila that i decided to stay. it was the first time that i stayed at home....i usually stay in a hotel (which was silly of me to do since we have a house there).

anyway, after coming back from my vacation, the jetlag was pretty bad that i've basically been sleeping most of the time. waking up at three in the morning, working from 9 to 5, and then just go to bed again. so that was basically what i've been doing.

in regards to my new year resolutions, as i said, your tita janet and i joined a local gym in the philippines for a month (since we have nothing else to do). the gym was inside the mall so basically after the workout, it's mall time.

i also met someone (resolution # 2)....but as i write this email, we both understood that it's better for us to be just friends....it still fall in my resolution.

on a lighter note, i fell in love with a song which i was told (and confirmed by google) was an old song...about 2 years ago. i heard it the first day that i arrived in manila. i didn't realized it would be the theme of my vacation. you might say too dramatic of me but what can i say, i am a sucker for love songs. hopefully you enjoy it because i did.

Rainbow by SouthBorder

Lyrics:
Fallin' out, fallin' in
Nothing's sure in this world no, no
Breakin' out, breakin' in
Never knowin' what lies ahead
We can really never tell it all no, no, no
Say goodbye, say hello
To a lover or friend
Sometimes we never could understand
Why some things begin then just end
We can really never tell it all no, no, no

But oh, can't you see
That no matter what happens
Life goes on and on
So baby, just/please smile
Coz im always around you
And ill make you see how beautiful
Life is for you and me

Refrain

Take a little time baby
See the butterflies color's
Listen to the birds that were sent
To sing for me and you
Can you feel me
This is such a wonderful place to be
Even if there is pain now
Everything would be all right
For as long as the world still turns
There will be night and day
Can you hear me
There's a rainbow always after the rain

Ohh, whoa

Hittin' high, hittin' low
Win or lose you should go, yeah yeah
Getting warm, getting cold
Weather could be so good or bad
But baby this is life now don't get mad no, no, no

Coz oh, cant you see
That no matter what happens
Life goes on and on
So baby, please smile
Coz im always around you
And ill make you see how beautiful
Life is for you and me

Ref

Life's full of challenges
Not all the time we get what we want
But don't despair my dear coz I know now
You'll take each trial and you'll make it through the storm
Coz you're strong my faith in you is clear
So ill say once again this worlds wonderful and
Let us celebrate life that's so beautiful, so beautiful
Ohhhh

Ref

bakasyonista............

2008-01-08T18:20:00.000-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

in about an hour and a half, granda and i are heading to the airport to go back to the philippines. i wish you are all coming but like tita janet said, it's way too expensive to go back home.

i definitely will miss you but no worries, will be back soon like it was just a one day trip.

later.

oh yes!!!!!! oh yes!!!!!!!!!!! ooooooohhhhhhh yyyyyeeeeesssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-01-06T13:55:00.000-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

ok, i can finally say why i haven't written that much during the past month and a half. i've been doing some extra work lately @ bloomingdales as a sales associate. yesterday was my last day since i was only seasonal. yes, i was a sales person during the busy disgusting holiday season. don't think that i did it because i need the money.....believe me, it wasn't at all since the pay wasn't that good in comparison to working until 10 pm (after working 9 am to 5 pm in my regular job). why did i do it? well i have two reasons why.

Reason # 1: i am always trying to do something new and exciting. i applied without any experience and thought i will never get it. but guess what....i got it. a few years ago, i applied to be a waiter (again without any prior experience) and still managed to get hired (the restaurant by the way was 66, owned by the famous restaurantuer Jean-George). i want to say that i've been there, done that.

Reason # 2: DISCOUNTS!!!! DISCOUNTS!!! need i say more.

this is not pasta.......

2008-01-04T23:16:00.000-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

we celebrated cheryl's (my co-worker) baby shower today @ work. i (or should I say) my mom contributed "pansit" (lo mein type) for the event. i know that they like it since i've been bringing the same thing almost everytime we have an event. in any case, the CEO of the company joined us. we are that close to him so it wasn't a suprise. but i was surprise by the comment he said to me.....and i qoute:

"Mike, tell your mom that she did an excellent job on the lo mein. Tell her that it was only thing that I ate".

WOW!!!! Is that a good thing or what!

We'll i told my mom about it and she was glad that my CEO and my co-workers like it. Should I say, you go GIRL!!!.

i need to buy a glove.......

2008-01-02T23:15:00.000-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

going outside today was not fun. it's very very cold. from what i heard on the news, tomorrow will be much worst.

after work, i was suppose to go to the levi's store to return a pair of jeans that i bought two days ago. i originally thought it was on sale but it wasn't (false advertisement). i purchased a similar pair two before then @ macy's and it was 50 percent off. so i refuse to pay a full price when i can get it much less. but anyway, i was planning to do that but i decided to go to bestbuy to buy a new camera. i found one earlier last month at the same store but in thier SoHo store, not in 5th ave. they don't have so i went to the circuit city next door. YEAH!!!!!!!!! they have it on the display. after making a final decision of buying it, i was told that it was sold out. what a bummer.

anyhow, i decided to walk around and look for a glove. yes, i need a glove. my original fendi glove was either stolen or i drop it somewhere. so i am walking in the cold without any gloves. i feel so naked....and not to mention flippin cold.

I NEED TO GET A GLOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

stuck in 2007.......but looking forward to 2008

2008-01-01T17:52:00.000-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

the first blog of the year.....what to write??? hhmmm.....oh, now I know.

yesterday afternoon while i wait in line to go inside the abercrombie store in 5th avenue (yes, i will admit i was tempted to see if they have anything on sale), i called my friend emily to see if she is planning to do anything for new year's eve. she told me that she was heading home and do nothing at all. i was planning to do the same thing. i asked her if she wants to do something like go to a bar/club to welcome the new year but she had to go home to take care of her baby (she got a puppy for christmas from her boyfriend)....she can hangout for a bit but had to go home early. I asked what time and she told me about 4 pm. WHAT?? do i really want to have a drink at 4 in the afternoon and head back home before 6 pm and already wasted. I DON'T THINK SO. she slept last years during new years eve and i on the other hand was in the airport headin for my vacation......so skipping this year is not a biggie.

ok, i've never done this before so i am crossing all my fingers and toes for this to work....NEW YEARS RESOLUTION:
1. go to the gym - i paid my annual membership since 1997 but i've been to the gym only 50 times.
2. find someone (can be a friend or a special someone) - i'm fed up with the drama in my life. i think i can write a tele-novela with my life story. this one though might be already in the works (YES!!!!!!!!!!!) NO JINX PLEASE............
3. get a new car - this is very easy to do but living in NYC, i don't see the necessity of having one.....and i refuse to be the chauffer again. done that for years and was happy when there was no car.
4. continue blogging - i enjoy doing this. keeps my friends and families all over world informed.......of course about me.
4. learn how to play the guitar - this is the one thing that i am not sure if I will be able to do. but hey, there's another year next year.

season's greeting......

2007-12-25T09:05:00.000-05:00

wishing each and everyone a very merry christmas.....

mike

neglecting my own self.........

2007-12-16T23:17:00.000-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

the past few weeks especially last week was tough for me. things are just getting complicated...or should i say i try to make it complicated. i create issues even though there is none. if there was an issues, i should have ended it a long long time ago. but for reason, i still keep holding on to something that will never happen. things that i pretend not too see.

i will be ok. i will be definitely be fine. but for now, it's better that i face the truth and learn from my mistakes.........my very immature mistakes.......

let it snow, let it snow, let is snow.....

2007-12-02T08:38:00.000-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

it's the official first day of snow. i heard you (dom) said that it's snowing outside. i looked and your absolutely right, it is snowing. i guess winter is officially here. YEAH!!!!!!!!!

anyway, it's official, the usb cable to my camera is missing. no one took it...yeah right (sarcastic tone). i checked online how much if i buy the cable and it seems that it would cost me $30 for the cable. now, i am contemplating if i should get it or just get a new camera. who knows....i got too much stuff to buy even though i don;t really need it.

a simple message........

2007-11-18T10:09:00.000-05:00

dear j:

i do not miss you, i miss the person who i thought you were.

mike

red, silver, blue, or clear??

2007-11-11T13:31:00.000-05:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

just finish doing my christmas decoration shopping. not to happy about it. usually i have something in mind already before buying these stuff. for example, last year christmas tree was inspired by the Natural Museum - origami decorations. this year was suppose to be inspired by the christmas tree from the white house...crystals.

when i reached the store to look for crystals...or at least transparent decorations. NONE. it was a bummer. i had no back-up plans. i can wait for next weekend but that means i will be cutting it close. i saw this purple/lavender decorations. i like it but it would be too dark and i don't want that. silver and blue was something that i did a few years ago. red is something that i try to avoid because it's just bright of a color. what to do??

ok, i actually decided to stay with one color as the focal point but i will add another color just for effects. what color did i go?? just wait after thanxgiving, i'll post a pix here. now if i can just find the perfect christmas tree....oh yeah, we only use real tree, not plastic tree.

no way!!!!!!!!!

2007-11-03T22:51:00.000-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i have no idea what's going with me. i have been slacking off in writing this blog. no excuses to be made.....no reason at all except for the fact that i am lazy during the past couple of days...or weeks. i made a promise from the start not to be a slacker but guess what, i am only human.

in any case, i got home very late...or should i say very early this morning. 3 am to be exact. j, eric, and i watched american gangster. the movie started 11:30 pm (including the previews) and ended close to 2:30 am. on the way, we almost got hit not once, but twice.....and this all happened in less 1/4 mile. cars trying to over take and running very very fast. by the 2nd time we almost got hit, all the cars stopped. right infront of us was a car accident. a cab and an suv collided. the front of the suv was a total wreck and same for the cab. it seems like the passenger from the suv was ok but the cab driver on the other hand was different. while j passed on the side, i saw the cab driver lying on the ground....and the deflated air bag. we realized that this happened probably within 5 minutes when we get there. i was thinking of calling 911 but i noticed that 4-5 people who were already calling. it got scared because that could have been us. i thank my god for sparing us.

on a lighter note, in a few hours, daylight saving time again. one less hour of sleep. bummer.........

it's finally official.......

2007-10-27T12:41:00.000-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

ok....my boss finally approved my revised vacation request yesterday. "revised" because i had to change the dates by about a week after the orginal dates. now the question is where would i go. i actually have a plan in mind and i just need to configurate some other stuff....like side trips to other countries.

also last night, i went to watch SAW IV. usually it was me, j and eric. this time though, we were joined by larry, maggie, and angel. all are j friends so it was ackward for me the whole night. if only i could sneak out of the theater without being noticed i would.

do i really have to decide now??

2007-10-21T11:52:00.000-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

why do i have a hard time choosing stuff? for example, i am planning to replace my cell phone. my choices are blackberry and an iphone. both have the same feature that i like - something that i can use when i travel outside the country. iphone would be great since it can play itunes. but if i buy it, that means i have to cancel from my current carrier which will cost me $150 for early termination and the monthly rate will be much higher. if i buy the blackberry, it's more expensive and i have to add more features to the plan. so it's not a win win situation for me.

another one is my vacation issues. i haven't taken a full vacation since january 2007. my cousin wanted me to go to barcelona. i was planning to go back home or somewhere cheaper that UK or Europe. where to go then??

i always wanted to be an abercrombie model..........

2007-10-20T11:17:00.000-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

first of all, the reason why i haven't posted during the past week - i got sick which basically made me weak...and i got busy at work. by the time i get home, i just want to sleep.

anyway, don't let the title fool you. i was surfing the web when i found this....

Stunt by Improv Everywhere

ok, this particular abercrombie store is a block a way from where i work (the other store is located in downtowm manhattan). it's impossible not to look since there's always a crowd outside the store.

i did have an abercrombie & fitch (a&f) phase.....it stopped 5/6 years ago. any a&f stuff i still own and wear would be considered vintage already.

this is the moment....

2007-10-09T23:04:00.000-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

i finally told j that we are no longer taking vacations together.....it's for the better.

i hate texting........PART 2

2007-10-07T12:16:00.000-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

what happend to my doggie bag??

well that night, i got a text from j "if ur up call me". that was about 11:30 pm.

j was pissed off the fact that the dinner reservation was suppose to be at 11 pm and no one's there yet.

what happened after that?? i don't know. i was tired and went to sleep.

i hate texting........

2007-10-05T21:28:00.000-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dyland, and nicky:

j: guess who's going to Tao tonight? LOL
mike: can I asume u?
j: but of course, sucks to B U! I'll bring U a doggy bag LMOA! (didn't know what this mean until now - laughing my a** off
mike: I xpext that doggie bag
j: aiight I'll order xtra. I was invited as a 3rd wheel, don't mind because it's TAO!
mike: I was just kidin. have fun
j: will do, C if I still bring U a doggy though
mike: funny
j: I was serious!
mike: ok. have a blast

mike: just passed tao
j: U just passed it, I'm going N! LOL
mike: am jealous. NOT
j: yeah yeah u know u want 2 go
mike: anyway. enjoy da small portion of food.
j: i'll savor every small morsel, just 2 spite U 4 not getting the xbox!
mike: whatever. enjoy anyhow!!
j: TTYL

hotcakes galore....

2007-10-04T11:13:00.000-04:00

dear jo, dom, em, dylan, and nicky:

as promised, am posting here what i did this morning. as soon as i woke up, i went to the kitchen to prepare what i need for todays project. i am trying to make Bill Grager's famous ricotta hotcakes. i had the website on my favorite for months now and finally i had the time to do it. today by the way is a jewish holiday (8th day of Succoth) which means no work for me...YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!

this is the first time i'm trying this recipe and you know what, it wasn't that bad. the hotcakes were very light. i was a bit disappointed because i didn't find a honeycomb last nite so i just settled for aunt jemima. i would have love to show you a pix of the result but i can not find my usb cord. i need to ask melvin or hope...someone took it. i know it.