Saturday mania

Today marks the end of the Daylight Saving Time. Well it was at 2:00 in the morning specifically. That means that we turned our clocks back by one hour this morning. Whew! We were in downtown clubbing then, and it's funny that the time seemed to tick so slow, haha! Talking about spending an extra hour there.. Thanks to the DST!

There was a cold front too last night, and I didn't have any idea about it until I went out of the car in the parking lot in Riverfront. Gaad, it was freezing, like around 50+ degrees Fahrenheit. My friends and I were like, "Seriously, are we in South Florida?!!" Haha! Sean and I even uttered it simultaneously. "May be we're in Chicago or in New York?!!" Lol. Yeah seriously, it was windy and cold, but it was good. I love a weather like that. It's just that it would be much better only if I didn't don a mini skirt or may be if I brought a blazer or something, just to cover up myself. Lucky were those who were in their Halloween costumes (since it was the Halloween nights & people put on their best costumes). Oh but not really though, because a lot still showed their skins too, especially the ladies. The ones who were lucky were those who wore big layers of clothes. But we still had a blast! We got rid of the coldness once we were inside the clubs. Each bar was so crowded but it was so much fun! We hopped about 5 to 6 bars. Music was good. There were a lot of cute guys to check out too! Wehehe. Right Sherrein?! And my cousin had this guts then to ask them for poses with us, because of the "It's all because of the alcohol" effect. That was really funny! ;-)

And for an added FYI, it was our (Sherrein's and mine) first Halloween party here being 21. Last year there was the Hurricane Wilma, so we were stuck at home because of the curfew. Two years ago, we were just 20 and although we have gone to Las Olas too, we couldn't get in the bars. And so here finally!!! It feels so great! haha!

Whew! What an amazing Saturday! We attended a wedding in the morning until the afternoon, then watched a football game with friends & cousins (even if I don't have a clue on how the football game goes), then a Halloween party at night til dawn. Ahhh, parties... I have missed this life. You know, dressing up, going out, having friends to hang out with. My arms and legs are hurting right now, and so are my feet.. And I kinda lost my voice. I wonder why I always tend to lose my voice everytime I go out with my friends to a club. Well not necessarily a club, but it usually happens when I'm having a good time. It's not that I'm shouting our something. Hmm, I might be.. and I just don't notice it. hahaha! But it's fine, the important thing is I enjoyed dancing the night away! Good times..

Here are a few of the pictures...



Today Sunday, I didn't go to the church with my family, coz it was too early - they heard mass at 10AM, and I slept at around 6AM. Instead, I went to the church alone at 5 in the afternoon. Then it's good that my cousin was there too, so it was all great.

Three things

It's just Tuesday, yet I already have three things that I should be happy about for this week...
So far...

1. I got my work permit yesterday, Monday

- Yes, I received the envelope that contained my Employment Authorization Card. Finally right?! Finally, I have an Alien number and I can legally work. I'm off to the real world!

2. I have applied for my Social Security number today

- SSN is another requirement in order to work, for tax purposes. I'll get my SSN card in about 2 weeks. It will be mailed to me. Good thing that the line a while ago wasn't that long. I got attended in about 15 minutes.

*So with the work permit and SSN, I can claim my Florida Nursing license. May be in a month, I can get it, then start. I just have to inform my employer. Ha! It's exciting, yet scary. Actually, if I can request, I prefer that I'll just attend classes first for this year 2006, talking about completing the ACLS, BLS and ECG classes, so that it will be one step at a time, plus the holidays are coming. It scares me to death that I will be drowning myself immediately during those special occasions. Hence I really hope that I will just start with the real duties by January, so that it will be really a new year for me.

3. It's my Mom's 50th birthday today!!!

- GOLDEN year for my mom! She deserves to celebrate, which we did last Saturday (details in the previous entry). Since it's her birthday, I'd like to dedicate a piece of gratitude for her.

Well, my mom's the coolest and the best! (Of course each of us loves our own moms.) I really admire my mom for her hardwork for all of us. She has sacrificed a lot just to give us our needs & wants. Her love for us overflows that we won't be standing where we are now without it... without her. Seldom can you see moms and daughters who are very close with each other, and I'm so proud that we are among those. I mean I am the daughter who is an open book with my mom. Disclosing my dreams to her and sharing my colorful life and its escapades is not that hard. It makes the bond tighter. We also definitely shop together! Yeah, it's our passion, our therapy to this stressful world. My mom and I even share some clothes and shoes. Same taste!!! Yep, she doesn't look like 50 at all. She's game for what's in. She feels young and loving it. I so love my mom, that I wanna be in her place someday. I want to be as successful as her, a nurse so loving and caring, a wife so understanding, and a mother so cool!

I can't thank God enough for giving me a very loving mother.
Thanks to you Ma. We love you! Have a happy birthday filled with love!

amiable week

Friendship week ~ Hmm.. that's the name I would give for this amiable week I had. Why? For the reason that I had surprised myself that I was able to talk to my closest friends (the barkada and the like) in Manila. Well, let's include my friends here in the States too, I mean I was so glad that I got to talk to my Chicago & Florida friends again, coz it's been a while too since we've updated ourselves of what's happening with each of us. Add to those list of friends, of course, my family and relatives, coz yep we have hung out too recently!

******
Okay, first and foremost, it's one of my kabarkada's (Liway's) birthday last Thursday, and her having a swimming party in her house was an opportunity to have conversed with most of my friends. Yup, I called them! *smiles* Ahhhh, it really felt good to hear from them, especially from Winnie, Angge and Jonats, whom I haven't talked to, for like forever. All of them seem working on their way to go here in US (Angge in Canada) - you know NCLEX stuffs and the like. I couldn't help but to get excited for them and so I convinced them a spoonful of optimism in their endeavors.


My college barkada/friends

Oh but there's this thing... I felt awfully surprised with what was said to me by one of my friends. When I told her/him, "Hey, I'm happy since I don't have to go home in Manila anymore, that I can already stay here because my petition has been filed," I didn't expect her/him to react in such a way that she/he would say, "Mabuti ba yun na hindi ka na uuwi dito? So hindi ka na talaga uuwi dito?" Well I don't really understand what she/he means by that, but with those words I felt that she/he isn't happy with the fact that sooner or later I can start working here. It's weird because all of my friends, but she/he, are glad that my staying here for good is a way closer to my dreams; and all of them too, but she/he, could envy me that I'm here already. Oh well, let's just say that she/he just reacts that way because nationalism is important. hehehe. (babawi naman ako balang araw eh.) But all I was just expecting from that talk was a supportive friend, who would feel glad as I am to what has turned out to be. And really for me, career and family-wise, staying here would be better. But hey, don't think that I'm mad with her/him, coz I'm not. Actually I realized I shouldn't be surprised at all, ganun lang pala talaga yun. hehe. Labo ba! Basta yun na yun.

******
My mom celebrated her 50th birthday yesterday (her birthday is on Oct. 24 though). A lot of visitors came, about 70-100 may be. It was a big party because it's her golden, so that means there's lot of foods... Filipino/Chinese/Italian foods. There's Palabok, Seafood linguine, Lumpia Shanghai, Lumpia Fresh, Chinese mixed vegetables, Menudo, Beef Steak, Steamed sweet and sour fish, Turkey (kaldereta way of cooking), Empanada, Rice, and the best of all... lechon, hehehe!



Two little pigs, hwehehe

Then the desserts were really good. I made a refrigerator cake. There's sapin-sapin, puto, suman, macaroni salad, brownies, fruit punch with almond jelly, too, then a variety of fruits, then my mom's 2-layered cake.





Awesome wasn't it? Actually, I haven't tasted everything. Hindi na kinaya ng bituka ko. hehe. There were a few leftovers, so for this coming week, I'm sure we would just be binging on the same viands.

It's great that my friends Dianne, Ate Carla and Janh partied with us too, so I wasn't bored at all. It was fun hanging out with them. We never ran out of things to talk. Moreover, several of my mom's friends (I really forgot who they were when they were talking to me) said hi and asked me about my status here, if I am working already. There's the same set of questions and of course I have the same set of answers. Lol. I just told them that I'm still waiting for my work permit.




Janh, Kat, Ate Carla and Dianne

Fun times with cousins too. My cousins Ate Marlo and Kuya Rudy (who have been married for 10 months already) announced that they bought a house. Boy, I initially thought they were having a baby, haha! Sayang! But I'm soo happy for them that finally they have bought one and it's still here in FL. At least no one is moving out of FL yet. (it's gonna be me who's goin to be the first one.. na-ah. just kidding) So there, we had a family picture before everyone went home. I can't wait til Thanksgiving (a month from now pa) to have another party with the family.




Cousins...



Family...
So that's my week... I hope to have another great week again ahead of me. Kayo din! Take care! :)

Medical matters

Wow! I had a great weekend! I was in love... again!!! hahaha! with Grey's anatomy. Naku po, I can't stop myself from watching it, that even if it's late at night already, I would go to Blockbuster just to rent. Yep, Blockbuster has all the DVDs of Seasons 1 and 2. Good thing, my mom has subscribed into a promo ever since, where we can borrow 2 DVDs at a time, unlimited. So my weekend indeed was busy, with me seating on the couch, laughing, giggling, shedding a tear or two with my new love! haha. And of course with my family, helping my parents run some errands. But I wasn't done with the Season 2 yet. I think there are four more DVDs to watch. May be tomorrow or on the weekends again.. I bothered to postpone watching the Grey's since today is the release of the new DVDs. That's why I picked American Dreamz and The break-up instead a while ago. I haven't watched those in the movies, so I better catch them up.

*****

I would really want to go to med school. I mean it's my dream since I was small, being influenced greatly by my dad. Even when I was in college as a nursing student, I looked up to those med students and even wished that someday I would be wearing a white uniform too with a nameplate that has an M.D. embossed on it. But for some reasons and unexpected circumstances, the plans changed, shattered and I haven't minded it at all.

Lately, I've been thinking if it would still be practical for me to take up Medicine. I want to, but look at this. According to the timeline I've set, if I would really pursue, that's gonna happen in year 2009 (because I have to finish my 2-year contract in the hospital as an RN). I would rather get my green card first before anything else, for security reasons & for my future too if worse comes to worst. The thing is, it worries me that I'm 25 years old already at that time! It's 4 years in Med, plus there's a year internship, plus 2 years Residency. Geez, I'm too old when I'm done - 32 years old. Wahhhh! Then add to that if I'd specialize still. Of course, I would! So come to think of it, I'm this doctor who's just about to start her life by age 32 or 34! It's not right, is it?

Well yeah, we can say that it isn't that bad if I finish it on my 30's. But what I'm also considering is may be I will miss a lot. Talking about risking those 7++ years. Being in med school is not a joke. I mean I would subject myself into "devouring volumes and volumes of books voraciously" as quoted by my classmate Ed, and also engage into sleepless nights. TOXICITY would set in again.

Looking at the other side of the coin though, I can travel, go to parties, be with friends, families and loved ones, be stable as a nurse, buy my own house, focus on establishing my own family, etc... Oh yeah, that's another thing, baka hindi na ako makakapag-asawa kung puro aral na lang, diba? Ayoko naman maging single forever. Tsaka gusto ko pang magka-anak noh, nang walang complications or anything ( kase medyo high risk na rin kung mga 35 years old ka na magka-baby) hehehe. May expiration kase ang egg cells ng mga babae. hahaha!

Another thing, too, will be the cost of going to med school. If I would take it here in US, I have to loan and I fear that I'll be in debt after graduation. Going back to the Philippines, though, will be an intelligent and practical option, but then I would be too old, since first year med students there are like 19 (Intarmed) or 21 years old, as compared to me who will be like 25. But if I'll be granted a chance to enter UP Med, oh my... I would not mind or even thought for a second! hahaha! Well not a chance siguro, kase babae ako so dapat 1.75 and above (dapat cum laude) ang GWA ko tsaka the competition is just too much. Ewan, let's just see. Besides, there's no harm in trying and I know that my grade is not too far from the boundaries.

Hayyy.. It's hard to make a decision, really, especially if your life would be greatly affected by it. There's a lot of consequences and we have to weigh the pros and cons first. As for me, for now, I still don't know what to do. I just pray that God will be the one to let me know what's best for me, that he'll make me decide smartly. Basta, I'll just try to take NMAT and MCAT a year or two from now, and try applying to the schools, kung kaya ng powers ko. Then may be I'll get a sign. And since 2009 will be like 3 long years from now, I know plans could still change. A lot of things will happen. People change. People can influence me. I may like my work already that I don't want to leave my comfort zone anymore. We'll see. At least that time, I know that I am more mature than what I am now.

I got hooked!

Ahhh! I'm so hooked with Grey's Anatomy! Kilig then nakakarelate ako sympre kase medical stuffs yung pinag-uusapan. Lalo tuloy akong nagiging determined magpursue ng med.. Hay sana nakapagNMAT ako dati. kase naman, di ko alam bakit di ko naasikaso. hehe. Sobrang interesting and exciting kase tsaka ang daming matututunan... well pag-iipunan ko muna yun, may be after two-three years, we'll see. Age doesn't matter naman sa pagiging doctor, lalo na dito.

Anyways, I just watched the Episode "What I Am"(Season 3 Episode 4). There's this scene where McSteamy entered the hospital and everyone just gazed at him. His assignment there presented curiosity, shock, anger and excitement. Lalo tuloy hindi makafocus si Addison.

Oh yeah, Meredith had an appendicitis. At first, they thought she was pregnant haha! Anyways, there was this scene where both Finn and Derek were there inside Meredith's room while she was induced with Morphine & other pre-op meds. And since Meredith was on dose, it was funny that she was out of her mind, just talking non-sense. Well it was not nonsense at all, it was just she didn't realize that she was like revealing a lot of things. Hahaha!

Then there's a scene too that Finn and Derek were alone and they got to talk about Meredith. Finn pointed out that Meredith has been really open with him and not with Derek. So Derek was like, "ohh.." then he told Finn that he seems a good guy.

And here came the very most nakakagigil scene - when Derek was alone with Meredith after the operation (she was back on her senses now), he told Meredith that she deserves Finn. He said Finn is a "better guy" and that "you deserve to be with somebody who won't hurt you. I'm walking away." (He was actually influenced by what Dr. Webber told him earlier when he was asked by Derek why he left Meredith's mom. Dr. Webber had said, "I was a better man to walk away.") So yeah, he told Meredith that she would just be hurt in the end, because with him (Derek), things are very much complicated! Ahhhhh! nakakainis! So syempre Meredith was sooo sad and disappointed and she felt like crying! Derek then went out of the room.

When Finn returned there, and after sometime thinking about it, Meredith told him that she chooses Derek. *Kilig! haha!* She sort of like said, "You're a great guy. You could be the better one...But.." Yeah, Meredith knows that Finn can be the better guy, and she knows that she can be hurt in the end, but she still wanna risk it. Hayyyy... So Finn was of course disappointed and said, "You know he will just hurt you and when that happens, I'm not gonna be there.." sort of like that... So yeah, Finn was dumped.

Hay grabe! May be it's just like that sometimes... that even though you already know that you're just goin to be hurt in the end in a complicated situation, but if you really love the person, you will risk everything. Ganun nga talaga siguro pag love. Hayyyyy.... Sooo.. i'm just gonna wait for the next episode. I can hardly wait actually! haha! Sana bawiin na ni Derek yung sinabi nyang magbaback-out sya!

I really would like to watch the Seasons 1 & 2. Ngayon lang talaga kase akong na-hook! Sana may ma-rent ako sa blockbuster at nang sa ganun magpapakasawa akong manood ng mga namiss ko! Marami-rami yun... =)

fair day & yesterday

Today marks the expiration of my driver's license. It's sad that my ID has no validity anymore, that I couldn't send my sister to school this morning. Well, I can't do anything about it but to give it away. I wish I could keep it, but I can't. It's gonna be thrown to the trash, then be recycled. Yeah, that's what happened this morning. I surrendered my expired driver's license.... for a new one!!! hahaha! Gotcha! Yesss my dears, I can actually renew it. Remember my previous rants about how am I gonna survive the next three months without a driver's license? That I'm goin to be stuck here at home, doing nothing? Ha! I was totally wrong. I received the documents or receipts of my adjustment of status papers from the lawyers yesterday, and those are the ones needed in order to renew my license. I'm so grateful that I can actually do that! So early this morning, my dad drove me to the DMV and renew it. I have now a temporary driver's license (on a paper again! sucks i know, but it's better to have it than nothing else), which is valid for 30 days, then the formal driver's license will be mailed within a month. I hope the validity of that license is no longer 6 months, but 1 year. So yeah I'm happy that I don't have to let my dad or sister drive me when I need to go out.

******
Last night, my mom and her colleagues celebrated a baby shower in their hospital. My mom brought me along. She toured me around her unit (telemetry), the one where she is the charged nurse. I found myself to be really scrutinizing the place, the machines, the rooms, and somehow having myself taking a peek of the patients. Yeah! There was a longing for me to work already. I'm getting more excited actually, and I miss the smell of the hospital. Well the smell here is good! I mean compared to PGH! haha!

Anyways, it was an opportunity also for me to learn, especially it was also a telemetry unit (which will be my unit in Mt. Sinai most probably). So whatever questions that pop my head, about the hospital stuffs, I asked my mom about them, like the telemetry monitors, how do they do their charting. My my my.. It's really different in here, so very high-tech! They're all computerized, and it's way easier. For instance, with regards to giving their medications. They have push carts that contain every patients' meds. The carts consist of several drawers, wherein each has the patient's name and bed number. Then at the top of every cart is a laptop, where the patients' meds are registered. Whenever you take away a med from the cart, you have to scan it in a little censor which is also attached to the cart. Then once you have given the medication, you also have to scan the wristband of the patient (the one that has his name on it). See, this is really a good strategy for avoiding medical errors, and that you will be ensured that you have given every medication that is required for that patient.

Moving forward to the party itself, I was the only one who's not employed there, but I don't feel out of place, because I know they're all my colleagues. They were amazed when they learned that I am an RN too and got more stupefied upon knowing that I'm already 22! hahaha! They thought I was just 18 (naks naman!) haha. Well, I guess we Filipinos have a secret of how to look young huh.

My mom's colleagues are Americans and Indians. Of course there are Filipinos too, but they weren't there last night. Oh yeah the Indian nurses arrived wearing their native dresses. I forgot what they're called. I think sari. haha. I don't know, I forgot. But they look good in them, then they have the red marks on their foreheads.

Anyways, since it's a potluck, my mom brought a tray of empanadas.. chicken empanadas. So good! She ordered them from her Filipina colleague too, and everyone had liked them. Most of the visitors were Indians, since the one who had the baby shower was an Indian. So what would you expect then, but for the foods to be Indian cuisine. Yes yes! It was my first time to get a taste of Indian foods, and they weren't bad at all. Yeah, actually I liked them. It's just the ones that they brought were mostly rice, and I'm not that fond of eating that much rice, because I get full with it easily. But hey, they're good! One was a fried rice with different spices on them. Then the other was a rice mixed with chicken and different spices (this one was a little spicy but it's good.. I mean it's tolerable!). I was like eating an international cuisine there, because there was also an Italian Zitti. So to sum it up, I ended up being full, because I have tasted almost everything. I have this love for tasting food wherein I am not that afraid to try whatever it is on the table, except for the native exotic foods (the intestines, snakes, insects - I'm NO NO for those! hehe)

******

Today is my last day of my first week of tutoring my 2 students. Ha! There's a lot to tell about those two kids. Sometimes I can feel that I can get a high blood with them, because they're sooo makulit and they would try to manipulate me. But then I have always learned from our Psychiatric Nursing to never allow your patients to manipulate you, that I have to set limits. Then there are times that they will argue to me that my answer is wrong. hayayay.. I just have to control my temper and not argue with them because they are kids. So here comes the nurse trying to be therapeutic and just continue to explain how the answers came out to be the way they are supposed to be. Nonetheless I'm enjoying teaching them, because I also learn a lot in dealing with them. I'm grateful too because I'm able to help them in their homeworks. My student Matthew even got a 100% in his Reading test the other day, and it's an accomplishment for my part too, because I have helped him to finish the book with him understanding it by heart. For the next weeks that I'm going to be dealing with them, I know there will be more challenge, but one thing that I can say now is that it's really hard to be a mother... disciplining the children and all. I mean to be a mom is a really noble job to do. So for now, I don't wanna be a mom yet. hehehe.

blabber, blabber

I just wanna blabber about something that I may say "good" that just happened to me. The other night, I was chatting with my friend Alex in YM. Then it came to a point when we were discussing about the status of our petition here as RN's in US. Alex, by the way, is my kabarkada who's in Chicago and had been my classmate the whole four years in college. It's just pretty amazing that our petition papers run at the same pace. I mean, after his was filed, two days after it was my turn. Then the other day, he told me that he just had his biometrics that same morning. So I asked him what was that all about. To realize, those actually refer to the fingerprinting and the picture taking for the USCIS to complete the processing. We, applicants, would receive a mail from the USCIS, one that will inform us of our specific schedule to have the biometrics taken in the office within our respective state. Hence I told him that there was no sign of any mail yet for me. Then surprisingly he began to babble about his presentiment that my letter's going to arrive in my mailbox the next day. And I just laughed at him, telling him "Yeah right! Why, who are you, a psychic?" He ignored me and spoke as if he was really serious about it, kept insisting me that I check the day after, because he really has a strong intuition with it. So I yielded to his favor, but still I was just laughing about it, and I didn't believe him.

Not until the next day...

When I woke up, I scanned the dining table for any signs of mail, but no one had gotten those letters out from the mailbox yet. So I went outside, got the letters. There's plenty of them, that I couldn't find one for me while browsing them as I went inside the house. Then one by one, I checked the recipient's name and I was just dumbfounded when I recognized a small envelope from the USCIS! hahaha! Yeah there was really one for me! I was laughing my ass off, and I sounded like a fool hollering at my dad who was in the kitchen, that "OMG, Alex was a psychic! Alex was right!" I know my dad was bewildered about my reaction, so I explained everything to him. Yeah so I was glad that I received my biometric's schedule already and it's really WAY TO GO!!! YIPEE!!! Oh I called Alex after that, and he just kept teasing me, "See? I told you!" I kidded around telling him that I'm going to consult him to foretell me the imminent things that would come along my way, such as my lovelife, hahaha!

*****

Oh yeah, speaking about lovelife, I think I'm so not for it right now. Yeah, I mean, honestly, I don't wanna date anyone for the moment or go out... Haha! May be when I'm quite stable with a work already. I'd like to be focused first to what's in store for me, career-wise. I'd like to save too, financially-wise, 'coz dating now does not really mean that a guy has to do all the expenses. And most importantly, I don't want to be involved as of now. It's like I'm not in the mood of entertaining. I get tired of crying too, which happens if some expectations turned out to be otherwise... and I'd like to take a big break for a while. Lovelife sometimes is just a pain in the ass. I know it shouldn't be that way. Yes, in many ways it inspires us, makes us giggle; but there comes a time that it gives us worries. I know, i know, you'll say it's really a part of the relationship.. Yeah, I understand that it's inevitable. But the thing is, what if you're still not in THE relationship? I mean problems arise already while you're still on the process of dating, the process where you don't have any commitment yet. Some things get complicated. So you see? I've been there.. That's why I don't want to crush myself into that at the moment, 'coz I'm simply not yet ready. So to my suitors out there and those who would like to try (as if there are! Asa! haha!), date other girls first... Just get back to me later on, Lol!!! But feel free to send me gifts, such as flowers, chocolates, anything.. be it internationally or locally! My sisters and brother would surely eat those chocolates. hahaha! Anything, they will be really appreciated. =) Kidding aside, yeah my heart needs healing right now. Not that I'm torn, not that it beats for someone that I can't be with. I promise you I'm over with my past relationships. It's just that I'm not ready to fall again or subject myself to anyone that I might fall for... simple as that. I'm gonna put everything in place first, then I'm surely going back to that, because I tell you I'm a person who dreams of having a family of her own too, someday. Hey, I'm just 22.. still young. Aright, let's be happy!

nakakatamad na nakakatuwa

Nakakatamad ang araw ngayon. Biyernes na biyernes, pero wala akong balak gawin mamayang gabi. Hayyy.. Nagluto pala kami ng mom ko ng palabok! Yumyum! Tumulong ako sa kanya, kase gusto ko rin matuto. Madali lang pala eh, sus! hehe. Basta eh gamit ang Mama Sita's. Tapos gumawa pa kami ng fruit cocktail with almond jelly, at may ginawa ring kaldereta ang daddy ko kanina. Ang dami nga ng pagkain eh. Nakakainis kase kumain na ako kanina ng lunch (yung kaldereta na may kasamang kanin pa, tapos yung left over na peking duck). Di ko naman alam na magluluto kami ng palabok. hehe. Nakakasira tuloy ng diyeta, dapat di na ako nagkanin kanina. Haha! Oh well, para sa merienda/dinner na lang yung iba.


Ano ba ang magandang gawin ngayon? Promise, nakakatamad. Baka magswimming na lang ako maya-maya, tutal maaraw pa naman. Hindi ko pa ramdam na fall season na. Parang summer pa rin, hehe. Tapos kapag magwiwinter na, baka magkakasakit ako nito, sa sobrang pag-adjust sa klima, kase malamang eh sa Chicago na ako magpapasko. Eh hello, may snow kaya dun diba, tapos malamigin talaga akong tao at madaling sipunin. Pero alam kong magiging masaya kase White Christmas. Tsaka Pasko yun eh. Yup, the fact na Pasko nakakaexcite, hehe. Labo ba? Pero di nga, kase 'pag naririnig ko yung mga kanta eh nakaka-uplift ng spirit, tapos nakikita mo yung mga bahay na maliwanag sa gabi dahil sa mga decors and lights. Basta masaya lang. Wala pa namang mga Christmas songs dito ngayon. Sana nga meron na eh. Malamang mga November pa. Pero diba sa Pilipinas, mga October pa lang eh sobrang ramdam mo na na magpapasko na. Sa radyo ipinatutugtog na nila yung mga kanta. Sa mall may mga decors na rin.

Nga pala, magiging tutor ulit ako!!! Yepyep, yun yung nahanap kong sideline. Sa wakas meron na ulit, para may pera na ako sa Pasko. Well ok naman, kase talagang magaan sa loob ko ang pagtuturo, lalo na sa mga bata. Isang grade 4 at isang grade 6 ang tuturuan ko, mga lalaki. Apat na araw sa isang linggo at apat na oras sa isang araw. Naisip ko, eto rin yung ginawa ko noong nakaraang taon, sa isang high school student nga lang at sa isang subject lang - Algebra. Pero ngayon, all around - Math, Language Arts, Science and History. Tutulungan ko sila sa mga assignments nila, kase may mga trabaho yung mga magulang nila at pagdating sa bahay eh pagod na.

Nakakatuwa nga rin kase pumunta ako sa kanila kahapon at nameet ko sila. Ok na ok yung family, at nagustuhan kaagad ako ng mga bata. Hindi katulad nung nakaraang taon, dahil highschool na yung bata, parang nagka-low self-esteem sya nung kinunan sya ng mommy nya ng tutor. So ayun, sa Lunes na nga ako magsisimula. Nakakatuwa sila lalo na si Matthew, yung grade 4, kase sabi nya bakit sa Lunes pa raw ako babalik at hindi ngayong araw. Hehe. Masaya at nakuha ko kaagad ang kanyang tiwala. Sana makontrol ko sila, kase hyper sila. Pero base sa dryrun namin kahapon, madali naman silang turuan at nakukuha kaagad nila, kaya sana di ako mahihirapan.

O siya, lalangoy muna ako at para makapagexercise na rin. Ingat ang lahat! =)

being a scapegoat

Five days ago, I checked my Yahoo inbox, and to my surprise there was this e-mail address from a stranger with a subject "PSST...." So I opened it and it was a hate e-mail. She was accusing me of flirting to a taken person, more probably with her boyfriend. I was like, "WHATTT?" She said, "baka sumaya ka pa ulit ha, katrina. magtira ka naman ng kahihiyan sa sarili mo & MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!" Gaaad, what the heck is she talking about? I replied of course, I would not let myself be thought of as a coward, and in the first place, I don't really have any single clue as to what she's been saying to me.

In my first reply I was calm, because it might be a wrong sent e-mail. She might meant a different Katrina, and I wasn't even used to be known as Katrina in UP Manila. I am always called there as Kating. Oh by the way, she was from UP Manila too, a graduate of the College of Pharmacy specifically, because her e-mail address bears uppharm along with her initials. But I don't know her. So I searched for her in friendster, and I found her, but I have to satisfy myself with her small primary picture because her profile is exclusive for her closely connected-friends. But still I can recognize her and I realized that I haven't met or known such girl.

Going back to my first reply, I asked her if she's sure that I am the Katrina that she's referring to, and I even pointed out to her if how would I flirt and with whom, because I'm here in the States and I'm being discrete the whole time.

Last night I found myself reading her next reply, but this one really made me sick. I really thought she was mistaken, but her reply was this, "i know. andyan ka nga sa florida to flirt, diba? katrina espanol, ikaw nga! di ko alam kung bakit hindi succesful ang lovelife mo pero sana di ka maghanap ng idadamay. ako din nanahimik pero ikaw nang-iistorbo. i need not elaborate more on this."

After reading that, I pressed the Reply button and began typing. It was so unfair, being accused and being thought of something that you are not. I emphasized to her that I'm here in Florida to find a work and to be with my family and NOT to flirt, that I don't have time for that flirting things that she keeps on telling me, because my priority is my family and to be able to have the job and established career. I asked her, "Sino ba ang boyfriend mo in the first place, and in what way kita iniistorbo?" She really needs to elaborate on that beause I have no idea with it, and I'm not acting like a fake innocent, because I am really innocent with it. Damn! I even told her to watch out the words that she's using, and she should be wary of the things she's been saying all along, that she makes sure that she says them right. And how would I flirt here and with whom? I don't even have guy friends here to flirt with in the first place. I mean I'm always at home, then the guys that I know are just my cousins, my brother, my dad, uncles, and some family friends that I am not even really close with. Ugghh, my blood pressure was reaching its peak.

Furthermore, I told her not to dare talk about my lovelife and not to dare say that it's not successful. Having no boyfriend at the moment does not entail that one's lovelife is not successful. I mean I'm happy with my status now and I'm not looking. Besides, she doesn't have any idea what I had been thru to just simply blurt that out, and I really told her that I had been happy with my past relationships, so she has no right to say what she has said; and that she should first decipher every word that she's about to tell me before uttering it.

She's too much. I can't handle her. Before pressing the send button, I checked her friendster profile again, and her primary picture this time was a shot of her with her boyfriend. I just laughed, because I don't even know who the guy is. Hahaha! I consulted my friend Max about this, and he told me that there may be another Katrina with the same surname as mine, but I said "Nope.. The girl even checked my friendster profile too." The heck right? I texted some of my friends too about her, and they told me that they don't know her. I just burst into a laugh when they told me, "Maganda ka kase, baka may crush sayo yung boyfriend nya." haha! Sigh. I think I said enough to the girl after I told her, "By the way, I just saw your friendster's primary pic and yung baby/boyfriend mo, di ko kilala.."

Let's wait and see then, if she would still reply. Some things are just crazy, that you don't even know that someone hates you already. Well at least this girl informed me, but it's just that it was ALL wrong... She hated me for the wrong senseless reason.