Category Archives: may

Agent Smith & Hermione in the house!

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My brother Mako and my sister May are having their aquaintance party at their med school this Saturday. They’re supposed to come as movie characters, and yesterday they tried on their outfits: Mako as Agent Smith from The Matrix, May as Hermione (we all know where Hermione is from).

Kudos to May for choosing a timely costume with the last installment of the Harry Potter saga out in cinemas now. Her costume requires minimal effort: the toga and the tie are from my dad, and she already has that white polo shirt underneath. She’s going to have her hair curled. I just wish she’d get a decent wand instead of that silly drumstick.

It should be fun going to school in a costume. All throughout college they were in nurse uniforms, and now in med school they’re still wearing boring white.

Have fun, you two!

Happy birthday to my dearest sister!

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And because today is her special day, let me share to you a video recorded last week, my sister playing The Beatles’ I Will on guitar. Please watch:

Five years ago, my sister announced out of the blue that she wanted to learn how to play the guitar. She bugged me to get her a home-service guitar teacher. I looked for a guitar teacher from UP, but I couldn’t find one, so I contacted this guy from UST in my phonebook whom I met a few months back. He was able to find a teacher for my sister. To cut a long story short, guy from UST and I are getting married soon, and my sister can now play Beatles songs on the guitar.

Thank you, May. If you hadn’t wanted to learn how to play the guitar, Abet will probably still be just some contact in my phonebook, and I’ll probably still be No Boyfriend Since Birth to this day. :P

Happy 22nd birthday, baby girl. Good luck with med school!

#13 on my list — check!

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Last month, I ticked off an item of my 31 Before 31 list: Take a basic makeup course.


my sister Angela, my model for bridal makeup

I took a 3-month course in Basic Makeup Artistry at the best makeup school in the country, the Center for Aesthetic Studies (CAS) in Jupiter, Makati.

I’m glad that I finally chucked out the window my excuses for not going to makeup school (I don’t have the time, I can’t afford it, etc). I have wanted to do this for years, and now that I’ve gotten this over and done with, I’m so proud of myself.

Doing makeup makes me happy. I want to do this for a living, and I’m praying that in God’s perfect time, I’ll get to do just that. I want to go pro after the wedding, once I acquire all the things I need, and after I take up further studies in hairstyling and airbrush. I’m going to focus on bridal work because that’s my favorite.

I’m fortunate enough to have been invited by a popular French makeup brand to do makeup for their launchpad event this month. I get to do makeovers on weekends at a supermarket of one of the big mall chains. Since I’m still starting up, no gig is to small for me, even if it means being assigned at the grocery and complying with the supermarket’s stringent rules: bundy clock log-in, frisking (I hate this), and no cell phones and money allowed at the selling area. Besides, the compensation is not bad for something I’d probably do for free, if only to gain the experience.

Oprah Winfrey once said on her show, “People find happiness in direct proportion to doing what they love. If you don’t do what you love, you die a little every day.” I consider myself lucky to know what I want to do with my life, and to have a strong support system of loved ones who encourage me. I’m going to do this, do what I love to do. Not just now, but I’m working on it. I’m willing to start at the bottom rung of the ladder, and I’m expecting tough times (and a lot of belt-tightening) at the start.

I’m planning on a portfolio shoot before the year ends, who wants to model for me? ;-)

#5 on my list — check!

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I get to tick off another item off my 31 Before 31 list: take my sister May to Hong Kong Disneyland! This is my gift to her for passing the nursing boards.

She had the grandest time. She wore her Minnie Mouse ears the whole time. Some pics:


Jojo, one of Abet’s best friends at the UST Conservatory of Music.
He’s a percussionist in Hong Kong Disneyland.


Philharmagic! I love this show!


It’s A Small World. I love this attraction, too.
It wasn’t there yet the first time I visited in 2007.


Requisite shot by the Tomorrowland globe
(minus the requisite carrying-the-globe pose)


The Jammitors! These guys are awesome!


May flanked by Rodel and Jojo


waiting for the Festival of the Lion King to start
(Hello, kuya behind us!)

It was a magical day.

I better start saving up for our trip after she passes the medical boards.

Oh no, you don’t, May!

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I saw a pack of cigarettes in my sister’s bag. Almost immediately, images of my sister chain-smoking/walking into cigars stores/chewing tobacco danced through my head. I almost blew my top. She’s not supposed to be smoking, she’s the good one. And she has asthma, which is the real, more serious issue here.

I confronted her about it of course, and she denied it of course. She said it was a friend’s. To be honest, I believe her. The pack I saw in her purse was Gudang Garam, those sickly sweet Indonesian cigarettes, and that stuff is disgusting. And if she smoked Gudang, I’d be able to smell it on her. This still worries me nevertheless.

My sister is a sensible kid, much more sensible than I am. I picked up smoking when I was 18. But then, I don’t have asthma, I don’t have to be nebulized every now and then. She does. Big difference here.

May, I know you read my blog, just don’t, okay? Love you!

And then there were three

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Mako May Dea

After next weekend, it will just be the three of us, Mako (#3), May (#4) and me (#1). Joe (#5) is in Baguio and Momon (#2) will be moving out after the wedding. I’m starting to feel sad already. I’m seriously considering getting more pets. I’m sure Momon will still be visiting every now and then, but it will be different. Like how different things were when Joe entered the academy. Don’t ask about what it would be like when I move out after my wedding. I don’t want to go there yet.

I’ll make sure the three of us will have a blast and have awesome bonding moments. I just hope they can squeeze in some time for their Ate between all their med school stuff.

(Pic above taken last year when I was home sick with the flu and we had nothing better to do than to figure out how to get rid of blackheads.)

Hired.

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So, my sister got herself a job. So much for having someone to accompany me on my wedding errands.

I can’t believe she’s really an adult now. She’s 21 now, but we still tell her that “wa pa man ka’y buot.” (I’d translate that if I could, but there just aren’t any words.) She’s still my baby sister.

If it were up to me, I’d just have her stay home and enjoy her one year off before medical school and just bum. I don’t think she’ll have that luxury ever again once she starts school again in June. I told her that I’ll enroll her in photography classes and driving school and make-up workshops, but she wants to earn money for herself instead of mooching off the parental units. Which can only be a good thing, right?

I guess I’m not too happy with her, erm, temporary career choice. She applied at a call center, the easiest way to make money these days. I would have preferred that she wait for the nursing board exam results *puhon* and apply for a nursing job, but we all know that’s easier said than done. Or maybe she could have just enrolled in
medical assisting school and do something related to medicine, that would have been better.

Anyway, I’m going to tell you the real reason I’m not too happy about this. When my brother Mako had his year off between his nursing course and med school, he just stayed home and relaxed. Anyway, my job schedule is midshift, which means I get home at an ungodly hour. Before , I’d go home to a lonely house where everyone’s asleep except for whatever animals were alive at that time to keep me company. When Mako was a bum, there was someone to greet me and open the gate for me when I arrived, and I had someone to talk to before I went to sleep. I was hoping I’d get to have that with May.

I’m just looking at the bright side, at least she’ll gain a wealth of experience from this. And she’ll have her government papers (SSS, TIN, Philhealth) in place. And I’m hoping that working at a call center will make her aim higher and get that hunger to study medicine. (I’ll drag her by her hair to Perpetual if she does something crazy like say she’ll just keep working instead of studying, I swear.) Also, she’ll be earning, yipee! She can treat me to dinner and take me shopping, mwehehe! And she did promise me she’ll get us a chocolate fountain for our wedding, so May: get your ass to work!

Mimai Graduates

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Two days after my mother earned her doctorate degree, we had another graduate in the family! It’s a time of celebration for us.

My little sister Angela May graduated with a BS Nursing degree, also from Perpetual Help. Their commencement rites were also held at the PICC.

May's Grad

May's Grad

May's Grad

May's Grad

Congratulations, you little booger! I’m so proud of you! Love you!

May's Grad

Dr. Mama in da hauz!

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My mama graduated from the University of Perpetual Help today! She now has a Doctor of Business Administration degree, and we’re all extremely proud of her.

Here are some pics taken at the PICC:

Mama's Grad

Mama's Grad

Mama's Grad

Mama's Grad

My brother Mako escorted her up on stage. And that guy up there in the black robe helping out with her hood? That’s the dean of the Graduate School of Business, a.k.a. my dad.

My parents in their academic gowns:

Mama's GradDr. Papa and Dr. Mama

Mama's Gradour future (medical) doctors

Mama's GradLooking hot at almost 60, and with a doctorate degree at that. Not bad, Mommy, not bad at all.

She worked so hard on that dissertation of hers, she barely slept during the homestretch a few months back. And we were eating mostly take-out food then because she wasn’t cooking, so I’m glad that’s over now. :P I love my momma’s cooking too much.

Her dissertation topic: Risk Management Model for the Management of Daily Cash Balances in the Branches of a Financial Services Company: A Heuristic Approach with Stochastic Assumptions.

Yeah, whatever, Mom. Congratulations! I love you!

Earth Half-Hour

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May, Mako, Cello and I went outside at 8:30 pm earlier to participate in Earth Hour:

Earth Hour

It was too hot inside the house with air-cons and electric fans turned off, and it was boring and dark. Well, there wasn’t much to do outside, either, but the dog enjoyed it:

Earth Hour

After 20 minutes, we were already deathly bored, and we knew we wouldn’t last a full hour without electricity and without anything to do.  By 9pm, May was watching No Country for Old Men on cable and Mako was on his laptop with an electric fan on. We still kept the lights off until the end of Earth Hour, though.

Next time, I’ll plan on something to do while everything electric is turned off/unplugged. I’ll prepare some board games, perhaps, and I’ll make sure to prepare beer and pulutuan. That way, my siblings and I will definitely survive Earth Hour.

Pepper Lunch

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Until this afternoon, I was probably the only Chuvaness fan in Manila who has not tried Pepper Lunch yet. The first two branches (Rockwell and Shangri-La) aren’t too accessible to me. Luckily, Pepper Lunch opened at Alabang Town Center two weeks ago. I dragged Abet and May there for lunch today.

Pepper Lunch
May’s Beef Pepper Rice (P198)

The dish is served on a patented cast iron heated to 260 degrees centigrade and stays hot for up to 20 minutes. The meat is raw when it arrives: you’re supposed to cook your meat on the plate, mix everything up (there’s special butter and sauce in the middle of the plate), and drizzle the food with steak sauce (Amakuchi – Honey Brown or Karakuchi – Garlic Soy).

Pepper Lunch
Abet’s Shimofuri Pepper Steak (P610)

Just look at that pretty chunk of beef above, doesn’t the marbling look good? We couldn’t talk to Abet after his dish was served, he was too busy enjoying his steak.

Pepper Lunch
my already-cooked and already-mixed Chicken Pepper Rice (P198)

I enjoyed everything about my Chicken Pepper Rice, and I don’t even like peppercorns. I guess it made a difference that their peppers are freshly prepared each morning, with just the fragrant outer shells used. Their honey brown sauce was just to die for, May and I practically drowned our food in it.

I can’t believe it took me this long to try Pepper Lunch. It was worth queuing for more than 15 minutes to order and smelling like our food afterwards. With the ATC branch nearby, the only thing that’s keeping us from dining there more often is the price. Don’t get me wrong, the food was worth it, but Abet and I shouldn’t be spending so much at this point. Still, I’m dying to try the salmon chicken rice and the hamburger + cut steak combo. Next payday, perhaps? I just need to make sure we don’t go there during lunch time.

–=-=–

Abet took me to the Pluck and Struck concert at the Insular Auditorium in Alabang last Saturday evening. It was my first time to watch Abet’s professor and mentor, Sir Ruben Reyes, in concert. He played Brouwer’s Concierto Elegiaco and I was in awe: he really is the best. Perf de Castro performed one of my favorite pieces in the whole world, Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, and I was utterly disappointed, both with the guitarist and the orchestra. What a bummer. Jovianney Cruz’s Liszt Piano Concerto no. 1 was fantastic, so it was still a good concert overall.

–=-=–
While waiting to meet up with Abet last Saturday before the concert, I caught this nice old man playing the grand piano at the Commerce Ave. part of ATC:

I was looking at shoes at VNC (great stuff there, by the way) when I heard “I Wish You Love” playing from outside the store, and I just had to follow the music. A small crowd had gathered to listen to him play standard tunes. Lolo was really good–he took requests–he must have been a hotel or bar pianist in his younger years. I have a video of him playing “That’s All.” It was a nice treat to hear good live jazz music when I least expected it.

–=-=–

Abet and I watched Marley and Me on DVD–Marley looks exactly like our Labrador Retriever, Django! We were cooing during the movie. I wish our dog lived with me instead of with my boyfriend–I only get to see him on weekends–but I don’t think I can handle all the feeding and the cleaning up.

–=-=–

I’m drinking chocolate Vodka Mudshake as I type. Good stuff.

I hope y’all had a good weekend.