So close to the end, everything seems so surreal now. I've literally got 7 work days left here in the Happiest and most Magical Place on Earth. Exciting, yet sad. One part of me is saying, 'bring on the last shift and end this madness', but the other part i saying, 'please press the pause button (if there was one)'. My mind is reeling and I've actually got to start - wait for it - packing!! *dun dun dunnnn!* that word alone is cringeworthy enough.
Am I ready to say goodbye to this place and goodbye to Fantasyland? I am really gutted. The thought of saying goodbye to my fellow Fantasyland cast members is slowly killing me. Tears are welling up in my eyes as we speak and I'm getting slightly emotional, typing even faster now. I may never see these people again. Reading that really depresses me. I almost cannot accept it. I will not accept it. Sooner or later, I will come back, and I know it. I will come back to the US and though I may not see them back in Walt Disney World, I will plan on visiting them, eventually. I have fallen in love with all these beautiful people, and I don't know how to let them go. I am already anticipating that saying 'bye' will be THE most difficult part of the entire program.
Oh Orlando, why did you have to steal my heart away? Haha. I've been working soo much over the past few weeks that I am quite frankly, burned out. I haven't called in to work for more than 2 months and I think it's fair to say that I was due for one today =)
Christmas week was a bit harder than I thought. My Christmas Eve shift dragged and I felt drained the whole time. Finishing at 2:30am did not do me any good, and skyping with my family soon after I got home, resulted in waterworks. I did not mean to ball in front of them on Christmas day, but I was tired, I was lonely and I was hungry - plus, I had to go to Church at 7:30am, which meant that I only had like 2 hours' sleep max. It was a pretty terrible Christmas for me, but I had to keep in mind that others were probably going through the same thing, if not, even worse. Only one thought kept me pushing through on Christmas Day: 12 days. It was only 12 days til the end of the program, 12 days til my family come down, 12 days to what I would call, 'freedom'. I cannot wait! I got this. Of course now, there's only 7 workdays left and 10 days til my family arrive. Oh what bliss that would be...
Positive thoughts. That's all for now.
Til next time.
xx aBz
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Procrastination Strikes Back...
Damn, it's been almost a month since my last post. Gotta admit, I've been lazy and putting it off yet again. So here's what's been happening since I got back from my mini break in NJ and NYC:
-Thanksgiving
-I've been working almost 40 hours every week
-Not going out much or at all
-Been applying for jobs back home (gotta be prepared)
-Ate good Japanese food at Teppan Edo in EPCOT with the girls
-Being homesick
-Waiting on payday every Thursday to go shopping
-Enjoying 50% off Disney merchandise
-Picked our Secret Santa (and trying hard not to disclose them to anyone)
-Working even more
-Being more homesick
-Jay Sean, Bruno Mars, BoB and Enrique xl'ent XMAS 2010 concert at HoB
-Disney Graduation this Thursday (16 Dec)
-Tegan's birthday; and
-Not looking forward to working during Christmas...
It's been pretty eventful, so much is going on that I am, to be honest, quite overwhelmed. It's so close to the end that I am both anxious and excited. I keep telling myself to hang in there and not get myself worked up too much. I should really cherish these last moments here. I know that once I leave here, I'm going to be so upset. *deep breaths Abbie* I can do this. I'm at that point that I can almost see the end and taste it, but then again, I don't want to. Gaah! I'm missing my family. I have no idea what will happen after the program; I'd rather take it one day at a time.
Til next time.
xx aBz
-Thanksgiving
-I've been working almost 40 hours every week
-Not going out much or at all
-Been applying for jobs back home (gotta be prepared)
-Ate good Japanese food at Teppan Edo in EPCOT with the girls
-Being homesick
-Waiting on payday every Thursday to go shopping
-Enjoying 50% off Disney merchandise
-Picked our Secret Santa (and trying hard not to disclose them to anyone)
-Working even more
-Being more homesick
-Jay Sean, Bruno Mars, BoB and Enrique xl'ent XMAS 2010 concert at HoB
-Disney Graduation this Thursday (16 Dec)
-Tegan's birthday; and
-Not looking forward to working during Christmas...
It's been pretty eventful, so much is going on that I am, to be honest, quite overwhelmed. It's so close to the end that I am both anxious and excited. I keep telling myself to hang in there and not get myself worked up too much. I should really cherish these last moments here. I know that once I leave here, I'm going to be so upset. *deep breaths Abbie* I can do this. I'm at that point that I can almost see the end and taste it, but then again, I don't want to. Gaah! I'm missing my family. I have no idea what will happen after the program; I'd rather take it one day at a time.
Til next time.
xx aBz
Monday, November 22, 2010
Fear is how I fall, Confusing what is real...
Tonight is my last night here in Jersey. Oh what a break it has been, it's been so good to get away from 'the bubble', away from work and the 'surreal' environment. I needed this little vacation, especially the little naps and longer sleeps I've had. I can probably say that I am now 70% ready to face the most Magical place in the world - everyday gets me closer to the end of the program, which leaves me feeling bittersweet.
Seeing my relatives in Jersey and visiting NYC sites again has made me feel more refreshed and once again, rejuvenated. It makes me look forward to the future even more, I'd love to one day live in NYC, or at least visit it more frequently. I loved it so much, I honestly do not want to leave. But hey, I gotta set my priorities straight, right? Oh, why does reality have to bite you in the ass sometimes? So tempting to just stay here and forget about everything else...
Okay, as soon as I land in MCO tomorrow at round 2:15pm, and I'm going to think positive about the rest of the week and go to work at 5pm - gotta psych myself up somehow. Doing 45 hours this week. Woot! Oh I cannot wait to start work now and get it over and done with. Only a little while more to go til I see la familia again!
But then again, I also don't want this to end. When the program is over, I'd like to look back and be able to say 'yeh, I made the most of my time there. No regrets'. It's probably the best decision I've ever made. Ooft, here I am getting all emotional too soon... I'll return to this subject later on.
Til next time.
xx aBz
Seeing my relatives in Jersey and visiting NYC sites again has made me feel more refreshed and once again, rejuvenated. It makes me look forward to the future even more, I'd love to one day live in NYC, or at least visit it more frequently. I loved it so much, I honestly do not want to leave. But hey, I gotta set my priorities straight, right? Oh, why does reality have to bite you in the ass sometimes? So tempting to just stay here and forget about everything else...
Okay, as soon as I land in MCO tomorrow at round 2:15pm, and I'm going to think positive about the rest of the week and go to work at 5pm - gotta psych myself up somehow. Doing 45 hours this week. Woot! Oh I cannot wait to start work now and get it over and done with. Only a little while more to go til I see la familia again!
But then again, I also don't want this to end. When the program is over, I'd like to look back and be able to say 'yeh, I made the most of my time there. No regrets'. It's probably the best decision I've ever made. Ooft, here I am getting all emotional too soon... I'll return to this subject later on.
Til next time.
xx aBz
Friday, November 19, 2010
Pre-Thanksgiving break...
I'm back in New Jersey, and I've been here since Sunday (14th of November). I arrived here with one of my housemates, Gabi. We're staying with my tito here in Edison, New Jersey and have since then we've done the following: gone to the local mall; stumbled upon Times Square in New York; played in the biggest Toys R' Us in Times Square; visited PopTart World; gone shopping on 34th and Broadway; shopped in Jersey Gardens outlets; had authentic NY pizza at the well-known 'John's Pizzeria'; met up with and visited the MET with our friends Brodie, Dean and Bec (who are all on the Disney College Program); eaten at Ben & Jerry's (which Gabi loved); visited Madame Tussaud's famous wax museum of celebs; and bought our I heart NY shirts; and all of us had pre-Thanksgiving dinner back here in my relative's place (which was TO DIE FOR - did someone say TURKEY! =)) It's just too bad Gabi had to leave so soon, today actually (18th of November).
After we dropped Gabi off at Newark airport, I hung out with Brodie, Dean and Bec as they toured Downtown NY. The highlight: Ground Zero memorial. It's still in the process of being built, but just being there sent thrills up my spine. The last time I was there was April 2001 - just 5 months before they came down. We went into the 9/11 memorial store, which replayed footage of the chaos that happened on that fateful day all over the store. It was heartbreaking. Most of the people in-store could not help but shed a tear - me included. It was so surreal, the quote that struck me on one of the souvenirs was: "No Day Shall Erase You from the Memory of Time" - hits the heart. We then continued to head down Wall Street and saw the New York Stock Exchange, the biggest Tiffany & Co I've seen yet, and further down we took photos of the Brooklyn bridge. Feeling under the weather a bit (literally, as I only had 2 layers of clothing on), I decided to say goodbye to my friends early and go home. But before that, I took a little detour and went back on 42nd st and 6th ave (Grand Central Terminal) to look for the famous 'Magnolia' bakery, which was featured a couple of times on Sex and the City. I sampled their Magic Cookie Bar, and I gotta say, as good as it was, it does not compare to the one we have in WDW :) yay!
After my sweet treat, I made my way to MSG, where I was to catch a train from Penn Station to Metropark in Jersey, but before then, I bought myself a 'Nathan's Famous' cheese dog. Authentic NY hotdog, which did not disappoint. I felt like a New Yorker walking the streets of the 'Big Apple' on my own. I felt invincible. I really wanna live here And I can so picture myself doing so as well! Eventually, I would love to, if the opportunity presented itself then I'd jump at the chance.
Aah New York, what have you done to me? Haha! Oh well, I still have til Monday (22nd of November) here, til I go back to Fantasyland. Whoop-ti-dooo! Gotta make the most of it then.
Til next time.
xx aBz
After we dropped Gabi off at Newark airport, I hung out with Brodie, Dean and Bec as they toured Downtown NY. The highlight: Ground Zero memorial. It's still in the process of being built, but just being there sent thrills up my spine. The last time I was there was April 2001 - just 5 months before they came down. We went into the 9/11 memorial store, which replayed footage of the chaos that happened on that fateful day all over the store. It was heartbreaking. Most of the people in-store could not help but shed a tear - me included. It was so surreal, the quote that struck me on one of the souvenirs was: "No Day Shall Erase You from the Memory of Time" - hits the heart. We then continued to head down Wall Street and saw the New York Stock Exchange, the biggest Tiffany & Co I've seen yet, and further down we took photos of the Brooklyn bridge. Feeling under the weather a bit (literally, as I only had 2 layers of clothing on), I decided to say goodbye to my friends early and go home. But before that, I took a little detour and went back on 42nd st and 6th ave (Grand Central Terminal) to look for the famous 'Magnolia' bakery, which was featured a couple of times on Sex and the City. I sampled their Magic Cookie Bar, and I gotta say, as good as it was, it does not compare to the one we have in WDW :) yay!
After my sweet treat, I made my way to MSG, where I was to catch a train from Penn Station to Metropark in Jersey, but before then, I bought myself a 'Nathan's Famous' cheese dog. Authentic NY hotdog, which did not disappoint. I felt like a New Yorker walking the streets of the 'Big Apple' on my own. I felt invincible. I really wanna live here And I can so picture myself doing so as well! Eventually, I would love to, if the opportunity presented itself then I'd jump at the chance.
Aah New York, what have you done to me? Haha! Oh well, I still have til Monday (22nd of November) here, til I go back to Fantasyland. Whoop-ti-dooo! Gotta make the most of it then.
Til next time.
xx aBz
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Food & Wine
Let me start by saying, 'I Love my Days off'. There's nothing better than taking my sweet time, not worrying about anything and just plain chillaxing. I had last Monday (November 1) and this Monday (November 8) off for two reasons: Boyz II Men and Hanson, respectively.
I needed some 'Me' time last Monday after a Halloween experience I can hardly remember, and now that I've heard stories and seen photos, I don't want to remember. I went to EPCOT for the Food & Wine Festival with my ever trusty D5000 in hand, and tried out some palatable dishes being offered at the 15th Food & Wine festival. Some of which included the cherry colada in Puerto Rico, the churro in Mexico, shrimp cake and noodles in Singapore, happy lychee in Chine, baklava in Morocco and much more. Dead set, it was looking out to be a good day. At around 4:30pm I then made my way to the stage where Boyz II Men was to perform. To my surprise, I was shown by a lovely cast member to a front row seat, I was ecstatic. D5000 in hand, I kept snapping away when the group (now 3) came on stage. They performed such hits like 'Motown Philly', 'On Bended Knee', 'Water Runs Dry' and my fave, 'I'll Make Love to You'. Once they sang the latter, they brought out a dozen roses each. I'm not gonna lie, I squealed. Shawn, the lead singer, a rose to every female in the front row, lucky me! I could not stop smiling after that. The best, nuff said. I also got to meet 'Beast' from Beauty and the Beast, as well as the EPCOT rep, 'Duffy'. Though I started the day hungover, it turned out to be such a great day!
Today was no exception. My roomie, Tegan decided to give me a tour of her workplace, The Boardwalk. I was already in awe looking at the scenery when we got off the G bus, and she goes, 'wait til you see the lobby'. I was floored. The lobby was absolutely amazing, I can only imagine what the actual rooms and villas look like. There were replicas of the Royal carousel and a rollercoaster in the lobby, and the resort was 1940s themed. We took a walk along the boardwalk (there was actually a real boardwalk!) and Tegan showed me a few of the shops that stood out, such as 'Jelly Rolls', 'Kouzzina' and the 'Flying Fish', this called for more snapping away at the D5000. Great start to the day. Next stop, EPCOT, a 5 minute walk from Boardwalk. here we go again with the cherry colada, then cheese soup at Canada, seared scallop in New Zealand, Golabki in Poland and the dreaded Belvedere Strawberry balsamic chiller, thanks Teegs. I was quite tipsy after skulling the (really concentrated) drink. Afterward, we went to see Kayla and Bec in line for Hanson. Oh dear, I didn't realise there would actually be a line - guess those guys are still huge, after Mmmbop. Even after getting married and having kids, those guys still know how to melt girls' hearts, girls from 10-100 years, it was quite amusing to see grandmas dancing and singing along to their hit(s). Absolutely entertaining, this group still has it. *Squeals* Zac! Love my days off...
Till next time.
xx aBz
I needed some 'Me' time last Monday after a Halloween experience I can hardly remember, and now that I've heard stories and seen photos, I don't want to remember. I went to EPCOT for the Food & Wine Festival with my ever trusty D5000 in hand, and tried out some palatable dishes being offered at the 15th Food & Wine festival. Some of which included the cherry colada in Puerto Rico, the churro in Mexico, shrimp cake and noodles in Singapore, happy lychee in Chine, baklava in Morocco and much more. Dead set, it was looking out to be a good day. At around 4:30pm I then made my way to the stage where Boyz II Men was to perform. To my surprise, I was shown by a lovely cast member to a front row seat, I was ecstatic. D5000 in hand, I kept snapping away when the group (now 3) came on stage. They performed such hits like 'Motown Philly', 'On Bended Knee', 'Water Runs Dry' and my fave, 'I'll Make Love to You'. Once they sang the latter, they brought out a dozen roses each. I'm not gonna lie, I squealed. Shawn, the lead singer, a rose to every female in the front row, lucky me! I could not stop smiling after that. The best, nuff said. I also got to meet 'Beast' from Beauty and the Beast, as well as the EPCOT rep, 'Duffy'. Though I started the day hungover, it turned out to be such a great day!
Today was no exception. My roomie, Tegan decided to give me a tour of her workplace, The Boardwalk. I was already in awe looking at the scenery when we got off the G bus, and she goes, 'wait til you see the lobby'. I was floored. The lobby was absolutely amazing, I can only imagine what the actual rooms and villas look like. There were replicas of the Royal carousel and a rollercoaster in the lobby, and the resort was 1940s themed. We took a walk along the boardwalk (there was actually a real boardwalk!) and Tegan showed me a few of the shops that stood out, such as 'Jelly Rolls', 'Kouzzina' and the 'Flying Fish', this called for more snapping away at the D5000. Great start to the day. Next stop, EPCOT, a 5 minute walk from Boardwalk. here we go again with the cherry colada, then cheese soup at Canada, seared scallop in New Zealand, Golabki in Poland and the dreaded Belvedere Strawberry balsamic chiller, thanks Teegs. I was quite tipsy after skulling the (really concentrated) drink. Afterward, we went to see Kayla and Bec in line for Hanson. Oh dear, I didn't realise there would actually be a line - guess those guys are still huge, after Mmmbop. Even after getting married and having kids, those guys still know how to melt girls' hearts, girls from 10-100 years, it was quite amusing to see grandmas dancing and singing along to their hit(s). Absolutely entertaining, this group still has it. *Squeals* Zac! Love my days off...
Till next time.
xx aBz
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Inconsistent blogger...
Blogging at 4am probably isn't healthy, but I'm doing it since I'm still wide awake anyway (getting home from work at 2:30am isn't healthy either).
Here are a couple of highlights for the week:
1. Character Hunting at the Magic Kingdom;
2. Working at the Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT and;
3. The end of working during Halloween parties!
Last Thursday (Oct 28), a few workmates, myself and my ever trusty Nikon D5000, made our way to Magic Kingdom in the hopes of getting more snapshots with and autographs of some Disney characters. It was quite a success; we managed to add another 12-13 more to our collection, including the new characters, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider; and we finally got to meet our boss, Mickey.
The second highlight for the week was being able to work at EPCOT for the 15th anniversary of the Food and Wine festival. I was working at the Welcome Centre selling Food and Wine merchandise, cookbooks, etc, and got to meet a couple of celebrity chefs, including Kat Cora. It was such a great experience and I had such a blast, before I knew it, the day was over. I actually wouldn't mind getting deployed to EPCOT even for just a while.
The final highlight is the glory of not working for the final two Halloween parties! For someone who comes from a country that doesn't really celebrate this holiday, I've had my fair share to probably last me a lifetime. I know it sounds mean, but I'm being serious. No more Halloween games! Yay! Hehehe. No matter how much I may bag working at these parties, I will always be thankful for the ones I have worked, as I may never get to experience them again.
Well, I guess that's all for me right now. Next step, sleep.
Till next time
xx aBz
Here are a couple of highlights for the week:
1. Character Hunting at the Magic Kingdom;
2. Working at the Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT and;
3. The end of working during Halloween parties!
Last Thursday (Oct 28), a few workmates, myself and my ever trusty Nikon D5000, made our way to Magic Kingdom in the hopes of getting more snapshots with and autographs of some Disney characters. It was quite a success; we managed to add another 12-13 more to our collection, including the new characters, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider; and we finally got to meet our boss, Mickey.
The second highlight for the week was being able to work at EPCOT for the 15th anniversary of the Food and Wine festival. I was working at the Welcome Centre selling Food and Wine merchandise, cookbooks, etc, and got to meet a couple of celebrity chefs, including Kat Cora. It was such a great experience and I had such a blast, before I knew it, the day was over. I actually wouldn't mind getting deployed to EPCOT even for just a while.
The final highlight is the glory of not working for the final two Halloween parties! For someone who comes from a country that doesn't really celebrate this holiday, I've had my fair share to probably last me a lifetime. I know it sounds mean, but I'm being serious. No more Halloween games! Yay! Hehehe. No matter how much I may bag working at these parties, I will always be thankful for the ones I have worked, as I may never get to experience them again.
Well, I guess that's all for me right now. Next step, sleep.
Till next time
xx aBz
Sunday, October 24, 2010
UCF Knights!!
I can honestly say, yesterday (Saturday, 10/23/10), was the best Saturday of my life. I got to experience a real American football game. It was such a great experience, I can't even describe how good it was. It's one of those things that you just have to be there in order to truly experience what and how it's like.
First of all, this would not have been possible if it wasn't for one of my best mates, Clinton Reyes. He totally pulled through on this one. Once we were armed with alcohol and snacks, he picked me and my friends up and drove us to University of Central Florida (UCF), roughly 35 minutes away from Vista Way. He then drove us around the absolutely gorgeous UCF campus (this made me wish I was still a uni student!). We got to experience an all-American tradition before a football game, which was 'tailgating'.
This is one of those things that I mentioned, you just HAVE to be there in order to truly have an all-American experience. This was probably the best thing out of the whole day. The campus grounds were packed with people and their tents, grills, sausages, meat patties, hotdogs, chicken wings, buns, chips, etc. Oh and most importantly, their 6-packs! Such an unbelievable sight. Tents and music everywhere, with people playing such games like catch, bean bag toss and more. So much to see and do!
This all lasted til around 2:30pm; but we made our way to the game early at 3:30. Good decision, it was packed by the time 3pm rolled around and we got great seats! UCF Knights were playing against Rice (Texas team). We sat right in front of the offense side of the UCF team, with the cheerleaders and 'Knightro' the mascot facing us. The opening of the game was insane, starting with Knightro coming out on a horse and a war aircraft dropping down 3 para gliders, who then landed in the middle of the field. We stood there in awe. The whole game was amazing! UCF won 41-14. Rice only scored when UCF was leading at 34. The atmosphere in the field was almost electrifying; fans were in their element, both young and old were taking part in this great tradition. It was a monumental experience for myself and my roomies, as this was one of the things listed on our bucket lists while we are here in America. We actually got to cross off a few thing: see a fraternity/sorority house, tailgate, and see a football game. All in one day. Thank you Clint!
I must admit, Australian footy does not come close to American football. I said to my friends earlier, Australian footy is entertainment, whilst American football is an experience.
Aah, I can honestly go home satisfied now.
Til next time.
xx aBz
First of all, this would not have been possible if it wasn't for one of my best mates, Clinton Reyes. He totally pulled through on this one. Once we were armed with alcohol and snacks, he picked me and my friends up and drove us to University of Central Florida (UCF), roughly 35 minutes away from Vista Way. He then drove us around the absolutely gorgeous UCF campus (this made me wish I was still a uni student!). We got to experience an all-American tradition before a football game, which was 'tailgating'.
This is one of those things that I mentioned, you just HAVE to be there in order to truly have an all-American experience. This was probably the best thing out of the whole day. The campus grounds were packed with people and their tents, grills, sausages, meat patties, hotdogs, chicken wings, buns, chips, etc. Oh and most importantly, their 6-packs! Such an unbelievable sight. Tents and music everywhere, with people playing such games like catch, bean bag toss and more. So much to see and do!
This all lasted til around 2:30pm; but we made our way to the game early at 3:30. Good decision, it was packed by the time 3pm rolled around and we got great seats! UCF Knights were playing against Rice (Texas team). We sat right in front of the offense side of the UCF team, with the cheerleaders and 'Knightro' the mascot facing us. The opening of the game was insane, starting with Knightro coming out on a horse and a war aircraft dropping down 3 para gliders, who then landed in the middle of the field. We stood there in awe. The whole game was amazing! UCF won 41-14. Rice only scored when UCF was leading at 34. The atmosphere in the field was almost electrifying; fans were in their element, both young and old were taking part in this great tradition. It was a monumental experience for myself and my roomies, as this was one of the things listed on our bucket lists while we are here in America. We actually got to cross off a few thing: see a fraternity/sorority house, tailgate, and see a football game. All in one day. Thank you Clint!
I must admit, Australian footy does not come close to American football. I said to my friends earlier, Australian footy is entertainment, whilst American football is an experience.
Aah, I can honestly go home satisfied now.
Til next time.
xx aBz
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
I Guess We'll Wait and See...
I had a bit of time to think by myself today, and there were times when it was good and times where it just got a bit depressing. The main question going through my head was, 'What do I really want?' Vague question, I know. But I just can't help ask the question at this stage of my program, let alone, my life. I'm starting to loathe these times that make me think too much. I still have time to decide what I really want to do after this program. Nevertheless, I am so grateful to embark on such a journey, I have such a great support network behind me; it has been amazing so far. Actually, amazing is an understatement - it is beyond words and unexplainable.
I gotta admit, I'm quite scared to go home. What has Australia got in store for me when I go back? I damn sure hope there will be good things! All I can do right now is just take it one day at a time.
Well, here's to waiting, and here's to hoping...
This is for you la familia. I always have you guys in mind. Te Amo!
Till next time.
xx aBz
I gotta admit, I'm quite scared to go home. What has Australia got in store for me when I go back? I damn sure hope there will be good things! All I can do right now is just take it one day at a time.
Well, here's to waiting, and here's to hoping...
This is for you la familia. I always have you guys in mind. Te Amo!
Till next time.
xx aBz
Friday, October 15, 2010
3 months...
Yep, it's been exactly 1 month since my last post. I've been lazy, can you tell? hehe.
Alright, so much has happened since then.
I've...
rented a car; went to Mickey's Not-So Scary Halloween party in Magic Kingdom; attended a concert; been to Clearwater Florida; seen a famous person at work; added like 50 more friends on facebook; gone to and got drunk in Miami; been scared the bejesus out of in Universal Studios; and tanned to the maxx! In other words, I've been having a blast!
A couple of days ago, I realized, there's only 3 months til my program ends, and that literally freaked me out. What on earth am I gonna do after all this ends? Do I extend or not? I'm still trying to decide. On the one hand, I can still enjoy and travel while I'm here in the US for another 6 months; but on another hand, I can't help but think that it's time to go back to reality and leave Fantasyland... Decisions, decisions!
Ergo, Abz's current status: undecided
Til next time.
xx aBz
Alright, so much has happened since then.
I've...
rented a car; went to Mickey's Not-So Scary Halloween party in Magic Kingdom; attended a concert; been to Clearwater Florida; seen a famous person at work; added like 50 more friends on facebook; gone to and got drunk in Miami; been scared the bejesus out of in Universal Studios; and tanned to the maxx! In other words, I've been having a blast!
A couple of days ago, I realized, there's only 3 months til my program ends, and that literally freaked me out. What on earth am I gonna do after all this ends? Do I extend or not? I'm still trying to decide. On the one hand, I can still enjoy and travel while I'm here in the US for another 6 months; but on another hand, I can't help but think that it's time to go back to reality and leave Fantasyland... Decisions, decisions!
Ergo, Abz's current status: undecided
Til next time.
xx aBz
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Me llama (My name is) Abbie...
So I'm back in Orlando. I've been back for about two weeks now. I found it pretty easy going back to work, to my routine. The first week went quick, I was refueled and felt refreshed from my little break; I felt really positive about the rest of my program. Two weeks and 48 hours of work later (to date), I'm still pretty positive, which is a good thing, I guess? I feel like I'm having too much fun now, it's starting to scare me. But hey, I deserve t have fun, I mean, how many times would I be able to do this? I might as well live it up!
Moving on... this past week I decided that I would embark on a new challenge. I will learn Spanish. Okay fine, I will TRY to learn Spanish. I went to the Disney Cast Centre on Friday and borrowed 'Spanish for Gringos'. Being Filipino, I find that it's pretty easy to learn el Espanol. For example, I've learned that the vowels (The Big Five letters) all have one unique sound, and it never changes :)
I started practicing what I learned at work the other day and greeted a family from Mexico with 'como esta usted?' (how are you?) and they replied with 'bien' (good). They actually thought that I was fluent and started going on a rant. I had to say 'mas despacio, por favor' (more slowly please) and explained that I am still learning (with big hand gestures, of course). Well, the point is, I'm slowly getting there and it will take a while but at least I'm trying. Aren't I a trooper? Hehe.
On another note, I am so jealous that three of my favourite people (Bec, Brodie and Gabi) are leaving for Miami tomorrow and will be gone for three days :(
I am simultaneously jealous, sad as well as happy for them. I cannot believe I could not get those days off. Grr! Perhaps next time, I still have time to travel. Here's to the next 115 days!
Til next time.
xx aBz
Moving on... this past week I decided that I would embark on a new challenge. I will learn Spanish. Okay fine, I will TRY to learn Spanish. I went to the Disney Cast Centre on Friday and borrowed 'Spanish for Gringos'. Being Filipino, I find that it's pretty easy to learn el Espanol. For example, I've learned that the vowels (The Big Five letters) all have one unique sound, and it never changes :)
I started practicing what I learned at work the other day and greeted a family from Mexico with 'como esta usted?' (how are you?) and they replied with 'bien' (good). They actually thought that I was fluent and started going on a rant. I had to say 'mas despacio, por favor' (more slowly please) and explained that I am still learning (with big hand gestures, of course). Well, the point is, I'm slowly getting there and it will take a while but at least I'm trying. Aren't I a trooper? Hehe.
On another note, I am so jealous that three of my favourite people (Bec, Brodie and Gabi) are leaving for Miami tomorrow and will be gone for three days :(
I am simultaneously jealous, sad as well as happy for them. I cannot believe I could not get those days off. Grr! Perhaps next time, I still have time to travel. Here's to the next 115 days!
Til next time.
xx aBz
Friday, September 3, 2010
Bittersweet last day in NJ
I cannot believe this has been my last day here in Jersey. I started the day off on a positive note, did my workout, had some breakfast, did laundry, slept, Japanese buffet for lunch and then more shopping in Menlo Park Mall!
While shopping, it dawned on me, 'oh my gosh. I'm going back to Orlando tomorrow'. Nooooo!! You can't make me! I'll stay here forever, full stop!
*Sigh* if only things were that simple; even my aunt said to me, 'don't go back. Just stay here'. Oh how I'd love to. But meh, life goes on, you have to fight inertia one way or another, and with me, it's getting on that plane tomorrow and flying back to the sunshine state of Florida.
I'm semi dreading it but at the same time, I miss everyone back in Vista, back at work, back in apartment 3602. Now that I think about it, I'll be fine. I'm sure they miss me too. I mean who doesn't? :P Haha, I keed! I especially miss my roommate's craziness. Bring on the antics when I get back!
It's only 5 months to go, I can do this. I'll be fine.
Til next time.
xx aBz
While shopping, it dawned on me, 'oh my gosh. I'm going back to Orlando tomorrow'. Nooooo!! You can't make me! I'll stay here forever, full stop!
*Sigh* if only things were that simple; even my aunt said to me, 'don't go back. Just stay here'. Oh how I'd love to. But meh, life goes on, you have to fight inertia one way or another, and with me, it's getting on that plane tomorrow and flying back to the sunshine state of Florida.
I'm semi dreading it but at the same time, I miss everyone back in Vista, back at work, back in apartment 3602. Now that I think about it, I'll be fine. I'm sure they miss me too. I mean who doesn't? :P Haha, I keed! I especially miss my roommate's craziness. Bring on the antics when I get back!
It's only 5 months to go, I can do this. I'll be fine.
Til next time.
xx aBz
It's Back...
The following was written on 09/01/2010:
It's Official. The pixie cut is back in baby! Back and better than ever, well in my opinion atleast... Today was pampering day. Got a mani and pedi with my aunt, courtesy of the lovely Korean ladies in NJ nails. It was so relaxing, we almost fell asleep on their pedi chairs while watching 'The View' and local news. Afterward, I was treated, again by my aunt, to a haircut just 5 minutes down from the nail place. I was having the dilemma of choosing whether I should just go for a trim or a whole different style altogether. I had my BFF, Reiko, in my head saying, "Do ett!" And so I did; and it's been done! I feel somewhat liberated. Hahaha! Weird, I know. It's just that I've missed having short hair. As soon as that cape was removed from me after my cut, you could not wipe the smile off my face. Ah. It's like being reacquainted with a long lost friend - bliss.
Soon after, we had lunch at Panera's bakery, biggest pastries I've ever seen. Here's a sample:
And I must say, they do make great cheese and broccoli soup!
My aunt then drove me to some of the outlet stores to have a wander and see what else I wanted to buy. A lesson to be learned by my aunt is: do not leave me alone to shop! I will admit it. I am a shopaholic! Lolz! I didn't do too bad though. Nothing crazy, quite proud of myself *tear*.
Anyway, that's about it for my today. My last full day here in Jersey is tomorrow *more tears* I can't believe it. The week is almost over, my break went by too fast. Noo! What are the plans for tomorrow? I think Japanese buffet for lunch and the mall? Hehehe.
Til next time.
xx aBz
It's Official. The pixie cut is back in baby! Back and better than ever, well in my opinion atleast... Today was pampering day. Got a mani and pedi with my aunt, courtesy of the lovely Korean ladies in NJ nails. It was so relaxing, we almost fell asleep on their pedi chairs while watching 'The View' and local news. Afterward, I was treated, again by my aunt, to a haircut just 5 minutes down from the nail place. I was having the dilemma of choosing whether I should just go for a trim or a whole different style altogether. I had my BFF, Reiko, in my head saying, "Do ett!" And so I did; and it's been done! I feel somewhat liberated. Hahaha! Weird, I know. It's just that I've missed having short hair. As soon as that cape was removed from me after my cut, you could not wipe the smile off my face. Ah. It's like being reacquainted with a long lost friend - bliss.
Soon after, we had lunch at Panera's bakery, biggest pastries I've ever seen. Here's a sample:
And I must say, they do make great cheese and broccoli soup!
My aunt then drove me to some of the outlet stores to have a wander and see what else I wanted to buy. A lesson to be learned by my aunt is: do not leave me alone to shop! I will admit it. I am a shopaholic! Lolz! I didn't do too bad though. Nothing crazy, quite proud of myself *tear*.
Anyway, that's about it for my today. My last full day here in Jersey is tomorrow *more tears* I can't believe it. The week is almost over, my break went by too fast. Noo! What are the plans for tomorrow? I think Japanese buffet for lunch and the mall? Hehehe.
Til next time.
xx aBz
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Empire State of Mind
Now that the last post has been sorted out, coincidentally with that sign off of 'looking forward to a break some time soon', I am now here in New Jersey (Jersey Shore baybay! It was a coincidence. Honest!). Hahaha!
I arrived here on Sunday (29th of August) and will be here until Friday (3rd of September). I've been quite frankly, havin' a ball. I'm lovin' it here! I've missed my relatives; it's been almost 10 years since I've last seen them, particularly my cousins. And by golly, they have grown. They're taller than me now! Seriously, where has the time gone? Last I saw them, they were 7 and 9 years old; now they're young ladies. Young ladies who are about to go back to school later today. hahaha! bye summer. Hopefully they're asleep now. Sleep time guys!
Soon after my arrival, I was greeted to one of the best homemade meals I've had in a while: pasta-bake, garlic bread and fresh veggies. Heaven on earth.
Here's the low-down on what I've done here so far:
Monday (30 Aug) - visit my home girl, Lady Liberty in New York. We caught a ferry, went round Ellis Island a bit, took pictures with Lady Liberty, go round 33rd, 34th streets and Broadway for shopping at Victoria's Secret, H&M, Forever 21 and Dr.Jays; met up with my godmother from Manhattan; had Korean dinner and then head home. Almost shopped til I dropped, tsk tsk tsk...naughty.
Tuesday (31 Aug) - Wicked @ Broadway! Oh what a night it was, Wicked is now officially my fave theatre production. Getting the opportunity to watch it in New York makes me realize how lucky I really am. I am so thankful for my aunt and uncle for their generosity and for my accommodation - they have harbored in a fugitive (lolz!). From the moment I stepped foot on the plane to get here, I knew I would be welcomed so warmly and be well taken care of. Thanks for the ticket tita! Oh and I also bought my Juicy Couture zodiac necklace. Awesome.
Wednesday plans (01 Sept) - a day of pampering and more shopping (mani, pedi haircut and more!) I am so excited, just don't know if I should get the 'pixie' cut yet or wait til the end of the year. Hmm...
Well, that's all I can really share for now, but being here makes me understand why people wear those I heart NY shirts, I will soon be a proud owner of an 'I (Heart) NY' shirt!!
Til next time.
xx aBz =)
I arrived here on Sunday (29th of August) and will be here until Friday (3rd of September). I've been quite frankly, havin' a ball. I'm lovin' it here! I've missed my relatives; it's been almost 10 years since I've last seen them, particularly my cousins. And by golly, they have grown. They're taller than me now! Seriously, where has the time gone? Last I saw them, they were 7 and 9 years old; now they're young ladies. Young ladies who are about to go back to school later today. hahaha! bye summer. Hopefully they're asleep now. Sleep time guys!
Soon after my arrival, I was greeted to one of the best homemade meals I've had in a while: pasta-bake, garlic bread and fresh veggies. Heaven on earth.
Here's the low-down on what I've done here so far:
Monday (30 Aug) - visit my home girl, Lady Liberty in New York. We caught a ferry, went round Ellis Island a bit, took pictures with Lady Liberty, go round 33rd, 34th streets and Broadway for shopping at Victoria's Secret, H&M, Forever 21 and Dr.Jays; met up with my godmother from Manhattan; had Korean dinner and then head home. Almost shopped til I dropped, tsk tsk tsk...naughty.
Tuesday (31 Aug) - Wicked @ Broadway! Oh what a night it was, Wicked is now officially my fave theatre production. Getting the opportunity to watch it in New York makes me realize how lucky I really am. I am so thankful for my aunt and uncle for their generosity and for my accommodation - they have harbored in a fugitive (lolz!). From the moment I stepped foot on the plane to get here, I knew I would be welcomed so warmly and be well taken care of. Thanks for the ticket tita! Oh and I also bought my Juicy Couture zodiac necklace. Awesome.
Wednesday plans (01 Sept) - a day of pampering and more shopping (mani, pedi haircut and more!) I am so excited, just don't know if I should get the 'pixie' cut yet or wait til the end of the year. Hmm...
Well, that's all I can really share for now, but being here makes me understand why people wear those I heart NY shirts, I will soon be a proud owner of an 'I (Heart) NY' shirt!!
Til next time.
xx aBz =)
Apologies...
I've done poorly in keeping up with my posts, and for that, I do apologize.
The following post was actually written on the 13th of August, I've just been too lazy and tired to put it up:
Okay, so I've decided with my updates, I might shorten them a bit - depends on what or how I'm feeling...
In my last entry, I've filled you in on how home sick and exhausted I was. The present entry will be quite different. I've been feeling a lot better lately, especially about my job. The feeling I had last time was one of uncertainty and anxiety. I felt that everyday was a battle for survival, and it was starting to overwhelm me. I mean, I get how everyday is supposed to be a challenge and that I should just enjoy the ride and see where it takes me - but I felt suffocated. The uncertainty of my weekly work hours did nothing to alleviate my anxiety. I would always be dreading the thought of working, and I noticed that I wasn't the only one feeling this way, all of my housemates, as well as the others in the July intake did as well.
It takes quite a while of getting used to the different kind of jobs we have, we either juggle with the tasks in one job or we can get deployed to do other jobs in other places. And this can happen without notice, which in my opinion, is not only unfair but deceiving. We are told one thing and next thing you know, it gets what has been said gets changed in a blink of an eye. Truly and utterly unfair. But that's behind me now. If I get deployed again to a place I dislike, I will act straight away. I've learned my lesson.
The process of the thickening of the skin has truly begun. Looking forward to a break some time soon though.
Til next time.
xx aBz
The following post was actually written on the 13th of August, I've just been too lazy and tired to put it up:
Okay, so I've decided with my updates, I might shorten them a bit - depends on what or how I'm feeling...
In my last entry, I've filled you in on how home sick and exhausted I was. The present entry will be quite different. I've been feeling a lot better lately, especially about my job. The feeling I had last time was one of uncertainty and anxiety. I felt that everyday was a battle for survival, and it was starting to overwhelm me. I mean, I get how everyday is supposed to be a challenge and that I should just enjoy the ride and see where it takes me - but I felt suffocated. The uncertainty of my weekly work hours did nothing to alleviate my anxiety. I would always be dreading the thought of working, and I noticed that I wasn't the only one feeling this way, all of my housemates, as well as the others in the July intake did as well.
It takes quite a while of getting used to the different kind of jobs we have, we either juggle with the tasks in one job or we can get deployed to do other jobs in other places. And this can happen without notice, which in my opinion, is not only unfair but deceiving. We are told one thing and next thing you know, it gets what has been said gets changed in a blink of an eye. Truly and utterly unfair. But that's behind me now. If I get deployed again to a place I dislike, I will act straight away. I've learned my lesson.
The process of the thickening of the skin has truly begun. Looking forward to a break some time soon though.
Til next time.
xx aBz
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Numb
These days I feel as though my body's been running on auto-pilot. All I remember doing during the day is wake up, gym, work, home, eat, sleep - and do it all over again... until of course my day off. I'm at that point where I can't even remember what day it is, nor do I have any clue, when asked, what time of the day it is. It's just so weird. It's as if I'm a machine, but a machine with the ability to swear when pushed to the edge and even cry when overly frustrated. Yep, that's been happening lately, but I know this won't last long. I'll get used to it in no time. I've already expected that the first few weeks or even months would be hard, and hopefully this is the worst that it gets, hopefully.
It takes a lot out of someone to exert so much effort into their work one day only to feel like they have to keep up the same effort the day after. Sooner or later, you're going to have to give in and loosen up a little. Even though I think it's too soon, I'm already starting to realise this - you feel like you have to constantly live up to people's expectations, which is impossible. It's amazing how most people that work in Disney are still so passionate about their job and become so animated when they talk about it; these people are the ones that make me have a reason to come to work. I want to have that same dedication and excitement they have that will make me get up in the morning. In time, I know I will.
This week all of us July intake students applied for our social security number, which allows us to legally work here in the US and also apply for such things like a bank account. We should be getting that in about 3-4 weeks' time. I've been working late nights every night this week, allowing me to be able to watch the Summer Nightastic fireworks at 10pm in the Magic Kingdom. This never fails to put a smile on my face, especially seeing all the guests' faces light up, and even their jaws drop. Hehehe.
My job allows me to meet people from all over the world, and they get a kick out of discovering where I come from since I don't particularly have such an OZ accent. It's kind of flattering actually, I think I'm getting a bit of OZ pride in me, especially when guests say that Australia is one place they would love to visit. I guess you can say that this is another part I like about my job, that I can educate and amuse people about my new home country, whilst at the same time, feeling proud.
Til next time again.
xx aBz
It takes a lot out of someone to exert so much effort into their work one day only to feel like they have to keep up the same effort the day after. Sooner or later, you're going to have to give in and loosen up a little. Even though I think it's too soon, I'm already starting to realise this - you feel like you have to constantly live up to people's expectations, which is impossible. It's amazing how most people that work in Disney are still so passionate about their job and become so animated when they talk about it; these people are the ones that make me have a reason to come to work. I want to have that same dedication and excitement they have that will make me get up in the morning. In time, I know I will.
This week all of us July intake students applied for our social security number, which allows us to legally work here in the US and also apply for such things like a bank account. We should be getting that in about 3-4 weeks' time. I've been working late nights every night this week, allowing me to be able to watch the Summer Nightastic fireworks at 10pm in the Magic Kingdom. This never fails to put a smile on my face, especially seeing all the guests' faces light up, and even their jaws drop. Hehehe.
My job allows me to meet people from all over the world, and they get a kick out of discovering where I come from since I don't particularly have such an OZ accent. It's kind of flattering actually, I think I'm getting a bit of OZ pride in me, especially when guests say that Australia is one place they would love to visit. I guess you can say that this is another part I like about my job, that I can educate and amuse people about my new home country, whilst at the same time, feeling proud.
Til next time again.
xx aBz
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
[[Update...]]
So, here's a continuation of my life here in Orlando at the moment...
I moved in to Vista Way on the 17th of July, and this will be my new home til January. The first few days was ridiculously awesome. I get to gym it everyday and lounge round the pools whenever I wanted. My roomies are always game as well. We had the first three days off to adjust from jet lag, time difference, etc. We were then informed of our positions and which theme park we were to work in, and this was mine:
Position: Merchandising
Location: Magic Kingdom, Fantasyland
My reaction: chyeeaahhhhh! =)
Afterwards, we received our Disney IDs and had the privilege to tour the parks for free; our IDs now served as our free ticket entry into any of the 4 major theme parks in Walt Disney World (WDW) - Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom.
Magic Kingdom is THE place to see when you're in Orlando, so I'm very blessed to have been assigned here. I went through training for about 5 days (3 of which were one-on-one days with a trainer), and before I knew it, I've as they say, 'earned my ears' and I was without a trainer. I gotta admit, it was daunting. I felt quite sick in the stomach just at the thought that I was on my own. I thought to myself, 'God, Abbie, MAN UP!' Hahaha! 'Just be yourself and keep your training in mind'. Eventually, I got a hang of their system, and felt myself loosen up, and most importantly, having fun!
In my first week, the hours were long, but bearable. I'd go to work early morning, and before I knew it, it was night. The days were long and uncomfortably hot, the nights were quite short, yet still hot - but I managed nonetheless. Although the hours were long, I still found myself thinking that I was so blessed with such an opportunity. I'd go home thinking that I was so lucky. But soon enough, not getting enough sleep, not eating properly and an overall lack of energy took its toll, and dare I say, I felt REALLY homesick... I was at my lowest.
More next time.
xx aBz
I moved in to Vista Way on the 17th of July, and this will be my new home til January. The first few days was ridiculously awesome. I get to gym it everyday and lounge round the pools whenever I wanted. My roomies are always game as well. We had the first three days off to adjust from jet lag, time difference, etc. We were then informed of our positions and which theme park we were to work in, and this was mine:
Position: Merchandising
Location: Magic Kingdom, Fantasyland
My reaction: chyeeaahhhhh! =)
Afterwards, we received our Disney IDs and had the privilege to tour the parks for free; our IDs now served as our free ticket entry into any of the 4 major theme parks in Walt Disney World (WDW) - Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom.
Magic Kingdom is THE place to see when you're in Orlando, so I'm very blessed to have been assigned here. I went through training for about 5 days (3 of which were one-on-one days with a trainer), and before I knew it, I've as they say, 'earned my ears' and I was without a trainer. I gotta admit, it was daunting. I felt quite sick in the stomach just at the thought that I was on my own. I thought to myself, 'God, Abbie, MAN UP!' Hahaha! 'Just be yourself and keep your training in mind'. Eventually, I got a hang of their system, and felt myself loosen up, and most importantly, having fun!
In my first week, the hours were long, but bearable. I'd go to work early morning, and before I knew it, it was night. The days were long and uncomfortably hot, the nights were quite short, yet still hot - but I managed nonetheless. Although the hours were long, I still found myself thinking that I was so blessed with such an opportunity. I'd go home thinking that I was so lucky. But soon enough, not getting enough sleep, not eating properly and an overall lack of energy took its toll, and dare I say, I felt REALLY homesick... I was at my lowest.
More next time.
xx aBz
Friday, July 23, 2010
Riding Solo...
Oh dear, oh dear. It's been literally ages, since my last post.
Where should I start?
Maybe I should start slow... okay, so here's the latest.
I'm In Orlando, Florida! What am I doing here? I'm undergoing an International College Program run by the Walt Disney World Company.
The flight from Sydney to San Francisco was 13 hours, plus a 4 hour stopover and then another 5 hours to Orlando airport. Whilst on the Sydney-San Fran flight something hit me, was I seriously doing this- flying on my own into a city I have never been to before, not knowing what challenges were ahead of me? This was made worse after reading my best friend's letter, the water works started. I thought to myself, MAN UP! I'll be home in no time =)
I arrived in this B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. city (officially) on the 15th of July at 11:45pm. An airport staff had assisted me with my luggage and I made sure not to forget to tip him (this actually made me feel like one of the locals!).I managed to check-in to my hotel fine and did not get to sleep until 3:30am local time, as I was skyping with my sister (Sydney time was 5:30pm). I could hardly sleep, excitement was rushing through my veins. What was I going to do in the morning? I had no one with me, no one to control my schedule, no one to depend on or to wait on. But hold on a second, it did not sound too bad at all. I felt liberated.
I decided to take my time, chill, relax and unwind. I was gratefully thankful to have been given this extraordinary opportunity. I deserved to relax and have fun, leave all the stresses behind me. So I decided to buy some pop tarts, hit the gym and then go for a swim. Man oh man, did it feel goood! Afterward, I caught a shuttle from my hotel to Disney's Hollywood Studios, EPCOT and finally to Downtown Disney (where I was meeting a few of the people who have been accepted into the same program as I have, for dinner). So much to see, not enough in the space of 4 hours and before I knew it, the 4 hours were gone. I walked back to my hotel (a 10 minute walk), chilled and watched TV a bit then headed back upto Downtown Disney, where I met my new-found friends at the Rainforest Cafe. The Lava Nachos were awesome, not to mention huge! Despite the flirtation going on between me and Clarence the waiter, nothing happened. Hahahaha!!
The next day was the Disney International College Program orientation day, where I would meet the rest of my fellow Aussies and Kiwis. I had requested for a late check out (3pm) but found out at 11:30am that it had not been approved and they were giving me until 12nn to check-out, free of charge. There goes my relaxing afternoon. I scurried around the hotel room to get all my belongings together and who woulda thunk, I managed to check-out on time *pat on the back Abz*.
I anxiously caught a shuttle taxi to my new home of Vista Way, which was about 10 minutes away from my hotel. The taxi driver did a good job of calming my nerves and when he dropped me off, he actually gave me his name to add on facebook (biggest LOL!).
My luggages were dropped off and I entered the orientation along with a few other Aussies. Here I found out my (soon to be legendary) Apartment number: room 3602. I then had to lug all my stuff to this unknown place, and as I was about to carry it a flight of steps, who came to help me? Who else but my new roomie (Tegan Livingstone)! Well, found out our room was on the bottom floor, so I was sweet on not having to suffer carrying all my stuff up. I'm with 4 awesome people (plus 1 squatter) in my apartment and I am absolutely loving it so far. I thought it would take a while before I started getting homesick...
Hm, perhaps I should continue this in my next post.
Til next time y'all!
xx aBz
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Another thing to ponder about being a Filipino...
Philippine politics – a background analysis and a hopeful plea for change.
The author, cousin of a classmate was recently honored in Hongkong by the Asian Journalists-his novel
the Illustrados halled here in NY as well.
From the NY Times ... about the new RP president.
May 19, 2010
And if This Leader Should Happen to Fall...
By MIGUEL SYJUCO
Once upon a time, everything made sense. Ferdinand Marcos was evil, Benigno Aquino was good. Poverty was caused by the dictator and his Iron Butterfly, Imelda. The fastest progressing nation in the region became "the sick man of Asia" only because of the loss of democracy. There's no better excuse for problems than having had a despot.
Last week's Philippine elections, however, prove that things aren't that simple for us. If indeed they ever were.
During the Marcos years, my family lived in Vancouver. My earliest memory of being Filipino was watching my parents glued to the television. People in yellow massed in Manila, linking arms, praying, singing. On the "Edsa" (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue), they peacefully confronted soldiers. The anchorman that night, I remember, declared: "We Americans like to think we taught Filipinos democracy. Well, tonight, they're teaching the world."
In 1986, "People Power" repudiated Marcos's electoral fraud and enshrined as president Corazon Aquino, widow of the martyred Benigno. The Edsa Revolution inspired the world. It was bloodless, clean and simple. It brought my family home to a hopeful country.
In my first years back, I saw many illogical things. On the streets, kids my age sniffed glue and begged with glassy eyes. By the church, lepers held stumps out for coins. In government, movie stars, newscasters and basketball players ruled. My father entered politics, and I encountered deep poverty on the campaign trail. Unsuccessful coups rocked Aquino's government. It was easy to sympathize with the president and the mess she'd inherited.
In 1992, I saw another Edsa Revolution hero, Fidel Ramos, democratically elected president. His tenure inched us toward "Philippines 2000," a plan to turn us into an industrialized country.
After Ramos's six-year term, the actor Joseph Estrada won the top spot. Despite doubts about his ability and integrity, his landslide seemed to be a testament to mass movements and democracy. Hope crumbled quickly. As Estrada's failures turned into outright crime, Filipinos were faced with a leader who let them down. Again.
As with Marcos, Estrada's reign reinforced the facile absolutes of good and evil. Estrada was clearly the latter, with his mistresses, his disdain for respectability, and the cronies of his "Midnight Cabinet" feasting on late-night buffets and slurping Château Pétrus by the case. The scandals led to corruption charges and impeachment.
In early 2001, during the Second Edsa Revolution, I joined the thousands marching against Estrada. His Senate cohorts were handling his trial, and they'd refused to open an envelope believed to contain damning evidence. We converged on Edsa, at the statue of the Virgin commemorating the events of 1986. Songs were sung, prayers prayed, and jet fighters screamed across the sky as a sign that the military had switched their support. Estrada was ousted. His vice president, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, took his place amid fanfare. Estrada was given a life term for plunder.
When I left to study abroad that year, the mood was once again hopeful. Arroyo seemed a breed apart. In a country where corruption may be considered a tolerable necessity to make ends meet, she was wealthy enough to eschew embezzlement. Arroyo had been Bill Clinton's classmate at Georgetown and received a Ph.D. in economics. I'd gone to school with her kids, and they seemed decent.
But in 2004, Arroyo reneged on her promise not to seek reelection. She faced Fernando Poe Jr., an iconic actor and pal of Estrada. Poe's victory would likely have seen Estrada pardoned, and the cycle of disappointment would continue. The funny thing about hope is that it can give you tunnel vision: Claims that Arroyo rigged the election seemed, to me, the lesser of two evils - as if it was better to have good people cheat than bad people win fairly. Arroyo's goodness, however, was disappearing, gradually and then swiftly.
At first it was easy to dismiss her scandals as black propaganda, flung by those who'd backed Estrada. But the allegations grew kilometric. Her responses became insouciant. Arroyo's popularity plunged lower than any president since Marcos.
I, like many, saw the Philippines heading for a dead end. If this president had betrayed us, who else was there to lead us out of the hole dug by her predecessors? In fact, many of those opposing Arroyo were those who'd sanctioned Estrada's larceny. If there's one instance of pretzel logic I've learned from Philippine politics, it's that bad people doing selfish things can sometimes move toward the common good.
But what of the clear lines between good and evil? I still wonder: Was it Arroyo who was corrupt, or was it the system? This is an important question for our next president.
Now we've come to Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, son of a martyr and a saint of democracy. Entering the race after his mother Corazon died last year, Noynoy's landslide speaks to his apparent integrity, the paucity of palatable alternatives and the bling of the Aquino brand. His critics say giving him power is only handing it back to the same elites who've let us down for the last century.
However noble Aquino's intentions may be, he now faces a minefield of corruption, political patronage and shifting allegiances. And Arroyo is sticking around like a bad virus - she's won a seat in Congress and is maneuvering to be speaker of the house. As the Marcoses have shown, there's always a second act in Philippine politics.
Just as Ferdinand won it for Corazon, Gloria has made possible our faith in Noynoy. There's nothing like a despot to simplify choices. But that recurring cycle of optimism and disillusionment has turned Filipinos cynical. And cynicism, to paraphrase, is the last refuge of the hopeful.
In a country where celebrity trumps ideology, nobody knows if Noynoy's star power will give way to the idealism we hope he has. And if experience has taught us anything, nothing comes that easily. Ninety million people are watching, waiting. Please, Noynoy, don't let us down.
Miguel Syjuco is the author of "Ilustrado," a novel about Philippine politics.
The author, cousin of a classmate was recently honored in Hongkong by the Asian Journalists-his novel
the Illustrados halled here in NY as well.
From the NY Times ... about the new RP president.
May 19, 2010
And if This Leader Should Happen to Fall...
By MIGUEL SYJUCO
Once upon a time, everything made sense. Ferdinand Marcos was evil, Benigno Aquino was good. Poverty was caused by the dictator and his Iron Butterfly, Imelda. The fastest progressing nation in the region became "the sick man of Asia" only because of the loss of democracy. There's no better excuse for problems than having had a despot.
Last week's Philippine elections, however, prove that things aren't that simple for us. If indeed they ever were.
During the Marcos years, my family lived in Vancouver. My earliest memory of being Filipino was watching my parents glued to the television. People in yellow massed in Manila, linking arms, praying, singing. On the "Edsa" (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue), they peacefully confronted soldiers. The anchorman that night, I remember, declared: "We Americans like to think we taught Filipinos democracy. Well, tonight, they're teaching the world."
In 1986, "People Power" repudiated Marcos's electoral fraud and enshrined as president Corazon Aquino, widow of the martyred Benigno. The Edsa Revolution inspired the world. It was bloodless, clean and simple. It brought my family home to a hopeful country.
In my first years back, I saw many illogical things. On the streets, kids my age sniffed glue and begged with glassy eyes. By the church, lepers held stumps out for coins. In government, movie stars, newscasters and basketball players ruled. My father entered politics, and I encountered deep poverty on the campaign trail. Unsuccessful coups rocked Aquino's government. It was easy to sympathize with the president and the mess she'd inherited.
In 1992, I saw another Edsa Revolution hero, Fidel Ramos, democratically elected president. His tenure inched us toward "Philippines 2000," a plan to turn us into an industrialized country.
After Ramos's six-year term, the actor Joseph Estrada won the top spot. Despite doubts about his ability and integrity, his landslide seemed to be a testament to mass movements and democracy. Hope crumbled quickly. As Estrada's failures turned into outright crime, Filipinos were faced with a leader who let them down. Again.
As with Marcos, Estrada's reign reinforced the facile absolutes of good and evil. Estrada was clearly the latter, with his mistresses, his disdain for respectability, and the cronies of his "Midnight Cabinet" feasting on late-night buffets and slurping Château Pétrus by the case. The scandals led to corruption charges and impeachment.
In early 2001, during the Second Edsa Revolution, I joined the thousands marching against Estrada. His Senate cohorts were handling his trial, and they'd refused to open an envelope believed to contain damning evidence. We converged on Edsa, at the statue of the Virgin commemorating the events of 1986. Songs were sung, prayers prayed, and jet fighters screamed across the sky as a sign that the military had switched their support. Estrada was ousted. His vice president, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, took his place amid fanfare. Estrada was given a life term for plunder.
When I left to study abroad that year, the mood was once again hopeful. Arroyo seemed a breed apart. In a country where corruption may be considered a tolerable necessity to make ends meet, she was wealthy enough to eschew embezzlement. Arroyo had been Bill Clinton's classmate at Georgetown and received a Ph.D. in economics. I'd gone to school with her kids, and they seemed decent.
But in 2004, Arroyo reneged on her promise not to seek reelection. She faced Fernando Poe Jr., an iconic actor and pal of Estrada. Poe's victory would likely have seen Estrada pardoned, and the cycle of disappointment would continue. The funny thing about hope is that it can give you tunnel vision: Claims that Arroyo rigged the election seemed, to me, the lesser of two evils - as if it was better to have good people cheat than bad people win fairly. Arroyo's goodness, however, was disappearing, gradually and then swiftly.
At first it was easy to dismiss her scandals as black propaganda, flung by those who'd backed Estrada. But the allegations grew kilometric. Her responses became insouciant. Arroyo's popularity plunged lower than any president since Marcos.
I, like many, saw the Philippines heading for a dead end. If this president had betrayed us, who else was there to lead us out of the hole dug by her predecessors? In fact, many of those opposing Arroyo were those who'd sanctioned Estrada's larceny. If there's one instance of pretzel logic I've learned from Philippine politics, it's that bad people doing selfish things can sometimes move toward the common good.
But what of the clear lines between good and evil? I still wonder: Was it Arroyo who was corrupt, or was it the system? This is an important question for our next president.
Now we've come to Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, son of a martyr and a saint of democracy. Entering the race after his mother Corazon died last year, Noynoy's landslide speaks to his apparent integrity, the paucity of palatable alternatives and the bling of the Aquino brand. His critics say giving him power is only handing it back to the same elites who've let us down for the last century.
However noble Aquino's intentions may be, he now faces a minefield of corruption, political patronage and shifting allegiances. And Arroyo is sticking around like a bad virus - she's won a seat in Congress and is maneuvering to be speaker of the house. As the Marcoses have shown, there's always a second act in Philippine politics.
Just as Ferdinand won it for Corazon, Gloria has made possible our faith in Noynoy. There's nothing like a despot to simplify choices. But that recurring cycle of optimism and disillusionment has turned Filipinos cynical. And cynicism, to paraphrase, is the last refuge of the hopeful.
In a country where celebrity trumps ideology, nobody knows if Noynoy's star power will give way to the idealism we hope he has. And if experience has taught us anything, nothing comes that easily. Ninety million people are watching, waiting. Please, Noynoy, don't let us down.
Miguel Syjuco is the author of "Ilustrado," a novel about Philippine politics.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Finally...
Wow, it's been a while since my last blog. So I've decided to update it; and why not? Quite a lot has transpired since the 15th of May (my last post).
Hmm, where should I start? Well for one, my bestfriend and I have joined a gym. Yep, we've been going for three weeks now and it feels really good! In my opinion, having a shower after a workout is one of the best feelings in the world! We're yet to go to one of the classes, but so far, cardio equipment has done us well :)
Another thing that's new since my last post is I've been addicted to this show called 'Ace of Cakes' on the Food channel. They make the most AMAZING and life-like cakes out! Here are some examples:
How cool are those cakes?? I'm absolutely hooked on that show, Chef Duff is the man!
What else is new? Well, I've graduated if that counts. That's all. Thanks for reading. Bye now. Hahaha! Well, yes I have graduated and it's about time! I've waited all year to graduate and finally it has happened :) I can now sort of relax knowing that I have that friggin diploma! Woot woot! What follows would be the gruelling process of continually applying for jobs. Ugh. But for now, I'm totally happy with graduating. My dad and my grandma even flew in from overseas just to catch my graduation ceremony, how's that for support? Hehe. I feel so loved, lucky and blessed.
Thanks to everyone that took part in my academic as well as my personal transformation. You guys know who you are. Love you to bits!
Till next time...
xx aBz
Hmm, where should I start? Well for one, my bestfriend and I have joined a gym. Yep, we've been going for three weeks now and it feels really good! In my opinion, having a shower after a workout is one of the best feelings in the world! We're yet to go to one of the classes, but so far, cardio equipment has done us well :)
Another thing that's new since my last post is I've been addicted to this show called 'Ace of Cakes' on the Food channel. They make the most AMAZING and life-like cakes out! Here are some examples:
How cool are those cakes?? I'm absolutely hooked on that show, Chef Duff is the man!
What else is new? Well, I've graduated if that counts. That's all. Thanks for reading. Bye now. Hahaha! Well, yes I have graduated and it's about time! I've waited all year to graduate and finally it has happened :) I can now sort of relax knowing that I have that friggin diploma! Woot woot! What follows would be the gruelling process of continually applying for jobs. Ugh. But for now, I'm totally happy with graduating. My dad and my grandma even flew in from overseas just to catch my graduation ceremony, how's that for support? Hehe. I feel so loved, lucky and blessed.
Thanks to everyone that took part in my academic as well as my personal transformation. You guys know who you are. Love you to bits!
Till next time...
xx aBz
Saturday, May 15, 2010
I Heart Rusty!
This post is just all about Rusty. Kinda got lazy, but at the same time, I love our dog to bits!
The Evolution of Rusty... Enjoy!
Till next time...
xx aBz
The Evolution of Rusty... Enjoy!
Till next time...
xx aBz
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Like nails to a chalkboard
There are some things in life you just don't want to hear, but cannot avoid hearing. No matter how much you try to block it out, its sound still lingers; because not only do people remind you of it, you begin to dwell on it. For instance, in my case, I really hate people asking why I'm so skinny. Yeh, I just eat the tiniest of peas and drink water all day. Gaah! Get over it! Or when people ask, what degree I did at uni and consequently ask 'why not nursing?' Oh.my.gosh. >_< My friend shared with me her example, which was constantly being asked by either her parents or other relatives, 'why are you still single?' and the good old 'what do you wanna do with your life?' hahaha!
Two friends and I attended a money-making seminar last night where the speaker asked, 'Who wants to retire at the age of 30?', and we were probably the only three people that did not raise our hands. Because let's face it, it is a nice thought, but c'mon. Really? Retire at 30? Honestly I don't mind the idea of working my way up and striving like my parents did, rather than taking the easy way out - that way I know that I'm enjoying my own personal growth just as they did.
It's truly a lifestyle choice. Like nails to a chalkboard, questions like those above cannot be ignored, however, we just gotta learn to perhaps take them with a grain of salt and block em out with some damn good earphones. Hehehe.
Till next time...
xx aBz
Sunday, May 9, 2010
When I hear the 'Ketchup Song', I bolt.
This whole week has been all about my mother dear. It was here birthday last Wednesday (Happy Birthday Mommy!) and today was Mother's Day. You can say she was pretty darn spoiled. I gave her a clothes dryer for her birthday and treated her to an all-you-can-eat restaurant for Mother's Day. The restaurant's food was pretty average, normal soups, salads, pastas and meat selections. What was funny about it was that they played the cheesiest of 80s and 90s songs. We laughed and munched to 'Can't Touch This' by MC Hammer and laughed even more as we heard the start of 'Ice Ice Baby', with my 15 year old sister singing along. Lmao!
As soon as the 'Ketchup Song' came on, I got a headache. Kids raced towards the dance floor and began to dance in sync. Ugh. Despite the headache, the rest of the night was tolerable. There were worse songs to come, but I will no longer mention them.
At around 9pm, the Hawaiian and Polynesian dancers came on to start the 'show'. I must say, this was the highlight of the whole dinner. The MC, Tito, although a creep, was absolutely hilarious. He was picking people from each table to come up on stage and dance, thankfully, he wasn't able to pull me. Hehe. Everyone at that place ended up leaving with a big smile on their face - the show was its saving grace.
Earlier today, I showed my mom a powerpoint presentation I made especially for her. It consisted of pictures from when I was born, till today. Man oh man, the memories. Glad I managed to keep mom smiling though =)
So here's to all the yummy mummies out there, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!! <3
Till next time..
xx aBz
PS, Love you mommy!!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Murphy's Law
I haven't written an entry since last Friday for two reasons: (1) I was drunk; and (2) I've been feeling, quite frankly, like shit. Saturday night out with the girls (and guy) was pretty good; it involved a strip club, British accent(s), dancing (even bad dancing with randoms), and a good (but not enough) amount of alcohol. Hehehe. This was followed by the good ole after party ritual of 4am Maccas (mmm, freshly cooked fries for the win!).
Working the day after a big night out is always a struggle. With only 3 hours sleep, I managed to get to work on time without microsleeping and coffee or any energy supplements to sustain me. I was a machine. Soon enough, as I got home, Zzzzz land could not wait and I KO'd. I woke up 5 hours later with a somewhat hectic headache. Woo, go me... -_-
Yesterday (Tuesday), I was quite cranky after work. I was tired and hungry in the car, waiting for my mom to finish work - I just wanted to get home so badly. She suggested that I take the M5, thinking that it would be quicker. Wrong. I took a wrong turn so I had to find a place to my left to pull into and chuck a U-turn. I'll skip some details here - in the process of doing a U-turn, I accidentally reversed the car and bumped into a man behind me. Not a car, a man. I was horrified and my mom was screaming frantically at me. The man was okay, but he obviously wasn't happy. Thankfully he let me go without any charges whatsoever. *phew* I thought I was gonna snap while driving back home, but I didn't.
And if that wasn't bad enough, while I was still shaken up from merely badly injuring or even possibly killing a guy, I almost stacked it going in the house, bit my tongue while eating dinner and to top it all off, sliced my right pinky while washing a knife (1mm deep). And it was in the last incident that I snapped. I screamed my lungs out. Up to now I could still remember how it felt when I cut it *cringe*. It was the perfect example of a Murphy's Law night. Whatever CAN go wrong, WILL go wrong - I never knew how much that law could make sense. However, amidst all of that, I realised that I'm actually pretty lucky. You must be thinking: 'what the hell is she talking about?' Let me explain: you see, I COULD have badly injured or killed that man, but I didn't. I could have fallen flat on my face going in the house; I could have burnt my tongue instead of bitten it; and I could have sliced my finger off, but I didn't. So in a way, I am pretty darn lucky =)
Don't get me wrong, I still think that Murphy's Law is true to an extent, but it takes real skill and will-power to overcome such philosophy ;)
Til next time..
xx aBz
Friday, April 30, 2010
'Who is your hero and why?'
** Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership to any of the images and videos shown below. This is purely for promotional purposes only **
Dinner tonight consisted of the 'Selections' Dinner Box from McDonald's + 1 large Chai latte + 4 large sundaes and 4 apple pies (all thanks to Reiko!!). While we sat at home eating, I read the 'stories to share over dinner' that was on the McDonald's box, and one was 'Who is your hero and why?'; to which my mom immediately answered: Iron Man! =)
Let me explain. Earlier tonight we watched Iron Man 2 and FYI, Iron Man 2 = Absolutely Mind Blowing. This is my favourite movie at the moment! I cannot get over how good it was. Aside from the freakishly awesome effects, there were no over the top action scenes, nor were there any dragging moments. Oh, and the hype around Scarlett Johansson (which I thought would have been overrated) was totally understandable, she was fan-damn-tastic! I don't normally like her acting because of her facial expressions, but here, since not much facial expressions are needed, she kicks ass. Go the hurracanranna!! Another new-comer was the character of Mickey Rourke. He was great as usual and did not disappoint, although I must admit that I was expecting him to go ballistic at one point and kill his bird (cockatoo), or something like that. Hehehe.
Don Cheadle (who I think replaced Terrence Howard) plays James Rhodes, Iron Man's best friend. He played the typical good friend, only wanting what's best for his mate and for the American public in general. Look out for "the Ex-Wife". LOLZ!
This movie made me realise how attractive Robert Downey Jr. actually is - so charming; and I doubt that I'm the only one that thinks so ;)
The smooth way of showing his intellectuality, the way he goes on a rant in a few parts and not to mention his physique... *drools* I know the guy is a bit older than I am, but come on. Seriously, come on. *wink wink*
Aah. I can go to bed happy tonight, knowing that I've seen what is probably the best movie of 2010. My mom loved it as well and couldn't stop raving about it in the car on the way home *sigh*.
Jon Favreau is a comic director genius! I wouldn't be surprised if this movie hits number one on the box office in no time. Iron Man does not take second place for anyone (even if the movie is number 2)!
=)
Well, till next time..
xx aBz
Dinner tonight consisted of the 'Selections' Dinner Box from McDonald's + 1 large Chai latte + 4 large sundaes and 4 apple pies (all thanks to Reiko!!). While we sat at home eating, I read the 'stories to share over dinner' that was on the McDonald's box, and one was 'Who is your hero and why?'; to which my mom immediately answered: Iron Man! =)
Let me explain. Earlier tonight we watched Iron Man 2 and FYI, Iron Man 2 = Absolutely Mind Blowing. This is my favourite movie at the moment! I cannot get over how good it was. Aside from the freakishly awesome effects, there were no over the top action scenes, nor were there any dragging moments. Oh, and the hype around Scarlett Johansson (which I thought would have been overrated) was totally understandable, she was fan-damn-tastic! I don't normally like her acting because of her facial expressions, but here, since not much facial expressions are needed, she kicks ass. Go the hurracanranna!! Another new-comer was the character of Mickey Rourke. He was great as usual and did not disappoint, although I must admit that I was expecting him to go ballistic at one point and kill his bird (cockatoo), or something like that. Hehehe.
Don Cheadle (who I think replaced Terrence Howard) plays James Rhodes, Iron Man's best friend. He played the typical good friend, only wanting what's best for his mate and for the American public in general. Look out for "the Ex-Wife". LOLZ!
This movie made me realise how attractive Robert Downey Jr. actually is - so charming; and I doubt that I'm the only one that thinks so ;)
The smooth way of showing his intellectuality, the way he goes on a rant in a few parts and not to mention his physique... *drools* I know the guy is a bit older than I am, but come on. Seriously, come on. *wink wink*
Aah. I can go to bed happy tonight, knowing that I've seen what is probably the best movie of 2010. My mom loved it as well and couldn't stop raving about it in the car on the way home *sigh*.
Jon Favreau is a comic director genius! I wouldn't be surprised if this movie hits number one on the box office in no time. Iron Man does not take second place for anyone (even if the movie is number 2)!
=)
Well, till next time..
xx aBz
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Happy Happy Glee Joy *Warning, spoiler ahead*
**Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of the images and videos in this post. All material here is for promotional purposes only.**
The night started with my family sitting round the table having dinner while watching the results show for American Idol, not that I really cared because Andrew Garcia has been eliminated, but what made it worse was that the songs being played were...Country! Oh dear God, that was painful. I could hardly sit through the whole show. 'Country' should not even be classified as a music genre, it just doesn't make sense, nor does it sound good. We decided to cut it short and watch the 16th episode of Glee, 'Home', which my sister had downloaded.
I must say, I really did liked this episode. What really struck me were the stories of Kurt and Mercedes.
Let's start with Kurt's story. He is still hung up on Finn, so he concocts a plan to get the two of them together. He does this by putting his single father and Finn's widowed-mother together, in the bizarre hopes of Finn and Kurt moving in the same home together. What I found weird was that Kurt didn't even think that there would be a chance of them two becoming brothers, which would then be impossible for anything to happen between himself and Finn. I guess desperation kicked in at this point. What was interesting with this story was that Kurt's plan has backfired as his dad found more in common with Finn - they both had an interest in sports - and they seemed to be having a genuine 'guy talk'. A destroyed Kurt later reminded his father, 'dad, I'm a guy', making Kurt discover that what he thought he wanted may not turn out as he’d hoped. He craved for acceptance from his father and to be able to build more common ground, but he knew this was not possible, leaving him feeling not a part of a home.
Similarly, Mercedes's character was also craving for acceptance; acceptance within the cheer squad and within the entire student body in general. She was told by Ms. Sylvester that she had to lose 10 pounds in two weeks or she was out. Distraught by this ultimatum, she resorted to extreme dieting just like the other girls in the cheer squad, who would rather drink what seemed close to flavoured water than eat. She followed their lead to the point where she started hallucinating and imagining that the people around her were palatable dishes, resulting in her fainting. It is at this point that Quinn, a former cheerleader, steps in to put a stop to the ridiculous actions of Mercedes in order to lose weight and her premises that if she does, she would fit in. Quinn snaps Mercedes from her desire to fit in, she reminds her that she’s always been 'at home in your body, don’t let Ms. Sylvester take that away from you'. Ngaw...
Normally, I just stay halfway through an episode, but this one was quite compelling. What also kept me watching was that, none of the angles were of Rachel! hahaha! (Y)
Can't wait to see the next episode now :)
Here's to hoping I get to watch Ironman 2 tomorrow!
Till next time...
xx aBz
The night started with my family sitting round the table having dinner while watching the results show for American Idol, not that I really cared because Andrew Garcia has been eliminated, but what made it worse was that the songs being played were...Country! Oh dear God, that was painful. I could hardly sit through the whole show. 'Country' should not even be classified as a music genre, it just doesn't make sense, nor does it sound good. We decided to cut it short and watch the 16th episode of Glee, 'Home', which my sister had downloaded.
I must say, I really did liked this episode. What really struck me were the stories of Kurt and Mercedes.
Let's start with Kurt's story. He is still hung up on Finn, so he concocts a plan to get the two of them together. He does this by putting his single father and Finn's widowed-mother together, in the bizarre hopes of Finn and Kurt moving in the same home together. What I found weird was that Kurt didn't even think that there would be a chance of them two becoming brothers, which would then be impossible for anything to happen between himself and Finn. I guess desperation kicked in at this point. What was interesting with this story was that Kurt's plan has backfired as his dad found more in common with Finn - they both had an interest in sports - and they seemed to be having a genuine 'guy talk'. A destroyed Kurt later reminded his father, 'dad, I'm a guy', making Kurt discover that what he thought he wanted may not turn out as he’d hoped. He craved for acceptance from his father and to be able to build more common ground, but he knew this was not possible, leaving him feeling not a part of a home.
Similarly, Mercedes's character was also craving for acceptance; acceptance within the cheer squad and within the entire student body in general. She was told by Ms. Sylvester that she had to lose 10 pounds in two weeks or she was out. Distraught by this ultimatum, she resorted to extreme dieting just like the other girls in the cheer squad, who would rather drink what seemed close to flavoured water than eat. She followed their lead to the point where she started hallucinating and imagining that the people around her were palatable dishes, resulting in her fainting. It is at this point that Quinn, a former cheerleader, steps in to put a stop to the ridiculous actions of Mercedes in order to lose weight and her premises that if she does, she would fit in. Quinn snaps Mercedes from her desire to fit in, she reminds her that she’s always been 'at home in your body, don’t let Ms. Sylvester take that away from you'. Ngaw...
Normally, I just stay halfway through an episode, but this one was quite compelling. What also kept me watching was that, none of the angles were of Rachel! hahaha! (Y)
Can't wait to see the next episode now :)
Here's to hoping I get to watch Ironman 2 tomorrow!
Till next time...
xx aBz
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
I heart you long taym... LOST & FOUND
Today was one of my favourite days. Pay day, need I say more? Double pay as well, from both jobs *high 5*! Pay day = shopping; and shop I did. I haven't been shopping in a while, more like window shopping. I didn't go too overboard today, less than $100 was spent. That's an achievement *pats back* since I am saving up for a trip in the near future.
Just two months ago, I was in a position of contemplation, confusion and doubt about my future. Now, things are actually looking up, and it's about bloody time! My mom gave me some words of advice today, she said 'it's time to start living your life'. Not that I haven't been, but I guess she's right. I've been putting off things I've always wanted to do, i.e. grow a plant in our backyard and even sponsor a child from a Third World country. Yes, I have started both :)
On the way home I realised how lucky I am to have my family and friends that truly care about me and my life-changing decisions - people that put up with my indecisiveness and my being difficult at times. I recently also realised that I really hate going with the FLOW as others do, the more it makes me feel LOST, but with BFFs like mine, I guess I don't have to worry about going with the flow no longer.
To all my lovely girls...and guys :p, I <3 you long taym!
Till next time...
xx aBz
Just two months ago, I was in a position of contemplation, confusion and doubt about my future. Now, things are actually looking up, and it's about bloody time! My mom gave me some words of advice today, she said 'it's time to start living your life'. Not that I haven't been, but I guess she's right. I've been putting off things I've always wanted to do, i.e. grow a plant in our backyard and even sponsor a child from a Third World country. Yes, I have started both :)
On the way home I realised how lucky I am to have my family and friends that truly care about me and my life-changing decisions - people that put up with my indecisiveness and my being difficult at times. I recently also realised that I really hate going with the FLOW as others do, the more it makes me feel LOST, but with BFFs like mine, I guess I don't have to worry about going with the flow no longer.
To all my lovely girls...and guys :p, I <3 you long taym!
Till next time...
xx aBz
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Eating salmon bloats me up...
It's official. Salmon, one of my favourite dishes in the world bloats me up. Random I know, but that's how much it bothered me. Have you ever had that feeling that no matter how many times you belch whilst full, your stomach doesn't seem to loosen up? Well, that's what I get when I eat salmon. Ugh. Don't get me wrong, I'll still eat salmon no matter how much my body might pay for it afterwards, probably just not at night. Hehe. The cold weather doesn't help either. I probably drank around 8 cups of tea tonight just to relieve my stomach and feel warm. Now I think I'll be busting within minutes of sleeping. Urgh.
I sat at work today feeling happier than usual, hopefully it's a sign of greater things to come within the week. OR maybe, just maybe, I'm ecstatic about my friend's graduation today. Yes, *ahem ahem* Fae. lolz! Proud of you bebeh, and not just because you're getting your diploma, but also for your first pair of tony b's *high 5*!
Seriously though, I felt giddy for no reason. It made the ride home even better. I saw the most beautiful orange-coloured sky, and I took a few photos of this with my iPhone (shh, don't tell)! Just one of those moments that make you go 'wow' (and make you almost drive on the other side of the road).
Looking at those photos and remembering how I really saw it soothes and relieves me, regardless of the salmon bloating ;P
Till next time...
xx aBz
I sat at work today feeling happier than usual, hopefully it's a sign of greater things to come within the week. OR maybe, just maybe, I'm ecstatic about my friend's graduation today. Yes, *ahem ahem* Fae. lolz! Proud of you bebeh, and not just because you're getting your diploma, but also for your first pair of tony b's *high 5*!
Seriously though, I felt giddy for no reason. It made the ride home even better. I saw the most beautiful orange-coloured sky, and I took a few photos of this with my iPhone (shh, don't tell)! Just one of those moments that make you go 'wow' (and make you almost drive on the other side of the road).
Looking at those photos and remembering how I really saw it soothes and relieves me, regardless of the salmon bloating ;P
Till next time...
xx aBz
Monday, April 26, 2010
Bieber Fever!
Like Ohmahgosh...I did not even know JB was coming Down Under! wth? Okay, so apparently the guy (or should I say kid?) was supposed to have a concert at 5am today at Martin Place area in the city. It was cancelled due to the uncontrollable screaming crowd of 12 years and up fan girls! Can I just say... LOLZ!
I bumped into a workmate coming into work today, and just as we were about to enter the staff door I said, "hey did you hear about Justin Bieber in the news this morning?" She replied, "Yeah, I heard he caused quite a ruckus. Why, is your sister a fan?" And I replied, "No. *looks down and back up again* I am". Her response: Hahahaha!!
Thanks my friend..
Anyway, the concert was cancelled by the police, blaming lack of parental control of all the present screaming fan girls. Sure. I think it's a combination of the Anzac long weekend, excessive alcohol consumption and yes, lenient parental permission. Why the heck would under 16 year old girls endure a trek into town at 5am in the freezing cold? If you told me that Usher would be around Liverpool area at say 8am, then I'd possibly reconsider, depending on the weather as well. But come on! 5am, in ice cold weather?? Damn, that's dedication. That's more than dedication- that's insane.
Oh well, just my little rant. I guess you could say that I'm a bit jealous? Hmm, okay, maybe not.
Till next time...
xx aBz
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Oh what a fail of a weekend
Okay, so in my previous post, I mentioned that I could've gone out and partied like no tomorrow (or something along those lines), well now it's Anzac Sunday, which means tomorrow's a public holiday and I still haven't gone out. I'm cooped up at home with a number of thoughts in my head. The weekend's been pretty interesting...
I had such a great night planned out for last night, go out with one of my BFF's and stay local, yet have such a great night of drinking, dancing and laughing hysterically. And then I had to break the news to her that I couldn't go out as I felt guilty of going out every week; so she says she'll go out with some friends to the city *dstare. So there I was on my bed with my laptop and she calls back like 30 minutes later saying that things went wrong, and long story short, she wasn't going out either. lolz! I take back my *dstare :p
The start of today was pretty dull: wake up extra early, work out, get on bike, breakfast with fam, watch a Disney movie and then I fell asleep again at around 1pm and I totally missed the Skype call with my dad. Whoops. I'll fast forward to 5pm...
Never would I have thought that at this point would I have argued so much with my mom and at the same time, by being honest, I almost lost an exceptional friend. By 6:40pm, I was a wreck. I was at my lowest since I don't know when. I was confused and vulnerable; I almost could not contain myself, I felt as if I was gonna explode at my family in the car, on the way home.
Personal stuff went down and to make it short and sweet, I questioned my own values and beliefs, my integrity and most importantly, the people I trust. I was so close to losing this friend of mine that it nearly killed me. I could not bare to lose 'em. Thankfully, they were understanding enough and listened to my situation, gave advise and did not give me the cold shoulder. Gotta love 'em! <3
If there's one thing I've learnt tonight, good friends are a diamond in the rough. You know they're true when they stick with you even at your lowest, ready to lend a hand or even an ear; and when you're being honest (no matter how brutal it may be), they're there to take it. You gotta learn to see the good in everyone and not judge 'em off the bat, thankfully, I did. And I do not regret meeting this person one bit.
Til next time..
xx aBz
I had such a great night planned out for last night, go out with one of my BFF's and stay local, yet have such a great night of drinking, dancing and laughing hysterically. And then I had to break the news to her that I couldn't go out as I felt guilty of going out every week; so she says she'll go out with some friends to the city *dstare. So there I was on my bed with my laptop and she calls back like 30 minutes later saying that things went wrong, and long story short, she wasn't going out either. lolz! I take back my *dstare :p
The start of today was pretty dull: wake up extra early, work out, get on bike, breakfast with fam, watch a Disney movie and then I fell asleep again at around 1pm and I totally missed the Skype call with my dad. Whoops. I'll fast forward to 5pm...
Never would I have thought that at this point would I have argued so much with my mom and at the same time, by being honest, I almost lost an exceptional friend. By 6:40pm, I was a wreck. I was at my lowest since I don't know when. I was confused and vulnerable; I almost could not contain myself, I felt as if I was gonna explode at my family in the car, on the way home.
Personal stuff went down and to make it short and sweet, I questioned my own values and beliefs, my integrity and most importantly, the people I trust. I was so close to losing this friend of mine that it nearly killed me. I could not bare to lose 'em. Thankfully, they were understanding enough and listened to my situation, gave advise and did not give me the cold shoulder. Gotta love 'em! <3
If there's one thing I've learnt tonight, good friends are a diamond in the rough. You know they're true when they stick with you even at your lowest, ready to lend a hand or even an ear; and when you're being honest (no matter how brutal it may be), they're there to take it. You gotta learn to see the good in everyone and not judge 'em off the bat, thankfully, I did. And I do not regret meeting this person one bit.
Til next time..
xx aBz
You've got your secrets and I've got mine...
So, total waste of a Saturday night... I could've gone out, have had a great night, partied hard, drank like no tomorrow - instead I stayed home because I felt guilty for going out every weekend since my dad left. Haay...
I was planning to call it an early night, have a drink or two of raspberry cruisers before I crash, yet here I am listening to slow jamz at 2 am (Sunday now), thank God I don't have work today.
I recently found out that a friend of mine has been keeping stuff from me, that they know could possibly hurt me once I found out. Now the question is, how am I taking it? I guess you can say I'm taking it pretty well. It's not as if that person betrayed me to the point that I'm curled up on the floor in infant position and rocking back and forth. lolz. On the other hand, I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt even a little bit. So how do I counter such a problem? Thinking about it even more, I realised, hey, everyone has their secrets. Heck, I know I do! And damn right do I have a right to keep secrets from this friend of mine ;p
People have skeletons in their closets all the time. It just depends whether or not that skeleton has been rotting and leaving a foul stench, which eventually means that the secret is bound to come out, and soon. Now, the question is, are my secrets bound to come out soon like my friend's has? Probably not. Mine aren't that low. The saying "what they don't know won't hurt 'em" rings true most of the time. Let's just say I've learned my lesson from all this and I'm willing to forgive, but not forget.
Til next time.
xx aBz
I was planning to call it an early night, have a drink or two of raspberry cruisers before I crash, yet here I am listening to slow jamz at 2 am (Sunday now), thank God I don't have work today.
I recently found out that a friend of mine has been keeping stuff from me, that they know could possibly hurt me once I found out. Now the question is, how am I taking it? I guess you can say I'm taking it pretty well. It's not as if that person betrayed me to the point that I'm curled up on the floor in infant position and rocking back and forth. lolz. On the other hand, I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt even a little bit. So how do I counter such a problem? Thinking about it even more, I realised, hey, everyone has their secrets. Heck, I know I do! And damn right do I have a right to keep secrets from this friend of mine ;p
People have skeletons in their closets all the time. It just depends whether or not that skeleton has been rotting and leaving a foul stench, which eventually means that the secret is bound to come out, and soon. Now, the question is, are my secrets bound to come out soon like my friend's has? Probably not. Mine aren't that low. The saying "what they don't know won't hurt 'em" rings true most of the time. Let's just say I've learned my lesson from all this and I'm willing to forgive, but not forget.
Til next time.
xx aBz
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Walmart Clown Commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsvAj6qfmFQ
This commercial never fails to make me laugh!
Enjoy! =D
xx aBz
This is a test. I repeat, this is a test!
Okay, so I decided to create a blog.
I realised, hey, why the heck not? I guess it'll keep me busy, especially mentally busy. I hope this allows me to express more of myself and at the same time, allows me to learn something about myself. I'm at that stage of my life where I'm really not so sure what I wanna be yet, what I want to do, etc..
I'm just going with the flow at the moment - waking up, working out, going to work. I may not be working everyday so instead of 'going to work', it would be staying home and cleaning. Gaah! I'm slowly getting tired of this trend.
Oh well, like I said, I'm going with the flow; hopefully it will eventually lead me somewhere.
Til next time.
xx aBz
I realised, hey, why the heck not? I guess it'll keep me busy, especially mentally busy. I hope this allows me to express more of myself and at the same time, allows me to learn something about myself. I'm at that stage of my life where I'm really not so sure what I wanna be yet, what I want to do, etc..
I'm just going with the flow at the moment - waking up, working out, going to work. I may not be working everyday so instead of 'going to work', it would be staying home and cleaning. Gaah! I'm slowly getting tired of this trend.
Oh well, like I said, I'm going with the flow; hopefully it will eventually lead me somewhere.
Til next time.
xx aBz
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