And Then There Was Den...

See you in November

2006-03-15T21:40:00.000+11:00

U2 customised the lyrics of Beautiful Day when they went to Mexico. They had two award ceremonies in Chile. Bono surprised Brasil and sang Bob Marley songs at the carnival in Salvador. Edge played the charango in Buenos Aires. I guess we'll have to wait a few months to see what'll happen in Australia.

I watched Bono's interview on Enough Rope the other night and he said that it looks like the concert will be rescheduled to November. And he promised something special. ‘It will be the only time, you know, we get a chance to play these songs for a long time, it will be extraordinary.’

I think a lot of us would be counting on that promise. But until that happens, I'm sure a lot of us are also hoping for their ordeal to result into a positive outcome.

And then maybe they'll have something like this for Australia...

See the world in green and gold
See Australia right in front of you
See the the Harbour Bridge at night
See the Yarra River in Victoria
See the swells in Surfer's Paradise
See the wineries at Barossa
And see the land that makes its people proud
And through diversity the colours came out

Lola...

2006-03-12T22:30:00.000+11:00

LXXXIX
Pablo Neruda

When I die, I want your hands on my eyes:
I want the light and wheat of your beloved hands
to pass their freshness over me once more:
I want to feel the softness that changed my destiny.

I want you to live while I wait for you, asleep.
I want your ears still to hear the wind, I want you
to sniff the sea's aroma that we loved together,
to continue to walk on the sand we walked on.

I want what I love to continue to live,
and you whom I love and sang above everything else
to continue to flourish, full-flowered:

so that you can reach everything my love directs you to,
so that my shadow can travel along in your hair,
so that everything can learn the reason for my song.

I miss you Lola. We miss you. Everything's just so different without you. I understand that you're still there and that no love was lost because you continue to live in us. And we continue to live with thoughts of you. I can feel you looking after us, wanting nothing but the best for us. Thank you. I comfort myself with the idea of knowing that you're happy where you are now. I just want you to know that I remember you - the goodness of your heart, the boldness of your spirit and the gentleness of your soul. I love you...

Unbelievable...

2006-03-09T14:37:00.000+11:00

I understand the reason for the postponement of their tour. And I have nothing but support and admiration for the band's decision. Family is a non-negotiable after all.

On the other hand, I have a strange feeling that they'll come while I am away on holidays. I bet that's what's gonna happen. Please please please... not between May 19 - July 20. Pick any other day and I'll be there. PLEASE.

Freefalling

2006-03-07T23:15:00.000+11:00

Today marks the second anniversary of one of the craziest things that I've ever done in my life.

I'm not an athletic person but I have always been keen to try new things. I had been dreaming of going skydiving for the longest time. And two years ago, I finally got to do it with six other friends.

I remember bringing it up while having dinner with some Aiesec friends. I had just arrived and they were asking me if there's anything in particular that I'd like to do while in Australia. I told them I wanted to skydive and I'd be happy for anyone to do it with me. Several people said they'd join me but only one of them took the invitation seriously. Luckily, Jay isn't one to just give ideas up and half a year later, we have booked our jumps and we were ready to go.

The days leading to the big jump weren't very encouraging. A woman in her 20's died in Victoria exactly a week before we were meant to skydive. Her parachute failed to open properly upon release and this resulted to fatal injuries. I'd be lying if I say that it didn't freak me out. Seven days later, I woke up feeling restless cos of a horrible nightmare that involved a heart attack and a broken back. No thanks to scoliosis and mitral valve prolapse, I couldn't stop thinking about how stupid I was for not checking with the doctor if I'm fit enough to skydive. I managed to get dressed and drag myself to the Mint. I couldn't believe it! It was meant to be the most exciting day of 2004 and there I was, contemplating if my dream was trying to tell me something. During training, I told my instructor about my condition and he assured me that there shouldn't be any problems. I started to relax after that.

Not for long though. I didn't realise how nervous I was until I saw the video much later. The video was quite funny, actually. I was back to my chipper-excited-to-skydive self when I saw the plane that we were gonna jump from. It was a tiny tiny tiny Cessna that can barely fit 5 people in it. Stopped in my tracks. Abrupt pause. Awkward question. "Is that THE plane?"

I eventually got over the nerves when my instructor told me that he's jumped off a plane 2000+ times (only to find out that he was also making a sign at the camera at the same time... It was his first jump daw. Hehe it was heaps funny to watch!). I relaxed more after the plane took off. The views were very nice and seeing familiar places around Canberra definitely calmed me down. By the time we jumped, I had forgotten about my anxieties and I just relished the moment that I had been looking forward to for ages. It was the most amazing 30 seconds ever. I was on a different high. I felt like I let go of everything when I jumped out of the plane - fears, distractions, complexities. I felt free. I was at peace. And it was pure bliss.

I've done other things and been to new places since but I still haven't found an experience that'll match my skydiving adventure. I'd happily do it again next time there's a chance. There's still San Francisco with Amy. Maybe Byron Bay with Len. Anyone else? Just let me know. I'm game. :)

The Remedy

2006-03-02T23:10:00.000+11:00

When I get homesick, there's rueda.
When I have a bad day at work, there's samba.
When I get cross with a particular somebody, there's merengue.
And for anything else that's capable of ruining my day, there's salsa.

It's the ultimate pick-me-upper. And I'm glad that for at least one hour every week, I get the chance to to turn off, tune out, drop everything and just get lost in my happy place that is Latin dancing. So bugger off bad vibes, I need to put my dancing shoes on.

Latin Nights

2006-02-21T00:45:00.000+11:00

I was meant to go to Sydney last weekend but plans changed at the last minute cos my lift intended to leave early and I had to work late on Friday. Yes, I had to work late when most people usually leave work early on Friday afternoons. Hayayay! I don’t remember being this flat out at work… ever. Let’s just say that I’m not too happy with the way our project is being managed and everyone else in my team thinks the same. But I digress. There’s a lot to talk about in that aspect of my life but I think I’m gonna leave it for later. The glass is half full and there are still things to be thankful for. Like last weekend, for example.

I missed my bus and took a cab to Old Parliament House after work. I could’ve walked but it was too hot and I was already heaps tired. The 7-minute cab ride cost me $12. That’s one beer and a kebab, probably. Buti na lang I don’t drink… at least I don’t have to regret taking the cab cos I won’t ever need extra cash for that last bottle of beer. Every Friday, grads from all over the place flock the courtyard of OPH to start the weekend with cheap beers and cocktails. For some, it’s also a place for hooking up and finding a date for the weekend. For others, it’s just another chance to get trashed. For most of us, it’s simply a venue to catch up with friends after a long week of slaving away in front of our computers. Nat, Marcus and the rest of the Brasilian gang were already there. Frank Madrid was also there, dj-ing and playing Latin music. I enjoyed it immensely. We were the only ones dancing in the beginning but more and more people joined later on. This Aussie guy mistook me for a South American. Kala daw nya I’m Latina cos I look and dance like one. What a load of bollocks! Hahaha! The rest of the evening was very nice though. The night sky was beautiful and the cool summer breeze also contributed to the relaxed vibe of the place. By the time Frank starting packing his gear, my feet were literally sore from dancing the night away.

Saturday was just as good. The Latin Carnival was on so all of Canberra was out and about in Garema Place. I didn’t have high expectations at all. I wasn’t too keen to check it out anymore but changed my mind and decided to go with Cat and Dave. They were playing my kind of music after all. And I was just looking forward to a night out without having to listen to techno and mainstream r&b. They had dodge ‘em cars, games and other kiddie rides that we weren’t too interested in. We tried to get Dave to go on the carnival’s own version of Disneyland’s Dumbo ride but he’d only do it in exchange for five beers. I was only game to shout him one. Boo! Fortunately, we didn’t have to amuse ourselves for much longer. We watched some capoeira, lambada, samba, salsa, flamenco, etc. We also walked past an artist who was working on some pretty amazing paintings of Canberra. They reminded me of those paintings of Curitiba that Doug forwarded ages ago. The best bit, of course, was dancing. It’s just a pity that I didn’t have a dance partner that night. I danced a bit of salsa with Lauro but I think Cat and I were the only ones who had dancing in mind for that evening. ;) Apart from a group of Lola’s singing Cuban songs 10 times slower than their original versions, I must say that I’m impressed with all the other groups that performed. I think Son Veneno deserves special mention. Their music is HOT HOT HOT. It’s Latin with a hiphop twist - my choice of poison for the night. ;p We went to Kind O’Malleys at around 130am. We met up with Ozan and his friends and finally called it a night at about half past three.

I slept in on Sunday, woke up at lunch time and watched Y Tu Mama Tambien for the *nth time. I miss Gael. Haha wala lang. I’ve been watching his movies all week. Buti na lang I have all of them on DVD. ;) I spent the rest of the day uploading photos and TRYING to organize my room. Later that evening, Erik sent an sms asking if I can make it to the Belgian café. I wasn’t able to go though. I was making arroz al horno and the paellera was already in the oven. Too late to postpone cooking for later. I stayed home instead, had dinner with my flatmates and caught up on some sleep to reenergize myself for another week at work.

Why Hello There Lumix!

2006-02-16T22:30:00.000+11:00

YESSSSS!!! I finally got my Lumix FZ30! Next to shoes, cameras come a close second on the list of things that I fancy the most. The frustrated photographer in me has been thinking of getting a DSLR for a long time now. I've gone through heaps of reviews on D70's and 350D's when I came across the FZ30. It's not an SLR but it was the Leica lens that originally called out to me. I've discovered heaps of other things about it since and it didn't take me too long to fall in love with this camera. It suits my needs and my style perfectly. It'll also be handy when I go on my big trip in May. Aiiiiieeeee!

Meet my family of cameras (sans Cameron the Ixus cos I used him to take these photos): Paco the Action Sampler, Gael the Lumix, Lola the Holga and Bruno the Frogeye. I still want to get a Leica by the way. And I'm sure I'll still want an SLR in the future. But I think this family will be fine as it is for a while. Looks like a happy bunch, hey? :)

Not that I Don't Have Anything to Write About

2006-02-16T14:23:00.000+11:00

But because I have yet to find the courage to talk about the disorganised thoughts in my head...

Jason Mraz - You and I Both

Was it you who spoke the words that things would happen but not to me
Oh things are gonna happen naturally
And taking your advice I'm looking on the bright side
And balancing the whole thing
But often times those words get tangled up in lines
And the bright lights turn to night
Until the dawn it brings
A little bird who'll sing about the magic that was you and me

Cause you and I both loved
What you and I spoke of
What you and I spoke of
Others only dream of the love that I love

See I'm all about them words
Over numbers, unencumbered numbered words
Hundreds of pages, pages, pages forwards
More words then I had ever heard and I feel so alive
Now you and I, you and I
Not so little you and I anymore
And with this silence brings a moral story
more importantly evolving is the glory of a boy

you and I both loved what you and I spoke of
and others just read of and if you could see now
well I'm already finally out of

and it's okay if you have go away
just remember the telephone works both ways
and if I never ever hear it ring
if nothing else I'll think the bells inside
have finally found you someone else and that's okay
cause I'll remember everything you sang

you and I both loved what you and I spoke of
and others just read of and if you could see now
well I'm already finally out of words.

Dear Bono...

2006-02-10T13:02:00.000+11:00

Dear Bono

Why oh why do your songs have to hit so close to home? Maybe I'm just really pumped up for your concert in March. But who am I kidding? I can't wait for the concert but there's another reason why I can't seem to get enough of "Walk On" and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" these days. Hope it'll just be a little while till a beautiful day dawns on me again.

Den

Walk On

And love is not the easy thing
The only baggage you can bring...
And love is not the easy thing....
The only baggage you can bring
Is all that you can't leave behind

And if the darkness is to keep us apart
And if the daylight feels like it's a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
And for a second you turn back
Oh no, be strong

Walk on, walk on
What you got they can’t steal it
No they can’t even feel it
Walk on, walk on...
Stay safe tonight

You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been
A place that has to be believed to be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird in an open cage
Who will only fly, only fly for freedom

Walk on, walk on
What you've got they can't deny it
Can’t sell it, can’t buy it
Walk on, walk on
Stay safe tonight

And I know it aches
And your heart it breaks
And you can only take so much
Walk on, walk on

Home… hard to know what it is if you’ve never had one
Home… I can’t say where it is but I know I'm going home
That's where the hurt is

I know it aches
How your heart it breaks
And you can only take so much
Walk on, walk on

Leave it behind
You've got to leave it behind
All that you fashion
All that you make
All that you build
All that you break
All that you measure
All that you steal
All this you can leave behind
All that you reason
All that you sense
All that you speak
All you dress up
All that you scheme…

Meet Bella

2005-11-28T16:30:00.000+11:00

I got her a week ago and my bus trips have definitely been shorter eversince. Yay! Now if only my generous friends could spare me some mp3's. ;) I haven't replaced my laptop and loading Bella with my favourite songs seems to be heaps difficult these days. So much for 60Gb of storage capacity. :p

Guess Who's Off to Germany?

2005-11-17T15:30:00.000+11:00

THEY COME FROM THE LAND DOWNUNDER

Everyone's raving about John Aloisi's winning goal.

But Mark Schwarzer was definitely my favourite last night.

Look at that save!

I still think Carini's a fantastic goal keeper (and HOT to boot! ;p). But I'm happy that the Socceroos are off to the World Cup.

So eat your heart out Recoba.

You were wrong.
Uruguay doesn't have a divine right to go to the World Cup.It took extra time and penalty shots but all's well that ends well.

WE ARE GOING TO GERMANY!!!

After Much Anticipation...

2005-10-27T10:31:00.000+10:00

They're here!

Tickets went on sale on October 10 and my diary was screaming "Log into ticketmaster at 9am". Unfortunately, I was flat out at work that day and I didn't get to have a go at getting tickets until 4 in the afternoon. Surprise surprise! I couldn't get tickets for the June 26 concert! All sold out. I was lucky though cos tickets were still available for the June 27 show. Hayayay! I literally spent half an hour clicking on the look for tickets button trying to get hold of the best seats available (considering that the best tickets were gone). It was a bit of a pain, really. And to think I might not even be here in June next year. Oh well… I'll hold onto them for now and worry about getting rid of them once I've finalised my travel plans. I just didn't want to miss out in case I'm around when Coldplay comes. Yay yay yay! :D

I Want! I Want!

2005-10-14T11:15:00.000+10:00

I promised myself I won't splurge on anything until I've bought my brother's overdue birthday present and my Round The World ticket for next year. And mind you, I've been a very good girl... Haven't even bought a new pair of shoes in over a month! But how can I say no to this?

Breaking News!

2005-10-10T01:30:00.000+10:00

I’ll be home for Christmas!!! And I got a longer leave approved too. :D So mark your calendars my dear friends. I’ll be in town from December 14 to January 3. :D :D :D

And onto more great news… I gained weight!!! 9 lbs, to be exact. That’s only 4 lbs away from achieving my ideal weight. Yay! I hope it’s not winter weight though. I’ll be heartbroken if it is. Hehe drama.

Summer’s here!!! Well, not quite but getting there. It was a bit chilly last weekend but it definitely felt like summer when we went to Terrigal two weekends ago. 25+ degrees all weekend! It was Labour Day so I decided to go out of town for the long weekend. Csaba and I caught up with Abi and Rita at Coogee and brought them along for a weekend at Tita Lorna’s house in Central coast. We kicked the day off with fish and chips and hung around the Snapper Spot while waiting for the Castle Hill party (Tita Lorna, Tito Dennis, Miguel and Len) to arrive. We spent the Saturday afternoon basking under the sun and watching Rita and Csaba wade through the freezing cold ocean. Crazy Europeans! I guess 18 degrees just isn’t good enough for us Asians. ;) There isn’t really much cuento to tell as the rest of the weekend can be captured in 4 words: food, beach, family, friends. Hungarian goulash, Filipino breakfast (with daing na bangus, danggit and longanisa), honey soy wings, bbq ribs, marinated beef, vanilla ice cream, strawberries and cream, mango cream pie, coconut toffee bars, avocadoes, grilled haloumi and goat’s cheese salad… haaaay! I love weekends at Terrigal! View the photos here!

Other weekend highlights that are worth mentioning: Philip from Liverpool (haha Len), foreign accents and whatnot, Adam Duritz, cartwheels and hand stands, the alphabet (as in q, r, s, t, u, wee) and rating beachcombers with Len and Csaba.

Last weekend wasn’t too bad either – Aurel’s farewell on Friday night, barby at Dom’s on Saturday and the Thai Festival (my favourite Thai resto had a food stall so I spent a good amount of time watching the chef cook his signature dishes. Can’t wait to make Thai food now… Thai Spice style!) and dinner at Karmen’s on Sunday. Oh and guess what I found in the boys’ server!? Lost Season 2, The OC Season 3 and The Apprentice: Martha Stewart! So yeah, didn’t get to study for Spanish at all. Been a lazy bum all weekend. :p

But yeah…

I’m going home. I gained weight. I’ve been to the beach. I’ve been blessed with glorious food. Ahhh… I’m happy. :)

rita, den, len, abi

len and i

yummy Goulash

Friday night dinner

len, den and csab

¿Hablas Español?

2005-09-27T23:30:00.000+10:00

It happened again... and for the *nth time at that. I missed my bus by a minute as I watched it drive away before my very eyes. Soooo annoying. At least it's not so bad cos we've been getting warmer days lately. But this post isn't about missing my bus.

I had an interesting experience while waiting for the next bus to come. This latino guy mistook me for a South American and asked if I can speak Spanish. I was so tempted to say no and just end the conversation but I thought it would be good to put my Spanish skills to the test. And so I replied with the usual "un poquito". Apparently he was lost and he needed some directions. I suddenly felt hesitant to say anything. I don't know if it's pity for the guy and not wanting to confuse him even more or fear of embarrassment (for saying that I can speak Spanish and failing the simple task of giving him the right directions). The thing is I can listen, read and write without much problem. I just always get caught offguard and panic when a native speaker talks to me in Spanish. I know I shouldn't get intimidated but that's just how it is.

I gave it a go anyway. It turns out he's just after another bus stop that's not too far from mine. Hah! Too easy. ;) Or maybe I just got lucky. I would've felt bad if he got even more lost because of me. But all is good because he happily went on his way and my bus came not long after. Now I only have to worry about my certification exam. *shudder* I'm still having second thoughts as to whether I should take it or not. Maybe I'll wait another year... or maybe I won't. You'll know when it happens.

Goodbye Doink

2005-09-16T09:58:00.000+10:00

I believe that my laptop has been on a self-destructing mode for a while now. It's literally breaking into pieces for reasons that I don't understand. I've never dropped it nor have I scratched it and yet you can see cracks around the monitor multiplying by the day. Oh and the character "A" on the keyboard has stopped working as well. I have more than enough reason to get a new one, actually. And this might be weird to some but I've been through so much with that computer that I've become bloody attached to it.

Four years, a degree's worth of CS projects, hundreds of mp3's and too many photos later, it's dead. It's terribly frustrating and I'm hoping against hope to at least recover my files in the hard drive. I probably won't buy a new one until after my Amazing Race next year (unless I win the lottery and suddenly have the means to plan the big holiday and splurge on that VAIO at the same time). Argh! I might as well take a leave of absence from blogging and whatever else.

No Time for Blogging

2005-08-18T18:35:00.000+10:00

Moving is such a pain. I spent all of last weekend tidying up my old place and transporting boxes to the new one. It took a few trips but I’ve finally moved all my things to Reid. I also spent a good few hours scrubbing the bathroom, vacuuming the lounge and my bedroom and mopping the kitchen at my old flat. I thought it’ll go on forever! I don’t think I’ve ever wished for a weekend to end… not until last weekend anyway. I just didn’t realise that a more daunting task awaits me…

Yes, I did manage to get all of them across to my new place... 4 Huge boxes and a few shopping bags. ;)

Halfway through...

... and struggling

I wish I could go back to the weekend before last. It's exactly what I need right now - a fun and steady weekend in Sydney. :) It was pretty full on but I did get to see most of the people that I wanted to catch up with. Crashed at Liz' on Friday, went around the city with Len, Andrew and Joris on Saturday and spent time with the family on Sunday. Oh, and I had to stop myself from hoarding Ikea as well. Will save it for later when I've organised everything at the new place. :p

with Len and Andrew at Waga Mama

My amazing buy! Been eyeing this out for ages. Hehe.

Dilemma

2005-08-11T15:03:00.000+10:00

The days are going by really quickly. I’m moving to a new place on the weekend and I’ve hardly packed anything! I haven’t even had the chance to talk about last weekend and Saturday’s almost here again. It’s just been a really busy week, that’s all.

I told myself I’ll finish packing my stuff by Friday. And let me tell you, I’m nowhere close to reaching that goal. I picked up a dining setting from Nicholls last Monday and it took me ages to get there and back. Plus the Desperate Housewives season finale was on telly that evening so I didn’t get to pack a single thing. Tuesdays are booked for salsa so I didn’t get to do anything on that evening either. It was so much fun last Tuesday though. I invited Lauro, Dave and Csaba to salsa cos we didn’t have enough guys in the class. I think they all liked the idea of meeting heaps of girls and not having too much competition. ;) Unfortunately for them, too many guys showed up that night. It was still fun though. We discovered that not all Brazilians were born to be on the dance floor. I think our teacher also realised that talent isn’t always in the blood (kidding Lauro! :p). As for last night, I was quite determined to get some work done so I headed straight to Woolies after work. I got some boxes for storing stuff and managed to put some bags and winter clothes away. I still have heaps of things to go through but I don’t think I’ll be able to pack again until tomorrow. I have Spanish tonight so I think I’ll really end up doing everything at the last minute. We’ll see how we go.

On to other things (not that there’s much to tell)…

1. It snowed today. That rarely happens by the way. And it felt a lot like being in Melbourne yesterday… sunny one minute, drizzling the next.
2. Maria flew out this morning. :( She’s spending 16 days in Canada before finally heading home to Venezuela. Te extraño mi amiga!

And back to my dilemma… Any suggestions on how I can pack these?

All I Want for My Birthday Are...

2005-08-08T17:11:00.000+10:00

too many things! Haha!

Here are 23 cos I'm turning 23! ;)

A. Books
1. The Travel Book (A Journey Through Every Country in the World) by Lonely Planet
2. a good Spanish Verb book
3. Memoirs and/or On the Blue Shores of Silence: Poems of the Sea, both by Pablo Neruda
4. Feast: Food to Celebrate Life or Forever Summer, both by Nigella Lawson
5. Kinokuniya gc’s

B. Me? Vain?
1. MAC’s So There Jade power point eyeliner
2. a big utility bag
3. shoes, shoes and more shoes! :D

C. Simple Pleasures
1. a home-cooked meal or home-made treats (since I’m always the one in the kitchen, I thought I’ll let myself be spoiled this time)
2. raspberry framboisine from the French patisserie in Civic
3. simple catch-up over dinner or coffee (extra happy if we go to Thai Spice, Iori or Turkish Pide House)
4. practice conversations in Spanish
5. come to dance class with me… and if you find it fun, be my dance partner. :D
6. phone calls from friends and family (especially people I haven’t talked to in a while)

D. Asking for the Moon
1. a 60GB iPod
2. a 12” Powerbook G4 or a VAIO T350P/S
3. contributions to my Amazing Race 2006 fund ;) (Hi Ma!)

E. Other Things…
1. sponsor a child through World Vision – visit World Vision or World Vision Australia for more information. They need sponsors for 10,000 children by the end of August. Ok, it's not really for me but I'll be so happy if you can help further this good cause.
2. lesson passes (Yoga, Pilates, Salsa, Street or Flamenco)
3. Gael Garcia Bernal’s short films (or Gael Garcia Bernal himself! Haha! ;))
4. international phone cards
5. massage, massage, massage
6. Electric Shadows’ six-tix movie pass

I do realise that nobody reads my blog (except for Len and Bubay siguro) but hey, my Mom might just chance upon this list. Who knows? I might end up getting lucky. Heehee! ;)

For All the Aiesecers Out There...

2005-07-29T18:55:00.000+10:00

... and for people who simply want to help.

We always talk about being change agents and making a difference when we go to Aiesec conferences. How about making a difference in one person's life? I thought this might be a good way to extend a helping hand to someone who probably went on a traineeship for reasons and aspirations that were similar to ours. This could've happened to one of us. Please read the rest of the emails and I'm sure you'll understand what I'm saying because her situation really hits home.

Sofia Mendez is a Mexican trainee who contracted septicemia and pneumonia while undertaking a traineeship in Ghana. She needs to be transferred to a hospital in Europe but the flight alone already costs heaps. Plus she also needs to obtain the necessary medicine and vaccinations. Her family can't really do much about the situation because her father has been unemployed for the last 2 months. They have asked for help from the government and different organisations but they haven't received the full amount that's needed.

I wish my Spanish was good enough so I can translate the whole thing. Unfortunately, I can only understand bits and pieces of it. If anyone can translate the following article for people who might want more information, that would be great.

http://www.diario.com.mx/servicios/hemeroteca/nota.asp?notaid=b02a1a8012533f22538f0d7b055907d0

If you'd like to help, contact:
argentinac@aiesec.org.mx o ggiron@aiesec.org.mx

Oh, and please pass this on to people who might be interested in helping.

Have a good one,
Den

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: aiesec.net mailer
To: toffeenut_latte@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2005 10:09:05 GMT
Subject: Aiesec Chile demostrando su Liderazgo y Responsabilidad
Community: CHILE
Forum: CHILE Forum
Thread: Aiesec Chile demostrando su Liderazgo y Responsabilidad
Author: Gustavo Duarte (gustavo.duarte@aiesec.net)

Hola gente de Chile,

Demostremos nuestro liderazgo en esta causa que nos toca vivir a todos como
miembros de esta gran plataforma de apredinzaje y desarrollo la cual
pertenecemos y somos parte viva de ella... hoy es una trainee Mexicana...
mañana puede un trainee de Chile... por eso les pido con una mano en el corazon
tan solo leamos esto y dejemos el resto a nuestra conciencia...

Saludos

Gustavo

Hi AIESEC members!
Im writing from Mexico, We need your help. We have one SN in Accra, Ghana, she
is Sofia Mendez SN-In-MX-CJ-2005-1234. She presents a case of septicemia
(bacterial infection in the sanguineous torrent) and pneumonia. Everything
began with an infection of the urinary routes, later pancreatitis, problems
with the kidney and the liver.

She cannot receive the special treatment or attention necessary in that country
therefore she requires to be transferred to a European country (Switzerland)
urgently, however the cost of this particular scenario is approximately of
80,000 dollars, just to move her to Europe in a special plane.

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Please, distribute this e-mail to your contacts!!

Imagine that you, your sister, or one of your trainees are in her shoes, what
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My End of the Bargain

2005-07-22T22:10:00.000+10:00

Never in my life have I said goodbye to so many people within such a short period of time...

Maria Bienvenido Otra Vez!

2005-07-14T17:30:00.000+10:00

They can deny it if they want to but I bet they just can’t get enough of Canberra.

Maria’s back from New Zealand and she’s in town for a few days. Her friend Ene’s here as well. She came all the way from Venezuela to face winter in Australia… poor girl. But they’ll be leaving for Cairns on Saturday so I guess they won’t be missing the sun for too long.

I caught up with them last night after work. We went to King O’s for drinks with Lauro, Zubin, Dave, Ana and Margery (?). Ene and Maria had to go to this Latin American radio program at 8:30 and they convinced me to join them. We got to the radio station and sat through a Brazilian news program (and yes, it was in Portuguese). Fortunately, Maria’s friends showed up and started their own program not long after we arrived. It was fun! The whole thing was in Spanish (duh Den?!) and I didn’t expect to understand a lot of what the guys were saying but I actually did. I found myself laughing at the jokes and getting the main point of what they were talking about. And as expected, they played awesome music that would’ve been good to dance to if we weren’t cramped in the small booth. It was all good fun though. (Uno de sus amigos es muy guapo. Tiene el acento es lindo y es simpatico. ;) haha.). It might be the start of a Wednesday night habit for me… Listening to the program and improving my Spanish, that is. We stayed for an hour and a half and went back to King O’s cos Rosh and Amali turned up. We spent around 3 hours chatting before calling it a night at around midnight. Party's not over though... We’ll be catching up again for Maria’s final farewell tomorrow.

You probably won’t get to read this but to Rosh, Amali and Zubin – have a safe trip and enjoy your time in Europe! Oh, and please give Tessan a big hug for me. :D

Con Maria, mi amiga Venezolana. Ella se va vacaciones en el Queensland antes ella vuelve a Venezuela.

Con Mi Paellera Nuevo

2005-07-04T18:00:00.000+10:00

Me gusta la paella. Yo lo hice para cena anoche. Es dificil de cocinar pero lo vale. Gracias a Dios para mi paellera nuevo!

Banana Heart Summer on a Cold Winter Night

2005-06-30T22:30:00.000+10:00

Freezing. Drenched. Frazzled.

But it was a great day nonetheless.

It was raining like crazy this afternoon and I forgot to bring my umbrella. I decided to go to Spanish straight after work so I arrived in Manuka a bit earlier than the usual. Hoping to study a bit and get somewhere with “Fiesta en la Primavera”, I opted to kill my time in the book shop nearby.

I was surprised to see heaps of people there as it’s quite unusual for a Thursday evening. It turned out that there was a book reading that night so people were lounging around the whole shop. Unfortunately, they moved all the reading tables for the event so I had nowhere to sit and prepare for my Spanish class. I ended up browsing through books instead. I was deciding what book to get when I heard someone say “Mahal kita” in the reading area. I had a look at the book that’s being promoted and it’s actually written by a Filipina who’s based here in Australia. I quickly grabbed myself a copy and had a bit of a chat with Merlinda. At first glance, Merlinda Bobis’ “Banana Heart Summer” reminded me of Laura Esquivel’s “Like Water for Chocolate”… only it’s set somewhere in the Philippines. The book also seems to offer magical realism through a mother, a daughter and lots of food writing. Can’t wait to read it!

Spanish class today was almost as interesting. I was the first to arrive in the center and there was no one else there but my Spanish teacher. He started talking to me in Spanish and I must’ve looked really weird cos he suddenly began stammering for English words. I don’t get myself. Why do I always get tongue tied when someone tries to converse with me in Spanish? It’s like everything that I know disappears into thin air. I know I’ve only been to a few classes and I don’t know much at this point but I really want to be more confident by trying to speak more. I always have a great time in class but it’s quite different when I get caught off guard. Those native speakers talk a mile a minute and it’s just too easy to get lost in the conversation. I can feel myself improving though. I find myself understanding more and translating less. I think that’s what we’re meant to do anyway… attempt to think in Spanish in order to speak it more fluently. Too easy to say, I know. I can only hope. :D

We didn’t have the usual lecture tonight. We just watched a documentary on Colombia and then headed to the restaurant downstairs to get some coffee. I also found out that one of my classmates works in Flight Centre. We had a bit of a chat and she’s agreed to help me organise my big holiday next year. If everything goes well, I’ll be off to Europe (and possibly get an around the world ticket so I can do a short stint in Brazil and Chile as well) next summer. *fingers crossed*

Csaba's Birthday Weekend

2005-06-27T19:15:00.000+10:00

Sydney never disappoints. And the weekend turned out great as expected.

It was the Lion King’s last weekend in Sydney and the theater was packed when we caught the Friday night run. I first saw the Lion King in Broadway 3 years ago. I was blown away by the colourful costumes, creative set design, high-spirited actors and heart-pounding music that filled the theater. The stampede and the “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” scenes were amazing. And I loved Timon, Pumba and the cheetah. The Sydney production was alright. I’m not sure if I wasn’t that impressed because the novelty has worn off or if it simply fell short of my expectations. The stage was smaller although it was fine because my seat was also closer. The costumes and the set were still wonderful. I just didn’t like some of the acting that I witnessed on stage. Mufasa and little Simba were both terrible. I loved both Nala’s and the guy who played Timon definitely caught my attention. He really acted out the part. It was an ok show. And it wouldn’t be fair to say that I didn’t enjoy it because I still had a wonderful time.

Csaba turned 26 on Saturday. It didn’t stop me from doing my rounds in Pitt Street though. ;) We had a nice lunch at Kapitan Torres and I finally bought a paellera (I’m meant to make my specialty on the weekend). I left Csaba at Kinokuniya after lunch and subjected myself to an afternoon of stocktake sales. It was very strange but I didn’t seem to have the urge to shop that day. I think I gave up after checking out a million shops that sold the exact same things. You see, I’m not a big fan of trends and I become less keen on things (no matter how nice they are) when they start popping up on every display window there is. Anyhow, I ended up splurging on books instead. I just love Kinokuniya! They have such a wide range of cook books and travel books. They also stock a lot of books that I never seem to find in other shops. It’s definitely heaven for book lovers (and for boyfriends who have nothing better to do while waiting for their girlfriends to finish shopping hehe). We had reservations at Harbour Kitchen and Bar for dinner and I was really looking forward to it. It was highly recommended by Tita Lorna (and Keanu Reeves as well. Apparently, he told a reporter that the first thing that he does every time he comes to Australia is have lunch at the Harbour Kitchen. Hehe). Harbour Kitchen was great! The staff were nice enough to give us a table with a great view of the Opera House. I had this really yummy strawberry and mandarin mocktail called Latino Social Club. The thought of it makes me want to have a glass this very minute. We also stuffed ourselves with oysters, lamb rump with artichokes, oregano and garlic, spit roasted steak with braised eschallot and horse radish mascarpone and wood roasted potatoes. Dessert was Csaba’s makeshift birthday cake… Banana Chocolate and Charlotte. Yum yum yum! It’s arguably the best meal that I’ve had in a long time. :)

Csaba met up with his Hungarian friend on Sunday while I spent the whole day with Tita Lorna, Nicole and the boys. We left Castle Hill at lunch time and headed to the furniture haven that is Ikea. Sigh. I’ve started dreaming of having my own place ever since finding out that I had to move again. Walking past all the nice furniture in Ikea just made me wish even more… Oh well… Someday… :) DFO was next on the list after Ikea. We didn’t really have much time to go around the shops but I still managed to find some good buys in Cue and Nine West. I wish they had stocktake sales every month. Hehehe. It’s like Christmas in June! :) Anyway, I met up with Csaba in DFO, took a raincheck on dinner at Tita Lorna’s and drove in the rain to go back to good old freezing Canberra. I had one thought in my head while we were on our way home… we shouldn’t have missed Tito Dennis’ lamb shanks. Heehee.

Singin' In The Rain

2005-06-23T23:20:00.000+10:00

Oh... and I walked in the rain today. It was good... if only it weren't that cold. :)

Algunos Libros Para Leer

2005-06-23T23:05:00.000+10:00

Mi maestro español esta loco. El dio nosotros libros para leer para la semana próxima… Pero tenemos sólo fue aprendiendo el idioma por unas pocas semanas… Pero está bien. Soy todo para aprender. :D

I'm meant to read a 48-page children's text about Spring time but I doubt that I'll be able to finish it in time for the next class. There's no pressure though. He did say that he just wants to know how we find the task.

On a lighter note, I caught up with Cat after Spanish class. We haven't seen each other for ages and it was good to finally have another one of those nice chats. We went to this Indonesian/Malaysian restaurant in Manuka. Food wasn't great but the place had a good ambience. Nasi Goreng was a bit bland but the stir fried rice noodles were alright. I was so tempted to practice what I learned in class(ordering food, giving directions, etc.). I just had to remind myself that we weren't in Spain... We weren't even in a Spanish restaurant! Hehe.

Anyhow, I'm off to Sydney tomorrow and I haven't packed. Eeep! Really sleepy though... Acabo de hacer mañana.

A Year Ago...

2005-06-18T14:57:00.000+10:00

I was in paradise.

It’s been exactly a year since I went to the Whitsundays. It’s definitely one of the most beautiful places that I’ve ever been to. And the whole trip is among my favourite travel memories as well. I can’t remember having done so many things (with so little time) in any other holiday. I’ll always look back and revisit my memories from that trip. Because in the Whitsundays Islands…

- I went on a helicopter ride and experienced an aerial view of the islands.
- I hopped on a jetski and didn’t care how fast I went.
- I went parasailing and got a refreshing (albeit freezing) plunge.
- I discovered that quad bikes are fun but dangerous. I crashed into a bush and ended up getting cow poo all over my leg.
- I had yummy seafood buffet while watching different Polynesian dances.
- I tried crocodile for the first time. I didn’t like it at all. I thought it tasted like rubber.
- I had fresh fish and chips almost everyday.
- I didn’t have to rug up even if it’s winter.
- I went to the Great Barrier Reef. I didn’t find Nemo but I found George. :D
- I snorkeled and got friendly with the residents of the reef. ;)
- I saw a whale up close . It was swimming next to our boat while we were on our way to the GBR. It wasn’t even part of what we paid for! It was a bonus that definitely made my day.
- I spent half a day at Whitehaven Beach. Lunch on the barby, a nice tan, a pristine beach… what more could one ask for?

More Pictures?

Mi Casa Es Su Casa

2005-06-15T21:06:00.000+10:00

Kerrie's back.

I've been renting her 3-bedroom unit for almost a year now. Originally, I was just renting the extra room in her house. Soon after I moved in, this work opportunity in Germany came up and she and her partner both decided to move overseas. It wasn't planned but it worked out well. I agreed to housesit for them for at least a year. In return, they only stored personal stuff and left the place fully furnished for me. I didn't have to pay more rent even if I had the whole place to myself. I just had to advertise for a flatmate to help balance the costs. Incidentally, I didn't find anyone to share the place with until mid-February of this year.

So yeah, I lived by myself for months. I had this really nice place to come home to every night. And it didn't hurt that the house is fully set up as well. I love the queen sized bed, the 2 built in wardrobes, the tv, the dvd player and vcr in my bedroom. I love the spa in my bathroom. I love my kitchen - the pantry that's always stocked with my favourite cooking ingredients. I love the books, the leather couch, the widescreen tv and the reading chair in the lounge. I love the look and feel of the dining room - very cosy and perfect for an intimate dinner with friends. I love sitting under the sun and having breakfast in the courtyard. I love Julio and Tenoch (the fish in the courtyard... and yes, I made these names up). Heck, I even love the plants that didn't manage to survive my lack of gardening skills.

*Sigh* The place really grew on me. It really is home for me these days (my second home anyway... Villamor still tops my list).I took care of it like it's my own. And it certainly feels like my own.

Kerrie came back from Germany yesterday. She has decided to move back to Australia for good. I'm quite relieved because she was quite impressed with the house. I'm just a bit worried about having to find new accommodation soon. She has expressed her intention to live by herself like she did in Germany... although she did say that she's open to the idea of having me stay with her until I find a place that I really like. It's fair enough, I suppose. I've decided to start looking around just the same. It's a bit sad, really.

Thank God for Long Weekends!

2005-06-14T20:15:00.000+10:00

One of the things that I love most about Australia is we get heaps of public holidays. Anzac Day, Australia Day, Labour Day, Boxing Day, Easter holidays, Christmas, New Year’s… the list goes on and on. We get so many long weekends that it almost seems like we’re just coming up with lame reasons to take time off from work. But who am I to complain? Life is good this way. :)

The Queen’s Birthday Holiday is always observed in June even if the Queen's birthday's really in April. And even if we’re thousands of miles away from the UK, we celebrate it here as well. Australia’s been a constitutional monarchy since its founding after all. Thus, we share the said public holiday with the Brits even if it seems like another excuse for a long weekend. Thanks to the Queen... I didn't have to go to work yesterday. :)

Tita Lorna’s birthday also fell on the same weekend so going to Sydney for the Queen’s Birthday was almost a given. As usual, I didn’t pack light and caught the bus at the last minute on Saturday afternoon. The trains to Beecroft were out of service so I had to get off at Strathfield instead. Luckily, Miguel was at Nicole’s so I was able to get a lift back to Castle Hill. We quickly had some dumplings for dinner and got ready for a Filipino party that we had to go to that evening.

Some interesting observations that Miguel and I had at the party:
- Filo Filos aren’t cool especially when they try to look cool.
- Hot Guy and Hot Girl might be cousins (just like us! Hehe).
- People can tell if you’re having fun on the dance floor.
- They also know when you’re worrying about dance steps and fussing over your looks.

It was a great party all in all. It felt good to be surrounded by Filipinos for a change… although it made me miss home even more. Di bale… December’s not too far away. And if I’m lucky, I might even get to score a really cheap flight before winter ends. Hehe wishful thinking.

I slept in for a bit on Sunday morning. We heard mass at 10 and went to a bowling party after. After a couple of hours, Tita Lorna and I left the boys to treat ourselves to some retail therapy. :) I love June cos the shops hold stocktake sales in anticipation of the end of the financial year. I got some nice winter skirts and pants to go with the goodies that my Mom sent a couple of weeks ago. Yay! :D Call me a shopaholic but hey… I didn’t get those peep toe heels that I’ve been eyeing for a while (even if they were calling out to me with a 50% off price tag). Galing noh? Sige na please... Congratulate me. ;) But we’ll see next week… I’ll be off to Sydney again for the weekend.

We had a cosy and quiet Sunday evening. Tito Dennis made hot pot for dinner (yum!) and we stuffed ourselves with Guylian as we watched Last Man Standing on TV.

One of the best parts of the weekend was going to the seafood market for Tita Lorna’s birthday lunch. It’s one of my favourite places in Sydney even if the difficulty of finding seats is almost a guarantee. And true enough… the place was so crowded that we ended up sitting on the ground. It’s all good though… We had a seafood feast of calamari rings, prawn cutlets, oysters, fish and chips, steamed prawns, chilli squid, lobsters and salad. It was definitely more than enough to make up for the lack of a proper table and benches to sit on.

Last weekend was really just one of those ordinary weekends… except I had 10 times more food, fun and shopping. :) Haaaay… and now I’m back at work… bloody slaving away in front of my computer. Oh well… Can’t wait for the next long weekend! :D

Tonight I Can Write...

2005-06-05T23:30:00.000+10:00

Szeretlek Csaba.

Koszonom a gyonyoru pillanatokat es sajnalom, ha olykor masmilyen is adodott . Orulok, hogy talalkoztunk. Nagyon faj, de el kell mennem. Hianyozni fogz.

Talan maskor… Talan soha. Meglat juk. Vijo szerencset es vigyazz magadra!

A Typical Saturday

2005-06-04T23:45:00.000+10:00

I don’t have a green thumb. And yet I found myself in the Yarralumla nursery on a Saturday morning. I was shopping for plants when I should’ve been back home sleeping in. Around half a year ago, the owners of my flat moved overseas and left the house under my care. I did a pretty good job, hey. I’m a responsible tenant after all. ;) The place is very well looked after… except for one thing, that is. The plants in the courtyard are all dead. My land lady is due to come back next week and I had to replace all the plants that I’ve killed. I really don’t know much about plants. You can leave me in the kitchen for a day and I’ll come up with heaps of wonderful meals but never ever leave me out in the garden. Luckily, Csaba was there to help me out. We spent a couple of hours in the nursery and seeing all the greenery made me wish that I had a nice garden… and that I knew how to maintain one. I could imagine my own big box of fresh herbs (like Jamie Oliver’s in Jamie Oliver Live) a few steps away from my kitchen. Anyway, I ended up spending 80 bucks on pot plants and potting mixture. And then we headed off to lunch…

Lunch was crap. We were just about to head for the Woden shops when we decided to make a u-ie to go to Ming’s instead. Ming’s has lunch specials for $6.50 on Saturdays. We thought we wouldn’t mind some dumplings and laksa for lunch. Eating out is rarely a disappointment for me but lunch today was just sooo bad. The dumplings must have been a day old and the laksa wasn’t any good either. The garlic chicken and fried rice would’ve been alright if they were a tad less salty and not too oily. After that meal, I decided that I’m never going to Ming’s again. I’ve only been there 4 times and the only meal worth raving about was the Shantung chicken that I had on my first visit. Oh well…

We headed back to my place, unloaded the car and started working on the garden. My job was really simple. I chose which pots to use for which plants and Csaba did the rest of the potting. Hehe, I know. I’m hopeless. :)

I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning my room and getting rid of stuff that I no longer use. I ended up with two big boxes of clothes for the Salvos. Whew! It’s really nice coming home now. My bedroom’s really neat and clutter free at the moment… I wonder how long for though.

I caught up with Claire (my old flatmate) and had dinner at Turkish Pide House. They didn’t have enough seats inside so we had to sit outside the restaurant. It was bloody cold but we were both craving for Turkish so we didn’t really care. It worked out well though. We were right next to the heaters so it wasn’t bad at all. We ordered the banquet and stuffed ourselves with zucchini balls (my favourite), bread and dips (hummus, baba ganoush, tatziki, beetroot and carrot… YUM!) for entree. By the time we got to the mains, we were pretty much full… although we still struggled to finish the kebabs, meatballs, couscous and salad because they were soooo good. In the end, we didn’t have any room left in our stomachs to even start with the Turkish pizza. It was a very good meal though… made up for the crappy Chinese that I had for lunch. :)

I went home straight after dinner and ended my day with Sideways and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. Diego Luna is hot… but only when he’s on the dance floor. Gael will forever be #1. :D

*** Thank you God for the new plants in the courtyard.
*** Thank you God for zucchini balls, fresh Turkish bread, hummus, tzatziki, couscous, chicken and lamb kebabs. :D

A Dose of Neruda

2005-06-03T14:03:00.000+10:00

Laugh at the night,
at the day, at the moon,
laugh at the twisted streets of the island,
laugh at this clumsy boy who loves you,
but when I open my eyes and close them,
when my steps go,
when my steps return,
deny me bread, air, light, spring,
but never your laughter for I would die.
-- an excerpt from "Your Laughter" by Pablo Neruda

Wala Lang

2005-06-02T21:30:00.001+10:00

Tagged by sayaw_ilaw.

Not because you have to, but because you WANT to! Things you enjoy, even when no one around you wants to go out and play. What lowers your stress/blood pressure/anxiety level? Make a list, post it to your journal... and then tag 5 friends and ask them to post it to theirs.

~ Time by myself. I'm with Len on this one. Watching a movie, eating out, shopping... dating myself on a regular basis keeps me sane!
~ Yoga, Pilates and going to the gym... although I must admit that I've been very very lazy.
~ Cooking. I make at least one new dish every week. And I get a kick out of being able to copy dishes from my favourite restos.
~ Gael Garcia Bernal DVD marathons. That's it, full stop. I'm not gonna say anything more. :)
~ Massages.
~ Reading Neruda.
~ Ringing home.
~ Emails and letters from home.

Hmmm... I'm tagging bubays.
I'm not tagging anyone else cos my friends don't blog. *sob* ;)

*** Thank you God for Jesus, my Spanish teacher. He actually spoke a bit of English in class tonight. It's quite good for a change. Whew!

Cuba Libre?

2005-06-01T15:29:00.000+10:00

I finally finished watching Fidel last night.

It’s not one of the greatest films that I’ve seen but it’s interesting enough to keep me in my seat for 3 ½ hours. Although I admit I probably wouldn’t have come across this movie if Gael Garcia Bernal weren’t in it, I still think it was worth learning about one of the most influential and controversial leaders of the 20th century.

In my opinion, the movie would’ve been better if it were told in Spanish. Although I thought it was good that the cast members were mostly Latin American actors, listening to them speak in English just takes so much potential away from the movie. These actors would’ve done more justice to their characters if they were able to express themselves freely in their own language.

Before this movie, Fidel Castro was like a myth. And Cuba was a different world from mine. All I knew was Castro has been leading Cuba under a dictatorship rule for over 40 years now. Watching the movie exposed me to a mostly new but strangely familiar reality on the other side of the globe.

Fidel Castro, along with his comrades, had a vision to eliminate injustice and change the ways of life in Cuba. He dedicated his life to his vision… his revolution. He became successful in achieving his goal, but he was far from sustaining it. While Castro concentrated on preserving the revolution, he forgot about the reason for a revolution. What could have led Cuba to where it is now? Castro’s constant refusal to recognise human nature? His ignorant approach to politics, economic issues and agricultural practices? His absolute ways and means of executing power?

The truth of the matter is Castro may have succumbed to his own demons. He may have turned into one of those people that he despises the most. He may have become the enemy that he was struggling against during the prime of the revolution.

*** Thank you God for Krispy Kremes.
*** Thank you God for the yummy dinner that Csaba brought when he came over.

Presents Presents Presents!

2005-05-31T21:15:00.000+10:00

I just love surprises.

My Mom just came back from New York and it’s been presents galore for the last month or so. I got one package when she was still there and I was more than happy to see some makeup, a merino wool jumper and half a dozen pairs of shoes sitting snugly in the box.

Today, I found 2 more packages sitting at my front step. See a quick stocktake of the pressies below:

- 6 pairs of shoes
- 2 knitted tops
- 1 cardigan
- 3 knitted jumpers
- 3 handbags
- 3 tubes of lip balm
- 1 pair of gloves

Thanks Ma for thinking of me while you were away on holidays. And thanks to my Titos, Titas and cousins for all the wonderful things that you sent. Special thanks to Tita Violanda for FedExing the packages. Hope to see all of you soon. I really miss it there! :)

Yay is all I can say. It made my day. Yay! :D

*** Thank you God for the nice surprise.
*** Thank you God for Desperate Housewives.
*** Thank you God cos the fish are still alive even if I didn't feed them over the weekend. Hehe.

The Postie Bike Diaries, Part 1

2005-05-30T14:35:00.000+10:00

So what’s the deal with the postie bike?

My daily routine includes bussing to work everyday. And even if the bus stop’s just a 5-minute walk from my place, it’s still such a pain cos buses are either too late or too early. Therefore, it leaves me without a choice. I have to leave my house a bit earlier than necessary to make sure that I don’t miss my bus. Of course it doesn’t work all the time. In fact, I’ve missed my bus a few times:

Example 1: I sleep in for a few minutes. I give myself enough time to walk to the stop. The bus comes early and I see it driving away before my very eyes.

Example 2: I’m on time. I wait for a good time to cross the road. Too many cars try to catch the green light. By the time I finally get to cross, the bus had already gone past my stop.

Example 3: I realise I’m quite early for my bus. I decide to fit two more things in my morning routine: I have breakky and then take the rubbish out. I walk to my stop… Surprise! Surprise! I missed my bus.

I don’t really mind waiting at the stop. My only problem is it’s winter again and I absolutely abhor freezing in the cold. If only I could drive… But as discussed in my earlier post, the system here is just too bloody complicated. I’d get around to doing it someday… not just yet, I suppose. I’m just thinking of alternatives at the moment. I’m after a quicker way of rectifying my issues with public transport.

We had a bbq at Csaba’s on the weekend and some of the guys were playing with one of Dan’s toys… a postie bike. It’s not too big. It’s not too fast either. It looked fun, actually. Adrienne, Jess and I were watching Deirdre and Gareth take off with the postie bike when I thought of my new action plan. Luckily, Jess knew enough about postie bikes to build my interest up and leave me with a good impression of postie bikes. They’re called postie bikes cos they’re used by postmen to carry and deliver mail. Apparently, only the postal service can get them brand new in Australia but second-hand ones are sold at auctions. They’re quite cheap and are usually in good condition too. Also, I learned that it’s not too difficult to get a license for driving a bike… at least it’s not gonna take forever to get one. There aren’t too many restrictions either. I can bike without being supervised by a fully-licensed driver. And the point system is more lenient as well. Plus Jess said that other cars are generally nice to people with an L plate on their bikes. This can be cool, hey.

Deirdre and Gareth returned with the bike soon after Adrienne, Jess and I concluded that I should get a postie bike… after I learn how to drive one anyway. Well, they didn’t let me waste any time as I was told that it’s my turn to use the bike. I was really nervous cos I haven’t been on a push bike for years, let alone a motorised one. Dan showed me the basics, Csaba hopped on next to me and off we went to go around the street. At one point, I felt the bike wobble and it scared the sh** out of me. Not knowing what I was doing, I gripped the accelerator harder as the bike sped off to the wrong side of the road. We would’ve crashed if Csaba didn’t take over the bike. Needless to say, balancing the postie bike was harder than I thought. I’d need to practice heaps more before I can drive it on my own. And yes, I do get scared easily so I’d have to work hard on my confidence level as well. We’ll see how I go… until the next update on my postie bike diaries!

l-r: Csaba, myself, Jess, Dan, Adrienne,Cam, Tommy and Joseph

*** Thank you God for a good night's sleep.
*** Thank you God for Tigi Bedhead's Manipulator. It works wonders on my fringe! :)

Me Can't Drive

2005-05-29T15:53:00.000+10:00

Everyone who knows me knows I can't drive. It's not like I don't want to learn. In fact, I'd love to get a driver's license so I can finally say goodbye to bussing my way around. I'm still waiting for the perfect time to learn though. I just can't seem to fit it in my busy sched... Am I procrastinating too much? Possibly.

I've only driven a few times. My first go at it was in 1998. We were bringing my brother to soccer practice and my parents let me drive the car. I did pretty well, hey... no fines, no injuries, no damages to the car... just one nervous Mom at the backseat. I never got to touch a steering wheel again until after I graduated from uni in 2003. I told myself that I'll spend some time on learning how to drive while I'm on holidays.

My brother agreed to teach me a bit before I go to a driving school. Here's what happened on our first lesson...

Ragee: Ate, that's the clutch. That one over there's the brake.
Den: Yep, cool...
Ragee: This is how you change gears... blah blah blah... Ok?
Den: Pano ulit? (Ragee shows me how and lets me do it.)
Ragee: Ok na?
Den: Sige kaya na.

A few minutes later, while happily driving and thinking that I'm winging it...

Ragee: Ok, brake, brake, brake!

(Being the good student that I am, I promptly stepped on the clutch.)

Ragee: Sinabi nang brake eh! Labas!

I learned one lesson that day. Never ever mess with your brother's car. He probably loves it more than he loves you. ;)

Later on that month, my Mom got me an old car that I can practice on. It was automatic so obviously, it was also much easier to drive. I had a few tries at driving it to church... no big improvements cos the church is only 5 minutes away from our house. But at least I felt like I was heading somewhere. Not long after that, I got the job offer here in Australia. I suddenly had heaps of things to do before leaving. And to make the long story short, I had to put driving aside.

I could've started learning again when I got here. So why didn't I? Apart from right hand drives and millions of roundabouts, the whole process of getting a driver's license in Australia is also heaps different. You have to take a few lessons, get a Learner's license and keep that license for at least a year. While on your L's, you can't drive without a fully licensed driver in the same car. It sucks, I know. From your L's, you have to take exams to qualify for a Provisional driver's license. Once you have your P's, you can drive by yourself but a few driving offenses can easily lead to suspension of your license. Oh, and not only that... You'd also have to stay on P's for 3 years, I think. I was just thinking to myself... By the time I get past L's, I'd probably be back in the Philippines. Great huh?

I guess the whole driving story's turned around since I'm staying here longer. Who knows? I might actually get around to learning how to drive sooner than everyone thinks. But for now, I've come across a seemingly good enough alternative...

Pieces of Me

2005-05-28T16:30:00.000+10:00

I never thought I'd start my own blog but here I am… attempting to spark the knack for writing that I used to have.

You see, I used to write a lot. I wrote for the school paper. I expressed myself through poetry. I kept my own journal. I'm no writer extraordinaire but I was quite comfortable with putting my thoughts on paper. I can't really remember when I stopped but I'm no different from people who tend to get too preoccupied with the daily grind. It shouldn't be an excuse, I know. Thus, I'm trying one more time…

Let's see how I'll go with this one...

50 Random Things:

It's a start, hey. ;)

50. I don't drink soda (or any fizzy drink for that matter). It makes me throw up every time.

49. No bad vices either - I don't drink and I don't smoke.

48. And I can't drive (so I can't take my friends home after a late night out… what a waste hey?)

47. It takes me ages to understand a naughty joke. Csaba said it's not even the case... cos most of the time I just don't get it at all.

46. I eat a lot… probably more than a regular guy does. I find it really hard to put on weight though. I've been skinny all my life. :(

45. I get really grumpy when I'm hungry. So yeah, you've been warned. ;)

44. I have 3 bestfriends - one I've known all my life, one who's a total opposite of myself and one whom I was practically glued to during my last 2 years in uni.

43. I've always wanted to go skydiving. I finally did it in March 2004.42. I love to cook. My cooking philosophy: Make something new and try at least one new recipe every week.

41. I've always been independent.

40. I love shoes. I've had this love affair with shoes since I was

12. I think I got around 60 pairs just from the last year.

39. I dress from bottom to top. Gotta pick the shoes first. Weird hey?

38. I generally appreciate most genres of music... except for techno and heavy metal, I guess.

37. I like getting away from it all and spending time by myself every once in a while (going to the movies, grabbing a bite to eat, etc.).

36. I like giving children's books to people whom I care about.

35. I love reading the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Paulo Coelho and Pablo Neruda.

34. My first crush was Prince Philip from Disney's Sleeping Beauty.

33. I was in denial about Santa Claus' existence for the longest time. I only learned to accept the truth when I reached 5th grade.

32. I love the beach and I feel lucky to be eternally tanned. :D

31. I love to travel. I want to see the world and experience as many cultures as I can.

30. I feel like I'll never get used to cold weather.

29. I <3 Gael Garcia Bernal.

28. Incidentally I have 10 of his movies on DVD (only 5 more to go… leave a message if you want to make me happy on my birthday hehe).

27. I have mild scoliosis and a heart condition called mitral valve prolapse . They actually sparked my interest in yoga and pilates.

26. I'm a very sentimental person. I find it hard to let go of things. I keep heaps of junk from special occasions (concert tickets, candy wrappers, etc.)

25. I love photos - taking them and being in them.

24. I'm quite vain actually… especially with my skin.

23. I didn't used to wear makeup. It took Len more than 4 years to convince me to give it a go. I must admit… I couldn't have found a better teacher. ;)

22. One of the best presents that I've ever received was a charm bracelet with 17 charms that supposedly describe what the person who gave it thinks of me.

21. I dream of having my own restaurant someday.

20. I dream of studying shoe design and fashion merchandising. I also want to get an MBA.

19. And yes, I might just be an entrepreneur in the future. My product? Take a wild guess. :D

18. I love watching old movies and foreign language films.

17. I'm learning Spanish at the moment. Maybe I'll live in Spain or South America one day… just for a couple of months to speak the language more fluently.

16. I learned how to speak Japanese in uni. I forgot all about it after a semester without practicing.

15. Audrey Hepburn's one of my icons.

14. I'll never ever get sick of Thai and Japanese Food. I've even learned how to make them! :D

13. I love New York! I won't ever get enough of it either.

12. I'd always be thankful for the friends I've made through the years.

11. I love basketball. My favourite players are Penny Hardaway, Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Tony Parker.

10. I'm not very athletic but I like watching sports.

9. I believe in karma.

8. Everything happens for a reason. Everything works out. Everything falls into place.

7. I keep a gratitude list. I believe that there's always at least one thing to be thankful for each day.

6. It's healthy to be homesick every once in a while.

5. I may not be as religious as others but I have a strong faith in God.

4. I miss my Lola but I know she's happy where she is now.

3. I love the Suarez Family. They've provided me with all the love that a person could ask for.

2. I've got the best brother in the world. :D

1. I love my Mom and my brother. I miss them every single day and I wish they weren't so far away.

So yeah, this is it. This is me.