The Drama Queen Can Tell Stories

My "Good Housekeeping" Article

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:19:00 +0000

Last year, I was asked by Good Housekeeping to write an article for them. Every issue, they have “earning” tips that they give to mothers and since I am a freelance writer (on top of my real job as a dentist) I was asked to write about that. A few months after, I was asked to write for them again --- this time about TEETH, and I was so delighted to have been given the opportunity. Anyway, the other day, a friend of mine told me that she’s seen my article so I asked Monique to buy one for me.

I’ve written a slightly similar post before, here in my blog. Similar in the sense that I took the opportunity to educate mothers (and fathers) on how to take good care of their children’s teeth. You have to know, that although we make money out of the wrong that you do to your teeth, it is hard for me to see children with very serious problems, especially since they’re still young. I enjoy making children smile and playing with them, while brushing their teeth, but making them suffer while in my chair is a different thing. It is painful for me and I do not like doing it. I often tell parents, “Why did you let this happen?” and that is a valid question because if you only know, there is so much that parents can do to protect their children.

In this article, I explained the disease process (just briefly) and then I gave tips on how to prevent them from happening. I would really urge mothers to buy the issue; not just because of my article, but because Good Housekeeping is an interesting read.

They gave me two pages for my article, so head on to page 54, and then go back to page 1, to read the rest of the magazine. Haha! I was quite pleased with this one and Bon was so proud. I am already Crickette Inserto-Lazaro in the article so maybe he feels he also shares the credit. It was really funny, too, when he was reading it because he was agreeing with everything I said on the article --- duh? Bon does not read my blog. Sometimes when I write him long-ass letters, he doesn’t always read them. He did not read my first Good Housekeeping article, because he probably thought it was boring, but he read this one and in the end he said: “It’s actually very nice”. (Actually very nice? Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!).

I have one more article coming out in the SUMMER, but for now --- buy this copy, okay? Somewhere here in my blog, I think I wished to write for a magazine, so this really makes me happy (Yeah, I have very simple dreams). It’s Bon’s dream for me to write for FHM and I always tell him: “What will I write for them? Should I write the Ladies’ Confessions Section of the magazine?” and then he says: “I can help you with that!” Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!

Anyway, please grab a copy.

and like I said, go to page 54 to read my article and then go back to the first page and read the entire magazine!

Love you,

10 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Watch "Haywire"

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:44:00 +0000

I've seen a lot of bad films. I remember watching "Slither" a few years ago, a movie I've totally shut out from my mind and then we saw "Skyline " which was entertaining, but absolutely ridiculous. I've also endured downloaded films and dvds that almost drained me of my life. I remember watching "Broken Flowers" with my sister, hoping that the story would pick up and "Drive" because it was a Ryan Gosling film and I'm sure there's more but I can only remember these, but nothing can compare to what we've recently seen, in the cinema, no less.

Two weeks ago, Bon and I wanted to watch a movie but we have already seen the good ones, so we didn't have much of a choice, really. He made me decide between "The Darkest Hour" and "Haywire" and since I didn't know which one to pick, I Googled both movies and compared their ratings. I saw that Haywire received better reviews and ratings --- and I discovered that the casting was good, too, so I decided that it was the safer choice. I was wrong --- and Bon revoked my right to pick movies for the year, because of this. Haha!

See what I mean about casting?

Anyway, as I was saying --- Haywire was awful. You have no idea how painful it was to watch this film. The entire cinema was so tense, it was so evident. The people were in pain, just as we were, but no one could react because --- why would you, that would be rude. To cope, I giggled on my own and though Bon was trying to stop me at first, he decided to join me when he couldn't take it anymore. The couple beside us left in the middle of the film, we definitely have more patience because we waited for the story to pick-up but that never happened. And then, 5 minutes to the end something truly ridiculous happened and this guy at the back laughed so loud. You have to understand, the scene wasn't supposed to be funny but when the guy laughed everyone else felt as though they've been given the go-signal to do so, and we all burst in laughter. It was the most amazing feeling because we were trying so hard to hold it back for the sake of the other viewers, but it turned out we were all in tremendous pain because of the movie.

Bon said she probably is good in bed or she gives good (you know what) to be able to get everyone in the cast to agree to do this stupid movie. I agree with Bon, but please don't crucify me for saying it out loud.

Anyway, here are my top 10 Haywire moments:

1. In the first “heist” where they were supposed to rescue a hostage, the hostage taker was trying to getaway and in an attempt to probably show how powerful she is, the camera followed her and the man in a what seemed to be the longest chase in movie history (The length even exaggerated by the fact that it was sooooo boring). They ran for probably 15 minutes, I’m not so sure anymore, and then it ended with her releasing the freaking metal gate on him, so he died.

2. Okay, she was awesome. Very powerful, even. Her skill as an MMA fighter was superb but her acting was bad. She's beautiful, though, I'd say that. She looks like Vanessa in Gossip Girl, but a prettier version.

3. When she was having a car chase with the police, she did this very long drive in reverse, and it was supposed to be really awesome, but she ended up getting caught anyways, because they crashed into a deer --- making the whole scene stupid and ridiculous.

4. The story-telling was just bland. It had some hints of Ocean’s 11 (Soderberg’s style) but I liked Ocean’s. Actually it’s one of our favorite movies, but this was just far from that. This one was really painful to watch. The music was bad. Bon said they picked one tune and said: "Yeah, use that for the entire movie".

5. The other day I saw a tweet from Hayden Kho and he said he just saw the movie and he said it was amazing. If he thinks it’s amazing, then I must be right by saying it wasn’t. (Just kidding).

6. Gina knew that they were going to come after her at her dad’s house, so she prepared. Part of her prep was to paint her face with stripes and to get corn rows for her hair. She didn’t even need to be camouflaged for the scene. I don’t understand what that was for. Maybe they wanted to show how serious she was. But she didn't need to be camouflaged. She was just in her house.

7. When Ewan killed Channing, it was like he poked him lightly and he just died. It was so painful to watch because it was so corny.

8. After Ewan McGregor left the house, and Gina finally came out from her hiding place --- face painted and cornrows in place, she took what seemed to be a very important jump from the roof and landed with a matching forward roll, that looked so inappropriate for the scene.

9. Ewan McGregor, supposedly one of the mighty villains in the story, was smart enough to orchestrate the entire thing but his downfall came when he tripped got stuck between boulders of rocks. It was like they couldn’t think of a better way to kill him off so they just said: “Yeah, that’s fine! Let;s just end this movie.” Oh and let's not forget that part in the beach when Ewan was trying to escape from Gina, he tried to climb a freakin' boulder, as if he could --- and that was when he tripped.

10. The night that we saw the movie, we were watching TMZ and we saw a clip with the director Steven Soderberg. He was asked: “How’s your movie doing?” and he said: “Terrible!” because even he, knows it.

Oh well, please do not hate me if you liked the film. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion --- this is mine. Sorry if I wasn’t able to warn you earlier, if you’ve watched the film, and you feel the same way. This post was supposed to be published two weeks ago, but I’ve been too busy. Anyway, here’s to better movie choices next time!

A Year of Weddings

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:45:00 +0000

I remember this dinner I had with some friends, a good 3 or 4 years ago and we were talking about marriage like it's some very distant future. Two of our friends married early but none of us got inspired enough to follow suit, so even though most of our batchmates in high school married young, others already mothers to two or more children, most of just cruised along --- saw our 30th birthdays and for some reason, decided to get married in the same year. Late bloomers and 30-year old brides, 4 of us got married in 2011 and one got engaged.

I started it off with my wedding in May. It was a simple wedding with family and friends and then Didi had hers in June, with a lovely “Summer in June” theme, where I was MOH in pink. Aviegail followed soon, in July and her wedding was absolutely fun, at Shangrila Makati. The dates of our weddings May-June-July, started a joke between the group. As if it was compulsory, we were telling the other single girls that we had AUGUST-SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER and the rest of the year open for everybody else.

Sadly, no one followed after Avie in July but the last wedding of the year was Patty’s. Before the year ended, on December 29th, my friends and I, gathered together, again --- and took loads of pictures. It’s fun when you have a friend who has a nice camera and can take good pictures, because as girls, we love to pose for pictures, and pose for pictures --- did we!

Aren’t we pretty?

I remember bringing my friends to my house, sometimes and having them meet my guy friends and they would say: “Crix bakit ang ganda ng friends mo?” (Crix why are your friends so pretty?) I don’t know why they have to ask though, I mean, don’t birds of the same feather flock together? Which means, I am pretty therefore I have pretty friends? Hahaha!

Once upon a time, this group was bigger. Thirteen girls, all in all. Today, two are based overseas; one in Dubai, one in New York, so they couldn’t be with us. The others, are unfortunately, MIA.

I love these girls so much. Most of us use Blackberry and because of BBM we’re constantly updated about each other’s lives (married lives, single lives, career lives, sex lives --- hahaha --- sorry, I’m married, I can talk about sex). Before BBM, it was harder for us to communicate. Today, I’ve put all my group notifications to the lowest volume because it beeps nonstop and Bon doesn’t understand what we have to talk about at 2am in the morning. Also, I’ve chosen to put the volume down because a lot of them are early risers and the chatroom goes live at 6 am on a good day and I’m usually still on dreamland at 6.

Anyway, before this year ends, another friend of ours will be walking down the aisle and saying “I Do”. After which, future hubby will be taking her to China, so our three-time zone BBMin’ will become a 4-time zone affair. Good luck with that!

Gone Back to School

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:03:00 +0000

I've gone back to school. Well not really. What I've done is enrolled myself into a course. I've decided to start to learn about dental implants because I feel that I've already matured enough in my profession, and this is the next step. In Dentistry, you only learn the basics --- and you can stop there, or you can go on and learn more things. Ever since I left CEU College of Dentistry, I’ve gone to three different courses. As it is almost compulsory, I took up an Orthodontics and TMJ course in 2007, a course in Periodontics in 2009, and I enrolled myself in a Dental Implant course.

I started my class awhile ago, which kind of added to why I have been quite busy the last few months. I’d be honest, I am no longer used to “school life”. I haven't been used to being scholarly anymore and I've had to go back to reading thick books and working on Powerpoint Presentations for my class. Every time I start I am always excited to be a student again --- but then I realize it's too tiring to do the work I do (treat patients and write) and still have the energy to read books and journals, at night.

Stress aside, I'm having all kinds of fun in class. My classmates are a complete mix of people, so even if I spend a whole day with them, it’s okay. In fact, it’s nice to be with different people. In my job I don’t have “officemates” or “bosses” --- all I have is Monique and Bon (plus the patients that come) so it is refreshing to be with new people. Sadly, I have revisited my love for coffee, which is bad because I have been chugging down cups of coffee in a day and I was told to keep away from coffee.

Anyway, I have already found my first implant patient so I am currently preparing for that. The entire procedure is not hard, really; what’s complicated is getting yourself and the patient prepared for the day. Diagnosis is the most important part of implant surgery and I am currently going through radiographs, casts, photos and ct scans. Am I scared? I am, but at the same time I can’t wait for it. I will definitely show you photos of my successful surgery, when I'm done, but for now --- wish me luck!

I Don't Know How She Does It

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:53:00 +0000

The other day I was watching "I Don't Know How She Does It" and I felt so bad because I used to think that I was good at juggling but I've become quite inefficient, lately. In fact, while I was watching that movie, I realized that in my state now, I don't even have a kid yet --- I'm already running around like a headless chicken. Okay, so Sarah Jessica Parker's character is fictional, but I know of people like her in real life --- keeping their careers and then tending the home, quite well, so I really felt so bad. Anyway, there was this scene in the movie where Sarah is lying beside her husband and she’s going through her mental list --- I do that too. I have this list that I write and tick off in my head, every day but I've been so busy that I am no longer able to keep up.

Not that I am complaining. As a dentist in private practice, when you say you’re busy that means a good thing. If you’re busy, that means you’ve got too many patients. When you have lunch at 3 or 4 in the afternoon, that means that the clinic is packed. So I am not complaining that I am busy. In fact, I am grateful and I’d rather say: “Bring it On!”. I remember going to National Bookstore last December, looking for an appointment book for the clinic. I spent 30 minutes going through their entire collection before I found the one that I wanted. Actually, I had come from Office Warehouse already, but did not find what I needed, so I drove to National Bookstore.

I don’t just get any kind because I have certain requirements for one, and it took me a while to find the perfect planner:

Pages should be arranged by week because it's easier to track appointments this way.
It should be timed. So that you can assign appointments to a specific hour
It should have a space for notes, at the bottom, so that you can write other details about the day.

I chose this planner, out of all the ones I saw because it satisfies all the requirements and I chose this specifically because it was spacious and I told Monique: “Dapat malaki ang space, kasi marami tayong patients next year” (I made sure it's spacious enough to fit all our appointments for 2012) Yes! Positive thinking. I have very high hopes for 2012. In fact, before I gave it to Monique to use, I took a moment and prayed to God to fill it up. I said: "Lord, keep us busy all year. Make this appointment book messy with appointments everyday" --- and God had been great.

That, then, explains my absence in both my blogs. I am too busy as a dentist, a writer and a wife that I am unable to play my role as blogger, anymore. Hopefully, I’ve get my rhythm back and this post is a sign of more to come…

When I Grow Up... I Want to Be A Singer!

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:58:00 +0000

When I was younger I used to play the piano. I'm sure I still can but I haven't tried in a long time. I don't have a piano at our house and the piano in my parents' home hasn't been played for very long --- and merely stands in the living room as some kind of antique decorative piece. Once upon a time, though, I played the piano and I would spend hours playing with it. I wasn't so bad. I never really learned to read notes (despite years of going to class) but I widow (listen and play). I remember getting a lot of prizes from aunts, uncles and grandparents for playing the piano during family Christmas parties. It was fun and I enjoyed playing but my biggest frustration was that I wasn't blessed with a great voice. Often times I would play a few popular songs and I'd just sing it in my head --- that's all you can do when you can't sing out loud, you sing in your head.

Oh well, my lack of talent never hindered me from grabbing the mic and standing in line for karaoke nights, though. We have a magic sing at home and when my sisters and I are so bored, we would try to go through all the songs until we can't sing anymore (bless the neighbors). This is the same for our Band Hero. I have a regular line up that I've already memorized... and it's fun!

Anyway, for our Christmas Party, my high school friends decided to go karaoke. Everyone was excited, we forgot that we had a real singer in the house. Hearing Ina sing again (after so long) was so fun. I brought me back to high school when we would sit in the corridors during lunch and Ina would play the guitar and sing (she let's us sing with her too). During school programs and contests you can rely on Ina to be the composer/musical director. We rehearse all kinds of singing performances with Ina coaching us --- and at Beat Karaoke I was reminded of how fun it was to sing with my friends --- and how bad I was at singing!!!

It was our first time to go karaoke together and we tried Beat Karaoke at Fort, Global City. Six of us confirmed so we got the package for six people and only paid Php2000 for two hours (inclusive of 12 drinks – soft drinks, iced tea, beer, sisig, cheese sticks, pancit bihon and chicken fingers). We extend for an hour, I think and the rate per hour is Php360, if I am not mistaken.

The room was a little small, but it was okay. They have a good mixture of old and new songs and the food was alright. Beat Karaoke is on top of Serenitea at Burgos Circle.

Oh yeah, Happy New Year everybody!!!

Beat Karaoke Bar
2/F Unit 1 Bellagio Retail, Burgos Circle,
Forbestown Center, 1630 Taguig, Philippines
(02) 8229683

Having Pesos and Sense

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:16:00 +0000

I heard two very important questions recently:
Why do you save? and How do you save?
Hmmmm... Interesting questions, huh?

Why do I save?

Well, I save because I have learned that there will be days when you will be in need, and it is not easy to have nothing. I have seen people have absolutely nothing, just because they weren’t smart enough to save, and I do not want to see myself in that position.
I also save because there are things I want in life and I know how fulfilling it is to own something that I paid for with my own money. Some people still rely on their parents. Some people are not able to afford the things that they want. I save money, because it somehow gives you power to own and do things for yourself.
I save because I have big dreams for the future and it involves being able to give a good life to my children, if not like my own, something even better than what my parents were able to provide me with.

Do not misunderstand me… I save, not because I love and need money. I save, not because I am materiaslistic (because the truth is I'm not). But I save because I know that I will have better use of my money in the future.

How do I save?

Well, I always budget my money. This goes for my personal money and the money that the clinic earns. I always make sure that all expenses are paid for and I make sure that I put money away:

After planning my expenses, I see what is left of my money, put a portion of it in savings and only leave myself a few to spend for dinning out, salon and nail spa visits. If I have nothing left, then I will have to cut on dining out, salon trips and nail spa visits. That’s basically how it works.
I don't always carry money in my wallet. I have only what I need and on an ordinary day, I don't have more than 500. It is not easy to have a lot of money lying around. Even if I keep it in the innermost pockets, I will find a way to spend it.
I also make sure to save on all kinds of expenses: gasoline, grocery, electricity. I make sure to plan what I will cook in a month so that I can keep to my monthly budget and I always try to save on gasoline by driving properly (maintaining the right gear for the right speed) and choosing to drive a manual rather than an automatic.
I prioritize my expenses (needs always before wants) and although I go shopping, sometimes, I still set myself a budget for clothes, shoes and makeup. I hardly go crazy shopping, but I have -- however, you can trust that I never go beyond what I can afford.
Although I am fond of using my credit card I pay my bills in full. I do not like being in debt but I love using my credit card because I can get good installment plans on various purchases and I also earn points and all kinds of freebies from my card.

Although it seems like I do a lot, I really don't. I have yet to learn how to properly save and invest, and since I do not really have anyone to talk to about this, I watch "Pesos and Sense". I didn't get to watch it on TV when the first season was airing but they've uploaded past episodes on YouTube and I just watch them there. It's perfect for people like me, who couldn't be bothered to attend seminars on these things -- and perfect for people who are dying to find out more about investing but really have no one to ask.

Having Pesos and Sense is a great thing. Of course, you need "pesos" to be able to spend for the things you need and want, but you also need to have good "sense" when you spend the pesos in your pocket. Hahaha! I know of people my age, some even decades older than I, who still have no "sense" on spending their money. Money is good --- but you should not let money control you. You should have full control over it.

So...

WHY do you save and HOW do you save?

I'd love to read your answers...

My Date With Ella, My Korean Student

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 00:36:00 +0000

Once upon a time, I tutored Koreans. If there is one thing you should learn about me, it's this: having too much idle time makes me weak. If I have too much of it, I feel like I'm wasting my life. Also, I'm always looking for ways to earn extra money. Ever since I graduated and also graduated from my parents' allowance, I've always tried to find ways to earn. Being in private practice gives me the freedom to do more than just my work, as a dentist. I own my time, so I have a lot to spare. Hence my online writing job.

Before I became a writer, though, I was a tutor. I did it for a while and I went through 6 different Korean students, Ella being my last and my all-time favorite. My first student was a Grade 5 Paulinian and then I also taught her Grade 2 brother from hell (I mean, from La Salle). My next student was a Senior in High school who had a Freshman sister who needed my help too. Ella and her brother were my last students and they became more than just my students. Ella is the smartest of all the students I’ve encountered. I taught her the longest and we've become good friends because of this. In fact, we spend most of our time talking rather than studying.

Ever since I got married, I couldn't tutor anymore. Ella's condo is quite far from me now and I'm more busy. This means that we haven't seen each in a while, but last month we met up and she took we to a Korean restobar, Snowman.

Chicken Salad, P300+

Super yummy and very generous serving, as you can see. It’s like an oriental salad, only better.

Collection of Appetizers

This is the best things about Korean Restaurants --- the free appetizers. Of all the places I’ve been too, I think they serve the best appetizers. That sizzling corn dish was awesome!

Seafood Soup

When we started drinking Soju, Ella ordered this so that we wouldn’t get so drunk, but she forgot that I am allergic to seafood, so I tasted it once and then regretted it. She ended up eating it on her own and I proceeded to drink my bottle of Soju.

Soju

Isn’t it so cute that they make this crushed ice bath for the bottle? I think it’s so cute. We were actually having mixed drinks when Ella realized that I haven’t tried Soju before, so she ordered on bottle for me. It’s actually like VODKA, but I think it’s not as strong as VODKA.

We spent the entire time catching up and eating. I think I was the only Filipino in the bar (except for the waiters) but it was fun because the food was great and I had a nice time watching them play drinking games. Apparently that is how they drink. When they drink, they love to play all kinds of games, to make things more interesting. This is so far from our drinking style. I mean, when I drink, I drink a lot and I drink fast. I don't want to waste my time on games. Hahaha!

Here’s a picture of the people in the bar. It looks like it’s an outdoor joint, but this is all inside an air conditioned facility. Maybe because I couldn’t understand what they were saying but I think the Koreans are not noisy when they drink. Filpinos are sooooo noisy --- sometimes annoying. I mean, it doesn’t matter if you’re in an ugly place in Timog or in a nice place in Makati, the people on the next table beside you, will be very loud.

By the way, how was your Christmas? Mine was simple – but I spent it with family. Hope yours was nice, as well!

Say Naughty

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 00:12:00 +0000

The other week I went home from my class with a task at hand --- buy a Php100-worth exchange gift that falls under the "something naughty" category. I spent a few minutes thinking about it too. All I could think of, however, was to pack a little boy inside a box (a really naughty little boy) but that was going over the budget, so I went to Facebook and asked my friends for ideas and it started a long conversation. It's so funny, I think, because I realized that children's lives are better now -- with Facebook and Twitter. Just post a blast on your wall, and you'll get answers for your homework, you know? I didn't have Facebook and Twitter back then. I had Friendster --- but that was crap really.

Anyway, here were some of the ideas I got from friends...

I think my friends are all awesome. Some had good ideas too, did you read? They were talking about condoms, lubricants, sexy underwear, penis-shaped candies, edible panties, used panties (ewwwww) and Bobbie nail polish, “pussy red” color. If I could, I would really wrap a naughty boy, but I ended up getting the SEX DICE (Sorry I forgot to take a picture). It’s that sexy dice game that has actions on one and then body parts on another, so if you roll it right you can end up with something like LICK ---> EYES or BITE ---> NOSE.

My friend owns the sex shop, The Lovestore, and he sold me his toy for just Php100 and I went to class so excited to present my gift. I was so excited to find out what the others brought, too. I thought that since I was in a class with a lot of really smart dentists that maybe they would try hard, you know (granting that I didn't really think of my gift on my own, but I made an effort right?). Anyway, there were a few okay ideas. One dentist (she was the oldest) gave a mug that had a lady covered up in bubbles and it's cool because if you put hot water in it, the bubbles would disappear and she would appear naked. Another dentist (the tallest guy) was so creative with his naughty idea that he gave a rat trap.The other guy in class gave a Christmas kangaroo holding two blown-up condom and all the others gave lotion, petroleum jelly, aromatherapy oil and guess what I came home with:

A bottle of pH Care Feminine Wash.

So this is what's NAUGHTY now? I didn't know that pH Care is naughty just because you use it for that part of your body, but okay. I think it's naughtier if you don't use feminine wash because the smell will be naughty (Haha!) Regardless of what I got, I’d say it's fun to play this kind of Christmas gift giving game. I still have a bottle of feminine wash that I get especially from my OB but when I run out I'll use this gift.

So, what’s naughty for you that’s worth P100?

SONG IN MY HEAD: Dream

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:31:00 +0000

We all have dreams. As little ones, we were encouraged by our parents to dream. To dream of good things to happen, like walking on rainbows, kissing an angel, being touched by God's grace. As we grew up, we were told to dream for our futures and we all dreamt of becoming someone spectacular. A beauty queen. A cowboy. The President. An astronaut. I remember my sister used to want to be something different every week, and I found out later on that it was because they were learning about different "people" in the community and one day she wanted to be a gardener, the next week she wanted to be a cashier, and then she wanted to be a police officer --- the teachers are playing with the children's heads, huh? (They shouldn't do that!)

Anyway, the other day I watched a downloaded movie and I heard this song, "Dream". Priscilla Ahn sings like an angel and the melody of the song touched me differently, so within minutes I was downloading it....

DREAM

Priscilla Ahn

I was a little girl alone in my little world who dreamed of a little home for me.
I played pretend between the trees, and fed my houseguests bark and leaves, and laughed in my pretty bed of green.

I had a dream
That I could fly from the highest swing.
I had a dream.

Long walks in the dark through woods grown behind the park, I asked God who I'm supposed to be.
The stars smiled down on me, God answered in silent reverie. I said a prayer and fell asleep.

I had a dream
That I could fly from the highest tree.
I had a dream.

Now I'm old and feeling grey. I don't know what's left to say about this life I'm willing to leave.
I lived it full and I lived it well, there's many tales I've lived to tell. I'm ready now, I'm ready now, I'm ready now to fly from the highest wing.

I had a dream

I've had all kinds of dreams. Many of my dreams have not come true yet and some of the dreams that I have counted on, shattered in front of me. Only recently, a great dream of mine was shattered to pieces and although it caused me so much pain, I know I have to move on and go on living. Even if you try your hardest, it is going to be impossible to stop time or to skip pages to be able to jump to a specific chapter. Your life goes on, even if you refuse to live it, so instead of wasting away --- I am choosing to move forward and DREAM.

I will continue to dream because, right now, it's all I could do (I had a dream, that I could fly high from the highest tree, I had a dream) because at the end of it all, I want to be able to say that I've lived the life that I had --- to the fullest, and I lived it, accordingly.

I Love Food Therefore I Enjoyed Soderno

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:57:00 +0000

I took a trip to SODERNO @ MOLITO two weeks ago, a week late from my original plan. I was supposed to go on the opening week, but I don't really know what was going on that day because I spent 1 hour and 30 minutes on the road and did not really achieve any significant distance, so I quit and went around --- It was so frustrating. The following week, I planned to leave the clinic earlier, but I didn't really get to--- because I had patients in the afternoon, so I was so scared that the roads will be as dreadful as they were the past week, but I was lucky that it wasn't. The roads were clear and in no time I was at Alabang...

Soderno @ Molito, like Mercaro Centrale, is an absolute food fest for everyone. People go there to try out different things and it can be quite overwhelming because when you go around, inasmuch as you would want to try everything, you can't. Therefore, the style is to make a thoughtful round to check things out, and then you decide which ones to try.

When I visited Soderno however, it was for a special reason. A good friend finally opened his food business, and I wanted to support him and his girlfriend -- I had such a great time. Apart from getting to eat good food, I got to help serve their customers.

I met Jason in Dentistry school. He is one of Bon's closest friends and he was Bon's best man, during our wedding. Jason was always the culinary expert of the group. When we go on trips, when we go out and when we have parties, you can rely on Jason to always be in-charge. He taught me a thing or two about cooking --- and whenever I make a feeble attempt, I always look forward to what he has to say about what I've cooked. Needless to say, it is no surprise to me that Jason has finally fulfilled his dream of feeding more than just his hungry friends and family. After almost a year of perfecting his sauces for the his Buffalo Wings, he finally announced to us that he was opening shop. I knew Jason had what it takes to be in the food business, and that it was just a matter of time.

Right now, WINGS & WIENERS serve three different things, and I fortunately (as their official blogger) got to taste everything for free. Also, it might be payment for helping them serve --- but I'm not sure. (Haha!)

PHP 95.00, four big pieces

The sauce is soy based and absolutely “finger-lickin’” good. (Sorry KFC). The chicken is cooked perfectly and the sauce (mild spicy / original) is a complete mixture of sweet, salty and spicy. I can honestly eat more than 4 pieces --- more than 8, even, I think I’d have to find out, to be sure.

PHP 100

The Chili Dog is what a lot of people come back for. The hotdogs are huge and juicy, but what’s great about every bite is that you wouldn’t mind if the chili and cheese makes a mess in your mouth because it’s all worth it.

PHP 90

This is great if you are thinking of sharing, but I ate mine by myself (because greedy like that). The fries are cooked perfectly (not at all soggy, not even oily). Tip: Before you dig in, make sure to mix everything first so that every fry is coated with the right amount of chili and cheese. Eat it with your hands, if you’re willing to get dirty, but c’mon, I am a lady --- so I ate it with a fork!

All three are slightly underpriced for the generous helping of sauce and cheese, I’d have to say. But that is why a lot of people keep coming back. When I say “come back”, I mean people who have just had one, literally come back for more. There are even customers who wait for the weekend to come, so that they can visit, again, and that’s something. When I was helping, I heard some customers say: “Your chili’s amazing!” and there was one who even came to us running: “My friend said I should try the chili dog”.

Anyway, I would urge you to try all three because I do not want to tell you that I like the chicken, because you might just go there and order just that. I would not tell you how amazing the fries are because you might believe me and just order that without even considering the others. I will not tell you that the chili dog is amazing because all the dogs my sell out within minutes and they’d only have chicken and fries to sell. So, I’d tell you to try all. But before anything else, have a taste of the CHILI CON CARNE because it’s free.

Follow “Wings & Wieners” on TWITTER

"Like” them, on FACEBOOK

How to Create a Welcome Tab for Your Facebook Page

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:53:00 +0000

Do you have a Facebook Page? I do. I actually Have a lot (because I'm active like that). Recently, I noticed that some Facebook Pages have WELCOME TABS and I painstakingly went through Facebook trying to find out how it's done. I finally decided to do what I should've done in the first place, to GOOGLE it, and I was provided with some links. The first ones on the list did not help. Some of them were too complicated and the others were very expensive. I wasn't ready to pay extra for a silly WELCOME PAGE that I only wanted because I thought it was cool, so I went further down the list, until I encountered Pagemodo.

The process is quite simple. Since it is FREE, you cannot really do so much, but if you are willing to pay --- go ahead and spend your money. A cheapo like myself will be happy with this You just have to sign-in using your Facebook account, and then you can start creating your page:

STEP 1

Choose a theme. There are ready templates for you to use, but don’t expect too much. I wanted one that displays a video on the first page, but it’s under PRO settings, so that makes it a paid page. There are all kinds of styles available and they’re pretty decent, I’d say --- especially for a free service.

STEP 2

Choose a bottom layout. Since my template had three different parts, the last one with some “text” I could choose how the bottom layout would be like.

STEP 3

On this step you will create your page. You add the photos you want to use. You input the text you want to add and assign background colors, if you need to.

STEP 4

If you are willing to upgrade and pay, you can get a LINK GATE. This means that only those who “LIKE” your page, get access beyond the gate. This will get you more “LIKES” from people, but I wasn’t ready to pay monthly for some gate-keeper, so I will just trust and hope that I can convince you enough to LIKE “You & Your Teeth” on Facebook, after this.

STEP 5

The final and most exciting step is PUBLISHING THE PAGE. You can review your page, one more time, before making things final --- and when you’re ready you can proceed. A free service will only give you ONE page. If you have more than 1 Facebook Pages that you want to create a Welcome Tab for, you will have to pay for it --- just look at the rates below.

I spent an entire night on this. Half of the time I was tinkering with Facebook; a fourth of the time, I was trying out different programs; and the final hours before I fell on the bed was devoted to actually creating the page, and feeling quite pleased with myself. The page is rather simple, and I might need to make alterations next time --- but this will do for now.

Please visit and “LIKE US”. I freakin’ worked hard on this!

It’s not so bad right?

Adam & Anne Sitting on a Tree --- K I S S I N G

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:28:00 +0000

I've been a fan of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show for quite some time now. I don't really follow any kind of fashion show (apart from Project Runway or America's Next Top Model, Final Runway Shows) but I always look forward to the Victoria's Secret Fashion shows because I have this secret wish to be in one, one of these days! (Hahahahahaha!) Also, I seem to forget my sexual orientation when I watch the show. For a brief moment I begin to question my sexuality and these run in my head: "Am I a girl or a guy?" "Do I want to be like her or do I like her?" It's really all very confusing – so watching the show might not be very good for me, after all.

A few years back, Seal serenaded, his wife, Heidi Klum, down the runway and I felt that it was such a teary performance. Nothing has stuck to me, ever since, but with this year's show --- Adam Levine and girlfriend Anne Vyalitsina may have just done it. I woke up today and I saw multiple posts of this very video on Facebook.

I am not so sure who's luckier. I mean any woman would be lucky to be with Adam Levine --- he's hot, he's got an amazing voice, he's hot, he moves like Jagger, he's hot, his eyes can pierce you, he's hot and he's hot! But a guy who wins Anne Vyalitsina should be lucky too, most definitely, because --- when I saw that slow mo (when Adam kissed her) I thought that she looked absolutely divine. Right now I do not know why my heart is raising but I absolutely enjoyed that short walk they shared down the runway and I felt that it was such a genuine display of affection on both their parts.

The modern world, they say, does not have room for serenades and romanticism anymore --- but I'd like to say that they're wrong. There may be people who think that being romantic is corny and outdated, but what would you say about Adam Levine? If a tattoo-laden man can walk you down the aisle, kneel in admiration and plant a spectacular kiss on your cheek --- surely, there is still room for corny displays of affection, even in this very modern existence.

This is what I think: I think men who are incapable of some romance were not loved when they were young. They may have been coddled as young individuals, but not exactly loved. I think, maybe, they never really received true love --- to even know how to love.

Okay, I’ll leave you now,

I AM NOT A COOK: I Am Cooking Somewhere Else

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:10:00 +0000

Before I started cooking, full time, I was really scared. On the first week that I started, I realized I was probably blessed with a good enough palate to know how good food should taste like, because I ain't so bad. In fact, I've practically taught myself to cook and I feel like I can do this all my life. Cook good food... try new recipes... feed the people I love... Make myself really fat!

My very first attempt at cooking was when I was about to begin high school. I wanted a trapper keeper for school and my mom said, "Okay, I'll get you one, if you will cook dinner once a week during the summer". She gave me a recipe book and made our yaya help me with it. Even if I was playing outside with my friends, I would go home for awhile, to cook dinner --- and I wasn't really good. I followed the recipe book on point, but every dish I made, had to be salvaged by our help, so it wasn't really good. I did not learn to cook that summer, but I got the trapper keeper I wanted.

When I was in College, I remember my mom said: "Crickette, can you try to make good pasta?", and I don't know why she asked me because I never really cooked, but she gave we have this pasta recipe book, and I looked up the one recipe in the book that seemed easier to follow. It was made of fresh tomatoes, basil and eggplant. And I used to cook that a lot, until I realized that I could change the eggplant into something else (chicken, tuna, mushroom, shrimps). For the longest time, I would only cook pasta. I didn't know how to cook anything else that my mom even said: "Crickette when you have kids, you cannot feed your children with pasta everyday", and I said: "Yes I can!".

As it turns out, I do not have to feed people pasta, everyday. As it turns out, I am quite lucky... and this luck I've discovered has inspired me to create a new "home" for my dishes. Okay, they are not my dishes. In fact, I copy these dishes from other people's blogs, cooking websites, and magazines like Yummy and Good Housekeeping, and so forth. My previous "cooking posts" we're not so special, but I get a lot of comments from friends who say that they try some of the dishes I post here, so I said: "Let's get serious with this cooking thing, then" and I did! I created, I AM NOT A COOK. It is a blog that documents all the dishes I've cooked, so far. They're not gourmet. They're not special. In fact, they're quite easy to follow.

Please, visit it and "BE A FOLLOWER"?

I don't have FOLLOWERS yet and it's quite sad.

THE CHRONICLES OF AN AGUINALDO BRAT: Riding on a Moped

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 01:38:00 +0000

I've mentioned how such a tomboy I was in the past and you probably thought, not another "I used to be a tomboy" declaration, but I really was one. In fact, boy friends (friends who are boys) can't take me seriously because of this --- hahaha! Anyway, it's all because of my dad, too, I think. When my mom died, he was all I had and he would buy me boys toys - like instead of She-ra, I had Skeletor. So, when I was in my teens, my dad got me another "toy". One day, he just came home with a shiny and red Honda scooter. I didn't know how to drive a car yet, and the Camp is huge so he said that I can run errands with it... Run errands??? Yeah, errands like buy a bottle of Coke, or chips from the convenience store.

I was the only one of my friends to have a scooter. Unfortunately, among my dad's rules was not to let anyone else drive, and since I was such a good girl, my friends didn't get to enjoy it. It's so funny... everyone who wants to ride can only ride it if I drive. Just imagine it, I'd take my bigger guy friends for a spin... It's so funny.

Oh, I have so many scooter memories...

We used to take the scooter to that area in camp where they have big scary dogs that chase after cars and people in bikes, and we'd speed off like there's no tomorrow (dare devil style)
One time, my friend and I had this brilliant idea to go rollerblading at the grandstand and we were too lazy to take them off, on the way home, and decided to just ride with them -- bad idea because within a minute, we fell and injured ourselves.

I wasn't really over, yet, when my scooter was taken away from me. My aunt borrowed it, to go around and she took herself to some area with dogs and decided to jump off the bike and run, instead of speeding off. She ended up with bruises and cuts. The bike ended up broken all over. My dad got so mad, and he just decided to take it away...

So sad,

Secrets

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 01:11:00 +0000

I have a secret, I cannot tell

because if I do

the world will

explode

and I do not know

what

I'll do

when that happens

I have a secret, I cannot tell

because if I do

I will hurt

a lot of people

and

I do not know

if I can
do
that

I have a secret, I cannot tell

because if I do

then everything

that's seemingly perfect

will no longer be

fit to be

called

as one

I have a secret, I cannot tell

because if I do

my life

as I know it

will

end

Day 30: When were the happiest days of your life?

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 01:09:00 +0000

Since I've already given you ten events in my life that are significant to me, I won't mention any of those, anymore. I've lived 30 years, some great and some bad, but the happiest days of my life will have to be when I was back in college, my during clinical years. Before Dentistry school, I only thought that I wanted to be a dentist, but when I began my clinical years, I knew I wasn't just dreaming. I was a natural and I enjoyed every minute of it. It was tough, some obstacles made me cry, but I took everything as a challenge.

Clinic was so much fun and I functioned well because I followed a process. Everyday, I was in school at 6am (Bon, too, because he had no choice) to have my things sterilized and to look for patients. If I had a free day, I'd work nonstop until lunch or work nonstop, until the afternoon. I kept myself busy and I did that, so that I could complete my requirements early and enjoy all the free time (while the rest are cramming). Finishing a requirement was such a big deal for me. At night I would be in my room, and I'd be staring at my tally sheets, with a smile on my face. It was one thing that I was sure, I was truly good at, so I relished every moment of it.

I also loved my college years because I found my true passion and I didn't care much about anyone. In high school I was much too reckless, with cheerleading and sports at the top of my list, and I was so centered on having fun and making friends. During A-levels, in London, I was much too alien and obscure so I was more intent on trying to fit in. College was so much different and I became more comfortable with just being myself. I didn't care about what other people thought because I said: "People who are cool, need not try, because we're cool already" (Hahaha!) So even if everyone was prancing around with their small bags, I was lugging around a huge backpack with books and school supplies --- and I just couldn't be bothered. Actually, I once had a classmate ask me: "Do you even sleep at night? I think you just study all the time" and it made me laugh because although I seemed geeky, I had a life away from books and teeth. In fact, I was out every weekend and I would even come to school without sleep (but I didn't feel that they needed to know that).

Needless to say, I was a school - home, school - home, kind of girl, when I was in CEU. I kept my friendships limited to the school premises and I had our driver pick me up, at 5pm sharp, everyday. However, I gave CEU a chance, towards the end, and I made friends (Hahaha!) Some of them are actually very dear to me, still. And yeah, I also tried to continue cheer leading and track & field, but it was a complete waste of time, so I focused on academics, and wasted even more time when I became Dental Student Council President. Nevertheless, I had a complete College experience (a good mixture of the good and bad), so I wouldn't complain --- it's good for the resume!

NOTE WELL: I absolutely loved clinical years... But it does not really mean that I am willing to go back and do it all again, okay?

Day 29: Picture of your makeup collection

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:07:00 +0000

I don't have a makeup collection. I have makeup that I use, but I don't collect makeup because I don't really care so much! Anyway, here's a picture of my stuff...

Day 28: Tattoos. If you have one, post it and its story. If not, what do you want?

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:06:00 +0000

I have a tinkerbell tattoo. I had it years ago, with Bon, while he was getting his 2nd tattoo (and now he has 15) and although I've always thought of getting one, I never thought I'd actually get it. I’m not adventurous like that. My best friend, who is more girly than, I, got hers before I did --- and it shocked me. At that time, tinkerbell was my desktop picture (the very same picture above) and when Bon said I should pick a design, I picked that. I do regret, getting it done with his artist at that time, because he wasn't so good --- and I wished that I had Maru (his new artist) do it for me because I don't really like how mine looks.

Nevertheless, I don't regret getting it, because I made sure to have it in a place where even, I, can forget about it. It's only seen if I wear my tiniest underwear and it's not even so visible when I wear a bikini. I made sure to have it that way because this tattoo is not something I want to show off, but just something I wanted to do for myself, to try. I knew I'd get old one day and I attend loads of formal functions. A tattoo at the back, shoulder, arm, leg or your nape area will be very unsightly. Even if you're wearing an expensive dress, you will still look trashy. Also, imagine a grandma with a tattoo? Yucky, right? That's why I'm happy with my “tinkerbell” and I, actually, plan to get another of a crown and under it it'll say "drama queen" (but I'm still thinking about it).

Funny story about my tattoo:

I wasn't planning for my parents to know about it but one night, I was wearing one of my oldest shorts (that had ripped sides but I love to wear them, still, because they're comfy) and I was lying in bed, reading a book, when my mom saw it and said: "Is that henna?" And I just said: "Eh?" A few days after, I received an angry call from my dad (who was, then, assigned at Cebu) and he said: "Why did you get a tattoo? Your mom said it’s very big? Don't you know that you can't donate blood anymore after that? Why would you do something like that to your body?".

Well, if there's one big regret I have, it's that, because some hospitals reject blood from people with tattoos.

Day 27: What do you feel guilty for doing?

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:05:00 +0000

Writing this post...

I realized it's to revealing and too rough. I know it shows a different side of me (the one that harbors evil thoughts about people), and I don’t really like that side of me but you have to understand that sometimes I am still human --- I get hurt, I feel pain, I hate, I am vengeful.

There are times when I am reminded of the people who have hurt me through the years and to this day I wonder why they did it (and continue to do it) and I ask myself why they haven't said "sorry" to me yet or why they think they have the right to just hurt me. What did I do to deserve it? Was I that awful, a person?

Day 26: What’s something you’re really excited for?

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 01:03:00 +0000

My best friend's wedding...

(I’ve always wanted to say that)

Last August 26, on her birthday, my best friend got engaged. Karym and Mabs have only been going out for a year so it is really romantic that they are marrying soon. The wedding is going to be a sunset wedding along the beach, Boracay, to be specific and since I am her best friend I am MOH.

I have never been to a beach wedding.
I have only been to Boracay once.
I haven't been to the beach for two years (because I've been avoiding the sun for my own wedding).
I want to see my best friend begin her happily ever after...

Her wedding is going to be in the summer and right now I am trying to find great deals for air fare and accommodations to Boracay... and, I am also trying to tone my bikini body (Hahaha!) --- what body?

Day 25: Write 5 messages to 5 different people without using names.

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 01:02:00 +0000

Hmmmmm... This might be the hardest one yet. I thought this one was hard but I spoke too soon. Please prepare yourself for what I have to say. I hardly share my evil thoughts in public because I usually just cry it out. Many of these things I've had to dig up from deep within, so just read, don't ask me questions, because I will never answer. Okay, let's do this.

1: I know you don't like me, it's okay because I kinda don't like you too. The very first time I saw you, I knew that something was already wrong. I hope to never be proven wrong, though, because believe me -- I will kill you.

2: I'm so sorry. I know that you're disappointed at me because of the choices I've made in my life, but those were things that I chose to make and I did not really mean to hurt you. Sometimes there are things that you have to do on your own and you have to respect that I've chosen to do this.

3: I trusted you. I trusted you and you all cheated me. You worked me as your puppet for your own gain and like a true puppeteer you try to maneuver my life. You are very selfish people. You and your selfish desires. Don't forget that if it weren't for me, things would be a lot different.

4: They say that you know who your friends are when you're faced in a crisis. After you said what you did, that time, I already knew what kind of friend you are. I should've known better. I should've known that you'd get tired of being my friend. By the way, that secret you told me years ago, I've kept it. You're welcome.

5. You are very ugly and fat, I'm sorry. You can keep on going to the gym but you will still look the same. And now, you, you look like a porn star! You might think you're pretty, now, but let's see you when you've aged because you look older than me and I'm almost a decade older than you, if I’m not mistaken.

I noticed I have all bad stuff to say, huh? You see, it's the bad stuff that is hard to say out loud. Also, can you see how exciting my entries would be, if this blog were anonymous, or if I didn't care?

P.S. Some of these messages are old… they’re just some of the things I’ve always wanted to say, but didn’t.

Day 24: Do you have saved text messages? If so, who are they from and why do you still have them?

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +0000

I used to have lots of texts messages saved in my phone. I save the messages so that I can incriminate a person with it, in the future, but since you can't really save messages on a Blackberry, I don't have saved messages anymore.

I, however, can show you a snapshot of a conversation I recently had with my mom. The holidays are coming soon and if you remember, we always make an effort to dress up for New Year’s. This year, I think my mom and aunts are already planning for it:

I still don't know what I'll come as and what dish I'll prepare, but please know that I was just joking with what I said. (I just won't translate it so they won't understand). Actually, I don’t know what they wear there…

I Love ANTM All Stars!

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:31:00 +0000

I've always been a fan of America's Next Top Model. I've seen all episodes of Season 1 until 10, but after some time I couldn't catch up with it anymore (maybe it was school), so I only saw some of the seasons. I'm grateful to ETC for TOP MODEL REWIND because I've gotten to see some of the seasons I've missed because of it.

Anyway, this season, seventeen, Tyra is doing ALL STARS so she's brought back different people from the old seasons. I did not know some of the girls, but I knew most --- and I hoped to see some, but I didn't. I haven't missed an episode of ANTM All Stars, yet, and I can't wait to see who wins. I love how big it is and I like that they're doing all kinds of things like creating their own perfume and in this week's episode, they did a music video (composing lyrics, etc) and I thought it was really fun and girly (like I want to make my own video too). I do not understand why Tyra and that "little guy" had to do a cameo because I think they kinda ruined the videos (not that they were spectacular because most of them were ridiculous anyway --- I said fun, not awesome) but it's okay.

I took the liberty of posting all the music videos for you to watch, but you don't have to bother watching all of them. Watch Allison's "Underwater" because she won and I think it was quite creative too, and Alexandria's "Go, Go, Go" because she lost and it is really awkward and funny!

I, sincerely, want Allison or Angelea to win. Back in their own seasons, I did not really like them much (I thought Allison was too weird and Angelea too rough) but they've grown on me, this time, and I think they're so pretty. Shannon is gorgeous but I think she's boring --- and since they're doing an underwear shoot next week, I'm wondering if it's her time to go. Kayla (the lesbian red-head) left a week ago and that was sad because I wanted her to win too. Her season was one of my favorites (because I thought that Ann was just too lucky) and I seriously wanted for her to do well this time, but she really didn't.

I would kill TYRA (just kidding) if they make Lisa win. I think she is just lucky because she's wild and full of herself, but she doesn't deserve to be in Top Model All Stars and in her old season, way back. Basically, anyone can win, BUT LISA. So Tyra Banks, if ever you get to read this, please don't make her win...

Thanks a lot,

Day 23: Two months ago, where were you and what were you doing?

noreply@blogger.com (...crickette...) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:53:00 +0000

Not exactly two months ago, but within that time, I joined my family to Baguio and we celebrated my cousin's 40th day death anniversary. It was a lovely celebration but since we all had to go back early, we didn't get to stay in Baguio for long. We, instead, went back down and stayed in Subic for awhile (to rest at a hotel, supposedly go to ocean adventure, go shopping at duty free and to eat at seafood market).

We had the best time at Seafood By The Bay. We ate so much our bill came to about Php5000, I think. You should know, I didn't eat for a day after that because except for the shrimps (because I'm allergic) we enjoyed all of these:

You can kill me now!

These pictures take me back to a good place…

P.S. Sorry I couldn’t put the names of the dishes as well as the prices because I can’t remember. I don’t want to put “Fishy thingy with soy sauce something at around Php500, I think?” --- That’ll be ridiculous!