tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27070812392949390882024-10-07T14:22:35.306+08:00Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-16096905222636060802015-06-26T23:34:00.000+08:002016-02-28T23:48:32.459+08:00

*Updated on February 28, 2016 I had the most nerve-wrecking morning today. It's my habit to automatically check my phone for notifications upon waking up. It's the first thing I do before washing my face and brushing my teeth. And thank goodness I formed that habit. Imagine my surprise when I saw the email from PayPal saying that I sent a P10,000 payment to a certain person (name removed as

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-77339774226211513862015-03-31T13:34:00.000+08:002015-03-31T13:34:41.120+08:00

Day and Night at the Petronas Tower *with a throwback from 10 years ago on the bridge connecting the two towers ___________________________________________________________________________ Little by little one travels far. ~ JRR Tolkien

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0Malaysia4.210484 101.97576600000002-11.796052499999998 81.321469000000022 20.2170205 122.63006300000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-7535960876391242662015-03-13T11:18:00.000+08:002015-03-13T11:18:52.977+08:00

Genting Skyway - Resorts World Genting - Chin Swee Temple   ______________________________________________________________________________ "Travel is better with friends."

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0Genting Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia3.423978 101.793201100000033.2971715 101.63183960000003 3.5507845 101.95456260000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-6011511310068659512015-02-24T17:39:00.002+08:002015-02-24T17:39:37.831+08:00

So it was our first day to go around Malaysia and all was swell. We walked around the city and took the train and bus to reach different parts of the city. So after going to Batu Caves in the morning, we had lunch then headed to the Freedom Square where the big "I Love KL" can be found. Taking photos was very easy and organized. There was a line and each group was allowed a few minutes for

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia3.139003 101.686854999999922.885326 101.36413149999993 3.3926800000000004 102.00957849999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-14306978101047212742015-02-22T14:18:00.000+08:002015-02-22T14:18:49.636+08:00

It was very timely that the Thaipusam Festival (last weekend of January but the actual holiday was February 3) of the Hindus coincided with our trip to Malaysia. Of course, one must visit the Batu Caves, which is about an hour away by train from Kuala Lumpur. Thaipusam is a Hindu holiday where the Indians pay homage to Lord Subramaniam (also known as Murugan). Some carry jars of milk on

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia3.236516 101.681651200000033.1731035 101.60097020000003 3.2999285 101.76233220000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-39896450617796641972015-01-26T14:11:00.002+08:002015-01-26T15:05:30.086+08:00

I wrote this (the article below) exactly a year ago and I was actually surprised when I saw this in my old flash drive a few weeks ago. The girl who wrote the piece below is already gone. And the funny thing is, so many people are asking me now how to move on, what should they do and so on. Hey, just because I had my heart broken doesn't mean I'm an expert. I guess my takeaway from people asking

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-11473675596020340722015-01-15T16:32:00.000+08:002015-01-15T16:39:29.451+08:00

I made it my goal in 2014 that I should go somewhere new every year. I thought that this should be an easy feat since I've been everywhere since after graduation. Come first week of December 2014 and I still haven't been anywhere new! Good thing we had an Ilocos trip scheduled before Christmas (I actually just tagged along). Now, I've been to both Vigan and Laoag before but I've never been up,

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0Ilocos Norte, Philippines18.1647281 120.7115592000000117.199233600000003 119.42066570000001 19.1302226 122.0024527tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-7329775064403618672015-01-09T20:22:00.000+08:002015-01-09T20:22:55.292+08:00

I've stayed in Java Hotel twice already. Once in my 2013 trip and my most recent stay was last December. The hotel had spacious rooms and I was really happy about it. The rooms were clean but toiletries available depend on the room type. Our room did not come with a toothbrush but it had four sets of hand soaps. And the hotel restaurant serves the best pinakbet I've ever tasted. I even ate the

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines18.1960128 120.5926678999999218.075337299999997 120.43130639999993 18.3166883 120.75402939999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-35866518165565961292014-12-31T13:03:00.000+08:002014-12-31T13:03:32.273+08:00

People are probably tired of hearing the same old shit, "new year, new me" and the like. I know it sometimes get on our nerves but some people need the new year to believe in themselves more, to give them hope. I know, I know, you can change for the better anytime but the new year is symbolic for lots of people. It is officially the start of a new year and some people feel like they have a clean

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-62311147168408259562014-12-29T14:01:00.000+08:002014-12-29T14:05:29.614+08:00

So it's my second time in Laoag and of course, one should always stop by Paoay Church (which is not exactly in Laoag but about 30 minutes away from the capital). For me, the Paoay Church has one of the most beautiful facades ever. It's just a bit aesthetically unappealing that this year, they added tarpaulins on the bell tower and by the entrance. There's also a little garden and souvenir

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0Ilocos Norte, Philippines18.1647281 120.7115592000000117.199233600000003 119.42066570000001 19.1302226 122.0024527tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-33816023063413826542014-12-27T19:40:00.000+08:002014-12-27T19:46:55.074+08:00

There are several hotels around Vigan and I was a bit on a rush so I just booked the first decent hotel I came across which was also not too expensive. We got a superior room for a little over P3000. I don't know if I'm just unfortunate but the room I got was really tiny. It was just the bed and the usual room amenities but there was barely enough space to move around. And it was on the

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, Philippines17.5704898 120.3873298999999417.5099358 120.30664889999994 17.6310438 120.46801089999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-31795576103048094362014-12-19T19:39:00.000+08:002014-12-20T20:20:18.497+08:00

Hello, hello, hello! It's been ages since the last time I was able to write. Grad school was I-N-S-A-N-E, especially during exam weeks. I'm just glad that term break started after the first week of the month and I was able to embark on an adventure right away. Yay! Vigan is a UNESCO World Heritage City and it was recently named one of the New 7 Wonder Cities, among many other recognitions.

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, Philippines17.5704898 120.3873298999999417.5099358 120.30664889999994 17.6310438 120.46801089999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-81820580477275141002014-10-02T00:04:00.000+08:002014-10-02T01:25:38.506+08:00

I've been dreaming about pursuing graduate studies ever since I got my undergraduate degree. There's something about books and knowledge that keeps me craving for more. Geez, I sound so nerdy. Lol. But of course, it was my time to dive into the real world and I can't stay forever in my sheltered haven. Plus, one of the requirements of grad school is years of work experience. Armed with a degree

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-76786512157057372812014-08-05T14:22:00.000+08:002014-08-05T14:22:09.823+08:00

As my body is racked with continuous coughing, I suddenly remembered Lola Tita. The last time I was coughing like a maniac, I was still living in her house. She recommended that I try a cough medicine that she got from Tita Ayet. I remember snapping at her since the medicine did not take effect right away. Yes, I'm not proud of doing that but I was in so uncomfortable and having a hard time

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-10239415172341516292014-08-01T23:02:00.000+08:002014-08-01T23:02:49.890+08:00

Today is my first day without a job. I spent the last four years working for Wacoal and honestly, it's quite a relief that I finally resigned. So many things have changed in my life for the past year and I feel like I need to let go of my job (the last constant thing in my life) in order to fly. They say that in order to grow, you need to leave your comfort zone. Right now, I am so far from my

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-16885146299753151182014-07-15T22:10:00.000+08:002014-08-14T16:50:38.113+08:00

I read The Selection trilogy in two days. Yup, I spent the whole Sunday in bed. And I was reading as well on my way to and from the office on a Monday. So The Selection is a young adult chick lit which is set years into the future. Nope, there's no space galactica thing but it's pretty much the same world we live in now with oppression and a caste system. Who would have thought these

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-47934192160890874412014-07-08T23:11:00.002+08:002014-07-08T23:19:21.033+08:00

I've been having trouble coping up with Lola Tita's passing away. I mean, I think I've been ignoring the fact that she's already gone for more than three months already. I just go about my daily tasks as if she's still in her house watching her nightly telenovelas. And whenever I visit the house, I feel like she's just strolling the halls of Trinoma and SM North. Yup, I'm in deep trouble here.

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-18277101962432980932014-04-20T14:56:00.001+08:002014-04-21T09:41:59.340+08:00

I've been to Boracay so many times already but it's my first time to try very exciting activities. Most people know that I am TERRIFIED of heights and yet, I love facing this fear by riding rollercoasters, jumping from cliffs, etc. And this time, I rode up in the air with only a parachute attached to me. The funny thing is, I did not get scared.

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0Boracay Island, Malay, Philippines11.9673502 121.92475911.9052162 121.844078 12.0294842 122.00544tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-73365865538231281702014-03-07T20:00:00.000+08:002014-03-07T20:00:03.921+08:00

Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them? I couldn't be happier that I am an impulse buyer. Thank goodness! Because of this, I bought tickets to the musical of the season - Wicked. And indeed, it was like one short day in the emerald city. Every centavo was definitely worth it. Jemma Rix (Elphaba) truly defied gravity. Her character was funny and

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila14.5559362 120.9815376000000214.5482517 120.97145260000002 14.5636207 120.99162260000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-50283060894562478012014-02-19T19:00:00.000+08:002014-12-29T12:17:55.580+08:00

Finally! It's about time a Filipino film has a  "love team" that did not end up together. I hoped that Marco and Ginny would not get back together, and they didn't (yey!). Not having that 'happily ever after' with an ex does not mean you never loved at all. Eh yung relate na relate ako sa film and feeling ko may halong Marco and Ginny ako! The movie was actually a mix of comedy and drama

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-82577498586866063572014-02-06T14:49:00.001+08:002014-02-06T18:47:35.046+08:00

Wacoal is known for quality products but with a relatively high price tag. So this Valentine month, grab the opportunity to get the best undergarments at a markdown price. Most items are up to 40% off! Now, ain't that just fab? All SM stores with Wacoal and sorci age counters are on sale. Yes, including the one in the provinces! And if you do not want to head to the malls to shop,

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-62632007768771261652014-01-27T18:00:00.000+08:002014-01-27T18:00:07.502+08:00

My mom did her research on the whale sharks and she found us a reasonably-priced pension house where we could stay. Unfortunately, she did not research about what else we could do in Oslob so she booked us for three nights at the Malonzo Pension House. The Malonzos were decent folks and were super helpful to make our experience in Oslob a comfortable one. The

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com4Oslob, Philippines9.5630395 123.415926300000029.3124805 123.09320280000003 9.8135985000000012 123.73864980000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-82870384290392302842014-01-26T21:02:00.001+08:002014-01-26T21:03:21.288+08:00

Another breathtaking scene in Oslob is the Tumalog Falls. It was a very steep walk down the mountain in order to reach the beautiful falls. The water was freezing cold so a few minutes under the natural shower was more than enough. And the climb back up was treacherous.  My dad and I gave up and hired a motorcycle to bring us up one at a time. Rate was P50 each. You

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0Oslob, Philippines9.5630395 123.415926300000029.3124805 123.09320280000003 9.8135985000000012 123.73864980000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-59519098069464420942014-01-01T19:30:00.003+08:002014-01-01T19:52:56.325+08:00

Yes, we all want to start anew this 2014 and we wouldn't want to slip into bad habits creating nasty patterns. We want to move forward and make the most out of what life has to offer. So here are a couple of quotes to keep me afloat, keep me going, help me look at the bright side of life this 2014. And I hope these inspire you too. And maybe, a happy ending doesn't include a guy. Maybe it's

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707081239294939088.post-36081476618407691722013-12-31T19:41:00.000+08:002013-12-31T19:41:17.365+08:00

Whew! 2013 has been a year full of surprises. For the past year, I was faced with so many challenges, I received tons of blessings and a huge wrecking ball most commonly known as heartache broke me down into tiny little pieces. (Hold that thought. This is the last day of the year and I just want to exhaust all negative vibes so my new year will be filled with only positive ones so let me be.)

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807635324347733795noreply@blogger.com0