Scorpio Girl

I'm here.

2012-02-17T11:07:00.001+08:00

I swear, I'm here. There's a lot going on lately and I haven't figured out how to do everything and still blog regularly. I want to fill you all in but not now. I'm only stealing a few work hours to post this.

Anyway, I promise to update. Pinky promise!

2012 Goals and Aspirations

2012-01-04T00:48:00.000+08:00

It's 2012 already! I'm a little surprised but I'm very excited. I want to be positive and claim that this will be my year. I'm making this post to remind myself during the year what I'm working hard for. Sometimes life gets very tough and I need to be reminded every once in a while. Also, I would like to share them to you (obviously) and wish you share yours. #tsismosa

Get an iPhone 4S with a postpaid plan. I've never had a postpaid mobile plan in the Philippines. I know that's not shocking for Filipinos. Most of us are still using prepaid and utilizing the UNLITXT like crazy. I understand and I'm not criticizing. It's just that promos like this have no use for me. The person who I frequently txt lives outside the country. A message directly to his mobile costs P15 and Chikka message costs P2.50. If you are wondering why an iPhone, well, because he is using an iPhone and iMessaging will solve our problems. LDR sucks and is freaking expensive.

Fix our new house and my new room. This year will be very big for my family because finally we will be moving to a bigger and better house. We have been living in a small house for 20+ years and it doesn't cut it anymore. My room needs to be done and I need to be decisive. Appliances, furniture, decor, etc. We need a lot. Whew! I want to help my folks ease the burden of our exponentially growing expenses, at least before I get married and have my own family. Ahem. (No. No wedding bells.)

Buy an iPod nano. I have been dreaming of an iPod since forever. If I'm getting the iPhone 4S, I don't think I need an iPod touch or something very fancy. I need something that will play music while I work and workout/run. I like that it has this Nike feature that can track my run. It can also be worn as a watch which I think is so cool and useful. I'm hoping to get one early this year since it not very expensive.

Buy a MacBook Pro. My beloved Vaio has died. I do not want to resurrect it. I'm not sure if I wrote here but I've been wanting to transfer to Apple for the longest time. I think it's quite obvious in this post. If I'm gonna replace my old laptop, then I'm getting a really good one. And I think iCloud will be a very useful tool for me.

Buy a Hyundai i10. I need a car. Why an i10? It's affordable and cute. Our new house is far and not accessible to public vehicles 24/7. Aside from these, the roads are quite dark and there are a lot of empty lots. To be honest, I'm afraid to get robbed, kidnapped, raped, and/or killed. I usually get off work late and I have other activities. I also go out with my friends and have lots of errands. My Mom needs a ride to go to work, too. I need a ride to go to places without bothering if there is a jeepney/bus to my destination, until what time is the last bus, what should be the signboard or if the man beside me is manyakis or not. I do not have someone to protect me 24/7 and sometimes I think my trusty pepper spray will not be enough. Basta I need a car and I hope you get my point.

Refrain from clothes, shoe, and makeup shopping. I realized that all the "small" shopping I did last year actually amounted to quite a lot of money. I could have used the money for something else.

Travel to more places in the Philippines. Truth be told, I have not seen a lot of Visayas and Mindanao. Before I travel to other countries, I want to explore ours first.

Decide on my career path. I need to figure out what I'm gonna do with my career. My mind is struggling with all the options. I hope I get an answer this year.

Live a healthy lifestyle. I don't like wrinkles, sun spots, warts and dry skin. I don't want beer belly and muffin top. I want healthy glowing skin, shiny strong hair, and well-toned physique. LOL Parang commercial lang! The solution? Cream Silk! LOLJK Eat more fruit, veggies, and fish. Avoid fatty and junk food. Minimize beer intake and other bad habits. Exercise and stick to my workout. Get enough sleep and drink lots of water. Health is wealth.

Be more positive. I'm tired of being too negative. I need a positive outlook on life and love.

In a nutshell, I need gazillions of money to accomplish this year's goals (wants) and a lot of discipline. This seems very materialistic but I haven't really bought anything expensive for myself. If I'm gonna spend my hard-earned money, might as well use it for stuff that are useful and serious. I also want to spoil myself before I get married. (Again, there are no wedding bells.) My Mom used to tell me, "I-enjoy mo ang pagiging dalaga at gamitin mo ang pera mo para sa sarili mo dahil pag nag-asawa ka na, maiiba na ang priorities mo at gagamitin mo na ang pera para sa ibang mga bagay."

That's it, pansit! Happy new year to everyone!

2011 In Review

2011-12-30T15:41:00.003+08:00

Time flies. *sigh*

Allow me to review the year. I honestly have no idea if I was successful with my goals or what. Let's see.

Last year, I wrote this over at Tumblr.

So, was I able to accomplish them?

Braces. No. I did not have enough money to attend to my dental needs.
Exercise. Yes. I exercised regularly until the last quarter of the year. I was so busy. Excuses!
Lose my beer belly. Kinda. I exercised regularly and lessened my beer intake. It's sorta back now. Sad.
Slim down. I guess so. My pants are ill-fitting so I resorted to wearing my sister's old college jeans. Yay!
Lessen alcohol. Yes. I wanted to lose the belly badly. See #3.
More books. So-so. I read a couple of books but I think they are not enough.
Find new hobby. Meh.
Bye, Boys. Yes! Hello again, boyfriend. <3

I was also able to accomplish my 100-movie project. I'm satisfied.

I'm a bit lazy to describe everything so let me summarize the year in photos.

WARNING: Photo heavy! (Most of the photos are not mine.)

NOT NAKED!

NOT PREGNANT!

If you did not see your face here, please don't hate me. I had to go through thousands of photos and maybe our photo together is not stellar aka di kagandahan ang pagmumukha natin sa picture na yun.

I'm very happy of how 2011 turned out. Thank you to everyone who made this year extra special and happy. It would have been a complete boredom of a year if not for you, guys. I hope you had a good year.

I'm so excited for 2012. Maybe because there will be a couple of changes in my life. I hope next year will be better if not as awesome as this year.

See you next year!

Christmas 2011 Wish List

2011-12-07T22:42:00.001+08:00

'Tis the season to be jolly and to be asking for gifts! They say it's better to give than to receive. But if you all are giving, I'm just gonna lay here and receive. LOL

I really want expensive gadgets but times are hard so let's make this list a little bit realistic.

1. Body Shaper

I'm not specific on the brand as long as it works. Why do I need this? Well, I'm no Victoria's Secret Angel so wearing very tight dresses can be really tricky. It's that season of binge eating again and I need to fake a flat tummy.

2. Makeup

I love makeup! Although I don't put makeup on everyday (because I always wake up late), I like prettifying myself. I got my first makeup kit when I was in grade school. It was a Christmas gift from my Aunt. I will never forget the joy of that day.

3. Bath products

Who doesn't enjoy a long and luxurious bath? It's pampering and cleaning yourself at the same time. I say it's genius. I'm a sucker for bath products. I love taking showers at night then go to bed smelling good and clean. It's precious.

4. Notebooks

I'm addicted to notebooks. Actually, any notebook will do but I never had a Moleskine. I like its simplicity.

But I also like quirky stuff and I like Quiddity's notebooks, too. Yep! That's a notebook. There are a lot of designs and you can even ask them to customize one for you. Pretty neat, right?

5. Wristwatch

Boyfriend jeans? Boyfriend shirt? Boyfriend watch! I've been dreaming of a manly watch for a long time now. Please, please, please, Santa.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Random Thoughts: Breaking Dawn Part I

2011-11-27T23:47:00.001+08:00

SPOILER ALERT!

First of all, I want to inform the general public LOL that I'm not a Twilight fan. I did not (actually, I attempted to) read the books. I do not dig the sparkling vampire thing. I hate Bella Swan. I do like that Jacob's body is yummy. I regret that I deleted my WordPress blog cos I have my random thoughts post there about the first Twilight movie. Anywaaaaay.

What the heck? Why is there a part one of this movie? Are they seriously dragging this plot and make a part two? Are they trying to go all Harry Potter on us? (I love HP.)

But really, how many movies/books are there? They created three (four?) movies out of this shitty love story? Is this even for real?

Why are we still on this pa-cutesy vampire bandwagon? Why? I want the real vampires back please.

I remember from the first Twilight movie that I hated their makeup. No improvement in that department. Their makeup still suck. They should sue their MUA for making them look ugly.

In fairness, Bella's wedding gown wasn't that bad. I think I actually like it. Hmmm.

That wedding kiss is too passionate. There are people watching. Get a room!

Why is Bella still human? For the past movies she's all "Oh please turn me into a vampire now." and then suddenly she doesn't want them to turn her? What's your problem, Bella Stinking Swan?

Whoa. Wait. Bella and Edwardzzz are going to go down and get dirty? There are children in the cinema!

Bella, why you acting all scared and shiz? You knew this day would come. You knew that someday you will say goodbye to your V. Why so anxious, gurlfran? You've been seducing him for the past forever.

Whoa. Wait again. Bella and Edz are really going to do it! And their honeymoon scene is like forever! OK, we get it. They do it. They like doing it. Bella is a sex addict. Let's move on.

Bella is doing it with a cold corpse! She is a necrophiliac! This is wrong. So wrong.

Edward likes it rough. I'm sad that every time they do it, he destroys a very beautiful rest house in Brazil.

Bella likes it rough with a corpse. Disgust.

How can a human be impregnated by a vampire? How? In this sick twisted sparkly world of Stephenie Meyer, it is possible.

Why is Bella still fawning over Jacob? Aren't you, like, married? Ugh.

A vampire in Bella's tummy! Yay for killer baby!

What is up with the wolves? You need to get a life, guys.

Bella drinking blood using a straw. Snazzy.

Edward performed C-section on Bella by eating her tummy! Gross!

Bella is an ugly corpse. Is Edward biting her to extract the remaining blood? Thirsty?

Bella's skin is so nice when she reached vampirehood.

My head is aching.

Stephenie Meyer is crazy and lame.

I told you, random. TL;DR

Why not red?

2011-11-25T20:30:00.001+08:00

Red is such a beautiful color yet many women are hesitant to wear it. Why?

I understand why. I used to think red lipstick is too much. It is too powerful and attention-grabbing. I used to also associate it with women who get paid for their, umm, services. I thought wearing red on lips will make me look cheap or trying too hard.

What changed my mind? I had to try it first. I had to see what it looks on me before deciding if I can pull it off. Yes it is powerful and attention-grabbing but I realized that I do not mind. I guess it comes with age and a certain level of confidence. It's all about how you carry yourself when you are wearing red. I also realized that not all occasions or events are meant for pink or peach lipsticks. Sometimes we need that little oomph that only red lips can provide.

Have you tried red? If you haven't, why not try it now? The holidays are coming and wearing red lipstick is such a wonderful way to celebrate.

I wore a different lipstick for each photo. Which is your favorite?

Wish List Granted!

2011-11-22T20:53:00.001+08:00

I wrote a few weeks back about my birthday wish list. It was written out of dreams and aspirations. LOL Seriously, I never thought I would receive any of the items listed. But, lo and behold, the gods of the internet heard my prayers (read my wish list)!

I wrote a lot of stuff in that wish list but here are the items I received.

1. A hairless birthday surprise from my sister! She gave me a GC to remove all the unwanted hair on my body from Lay Bare. We both love Lay Bare. We do sister bonding there. I love that she knows me so well. I actually haven't used the GC because I'm such a busy body.

This reminds me that I need to write about my Lay Bare experiences. And I also need to go before Christmas. I do not want to look like Santa Claus.

2. Facial treatment from my neighborhood dermatologist from Manny! This is super unexpected and very sweet. I was babbling on my couch about how my skin is dull blah blah while watching TV with Manny. He asked me how much my regular facial treatment costs and told me, "O, sagot ko na yan.". Weee! Thanks, dear! I just got back from the derma looking like a zombie.

I need proof, OK?

I'm excited to get my groove on, I mean my glow back after a couple of days. I'm happy I went to the derma with my friend, Cza. It's fun to talk and gossip while getting pampered.

3. Shoes from Shoe Etiquette through Lauren! OK, this was really not a birthday gift but I want to count it as one. Let me explain. Of course, I included shoes in my list. It's my most favorite thing in the world. So, anyway, Lauren had a giveaway contest. This is very common now for many popular bloggers. I only join when I really like what they are giving away and if the mechanics are not that hard. This contest by far is the easiest and the prize/giveaway is super awesome. You get to select the shoe that will be given to you just by commenting which shoe you like and why! Isn't that easy and amazing? To be honest, I was not hoping on winning because I never win anything. This is my first time to win something on the internet! I was having a very bad day until Lauren announced I won. She made my day. On top of that, Denise of Shoe Etiquette and Lauren are very kind and accommodating. It's my first time to interact with Denise and she's warm, nice, and friendly. Is it obvious that I'm very happy about this? On to the shoe I selected!

Photo credit

This was my answer to the contest: I like a lot of their shoes but I'd choose Sofia oxfords. They are prefect for the coming holidays! :). Isn't it adorable and sparkly? I'm really excited to wear it on the coming holidays. Thanks again, Lauren and Denise!

My birthday was quiet this year. I chose to have some quality time with my sister and the babies. So I'm really happy that I received gifts. Who wouldn't? Thanks again, guys!

Growing up, up, up.

2011-11-10T15:41:00.000+08:00

In a few days, I will be one year older. I have no plans and I'm still thinking if I should celebrate or not. What's to celebrate anyway? I do not have funds and I highly doubt my friends will shell out money just to throw me a party. Money is tight. You know what I really want to do? My laundry. I'm accumulating dirty clothes, ewww. I would really like to spend my day in clean clothes.

I've been feeling a little off lately. I don't know what to feel about growing up. I don't feel older, just more responsibilities. Growing up is fun and stressful at the same time. I enjoy the independence, maturity, and new adventures. I loathe financial problems, career struggles, and social expectations.

At my age, I'm confused on what I should be doing. Should I pursue my current career? Should I stay and keep strong? Working here is fun but yeah, there a lot of downs, too. Should I apply for a PhD program? Which program will that be? Should I stick to plants or move to health/clinical research? Many scientists don't become scientists overnight. They study then study more. Should I transfer to a new company? Should this company be here or in another country? Working hard is not fun when you get paid like a mouse. I need money. Should I get married? When should people start considering marriage? What is the right age to bear a child and start a family? What is the right age when society no longer thinks you're too young or too old to get married? A lot of my peers are married, engaged or with kid/s. They look happy. A lot are also single and happy.

See how confused I am? I would like to think I'm not the only one.

I'm still stressed. Is this universe's birthday gift to me? A punch in the face? Thanks, universe.

Let this be a happy post.

2011-11-10T00:33:00.000+08:00

How do you deal with stress? How do you keep your sanity? Stressed. *sigh*

Let's not dwell on stress, shall we? There are many beautiful things in this world and I want to talk about them. Don't hate, appreciate.

1. Naomi and Sab

It's amazing how these kids can turn a sad day into a happy one. Their smiles are contagious. They are worry-free, happy, and smart. Best of all, they love me. ❤ And I love them.

2. Lipton Milk Tea

Ahh, caffeine. I may never ever quit you. This milk tea is made of genius. It is perfect for busy people who don't have the time to go to a tea/coffee shop or even have the time to mix tea, cream and sugar together. Of course, people who like milk tea. Perfect for someone like me.

3. Quality time with family

Please ignore our ugly faces. It was past midnight.

I love spending time with Mom and Bop. Girl bonding! Of course, I also love spending time with Dad and Bro, too. Unconditional love is the best.

4. Efficient online sellers

I do a lot of online shopping. I'm not from the metro and there are a lot of unavailable stuff in stores near me. And well, some online shops offer better designs than those in the malls at an affordable price, ha! Anyway, it is really a pain when I encounter irksome online sellers. I should have just went to the mall. That's why dealing with efficient and lovely online sellers is such a delight.

5. HD webcam

It's no secret I'm in a LDR. It's not the best situation but we try to make the most out of it. Boyf and I have been miles apart for many years now. Skype has been one of our greatest friends. I'm in awe and disbelief that we just recently thought of using HD webcam. Holymolywow! It's like talking in in front of each other IRL. Amazement.

Today, these are the things I'm grateful for. What are yours? :)

Birthday Wish List 2011

2011-10-21T21:14:00.001+08:00

Wish List. Wow. I don't often make a wish list, never even blogged about it. They never seem to come true. They remain wishes. Meh. Santa Claus ruined it for me.

It's almost Halloween, meaning my birthday is near! I'm not big on birthdays. I don't throw parties or ask for gifts. I usually just have simple dinner with my family then drinks with friends after. I'm not the type who extends my birthday to birthmonth. To me, that's just sad. Enough blabber. On to my list!

1. Personal Assistant

"Well hello there, Anne! Would you please get me coffee and muffins? On the way back, please pass by the bank to pay my bills and then ship this package for Boyf and oh, don't forget my tampons! But please hurry cos I don't want my coffee to get cold. Thanks."

LOL Seriously, I really want an assistant, I just can't afford one. I can't hire someone that pretty and sexy cos Boyf might leave me for her or all my guy friends will be following her around, offering rides. Warever, boys!

2. Charm Travel Pro V3 Makeup Brush Set

I've been using my current brushes for four years. I have to draft their retirement plan soon. Also, look at these babies! Black, pink, and sexy. Aren't they pretty? They will also make me pretty. Heh.

3. Spa Treatment

Birthday girl needs her very special R&R, yo. I need the works -- facial, whole body massage, foot and hand scrub, mani-pedi, hair removal, and hair spa. Just imagining these makes me say oooohhhhh. I'm so tired lately, it's not even right. If I can only have a massage for 5 hours without the masseuse needing medical help after, I will do it.

4. My own domain

Creative names, eh? I need a place where I can dump my trash. Obviously, I can dump my wastes here but I need a bigger and better trash can, if ya know what I mean. I need some kinda professional help for this. Advice from experienced people or constant supervision might be nice, too. Hrhr

5. Shoes

I never say no to shoes. 'Nuff said.

~AND NOW FOR OUR MAIN EVENT~

6. iPhone 4S/MacBook Pro/ iPod

I'm not an Apple user. I might even need to read the instruction manual cover to cover. But heck, I don't care. I want Apple products. After having a very sweet but short rendezvous with Boyf's iPhone 4 and Bop's MacBook Pro, I'm superduper sold. I've been longing for an iPod for quite a while now. Let me share a secret. I don't own even an mp3 player. I use my crappy cellphone for FM radio. Yup, I'm one of those.

If you go all Apple "expert" on me and tell me that I do not need an iPod yadda yadda and this product is better than this product yadda yadda, shut your hole.

There you have it, folks. I hope to hear from you soon. *wink wink*

I really do not expect to receive these. But if you want to, hey, no one is stopping you. LOL

Love for Junk Food

2011-10-10T21:25:00.000+08:00

Why do we keep eating junk food? It's not called junk for nothing.

I'm a very busy gal. I have two jobs, many extracurricular activities, and live alone. I do not have the time to cook, and well, it's not really my passion. I'm not some Master Chef who can whip up something simple and special in a couple of minutes. I tried those 30-minute meals by Rachel Ray and they take me 2 hours. I'm not a bad cook. Actually, my dishes taste pretty well but I'm lazy and I only like cooking for special people on very special occasions.

Anyway, cos of all this I just end up buying take out and that usually means fast food. McDonald's and Jollibee are my best friends. They are always there when I need them, available 24/7. Who wouldn't love them? Burger, pizza, fries, soda, and desserts -- heaven in a paper bag.

But, as we all know, fast food is bad for your health. I can feel the bad cholesterol running through my veins. LOL I should stop eating them everyday. No, I should stop eating fast food. Period.

I pray for inner strength to resist such sexy temptations. For now, allow me to munch on some fries.

Review: The Face Shop Clean Face Oil Free Sun Cream

2011-10-04T20:50:00.000+08:00

We need vitamin D in our bodies and we get that through sun exposure but too much is not healthy. I really need sun protection cos I'm fair-skinned, live in the tropics, my work requires me to go to the rice fields for long hours, and I easily produce sun spots. Easy answer to my problem is sun block, right? Unfortunately, I don't regularly use sun block cos of the smell and the consistency. Whenever I put sun block on, I feel like I'm at the beach. It leaves me with this sticky feeling and the humidity of our country does not help.

So during my vacation, I had some free time to go around shops and see some new stuff (at least for me). On top of my list was sun block or sun cream, as the Koreans call it. The Face Shop has this new line called Clean Face. They also have Clean Face BB Cream but I was immediately drawn to this specific product.

It's an oil-free sun cream with SPF35 PA++. Who wouldn't be intrigued? On top of that, it contains tea tree oil and aloe vera gel. I heard our skin digs stuff like that. I tried it on my skin and there is absolutely no trace of that sun block smell! Yipee! And it does not feel sticky at all! Yay! I asked the saleslady for the price and it's only W6,500 (~P250)*. You only need a little drop for the whole face so 50ml is a lot. I'm sold!

I've been using it everyday and I have absolutely no complaints. I also didn't break out or produce rashes.

You guessed right. I recommend this.

*Price might be different in Philippine stores due to shipping costs and tax.

Korean Food

2011-09-26T20:35:00.000+08:00

Do you love spicy food? I do! My Dad sort of trained our tongues to eat spicy stuff. It's delightful, well for me.

South Korea is known for kimchi. It is more like a side dish to them and eat it with almost everything. But there's so much more to their food than spicy fermented cabbages. I lived in South Korea for three years and have been visiting since high school. Lemme share with you a few of my favorite Korean dishes. I was not able to eat all my faves during my recent vacation. *sadface*

All of a sudden I forgot the names of some of them. I need to drink memory enhancers. I have no future in food blogging cos the moment the food lands on my table, I devour it. There are many other dishes that I quickly ate without taking photos.

Photo dump about to happen.

Spicy cabbage Soup (Kimchi Jjigae - 김치찌개)

Steamed pork with veggies (bossam - 보쌈)

Stir-fried Rice with tuna, veggies and egg (Chamchi Bokkeumbap - 참치볶음밥)

Breaded Pork cutlet (donkatsu - 돈까스)

"Knife noodles" & Stir-fried rice with spicy pork
(Kalguksu & jeyuk bokkeumbap - 칼국수 & 제육볶음밥)

Grilled pork strips (Samgyeopsal - 삼겹살)

Grilled marinated beef (bulgogi - 불고기)

Black rice with veggies

Grilled Marinated pork and Squid (Osambulgogi - 오삼불고기)

bean paste vegetable noodles (Jajangmyeon - 자장면)

Sweet and sour fried pork (tangsuyuk - 탕수육)

Sauce -- Sweet And Sour Fried Pork (Tangsuyuk - 탕수육)

"soup to chase a hangover" (Haejangguk - 해장국)

Soybean paste with snails

Spicy Marinated pork (Daeji Bulgogi - 돼지불고기)

Soybean paste vegetable stew (Doenjang jjigae - 된장 찌개)

tuna and Vegetable Stew (chamchi Jjigae - 참치 찌개)

(Not spicy version) Mussel noodlesoup ( Jjampong- 짬뽕)

Tofu and vegetable stew & Grilled Fish (Sundubu Jjigae- 순두부찌개)

Fried Chicken! LOL

I love Korean food cos it's healthy and not fattening! There's a lot of veggies and most of them are not fried. Have you tried Korean food? Do you like it? Do you have a favorite? Do you know that side dishes are served free and you can ask for refills? Sadly not all restaurants in the Philippines do that. Some even ask extra pay! Anyway, now I'm hungry.

Vacation Staple: Black Flats

2011-09-25T21:29:00.000+08:00

I believe that I'm good at packing stuff for trips. On my recent vacation to South Korea, I was able to bring three shoes with me -- flat sandals, clogs, and black flats. I was able to wear all of them. But for a few reasons, I wore my black flats more. My trip required a lot of walking and I'm the type who doesn't like my feet getting dirty so I was only able to use my sandals once or twice. I wore my clogs a couple of times but unfortunately, I got stung by bee while I was wearing it. I believe in bad luck and all that so I stopped wearing my clogs after that.

Soooo, I got stuck with my black flats. Outfits are boring, really. It was not cold yet and I was in the mood to wear shorts.

I love this top!

I survived because of my flats. Thank you, Primadonna, for making them comfy.

Bibliophilia

2011-09-21T00:25:00.000+08:00

Bookworm. I have been called that at a very young age. I have been reading books since forever. I remember hiding my books under my pillow and pretend to be asleep after my Mom declares lights off. I will read in the dark afterwards and use whatever light that comes into our room. I asked for a box full of books when I was in fifth grade but received a book set instead. I loved it nonetheless. I like reading when I'm in moving vehicles. It calms me.

I remember one summer where I spent two months reading more than 20 books I borrowed from a friend. Good times. Some people are surprised that I like reading because I do not look like a typical bookworm. You know, thick glasses nerdy look? Whatever.

Anyway, I haven't been reading a lot lately. Mostly because I'm cramped with work and extracurricular activities. I haven't stopped buying books though.

See that pile? My to-read books. Wah. When can I have enough time? I need to finish these first before I buy more. But, wait! Do you have any recommendations? What was the last book you read? Was it good? Tell me about it.

Korean Vacation Update

2011-09-16T15:24:00.000+08:00

I'm in South Korea right now enjoying my 2-week vacation. It is about to end and I'm having mixed feelings. A part of me wants to stay here and cuddle with my boyfriend. Another part wants me to go home and work my ass and start earning money again. Vacation is fun and all but I need to earn to survive. It doesn't help that the cost of living in South Korea is very high compared to Philippines. My one month salary goes poof here. This brings me to my current problem. I'm almost out of cash and have 2 days left, should I spend my money on shoes?

I know what you might be thinking. That's your problem? Shoes? Yes! Shoes! I love shoes so much that is so amazing I haven't bought any by now. I'm thinking, well you have lots at home. You should use all of them first before buying new pairs. But you see, it's not everyday I go to Korea. And the styles available in the shoe stores are quite different. But should I spend my last bills on shoes or food? LOL What a question.

Anyway, I will not bore you anymore. I'm just updating you what's going on. BTW, the weather is too hot here. I was expecting a little bit cooler.

Here's a photo of me taking photos.

Ciao!

P.S. I can't take Nikki Minaj's Super Bass off my mind. Grrr.

Clubbing and Bacardi

2011-08-24T22:33:00.002+08:00

Go, go, go shawty!

I'm really not the clubbing type. I like going out and drinking with friends, yes, but usually in a low key place where you can drink beer and have meaningful conversations about tampons and underarm whitening products. I like to dance all night but clubs are not the best place for talking. It's good I kinda know how to read lips or else I wouldn't understand a thing my friends were saying.

So why was I out clubbing on a Saturday night? My smart and soon to be rich friends recently passed the physician licensure exams. Yay! Congratulations again, friends! Naturally we will go out drinking somewhere but one of my friends, who will also be rich soon, just opened a new place together with some guys. At first we were kinda uneasy but it's not everyday we are listed as VIP. LOL We had fun and made the most out of it.

Photo dump about to happen.

Thanks, Aaron!

Partying in T-shirts LOL

Congratulations to the new doctors!

I like dancing with 'em girls. =P

Bacardi? It was my first time to drink that devil drink. Oh heavens, I will not do it again! Why do people drink that thing alone? It burned my mouth and throat for minutes. I had to drink water from then on. Wah.

These photos remind me I badly need to have my hair color fixed. Also, what are those guys wearing? Spot the pink polo with the heart pendant.

Rock'n' Roll You're Young & You're Beautiful

Photos are not mine.

Sad News

2011-08-22T23:48:00.000+08:00

Yesterday while lounging and drinking iced tea, my niece, Yumi, delivered some bad news.

Yumi: Kaka, you know the black dog? He's dead.
Me: Black dog? You mean Poopie?
Yumi: Yah, Poopie. He's dead na.
Me: MOM!!!!!

Poopie was my very first dog. We had dogs before but he was technically mine. When I was in college, I asked my Dad to buy me a dog and he gladly obliged. Poopie was very close to me. He slept in my room for months. I took care of him like a baby. I gave him formula milk, cuddled and bathed him until he was too big and I became very busy. My Mom took over eventually. He's very close to our hearts. He fathered many puppies and somehow served as a guard dog even if he was not one.

I asked the cause of his death but no one knows for sure because our helper just found him lying dead. He may have been bitten by a snake or just died of old age. I feel really sad that he is gone. My Mom is very sad too. I hope that Poopie is in doggy heaven now.

This is not Poopie but he looks exactly like this. I can't find a photo of him. :(

We will miss you, Poop! We love you.

Crazy Online Shopping

2011-08-18T23:34:00.003+08:00

In this age of internet and everything fast, online shopping is the bomb. You have a computer and internet access and you're done. You don't even need a credit card (Don't get me started on credit cards or it'll get ugly.) cos you can pay through bank deposits. It's so easy, you just click on pretty images of bags, shoes, and clothes and never realize the time that passed. Of course there is the problem of right size and quality but if you are a frequent shopper, you probably know your size and if the seller is trusted then quality is not a big problem.

So what's my problem with online shopping? Currently, I'm crazy looking at Multiply's Marketplace and Facebook searching for good deals. It makes me want things I don't really need. Gah.

Let's take a look.

1. Passport and ticket holder (Php 350)

I'm travelling soon, you know. I might as well put my passport and ticket in one place together with some of my cards. This will make my life easy. Do I really need it?

2. Pemberton Satchel (Php 1,099)

Satchels are so in right now. I think I would like to try this trend. Hmm. Aside from that, it matches one of my fave shoes! Do I really need it?

3. Elle Shoes (Php 1,500)

They're so cute! I bet these would look good on my feet. The heel height looks OK for everyday walking and design is not too out there so I can wear it to work and not get weird stares. Do I really need it?

4. Sally Skirt (Php 145)

Who doesn't need a skirt? It's fun and quirky that's why I like this. Also, sale! Do I really need it?

5. Corset Skirt Set (Php 1,400)

Travelling soon, so yeah. Ahem. Do I really need it?

Obviously, I still have a lot of free time even with work, sports and all. Help me decide or scold me. Be my guest.

EZ Search 1000s of Stores

New Blog Layout

2011-08-12T00:34:00.000+08:00

Tonight was weird cos I only had few students. I was not in a hurry and had a lot of idle time. Guess what I did on my free time. New blog layout! I'm not really a pro on matters like this but I try. What is Google for? And I'm not dumb so I can apply what I read. I want a pretty and well thought layout but maybe I'll do that later when I get my own hosting. #dreambig

Here's how it looks now.

I'm really unsure of that photo. It started out as a slideshow of my photos then I realized, who would want to see a slideshow of my face? I asked the Boyf to select just one and he picked this. I guess we now know what he likes to see. Not my face! LOL This photo might be replaced soon or every once in a while depending on my mood.

I tried to keep it clean and simple. At first, I wanted something really pink with flowers and butterflies and rainbows and glowing unicorns but Boyf said it looked like a college kid's blog. Boo!

Soooo, whatchuthink?

In a Rut

2011-08-10T23:29:00.000+08:00

In this post I will come clean.

I don't know if I have mentioned here that I'm under a lot of stress now. Stress that can eventually lead to depression. I'm getting over it one day at a time with the help of some very wonderful people. Thanks a lot you, guys! You know who you are.

Anyway, because of stress and loneliness and everything in between, I lost all desire to look pretty. I don't care about what I wear anymore. I have been dressing like a grad student with no time to shower these past weeks. My hair, which is sometimes unwashed, is always in a messy bun and not the intended messy-pretty type. It's not that I'm a fashionista or something but I usually care about my clothes and shoes. Now my love affair with my never been washed Chucks are back.

This girl? She's gone.

I consider myself mid-maintenance. I maybe high maintenance for some but I'm really not. You should see the real HM girls! I love making myself pretty and presentable and now I look like a taong grasa. Nothing against them but they are not very good to look at. I'd rather curl in bed than remove stray hairs on my face. I'd choose movies with McDonald's in my tummy over a good afternoon run.

This girl is not welcome to stay.

I don't like how I look so I'm turning things around. Just got a facial after work today. I'm scheduling my next cut and color visit and all the crazy stuff girls do to look pretty. This hairy messy greasy Jean is not here to stay. Shoo!

Scorpio Love is Passionate.

2011-08-08T23:25:00.001+08:00

You are probably wondering (or not) why I named my blog Scorpio Girl. Well aside from the obvious, I'm very much into my zodiac sign. I think it encapsulates me. I would like to put the whole description of a female Scorpio here but that will take up so much space so please click HERE, if you are interested.

Many of my friends, who are also into zodiac signs, told me to check the sign of a man before diving in. I never did. I don't know why. Maybe I wanted to gamble? Maybe I wanted to bend the signs? Maybe I wanted to experiment? Maybe I wanted love, fate, destiny, or whatever brouhaha to dictate my life and not the signs? I don't know. But I do check after the relationship ends. What for? To confirm.

Anyway, if I dated you or you want to date me (I'm assuming! LOL If you do not understand sarcasm, you're not one of my friends?), you might want to check this out if it's true. If you have completely no interest but you're thinking of dating a Scorpio, then read on. If you are bored, go ahead. I'm not stopping you.

Scorpio and Leo (July 23 – August 23)

There will be an instant mutual sexual attraction, equal in force between them. But Leo finds it hard to cope with Scorpio's jealousy and possessiveness. Intense, smouldering Scorpio is on a too short fuse, while Leo is much more buoyant. These two very strong willed individuals generally create some rather stormy moments. Generally in such relationships there will be no "romanticism", but these two are capable of sensual loving and good, long partnership.

Scorpio and Aries (March 21 – April 20)

The sex can turn out to be either stimulating or useless. There are two directions for the events to develop. Both the Aries and the Scorpio possess a large amount of physical energy. They are both inclined to act. On the other hand, they are both independent and do not like being controlled. Long-term disagreements may destroy their phenomenal ability to share passion of and with each other. Usually this is an unstable partnership with a low ignition point.

Scorpio and Cancer (June 22 – July 22)

Masterful Scorpio should make a good mate for quiet spoken Cancer. The Scorpio's force and his/her needs to dominate and protect is just what the Cancer is longing for. Cancer's possessiveness will actually make Scorpio feel secure. Cancer admires Scorpio's strength while Scorpio finds a haven in Cancer's emotional commitment. The Cancer is more sensitive about sexual relations, while the Scorpio is more passionate. The Cancer's desire to please helps avoid many problems in this area. The Scorpio's furious jealousy does not arise, since the Cancer is devoted to the partner. The love will be growing, and this passionate connection can develop in a perfect marriage.

Scorpio and Libra (September 23 – October 22)

Scorpio is too jealous for the careless Libra. His/her well known jealousy does not let him/her stay calm and wise. The Libra's carelessness concerning sex results in a quarrel. These problems can end up by driving Libra into an affair with someone else who does not make him/her feel restricted in any way. Scorpio is not the forgiving type and any infidelity will never be forgotten by this sign, and any taking back after this happens will be to get revenge on Libra for his/her act. Scorpio should dominate while Libra - submit. There is a strong mutual attraction between them, but this can lead to an explosion. This is a passionate rough connection and the marriage is not recommended.

Scorpio and Taurus (April 21 – May 21)

With a strong sexual urge both will find much in common. They are both equally active in sexual affairs. None of them needs to cheat on each other. On the other hand both are very jealous and stubborn. The difference between these two is that Taurus wants to own a lover, like a valuable object, and Scorpio tries to possess in an emotional sense. Taurus can be obstinate in his irritation and Scorpio can be dangerous if he/she is angry. So, this affair is complete of the problems, and marriage is possible only if both of them are very tolerant and intelligent people.

Scorpio and Capricorn (December 22 – January 20)

This union means successful sexual mutual relationships. Scorpio is the more imaginative lover, but Capricorn's stamina is a delightful match. Scorpio's possessiveness spells security to Capricorn. These two work well as a team - Capricorn is highly organized and Scorpio has native shrewdness. The Scorpio is more inventive, while the Capricorn is more patient. Their success in bedroom opens some interesting opportunities. The representatives of both signs have strong will, but the Scorpio is inclined to dominate. The Capricorn must understand that it happens because of the Scorpio's great love. The connection is usually passionate and marriages are successful.

Scorpio and Gemini (May 22 – June 21)

Gemini's imagination and Scorpio's dynamism can make a good combination if only these two are able to get along together. They are close in the sexual relationships, but that is not enough. Gemini is the type who tries to live a full, busy life but not so with Scorpio, as Scorpio is more centred on the idea of self improvement. Scorpio is sensual, passionate, demanding, jealous, and inflexible. Gemini is fickle, flighty, superficial, light-hearted, and changeable. Gemini is a social creature, Scorpio likes privacy. The representatives of Gemini's sign take everything too easy for the Scorpio. The Scorpio is purposeful while the Gemini always doubt. It will probably be a kind of relationships that is not easy to cope with difficult marriage as a result.

Scorpio and Virgo (August 24 – September 22)

Their interests are the same in many areas, but they are too different when it refers to the sexual sphere. It is difficult for them to establish good relationships. Virgo can become captious. Restrained Virgo has trouble keeping up with highly demonstrative Scorpio and doesn't understand what all the fuss and bother is about. Scorpio can fly into jealous rages for no reason, even if Virgo has proved to be a faithful mate, and the general Scorpio views are hard for Virgo to take or agree with for Virgo always sees the other side of the situation and the other person’s point of view. In other words Scorpio can be roughly frank. The spiritual affinity is possible for some time, and then Scorpio will probably begin to search for new sexual partners. Friendship may be the best idea here.

Scorpio and Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

These two are capable to light the fire even in the water. The problem is that they are too similar. They are both resolute, both are proprietors, and both have awful characters. They are highly jealous and demanding. They are so intense that every little storm quickly becomes a hurricane. Both are sulky, brooding, and possessive. Both are in a continual struggle to force the other to relinquish control. If they have different opinions about something, it may result in big cracks in their relationship, and as a result the mutual understanding between them will evaporate. Their connection can not last long outside a warm atmosphere of the bedroom. The connection is extraordinary. The marriage is a real disaster!

Scorpio and Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

Scorpio is dominant by nature, but he/she will have trouble keeping their Sagittarius partner under control. Scorpio loves his/her house while the Sagittarius' suitcase is always ready to be taken to a journey. The freedom is necessary for Sagittarius. Sagittarius’s far-roaming interests constantly make Scorpio jealous. Romantically, this is a volatile combination. Sagittarius is playful about sex and finds Scorpio's intense, dominating passions too much to cope with. Soon Sagittarius's inclination is to fly. Their mutual attraction is explained by sex and cannot last for a long time. A one night's affair - yes; a marriage -NO.

Scorpio and Aquarius (January 21 – February 19)

This combination usually ends up getting into unpleasant terms after a little time. Fuelled by Scorpio's volatility and Aquarius's imaginativeness, sex is quite out of the ordinary. But Aquarius is turned off by Scorpio's powerful and jealous passions, and Scorpio is upset by Aquarius's unpredictable moods. Aquarius constantly participates in numerous public affairs. Scorpio can't bend the Aquarius to his/ her will, because of Aquarius' love of freedom. The Aquarius is extremely sociable. The Scorpio is reserved. The happiness in bed will not help this couple to be happy together. Let everyone go their own way.

Scorpio and Pisces (February 20 – March 20)

This may be a love at first sight combination. There is a strong mutual attraction between them. Pisces are ready to rely on Scorpio to compensate their indecision, and will agree with the Scorpio's aspiration to dominate. Scorpio’s jealousy and possessiveness won't bother Pisces-in fact, it makes Pisces feel loved. Pisces's dependency is just what Scorpio is looking for. These two share a special communion, much of it on a sensual, unspoken level. Both have intense feelings, are loyal, intuitive, interested in the mystical and the unusual. Their sexual life should be delightful. The Pisces are inventive. The Scorpio is persevering. Both - affair and marriage are successful.

- Source

Spot on or nah?

Rainy Days and Mondays

2011-08-01T21:58:00.000+08:00

I woke up at the wrong side of the bed today. Actually, I have been waking up at the wrong side for a few weeks already. It must be the weather or it's that time of the year again. If someday I get diagnosed with clinical depression, I won't be surprised.

There are days when waking up just feels wrong and your life feels useless. I'm glad I'm not suicidal. Don't be afraid, I won't try to kill myself. It's just that everything seems so dreary and gray. There have been a lot of rain but there are no rainbows. *sigh*

Today was the lowest of the low. I felt like stabbing my computer monitor. Of course,I did not do that or I'll get fired. I spent last night washing my eyes with tears so I can have healthier eyes. Eye washing is fun and good for you! Try it. LOL

Anyway, a good friend asked me to go to church with her and I obliged. I was scared at first because I haven't been to the church for a long time. I'm so glad I went. I felt so light and relieved after. Praying and the tranquility of the church helped. I'm no longer thinking of stabbing something.

Before I went to church, the cutest man in the world suggested I get a massage to ease my stress. I followed his suggestions and oh boy! I'm not sorry spending money in an activity where I was almost naked while some random girl was touching my bare skin.

During the massage, I was dreaming of minestrone. Hot soup in this cold weather? That's a no-brainer! I went to one of my favorite restaurants, which happened to be situated beside the spa. I ordered my favorite meal, minestrone and grilled chicken with veggies. No rice! Uh huh. Healthy living is the bomb.

Sadly, I felt physically sick after dinner. I decided to pop one tablet of paracetamol and two tablets of vitamin C. Nothing John Lloyd can't fix. *wink*

And now, I feel refreshed. I'm far from great but I'm getting there. Stress, begone!

A Letter To My Future Daughter

2011-07-19T11:00:00.002+08:00

My dear Daughter,

Being a girl is difficult, I know. You have to go through phases in your life that will require you to mature faster than boys. Your body will change and you will become self-conscious. Please bear in mind that you are unique. The media, your peer and family (especially your Grandmother) will affect your body image and self-esteem. Don't let them, including me, get to you. Eat what you want but eat healthily. Don't starve then binge. A few fats here and there is not bad. A real woman has curves. Don't let the billboards and magazines fool you. The skinny models probably haven't eaten a steak in ten years. The actresses frequent Belo. They are not real. Don't let the pressure of having a beautiful grandmother get to you. Don't be envious. Be proud of what you are and what you have but please don't be arrogant or I'll spank you. Take good care of yourself physically but do not be vain. Play in the mud and run in the fields. Get some scars and bruises, it is part of growing up.

When the time comes that you get attracted to some boy or girl (Don't worry, I will talk to your Dad.), don't be shy. Tell me. I will not judge you nor reprimand you. Liking and getting attracted to other people is normal. When you start dating, please be cautious. Take good care of your heart. I can't promise that I can protect you from all the heartaches. I do promise, however, to hold your hand while we drink wine and talk about the bad boys and your heartaches. You will meet a lot of douchebags so be careful on giving up yourself. Choose carefully and please use protection. You don't want to get diseases or get pregnant immediately, right?

Style and fashion is important. I encourage you to wear what you feel like wearing. But please, for the love of heavens, don't dress like a whore. If someday you get a figure of a bombshell, please bear in mind that you don't have to show them to the world. Be unique but classy. Showing your tits to everyone will not only make your father go mad but will also bring you nowhere. Unless you plan to become a Playboy bunny someday. Please don't.

I encourage you to do sports and get sweaty. Aside from it being a good workout, you will meet a lot of awesome people. I also encourage you to tap your artistic side. Remember, you have it in your blood. You just have to learn how to use it. Read a lot books, listen to different kinds of music, and watch local and foreign films. Broaden your world and let them inspire you. You can always come to my room and read a book beside me while I smoke, drink coffee, and listen to some artist your Dad probably doesn't know. I hope you do not smoke. Your Dad and I are bad examples.

Lastly, don't try to be me. You are so much better and you can go to far more places. Be yourself.

I don't know what your name is but I'm sure it ain't Jhunalyn. LOL Mom is funny, eh?

xoxo

Mom

Healthy Living

2011-06-15T23:54:00.001+08:00

I came back to the Philippines with a lot more weight than before I left. I blame stress. I can eat a whole chicken in one sitting. One whole pizza? Give that to me! Pitcher after pitcher of beer? Easy peasy. I'm a stress eater and it's disgusting.

Proof.

EEEEEWWWWW.

I knew I wanted to lose weight and I did it through exercising -- running, boxing, basketball, swimming, you name it. I'm not a fan of dieting because I'm always hungry. I guess my plan was eat the same stuff and burn everything after. It was working for me. I actually lost weight. Only problem was I was bloated all the time. My tummy was like an angry monster of some sort trying to get out of its cage. Scary.

So I kinda changed my game plan cos I promised The Guy, the next time he sees me, my tummy will be flat. I know, big big promise. First thing that came to mind: STOP DRINKING BEER. All my friends were in disbelief. I was actually successful for about two months and then friends needed a shoulder to cry on while drinking. I gave in. I couldn't do the no beer diet. Whenever I go out, which is, like, twice a month, I forgive myself and drink a max of two bottles of light beer.

Since I like challenging myself, I pushed it and made my daily food intake "healthier". I'm not a fan of fish and veggies. But now, I try to eat them everyday. I also try to stay away from rice, not a very hard task for me. I also stopped eating merienda months ago so this helps a lot. I make sure I eat three full meals a day so I don't feel hungry and crave a snack.

I then read on Helga's Tumblr about Livestrong and decided to try it out. I'm already on a "health program" so I don't see why not. To be honest, it is time-consuming but I think it is worth it. I suggest you try it.

I ran 5K that day so they calculated and subtracted the calories I burned.

I feel good about myself. I'm planning to stick to this health thing and do more. I want to try Juju Cleanse and get a facial every month. Getting old is not easy so I need to take good care of my body.

How about you? What are you doing to keep fit and healthy?