My life here...

Inside Arizona Mills, one of the malls that I get to see this week. It's near my apartment.

Inside the apartment that I live in. We really look good together huh?


The car that I drive, a Nissan Xterra 4WD A/T. It takes a lot of practice getting used to this car because I drive a stick shift car back home. But I love it! I also noticed that plate numbers in this state is displayed at the rear part of the car only. I wonder why..

The phone I use, a T-Mobile Flexpay Samsung t109 Olive Green domestic dual band phone with myFaves.

Are you in nostalgia?

I've been here for three days. My aunts have been calling me almost alternately to check up on me. I've been asked several times if I feel homesick. I told them no, I am fine and doing okay. They probably think I'm lying or I'm trying to cover it up. But honestly, I don't.

Wikipedia says that Homesickness (or in some cases, Nostalgia), is the distress or impairment caused by an actual or anticipated separation from the specific home environment or attachment objects. That it occurs when one travels and may be heightened when one is in an unfamiliar environment or foreign cultural context.

Well, I felt that way once back in 2001 when I was in Oman. But here, it is different. My wife says that it is natural to feel homesick, in fact she thinks that I feel that way. When we talked about it this afternoon before she went to work she was surprised when I said that I really don't feel sad or anxious or depressed that I am here. Ang weird ko nga daw.

The answer is simple: I am home in her arms. Why would I be homesick?

What happened before this?

Ang mahiwagang medyas... hindi siya mapakali, kailangan niya talaga kuhanan ng litrato ang paang ito. Ito lang kasi ang balot na balot sa buong magdamag.



Come to think of it, ang sexy nung image na na-create in between them di ba? Hahahaha! Umandar na naman ang mahalay kong pag-iisip! Ehek! Ssssshhhh...

Home

After almost thirty hours of travel and waiting at the airport, I am finally home in the arms of my one great love. Hindi halatang stressed ako at pagod ano?


Grocery muna bago umuwi sa bahay. Takaw ko daw kasi kaya kailangan dami stock na pagkain. Ehek!


Inside the car, tensed siya kasi dadaan kami ng freeway! Hehehehe! Ayaw tuloy tumingin sa camera. Serious daw siya.

Mahalo

Waiting for Bus 19 or 20 en route to Aloha Tower. Might as well use up my time checking out Hawaii while waiting for my connecting flight
Finally, Bus 19
Traffic in Honolulu is just like traffic in Makati
This guy looks like a Mexican but he's actually a Filipino from Ilocos. Nakalibre tuloy ako ng pamasahe! Hahahaha!
Along Bishop Road
Just got to take pictures!
Along Aloha Tower
Nice tree
View from the Aloha Tower
This is what I got for the $15 voucher from Hawaiian Airlines. Just had to give us something for the delayed flight huh?

Aloha!

I'm here in Hawaii. I got stuck here for eight hours. I wasn't able to catch my connecting flight to Phoenix because my flight from Manila got delayed for four hours. I didn't know where else to go so I took Bus 20, I got off at Bishop St. and went to Aloha Tower. I wanted to visit Pearl Harbor but I don't have that much time. So, here I am back at the airport waiting for my 22:55 US Airways Flight 125.

Will post pictures later. ;)

Brothers and Sisters

Here's my Mom, Ate Nene and my Dad. Look how my Dad eats, taga-bukid na taga-bukid ano?

Yesterday was my Tata Juan's 22nd death anniversary. My Dad's siblings decided to have a get together at Kuya Ruben's house. It was a lunch date. It's been a long time since I visited Kuya Ruben. I haven't seen him for years.. to think that we are in the same locality. Oh well..

My Mom and her youngest apo, Yzabelle

My Dad and Kuya Ruben, comfortable. I've seen how these two bond together.

I find it amazing to see how affectionate they are towards each other. They don't have much but they were trained by Inang Maria to hold on to each other. Yesterday Ate Nene was complaining of a back problem. I can see that she is really hurt and frustrated. Sabi nga ng Kuya Ruben, hindi daw siya sanay na nakikitang nakahawak sa balakang ang Ate. Sanay daw siyang nakikitang listong-listo ito at kung saan-saan nakakarating. And then he kissed Ate Nene in the forehead. I smiled. Hindi kasi kami nasanay na magkakapatid sa ganung klase ng lambing, sanay kaming nag-aasaran lang.

Ate Nene, my Dad, Kuya Ruben

My Mom, my cousin Miko, Ate Nene, Dad and Tita Baby

Ate Nene, Dad, Tita Baby

Kids!

My new baby

I finally got my new baby after a week of torturing myself whether or not I need it!

The Acer Aspire One HDD (120GB SATA with Windows XP Home)Golden Brown UMPC.

Hehehehe! An early Christmas and birthday gift for me I guess. Well, I've got to pay for this for a year. Better get myself ready for lots of work then!

Specifications for the Acer Aspire One includes:
- Intel Atom Processor N270
- (1.60GHz. 512KB L2 Cache,533MHz FSB)
- Mobile Intel 945GSE Express Chipset
- Acer Invilink 802.11b/g WiFi Wireless Network Network Connection
- Microsoft Windows XP Home
- 1GB Memory (onboard 512MB + 1x 512MB Module)
- 8.9" WSVGA TFT CrystalBrite LCD (1024x600 pixel)
- LED Backlight - 262,000 color supported
- 120GB SATA HDD (with one storage slot for SD Card for storage expansion)
- Integrated Acer CrystalEye Webcam
- Multi-in-1 Card Reader
- Built-in 10/100 Mbps LAN
- with 89% full size keyboard
- with notebook sleeve
- Weight: 1.26Kg. (2.78lbs.)
- 6cell Battery
- One (1) Year Warranty (Parts and Labor)
- One (1) Year International Travellers Warranty

Me and my wife chose the color. We do have a lot of things in common.

;)

I'll tinker with it while waiting for my wife to go online.

Good luck

I woke up late this morning. I've been having trouble sleeping soundly for the past few days. It must be the anticipation and excitement getting into me. So, instead of staying in bed, I got up and took my first cup of coffee for the day. I switched on the TV and found myself channel surfing. Hindi na ata ako sanay manuod ng TV! Ang tagal kasi naming nag-abstain sa paggamit ng TV eh. Hehehehe! I heard the footsteps of Nicole and Ethan. And then, Nicole said Tita BG, good luck na lang ha? Aalis ka na pala sa Thursday! I was surprised. Itong batang ito talaga kung magsalita akala mo matanda na!

I told them that it's only temporary, that I would still come back. I asked them to pray for me. Sabi nga ni Ethan, magpi-pray daw siya para mapadalan ko siya ng mga toys. Sus!

Kids. Sure am going to miss them.

Istayl Oliva

Men in my family (my mom as well as my dad's relatives) are well-known for their subtlety. They exude a certain kind of appeal that makes women take a second look and fall in love with them. I have seen how my uncles swept women off their feet. I don't know how they do it, they just do.

Being a Cruz and an Oliva heightened this trait. Last Thursday, my mom and I woke up early. We were drinking coffee when she asked me why my youngest brother's car isn't in the driveway yet. I told her I have no idea since I didn't get any message from him. Mom told me that he and two of my female cousins went out for a drink. On a Wednesday night? Weird. I knew my Mom was worried sick so I sent SMS to my brother and asked him where he was. He answered that he was on his way home. I told my Mom about it but still, she's palpitating. My brother already had a car accident once.

I took a bath and was already dressed up when my brother knocked at my door, Sabay ka ba kay Yaku? Lika na. I told him to wait up since Yaku sent me a message that he'll leave a little later. My youngest brother explained that he already went home in the wee hours of the morning and went out early because he had a business transaction. At five or six in the morning? Oh, come on! I knew right there and then that there's something fishy going on. I grinned.

On our way to Mercury-Malhacan he was looking at the mirror profusely. Then he blurted out, Bakit kaya parang may lipstick ako? Eh puyat na nga at nakainom? I wanted to just hit him hard and comment Tarantado, istayl mo! May kasama kang babae kagabi kaya ganyan lips mo! But I opted not to, baka kasi mapahiya at hindi na magkwento.

I told my wife about it and she had the same reaction. Only it came back to me. Manang-mana daw sa akin ang kapatid ko. Ehek!

Runs in the family? You be the judge.

;)

Onin

I volunteered to take the place of our liaison officer today, she's the adviser of the Sigma Society which sponsored the seminar on RA 9262, anti-sexual harassment law and she couldn't just leave. So, I took her place and went to the city hall to submit our payroll and talk to the mayor regarding a certain request. (Pero sa totoo lang, wala na kasi ako magawa sa school at nababagot ako kaya gusto kong gumala!

I went to the accounting office to submit the payroll, I was asked to submit it in triplicate so I had to photocopy the document. So, I left the room and went to the mayor's office. I saw Tita Chari and she told me to have the letter received by Amy. Tita Chari introduced me to her, that I am the eldest daughter of Lita and Resty.. to which she responded happily Nakasama ko Mami mo sa Bancal nung nagtuturo pa ako, tapos ang Dadi mo naman kabarkada ng asawa ko. Ikaw ba 'yung maliit na bata na kasa-kasama ni Lita noon? At this point, I really have no idea if she was referring to me or my siblings. So I replied, Kamukha po ba ni Nino Muhlach 'yung batang nakikita niyo noon? Her eyes become round and then she said.. Oo nga! Ikaw 'yun batang mataba na bibo!

Funny how people remember me when I was a child. The child wonder look-alike. Buti na lang hindi ko na siya kamukha ngayon! Hahahahaha!

Usapang bata

Isang araw narinig kong nag-uusap-usap ang mga pamangkin ko. Akala ko naman kung anung seryosong topic ang pinag-uusapan nila, lumapit ako para marinig ko ng maayos. Nakatingin lang din ang nanay ko sa kanila. Nasa may hapag-kaininan kami ng nanay ko at nasa may sala silang tatlo. Ganito ang takbo ng usapan nila:

Nicole (7): Sige nga, si Tita BG ba boy or girl?
Janna (4): Girl kaya!
Ethan (4): Hindi. Bading si Tita BG!
Nicole: Hindi bading si Tita BG, tomboy siiya. At alam ko kung bakit! *sabay tingin sa akin at sa lola niya*
BG: O sige nga, bakit?
Nicole: Sabi ni lola dahil daw sa asawa ni Nanay Ester kaya ka naging tomboy! Di ba lola? *sabay tingin sa lola niya waiting for approval*
Mami: Oo, nangangabayo pa nga yan at sumasakay sa karitela at kalesa. Tapos mga laruan niya baril-barilan at mga kotse.
Ethan: Joke lang. Alam ko naman na girl si Ninang BG. Pero kung boy siya, pogi siya!
Janna: Nakita ko na nga naka bold si Ninang BG eh! Girl siya. Pero parang boy kasi may buhok sa may tiyan!

Hahahaha! Hanggang ngayon pag naiisip ko ang mga usapan ng mga pamangkin ko, amazed pa rin ako. Sa murang edad nila, napapag-usapan nila openly ang tungkol sa gender ko at tanggap nila ako. Buti na lang andun din si Mami, taga-explain sa kanila. Hindi sila sinasaway, gina-guide lang. Ang swerte ko talaga. Tanggap nila ako.

;)

Off to the alternative doctor

Nagkayayaan kami last Sunday na magpunta kay Tito Ernie aka Dok Ernie. Si Mami at Dadi ang nagyaya. Naglalaba pa ako nung nangulit sila. Narinig ng dalawang bata, gustong sumama. Narinig si Boy, sumama rin. Ang ending? Kaming apat lang ang natuloy. Hahahahaha! Naiwan ang dalawang matanda dahil for sure magtatagal daw kami. True enough, andun kami until four in the afternoon. Nag-reformat kasi ng desktop PC si Boy. Ako naman nagpagamot at nakipagkwentuhan kay Tita Baby.

Pictures namin habang nasa kotse.. sabi ni Misis Tikboy, ang macho ko daw. Hahahahaha!

Photo ops (senti)

Me and Buniknik
Me, Buniknik and Banana
Me and Banana

Mom's 60th birthday

We decided to celebrate my Mom's birthday by having lunch out at Max's.