Another Want

Meet Prada. PHP 33,587.40

And Gucci. PHP 33,345.77

Both at saksfifthavenue.com

KALOKA!

It's fine though. I believe in delayed gratification. At least I try to. hahaha

I still have a lot to work on before I can give myself these bags. All I can afford right now are Longchamp totes. :))

With or without these, (I'm pretty sure it's without haha!), it's still a happy happy Christmas!

Let's see in 2010 k?

My first Christmas Project!

First of all, for the nth time, I'd like to thank everyone who took part in this project. Including those who showed interest even if they weren't able to make it. Your interest really inspired me to push through with the project.

Second, to those who made it- Issa, Andy, Punky and Wenggay. You guys are superb!

Third, to those who donated stuff. Sir Nestle for the five boxes of shampoo, to Claude for the many baby stuff, to Aleli for the diapers, to Punky for the cleaning stuff, to Weng for the Nestle products and to Andy for the cotton goods.

Anyway back to the day of the visit. Imagine my horror when our only carpool backed out that morning. I was panicking but I told my friend it was fine. I really couldn't blame her coz it was for academic reasons. I prayed, prayed so hard that today will be smooth despite the lack of transpo. That we'd find a cab who can take us there.

While getting dressed, another friend said she can't make it but will meet me to drop off her donations. I got sad coz I was hoping we could catch up during the visit but I said it was fine. I was also frantically texting Issa to tell her about the lack of car, and then asked if she could get me lunch at McDo. She then told me she'll try to ask a cab to take us to the orphanage. I told her to offer a maximum of 500 pesos 'kontrata' trip. I was that desperate to get a transpo for us.

Minutes later, Issa messaged me saying she got a cab who agreed to take us there for 250 pesos ONLY! And she didn't have a hard time talking to the driver.

For me it was a miracle. Call me exage but I think my prayers were answered right at that moment.

The four of us- Issa, Weng, Andy and I made our way to the orphanage. The taxi driver was very nice. And he knew where we were going. Amazing.

We arrived at the orphanage on time. The nuns and helpers greeted us happily. And then we started playing with the kids. The kids were very sweet. They kept hugging us. It was very heartwarming.

I chatted with one of the nuns and asked about the kids. They're temporarily staying at the orphanage until they recover from their illness. These kids are from the poorest families in the slums of Manila. Some were abandoned. Some had drug addict parents. The nuns really feels sorry for the kids. Sister said they tried to provide livelihood for the parents of the kids but nothing succeeded. She said the parents were contented in their way of life- begging other people for alms to feed their family. It's really sad to hear because these kids could have a good future if their parents sacrifice a little more.

Anyway, I just really pray that there will be hope for the children.

Here are the photos.

Issa carrying Kim. Leleng hugs her.

Punky and Nina.

us!

I hope you can join us in our next project. yay!

New Wishlist

Yes, I have a new material wishlist hahaha

1. Book: The Tropical House - Cutting edge design in the Philippines

I'm hoping Joop gets me this book but he's hesitant coz it's worth Php1995. haha

2. Book: 100 cities of the World (by Falko Brenner) Php 795 (I think I'll ask this one from Joop instead of the one aforementioned.)

3. Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn books - in original covers (not the movie cover) What better way to feel 'in love' than read and reread the Twilight series? haha

4. Kimmy Dora original DVD - I just loooove Eugene Domingo.

5. Travel with my family (this was in my original list)

SUPER KADUPER LAPIT NA NG PASKO! Merry Christmas everyone!

Bahay kubo...not.

Found out today that the Cullen house in Twilight is different from the Cullen house in in New Moon.

TWILIGHT

This is the Hoke House

NEW MOON

The vampires' living room.

Wala lang. I find myself missing Jacob Black this past few days.

First three photos from nhit-shis.org

Last photo from vulgarmoon.blogspot.com

Crime Scene

If you're following me on twitter, you probably read that a few days ago a bottle of lotion went missing here at home. I concluded it was just one of those 'may nagmumulto sa akin' moments when things go missing and will show up the morning after.

"Been around the house sooo many times and still can't find that huge bottle of lotion."

You also probably read that last night I was crying. Let me tell you why. (Tweets are in bold, to give a clearer picture of the events.)

I decided to pack my stuff for Iloilo because my room is a wreck you can't even walk straight because almost all our stuff is in here. The renovation started yesterday instead of the planned schedule so I had to shove all our office stuff in my room. Anyway, so while packing, I decided to take out the bags I'll be needing then I noticed I was missing one traveling bag.

I tried to clear my bag rack (it's actually the second level of the double deck) to check and recheck if It just fell on the sides or got squished under my pile of bags. But no, it wasn't there. I was crying all night, desperately scouring the house of the possible places where I might have left the bag. Even if in my mind, it has always been in one single location in my room.

"I'm calm now but I can't wait to find the culprit.

Sasabunutan ko, sisigawan at papalayasin. Yes, as in like the teleserye."

"Okay joke lang. Maybe that's too harsh. Pagagalitan ko lang."

I couldn't sleep. I was so mad. (WHO COULD DO THIS TO ME?!) I was angry because I couldn't think of a suspect. Until I remembered that two days ago (when the bottle of lotion went missing) I absentmindedly left the house open when I went to the clubhouse to pay the homeowner's fee. That day it was only my aunt's maid who was here. I didn't want to accuse her of anything. Because she seems like a good person. And it'd be embarrassing to accuse someone and then find out you're wrong diba? I fell asleep around 4 AM maybe because I got so tired of crying. But at 9 am, I heard my aunt supervising the clearing here at home, and the renovation started again so I got up to talk to my aunt (with my bagong gising hair and crappy sleeping clothes). I told her what happened so she decided to do a surveillance. I called my mom to tell her what happened.

Minutes later my aunt was shouting, calling my name. And when I got to their maid's room, THE BAG WAS THERE. The maid tried to defend that she bought in from the palengke. JUSKOLORD PALENGKE?! My auntie continued to scour the maid's stuff, then I found my lotion! NOT JUST ONE BOTTLE, BUT TWO BOTTLES. Then my dad's stash of soaps were there, our stock of shampoos. Lots of stuff. I was...tulala because I cannot believe she could do that. I have been so good to her. I give her merienda when I have pizza delivered here. I treat her well. I don't even order her to do stuff for me coz she's not my maid. She's the maid at the other house. And may pahabol pa. I found one of my dresses under the stack of clothes. WHAT THE HELL DIBA???

But I never got to the point of screaming at her. I was just there standing while my aunt kept asking "Bakit mo nagawa yun?" My hands and feet were cold, my breaths were deep, I was frustrated. I told her "Hindi naman ako galit. Nakakainis lang na pinagkakatiwalaan ka namin. Eh kung karpintero nga pinagkakatiwalaan namin, ikaw pa. Kung kailangan mo ng tulong, humingi ka ng tulong. Pwede mo naman hingin tong mga to."

She was crying. She asked sorry. I've forgiven her. But she can never bring the trust back. I'm disappointed. I trusted her. I didn't even want to accuse her at first. But we all know our actions have consequences. She'll probably lose her job. She will just finish her December term and will be sent back to the province where she came from. It's so frustrating. How I trusted her and treated her right. It's frustrating for that trust to be broken.

I called my mom again to tell her what we found out. I cried on the phone out of frustration. "Nakakainis talaga. Nakakinis." I said to my mom.

Right now I can't even look at her. Not because I'm mad. I can't look at her 'coz I feel that every time we see each other, she will only be reminded of the wrong she has done.