Hair, Anyone?
Okay, I'll skip the weekend recap for now, because what the hell is this that we found on the road?! Anyone seen someone who has been freshly scalped?
TGIF
How the days go by so fast! I guess with this new job being the way it is, the week is over even before I realize it. It's not that I'm extremely busy, but for some reason, time just seems to go faster in this place.
Looking ahead though, I see that idle time is going to be pretty scarce until mid-October. My parents will be here for a visit, and so will some of my relatives, because it's my grandmother's 80th birthday, and we're having a big party for her. That's in Sept-Oct. Now this weekend is packed too - a birthday party, golf, a movie, a trip to Catalina, a dinner - and then next weekend is the big Sequoia trip, which I'm really looking forward to.
==============================
Yesterday was my cousin's birthday, so the family had dinner out. It's nice to be with family and all, but dinner was served after nine, and I could barely think straight! My cousin was delayed at work, and when we got to the first restaurant we wanted to eat at, they were totally packed (on a Thursday night?!?!?!). So we had to decide on another place and by the time we got there, it was 8:30, and I was practically hallucinating.
Okay, maybe not, but I was really really really hungry.
==============================
The days are getting colder, and while I complained about the heat, I'm missing it now. But I suppose the cold seasons are what makes summer something to look forward to, and something to make the most of.
Drooping Eyelids
I'm at work, but I'm on the verge of falling asleep, and phlogging is the only thing that is keeping me awake now. Things are a little slow today - not much to do, and not many people around to talk with. I took a long lunch, as advised by my boss, and yet I still find myself with nothing to do.
...and of course, since nothing is going on, there's not much I can write either. Sigh.
Weekend Recap: San Jacinto
At last!!! I can phlog again. Verizon DSL was down yesterday, and I was flipping out big-time. Now it's back to normal.
So the past weekend, Joedie, Angela, Marc and I drove over to Mount San Jacinto for an overnight camp. We first went the touristy way - got on the Aerial Tram and oohed and aahed over the views. Then we went on a four-mile hike before checking into our campsite. In the evening, we simply hung out and played boardgames.
The next day, after having breakfast and packing up, Marc and I hiked up to Lily Rock in Tahquitz for a quick climb. I was a little disappointed that we weren't able to stay longer, but the climb was still great, and the view beautiful, as you can see in this picture.
New Friend
Today, I realized that I had a new friend. It just so happens that he's my boss too. It's such a nice feeling to unexpectedly find myself someone's confidante, especially since I've only known this person for about three weeks. We're not even close to being joined at the hip, but just to know that it's not merely a business relationship is good, because I feel more relaxed.
This morning, when I called him, I actually felt bad because I just started rattling off updates to him, and he kept saying "okay", and then he cut me off in mid-sentence, and confided in me about a personal problem that he's been having lately. I totally forgot to ask him how he was, when he had already been talking to me about it everyday since Monday.
My boss' father is a blast too. Today, he wanted to bake Nestle cookies for his grandchildren. He had the whole thing, uncut and on a plate, ready to go in the microwave. I had to step in and show him how to do it, and when another person tried to help me, he said, "Let her do it, she's a better cook than you." And I know he said that because he has this notion that all Filipinos are good cooks. He keeps asking me if I know other Filipinos around here, and he's just so fascinated with the culture that I actually like bumping into him while I'm working at the office, because his questions and his compliments make me smile. He's such a sweetheart.
Obscene?
I mentioned in my last entry that we helped pick out a water fountain for the condo. Well, the ones that I liked were all outdoor fountains, and we couldn't have that inside, because we have hardwood floors that cannot bear getting wet. We did like this one fountain, which my uncle and I first saw on a website, but I thought it was a little obscene. When I saw the actual piece though, I thought, "Hey, it might not be so bad." So we ended up buying that.
Well now, I took a picture of that fountain at the store before we left. Okay, I don't know how many people will read this phlog entry, but if you do, please comment on this.
Weekend Recap: Sailing!!!
Well, this weekend has just been all about the ocean. Saturday afternoon, after some plans fell through, I ended up at the north end of Venice Beach, after telling Marc, "I was supposed to be in the water this afternoon!!!!" So as usual, we piled on the sunblock, and I had to force Marc to wait a few minutes for it to take effect. Then we jumped in and bodysurfed for awhile. The water was surprisingly warm, so we had a fantastic time. Maybe for next time, I'll get Marc to buy a bodyboard, so we can actually catch waves. Hahaha! :D
Then Sunday morning, we got a nice impromptu invite to go sailing. So Marc and I went with Tito Monching, as promised, to pick out a water fountain for the condo, but we rushed out as soon as we got back so we could make it before his friend shoved off. And all I can say is, wow. First of all, sailing in itself is so relaxing (I almost fell asleep with the waves rocking the boat), but to top it off, we were in really good company. I enjoyed meeting and chatting with the people who were with us. You can see how good a time we had in this picture (although I'm a little disappointed that Marc wasn't in it because
someone had to be the cameraman -- there was no way the camera could get a good shot with the timer).
Well, there you go. One of the best weekends ever.
And now it's Monday, and I just got back from work. It's been a long, exhausting day. I wasn't able to eat lunch until around 3pm, and we had so much paperwork to go through. But again, I am really learning a lot, so I have no complaints.
Filipino Humor
Not much to write about, but here is what's been keeping me amused lately:
Chona's BlogI don't know if anyone who's not Filipino will really appreciate this site. But suffice to say that Filipinos laugh about wrong grammar and wrong spelling. Keep that in mind when viewing this site. It would also help if you've heard the accent before.
Down Time
It's a little slow here at work today, so I have some time to kill. Of course, what I did was research more recipes on the web. As if I don't have enough already! But that's the definition of an addiction, isn't it?
The Theology on Tap series was concluded last night, and looking back gives me a sense of accomplishment somehow, that I was a part of something that people came to and participated in. It's a great feeling.
So last night, the Theology on Tap head Dennis called on everyone of us who helped (Marc included, which made me happy), and it felt pretty good to be recognized too. So I think I'm going to keep doing things like this; Brian has already told me that he is going to recruit me for a speaker series he's co-chairing in October. I said, "As long as you don't put me in front of a crowd, I'm in!"
I've been feeling a little guilty though, because I haven't had time to hang out with my uncle. I don't think I came home early any day this week. Or if I did, I always had someone over. Monday, I went grocery shopping then sat down to watch a couple of Friends episodes with Marc. Tuesday, I had Marc over and I was fixing his friend's laptop. Wednesday, I had my cousin and his groupmate over for a project they needed help with. Thursday, I had Theology on Tap. And it looks like tonight won't be any different than the rest of the week. Yikes! I feel like I'm only a boarder in that house! That's just wrong.
I Love Summer But....
...tell me how I can stop missing this. I only went once this year, and of course since it was my first time out, I was on my butt one out of the two days I snowboarded. But it's not just that. With all this heat right now, I'd almost love to lay naked in a bed of snow.
Okay, I said almost.
For the past two days, I've had to go out in the afternoon to look at apartments, and the heat has just been unforgiving. Just walking to my car from the door of the house is already torture. Of course, if it was a Saturday and I was going to the beach, I probably wouldn't be complaining.
Not that the job isn't great, because it is. It's a lot nicer than sitting in front of the computer for a long period of time. I'm able to actually talk with people, and everyone's been so nice. I guess it says a lot about John too, because these are the people he deals with everyday. And yes, John's great. He's been really good about explaining things to me, trying to make me understand more about this field. And he's been giving me assignments where I know I will learn even more. So no major complaints about this job at all.
Well, save for maybe the food. There's just too much food in that house! When I get there in the morning, there's coffee and ricecakes or fruit or even beef stew (in the morning!). Then there's usually a big lunch. Then sometimes, there's even an afternoon snack that comes even without my asking, so of course, to be polite, I have to eat it. Yikes!
Well anyway, so really, it's just the heat that's killing me. I can't wait for January when I get to go to Mammoth again!
Cookbook addiction
I bought another cookbook today. This is my fourth one in a span of about three months, and I've only used recipes from them about twice. I don't know what it is exactly, but the minute I see one at a store and look at its glossy pages, I just have to have it. Maybe because it represents so many possibilities, so many options for you to choose from. And the good thing is that when you choose one, that doesn't mean you don't get to try the others some other time!
Oh, and this isn't just any other cookbook. It's a
three-ingredient cookbook, take that. I bought a four-ingredient cookbook a couple of months back and thought it was the coolest thing in the world, but now the same people have beaten their own record and come out with this new one.
Wow, I could come up with my own too, actually: the two-ingredient cookbook:
Recipe 1:Ingredients:
Bread
Butter
Pop the bread into a toaster oven and wait until it "ding!"s. Carefully remove bread from oven. Slice through the middle with a bread knife. With the same knife, take little pats of butter and spread evenly inside the bread.
Recipe 2:Ingredients:
1.5 cups ready-made/pre-packed cereal
2% reduced fat milk
Pour cereal into a bowl. Pour milk into same bowl, until it almost covers the cereal.
Climbing Day and Camera Follies
Today, Marc and I went out early (well,
relatively early, for a weekend) and drove to Ojai for a climbing experience. It wasn't like the Mt. Williamson trip because we only did one climb -- Marc was trying to introduce me to a style of climbing called traditional climbing.
Now while Marc will always claim that I was awesome, I think I completely bombed on this climb. I barely made it through the start of the climb, and when I reached the top, I was too dehydrated to go on with the second pitch (wow, I'm using the lingo now haha). To top it all off, we had to rappel down the cliff, and I totally freaked out. A guy we had just met had to belay me down so I would be confident enough to put all of my weight on the rope. It was quite embarrassing.
Of course, I forgot my camera so we weren't able to take any photos. And because of that stupid camera, I didn't make it to an apartment complex I'm supposed to look at this weekend for work.
So it was a bit of a bad way to end the day. But I'm still alive, so it can't be that bad.
Oh, by the way, that movie
Garden State is a must-see. Highly recommended. Two thumbs and two big toes up!
Adjustments
Here I am at work, and maybe it's getting better. Maybe it just takes a little bit of getting used to. I mean, nothing can beat working out of your own home. So I'm sure that whatever job I take on that requires a commute will take a little bit of getting used to. So maybe that's why I feel a little like throwing a tantrum on the floor to get what I want. Hahaha!
But I'm learning a lot, because this guy John seems to love passing on the knowledge. Yesterday, I got an investment techniques lecture from him that lasted quite awhile. I wanted to ask more questions but he had to leave already, and I didn't want to sound totally clueless. Maybe I'll do research on my own before I open my mouth.
John's into scanning pictures a lot, and I wish I could post the pictures here but I don't think that's a good idea. Suffice to say, his mom was a real beauty, and his girlfriend is beautiful as well.
And no, I'm not gay.
I don't think I've ever made this many phone calls in my life. I'm not even a pick-up-the-phone-and-call-someone-just-because kind of person. But maybe this is practice. In a span of two days, I have come across New York accents, Texas accents, and some that I don't even recognize.
Anyway, back to work.
First Day on the Job!
I started my new job today. John said to meet him at 8:15 am at Belwood Bakery Cafe, so I went to bed at 10:00 pm last night (and even made Marc sleep the same time I did so I won't feel like I'm missing out on anything), woke up at 5:45 (but got up at 6:00+), got dressed for my workout, and labored away at the elliptical machine. I didn't even make it to twenty minutes. Then I did the usual weights and standard ab exercises.
When I got back, I hurried into the shower, grabbed a quick breakfast, and as discussed, I called John to remind him that he and I were supposed to meet. Well, what do you know, he was already having breakfast - somewhere else. I waited till almost 9 before he called and said he was ready to meet me. So that was a bummer.
And now it's the end of the day, and I think I did a pretty good job. Might have forgotten a thing or two, but pretty good for a first day, I think. But I'm tired and seriously sleep-deprived, so I'm cranky and feeling very flippant. I really need the rest.
Tomorrow, I told John that I was going to be there at 8:30 am. That way, I don't have to wake up so damn early. It only takes a few minutes to get to his place anyway. Thank God for that. And tomorrow is Santa Monica steps day so my workout won't take that long.
Well, this is the end of my day. I'm eating a yogurt, washing up, reading a little bit and then going to bed. It will take awhile before I get used to not working from home, not being able to get up and pad over to the "office" in my pajamas. Oh well. It's all well worth it (or at least I hope it is).
Well, good night!
Hope
Yesterday, I got a phone call.... Not exactly what I was hoping for, but at least it's not what I was dreading. There is still hope! And I'm less nervous now because I had already given up on hearing from this guy, and now he's back. I just feel more confident about this whole thing. And if it doesn't work out, well, there'll be other opportunities.
==============================
And there you go. I got the call, I got what I wanted. Wish me luck, everyone!
Weekend Recap
My weekend started out mellow, but picked up soon after. Friday night, Marc came over and helped out with some stuff around the house. Then afterwards, we (including my uncle) walked over to Souplantation for a soup-and-salad feast. As usual, I ended up eating more than what I should have (so today, I forced myself to do extra time on the elliptical machine).
Saturday, I went down to Anaheim for a dental appointment, and then headed over to Costa Mesa to catch the last day of the Orange County Fair. After getting lost twice, Marc and I finally made our way to the fairgrounds. Boy, did we have a blast! We met up with Joedie and Angela there, and looked at the creatures - both big and small - on display. Then we went into the hall of mirrors and had a riot finding our way out, even though it only took us all of two minutes to finish the maze! Finally, we took on some games, and Joedie was able to win a cute stuffed puppy (I'm so envious! haha).
Marc and I had to go by then, so we missed the pig races, which I was really looking forward to. But we had another party to attend....which turned out to be one of the quirkiest parties I've ever experienced. It was a yoga party, so naturally, the food they served was predominantly organic, even raw. They had all kinds of organic tea and coffee (soy coffee!) and powdered meals and what-not. Which was okay. When we went into the building though (the food was outside), we were unfortunate enough to hear one of the "entertainers" perform. Well, Marc and I were definitely not entertained. It was just this one guy wearing a turban, screeching and chanting weird nothings into the microphone. After awhile, Marc said something like, "I think I'd enjoy jumping onto the stage and beating that guy up right about now." So we headed out again and tried some more food. After checking out the silent auction and talking to Jean Michel, who had invited us to the party in the first place, we went back home and just hung out.
Sunday afternoon, Marc and I went to the Fowler museum just in time to catch the last day of the Filipino American photo exhibit. It was a trip worth making (not that it was
that far), and I think Marc enjoyed looking at the pictures and reading the captions. Afterwards, we went to Sunday mass, had dinner and that was the end of my weekend.
So we get to today, and no, my life hasn't changed. I haven't gotten the phone call that I was hoping to get, so I'm nowhere again. This is definitely a frustrating time for me, but I'm sure something will come up soon. I hope.
Midget Mirror
Joedie, Angela, Marc and I have confirmed that we are definitely very thankful that we're taller than we look in this mirror.
Another First
The first-ever black and white cow I have ever seen in my entire life. It sounds pathetic, I know. But where I grew up, I only saw brown cows. I would see black and white cows on TV, but I always thought of a cow like that as an almost unreal thing. So of course I had to take a picture of this one!
