things to do before I turn thirty

1. See the northern lights (from either: Reykjavik, Norway or Yukon)--> mega priority ever

photos (above) nicked from: http://www.trustedlog.com/category/space/

this one is from wiki commons with this attribution:

The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, shines above Bear Lake, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Modified version of photo taken by Senior Airman Joshua Strang.

2. be able to swim for 100 meters non stop (regardless of how long it will take me and the stroke...hehe). 200 meters will be my target by the age of 35. (believe me--I am not even a good swimmer)

3. learn how to drive. learn how to dance Tango. and Salsa. (okay, thats pushing it)

4. Learn to converse in two more foreign languages. (Singlish is not counted, lor. That one, Im quite powderful oredi.)

5. Aherm--work my ass off for a PhD scholarship. and a Channel bag. Cos Im intellectually superficial like that. :)

Going Dutch 101

Nakakatawa itong term na ito. In an attempt to familiarise myself with the Dutch language, I googled for a wiki entry of the above term, which is, for the life of me, the only Dutch word I know. Pathetic, noh? And its not even Dutch. Josko. Anyway, nakakatuwa yung write up about emytological relativity (read on, you'll learn a thing or two):

ps. Pero eto ang panalo:
In the Philippines, it is referred to as KKB, an acronym for "Kanya-Kanyang Bayad" which can be translated in English as "Pay for your own self".


According to the wiki:

The phrase "going Dutch" probably originates from Dutch etiquette. In the Netherlands, it is not unusual to pay separately when going out as a group. When dating in a 1 on 1 situation however, the man will most commonly pay for meals and drinks. English rivalry with the Netherlands especially during the period of the Anglo-Dutch Wars gave rise to several phrases including Dutch that promote certain negative stereotypes. Examples include Dutch courage, Dutch uncle and Dutch wife. In some parts of Italy (especially the south), the expression pagare alla romana can be translated as: "To pay like people of Rome" or "to pay like they do in Rome". It has the same meaning as "going Dutch". This can lead to misunderstanding, because in other parts of Italy pagare alla romana means to divide equally the total cost between all the commensals.

The corresponding phrase in Turkish is hesabı Alman usulü ödemek, which can be translated into English as "to pay the bill the German way". Alman usûlü = German style
Ironically, in Dutch the phrase Amerikaans feest is used for "going Dutch", which means "American Party".
Some South American countries use the Spanish phrase pagar a la americana (literally "to pay American style") which refers to a trait attributed to people from the U.S.A. or Canada.
In Egypt, it is called Englizy, which translates into "English style".
In Argentina specifically, 'a la romana' (exact translation of Italian's 'pagare alla romana') is widely used and 'pagar a la americana' (pay American style) doesn't exist.^{[citation needed]}
In Guatemala the phrase is "a la ley de Cristo... cada quien con su pisto" which is used more as a rhyme with the word "Cristo" and "pisto" - rather than having a religious connotation.
Almost the same in Honduras where the phrase is "Como dijo Cristo... cada quien con su pisto".
In El Salvador the rhyming phrase 'Ley de Esparta... Cada quien paga lo que se harta', which means 'Spartan Law, each pays what he/she eats'.
In [South Korea], they usually call it as "Dutch Pay", other modificated version of the slang
In India, the practice is called as TTMM - Tu Tera Mein Mera Hindi (or Tujhe Tu Majhe Mi in Marathi) meaning 'You pay yours and I pay mine'. When the expression going Dutch is used, it often refers to splitting the bill equally. In Pakistan, similarly, Apna Apna is used to mean 'Each his own'.
In Thailand, the practice is referred to as "American Share".
In the Philippines, it is referred to as KKB, an acronym for "Kanya-Kanyang Bayad" which can be translated in English as "Pay for your own self".
In Mandarin Chinese, the appropriate term is "AA制 (AA zhì)，" where zhì is the Chinese word for "system". Explanations vary: "AA" could stand for "Algebraic Average" or "Acting Appointment".
The gambling term dutching may follow this same route as it describes a system that shares stakes across a number of bets. It is commonly believed, however, that the Dutch reference here was in fact derived from a gangster (Dutch Schultz) who used this strategy to profit from racing.

The term apparently  is being supported by the second wave of feminism Aliw!
So what new thing did you learn today? :)

Pasintabi

galaw galaw.

Ang hirap nang may hinihintay. hindi na nga ako magkamayaw, malapit ko nang i-"therefore conclude" na ang buhay ko ay isang malaking waiting game, at ako ay napaka sigasig na kalahok. Kaninang tanghalian, habang naglalakad (ng kinse minutos, one way. suicidal ako eh), tahimik kong pinakikiusapan ang sarili ko na kelangan kong tigilan ang mag isip ng mag isip, at hindi ko na naman na-eenjoy itong mga nasa paligid ko. kaya mula ngayon... nde ako maghihintay. hahayaan ko lang syang dumating. Kung ayaw nya, edi huwag. I will live the present, and will cherish every single moment.

yak. mushy.

--o--

PANELOMO is Lomo Home of the Day!
Ang asawa ko na adik sa lomo ay nanalo nang LHOTD! Hindi Lot yan, as in House and Lot (wish ko lang, diba), kundi Lomo Home of the Day, kung saan binigyan sya ng 50 piggies ng LSI. Nanalo sya kahapon--na monthsary namin (of course we celebrate monthsaries. im a pain in the butt like that). Matagal na nyang pinag dadasal na makuha ang lomo version ng Nobel peace prize na ito (na araw araw eh may nananalo. come to think of it. wah. amfani). Bago pala ito, nanalo din sya ng fenk na pis-eye, na kanya namang iniregalo sa aketch as belated valentine's day gift. aww. :)

mukha akong abnoy dito.

at dahil pinakasalan ko sya dahil mahal ko sya (at hindi dahil sa pera, dahil wala naman syang pera. NOTE: ang habol ko daw kay Jay, according to him, ay ang kanyang katawan. weh.), pwede narin nating sabihin na nakuha nya ako sa piggies. at pink fish eye.

Aye?

mas bagay kay Zia.

--00--
Eto pala ang isa sa mga cute kong inaanak at ang kanyang magic show (aka Ninong Jay's comedy program)

Blogger, why you liddat, er?

Hindi ko maintindihan itong blogger.

1. May mga bagay na dapat published sa left hand menu na hindi lumalabas.

2. Lahat ng kumukutikutitap kong pektyurs ay kina-cut nya pag masyadong maganda

3. ayaw nya ng madaming pektyurs

4. ayaw nya ilabas ang profile ko

5. kabagal nyang mag load.

6. yung pagkaka-organise nung left hand menu ko, hindi nya sinusunod

7. grrr

8. malapit na akong magtampo. :(

Paris

Ay sori naman, hindi na ako nakapag post ulet tungkol sa Europe trip namin. I know I still owe you more stories, and I have to document all these good memories before I forget (and acquire more good ones). So....Paris... (in lomo and my trusty compact cam named chiquita...mukhang nde kinaya ng blogger ang dami ng photo uploads ko, kaya eto nalang muna. oh well. )

Ahh... I also loved Paris. Never mind that I only know of two phrases when I went there, which were Bonjour and Excusez-moi I learned my troisième and quatrième words onsite):

Deux
Kakadating lang naming Paris, transitting to Barcelona via Orly airport. We took this transfer bus from the airport (at 7am, freakin’ 10 degrees in the morning). Sabi ko kay madame driver (na naastigan ako, kasi waw…isa syang big bus driver na babae, na napaka gracious and witty. This I find amusing kasi A)babae sya B)she’s French (so kala ko ba ‘di sila friendly?) “two please?” Sabi nung madame, “deux?”. Wah. So ayun pala yun. Call it my most abused word for the entire French –speaking trip (Paris, Cannes, Malta).

Bonsior
Sabi ko sa cars le france driver nung galing kaming Orly Sud, for our last leg of the trip “Bonjour!”, tapos sumagot sya ng “Bonsior!”, tapos napaisip ako—is it the “Bonjour” way to address women? Tapos ni-google ko, at jomaygas—good evening pala ang ibig sabihin nun! josko.

What I love about Paris is this certain air of fine, old world culture that’s oozing with effortless sophistication. My ‘omaygad, I’m in Europe’ moment lingered here, starting even, with Charles de Gaulle Airport driveway. It was so foreign yet somewhat accessible. We stayed in this small hotel around the 10th Arr. The easiest reference to it is the Tour de Eiffel and adjoining Champs de Mars, which is literally two blocks away. Our usual morning and evening route consist of bypassing the nearest Metro station (our hotel had one beside it, the Piquet-Granelle), walking past the Eiffel and taking the train from any metro beside the Seine to anywhere. We even tried walking from Champs Elysses to our hotel. Twice. All these resulted to very tired feet, of course, but we could have not done it any other way (naaks). Walking brought us to Invalides, Km 0 (Isle de Paris), Palais de Tokyo, Musee de Arab, Marie Antionette’s kinky ‘play village’ (we took the train to the outskirts—Château de Versailles) and the banks of river Siene. Madali lang i-navigate ang Paris (well, kasi mas naligaw kami ng ilang beses sa Barca kesa dun. Hehe). Isa pa, kahit saan ka yata magpunta may famous landmarks and place of interest. And the weather was ‘waw’. May lamig, may sunshine at magaan. Ang hindi ko lang gusto sa Paris ay yung airport nilang CDG. Marahil dahil nakatira ako sa Singapore, at nakita ko na ang airport ng Barcelona (na naiyak si Jay sa pagka-mangha. I repeat. Haha), pero hanep talaga. Parang hindi ko malaman kung ano ang mas okay, yung NAIA natin, o itong CDG. It looked okay naman sa arrival. Yung departure lang talaga siguro—parang lalo kang naeexcite na uuwi ka at hindi ka na magtatagal pa sa airport nila. Haha.
Feeling ko ay napaka overrated at super hyped ng Champs Elysee. Mas nagustuhan ko pa ang vibe ng Avenue George V na tahimik at feeling posh talaga, compared sa mahabang kalyeng ito na parang nasa gitna ng EDSA at Orchard Road ang lapad. Madami ngang tao, pero para namang hindi espesyal. Or it’s jas me. Madami ding taong nagsabing iwasan ang ‘tourist trap’ na lugar na ito, kung saan mataas ang krimen at presyo ng bilihin. Eh sa kadahilanang gusto kong bumili ng *ehem* souvenir--pinuntahan namin sya.
Ang paborito kong lugar ever sa Paris ay ang--hulaan nyo.

Yung Shakespeare and Co. na antiquarian bookstore.

Ang boring ko talaga.

Ay! nagpunta din nga pala kasi sa kung saan saang museums sa kadahilanang gusto naming (reads: ko) sulitin ang aming museum passes. Bumili kami ng pass kasi may malditang gustong maki-usyoso dun sa dating bahay ni Marie Antoinette sa Chateaux de Versailles na asa labas ng Paris. Kung bibili ka ng museum pass na good for 3 days, makakapasok ka dun, sa Louvre, sa Centre de Pompiduo at sa kung saan saan pa. Mukhang nasulit naman namin itong pass na ito, dahil sa totoo lang mahal kung iisa isahin mo yung kada museum. Iwas pila pa. Well, somehow.
Syempre hindi mawawala ang Eiffel tower experience, kung saan, salamat sa research nung researcher sa amin (ako yun!), napag alaman na kumikinang pala ang tore na ito on schedule sa gabi. Kumikinang at mega dancing lights. Nakita nyo na ito malamang sa youtube, pero I'd have to tell you--it felt and looked so much better when you're there, breaking a case of stiff neck.

Syempre sino ba ang makakalimot sa 'Jay moment'? Hindi si Jay. Definitely. :P

here laid (and lied) Marie Antoinette (and friends). hehe.

Chateux de Versailles.

Au Revoir, Paris. :)

pimp my shoebox project

ah. they call it nesting.
and might literally be as small as a nest, pero bakit ba.
it's ours, and the husband and i think that's all to it.
yun na yun. :)

actually, i thought it's just nice.
it's a studio apartment somewhere in the city.
a good place to start.
and although it is a small space,
we can't wait to spruce it up a bit.
(Note on the 'a bit' part. kaya naman pala maliit lang sya, it chose us and our budget.)

Anyway, there's this wish list we have (oh c'mon, you know what to do!):

1. Joefert wall clock (meron pa yata nito sa Pablo, sa Cubao X)


2. a rectangular mirror frame for our breakfast corner (will have it at sitting person's face level, horizontally) that's got this thick black frame, parang ganito (bigger one), but in black.

(from www.arenascollection.com)

or this

(from apartmenttherapy.com)

3. and a *eherm* escuse me jay*-- a soft, green grasss rug

(from besthousedesign.com)

*my husband thinks a green rug combined with some red furniture looks like a scene for christmas land. we already saw this cheap rug from ikea with the strangest, erm, quirkiest colour (kermit green), and he said no. now its all sold out! nyark.

4. square plates (divisoria/baclaran, here we come)

(mondo wares, from white-porcelain.co.uk)

will keep you updated. we also accept donations. hehe

Suntukan nalang tayo

prustrated akech.

sa aking palagay,
hindi dapat nag pinahahawak ng mga project na may kinalaman sa interngek ang mga taong hindi naman IT-inclined.
kasi may sakit sila.
sila yung mga taong bibigyan ka ng sakit ng ulo,
sasabihan kang mali ang ginagawa mo,
samantalang ni wala naman silang idea kung ano ang facebook.
o twitter.
(hindi ibig sabihin nito ay olats ang mga hindi nagpe facebook. ang ibig kong sabihin ay mga taong HINDI alam kung anu ang mga ito).

sasabihin nilang ayusin mo ang lenggwahe mo pag nagse set up ka ng forum,
at pag sinabi mong 'sige nga, ikaw ang gumawa ng post',
ang forum post nila ay nakapangalang 'twitter forum'.
at 'facebook forum'.
ay eto pa ang bago: 'blogging forum'.
josko.
Po-protektahan nila ang mga researcher na gagamit kuno ng site mo, sa pamamagitan ng pag-gamit ng pormal at tuyot na lenggwahe.
akala nila gusto ng mga researcher na pag usapan lang ang mga boring na bagay, at walang kinalaman dito ang mga bagay na informal tulad ng buhay, pagkain, usapang kanto at sapatos.

Sila at yung mga taong magaling mag-pad ng write up tungkol sa mga features ng bagay na ginagawa mo,
pero walang ka ide-ideya kung paano gamitin ito.


argh.