Brunch, Fridays and Gerls

A couple of girlfriends and I had a sort-of brunch (very quick, as it was a weekday—name two people who ‘brunch’ on office hours and I’ll hand you four. Hah!) and for some un-academic reason, our conversation led to what ‘wiffs’ we wear:

C: Kiehl’s, and its giving me a headache. I still wear it though.
L: You should borrow Rica’s scent—its called whiteflower. No headaches for you.
(well! Someone’s been making fun of my ‘auntie’ smell)
F:Rica, I read your blog, and tried NR. Geez—was it a deodoriser?
Me (mgaputangina nyo): My sister said ‘hospital’, or ‘alcohol’. But it really depends on chemical reaction. The NR has musk, so it takes time to settle.
F: Oh. Well, no way am I getting one.
Me: You shouldn’t (smiles warily). Whats your scent?
F: None, I dont wear any. I smell like me.
(everyone snickers)
G: I dont know why some people like wearing perfumes.
C: Ah, is this an annex to your ‘i dont shave my armpit hairs’ philosophy?
L, F: (to G) you dont??
G: The French dont. Its a cosmopolitan thing (note: everyone looked bewildered)...and whats the point? Does it bother you?
C: Well, yeah...I mean, no offence to you as a person, but make sure I dont see it. Ever.
Me: Okay...smelly, hairy, migraine and bitchy—off you go, you have work to do. Its a Friday, goodnessake—dont have anything else to do, aside from –brunch?

No racial stereotypes will be supported by this blog (entry), so no further queries such as ‘kababayan ba ito?’ or ‘anong lahi’? will be entertained. Then again, I just shot myself. In the head.

A Major Rant

Singapore opens matchmaking institute in May
SINGAPORE : Singapore will have a new institute that provides
matchmaking services from next month. Called the Matchmaking Institute Southeast Asia, it also provides training to matchmaking companies. Finding love is
getting more difficult because many Singaporeans simply do not have the time. So
the new matchmaking institute aims to give singles a hand.

The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) received 44
feedback and queries about matchmaking agencies in 2007. This was up from 37 in
2006 and just 16 the year before. Most were complaints about unsatisfactory
services. A key concern among customers is how their personal data will be
used. So the institute plans to have two databases, both accessible with
consent. One will hold all the personal information submitted by interested
singles, and another will be shared with companies.
"All the companies or matchmakers (...) have to let their clients know that some of the information, but not (their) personal information or contact information, might
be shared with other matchmakers," said Violet Lim, Executive Director, Matching
Institute Southeast Asia. The new institute aims to raise the standards of
matchmaking service in Singapore. It is offering a S$1,000 scholarship to the
first 10 people to sign up for the courses offered. Currently, more than 200
businesses are registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory
Authority providing friendship, matchmaking and dating services, up from 192
in April last year. —
CNA /ls

Serious? Are you freakin, kidding me?

caveat: Ive toned this down a bit, because I am very much aware that it might hurt some sensibilities (to the tune of 'langhyang babae ito, porke't may jowa na't masaya, ayaw kaming mga single na biyan ng chance' (in english: we're single, you are not. why are you complaining?)). Anyway, the only piece of advise I can give to 'those' people who claim they can't find the right person, and have not much time doing so, 'therefore fill up the matching making agency forms' pay lots of money and trust a computer can generate a good match is this: if you dont have the time to search for one, what made you so sure you'll have the time to keep one, anyway? Getting the right person does not equate to buying an expensive plant (on one hand, plants need attention as well). You can't just buy it, display it, and leave it in your house while you go about being busy, expecting it to be at its best whenever you're around. Anu ka, hilo?

Talk about institutionalising three things which frankly, I dont think should be related: bad taste, finding love and governance. As if getting a partner from an agency assures you eternal bliss. Hello—if you dont have the time to find a partner or even better, get into a relationship, who says you can afford to keep it? Any reasonable person can see that match making is not the key to this special case of first world countries called ‘underpopulation’. Its called improvement of quality of life, honey. Business execs call it time management, but really—its just about improving your social skills and freeing up some time in your hectic schedule to accomodate a relationship. Its not just about getting some ‘institution’ to fix you up with someone, anu ba. People who are perfect for each other even have troubles in keeping it together. Im not sure if this is ‘baby’ propaganda, and if it is—sadly, they are not getting the point. Why would governments venture into ‘pairing up’ their citizens in the first place, if not for a certain purpose? Boosting the population rate via match making may be cute, it its myopic. How many dysfunctional families can result to such measures which involve speed dating or filling up a form indicating all your likes and dislikes? Getting your people to have kids and have a family is not even supposed to be your business. Relationships, like economic tools are complicated, and believe me—they take time. They are more complicated than birth rates and economic statistics primarily becuase, well—they are not bound by figures and goals ‘towards building the thriving national economy’. They are based on long term decisions which bring about ‘valuables’ that no monetary absolute can peg against, like happiness and love which then again are not as simple as they seem. So please, let your citizens mind their own business, and provide a better life for families instead. Thats basically it. Kung hindi naman kayo parang teenagers mag-isip. Its not just about getting one—its about keeping one.

Its called maternal instinct

I love kids. Not just becuase they are cute. (no, Im not going to justify myself this time. hah.) I grew up with siblings waayy younger than me, so not only did I act as a big sister, I was a surrogate mother, pro bono tutor from preschool to (goodnessake) college, guidance counsellor and cheer leader. It was a very hands on experience, I tell you--I made sweets for a class of 45, made bookmarks for an entire student population, had a say on what book to review and on whether the girl of their dreams is just stuck on traffic (and that, my friends is why she hasn't come along).

Just when I thought Im done with glue, glue stick and anything that can hold anything together (includes rice), I realised that with the recent additions to the tsoleyt brood, plus newbie 'god sons and god daughters (see tsoleyt brood)', Im am no way retiring. My goodness--good thing I love kids.

As for getting one (getting one?? anu yan, grocery item??) on my own--heh. Maybe not anytime soon though. Lets see....

Gee, my fallopian tube made backflips upon seeing this.

Random and Co.

scene from NUS deck:
cutiepie: can you give me some potato (as pronounced) wages?
auntie: you?
ako: oh no, I prefer cash. And some waffles please?

--0--

My kumare Meng is in labour. Like now, now na!
At this very moment. 3:35 pm, Thursday, 10 April 2008.
Lets all support her. Lets join our hands and do the hokey pokey while chanting:
'Kobe, Kobe, Kobe kami!'
Akin ang kulot. Papangalanan kong 'Panyang'. heehee.
Breathe Meng, breathe! :)

In the News...

Good Morning America has finally caught up with our very own 'Papaya Dance', care of Edu Manzano. Cant help feeling fuzzy all over. Its not even supposed to be relevant or whatever, but it feels like 'good news'. I reckon either one of their writers is Pinoy (very likely), someone's been watching too many youtube videos, or they just find it too funny. Like we all did. Wow. I wonder when this little sunny island of mine (ownership, ika nga) will feature something of that sort--something 'light and fun' under the banner of the Philippines. Their cameran and reporters apparently have this penchant for showing the slums and dirty streets, so any news is bad news.
Newsanchor: In the Philippines, the lavapalooza event is slated today at the...
(Camera: shows CBD, with soldiers and guard dogs milling about)
(Reporter: Will probably say something irrelevant and negative, if not use the dismissive tone)
Me, watching: Say it! Filipinos know how to party. Say something upbeat.
Newsanchor: In other news, people infected with HIV is on the rise in...
Relevant. Great.

Here's the Video:



I remember a good friend of mine, Prof Kirpal Singh of SMU telling me rather animatedly how he was, on his recent trips in Manila--shown how to dance the 'Otso Otso' by (heheh) his gracious hosts, the San Beda Professors. He said we should get it patented, as it might be our own answer to the Indian Bhangra. I love the guy.

iTwit Myself.

Research 201:
I tell you..
Its all gone bad when the peak of your working day begin five minutes before four in the afternoon, involving a ‘hunt’ for the network printer across the corridors, and a sigh of relief at the sight of your one pager of a non-fantastical document. Then you sit some more, draining the life of every search engine and library acount you can get you hands into.

----

Career Hang-ups # 01:

I feel so fine and enjoying myself its scary. Shit.

Addiction

The four things which Im praying to get for my birthday (hey, it pays to plan ahead):

1. Blythe. Kenner's version, or Takara's (not ADG's, please). They scare the hell shit some people I know, but c'mon...the girls are nice. Lookalook o.... they're fine photogenic pieces naman eh. You can dress them up, ride the train with them, fix their hair, change eye colour....Me like.

this is so Japanese. hihi. Happy Easter, ineng.

Christina Ricci-ish, eh? More like Andrea Corrs. Love the princess-au-naturelle concept. (an irony with plastic dolls. hehe)
Kinomo. Tiara. Love ko na 'sya.

2. Narciso Rodriguez Musc for her. Mahabaging Dyos ko. Whoever 'gifts'me this, I pramis--I will be very nice to you, will never ever complain (for one year), never whine, will cook, will wash the dishes, will floss twice a day, will sew your clothes...will work for an NR musc. Throw in Caroline Bassette's gown, and I'll be your slave. For two years. :)

3. A trip to 'somewhere', wherein I either feed my Zara addiction, get drunk with the finest wines, eat Paella (hint hint!) , watch the sun set from the other side of the world, -OR- enjoy a Suns vs Lakers game live (out of spite Jay, out of spite)--since Shaq will be on MC that time, the Suns will win (teehee). Its snowing outside, while I sip my cafe mocha (rookie, pare: may nagka kape ba while watching a basketball game LIVE? :) )

4. wala lang-- just a wonderlife year ahead--full of surprises and blessings. (heh. told yah Im 'regular')

5. A PhD scholarship? Oh shoot...thats number five (not counted).