saying hi from Bago City!

hello! maayong aga sa inyong lahat (good morning to all)! hehe..

i'm fine here in Bago City, and caught almost everybody by surprise with my presence.. haha.. i only told tricia about my arrival, and asked her to keep it a secret.. ryan and temogen only got to know on Christmas Eve.. haha..

everybody's fine here, my godson Ryzel is already 10 months old, and he's heavy too (11 kg!).. people got married, going to have baby soon, people becoming slimmer, fatter, change of the political scene blah blah.. haha.. but really, good to know that everybody is well and fine..

this will be a much shorter trip the usual, so i really hope that i can make full use of the time here, and enjoy myself to the fullest..

ok, will try to update whenever i can.. connection here in the government office can be erratic sometimes.. =)

that's all for now, folks.. manigong bagong taon (happy new year) in advance! tata~

*update* went to 2 barangays, Taloc Baybay and Bacong for the gift-giving activities by the mayor.. although i won't get to distribute items that i've collected, it's still quite fun, because of the people that went with us.. haha..

waiting at the airport..

saying hi from Changi Airport Terminal 2!! *waves*

haha.. reached here super early at around 7am, but the check-in queue was already quite long.. Filipinos are quite kiasu as well.. haha.. but i had slight trouble with my checking-in.. took quite long to get my ticket because they need authorisation from the airline company to verify my e-ticket.. so much for the convenience of purchasing tickets online huh..

anyway, was walking around inside the shopping mall, but wasn't too keen to buy anything, because firstly, things aren't that cheap, and secondly i don't want to carry so many things up the plane.. haha..

ok, about half an hour to go, before my plane takes off.. =)

till next time, tata~

flying again..

ok, finally i'm done with walking around the house and packing my luggage.. =) strangely, my bagpack seems to be smaller than last year, although i think i'm bringing more stuff.. hmm..

flight is 9.40am, a few hours from now.. it will be another time of anticipation, but yet with every step i take, i would think of the day of departure, and sometimes i wonder why would i put myself into torture, knowing how hard it is for me to leave again..

oh well, it's always a learning journey..

to all my friends, i can't thank you enough for helping me with my donation drive, and for being so understanding, bearing with my over-enthusiasm and passion towards Bago City.. haha..

so that's all for now.. hopefully i get to update whenever i can.. if not, this blog is going on holiday until 13 January 2008.. =)

happy new year in advance!

it's time for a break..

after slogging for quite a while, it's time to slow down and take a break.. i just want to sit down, and enjoy the breeze by the seaside, or even just sitting down somewhere and do nothing.. that day will come.. pretty soon..

but after that, all will be back to usual.. i'm trying not to allow myself to slow down, not because i'm a workaholic, but because that would at least help to take my mind away, even if it's for a short while..

i don't know how strong the withdrawal symptoms will be this time round, but the strongest blow is always the moment of separation.. haa.. sounds silly, but yar, you have not seen me cry like a stooopid little kid on the plane before..

even a christmas carol overheard along Orchard Road can make me teary.. see, what an idiot i am..

oh well, things are different this year, but at least it will still be my long-awaited holiday..

2 more days..

what a week..

thank you all, for being such a great help.. 2 boxes full of old stuff have been sent to Philippines.. it wouldn't have been impossible without you guys.. thank you so so much..

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sorry again, this blog is really not so active these days.. and will perhaps continue to be so, until i return back from Philippines..

work has been quite a killer, though it haven't been that busy as compared to a few weeks ago.. packing the old stuff was equally tough too, making me feeling super shagged after packing the 2 boxes..

and there was the music camp.. it was my first time attending it, after having gone missing for the past 3 years.. haha.. but i wasn't really participating, because i was hiding in the office for most of the time, and only coming out for practices.. it's always nice to play the instrument after being lazy for a while.. haha.. just don't ask me to play solo.. hehe..

but the late nights are hazardous.. i made a number of mistakes during work the next day, and all the yawnings were of no help.. and i could actually fell asleep on the sofa while the 2 drums went rumbling on.. gosh.. thank god the hostel is just minutes' walk away from the office.. haha.. but still, sleep is essential to me and the lack of sleep will make me go grouchy (luckily it was mild during the camp)..

this december is going too fast.. i can't determine if it's a good or bad thing, but i just wish time would slow down a bit, and let life be less hectic..

tv..

i still want your old stuff!! old clothes, old toys, old books and usable stationery for the needy kids in Philippines! aiming to send them out by this week.. please please please do your bit to help the less fortunate ones!!

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i don't get a lot of chances to stay glued to the tv.. thanks to my cousin who got the chickenpox virus (luckily i have gotten the vaccine.. muahhaha) i spent my sunday afternoon watching movies and shows on tv.. and after my ah gong's birthday dinner, i continued with the Star Awards and Asian Idol.. i can't remember how many years i've not watched the Star Awards.. all these years i was away in Philippines during December.. haha.. but thank goodness i'm still here to catch it, because my prince was on the show!! whee~~ hahah..



isn't he cute and handsome!! =D



OH MY GOD!! =D



ok enough.. that's for me to drool over.. haha..

and then the Asian Idol.. not very keen on it, was more keen on Rivermaya who guest-performed during the event.. hmm.. i still prefer the previous lead singer Rico Blanco.. but anyway, my favourites were Philippines Mau Marcello and Indonesia Mike.. well, Singapore Hady isn't bad either, but the voice is not as powerful as the other two.. but the result was a surprising one.. he won.. haa.. oh well, at least he made Singaporeans proud..

and then another programme caught my attention.. it was about the 'flower girls' in Philippines, which actually refer to young boys who behave in a more feminine way.. in short, we call them 'gays'.. i was quite taken aback by how these elementary school boys behave, how they would put make-up going to school, and how vocal they are about their own sexuality..

actually i'm alright with that.. i think they still deserve the same as the rest of us do.. i know people do look and treat them differently, but really, they aren't that much different from us.. i happen to know a few friends in Philippines who are gays, but they are not afraid of being true to themselves, and i admire them for that..

but like what the psychologist said, "the mother is the first one to know, but the last one to admit".. not easy for the family to face such situation, and which is why i admire the courage of these boys and their families who have overcome the hurdles they face..

oh well, i guess the conservative Singapore is still not quite open to such stuff.. everything also want to ban and restrict and control.. -_-"""

december memories..

ATTENTION!! yes, i'm going to repeat this until i've achieved my aim.. I WANT YOUR OLD STUFF!! OLD CLOTHES, OLD TOYS, OLD BOOKS FOR THE KIDS! usable stationery are welcome too!! really, your help would be greatly appreciated..

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usually, by now i would be enjoying the sun and the beach in Philippines.. =(

oh well, sacrifices have to be made, and we can't keep on hanging on to what we used to have.. and i mean the freedom during school days.. yes, oh well, for the sake of better tomorrow, for the sake of fulfilling my wish of travelling round the world, i need to work.. sigh..

for the past 3 years, decembers are never dull and boring.. despite being in a country where everything is not as convenient as in here, its beauty is mesmerizing.. i like its rustic feel, although i would rejoice whenever i get my dose of surfing the internet.. hehe..

and because christmas is so much being celebrated over there (parties throughout the month!), you would really wanna stay there and spend a splendid christmas there.. you may not see the whole street lighted up like Orchard Road (hello, i stay in rural areas there), but the festive mood would definitely light up your christmas.. =) and of course, i'll never forget the time spent with all my wonderful friends there.. =)

and because these decembers are so special, hence the playlist for the month - december memories.. =)

all the songs hold special meanings to me.. some would make me remember the fun times i had, some would make me cry, some are just songs that i heard when i was there.. to friends in my YEP group, some songs may also ring a bell to you.. hehe..

my favourites: Leaving on a Jetplane, Hawak Kamay (Hold our hands together)..

so, enjoy.. while it's time for me to get some sleep..

aline and waipeng's wedding..

ATTENTION!! calling for old stuff - clothes, books, toys, usable stationery for children! please please please, be good boys and girls for the christmas, and donate! the needy kids in Bago City, Philippines need you!

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i've spent more than half of the day in bed, but i still feel tired and my eye is still twitching (for a week already!!).. the busy period is not going to end, because the kids are back for tuition, and i still need to complete my donation drive.. sigh.. oh well..

anyway, photos are up.. pictures from aline and waipeng's wedding.. i'm not going to upload pictures taken during the examination, because all of us looked super shagged and ugly.. haa.. and because it's work-related, i don't wanna get into trouble.. haha..

aline, waipeng and i knew each other through our first Philippines trip to Bago City and from there their love blossomed..


for some of you, you may be able to recognise where this is.. haha..

i witnessed their entire love journey, and being one of their mutual friends, i'm real happy for the both of them.. too bad the rest of the gang are not in Singapore, huijie in London and ryan in Korea.. and not mentioning all of our friends in Philippines.. =(


our favourite pastime: good food, good coffee.. =)

and this being the first time as a bridesmaid, it was an exciting experience.. it was fun to make new friends too, planning evil plots together to torture the guys..


the girls =D

another first time for me at their wedding - dinner at Fullerton Hotel! hee.. seeing their hotel suite is also another first for me.. haha.. the room is alright, but i love their bathroom! so spacious! hahah..

check out the nice scenic view of the river..

actually i think that the food there was only so-so.. but the atmosphere was not bad.. and speaking about that, those decor on the Fullerton lobby level, and i'm referring to those flowers in the super big pots and on the walls, they are REAL!! 5-star hotel indeed.. i wonder how much money is spent on these flowers.. manz..

best friends forever! yeah!

and the tables in the restaurant were also well-decorated.. scattered with rose petals, and glasses with roses floating in there.. wow..

nice flowers with nice chocolates.. hee..

although i was being super evil to waipeng and his guys that day, i really hope that they will live together, happily ever after.. =) love you guys.. muacks!

it's not the end of the madness..

two weeks of craziness, and it has all been overwhelming.. the lack of sleep has made me gone near insane, hopefully i didn't inflict any violence or hurt to people around me.. haa..

it has been fun to work with the examiners, although it was tough entertaining them, making sure that they were well taken care of.. nice and interesting people i would say, and i've learnt a lot from each of them.. and there are so many things i don't know of, what an ignorant fella i am.. haha..

and amidst of all the madness, there was aline and waipeng's wedding.. seeing them from being mere team mates (i still remember how she said, "i don't like him".. haha) to getting together as a couple, and now, walking down the aisle, making vows to love each other till death do them part.. i'm really happy for the both of them.. =)

there were many things that happened during these two weeks, and there were some which i would love to share, but i've not gotten any good sleep, so i shall leave it until when i've the mood.. haa..

i'm also developing withdrawal symptoms from working late during these two weeks.. it felt so odd to leave the office "early" at 6pm.. haha..

but the craziness is only turning mild, not about to end yet.. many paperwork for me to clear, and meetings to attend.. and i shall bear with it until i get to step onto the plane.. grr..

and finally, calling for old stuff!! if you have any old stuff to donate to needy kids in Philippines, please don't hesitate to contact me!! old toys, old books, old clothes, usable stationery.. i want them!!

ok ok, photos to be uploaded when i've more free time on hand.. hee..