ugats

napagod magluto ang mga paa ko. Toinks parang paa ang pangluto. Babuy!

Heto't labas nang lahat ang mga ugats ko. Eew. Arrrrte!

perfect skies

i love the clear blue skies and wonderful clouds ;)

what's cooking?

basic pasta will be served for three tonight.

there will also be sliced ham and bread.

yummy peaches and cream for dessert.

whatever happened to lola's traditional hot cocoa? miss it...

chaos

The world turned upsude-down when i was preparing for our media noche.
Hehehe...

pinuyat ako

i forgot how to post pictures in blogger using iphone. linsyak.
napuyat ako kagabi. at milyon milyong test posts. research research
today, kailangan nga palang naka default ang email mo sa gmail email. :)

1. Set your default email to your gmail account.
2. Go to your picture in your album and select Email photo.
3. Send the picture to your blogger secret email address. The subject
will be the title of your post. Add text in the body of the email if
you want to hehe.

Now if only i could find out how to format... As in setting
align=center :) it would be great.

Test photo taken from office window months ago:

life's little treats

i love little things that put smiles on people's faces. imagine the effect these heavenly sweet corn cobs had on us this afternoon. it was superb with butter and cheese! the best merienda i've had in ages!

i'm home :)

after 4.5 months of being far, far away, i'm back in sunny sg. :)

there are things i definitely miss in switzerland:

• i miss the snow. it's a wonder why it snowed early this year. it didn't snow last year, we heard. dry snow is a marvelous sight. i've had a few snow ball episodes with friends - it left scars on my fists but it's all good! :) i don't miss wearing layers of clothes to keep me warm, though. my paper thin body could not stand the super cold climate. hehe.

• i miss the dish washer. hehe! now i'm back to washing dishes. unlike before where we could use up all utensils without a care in the world. mr. dish washer is there to save the day :)

• i miss the super oc oc on-time transport. sure there were some occasions when the train or bus or tram was late, but i could count it on my fingers. i appreciate the very on-the-dot attitude of the people - and the transport system.

• i miss the things that i only did in swicherland. kumain ng panis na tinola, kumain ng tutong, galisin sa lamig, gamitin ang maleta pang-uwi ng mga groceries, uminom nang walang laman ang tiyan... i kept a list somewhere. i swear it's only in swicherland that i did these things :)

• i miss going places -- and also being a lazy bee during weekends. i loved every place we visited. the drama is "i'm a tourist forever" haha! i loved ballenburg, the madonna concert, the house mountain in luzern, luzern, pilatus, bern, winterthur, chicken in a basket, snowy swim, and of course, italy! i loved every travel. time was never enough to visit places. i wish i visited some more places, but i don't regret bumming around on some weekends. i loved the feeling of just facebook-ing and lying around too.

• i miss the simple life. i don't know if there's a difference in sg and ch living. it's the same basic stuff - waking up, going to work, going home, cooking dinner, going out on weekends. but there sure is something that gives ch life a "simplicity" factor. don't ask me to explain. i can't. :)

• i miss jan and marco. this is the true test of what we have as "tsongs" - living together. i think we passed the test. i love these guys (ginawang lalake lang si jan) hehe. although, it's a bit short, i think every moment is a treasure.

• i miss all the good-hearted filipinos we met there. sacramento family, kuya bem and tope, ate rosalina, and the ate i-forgot-her-name in rome. kay babait na tao. we're super privileged to have met them.
  

• i (won't) miss englishing (englishing talaga? hehe). every person is a porenjer hahahaha! so the only way to communicate is in english. nose bleed kung nose bleed! waah! nakakapagod pala mag umenglish habang buhay. i'm glad i'm back to the sg team. bading kung bading ang usapan :)

dear sg,

thanks for welcoming me back with open arms.

christmas went by in a haste. i cried. i missed my mom and baby brother. this is the first time kuya and i spent christmas far away from them. it's not that bad, though. we spent it with april, april's parents, marlon, and mike.

i have some questions but they could wait. just live one day at a time. try to be happy. try to love more. and if another day comes to waste, then i could truly say "oh well. life's like that."

new year is coming. in 2 days. i wish i could spend it with mom and win and kuya. i pray win will be safe when he's all alone. for me he's still just a kid. i'm still just a kid. hehe.

happy new year!

thoughts ulit

WHAT

1. What are you listening to right now?

** unwritten

2. What are you craving for right now?

** kare-kare

3. What are your plans for today?

** simba at kumain ng chicken in a basket

4. What are your plans for tomorrow?

** papasok na po ulit

5. What do you miss right now?

** i miss SG and PH

6. What is your greatest talent?

** stay awake

7. What were you doing before answering this survey?

** answering another survey

8. What was the last five things you drank?

** water, ginger tea, chinese tea

9. What did you last eat?

** paksiw na isda, sopas, kanin, tiramisu

10. What song is stuck in your head right now?

** unwritten

11. What does the last text message on you inbox say?

** call me

12. What are you wearing right now?

** pj's and tshirt

13. What attracts you in the opposite sex?

** eyes

14. What is the last illegal thing you've done?

** hmm, sumakay ng bus na naiwan ko ang pass ko! sheesh sorry!

15.what is something that you do a lot?

** internet

WHO

1. Who do you miss right now?

** kuya mom win

2. Who is the first person you run to when your upset?

** jan

3. Who was the last person to call you?

** jan

4. Who was the last person you talked to?

** marcow and jan

5. Who was the last person you made fun of?

** hmm, sekreto

7. Who was the last person who made fun of you?

** hmm, paul siguro

7. Who was your last kiss?

** beso beso beso - pwede ba yun? martin and assad

8. Who gives the best hugs?

** i don't get this that much.

9. Who was the last friend you made?

** joan

WHEN

1. When is your birthday?

** aug 17

2. When was your last kiss?

** thursday, as i said, beso beso beso

3. When was your last hug?

** ayaw kong alalahanin ang moment na un

4. When did you last cry?

** friday

5. When do you plan on getting married?

** no plans yet

6. When was the last time you went out?

** thursday

7. When was the last time you drank?

** thursday

8. When was the last time you ate ice cream?

** last, last friday

9. When is your next road trip?

** dec 11!

10. When was your last trip to the zoo?

** dec 2006?

WHERE

1. Where are you right now?

** at home

2. Where do you usually hang out?

** HB

3. Where is the person you love right now?

** hmm

4. Where do you go when you're depressed?

** bahay

5. Where was the last place you ate out?

** movenpick

6. Where do you want to live in the future?

** pinas

7. Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

** pinas

HOW

1. How old are you right now?

** 28

2. How many months til your birthday?

** 8 months

3. How many piercings do you have?

** one on each lobe

4. How many hours of sleep do you need to function?

** 6-8

5. How is life going for you right now?

** great!

6. How do you find this survey?

** ok

thoughts daw

1. Have you said "i love you" today?

♥ nope

2. What's your nickname/s?

♥ cat, caths, katuting

3. How do you calm down when you’re extremely angry?

♥ i take deep breaths, i cry

4. A movie or a long walk in the beach on a date?

♥ long walk

5. A guy/girl comes up to you says "hey babe", you say?

♥ ha?

6. What's first thing you notice in a boy/girl?

♥ eyes

7. Would you ever date someone covered in tats and piercings?

♥ baka hindi

8. Would you want a house at the beach or in the mountains?

♥ beach, i love swimming!

9. What are 2 of your favorite colors?

♥ pink, yellow

10. What time is it right now?

♥ 2:11AM

11. Are you a party animal or someone who prefers to stay in a quiet place?

♥ quiet place... but i like to party too :)

12. Do you prefer dogs or cats?

♥ dogs

13. Would you drive 100 miles for the one you love?

♥ of course

14. Does love really make you act crazy?

♥ hmm, yes

15. Are you brave enough to tell a guy/girl you like him/her?

♥ nope... coward

16. What do you usually do when you're starting to fall for some guy/girl?

♥ i wait

17. If you had a son what would you name him?

♥ haven't thought of it yet. miguel is a good name :)

18. Do you like shrimp or crab better?

♥ mas madaling kainin ang shrimps... kung may magbabalat, pipiliin ko ang crab

19. Who is/are the last person/s you kissed?

♥ beso beso beso - martin at assad

20. Which of your friends do you argue with most?

♥ i don't like arguments

21. Do you think you're attractive?

♥ payat

22. Have you ever flown a kite?

♥ i haven't. now, that's sad.

23. Where is your cellphone?

♥ on my bedside table

24. What was the last thing you put in your mouth?

♥ water

25. What does your last text message say?

♥ 2log na?

26. What's irritating you this very moment?

♥ nothing. it's a good day :)

27. Where is the rest of your family right now?

♥ singapore and philippines

28. How old is your dad?

♥ he should have been 54

29. If you could change your name to anything what would it be?

♥ wala kong maisip ngayon

30. What do you hate most about your school?

♥ uhmm... malayo sa bahay

31. ?

♥ "???????????????????????"

32. What's the first thing you would do with five million dollars?

♥ planuhin kung saan ko ilalaan ang parte parteng pera

33. Next thing you'll spend money on?

♥ i-execute ang plano :)

34. Do you tan easily?

♥ super... ulikba agad

35. if you could have any car what would it be?

♥ something small

36. are you listening to anything right now? what is it?

♥ get me

36. what did you last drank?

♥ water

37. how's life?

♥ life is good!

38. are you frustrated?

♥ hmm, not so

39. what do you want to do right now?

♥ i want to sleep

40. what annoyed you last?

♥ kung bakit ko ginawa yun

my legless, blind gingerbread man

yesterday, paul brought some gingerbreads from the opfikon office. everybody from the opfikon office got one. since we're in altstetten, paul brought some for us. i'm not sure if this has something to do with the feast of st. nicholas. i was hesitant to take one because i know it will go to waste. it was almost a foot long. i could never consume that much bread! he insisted.

here is my gingerbread man, i'll call him alfie. he lies on this neat christmasy napkin on my table. all prepped, hands on his waist. :) head high, all shiny and proud.


time check: 11:00am. alfie is legless. huhuhu. i had to take a bite. i'm starving and lunch seemed a lifetime away. forgive me, alfie. my legless alfie. yet you stand so tall! that's the spirit, alfie!


alfie was born blind - no right eye. poor alfie. and his mouth is like a chick's beak. he has all the imperfections in the world but he will always be my alfie.


time check: 5:30pm. alfie is still in the same state - legless and blind. i asked scott to take him home. he said he could take him home to felicidad. i couldn't just throw him! i wrapped him delicately and put him in a bag. "take him." i sadly said. and he did.

wow. reyna ng drama. harhar.

when i'm sick...

i get weak.
it was definitely not a witty thing to do.
in fact, it was dull... more of stupid.
i'm so embarrassed.
why do i feel this way?
i know perfectly well it has nothing to do with my stupid colds.
why?
what now?

and the song playing now is:
take me out of the dark

hehe. timely.

sun peeks...

spotted: sun peeking from behind the house of parliament in bern. jan and i went to the capital of switzerland, bern, last 10 oct. 2008.

nag-iisa't walang makasama

my brothers were out again. this meant i had to eat all by myself for lunch. i don't mind being alone anymore. got used to it somehow.

for a change, i didn't settle with take-away salat und jogurt that i had to eat at my desk. work load wasn't something i couldn't handle today so i told myself i will have a good, long walk and eat a good meal if i find one place i fancy.

the sun was out! perfect for a walk, though i could still feel the cold wind seeping through my soul. this place is not for humans. this is for penguins! hehe.

and there it was, a diner that looked ok. i badly wanted shawarma but i thought it would be hard to eat it. i am an overly self-conscious person! it's a struggle for me to be alone in public places. i know, i'm weird!

flashback (complete with stardust): the only time i remember i ate alone in public was in atc (during college), while waiting for kuya to fetch me. i had a few hours to kill and i had no choice but to eat alone.

going back to the present time (complete with stardust):
so i had pasta, very convenient to eat! i wasn't at ease for the full 20-ish minutes i was eating. but i made it! i got out and strolled on the sunny street again, like i was the breeze!

when i got back to my work area, i felt very accomplished. i seriously think this is just my 2nd time to eat alone in public (pangatlo ang meryenda ko sa starbucks while waiting for jan and marco). i'll probably have more of this in my lifetime. better start early!

sometimes it's good to eat alone (twice on the same day)

feel na feel ko ang pagiging mag-isa ko ngayong araw na ito. tinawagan ko si kuya marco at ate jan pagdating ko ng bahnhofstrasse. malayo-layo pa sila so sabi ko, stroll muna ako under the christmas lights. enjoy na enjoy ang bata, hanggang nafeel kong todo lamig na! at nag-uubo ako nang walang pasintabi. susme. parang tatrangkasuhin ang pakiramdam ko. nakakita ako ng starbucks at nagmistulang refuge ko ito. hehe. arte.

masarap ang ham and cheese nila. partneran mo ng hot choco. parang meryenda lang sa kanto. :) ayan nasasanay na talaga akong kumain mag-isa. hehehe.

the closest i could get to having that christmas feeling...

is going to bahnhofstrasse and seeing some of the christmas lights ablaze. it's still a bit dull compared to the manila atmosphere, but it's good enough to stir up some christmas spirit!

another moment with me, myself, and i... while waiting for jan and marco :)