We bonded over coffee and juicy stories at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. I remember the note she wrote in the graffiti wall of my autograph book, saying she hopes we'll have more juicy stories next time. And for that I have an answer, if our stories get any juicier than that, then I guess I will have to be prepared for a heart attack! :D

A get together wouldn't be complete without photos :D



We also went to Powerbooks where the book club discussion for Ricky Lee's book Para kay B. just finished. He was still there though for an interview. Since I wanted to get a copy of this book anyway, I figured I might as well buy it that day so I can score an autograph.




The note says "Dear Krissy, I hope my novel inspires you to always give love a chance!" I wanted to scribble a little note at the bottom part, "but I always do!" =]

I am just so happy that I was able to see Recks again. We were super bestfriends in college and we fought only just once =] We were kindred spirits, and I believe we still are. Proof?


I matched my gray plaid dress with black heels and a plum bag, she wore a plum top and black heels and brought a black bag =] We even have the same pressed powder! Look at the first photo ^ and you can see our pressed powders beside my plum bag =]

Here's hoping we can get together again SOON! And of course with Jinna and Minnie this time.

It's already the 15th day of the first month of the year and I am making good on my resolve not to buy new clothes. For someone like me who cannot resist to spend (especially on clothes, shoes and accessories), it should be considered as an accomplishment already Ö

But my nerdy side could not resist a good book when I see one, so for the first payday of the year I got myself

this:


It has 1148 pages and contains over 13,000 quotations with topics ranging from Abide to Zoo (though why anyone would state a quotation about zoos remarkable enough to be included in this book alongside with quotes by Oscar Wilde and company baffles me). Yup, the topics are alphabetically-arranged.


Priced at 555 Php, it's not so bad. And for someone who is an utter loony for words and quotes and trivia and other nerdy stuff like me, these kind of books should not be left owner-less at bookstore shelves. It found an owner now, and it would be a lovely addition to my mini-but-becoming-extensive library. Ü

I am enjoying a long vacation off work and won't be back until Thursday. Then I'll just work for two days (Thursday and Friday) then it's a five-day vacation for me again (I'll be on leave from Saturday to Monday and then rest days on Tuesday and Wednesday). This is the life. I was on the dumps last week, feeling tired and bored with my job. I want something new, something more challenging I guess. But then it is not practical to be without a job these days, so I guess I'll just stay put until the employment opportunity abroad I am waiting for comes (which would happen this year so I just need a little more patience). Besides, I love the people I am with in my workplace and it'll be difficult to leave them. Everything's so much more fun with them around.

So, back to my long vacay, I am just lounging here at home, maximizing the use of my computer (which I missed terribly, her being broken and all for a couple of months). Yesterday my Tita Jean and cousin Jerico went to Citisquare to buy blank DVD-Rs and some other stuff. I finally got this month's copy of Cosmopolitan Philippines! I never fail to get a copy of it every month, it is my bible! I used to collect Candy and Seventeen Philippines but I guess I am too old for them now. Now they are in my room here at home, carefully kept and preserved (they are even covered in plastic! I am that careful of my mags Ö) This month's Cosmo ish is a little bit more special for me because Britney Spears is on the cover! Yeah, I love her so much and never stopped liking her even when she was in her dark days. Heck the success story I wrote in the second activity of the Powerbooks' Creative Writing Workshop: Writing a Success Story I attended is about her! Ö


Won't you look at that. Hot!

So what else am I doing while hibernating?

Just the best PC game ever invented (in my opinion, that is)!


You all know what The Sims is about, yes? If not, then a quick overview from Gamers Download Zone:

The Sims, lacking definite goals or objectives, which are common in most other computer games, focuses entirely on the lives of virtual people called Sims, placing the player in control of their virtual “world” and their daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, reading, and bathing. Will Wright, the game’s designer, calls it a “digital dollhouse”. Although players are encouraged to make their own characters, certain pre-made characters, such as the Newbie and Goth family, have become popular.

The player controls almost all aspects of the lives of a family either premade or self-created. Many choices lead a player’s sim to a large family or a lonely life.

Read the rest here.

They have also released several expansion packs already to make for more interesting gameplay:


I love that I am able to create families and design houses for them to move in. Indeed, it is a digital dollhouse. And I've always loved Barbie dolls and creating stories with them, so this game more than satisfies the girly-girl and geeky-geek sides in me. Excellente!

Now I know they have already released The Sims2 and The Sims3, so why the eff am I still stuck with the first version? Well it's because I like the interface of it more, plus the fact that I can focus more on the designing houses and neighborhoods part. For the succeeding versions the gameplay concentrates more on the controlling the Sim part. I guess I am not that much of a megalomaniac haha! I used to joke that this game is for megalomaniacs since it gives you the power to control the entire neighborhood Ö

So, are you a Sims player as well? If not, what games do you like? And what do you do during long vacations? Ü

My classmate-since-Kindergarten AV who is now based in the US went to the Philippines for a short visit. Add to that the fact that it has been almost 5 years since our high school graduation and you've got the prerequisites for a reunion!

Joana and AV organized everything, and even though I was there for just about two hours, I had lots of fun! It was great seeing all those familiar faces again and swap stories and laugh with them. Such a shame that Third, Prex, Chester, Glen and I had to leave because we still needed to go to Dianne's house for a Barkada ni Ric powwow. For some reason they were not able to go to the HS reunion.

The party was held at Joana's house last Saturday night. There were games, raffle draws, prizes, music, booze, and FOOD!



Not everyone was able to come, but it's okay since I know it is indeed impossible to have 100% attendance for this. It was enough that there were representatives from the three sections of our batch: St. Augustine, St. Bernard and St. Benedict. I am from St. Augustine! Ü


And lastly...


Don't you just love high school memories? I do! I love these people! I went through pre-puberty and adolescent stages, my Britney Spears obsession, my being all nerdy in quiz bees and all phase, and teenage angst-y phase with them. It's nice that this was organized. I'm really thankful to Joana and AV for the invite. Here's hoping we'll do this again SOON.

4 favorite things to munch on




4 places I like to visit and why





4 favorite sites for online shopping





4 things that pop up when you google my name


All pictures from Google Image Search. No copyright infringement intended.

And now I am tagging Joan, Ana, Ed, Joner, Belay, Izhia, and Rej! Heck I am tagging everyone who wants to answer this! Ü

This is inspired by my bestfriend Jerome!

In my quest to financial-savvydom I have tried different methods but all of them failed. According to my one of my fictional heroine Rebecca Bloomwood's dad in the book Confessions of a Shopaholic, it was either save up or make more money. Well, I've tried both but I am still none the richer. Am I hopeless? I thought so too, but apparently not.

This genius bit of inspiration came when I was at my bestfriend's house. He referred to a DVD player as his next project since he was already able to buy his previous projects: a Plasma TV and a Skull Monkey headset!

Since I have always been a conscientious student, I believe calling the stuff in my wish list as projects would make it even more possible for me to attain them. Yeah yeah, I am a nerd! And I love school, and getting good grades!

So, on to my projects... (it has a nice ring to it, don't you think so? ;))

♥ a laptop

Congratulate me! I was already able to buy another PC after the one I have at home broke down almost two months ago. Nope, two weeks' worth of hinting and nudging and winking did not have any effects on my Tita so I had to buy it with my own money. It should be at home by this coming Saturday. I can't wait to play The Sims again! Anyway, since the desktop computer will stay at home (for my younger sibs who are still studying), I figured it would be great if I have my own laptop I can use in the apartment. And forgive my vanity, but I think I would look really cool with a laptop haha! I do not know how soon I can accomplish this though. It would be easier if I have a credit card, but seeing that I don't have one I pay for everything in cash. And woe is me, saving up for something this big entails a LOT of effort and willpower not to spend! When I get one I guess I'll name him Altherstone.

♥ a portable DVD player

This used to be a priority, just so I can have some entertainment at the apartment if I am left there alone. But if I will get a laptop I guess I won't need this one anymore right?

♥ a new digital camera

I want the Casio EX Z100 in pink. Just because. The 5mp Casio Exilim I am using now feels so outdated hehe.

I guess that is all for now.. I need to purchase at least one from the list first because I think adding more at the moment will only lead to frustration.

If only I did not hoard all those stuff, I think I will have at least half the money to buy a laptop. But it's too late for regrets now is it.

Save up or make more money! Or, save up AND make more money!

Who wants to show me some love and support and buy some of my stuff? Ö

So yeah, I guess you may now call me Financially-Savvy Krissy Ü

I was with my bestfriend Jerome the other day. I am just so happy that we have more time to see each other now as compared to when we were still students. Because of my work schedule (Thursdays - Mondays; 6am - 3pm) and his being a freelance graphic design artist and web designer (view his gallery here!) both of us have more free time on our hands, therefore more time to catch up Ü

Anyway, I was inspired by him because of the gadgets he was already able to amass! Now I regret buying all those clothes and shoes; if not for them I would have had enough to buy my own laptop already. Boo me! But regrets are losers so I would just move forward. I am spending wisely these days. Look, it's already the 8th today and I haven't bought any new clothes or shoes since 2009 started! To me that is already an accomplishment ;)

He named his "will buys" projects. That's a swell name, yes? I guess I'll start calling them the same as well. Kinda makes me really want to follow them through. Because they're "projects", and I have always been a conscientious student. Next post, my projects!

PS: Update on my "without a computer" status, I finally bought one! It might be delivered tomorrow or on Saturday! I would be able to play The Sims again! Weeh!

It was just the first day of the year, but I was already making sure I follow my list of must do's! Most specifically, the "See more of the world" thingie Ü

Yesterday Ruther invited Ar to go with him to their house in Babatnin, Bulacan since he would not want Ar to spend the first day of the year alone at the apartment. Plans were made and rehashed until it ended up with me going with them! Mich and her friends Jonas and April were also able to come.

We spent our lunch break going back to the apartment to get clothes and other stuff. After shift, we rode a PUJ to Quezon Avenue, an FX to Malolos, another PUJ to Barasoain church, and a tricycle to Atlag where we would then have a 20-minute boat ride to reach Babatnin island.

The 20-minute boat ride was pure bliss. I was scared at first but my fears went away after the first few minutes. The river stretched wide and long before us and there was nothing to see except the mangroves, birds flying in pairs, and the endless sky. It was very humbling and once again I found myself in awe of the beauty of nature.

It was a good less than two hours worth of travel and I was exhausted, what with the sheer weight of my stuff, but it was more than worth it. I have nothing but praises for the place. It was very homey, quaint, quiet and beautiful. The residents of Babatnin all knew each other and the sense of camaraderie is very apparent. Crime rate? Zero. Ruther's family were very hospitable and her mom is a very good cook! I wish I have bigger instentines that I may have been able to gorge more food!

We went to the street party and danced. We stayed until 11pm only though because we have work the next day and would need to wake up early.

I had a very grand time and I am very thankful that I was able to experience these things with my friends. I feel so blessed!

Here's looking forward to more travel! Frank wants to organize a trip to Marinduque, and I surely will not miss it!

See pics here. Ü

First post for 2009!

Krissy wishes you all an abundant and joyous new year!
Keep rockin'!

"Live as you will wish to have lived when you are dying."

Kisses!
♥♥