Thirty five random things about me - issue #1

1. I’m not as innocent as you think I am.
2. I hate DOMs. And guys who act like one.
3. I love ChocNut.
4. Sushi is a snack.
5. I’m deathly afraid of rodents.
6. I love to dance alone in my room.
7. I wish Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were together in real life.
8. I don’t like Jennifer Aniston.
9. Retail therapy is the medicine I’m always willing to take.
10. Procrastinating is one of the things I’m good at.
11. I remember birthdays and car plate numbers.
12. I am a closet boyband fanatic.
13. Lancome is the only brand of foundation I prefer smothering on my face. It’s the only brand I’m not allergic to. All the others make my face blotchy in a couple of hours.
14. I shop for make-up once every two years.
15. I pray everyday.
16. My left eye’s grade is 775, my right eye is 800 (or vice versa).
17. My hair is a big house of split ends.
18. I wear fake pearl earrings because my mum won’t let me wear real ones (legend says if single women wore pearl earrings they’d be old maids. Whatevah.).
19. I have six credit cards. Thankfully I don’t use all of them.
20. My average number of hours of sleep is only 5.
21. I drink Milo freeze almost every morning.
22. Chocolate is a food group.
23. Mango is both a fruit and a store.
24. I hate people who cut in front of me (or other people) whenever I’m lined up. Why can’t they line up like everybody else?
25. I hate drivers who do not use their signals when they’re trying to make singit.
26. The MRT is one heck of an invention made by man. So is the bullet train, the underwater rails, and the MTR.
27. I like to read Isabel Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s books with a dictionary right beside me.
28. If I send an email without anything on it, it’s all that darned Watson’s fault, ok???
29. I avoid alcoholic and carbonated drinks like the plague.
30. Isaw, fishballs and kwek-kwek are three of the Pinoy’s ingenious ways to fend off starvation (damn delicious, too).
31. My stockings have an average lifespan of 2 days (no distinction between the cheap and the expensive ones).
32. I have a thing for day old stubble in guys.
33. I hate totalitarian regimes.
34. I love kids. No, seriously, I do.
35. I’m giving dating a chance. (Takers, anyone? Ü)

Inside Your Heaven by Carrie Underwood

Another must-play at my wedding: Carrie Underwood's Inside Your Heaven

I've been down, now I'm blessed
I felt a revelation comin' around
I guess it's right, it's so amazing
Everytime I see you I'm alive
You're all I've got, you lift me up
The sun and the moonlight
All my dreams are in your eyes

And I wanna be inside your heaven
Take me to the place you cry from
Where the storm blows you away
I wanna be the earth that holds you
Every bit of air your breathing in
A soothing wind, I wanna be inside your heaven

When we touch, when we love
The stars line up, the wrong becomes undone
Naturally my soul surrenders
The sun and the moonlight
All my dreams are in your eyes

And I wanna be inside your heaven
Take me to the place you cry from
Where the storm blows you away
I wanna be the earth that holds you
Every bit of air you're breathing in
A soothing wind, I wanna be inside your heaven

When minutes turn to day and years
If mountains fall, I'll still be here
Holding you until the day I die

And I wanna be inside your heaven
Take me to the place you cry from
Where the storm blows you away

And I wanna be inside your heaven
Take me to the place you cry from
Where the storm blows you away

And I wanna be inside your heaven
Take me the place you cry from
Where the storm blows you away

I wanna be the earth that holds you
Every bit of air you're breathing in
A soothing wind
I wanna be inside your heaven

Oh yes I do
I wanna be inside your heaven

Technologically Impaired

Shmooshy has to *bawl* undergo surgery!!! It'll be away from me for almost a month! Waaaaahhhh! Shmooshy had to go back to Singapore because some guy in the Creative Team Support unknowingly made me erase its firmware. Grrrrr...I was so upset last night because of that. Aren't technical support people supposed to help you fix things, not aggravate them? I emailed him so many times that Shmooshy can't be read by E----- G-------. All I want was a problem for that, but noooo, he had to make me download all kinds of stuff, install, uninstall and reinstall softwares, erase firmware to fix Shmooshy but to no avail. Sigh. Nakakainis.


My loveable Shmooshy

I listen to Shmooshy every single day, it helps me pass the time, it helps me not lose track of my groove. And now, it had to be away from me for three whole weeks!!! I didn't want the Creative Service Center here to touch it, because the warranty can be made void since Shmooshy was bought in Singapore.

And now I have just found out that my dear brother is taking away E----- G------- and Spiff with him to Japan for three months! Waaaaaaahhhhh!!! How can I function normally without three of my beloved techie pets??? How, how how??? The horror, the horror!!! I guess it's back to the caveman era for me. Thank goodness for my phone, also named E----- G-------, who can temporarily replace Shmooshy and Spiff for while. I'll miss them. Come back quickly, my beloved pets!!! Please!!! Your mummy's missing you already!

Queer Eye for the Gay Guy

I saw him first as he was being introduced to the Jap Cook, Max Brenner and Spiderman. I thought, “Hmm…what a gorgeous face!” He was sporting an F4 haircut. Hmm, pwede na. Then the outfit…oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. He looked like a dancing instructor. He was wearing a long-sleeved polo shirt tucked into his black pants, with the buttons unbuttoned from the top until the middle of his chest. Sablay! Sayang!

Then last Saturday, at our company sportsfest, he had his hair cut short and dyed at the ends. Hmm, bagay. So far so good. He was wearing a fitted sleeveless shirt and black jogging pants. Ok, sige, mukhang papasa. When he walked, when he moved…sige na nga, effeminate ng konti, just don’t loose it completely. Was he going to be my eye candy permanently?

Dyaran-dyaraaaaan!!! It was their team’s turn to show their stuff for the cheerdancing competition. Everything was going well until…shake, body-body-dancer! AAArrrggghhhhhh, oh my dear, para siyang kiti-kiti sumayaw. Is it just me or is it my taste in men beginning to get, ahh, questionable?

Of Marriage and Banking Awards

Mabel got married last Wednesday. I was teary-eyed when she was walking down the aisle to the song of "Ikaw." Haaaay...weddings do bring out my softie side, and makes me wonder when the heck is gonna be my turn to walk down that dreaded (or anticipated) aisle.

My bouquet of flowers

On to other things...
One of my products won an international award! Woohooo! I attended the awards night cum gala dinner with my bank's bigwigs. Since the news embargo period already passed, I can post an event picture here already.


Too bad my boss couldn't make it since he was tied up with another event at Tagaytay. I would've wanted him to be there as well.

I can't believe the things that are happening to me. I feel so much blessed. Thank You, thank You, thank You, Lord.

Red Faced Diary - Entry No. 1

One day, Fableeng was doing her day to day activities when she decided to listen to Shmooshy. She got it out, plugged in and put on her earphones and chose a song she hasn’t heard in a long time. She hummed softly with the song while computing figures for the Japanese Cook. She started singing along during the refrain and belted her heart out when the chorus came, singing, “Balutin mo ako sa hiwaga ng…”

And then everything stopped.

Fableeng turn her head ever so slowly to her left, then her front. She saw three of her colleagues smiling crazily. She quickly pulled down her earphones and looked back. Everyone was standing or craning their necks, giggling. Max Brenner came out and said, “Ge-grade-an na kita eh, yung parang sa sing-along…”

A memoir of a red-faced Fableeng. It really had to be Bituing Walang Ningning, right? Blast it.

Ten Songs That Have To Be Played In My Wedding

One of my friends is going to marry next week, and I'm feeling very sentimental. I haven't found the man of my dreams yet, but I've got my songs already lined up.

1. Once In A Lifetime (Kenny Loggins feat. Human Nature): This is going to be the song on our music video Ü

2. Only Hope (Switchfoot): As I'm walking down the aisle

3. Crazy For You (Madonna)

4. Angels Brought Me Here (Guy Sebastian or Carrie Underwood)

5. Ngayon at Kailanman (George Canseco/Basil Valdez): a must play at any Filipino wedding

6. Kailangan Kita (Gary V.)

7. The Prayer

8. You Raise Me Up

9. Ikaw Lamang

10. Ikaw

Darn. Ang daming langgam!!!

Max Brenner

It was an ordinary weekday morning last Thursday. Nothing was amiss. My boss, whom we fondly call Max Brenner, wasn't in yet. VPs were usually late, anyway. I went about my tasks and was talking to someone over the phone when he came in and called in an emergency marketing meeting at our conference room. This often happens, so I went immediately, expecting that we'd have to rush some project or Oli needs backup for her event today. He waited until we were complete, and somebody started joking about how his daughter was being linked to various actors on TV. He took it good-naturedly, even laughing with us, and then he dropped the bomb.

Max Brenner is leaving. He's leaving us. He told us, "Guys, I have to make an announcement. One month from now, I'll be leaving and someone is going to take my place..." in his usual way.

There was one millisecond of silence that reverberated with shock and then I, being the more outspoken and the most talkative one in the group, blurted out loudly, "You HAVE GOT to be kidding me..." I heard Oli say "WHA..???" and C remakred softly, "Ang daya ni (Max Brenner)..." I was on the verge of tears. I was trying very hard not to let my tears fall. After our initial outbursts, he continued, explaining the reason why he was leaving, why he has to leave, dadada, dadada. And all that time I was blinking back my tears, trying to control my facial expression, not looking at him. After he trailed off, I looked at him and spoke, in a strangled voice, "You know, you're going to make me cry..." And I broke down. He said, "Nooo..."

I continued, "You know it takes a lot to make me cry. My friends, they can attest to this. I never cried about work, about my studies, about stress, but this..." And then everyone broke down.

That moment I had my first experience in feeling devastated. My tears fell continually and I was having difficulty in uttering my words. I feel so sad.

Max Brenner is a great boss. Seriously. He is a good mentor, a good leader. He is unbelievably patient with us (although we know sometimes he gets frustrated with us). He works with a personal touch, he has a great sense of humor, he befriends anybody who comes his way, he...well, you get the idea. Words cannot do justice in describing the kind of boss that he is, but he is great. I was so thankful to God because He gave me bosses like Max Brenner and the Jap Cook. I couldn't have asked for better bosses than those two, especially now since I am just really getting started on letting my career sail. Before we were assigned to departments after our training program, I prayed real hard that God give me a boss that I could look up to, I could admire, I could respect, I could candidly speak to, someone who's gonna be a role model that I could pattern my work values and leadership style after. He answered my prayers with Jap Cook and Max Brenner.

I worked closely with Max Brenner since Lola left. He was the one who trained me not to let titles get in the way of communication and getting things done, of properly complimenting efforts that are note-worthy, dispensing insightful views every step of the way. He guided me in every step while letting me have free reign. He backed my decisions, challenged my ideas and limits and taught me to stand up for something that I believe is good and will work for the company even if the godfather didn't like it. Little did I know that he was already preparing me for his imminent departure.

I know Sig and Oli feel exactly the same way. We were, are, devastated. Oli told him, "Eunice and I were talking a few weeks before, that one of the reasons why we are staying with this unit is because of you, and now you're leaving...?" I know we're making it really hard for him, but we can't help it. We love our boss. We love the Jap Cook and Max Brenner. It has always been evident in the way that we talk about those two. We feel offended if some higher ups speak or backstab or yell at them in any way. We're very 'protective' of them. How many can say the same thing about their bosses?

I know it will be really hard to let him go. I don't even want to think about it yet. I act as if he's not going, barging in every now and then at his office. But at least I can kid about his departure now, like he does. He somehow makes it easier for us to deal with it. And he's pretty decided himself. Maluwag sa loob niya. And I guess life's just like that. Some people come and go. Max Brenner is one of those people I had to meet to give me a lesson, and the lesson's been given. It's finished. I learned and am learning so much from him still. It's time to move on. But I'd like to hold on just a little bit longer.

Fleeting thoughts

It’s nice to stay in a first class hotel suite while traveling.

The view from the top is absolutely spectacular.

Manila is beautiful at night.

I am overeating again.

Mabelle’s getting married on the 15th.

I’m listening to Blue’s “Don’t Treat Me Like A Fool.” Hmm, how very apt.

My line for the week (to Jerome): “I know you have fantasies of lasciviousness…”

I want to watch “A Lot Like Love.”

Chad Michael Murray is sizzling HOT. Watching House of Wax is worth every penny, if only to see Paris Hilton get killed.

My dad took all my Chicharritos chicharon to Singapore. I didn't even see them. Takaw talaga.

I have a craving for UP’s isaw (the one that’s sold outside the International Center).

“We’re being summoned by the godfather” (of our so-called ‘mafia’). – Oli (enclosed words mine)

Jenny’s burned out.

Jae’s coming to Manila this week.

I’m in dire need of a long, soothing massage.

My dad gave my mum a diamond trilogy ring for their 24th wedding anniversary.

I love Jordi Labanda’s illustrations.

I’m feeling uncertain about my future.

B's eldest daughter once remarked, "Dad, where can I find true love? I wanna find true love..." She was only seventeen.

I want to go shopping this weekend.

Loalde has such nice clothes.

Creative came out with Zen Neeon, which is Shmooshy’s cousin. It has a 5GB memory and standard black casing. Comes in ten different colors and four different backlights, and an option in changing its skin (reminds me of Nokia’s X-press On Color Covers). It has a non-removable battery, though. Bummer.

I’m feeling dizzy again @c@ so I’m signing off for now. Peace out!