between now and then...

it's been a while since i posted a blog. so what basically happened between now and then....hhhmmmmmm

well to start, i've been busy during the last 2 weeks of november finishing up my origami cranes -- to be used my my decorations for the family christmas tree this year. i managed to make about 100 cranes. it might not be much but hey, folding can be a pain.

another thing that i've been doing this past couple of weeks is dental visits. after not seeing any dentist took a very costly effect on my teeth. i just recently had a root canal the other week and i will have another one tomorrow. OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! well it actually doesn't hurt, it's just that the tooth is located all the way back and i have to open my mouth.......real wide. i think my mouth was stretched to the max and beyond.

also i'm busy trying to organize my first major vacation in a year. i already book my flights, one hotel (i need to book another hotel for another location), and different activities. i'll keep you more posted as the big comes. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

on another note, and i'm crossing my fingers and toes here, wishing to all the shooting stars out there, there will be a major change in my life. NO it't not marriage. I wish....but whatever it is is something that will be good for me. i don't want to say it yet......you know, no jinx here.

you must comply.........

i presently own this A900M by Samsung which is very thin. i don't have to worry of getting a case since I can just slip in my pants side pocket without causing any nasty bulge. but for the past couple of months now, i am thinking of changing my cellphone. i am leaning to getting a blackberry. right now, i have my cellphone and i also have a palm to keep track of my appointments at work. with the blackberry, it's two in one. one less gadget for me to carry every single day. just to let you know, although my present cellphone have plenty of features, i only use it for calling. no more, no less. my only concern with a blackberry is that it's very thick. it would feel like carrying my old cell phone again. damn.

madam president clinton....hmmm

although i didn't vote this past tuesday's election, i would say that i am a democrat by heart. republicans is just way to conservative for me. a lot of issues that i don't agree and too much politics going on within the political group.

what to do...what to do

for the first time in......i can't remember when but i got home exactly at 5. normally during working days, it's about 7 pm. so basically right now, which is like 3 hours later, i have no idea what to do. i'm sleepy but i don;t want to sleep yet. i'm tired but i don't want to rest because i know i will fall asleep.

the reason why i went home early is because i had a dentist appointment at 5:30. this is the first time i'm going to this clinic. it's been over a year since i visited a dentist. WOW!!! i'm not scared of dentist but the cost of dental works are expensive. root canal here, cleaning here....what else do i need?? or maybe i should floss more often so at least i don't go to the dentist on a regular schedule. in anycase, what's done is done and whatelse is to be done can be schedule for another time. my question right now is what to do??? hmmmm......

up up and away

last friday, after finishing my only exercise, which is basically walking from 57th st to 42nd street, i decided to do something that i've never done before....take the express bus to go home.

normally i take the subway (6 train) which takes me about 45 mins. ride. it's not a bad travel time considering that most of the trains that i take are express trains...which means less stop. but as soon as i got to madison ave and 43rd st., i changed my mind and decided to try the express bus once and for all. luckily enough, there's a bus coming in at 5:45 (i got there around 5:40). i know that they take metro card but from what i can recall, the price is around $4 per ride (subway cost $2 per ride). as soon as i dip my metro card in the slot, i saw something like $5. when did they increase the price of the fare?? those bastards.

well the ride was what i expected, quiet, clean and i can atually take a nap without being interrupted by loud kids running around. but since i am a virgin to the express bus, i just decided to listen to my ipod and read this book that i'm trying to finish. the trip took about 1 hr. but i decided that i will do this express bus at least once a week.....maybe during fridays when i'm tired and need a good break.

let's get ready to rumble.....

during my regular walk from 57th to 42nd street, i saw a crowd forming outside the fye store located on 42nd and 6th ave. being the curious person that i am, i decided to take a peak while walking (i don't want people to notice me that i'm being nosy). as soon as i pass the entrance, i noticed a very big guy and might i add, a very tanned one. i tried to figure who it was since he was facing side view. then, i noticed the hair. it was hulk hogan in person. what a surprise. i wish i had my camera with me to show you a proof that i actually saw him but i left it at home. my camera phone is available but i didn't even bother.

a red thingymajig.........

one of the very few weired things that can be found in the city of new york. the sculpture was created by world renowned artist Jeff Koons and was entitled, oddly enough, "Balloon Flower (Red)". this massive art can be seen @ 7 world trade center. yes, there is a 7 WTC...the first one to be built and fully funtioning after the attack. in any case, back to my story.

i tried to google this sculpture to see what they call it and the history. i was disappointed in what i found. the sculpture is not an original art commisioned for the 7 wtc. from what i know, this is the 4th in it's series (or maybe even more). to remember all those lives that was perished in that sacred ground, i would expect to see something more original. sad.....very very sad.

A taste of Japan

Bonsai - what a way to present a tiramisu

when it comes to going out for dinner in New York, there are so many to chose from. it actually depends what you're in the mood for. And lately, J and I have been eating at mostly japanese restaurant.

last monday, J suggested we go this place called ninja. it was a suggestion from j's friend and that we should try it out. in any case, being curious that we are, and also getting board of eating @ gyo-kaku every monday, we ventured to the world of the unknown....just kiddin.

first of all, you NEED to make a reservation. the place is very small and it's located in the basement of a building in tribeca. YES! THE BASEMENT. tribeca for my non-new york friend is an area in manhattan near the world trade center. anyway, you take this elevator to go to the "1st" floor (or the basement). as soon as the doors open, you are jolted by a ninja costume wearer waiter shouting "HIYAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!". i'm glad that j came out first or else i'll be screaming like a little girl....sorry, i get scared easily.

Me, J, and Mercer's Kitchen

after visiting J's daughter at upstate new york, we decided to have a small dinner before ending the nite...or should I say morning. anyway, we didn't get into the city until 12 in the morning. since it was saturday a few good restaurants that we know off are still open until 1 or 1:30. we have two choices, intermetzo or mercer's kitchen. i opted for mercer's kitchen.

morning event

today is my dad's 66th birthday. well he should be turning 66th if he was still alive. but whether he dead or not, my mom is still cooking something special in honor of dad's big day. so sweet of her....gosh. :-)

57th Street Manhattan

to all my non-new york city friends, 57th street is considered to be one of the most expensive street if not in New York or the continental US, probably the world. you have a bunch of car dealership on the west side (such as BMW). then in the middle you have Carnegie Hall and Tower (which was reportedly the first choice of former Pres. Clinton to be his office before moving to 125th street - price was about six figures of rent per month). then in the most expensive corner of them all (57th and 5th, you have Neiman Marcus on the northwest, Louis Vuitton on the northeast, Tiffany's on the southeast, and then Bulgari on the southwest (which by the way is being renovated as i speak). on the eastern most part, you have expensive condo's and business establishments.

just say NO!!!!!

this is just a reminder to myself that every now and then, it is ok to say NO.

deja vu

NOT AGAIN!!!! that was first thing that came into my mind when i heard that another building in new york city was hit by an aircraft. i could not believe that we'll have to suffer another disaster.

i know that i might sound over re-acting, but after the 9/11 attack....who can blame me. yes, life moves on here in NYC and it does not dictate most people lives here but let's face it, it's not impossible for another attack to happen.

i'm not going to say that i'm glad that the accident that happened today was not a terrorist attack.....it is still a tragedy since a life was taken.

Very odd.....

i'm trying to do some house cleaning today, which by the way happens only once in a blue moon, when i stumble into an old travel book about alaska i purchased back in 2003. i had to stopped what i'm doing because it made me think for a minute....and then smiled. why?

back in january of 2003, after attending a friends wedding/cruise at the carribean, we all decided that we should plan another cruise trip just for fun. we all decided that since most people who went on an alaskan cruise always recommend it, we figured that it's the next trip that we'll take. as the instigator of this whole plan, i bought the travel book and also did some research. we all planned but for some reason, the plan didn't materialized. the printed documents were recycled and the book, well as you already know, was lost with the other travel books i've collected.

then during 2004 when i was still with my back then other half (now a dear friend), we planned to go on vacation on a cruise trip. and guess what i suggested, you got it, a trip to alaska.

by late 2004, we put a down payment for the cruise trip. the trip by the way is not until August 2005. why so early? if you not are familiar with alaskan cruise trip, they sell pretty fast and alaskan cruise only happens a certain period during the year. you know ship.....very thick ice...not a good match. anyway, back to my story. so the alaskan trip happened. my friends who i originally asked about the trip could not believe that i went.

finding the travel book today, i realized that i went to alaska without actually bringing the travel book with me. it just dawned on me that i went not remembering that i had a travel book.

funny isn't it that things do remind you of these certain things.

a day in the museum

last thursday was the 1st day of passover -- which means no work for moi since i work for a jewish company (one of my fringe benefits i guess).

since it was a nice day -- and pretty warm for a spring weather -- i decided to take my mom and my nephew to the Met.

working in the farm

since november of 2005, i've been working at least once a week @ our westchester location to cover the vacated hr department in that site (i'm based in the city). there are 4 of us who does the rotation. since going up there is normally a break from the daily work routine in the city, it gives us some time to catch up with things that we need to finish (that's my excuse but i'm not sure for my other co-workers).

i originally hated the idea of going since travelling is a hassle. i have to wake-up @ 5 in the morning, get out of the house by 5:30, take a 45 minutes subway ride, and then take another 45 minutes train ride. by the time i get to my destination, i'm already exhausted. and i have to do the same thing going back home.

** the picture above is the entrance to the main building on the compound. the office that i occupied is literally the first door you will see as soon as you walk in.

room with a view

the main lobby of Grand Central Terminal......it's actually quiet here in the early mornings...

unexpected....

car accident -- some druken idiot hit us while backing-up

04.02.06 babysitting niko

whatever.....

my first blog for 2006.....wow, has it been that long since i post my last blog??

a lot of things happened during the past few weeks. actually only one major thing happened but it feels like a lot. i finally decided to go back to my birth country, the Philippines, after 11 year of haitus.

i had some doubts going back home. would i enjoy it? would i regret my decision of taking 2 weeks vacation? those were some of my concerns prior to the trip. but that change a few days after arriving.

i never realized how much i missed my childhood memories: the street where i used to play, the malls where my friend and i used to hangout, my HOME.