거미 (GUMMY) - Love song (노래해요 그대 듣도록) | Do You Like Brahms? (브람스를 좋아하세요?)...

Do you like Brahms?  Not really - but this one brought me back to K-dramas.  

Ipeng and Kaguyahime

 

I sent this to image to Ipeng's Messenger last week.  She immediately asked me, "Ako ba ito Neng?  Saan galing na anime?" 

I answered yes but she used the branches as sling when she threatened to run-away when she was young.  Told her the image is from Isao Takahata's Kaguyahime.

[MV] WENDY(웬디) _ What If Love (Touch your heart(진심이 닿다) OST Part.3)

Currently watching this K-drama after Sky Castle.  I just realized that I can still appreciate FLUFF, ;)

Jollibee chicken palabok

Friday nights and I usually meet up for dinner with Melissa.  This week we can't have dinner together as she has to conduct an FGD on Saturday morning. Sent an SMS to some friends who might meet up with me.  After receiving 3 messages from friends who had already made plans - I decided to just spend this Friday night on my own.  

A colleague who walks with me to the train station wanted cheeseburger but I told her, I'll just have sundae as I'm not really a fun of the hamburger clown - I used to but I got converted into the Happy Bee with its "juicylicious" and "cripylicious" chicken together with the fiesta "palabok."  So I told Ate Bebot to take care and I'll be off on my own at Jollibee.

The line is always long and the place is always packed - rarely will you see a person seating on her own.  They're always with somebody - their friends or families.  So I lined up and got the one piece chicken with palabok - without the soda.  I asked for glass of water with ice and looked for a place to settle and eat.  I chose a corner table.  I squeezed the calamansi onto my noodles and started eating the fried chicken.  After two or three bites, I started crying.  Partly because of the taste but mostly because I thought of our tatay.  At the end of this month - it will be one year since his death.  I used to hate Jollibee chicken palabok.  I was the cheeseburger type.  But when he was alive and whenever I visit him, I need to bring any palabok dish as this is the only one that he would eat - Tropical Hut, Mang Inasal,  Kuya J, Goldilocks, Red Ribbon, Pancit Malabon, the panciteria in Ampid and Jollibee.  The last was his favourite.  When he became too sick and I can no longer bring him to the restaurant, he stopped eating the chicken.  But somehow, the noodles no matter how much he wanted to stop eating and thought of giving in to the disease - the palabok would give him enough reason to eat.  

I suppose it was because he used to bring his "apos" to Jollibee.  Maybe it was because Ipeng, my youngest sister who is in Canada and his favourite, would feed him palabok during her rare visits.  Or probably it was just Jollibee.

Letter to Momi

31 October 2017


Dear Momi,

I've been sick. I am still sick.  The doctor said it might be pneumonia and I have been taking antibiotics since Friday.  I suddenly get tired and my back aches.  I'm having problems sleeping.  I can't decide whether to leave the lights or tv on or off every night.  I have just been thankful that I'm taking medicines cause I think they put me to sleep.  But after four hours, I usually wake up.  Even though I try to go back to sleep - I  just can't.  I stay awake waiting for the morning, then I get up.

Tomorrow will be All Saints Day.  I'm not really inclined to go to the cemetery but Malmen said I should.  Early this week, I was thinking you'll talk to the powers that be there in heaven and my sickness would just go away.  I'll be cured and I'll be leading them all.  Now I'm not sure.  I just want to be sick, Momi.  I want to really cry....

I wanted to hear comforting music and was listening to the JMM cover version of Both Sides Now.  Then, I thought how about I typed in the search field "TED Talks on coping with grief."  There were actually six talks on the topic.  I listened to them all.  The last one - finding beauty in the awful - her mom also died of lung cancer.  She said that, somewhere in the space of time when she was down on her knees with grief you have to find something.  Since she's a painter, she painted.

So, hear it is - I'm writing you a letter.  There are too many things I wanted to tell you or ask you.  Here they are:

Are you comfortable there?  Is it true that death liberates you from pain?
Am I doing everything that you told me to do correctly?  Did you like your funeral?  Should I go visit your co-teachers as often as I can?  You have so many bags, is it right that I give them to all your friends? to your favorite junior teacher, Janella?
Should I increase my contribution in the family budget?
I just booked a flight to Maldives without thinking - I even made errors on booking, is it safe to go there?  Will I be cured by the time I have to travel?

Can you forgive me for not listening to you as often as I should have?  For letting only Kayzer take you to the doctors?  For being active only when you were diagnosed with Stage IV Endometrial Cancer?  Even taking a back seat as soon as Ipeng and Tita Ikol were here?   Then finally not letting you go back home or in your room that night?  Until the end I did not tell you how much I love you and how thankful I am.  I miss you a lot Momi.

When will things settle?  What is the new normal?  How can I get to that space she talked about?

Love,

Monet

Why I scolded our tatay for the first time

I have a sick 71-year old father.  He was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease six years ago, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's 11 years ago.  But he remains the tatay that I respect and look up to even on the three times that we have to confine him in the hospital.  

Yesterday, a week after Father's Day, I found myself lecturing him about finishing his food, not being picky and consuming all that we ordered from the menu.  The main reason - I paid for everything with my hard earned money.  I did not stop the lecture - I made him eat everything, told him how I have been having a hard time visiting him and having dinner with him every other day.  I ended up eating everything on the table just to emphasize a point - how hard it was to earn money so we could have dinner in a restaurant after his weekly shots at the nearby hospital.  Before leaving for home, I reminded him how one summer while vacationing in his hometown, he showed me how hard farmers work on the fields - planting, harvesting and drying the rice grains.  I narrated how I saw him rushing to rescue sacks of rice left to dry outside their house at the slightest drizzle.  Then how after that summer, I began to treat rice and all the people who produce it with utmost respect.   Ending my lecture with why the two years spent as graduate student in Japan, made me really reverent of their culture.   Because the Japanese say, "Itadakimasu,"  before each meal - showing respect and being thankful for those responsible for producing the food in front of them.

Then on my commute back, all the images of the day flashed back.  I could not help but cry - I do not know if it was because of the tiredness from the long commute or finally arguing and showing how I really felt about my tatay's prolonged sickness.  But the role reversal and the changes in dialogues from the characters - parent to child then child to parent - sunk in.  I am now the parent and my tatay is the child. 

Thank you, grandfather. Thank you mother. I'll hold on to tightly to this happiness. - Cha Haewon, Wonderful Days

It's almost my birthday and this quote made me realized that happiness is a gift borne out of other people's love and sacrifices. Happiness can be fleeting that's why we really have to cherish it and make sure that it lasts or at least sustains us.  

Pockmarks

Rediscovered my blogger account after not coming to work for a week. Finally finished John Green's The Fault in Our Star so I'm quoting the following lines as my first entry for 2014:

"Sometimes it seems the universe wants to be noticed...

I think the universe is improbably biased toward consciousness, that it rewards intelligence in part because the universe enjoys its elegance being observed.  And who am I, living in the middle of history, to tell the universe that it - or my observation of it - is temporary?"

Jonathan Yabut, Philippines: First Apprentice Asia Winner

Missed the first 15 minutes of the show's 2nd finale episode.  Up to the end, was really thinking that Tony Fernandes will choose Singapore's Andrea.  But when he said that he changed his mind from his initial choice, I became sure that Jonathan is the WINNER.  

Not really a fan of the series because of the "survival of the fittest" reality-game concept but I got to appreciate the spectrum of differences and similarities in corporate values among young Asian professionals are.  As a viewer of the series, I got to contemplate on my leadership values and attitudes as well as re-think those of my bosses.  

As the winner, Jonathan said a lot about equating leadership with passion.  However, the one where he said that leadership means taking a back seat and letting members of your team shine and making sure that they are passionate too about what you all are doing is the one that I will ALWAYS remember and STRIVE to do.    

  

thoughts to remember

We always have to make choices 
No matter what the results maybe

But even if we made the wrong choices 
Even if the path we chose can't seem to be right
Even so, we have no choice but to walk on

Whatever awaits us at the end of that road
What's important is not making that choice 
No matter how it will end up

What's important is being able to accept your choice
The strength to accept whatever reality that comes our way.
                         - Resident 5-nin no Kenshui 

Bookmarks from my Girlfriend

Was cleaning up my stuff to prepare for the new year and realized that I have all these "omiyage" from Melissa's travels and field work.  The Istanbul bookmark (made of parchment paper) is currently between the pages of Murakami's IQ84, (:

Why do you like me?

"Why do you like me?" i a question posed by the characters from one of the episodes in Reply 1997 (a coming of age kdrama from tvN).  It's interesting that while most of the male characters answered this question with these lines:  "... because you're cute and pretty," "you're pretty to me, although you may not be with others" and "she's pretty to me."  

Kang Joon Hee (Hoya) harboring a crush and unrequited love to Yoon Yoon Jae (Seo In Gook) answered with these thoughts:

"The reason I like you?  
Because it's you. Just you.
That's the only reason.
I wish I knew.  Then I could figure out 
how to stop liking you.  
If I can't avoid it, then I only want one thing -
To stay as a friend who doesn't change...
For heartache,
For love."
  

Happy birthday, Rizza Mae!

Flower by Na Tae Joo

Go Nam Soon recited this poem at the second episode of School 2013

Flower

You have to look closely 

To see that it is pretty 
You have to look long 
To see that it is lovable
You are the same 
                    - Na Tae Joo

Sayonara Multiply, Yokoso Blogger

Finally a blogger account.  Hope my five-year entries from multiply would have their new home here.  I'm bracing myself that I won't recover the photos and the music.....

I think I'll lose some pictures permanently .  This means - having to really get my old notebooks working.  Two of them conked out (spanning 7 years of my life).  

Feels like leaving your home without packing your stuff.  I depended on good old multiply since I've not really warm up to FB.  Shows what a bad investor I am.  

Hopefully blogger can be a keeper.  

It's time everyone flies

This post is not about a recent trip using the country's "second flag carrier."  This is about their booking and reservation service that really impressed me.  I booked a trip to Davao for our Middle Managers Training last month.  Nothing unusual except for this official trip I have to use my credit card in purchasing two tickets (one for me and for a co-worker).  Well, nearly a month after, I got shocked when I saw my credit card statement and the amount for the tickets was posted twice - hence double the amount that I requested for reimbursement.  

I immediately called Citibank, got some answers from the phone officer.  The following day, I downloaded and printed the statement dispute form but somehow didn't know which box to check among the reasons for disputing my credit card statement.   Another call to Citibank and was advised to contact the customer service of Cebu Pacific.  

To cut the long story short, I got the best customer care service EVER in the Philippines.  I remember being spoiled in terms of customer service in Japan that I always compare them with the ones I get (especially when transacting over the phone) in Pinas.  But really, I'm so impressed with the way they handled my request and the prompt response I got from them - they promised to give me a resolution within 24 hours and they really gave me.  Here it is:  

• REFUND CANCELALTION‏

23/11/2011

Reply  ▼

 CEB eTicket - Cebu

 Add to contacts

To mmprobles@gmail.com, mmprobles@hotmail.com

Greetings!

This is to inform you that we have cancelled your booking for refund due to duplicate booking. Please see details below:

            Name of passenger                 : PEREZ/ MARIA LUISA MS.

                                                              ROBLES/ MARIA MARTINA MS.

                                                                                                                          

Flight Details                           : 5J 963 MNLDVO 16OCT11

                                                  5J 970 DVOMNL 22OCT11

                                                           

Record locator                         : VEKWSX

           

            Amount of fund                       : PHP 11,751.52

We apologize for the inconvenience that has caused you.

Best regards,

Service Desk Cebu - Reservations

Now, I encourage EVERY Pinoy to fly the country's "FIRST flag-carrier in my heart."

The Princess's Man

My saeguk-fusion drama for 2011.  It has 24 episodes (4 more than 2010's Sungkyungkwan Scandal) which means I spent almost 3 months waiting for Wednesdays and Thursdays.  

Dubbed as the Romeo and Juliet of the Joseon Period, I didn't plan on watching this as I felt that I have "outgrown" my fondness for this Shakespearean tragedy.  Although looking back, even when I was in high school and loving all the Sweet Dream books, I never really find Romeo and Juliet as romantic.

Elements that I enjoyed in this kdrama:  

1.  the official soundtrack - wanted to post my favorites but no more "Music" option after clicking Post; 

2.  Moon Chae-won's hanboks - even when she became a servant-maid, she looks fantastic in them;

3.  presence of a male gisaeng - it's refreshing that this saeguk feature such a character; and

4.  the senior actors whose mere screen presence commands respect worthy of the royalty role that they play.

I was torn between wanting a tragic and happy ending.  Overall, I am happy that the Korean queen in this saeguk is wise and we have a character who saved the not so star-crossed Joseon Korean lovers.  

Zenkai Girl

My jdorama for Summer 2011, Zenkai Girl stars Aragaki Yui and Nishikido Ryo.  Aragaki is the overachieving Ayukawa Wakaba while Nishikido is Yamada Sato, her exact opposite -- stay at home single dad, no college education and no great ambition.  The Ayukawa character reminds me of Tracy Flick from the American movie Elections.   But since this is a jdorama and she is in the land of "ganbarimasu" - overachieving, overdoing and over-everything is the norm.  There are no gray areas in how she her character is presented.  In fact, unlike in the American movie, Ayukawa's success is appreciated by all the other characters who eventually came to like her (or if not - they at least respect her).  Well, maybe what really sets Ayukawa Wakaba apart from Tracy Flick is her Japanese sense of belonging in a community.  More than her individual achievements, she is first and foremost a member of the Samejima Sakuragawa Law Firm and the Parent Rotation Club.  

All the child actors and their characters are memorable.  The young Wakaba is overzealous yet lovable; Hinata is an adult-child fashionista.  Last is Pitaro who should not grow up and stay as his cute five-year old self forever.   

Here are my favorite lines from the last episode:

I believe that people who have had the taste of defeat are stronger than those who only know how to win - Ayukawa

If you like him, then it isn't about what you want but about what you can do to make that other person happy - Hinata

I can't do anything great for you.  But I will love you my entire life.  So, will you marry me? - Sota    

Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, 2011

Went back to these three countries after less than a year. I was supposed to do a lot of things here but figured at the last minute that I'd just rest and enjoy the food. Finally ate the Hainanese Chicken Rice, took pictures of the Marina Bay Sands and made the decision to let go and move on.

South Korea, 2011

Finally got to visit the land of kdramas with Mina. This trip was planned five years ago at the Jasso Dorm in Nada. All the places we visited are featured in a drama, ;)

The Greatest Love was showing at the Incheon Airport when we landed. Hence, Dokkogin, Ding-dong and Pil-soo were here. Most airport scenes in kdramas are shot here - Dokkogin when he came back from the States has an Incheon Airport scene.

Myung-dong - The last scene when the Prince and Princess kissed in Goong or Princess Hours was shot in the middle of the shopping streets. Hwang Taek-yung of You're Beautiful bought Mi-nam's hair clip for 100,000 Won here.

Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon - I wanted to stay out of the Nami Island pilgrimage and opted for this World Heritage Site. But when we got there, Jewel in the Palace was shot here. I think the archery area was also the scene for the competition in Sungkyunkwan Scandal.

Seoul City Hall - I'm not sure where but I think, Lovers in Paris featured this or I think a Super Junior MTV was shot here but all the kdrama idols serving their military duty was staging a concert. I didn't even know that such things exists but when we got off the train from the Suwon trip, I told Mina we're going there and to my surprise, I saw lots of high school students and kdrama fans waiting for the concert. Lee Jun-ki, Lee Dong-gun and lots more were there. If only for this concert experience, the trip was really worth the airfare and travel expenses.

Coex - I think One Fine Day was shot here. There were lots of students hanging out because of the book fair. We also visited the shrine near the building.

Namsan Tower - Jandi told Jun-pyo from Boys Over Flowers that the best tasting three-dollar coffee is found at the vending machine where the cable cars are stationed. We didn't try as we were there at the start of the summer season but Mina and I ate the best tasting burger in Seoul, :p.

National Museum - don't know if a drama has been shot here but I don't care - a visit at the museum is always on my travel IT. Got the best value for money in terms of museum souvenirs - 3 dollars each for the document holder. I bought three - one for Lenisse, one for Ziyan and one for me.

The Palaces - watching the seaguk dramas now made me aware of the palaces that they use as backdrop.

Dong-daemun gates - we ended the trip here. I'm not sure if this is the market where Choi Ji-woo's character in Stairways to Heaven sold her clothing stuff. But all the major department store were closed that time. I'm not sure why.

I totally forgot to take pictures during the guided tours - the first one was in Han River and the last one was Cheongyecheon.