The other side

If my dad was a "celebrity" then my siblings and I are his entourage. My brother, the chauffeur and my sister and I his social secretaries. LOL

Ever since he and my brother arrived we have been on the road pretty much all the time. Dinners here and there and meeting up relatives. Last weekend we went to Hayward CA which is near San Francisco but I didn't see a single beam or plank of the GoldenGateBridge. That is "must visit" when one finds themselves up north but we just didn't have the time. Besides, its not like its our first time up north so we have seen it numerous times before. I guess the trip to NorCal was not much for sightseeing but for cousin-seeing. I think we pretty much met up with almost everyone on Papa's side. Majority of those on my dad's side live in NorCal while my mom's side in SoCal. I feel bad that its just an hour plane ride away and yet its been ages since I was last there. But I think the four days that we were there could make up for all those times. We don't sleep until 2 or 3 AM and to think that get-togethers start at noon. What could we possibly be talking about during all that time? A lot actually. Each other's lives and other people's lives and its not the backstabbing kind, mind you, and the one thing I can discuss with Papa's side that I really don't get to with Mama's and that is politics. I think it helps that I share almost similar views about politics with them than my relatives on my mom's side. My father's side of the family is very political, our ancestors were into politics, I guess that why.

But one thing that I figured out from that four days and being in the company of my aunts and uncles there is that I can be myself. I can be totally myself, no censoring, no holding back of what I will say. I can state an opinion and be respected for it rather than get this unfavorable reaction just because I don't share the same view. I am very opinionated and will not make excuses for being one. But, I also know who to share it with and I respect people if they have a different opinion. Just don't flame me for being different and I wont do the same thing. I get that feeling with some people so rather than be pissed off I just don't say my piece, at least not out loud. But there, I can say it and whether they agree or not its taken and discussed in a non-judgemental way which is so nice.

I also felt like an adult like I've never felt before. Growing up, my siblings and I were told not to butt in when the "adults" are talking. And for some reasons, I carry that until now even when I am already an adult. There are times that even if I am sitting at the "adults" table, I still feel like this little kid with no voice or with one but not sure if it will be heard. But there, I sat with all the adults around the table and I had a voice, my own voice and the best part is they stop and listen to what I have to say.

Tell me of a family that only has nice things to say about each other and I will say that you must be joking. On my dad's side, we don't always have nice things to say about the others but for some reasons it feels to me that its not condescending or accusatory in any way. Its said in such a way that there is still compassion and understanding rather than a full on criticism. I am not saying everyone on my mom's side is like that but there are a few that are which for some reasons just contaminate a few which is a sad thing.

Don't get me wrong I love both sides of my family equally but having been exposed to one side for so long and all of a sudden being in the middle of the other one for a weekend, I cant help but see the difference. The difference is more of internal than external actually. I like who I was when I was there. I felt like I was the same one that I know, that I used to be. Not the silenced (by choice) or the restrained or the cautious one that I have become. Maybe when I find myself "losing" that side of me again, I just need to go up North and recapture it even for a weekend, even for a brief time. My aunt - a cousin of my dad who works at an airline, therefore has privileges, has offered to send my sister and I tickets to anywhere that we want to go. We just need to call her in advance. I might take advantage of such an offer when I feel "lost" again.

Connected and more

When Papa and Nicco's trip to the US was confirmed, Papa asked if I wanted a new phone. I really wasn't so keen because I didn't feel like paying for a new phone since the one I am using now is still working well plus its not included in my budget just yet. My sister though by hook or by crook wants a new phone so she got a Nokia N73 Music Edition one. At first I didn't think much about it, its just a phone but after our weekend trip to Vegas, I want one now. Its the coolest thing. Its light and according to my sister, it is able to get good signal which is important to me. She was tinkering with it over the weekend, the camera and stuff and I am really amazed. For that little thing, it was able to capture the following images.

These are pretty sharp considering it was taken with a camera phone. It has 3.2 MP and a zoom at that. It also has a 2GB memory. Plus, there's a lot of cute effects that can be added into the pictures. A lot of features definitely. This would really work well on times I go to concerts or shows and digicams are not allowed. Or on those days that something in my environment catches my eyes and I will be able to document it using this. Its a bit pricey. Pretty much almost the same price as the Nikon D40 that I also wanted. But I want this and since my cousin wants my current phone so much, she would be happy if I get a new one since it means she will be able to inherit the one I have. I still haven't made a final decision just yet but its leaning towards getting myself one. The problem will now be as to who will bring this over here? And who knows by the time someone does, this may have become obsolete. But I hope not.

Re-pack

Weather for Hayward, CA

52°F Clear Wind: N at 0 mph Humidity: 80%

Wed 59° | 40° Thu 63° | 43° Fri 66° | 42° Sat 67° | 43°

My dad, brother, sister and I are heading up to Hayward tomorrow to visit some relatives. I already packed my bag which I know I am going to be teased about. See, I can travel light but I cannot pack light. What is the difference? To me travelling light means being able to carry my baggage with no external help, with no complains and one bag. Packing light, on the other hand means having the most minimal number of clothing into that one bag. I am just lucky that I have learned the art of packing smart so regardless if its just a backpack, a gym bag or a big bag, I can pretty much fit a weekend's worth of clothing not to mention all the toiletries and shoes as well. Sure, its a little heavy but not too much that I wont be able to carry it on my own.

Being that the weather has been crazy lately and based on experience NorthernCalifornia weather is a lot cooler than SouthernCalifornia I packed clothes to keep me warm. But looking at the forecast, I may have to reconsider lest I want to be sweating like a pig. But then again, I also don't want to go unprepared in case the weather changes which is a big possibility. What then do I do? I guess I may have to bring clothes that I can layer which is much more flexible in erratic temperature much like what we have been having. But it means I would have to re-pack my bag. Argh!

Two Hours

Two hours was all the sleep I got or maybe even less.

So here I am at work just going through the day. My eyes hurt since they only got two hours of rest too from my contact lenses. My ophthalmologist would be very happy. Since Monday I have been coming to work early and I mean early - 7 AM. That is early since I used to come at 9 AM and I would still be late. When I used to be late before, now I am here before everyone else in our building arrive. I am working on an extra project for my boss and I can only do it at these early hours. I really don't mind. Better this than working into the night. I actually like coming to work before everyone else does. I don't have phone calls or questions from people to distract me. Downside is I am usually out of light for an hour since our lights are on timer and it doesn't turn on until 8 AM. Good thing my office is by a window.

I may just have had two hours of sleep and my eyes hurt but its fine because Papa and Nicco are here. Days before, people were telling me not to cry. I know I couldn't promise that since I am a sucker for "airport scenes" were people see each other after being apart and its seen on their faces how happy they are. And the amount of time that I haven't seen either one I think merits some waterworks from me. But that didn't happen because, well we didn't have the time to be all melancholic and sentimental. Usually this happens when we have spent a good amount of time sitting by the arrival area waiting for whoever it is that we are picking up. We have gotten used to waiting that we took our sweet time. The estimated arrival was 625 PM which means that we will leave the house by then so by the time we got there, the plane had landed and the passengers have disembarked. I brought along sustenance - food and drinks, anticipating the waiting. But this did not happen since as we were just about to take the exit to the airport, Nicco already sent a text message to my sister that they are already there. What?? Its just 7 PM. We figured they still have immigration and customs to deal with so we were just right on time. Nope, we were not. We were late because they have already been cleared by Customs too. They were waiting by the curbside for us. No chance for waterworks to even ebb. As soon as we found a spot in front of Papa and Nicco, hugged them and put their baggage into the car, we went home. That swift. And Mama was getting worried back home about them.

That was just the second on the string of luck Papa and Nicco got. While they were still at the airport in Manila, waiting to board the plane, Papa was informed that they have been upgraded to Mabuhay Class. Reasons we still don't know until now but nevertheless thankful. Since Papa travels extensively all over the Philippines for work, he has raked enough miles to be an Elite member so one of his perks was that his baggage are labeled "priority" so we kind of figured maybe this was the basis too why they were upgraded. Lucky them. I guess PAL can be forgiven for being late every so often if they treat their frequent fliers like this. Upgraded or not, I am just so happy and excited to have them here.

Two hours of sleep and I am surprised that I am still able to write a coherent post. This is just the start. I don't know how much or how less sleep I would be able to get in the next few days.

Happy pills

So many things are making me happy nowadays. It started over the weekend when after some time I had a chance to have a day all by myself again. I wasn't depressed. I wasn't lonely. Sure I was by my lonesome but I didn't feel lonely at all. Besides, its not like this is the first time. I never had a problem with doing a lot of things on my own. Sure, it would be nice to have some company but if company is nowhere, I am not going to let it stop me.

Saturday

• I finally finished folding all my clothes and not only that I actually arranged my closet and drawers.
• Heard the Filipino mass with cousins and met up with more relatives there.
• Had a nice meal of chicken adobo and interesting conversation with relatives.

Sunday

• Slept in since I already heard mass
• It was a warm, sunny day in the middle of winter and was too pretty to waste staying indoors. So...
  
• I decided to spend the day at the mall. I really had no definite agenda but just to be outside. Sure I was still indoors but at least it wasn't inside a cold house.
  
• Had lunch at CPK (Sesame chicken dumplings and Chinese Chicken salad) and was surprised to see that I wasn't charged my drink.
• Watched a movie "Because I Said So"

The movie was just what I needed. It was funny, romantic, heartwarming and poignant. It made me laugh. It may be a chick flick but I think the few guys who watched it enjoyed it too since their laughter resonated all around the theater. I liked it and most of all it made me appreciate my mom so much more. My appreciation of Mama deserves a separate post.

• I bought two pairs of shoes - a brown and a tan one.
  

Early into my day, I already bought a brown pair since I don't have much brown shoes (yeah, yeah I am rationalizing) but then just before I went inside the theater I peeked into a shoe store and I saw a pair of tan shoes. I have been looking for a pair of tan shoes but I couldn't find any that I really liked until today. They had it in my size. It was just the right fit, the right style, the right height, a wedge heel that I wanted. But, I was conflicted since I felt it was a bit much to buy two pairs in one day. I decided to hold off on buying it and went into the theater. But I knew I was in trouble when as the movie was starting my mind was floating somewhere else...yup, to the pair of tan shoes. It was bad. So what did I do after the movie? I went back to the shoe store, asked to try the pair once again and ended up buying the shoes. I went home happy. Three days had passed and I am still happy about my purchase. Not even discovering that the blouse I got on sale had a hole in it could dampen my spirits. I will just think of a creative way to fix the problem since I cannot return or exchange it anymore.

Monday and Tuesday were stress-free days at work which was better than fine to me.

And today...

My Dad and brother are arriving tonight from the Philippines. YAY!!! I haven't seen Papa in 5 years and I haven't seen Nicco in 9 years. I am ready for the late nights ahead. Plus, we are planning a long drive to the Bay Area to visit our relatives on Papa's side. It would have been the best thing if Mama and Camille are here too. But, Camille has her thesis to finish and knowing her, she would make us all feel bad if she was left alone. So, Mama is staying with her for an entire month. I can't wait for my "pasalubongs" but most of all I cannot wait to see Papa and Nicco after a long time.

Tokidoki

First it was Hello Kitty and Friends

then Barbie dolls

next was Tweety Bird

following that was Pucca & Garu

and now

TOKIDOKI!!

I saw some stuff with Tokidoki characters at the mall yesterday and I found them so cute. The bag from LeSportsac looked really nice but I know its expensive. I am not so much about buying the bag. Maybe some other stuff as long as its Tokidoki.