Pra frente!

I missed you too!

Within the last three months, I...

... moved to Sydney.
... switched jobs.
... have been thrown into the deep end at work.
... have been reconnecting with old friends.
... have been making new friends.
... have been getting to know someone.
... have farewelled loved ones.
... have been making travel plans.
... have booked my flights to Cuba.
... have been dancing loads.
... have reached the peak of football madness.
... have gained a renewed love for Jason Mraz and his music.
... have been to the circus.
... have been to the AFL.
... have been shopping less.
... have gotten sick with the flu and the nasty Sydney bug.
... have been eating more and putting on weight.
... have joined the gym.
... have had a haircut.
... have had a 3-day birthday celebration.
... turned 26. And so far, 26 has been fantastic!

I'm very blessed. I have so much love to share and gratitude to express. I know it seems like a lot of cheese but it's really where I am at the moment. I am very thankful.

A long update is in order. But in the meantime, here's one thing that never ever fails to make me feel good about life.

Let's salsa!!!

Wala lang. Bakit ba? :p

Thanks Len!

The search for the ponti dress has ended.

I was planning to look for it in Tuggeranong on Friday after work but my big sister beat me to it. Thanks Regininha! You're too sweet. :)



I still went ahead with my after work plans and arranged to meet up with Regininha in Tuggeranong for dinner. I had a bit of time to kill whilst waiting for her to finish work so I decided to try more Zac Posen clothes at Target. I couldn't believe that they still had most of the pieces in size 6's. So. Very. Tempting.

I was seriously thinking of the asymmetrical skirt until I came across the outwear jacket. I tried it on and it was perfect. I rang Miel for a quick consultation and just as I was telling her that I've decided to walk away from it, Regininha arrived and started convincing me to do otherwise. It sure didn't help that random people were walking up to me and showering me with compliments. The final straw was seeing this photo that Regina took whilst I was prancing around the store. And then came the approval from the SNSA.



So much for sense and sensibility, hey. *shrug*

From there, we moved to Civic and bought Rodney his birthday present. I had no idea what to give him and with Regina's help, I finally decided on this purple Hugo Boss tie. We capped the night off with dinner at a Singaporean restaurant called La Pasa. The food was pretty average and I would've been more picky if it were any other day but I was just happy to be able to catch up with my big sister.

***

Yesterday, I went to the Kokoloco Studio's anniversary party with some friends from salsa class. I bussed it to Thai Spice and met up with Viv and Jane for a quick dinner beforehand. Dinner lasted longer than planned as we chatted through pad thai, chicken curry and pad see eeaw guy. The food was great as usual. We finished everything despite the generous serving portions and left the restaurant wondering how we'll manage in our tiny dresses as well as how can avoid side stitches whilst dancing.

We finally got to Kokoloco where Maddie and Ali were already waiting for us. We were just in time for the junior salsa routine performance. Things were kinda off to a slow start as it seemed like there weren't enough male dancers at the party. Plus we didn't come to the party with any guy friends so we didn't really have anyone to dance with. Our friend Jane was the confident one in the group and she'd randomly move from our circle and next thing we know, she had already asked someone to dance with her. She did the asking on our behalf as well. It was pretty funny. I danced with this guy who thought he was hot stuff. He'd spin me over and over again but he wouldn't be there to catch me. I'm sure he knew the steps and had a bit of technique all figured out but he was forgetting the most important rule of all. And that is to look after the girl. I must've kept up with him alright because he asked me for a couple more dances but seriously… I had a few close calls and was somewhat surprised that not once did I fall over. Viv texted Crom at some stage and he ended up coming to the party and giving his X-Files marathon a miss. It's always good to dance with him because he's one of the better leads in Canberra and he really makes the girl shine everytime. Nevermind that he's linear and I'm Cuban. I'm still having trouble with linear but I think I'm getting used to it more and more. I'm pretty sure I'll stick to being Cuban though. :)

It was a great night altogether. I can't wait for Tropicana this week!

It was a choice between Liverpool and Zac Posen. I picked the Reds and it didn't even turn out to be a very exciting game. Yes, I know. Since when has football been more important than fashion?

I decided to pop by Target after work to check what was left of the Zac Posen collection... if there was even anything at all. I was surprised to see lots of 6's in a variety of styles but what I really wanted were the pussy bow shirt and the ponti dress. They were both gone. After trying clothes on for what seemed like forever, I finally decided on these:

I love this shirt! It reminds me of those puffy shirts that men wore in the 17th century but with a very feminine feel to it.



I also got this pretty georgette skirt which I paired with a Gail Sorronda top and MJ shoes. It would've been a great summer outfit if only summer hadn't already come and gone. Ah well... it'll be good for salsa anytime. :)



I'm still after the ponti dress so I'll probably try my luck out at Tuggers later. And after that, sense and sensibility na talaga!

***

I'm loving MBMJ more and more (if that's even possible). How cute are these things from the Spring collection?

I can't get over how adorable this is. I saw a photo of it in yellow a couple of months back but I think the blue has started grabbing me more. I love the scribbles and the rope handles. And it meets my requirements in terms of size. Uh oh... I can smell trouble coming.



With matching payong pa!



Black or blue?

In my pyjamas and my Torres jersey for the Champions League match between Liverpool and Arsenal. It was a draw. Arsenal played a better game but Liverpool got lucky. What a relief. There's still next week though.

You'll never walk alone.

***

In other news, my #1 beat Schalke yesterday. No surprise there, really. Go Barca!

I've never been more prepared for autumn to flow. Things are finally going my way and April is rolling along just fine.

I feel blessed and am very grateful.

***

Lior warms my heart and fills my soul. :)

Oh, feels like Autumn's back so soon
I see my father turning grey under a silver moon
Don't remember when he was a young man anymore
Well that's just too long ago
Suddenly i'll be asking if you'll love me all the time
Even when diamond loses its shine

Oh, the heaviness of loss and the weightlessness of a baby boy
The dispair and the imminent joy

You know temptation only shows you one side of its face
Got to make sure you see the other before you join the rat race
Don't know why i'm so happy to take care of you
But i've learned to go with the flow and thats what the flow wants to do

So i don't need to tell you, do i my girl
That you are sunshine, you're everything good in the world
Well you know i'm thinking 'bout myself less and less
Only holler if it's S.O.S
Mmm, taking bigger steps to get to you
Happy to sit here and watch you and i grow
And bathe in this sweet Autumn Flow

You know temptation only shows you one side of it's face
Got to make sure you see the other before you join the rat race
Don't know why i'm so happy to take care of you
But i've learned to go with the flow and thats what the flow
That's what the flow wants to do

1. You take 5 minutes to send a text message.
2. And even longer to send MMS.
3. You randomly turn yourself off.
4. You cut conversations and drop out during calls.
5. You tell me that the call is in progress but I hear dead silence on the other end of the line.
6. Your screen hangs and I always have to turn you off and on again.
7. You choose your own ring tones instead of following the ones I assigned.
8. When writing text messages, you sometimes enter weird symbols instead of the characters that I tell you to.
9. People tell me they've rung but you don't always register their missed calls.
10. You ARE terribly slow.

So adios, N73. I think it's time to let you go.



***

Conversation between myself and the 3 guy

3G: What kind of phone are you looking into getting?
D: I haven't really decided. The extra features would be nice but to be honest, all I really care about are the basics.
3G: Well have a look over here. You can get anything on this shelf.
D: So which of these phones are good? Or should I ask which ones have you received complaints about?
3G: Hmmm... they all work really well except for this one. It's really buggy and the software upgrade is useless.
D: *turns around and checks the phone that 3G is talking about* Hello there N73!

I then took my phone out of my bag and held it up for 3G to see. He had a good laugh and said he was surprised I didn't get it replaced earlier.

Oh and I ended up going home with this:

We're off to Byron Bay! See you next week friends!

I've been to-ing and fro-ing between Canberra and Sydney all week. I was in Sydney on Monday because it was a public holiday and I thought the extra day away would do me good. I drove back to Canberra with Marcus and Nat that evening, had three frantic days at work and by Thursday, I was back in Sydney again for a couple of job interviews.

Weekend Highlights

1. Crashing at Len and Drew's place. I call them my Courtney Cox and David Arquette. I just love them to bits. They've been really great and supportive especially over the last couple of months and I couldn't be more thankful. Hang time with them is always no-fuss and steady. I got to their place on Thursday and spent the rest of the evening chatting and having dinner in front of the telly.

2. The job interviews. The plan has always been to move to Sydney after I get my permanent residency. And three weeks ago, I finally decided to check out the market and see if I find anything that suits. I haven't had to apply for a new job in over three years so needless to say, this was a very bg step for me. I went on my first two interviews last Friday and received positive feedback on both. It's too early to say more at this stage but things are looking promising so far. Please please please pray and project for me. I want to be in Sydney by May. :)

3. Gael in the lift. I got to my first interview really early so after checking in with the receptionist, I decided to have breakfast in the cafe downstairs. I was waiting for the lift and when the doors finally opened, lo and behold! Gael Garcia Bernal was standing right in front of me! Ok, it wasn't really Gael but he looked exactly like him. He even had Gael's piercing green eyes. We smiled at each other and I just stood behind him to avoid any eye contact. And buti na lang walang mirrors sa lift or he would've caught me blushing. I was talking to Lars about it later on and she said I should've said hello. And pano daw if si Gael talaga yon (impossible... what would Gael be doing there?)? LARSSSSSS! Oh well...

4. My lucky shirt. I was walking around QVB when I realised that my shirt had a big rip across the back. The thought of it being ripped during one or both of my interviews was horrifying. I panicked a little bit but I thought it was pointless at that stage. I quickly jumped into Ally and bought a replacement top to wear to dinner. This is what it looks like today:



5. Meeting up with Miel and Lars after work. I met up with Lars after she finished work and we hung out with her workmates for a little bit. We went to Bungalow and didn't get anything because they had dinner reservations somewhere else and they were just waiting for a couple more people to arrive. I also met up with Miel and we went to Lindt Cafe. I showed her my lucky shirt and apparently the exact same thing happened to her. She said that the iron must've been too hot and true enough, the part where it ripped was brittle when I checked it. Le sigh. We'll have to go shopping for business shirts together Miel... after the shopping ban has been lifted, of course.

6. Dinner with Tita Lorna and Tito Dennis at Chinta Ria. It was Friday and I was fasting so I didn't eat as much as I normally do. It was very tempting though and I almost gave into trying the duck at one stage. I just distracted myself with exchanging cuentos with Tita Lorna and Tito Dennis. The main topics of conversation for the evening were Ramon, moving to Sydney, the job hunting and the really pretty girls seated at the table next to ours. :p



7. Lunch with Liz. Liz is one of those people that I really connect with. We've known each other since I came to Australia and we've always gotten along really well. We have the same interests and think similarly about a lot of things. We also work in the same industry so our lengthy discussion about where our careers are heading really put things in perspective for me.

8. Coffee with Ala. I hadn't seen Ala in so long and now we've caught up two weekends in a row! :) I met up with her and Chris at Kinokuniya where I got a bit of education on comic books and graphic novels. They've never really caught my interest in the past because I thought they were all about testosterone, blood and gore. Ala got two books as a Moving to Australia Anniversary present to herself. I got her another book as well. We then went to Starbucks where she bought us coffee. Lars and Miel followed and we just stayed there for the rest of the afternoon.

9. Blanca from Barcelona. Blanca is my friend's girlfriend and she just moved to Australia three weeks ago. It was great to talk to her cos we were speaking half broken Spanish and half broken English the whole time. It was good practice for us. :) I also found out that she used to work in Nou Camp and I nearly died. Six degrees of separation from Messi, Marquez and everyone else from my football team! I learned that Saviola is nice, Marquez smells good and Ronaldinho stinks! Hahaha. Anyway, I'm hoping to catch up with Blanca when she visits Canberra.

10. Joe's bbq. I've said goodbye to so many people since moving to Australia. It's just part of the networks that I've formed here. I met Joe when he was an Aiesec trainee two years ago. After staying here for a couple of years, he decided that it's time for him to head back to Brasil. It was a good farewell and as with all Aiesec parties, it was fuelled with lots of food, chatting and music.

Loot over here!

New MJ! :)



My fairy godmother from WeHo strikes again. The Limited Edition Across the Universe 3-Disc DVD, MBMJ Posh shirt and gum boots for Bluesfest! :)



I had a great day on Friday so I decided to pop by the shops whilst waiting for everyone to finish work. I've been holding off on shopping because I was supporting the girls' "cause" but seeing as the cause doesn't exist anymore, I decided to give myself a little treat. I call them the wedge with an edge.

OMYGOD. I hope we get a bit more of France 98 in May. This is almost as exciting as the week gone past.

After attracting David Beckham to Sydney last year the harbour city will soon be graced by the presence of another football superstar.

:: Guess who’s coming to town? If you were one of the many who sighed when the press confirmed Zinedine Zidane was not going to be making an appearance last November alongside his golden mate Mr Posh Spice, now’s the time to jump up and down with glee.

TWG can reveal that the sensational Frenchman is headed back to Australia on May 31 - after the France 98 squad is reassembled for two benefit matches in Tahiti and New Caledonia.

The World and European champion and three-times World Footballer of the Year will be hitting our shores for three days and he may be bringing some of his friends along as well.

Zidane last laced up his boots in Australia in November 2001 and will do so once again in a charity match - with Sydney FC and Central Coast Mariners touted as possible opponents.

Zizou will also conduct a football clinic for the luckiest bunch of kids in the country.

***

Miel, could Henry be on his way here as well? Aiiiiyyyyyeeeeee!

You will be mine. And I know it's happening real soon.

***

Before the cool done run out
I'll be giving it my bestest
Nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some

So I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours

Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find the sky is yours
Listen to the music of the moment come and dance with me
A lá peaceful melody
It's your God-forsaken right to be loved loved loved loved

I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours

No please, don't complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours

No please, don't hesitate
no more, no more
It cannot wait
The sky is yours

This one's for you!



It's true that friendship knows no boundaries and it's amazing how we ended up in the same part of the world at this point in our lives. I loved Australia from the day I came here and I couldn't imagine loving it more than I already did. And then you moved here in 2005 and made everything more *insert all the adjectives that you can think of here, both good and bad*. You brought a little bit of everything that I miss from home - a sister, a friend and a lifeline. It was like an all in one deal. We've been through so much and three years on, we're still painting the town red and rocking out to life. I wouldn't trade any of the adventures and misadventures that we've had over the last 15 years for anything. I'm so proud of you, Len. I guess I'll always feel like a Mum and celebrate the milestones in your life as if they were my own. And today is no exception. I love you!

Hold your own.
Know your name.
Go your own way.

Are the details in the fabric
Are the things that make you panic
Are your thoughts results of static cling?

Are the things that make you blow
Hell, no reason, go on and scream
If you're shocked it's just the fault
of faulty manufacturing.

Everything will be fine
Everything in no time at all
Everything.

So hold your own.
Know your name.
Go your own way.

18.11.2003 - 15.02.2008

This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No happy ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together.

Wake up in the morning, stumble on my life
Can't get no love without sacrifice
If anything should happen, I guess I wish you well
A little bit of heaven, but a little bit of hell

This is the hardest story that I've ever told
No hope, or love, or glory
Happy ending's gone forevermore.
I feel as if I feel as if I'm wasted
And I'm wastin' everyday.

This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No happy ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together.

2 o'clock in the morning, something's on my mind
Can't get no rest; keep walkin' around
If I pretend that nothin' ever went wrong, I can get to my sleep
I can think that we just carried on

This is the hardest story that I've ever told
No hope, or love, or glory
Happy endings gone forevermore
I feel as if I feel as if I'm wasted
And I'm wastin' everyday

This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together.

A Little bit of love, little bit of love
Little bit of love, little bit of love

I feel as if I'm wasted
And I'm wastin' everyday

This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
To live the rest of our life,
But not together.

Today, NASA beamed The Beatles' song "Across the Universe" across the universe. So what brought about this intergalactic party?

Forty years ago today, The Beatles recorded "Across the Universe" at Abbey Road Studios.

Fifty years ago today, NASA was founded. Within the same week, the first US Satellite was launched. And in mid-1958, John, Paul and George came together and became the then drummerless Beatles.

The song was beamed in the direction of the North Star and is expected to reach its destination in 431 years.

Read more about it here!

Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup,
They slither wildly as they slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my open mind,
Possessing and caressing me.
Jai guru deva, om,
Nothing's gonna change my world,
Nothing's gonna change my world.
Nothing's gonna change my world.
Nothing's gonna change my world.

Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes,
They call me on and on across the universe,
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as they make their way
Across the universe
Jai guru deva, om,
Nothing's gonna change my world,
Nothing's gonna change my world.
Nothing's gonna change my world.
Nothing's gonna change my world.

Sounds of laughter shades of life are ringing
Through my opened ears inciting and inviting me
Limitless undying Love which shines around me like a
million suns, It calls me on and on
Across the universe
Jai guru deva, om,
Nothing's gonna change my world,
Nothing's gonna change my world.


***

Also, Across the Universe (the movie) was released on DVD today. Fairy god mother, please send a copy my way. :)

This is my first entry for 2008 so I believe wishing you a happy new year is in order. I hope your 2008 has been off to a good start and has brought you reasons to look forward to the months ahead.

I hadn't posted anything for over a month and it's been somewhat liberating. It was good to not feel a strong need to go online whilst I was away. And it's quite surprising how that detachment lingered for weeks after I've returned from my holiday. January was busy and it was gone before I know it. It was all about picking up where last year's work left off, missing my family and managing my health. A few of you would know that I got sick with a throat infection that led to an allergic reaction to my antibiotics. To make the long story short, I had to stay home and miss work for a full week. I had a lot of free time on my hands but as expected, I got bored out of my wits. I did get around to doing a few "productive" things with the little amount of energy that I was capable of expending. In between cleaning my hard drive and downloading Gossip Girl, cheering for Nole and eating healthy, doing a bit of work from home and trying to get better, I was finally able to organise the holiday photos as per Mom's request. You're most welcome to have a look, of course.

( And here it is... my holiday hot list. )

***

I'm all better now by the way. I'm a happy little camper again.

Den: *gasp* Oh my god it's Jim Sturgess!
Tan: *frantically turns around* Where? Where?
Den: Wala. Practice lang for when I see him.
Tan: Anoba!? Good acting though.

2 minutes later, Adrian Grenier walks in. Cute eyes. But the ohmygod expression is exclusively reserved for Jim Sturgess, Gael Garcia Bernal, Victoria Beckham and Marc Jacobs. Hahaha.

***

In other news, I'm still looking for a black bag.

Should I get this?



Or this?

My alternative to a white Christmas because it felt like spring on Christmas day.


23 December 2007, Marc by Marc Jacobs Bleecker Street

Merry Christmas friends! 2007 has been all the more meaningful because of you and I am very grateful.

Love
Den

Tonight, we're off to Vegas for a few days. I'm really excited cos I've never been thered I'm really looking forward to spending some time with the family. Also, after seeing Stevie last weekend, I reckon this is the closest that I'll get to another group whose music has heavily influenced the soundtrack of my life.