19. *click*

Not many people knew this about me; I once had an interest in photography–but like all the other lazy asses who wanted to be photographers, I wasn’t able to take it seriously. Back in high school, I loved taking pictures–of anyone, anything. I remember having that white, slim, rectangular camera with just 3.2 megapixels. Good enough for someone who just wanted to “record” everything worth remembering. And so taking pictures became a hobby. Sure enough I continued doing it until freshman year in college. The new environment and people were so overwhelming, I wanted them to be part of the photos I took. I had about more than 100 albums for first year. Then, I just stopped. I don’t remember exactly when I stopped taking pictures, but whenever I try to find photos after first year, I had to check my friends’ Facebook pages.

A stranger once told me that if you take a picture of a very important moment, you WILL forget it. This person also told me to just take the moment in, give it time to sink in, and live it only in your memories. So, I did stop taking pictures. Sure, I still remember most of those events, but it doesn’t really compare to the feeling I get whenever I accidentally see old photos. Happiness. Sadness. Of course, I went back taking pictures–of anyone, anything.

Now, with my handy-dandy iPhone camera, I still take photos of moments or events worth remembering. I may not have a bag big enough for a digital camera nor an SLR, but, at least, I still have something reliable that will capture those moments.

Seriously, how can someone suddenly stop taking pictures? Who wouldn’t want to capture all those good memories and keep them somewhere you can get hold of anytime they want? It’s nice to have them in my memories, but, at some point, I will forget them. So, for now, I will keep on clicking my camera until there is a moment worth remembering

18. Frustrated Foodie

food·ie  noun \ˈfü-dē\
a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment (especially good food and drink).

“Everyone’s an effin’ foodie just because they want to be one, not because they really are.”

A friend ranted this once to me. He was talking about people claiming to be a foodie because they think being one makes other people think you have this higher knowledge about taste of food. I never noticed this, but after he mentioned it, I realized it was true. If I was to check my instagram and find which hashtag is most used, it’s actually the ,ever-so-popular, #foodporn. I know that some people just post the photo of their food on instagram for the sake of sharing or posting, but it would surprise you how much people post about food because they think they are foodies.

I, for one, WANTS to be a foodie. Not for the same reason almost everyone in the world has, but I want to know which restaurants serve the best steaks or which bakeries serve the best cupcakes. I want to know where I should go when I crave for Italian or Chinese. I want to know where I should bring my family if we feel like having a formal dinner or my friends if we just want a casual lunch.

I grew up in a family that is very meticulous when it comes to the taste of food. Having a chef for a dad and a baker for a mom, it would actually give me some taste in food even if I didn’t want to. The thing is, I’ve stopped appreciating good food when I started college. I had to live in a dorm with no place to cook real food. I ate junk food, fast food, and anything with preservatives. I would eat anything as long as it was something that can be eaten by almost anyone. I’ve lost the good taste I once had.

See this screen shot of my “foodie” draft a long time ago that until now still hasn’t been posted public.

“iCrave: My FoodTrip Bucketlist-Draft” Last modified: 2012/08/19

As much as I want to get back on the field and train my taste-buds back into shape, I just don’t have the time to anymore. Because of the busy schedule, I never had the chance to cook at home and just ate at whichever place was within the vicinity of where I was. But of course, I couldn’t let myself eat garbage forever! Although it wasn’t as much as when I was a kid, I made an effort to go out and find good places to eat–actually, more of go to the places people tell me where good food is. So far, these are the places I thought served good food and deserved the price I paid:

BIZU: the restaurant that makes one of the best macarons in the country

KOBE KAN: Curry Udon and Tekka Maki meal (plus my mom’s home-made crème brule) LEGIT JAPANESE FOOD RIGHT THERE!

VIA MARE: Spicy Tuyo Flakes with Garlic Rice and Atchara (although I didn’t like the atchara that much–you can still find better atcharas in other restaurants)

BANAPPLE: Although known for the cakes and pastries, I like their rice meals better. One of my favorites: Salpicao. I’m not sure about the sandwiches though.

KATSU CAFE: Imagine Yabu’s Tonkatsu. Now, subtract 50% from the price. That’s Katsu Cafe’s Tonkastu meal for you

SEATTLE’S BEST: I don’t like their coffee (I’m a Starbucks kid), but apparently I loved their Big Breakfast! Super worth the price!

SELAH’S: Their Chicken Masala tastes so good, Indians come to this restaurant for it!

LARCY’S: Even my mom didn’t say much about the cupcakes. That’s a good sign coming from someone who always complains about the taste.

RACK’S: I LOVE their onion rings. Very oily, but has right amount of sweetness.

I am very far from being a legit foodie, but I hope you guys enjoyed the photos and the reviews (they only made me hungry, though). I’m making a promise now to myself that I shall make more time and effort to visit new places to find good food. Thank you for letting me be a “foodie” for this post. I hope next time I do this, I’ll do it much, much better.

I wonder what will be my 19th? ; )

17. A 21-year old MILLIONAIRE

This is what happens when I get so bored at work to the point that I have nothing else to do but think about the silliest things while I stare into nothingness.

Last night, I had the craziest idea. Actually, now that I think about it again, it might not be that crazy at all. What do you guys think about a 21-year millionaire? Bizarre? Impossible? Too good to be true? Well, I think it’s possible for anyone who has the ability to work hard and has the passion for the work itself. The thing is, I’m not sure if I have these two characteristics–but I sure do want to be a millionaire by next year. Now, I just have to find out how.

I created these simple steps for me to follow when I start pursuing my dream of becoming a 21-year old millionaire:

Create the IDEA
I don’t think it’s possible to become a millionaire if you sit your ass off the couch every single day. Of course, you need to work. Now, the question is: what kind of work do I do? In order to gain the moolah, you need to think of something first that will make you the millionaire that you want to be. I don’t think that being an employee for a company is enough to get you the money we’re targeting here. Most probably, the best way to reach our goal is to start-up our own business that is in demand today. You can find a list of good small businesses by searching on the Internet.

Find the perfect PARTNER
We have to be realistic. Although there may have been a couple of young entrepreneurs who have been successful in their businesses without help from anyone, I still think that it’s better to share the dream with someone else. Trust me, we all need help. Even superheroes need their sidekicks to win a fight. Find that someone you can trust. It’s not about how close or how well you know the person, it’s about having the same goal with this person. It’s hard if you invest money on your business with your partner and end up having problems with that person. It’s the last problem you’d want to have. The number of people you share your dreams with will depend on the business you’re going to start-up.

EXECUTE it well
Now that you have your idea and your partner/s, it’s time to execute the plans. I’m no expert, but I believe that a strong foundation is very important for the business to last long and be successful. If you have organized how the execution will go and followed the timeline for every deadline there is, then I guess nothing could go wrong with operations

Get it PROMOTED
In this generation, getting your business visibly seen is the most important thing yet. Yes, I know that without the idea there will be no business in the first place. But what’s the point of having a business if it’s only you and your business partners know about it? The key to gaining more revenue is to attract more customers. Even if your cookies taste better than the cookies of other pastry shops in your neighborhood or you offer the most unique service in the city, it won’t matter as long as no one knows about it. There are many ways on how to promote your business. One way I know that’s very fast and effective is through the Internet. The easiest way is to use social networks that are reachable to your desired market.

I’ll let you know if I become a millionaire before I turn 22! : )

16. I like watching TV series

Unlike some people who can’t stay the entire day inside their house, I have the miraculous ability to do so. For a very extrovert and outgoing person, it also amazes me how I have acquired this gift. By now, you would have guessed what is it that I do to keep myself entertained inside our two-storey home. That’s right. I watch television series. I prefer finishing an entire season of a series in just one run rather than having “movie marathons” like most people do. I like it when the story goes on and I’m not very patient when it comes to waiting for the next episode just to see what’s going to happen next. I feel helpless when I find out that I have to wait for another week for the next episode or another three months for the next season. I mean, who likes waiting that long?

I’m the type of person who easily gets absorbed into television series just like how a bookworm would describe their experience in reading books with the best stories. I’m not sure about the how and why, but once I start watching a program I like, I enter the world of the show I’m watching.

I don’t have a certain genre that I like. As long as I like the story and theme, and the plot is good, I get hooked easily. Here are some of the television shows I have finished watching:

Although I like heavy dramas and science fictions, sometimes I prefer to watch televsion shows that make me feel lighter. These are the shows I watch whenever I try to cheer myself up or get over a very stressful day. Actually now I think about it, these shows are my version of chocolate and ice cream on a bad day.

 

And yes, I also watch Korean-novelas  

This is what you call utilizing your free time. Yes, I do consider this a being productive. Instead of staring into empty space and continuously refreshing my Facebook page while waiting for something to happen, why not use my time to finish an entire season in one day? Besides, it’s not only yourself who gets entertained, but also strangers who are interested in the same shows and would like to have a conversation with you. Never thought of television series as a medium for people to socialize, did you? : >

P.S. Feel free to suggest a television program that you think is worth watching!

15. Historically Damned

Well, you see, History and I don’t get along very well and I have evidence to prove it to you:

I must have been sleeping when God was generously throwing away History knowledge for free. I’m the type of person who is usually good with memorization and doesn’t find it hard to remember important dates. Then why is it that I always get a low grade in History? Why is it that I still find it very boring despite the interesting discussions my classmates are very fond of. I think I’m cursed–no. I’m pretty sure I’m cursed. I get the most terror prof, I get a D. I get the easiest prof, I get a C. I get the most boring prof, I get an F. I get the funniest prof, I get another C–to think of it’s my second time taking the subject. What is wrong with me? Why can’t History be as fun as Math? (A lot of people might be cursing me now.) Fine, why can’t History be as fun as Chemistry? (I can imagine Chu’s eyes grow bigger as he reads that sentence.)

I guess the frustration’s coming from the very hard History finals I just took hours ago. I studied–a little. Enough to get me a C, I think? God. I hope I pass that test. I don’t think I’ll be able to handle HI166 for the third time.

**Edited: June 3, 2o12

14. Loses a lot of things

LOSES A LOT OF THINGS PEOPLE

I dreamt of you last night. Even if I try to remember what happened, the details were blurry–but I was sure with one thing: I WAS MAD, VERY MAD. Shocking how the anger and pain felt so real when I woke up from the nightmare, but I didn’t want to get mad at you anymore. I want to move on and forget everything. Sadly, those were only the feelings I felt at the moment. Upon waking up, all the emotions I felt in the dream were still in me.

In the dream, I was crying the entire time. Whenever I saw you laughing about something, I punched you in the face. I even broke your glasses, stole your car keys, and wished you were dead. I WAS THAT MAD. I don’t know what to think of anymore. I’ve been ignoring all the negative feelings, so I think this is my inner me’s way of saying that deep inside, I still care. BUT, I DON’T WANT TO CARE.

#sofrustrating

I LOST YOU.
It’s over.
I hope I forget you soon.

13. I Have A Type

I just found out tonight that I have a “type”. I’m referring “type” as the word we usually use in a sentence like this: “is he your type?”. This never crossed my mind before because when I try to find similarities in all of my crushes, I couldn’t find anything in common at all, although there have been times when Dzi tried to convince me that I was a little predictable when it comes to liking boys. Some of them will probably have my other crush’s trait, but his personality and physicality won’t be the same with the others’. In the end, everyone’s still unique from one another. Surprisingly, I finally found a common trait that I like in guys.

I never intended to find these people I have a crush on. I didn’t like “spotting” guys–and if I did try, I always end up getting disappointed because I never find a single guy who fulfills my standards. Guys, who made it to my list of crushes, happen to be there unintentionally. In short, it was a coincidence or an accident that I had a crush on them. I’ve always told people that I don’t look at the physical appearance of a person, although it is quite undeniable that physical attraction is important for me. Did I make it confusing? Look at it this way, usually, anything based on the physical aspect is the same for people. For me it isn’t. A good number of people has to agree on a guy having a good physical appearance, but only I needs to agree that I am physically attracted to that guy. To make things easier to understand, appearance is objective, attraction is subjective. This is where our “types” come in.

Each woman has her own “type” of man and yes, there’s always an exception; hence, Paramore’s “The Only Exception”. This may be the case for everyone, I still think that there can only be an exception to those who can capture the hearts of girls through their personalities. Their appearance becomes an exception to the standard just because of something about them that cannot be seen by the eyes. TRUE STORY. I used to believe that there was no such thing as having a type because of my failure to find my type, which meant there was no such thing as an exception to your type as well. Tonight, I find myself analyzing my current crush’s physical appearance and took it in a more general perspective. I realized that I have been doing it wrong. I kept on thinking about the specific details about them, which is kind of off if I’m trying to find common traits.

So, what is my type? I like guys who look mysterious, but very outgoing. Someone who keeps a low profile is at an advantage. It’s really cute when they’re shy at first. I find it off when they’re too aggressive and leave nothing for the girls to be challenged at. It’s important that they look fit because it means they, at least, exercise. I like it when they keep their hair well-styled–to be specific, I like spiky-hairstyles. I’ve never had a crush on someone who has a dark skin (nothing personal). Plus points to those who puts enough effort to dress up properly, but not vain enough to take more time dressing up than I do. Lastly, I like guys who make a memorable impression and show their attitude. Maangas? : )

I’m not sure if people have a “type” because of the environment we grew up in or it’s just a subjective preference that is part of my personality. The type lives on until the present (Yay, types!). It’s sad, thought, that I only realized this after twenty-one years of existence. Luckily, since I’m still single, I still have a chance to finally answer the question, “what’s your type of guy?”. Ang babaw! But, still. It’s a realization I want to blog about. Oh, look at me, blogging about boys.

12. I’m actually a boy: TRUE STORY

Twelfth realization about myself: I’m a boy. Nothing new, actually. I think it’s mainly because of how I relate with other people? But this realization is coming from somewhere else. Everyone knows that I’m a bit boyish with a lot of things, although I don’t think many people know about this other interest aside from Math and Volleyball.

Ange took photos of us while we were pretending to be call center agents, but we were really playing Left4Dead!

I’m no gamer–that’s a fact, but I really do enjoy playing different PC games. Back in grade school, my best friend and I used to have a membership card in Area 51. It’s a gaming place where we played Counter Strike, Starcraft, and Diablo (Diablo III is coming out soon!). Imagine a 10-year old me, sneaking out of school after class to play Counter Strike with my guy classmates and spending my weekends in another branch of Area 51 near my house. Obviously I liked it very much. Despite the girly image on the outside, I actually like playing these boy-games. I can spend the day playing if I had the time to do it. In my laptop, I have Frozen Throne and Battle Realms installed. This is why a lot of guy friends get surprised when they borrow my laptop and see the icons in my menu bar. Bakit ba? HAHA!

11. Mind OVER Heart

Oh, yes. Despite getting drunk from several bottles of beer, she still got my attention for the remaining hours of my birthday because I knew that everything she said made sense. It’s good to know that there is an incredible person in my life who’s very happy-go-lucky on the outside, but has so much wisdom and faith as well. Good thing I ended up sleeping over at Dan’s house that night–the night that changed my perspective on life.

Believe it or not (well, most probably you’re going to believe this), I was indecisive these past months. Usually, friends and acquaintances see me as one of those people who you can just run to anytime of need because behind the mataray and patapon look, I can give good advice to normal, everyday problems. I guess I turned out this way because I’ve always viewed the world a bit different from how the others see it. I thought I was stronger and sturdier than the usual vulnerable girls you meet every day.

I was viewed differently.
I’ve always thought I was better.

You will never catch me basing my decisions on subjective views and unreasonable emotions. I always went with what my mind/brain/logic/reasoning said and never–NEVER–the heart. In short, it has always been mind over heart for me. This kind of outlook on life brought me to situations I never imagined. I can definitely say that the “mind-over-heart” decision-making process proved itself useful and effective in many ways. It helped me avoid experiencing pain, guided me in guiding others when trying to figure out what’s right and wrong, made me believe in myself that I had the advantage for not easily getting affected by emotions, and gave me temporary happiness that anyone would want for a while. It felt like I was in a better place.

But you know what? All those things that I just typed? THEY’RE ALL B*LLSH*T. I was never really in a better place. I don’t know what kind of world I was trying to penetrate as I was growing up, but now I realize that it is NEVER better to not experience any kind of pain than to experience all kinds of pain possible.

That night made me see things in a different way.
I finally accepted that I wasn’t better, but worse than everyone else. 

A night that started out with a few beers to drink ended up to be the best “sermon” I had in my entire life. Don’t get me wrong. Dan’s mom wasn’t scolding us in any way. I think she was giving us pieces of advice that we can use now that we’re all about to start working. I feel lucky that I got to hear everything she said that night. Actually, she reminds me of my mom in so many ways, but I’ve never openly discussed this with my mom–EVER. Through her life stories and analyses on the broken lives of other people, I really look up to her willingness to fight and strength to hold on. It’s not everyday you meet a woman like her.

It is only that night that I realize Dan’s mom and KC are alike. After going through all the possible ups and downs of life, still being able to lift her head by herself, she didn’t blame anyone else for how she turned out as the KC she is today. That’s what a real strength is. Despite having all the excuses in the world to ruin your life and blame someone else for those mistakes, you choose to go for the life that you know will be better for you. I wonder, where do you get the strength to exercise your freedom and be accountable for all the possible consequences of a certain decision or action? This made me realize that logic or reason alone will not always be enough to support one’s life-changing decisions. Dan’s mom said that the thing that made her strive more to get the better life for her family was HAPPINESS. Since her happiness was to give her family a good life, she did everything to give it to them. Her drive to do it gave her more reason to do everything she can.

Basta gusto, may paraan.

Dan’s mom admits that she gained all her wisdom from the good and bad experiences she had growing up. She mentioned a couple of hardships she had to go through, which I’m pretty sure is the reason she is a good person today. Because of this, I was able to grasp of how much passion she had for her kids and, for some weird reason, I felt inspired. Being able to survive all those things, she just had one thing on her mind the whole time: HAPPINESS OF MY CHILDREN. Not using logic and reason, but only her feelings and emotions towards reaching her goal.

HAPPY PERSON > INTELLIGENT PERSON
Any day. 

A picture with the HAPPY person

10. Torpe

BWAHAHAHAHA. 
Super.

The funny thing about this is I only found out recently. The weird thing about this is the reaction people are giving me when they find out I’m torpe. Do I look like someone who’s willing to have a go on anyone I like? I mean, I’m shy too (in my own little ways). It’s been a while since I seriously had a crush on someone “near” me. I’m bringing this up because it’s summer and someone from school is making me blush–aside from the heat, of course. Surprisingly, the torpe me can’t become friendly in front of her crush. Everyone knows that I’m the subtle malandi kind–most of the time, unconsciously. Then, how come it’s not working now? Just when I needed it.

Frustrating, yet, still, I find it funny. Even friends find the torpe-ness in me funny. Oh well, at least I’ll be inspired for the rest of the summer. AJA!

A fling, maybe? :”>