I just visited one social networking site and was awed by some friends posting pictures of gifts they just received. One friend told and showed me of gifts she received from a suitor. All the more that i was awed! Some men are just so generous. I wonder when can i meet such a man? LOL!

Well, the gift giving doesn’t end after the holidays. For heart’s day is here to come and it’s just about time to give and receive gifts once again. I appreciate personalized gifts very much since i think it has a little touch of uniqueness.

Speaking of gifts, i should be posting the items i received last Christmas so that i could acknowledge the donors fully.

There’s an old cliche among us Filipinos that living is expensive, but dying is even more expensive! It’s kinda odd but somehow has truth in it especially to people having a hard time trying to make ends meet. I once saw this documentary on TV that featured a family dealing with the loss of a family member. It’s already a turmoil having to deal with the grief but to deal with funeral cost is another story. The wife of the deceased even said she doesn’t have the time to mourn because she’s busy thinking of ways to raise money. It’s a little relief that the neighbors helped seek funds from the local baranggay officials. It’s really heartbreaking. After i saw the documentary, i’m more than appreciative of the simple things that i have. From somewhere, more people are suffering.

I can’t hide the fact that it’s almost 10 years since i graduated from college. I’m an engineering graduate batch 2000. You do the math and you’ll know my age! LOL!

I feel a bit sad when i saw some photo graduation invitations from the mall today. As you may know, few more days and its graduation time! I’m reminded by the promise i made with some of my college close friends. We agreed to meet after 10 years no matter what happens. I’m 50% sure it’s going to happen because one friend from Singapore called me and told me that she’s coming home on April. It’s a bit late from March but nevertheless, it’s still 10 years after. We are going to Bohol to meet some other friends. I’m crossing my fingers! Hope it does happen!

I might have a dinner with some other close friends also next next Friday. Ahhh the warmth of old friendships - so endearing.

It’s Thursday once again and what else is to follow - the weekend. Aint that fast? Days really go by so fast. Then comes the V day. Thank heavens it’s on a Sunday. LOL!

It’s really not a mellow Thursday for me since i attended 3 meetings today. I’ve been absent for the past two days so i pretty have to catch up on some of my tasks. Speaking of tasks - i’m now reminded to look for some cigars my friend has been asking me. She’s looking for something she could give to her uncle.

One week more to go and it’s February! Whew! Did i write my new year’s resolution already? #1 of it should be — to write related stories on time. Heheh!

1. What celebrity would you just want to shake some sense into? those celebrities who think they are gods

2. What do you think comes after death? new life maybe? I wish i could just peek into some roller blinds and see from behind the window what happens after i die.

3. What is the first book that you can remember reading by yourself as a child? nah i can’t remember… but i do remember the lines - henny penny is a hen, henny penny is red hen…

4. What was the first rock concert that you attended? i already forgot, i think it was Parokya ni Edgar concert

5. If you were to suddenly become famous, would you choose a stage name? If yes, what would it be? just the same, Ylan

6. What is the one thing that you wish the media would stop talking about? rumors and stuff that is not in anyway helping our present economic and peace situation

7. If you could be part of any band, which one would it be and who would you be and why? nah i don’t think so, i have a very bad singing voice

8. Do you live close to your immediate family members? If not, how far away are they? yes, very close.

9. Last seasonal question (promise): What did you do on New Year’s Eve? nothing much - cooked, ate and made some noise!

For the Cebuanos, the festive and jovial mood does not end after Christmas or new year’s celebration. The celebration is kinda extended because of the Sinulog festivities. The festival culminates with a grand mardigras every 3rd Sunday of January. The mardigras is just one of the many activities people are excited about.

photo from last year

Here’s the schedule of activities for the rest of the weekend…

January 16, 2010 (Saturday)
6:00 AM Fluvial Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Niño
9:00 AM Re-enactment of the Baptism of Queen Juana and Rajah Humabon Basilica del Sto. Niño
2:00 PM Solemn Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Niño
6:30 PM Cultural Shows
7:00 PM Street party @ Fuente Osmeña and Plaza Independencia
8:00 PM 1st Sinulog Fireworks Competition , fronting SM North Wing
8:00 PM Kasadya Nite Mardi Gras @ Ayala Center Cebu
8:00 PM Handumanan Concert, USP-F Theater for the Performing Arts

January 17, 2010 (Sunday) SINULOG GRAND PARADE
4:00 AM Mañanita Mass @Basilica del Sto. Niño
6:00 AM Pontifical mass with His Eminence Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal
9:00 AM Sinulog Grand Parade Carousel Kick Off
7:00 PM Grand Fireworks, Cebu City Sports Center
7:30 PM Street Party Bands, Fuente Osmeña

Pit Senyor! Happy Sinulog everyone!

Does it follow that if you’re a foodie, you must also be a good cook? Definitely not true to me. I love to eat (or am i just a glutton?). It’s never a problem of mine to not have an appetite to eat. Well, occasionally if you’re feeling ill. But i don’t cook. I can prepare something but i wouldn’t consider myself a good cook. And i’m lazy for the most part. Heheh! It’s a given that eating fatty food produces fat. My question is, are there foods that burn fat as it increase metabolism? I really have to know which food, to at least balance my food intake. I know apple’s one, therefore, i should be munching apples everyday. Afterall, they say, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Toinkz!

I have a brood of 5 sisters. Yup, we’re 6 siblings in the family - all girls. Pretty sure my father would have wanted a boy, but for heaven’s sake, we’re already half a dozen. Lucky for him though because he now has a grandson from my youngest sister. Yes, youngest sister, at 21. Having sisters can be chaotic at times. Especially when one of them wears my dress or shoes without asking. But i’m not that bad as a sister, i do give them hand-me-downs stuff. Lol! It’s fun because we share and talk a lot about girls’ stuff - fashion, beauty products, boys of course, among others. One of them freaked out last time because she’s got pimples and wants to have an acne scar removal treatment immediately. Lucky for us because we really don’t have acne problems. Just that, skin break out does happen.

What could have been our lives like if we have a brother? How could it be any different? Seriously, I can’t imagine how he would look like! LOL!

I once had a colleague who really doesn’t have a problem in getting some sleep. She can sleep whenever, wherever. I’m not kidding! Even when we are talking, the next time you blink your eyes, she’s already asleep. Seriously, she easily lulls to sleep. I can always catch her sleeping at her desk and i had to wake her up often. I’m not sure if it was an abnormality itself but she truly can sleep easily like that. It’s like she has a natural sleeping pills all the time. But of course, that is very unlikely.

Another colleague of mine said that one of her teammates is a bit a sleepyhead. He easily falls asleep when he’s on meetings (though meetings can be boring, that’s an excuse). At least for them, they wouldn’t find it hard to sleep.

Whenever i’m absent from work due to severe pain on my head, i’d sometimes think which is the correct or appropriate term to use. Is it headache or migraine? Headache is defined as pain in the head caused by dilation of cerebral arteries or muscle contractions or a reaction to drugs. Migraine on the other hand is defined as a severe recurring vascular headache that occurs more frequently in women than men. So, based on what i just said, migraine is kinda superlative to headache? Huh! Am i right? At least it doesn’t sound as complicated as hemorrhoids relief which my friend is looking for. Now i have to ask another friend who’s a nurse. She definitely knows this better than i do.