Stage Girlfriend

I remember how I felt like a Stage Girlfriend a few weeks ago when Taku together with his team won 3rd place and the 'Best Windows Phone Startup' in Startup Manila. Haha. I am the number one fan of Taku and I'd offer my short legs for his autograph! Haha. I just wanna say random things. But kidding aside, I was surprised when I accidentally watched his pitch (with an opening line of 'you might get killed tonight') in the live streaming of Startup Manila, he was fantastic though his hand gestures are like hands of the lucky cat figurines in cabs. Haha. 

I was in Waide's party when he told me the good new that his idea was chosen among 200 participants (Well I don't care if he exaggerated the figure. haha) and that was the first time that I've felt and seen him so happy and nervous. He worked so hard to get things right.

But I think why I'm a huge fan of Taku is because of the things in the photo below:

First, he's too simple that he uses Watson's mini plastic as his wallet.

Second, he loves to perform without his face and even if his face is seen, he hides his eyes.

Third, he has the skill of leaving his pants or shorts like the shape of his butt wherever he stayed and decided to change. 

Amazing, right? I like seeing his shorts all over the house with the shape of a butt. They make my day. (I hope he'll not be able to read this. haha)

NYE 2012: Away from home

Growing up in a very family-oriented society like the Philippines, I make sure every year that I'll be joining my family in the new year's eve and that no member will be missing simply because there's a belief that it will mirror the whole year and I definitely don't want to be away from them the whole year! Haha. Aside from that, we have our annual family reunion-bingo and we always look forward to it but this year, I spent the year-end-new-year away from home for the first time. It was not as miserable as I imagined to be, maybe because it was just a trip and when I went back home, I still felt the holiday feeling. 

It was totally a different new year's eve, a totally different feeling. I spent the remaining days of 2011 with Taku and his friends and welcomed 2012 with good food, beautiful sea and music, fireworks, wine and amazing friendships! 

I thought I was over the happy thoughts already but when I've seen the photos in my files again, I couldn't stop thanking God for the guy who always try to make everything better than the last time. (For the record, it was better cause I didn't spend the holidays in the hospital which I used to do for the past 3 years!)

Oops! The beautiful restaurant is Breeze at Samaya Villa in Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia. I think it's nice to stay in their villas next time. Haha. Hmm..

Actually, after the countdown, dancing, and fireworks, we continued the celebration as if we're in 'Hangover' (it's nice to hangout with guys with all these crazy stuffs) and went to the nearest 711 where we met an Australian (is she?) girl who was so cool, lovely and wasted, she's down here: 

then we rode the motorcycles which are like a taxi (yes, since it was so traffic and we want to experience those motorbikes which Indonesia has a lot!!!, we opted to ride with them instead of a cab):

...rode going to the villa! Then the party continued in the 2-bedroom beautiful villa with awesome bath tubs in a huge I'd-love-to-have-it toilet, a nice swimming pool, and a cool interior design (It was in Vinly Villas)...

and on the first day of the year, everyone loves hangover!!!

(From the Philippines, I comfortably flew to Singapore via Cebu Pacific Air and flew to Bali via Air Asia)

I blog

'Thank you for flying with Air Asia' was my famous line because of my white top and red-orange skirt that everyone made fun of during the Asean Bloggers Conference 2011 in Bali, Indonesia (but I actually flew via Cebu Pacific: MNL-KL and Air Asia: KL-DPS), which we prefer to call Southeast Asian Bloggers Conference  after a few intense discussions among bloggers in the neighboring countries which I personally and firmly agree on to lessen the political connections and promote more on the friendly and indispensable goal of developing friendship and sharing of ideas and stories among bloggers in Southeast Asia. 

As what I've said in a couple of interviews (yohoo! you read it right, I had interviews which made things weirdly interesting), I am not a hardcore blogger, I don't find much time to update my blog that makes me wonder 'why the hell am I in this blogger's conference?' (Well, that was the same question of Mike from Google when we had a little chitchat before dinner. Haha.) but I am one example of a huge number of personal bloggers in the Philippines who try to find their own simple joys in sharing their everyday stories to the world hoping that even once those stories can make an impact for a change and inspiration to others, or probably, to themselves. I'm following some people who blog about their shoes, pets and even their advocacy and this made me realize that it's really hard to measure success or even conclude what happiness is because each of us differs from one another and our priorities and interests are totally different that brought me to the question, 'why are there some people who still envy other people even if they don't have the same preference or standards of success and happiness?' 

So back to blogging, I got a couple of comments from random people in the other side of the world who don't even know where the Philippines is (but they just want to ask really where Philippines is and not about what I wrote) but generally, I write because I'm fond of it (I'm a Journalism graduate) and I write about what interest me and what might interest others too because I know that for us to stay happy and enthusiastic about life, we should learn something or have fun with the things we stumble upon everyday.Well, I think I write just to simply document important events, things, emotions in my life that will answer my questions when I look back and find the emptiness that I may feel one day, someday. 

 I've met so many interesting people in the conference that inspired and have influenced how I think nowadays. 

I'm sorry but I've grabbed some of my these photos in some twitter accounts of other participants since I've seen my name mentioned and I've seen some ugly stolen shots. :) The conference was attended by some bloggers from Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Brunei, of course Indonesia (almost a hundred), and I really like the famous Filipino blogger that I met there (in the middle of the photo above in our Filipiniana costume), Tonyo Cruz, which is the star of my self-made game 'where is tonyo?' when I was wondering who is Tonyo in the layover to Denpasar.

Looking at the photos, I realized that I was a hardcore rule follower who was too much excited to wear our traditional/national costume (since we just wear it during formal events or weddings unlike 'batik') during the dinner of the conference that lead me to the discovery of random people with photos with me because I was sort of a mascot. haha. But seriously, I liked it! At least I was able to wear Balintawak/Filipiniana.

To sum it up, I think I share the same goal and happiness about blogging with Mena Trott, the founding mother of blogging revolution. Like her, I believe that we can produce a friendlier world through blogging.

Why I love Waide Family!

..is because of...

1. the ever lovely Bingo! He runs, bites, jumps, and kisses us whenever we visit in their house. And I was so amazed that whatever he's doing, when he hears his mommy Lisa coming, he'll stop and stare at the door to welcomes her. 

2. the mouthwatering food all the time! Lisa san is my cooking teacher nowadays (since Taku complain a lot about my cooking skill) and I'm trying to converse more in English with her so she'll get used to it. 

You think it's an advantage to her? I don't think so, I benefit more because I learn how to cook and I eat very delicious dishes! I love Lisa!

3. the interesting conversation! Jay and Lisa always make conversation interesting. I like them. And it feels like a family whenever the Hori family (Miwa, Taro and Momoko) are with us. Plus Mana san, her husband and also Jarred (the Chinese guy who paid 5,000 pesos at St. Luke's Hospital for hangover. haha)

Look! The Waide's having a family photo...with us! haha.

CS Manila for Batad Rice Terraces @ Mercato + Floydy

I think this is the first time for me to talk about Couchsurfing here. I've been a Couchsurfer since January 2011 when I was about to travel to Jakarta and whenever I look back, I always recall fun and amazing memories connected to couchsurfing. I met so many wonderful people in CS, particularly in CS Manila. I developed wonderful friendships and have continued doing what I love to do with the people who love them too.

When some parts of the Batad Rice Terraces were damaged because of the typhoon, CS Manila organized a series of fundraising for the rehabilitation of it. I was able to participate in one of them (and was able to eat at Mercato for the first time, too!)

with the very hardworking people who woke up early to make this event possible. 

And here are the lovely people that we have played Laser tag after eating a lot and messing around...

And yes, Taku & I enjoyed Mercato a lot except for the overpriced 'isaw' (grilled chicken intestine) that I forced to stuff in my mouth. haha. We have tried the famous Mochiko for the first time and I liked it!

After a few weeks, the i-will-miss-Floyd-moment that we've been waiting for came. Sadly, Floyd finally moved to Australia to meet Aussie girls. Huhuhu. Kidding aside, he's happily moving to a better career that caused us celebration! 

Here are the photos from Jay during the party at Izumi Sake Bar:

with Sara and Shiela

with Sara, Shiela, Taku and Floyd

We miss you Floydy!