tennis

I swiped my membership card at Virgin Club but wasn't allowed entry. The lady shouted (she's manning the reception from a good distance and to foster communication means shouting it basically) that my membership doesn't start until tomorrow. Good thing, my tennis buddy was just across the barrier who in his thick Eastern European accent (no pun intended), goaded the lady to press the open button with a wink (I'm just making this up).

Two hours later, I was famished and blistered. Playing tennis is so much FUN.

go DROOL

I was hankering for seafood lately that I made sure I'd eat some today.

there's hope

Part of my job is making sure that up-to-date and evidence based practice is maintained. Getting the new publication from the RESUS COUNCIL on time is bliss - considering that I faxed the request yesterday afternoon and received the documents this morning.

I'm truly impressed.

officially PRUDE

I was still visibly shaken even with the comfort of solitude and peace inside my car. I texted Gelo this: "Call me. I'm bothered and I need to talk to you about it". Fifteen minutes ago, I had my baptismal of fire in the gym and was embarrassed by the fact that my tennis buddy just pulled his trousers down and walked around stark naked as if I wasn't there. Few minutes later, a couple more men pranced around with pride, showing off their sweaty bodies and in minutes, were naked like a freshly-out beings of the slimy placenta. So I said to my tennis buddy, "I will wait for you outside... will just sit in the lounge". He argued profusely that I wait for him as he rummaged over his massive bag for a towel. Getting uncomfortable with the length of time I was sat there with my back facing him, I offered my towel saying, "Use this. I'm not taking a shower so ... go (with sense of command)". From my peripheral vision, I could see the happenings around me and that prompted me to stand up and head out of the door. I quipped, "OK, see you outside".

This is one of the reasons why gyms scare me. I am not confident to bare my soul body to the public (even if I have 6-pack and a humongous manhood, I don't think I'd be comfortable with the idea of baring myself) or the idea of knowing that my husband has to share a communal area where people behave like they're part of a ritual or cult and the dress code happens to be no dress code. It's like that time when men ate raw meat, wore nothing and ranted incomprehensible (perhaps that's the primitive way of communication) ramblings.

I mentioned this to Gelo (and friends) and unsurprisingly, they found it funny.

to the GROUT Family

Thank you.

I'm now one of those people I backbite on a regular basis

I said I'm going to blog about things that are FIRSTS in my life.

Like my first ever gym membership.

Don't they know I can't handle myself being fit and beautiful?

no pretense

 I wouldn't class myself as a person who innately and instinctively loves books. I would read them if they're a part of something that would pay me at the end of the month (like most textbooks I use as part of my teaching materials) but there would be some occasions I'd read a book out of boredom from another situation and then.... eventually get so absorbed with the reading I tend to forget to breathe. When I was younger, I tried to avoid reading a novel before going to bed otherwise I'd be awake all night. The repercussions would be deleterious.

As I age, a gist of a relevant novel would suffice just to be in the know of things. I have a topsy-turvy life to reflect on already and to character analyse the main players in the novel means less quality time for my own being. But seriously, I won't pretend to like reading fiction or non-fiction books to enrich my life experience. I'm happy with the fact that I'm not dumb not to understand the workings of life.

So for now... my trip to the library would mean taking out CDs on Musicals and Classical music. It's time to use the dormant iTunes library with the music I love. It's also time to torment the people around me with Il Barbiere di Siviglia.

Tribute to Les Miserables

Phantom shadows on the floor .... NOT FACES, IDIOT!

joy

Ah, the joy of moving around the room and still being able to move slides back and forth and do other tricks to make the presentation run in a pace I comfortably control. This is one of the few gifts I truly find practical and extremely useful in my endeavours. You'd probably say this is an age-old gadget but this is the first time I don't have to harass borrow from colleagues when I do big presentations.

So I say, HURRAH to small things that make life more dynamic and easy.

indebted

Many thanks to the GROUT Family for the card and TOPMAN card.

Words fail to express my gratitude to you... Ant and Aeris.

Massive thank you!

hilarity to nth level

Thanks Renee!

yay

one day more

Anne Hathaway is poised to become the GRANDSLAM BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS this awards season. BAFTA and the most coveted OSCARS are coming up next. I'm not holding my breath on this one. It's an abomination for her to lose.

WFH

.... has more perks than office-working conditions. I can attest to that.

the power of vouchers

A CARD VOUCHER should be regarded as a good and sensible gift when you know little of the person you're giving this to. On my birthday, I received quite a few of them and I must say, I enjoyed the process of hunting the right present for myself. Gelo and I ended up buying SALE items from Hollister, H. Samuel stuff and dun dun dun ... a DEEP FRYER.

I think the selection of items we bought was an all-rounder.

Vanity and Necessity covered.

FAGGOT

moment

Here's Jeff in his most unguarded moment. There are two things that are priceless about this: him finding out that I took this photo and knowing that I blogged about it.

tats

I was bored to bits this morning so I checked some apps online and found TATOO YOU. This is the closest thing I'd have to owning some etchings on my body. They look pretty but even in normal circumstances (not forming keloid and higher pain threshold - which I'm not), I don't think I'd go for it. I respect my body too much to permanently mark it with such but I LOVE IT ON SOMEONE ELSE.

ouch

Winter is biting so hard that it leaves fang marks this way.

burn those cookbooks

I'm cooking obviously but I don't know yet what to make of salmon pieces and aubergine. I think I'll let my imagination take over this instance like the many precedents of tasty cooking before this. Call it arrogant but I'm a better cook now. My taste buds are truly attuned this time.

50" HD

It's like saving a lot of money and taking front seat of the Rod Laver Arena. Women's Final is LIVE and relishing the wonders of good technology and comfort of my own home. LI NA takes the first set and I hope she wins this tourney. I'm not a massive fan but of the two playing, she's a better person inside and out. My opinion, anyway.

 11:30 am - VIKA just won it. I feel BLAH!

power of snow

I was listening to morning news today and found out of a pile up of cars in the North due to severe weather conditions. Then a man cross referenced Poland and other European countries coping well in snowy conditions but a very defensive Highway Official offered an excuse as old as Triassic age. The government is still ruled by some dinosaurs.

bloggin'

There's no greater pleasure than looking back at the events and people through my blog. Someday if I get paid for writing then I'd re-think my priorities. Bo used to bully criticise me for writing mellow-y saccharine laden posts but quick to my defence, I'd say "My blog, My rule". In fact, I won't die if no one's following me. I'd live by reminiscing my colourful past.

anxiety

Friday - as if you needed to be told of that.

But I mean FRIDAY - the day when I have weekend off (as usual) and there's nothing major I have to look forward to. It's almost a week now when I had my birthday bash but the memory still lingers. Despite the blackout and missing the FUN bits, I'm still happy of the outcome. So this coming weekend, I intend to do NOTHING. I probably need to explore the thawing Heath using my trusted wellies when Gelo's at work but I'm pretty sure I'd end up doing NOTHING.

I feel old now and what used to appeal to me years ago I can no longer pretend to like for the sake of making other people happy. It seems like it's all written all over my face these days in BOLD letters. They say life starts at 40 and it's true if you mean more travel, more homely time, more reflection and less booze.

I can outrightly say, my views have changed about life. If failures come along my way to test me someday, I would find myself in a totally new territory of emotional responses. Not that I'm tempting fate but I'm a clean slate on that one. I just hope past experiences haven't abandoned me completely. Trying to be rationale about ageing is probably a good thing but frankly, it is daunting to know I'm old and I actually feel it.

missing a good half of my own birthday party

I couldn't remember half of what happened on my birthday. Instead, I had to content myself listening to friends recounting the stories (wild and crazy stories) about the later part of the celebration. In a way, I agree with their stories of how my right side of face was plastered against the toilet seat for over an hour, writhing in pain from puking. I eventually passed out and only remembered waking up the next day lackadaisically blah. The worst part was .... harbouring these rashes on the right side of my face and the story made sense.

The thought was a TOTAL EWWWWWW!

It's just EWWWWWW PERIOD!

baking

OH... I LIED.

I BAKED BANANA CAKE ONCE AND IT WAS FAB!

poo-like

Marco, albeit out of boredom, baked muffin for the very first time. I applaud him for doing so. I have always wanted to powder mess the kitchen with flour and eggs et al but never got the courage and the motivation to do so. Inside my head, I know it's easy but the multiple steps of getting to the part where you actually bake it scares me hinders me from progressing further out of my thought planning. But I seriously think that day will come: thick dough and the rolling pin and the sweat trickling down my forehead.

I just hope it'll be sweeter and softer and nicely formed than Marco's.

taking pleasure out of pretty little things

I think I have THE photographer's eye...

MINUS

... the heavy artillery, weaponry and the patience to carry them.

fashion

Snow and cold conditions in general, make us do things that look silly minutes after we've done them but seemed OK at the very first instance. Gelo here was wearing his colourful pyjama, black leather boots and red puffa jacket. No one would want to be caught dead wearing this combo but too low of a temperature could alter our mental synapses.

I thought this was COOL - very chic, playful, daring and carefree.

He'd kill me for posting this so... call the police if you don't see any post here in the coming days. I kid!

first attempt

I can't remember the last time I cooked "pineapple chicken". When that's the case, it's either I cooked it hundreds of moons ago or dreamed of cooking but didn't get round to doing it. But today's different. I had the spring up my backside and the LED lights in my head. I thought cooking adobo for the nth time would seem like a housewife stuck in an unimaginative 50 years of marriage.

So I decided to cook this: Pininyahang Manok (Pineapple chicken).

A bit of imagination goes far. Relationships are not exempted from it.


 

light

After the heavy boozin' and calorific meals, it's time to compliment my sit ups with light meals. Let's start with soup for dinner and top up with milk before I retire at night. Starving to lose weight is NOT an option.

the good team

They remember your professional ways and in equal measures, your personal details.

thought of the day

the lady in Pink

Bo and Mona traversed the treacherous road from London to Norwich to grace my hotly anticipated B&W 40th party. I have mentioned Bo here before so I think Mona deserves the sizzling acknowledgment and recognition. Of the many Londoner friends I had invited, only Bo and Mona showed up and grateful is just a weak word I could say about this (some had valid reasons and others, just couldn't be bothered really).

Mona (if you've accessed my FB pics) is my definition of fun, energy and a true scientist. The latter, as a description for her genuine child-like exploring curiosity. Over that weekend, she's warmed hearts and made her presence known. She left her perfume as she hurried back to London as well as her wrecked and battered pink shoes that must have had so much fun in the dance-floor. Just like Bo, what is truly fresh and enlightening about her is the way she speaks her mind. It's to the point.

I think having a definitive opinion really helps in our diurnal lives. It gives you the focal point... and the people around you - a sense of a better angle of who you are.

some friends do listen

In some of our get-together-let's-have-coffee-in-town ventures, I've mentioned the need for this gadget as we window shopped at some electrical stores. I said, "I move a lot when I teach and going back to the computer to change a slide is a pain". They said, "It's good exercise Ryan".

So it's a surprise to receive this one. Although this is for professional use, I find this too personal of a gift and I'm moved.

smart enough?

a fallen tree

... for the happiness and a dose of an ego boost of a man who just turned 40.

cheese ... and I love it

Missed opportunity

I plan to send THANK YOU cards to all in attendance but I'm sure a Facebook message will suffice. I mean it and that's all that matters.

"Thank you for last night. 

It was a wonderful and magical moment that I'll remember for the rest of my life. Ok... I'm getting all soppy and mawkish so truly... I just wanna say I'm grateful and please excuse my drunken state. All I wanted was to be there until the end of the party and greet/kiss you all goodnight. Unfortunately, I was hugging and swapping face with the toilet seat later that night. 

Thanks to you all!"

gift

I received fab gifts from friends and acquaintances... not bad right?

The best gift however is the fact that I know now that I belong, fit in and maybe, not just the person who married the local man called Al Angelo Bernal. They probably recognise me now as a person and a friend, not just a plus one of a good man.

Still, a gift is a gift and I'm moved and in fact, grateful.

skyping

I'm way past that idea of physical beauty being more important than what's inside. I know that the world is still judgmental and favours the eyesight over the other faculties that make us human but my parents are the most beautiful people you'll ever meet. I love them to bits.

I may be bias for saying that but you'd agree that the world may tumble and burn to the ground but the love you get from them is eternally present. I know that because I feel it.

To my parents (and relatives): Thank you for your birthday greetings.

grateful

there's no such thing as enough pics of Gelo (and me for that matter)

He is the reason why my 40th celebration last night was a BLAST.

The balloons
the table setting
the decors
the DJ
the guests
the dedicated song (I won't Give up)
and the love

There are a lot of reasons why that night was a truly memorable one. For now, allow me to recuperate from alcoholic intoxication. Puking my guts out was the most unpleasant and undignified way to end the party.