Liza and I just watched a video of Tsubasa-kun wearing a skirt while dancing. So kawaii! It made me think how people confident in their own skin can wear anything or do anything for that matter. I'm still a long way from having that kind of confidence but I'm working on it...
I just read a forwarded an email from a friend about lessons we learn as we grow older and this line made me ponder...
"What other people think of you is none of your business. "
Right.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Scaring Myself
thinking about the future,
regretting the chances I didn't take,
thinking about the choices I'm about to make.
regretting the chances I didn't take,
thinking about the choices I'm about to make.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Wet and (not so) Wild
Guilin and Yangshuo Trip
We went to Guilin at the beginning of the month instead of Sanya (most of the guys at the office went there last month, so we opted to be the exceptions).
It was raining when we arrived on Friday. Not wanting to waste our trip staring at the four walls of our hotel room, we went to LuDi Yan (Reed Flute Cave, 60 RMB).
Reed Flute Cave
It was an amazing place, specially the Crystal Palace. Enhanced by strategically placed neon lights, the place has a magical feel to it (think Encantadia and Tinkerbell).
Crystal Palace
Reed Flute Cave (LuDi Yan)
***
Reed Flute Cave
It was an amazing place, specially the Crystal Palace. Enhanced by strategically placed neon lights, the place has a magical feel to it (think Encantadia and Tinkerbell).
Crystal PalaceReed Flute Cave (LuDi Yan)
The tour lasted an hour (we didn't have a tour guide so we kind of just joined a Chinese tour group, following them everywhere...). It was pouring when we went out of the cave (come to think of it, it was raining inside, too) and we didn't have the foresight to ask the cab driver to wait for us (or come back for us) so we're stuck waiting for a bus.
There was a bus at the stop but it has a flat tire so it didn't count but after what seems like forever, the driver and his cronies were able to replace the tire. (Would you believe it took more than three people to change it?) We got on but the bus only took us to the next stop (I'm not really sure why). Fortunately, a group of Guilinese (?) approached us and offered to take us the highway with them. We road a Chinese tricycle (or is it a jeep?) to the highway for 1 kuai and one of them even took us to our hotel!
There was a bus at the stop but it has a flat tire so it didn't count but after what seems like forever, the driver and his cronies were able to replace the tire. (Would you believe it took more than three people to change it?) We got on but the bus only took us to the next stop (I'm not really sure why). Fortunately, a group of Guilinese (?) approached us and offered to take us the highway with them. We road a Chinese tricycle (or is it a jeep?) to the highway for 1 kuai and one of them even took us to our hotel!
***
We rested for bit, then got trapped in the elevator because of a power outage. I definitely crossed that off my bucket list.
***
The rain hasn't let up and the Li River has flooded the streets. We crossed almost thigh-high flood waters to get to dinner but the steak was worth it. If you ever have the chance to go to Guilin, dining at Hao Heng Shi Jia at Zhongshan Zhong Lu is a must.Saturday, July 18, 2009
Blogging Woes
Medyo matagal na rin akong di nagba-blog. Hinihintay ko kasi na i-unblock ng gobyerno ang blogspot but they don't seem to be in a hurry to do it. It's been more that three freaking months!
Napagod na ako kakahintay, pagtitiyagan ko na ang mabagal kong proxy. Haay... pati Facebook blocked dito ngayon (pa'no na lang ang farm ko?)
Napagod na ako kakahintay, pagtitiyagan ko na ang mabagal kong proxy. Haay... pati Facebook blocked dito ngayon (pa'no na lang ang farm ko?)
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Better to have loved and lost...
Is it worth it? To have your own hapiness so contingent upon another human being? - Dr. Brennan
If I was willing to give up my life for Sachi, why would I not be willing to risk my happiness for her? - Ken Nakamura
(Bones, Season 4 Episode 23)
If I was willing to give up my life for Sachi, why would I not be willing to risk my happiness for her? - Ken Nakamura
(Bones, Season 4 Episode 23)
Monday, April 27, 2009
Travel Plans: Inner Mongolia
After much deliberation (and comparing plane ticket prices), we've agreed to go to Inner Mongolia this coming holiday (May 1-3). Susy changed her mind (yet again) about coming with us so it'll just be the three original "Da Stupids".
We originally planned to go to Huangguoshu Falls in Anshun, Guizhou province but I found out that it would take 30 hours to reach it by train and the plane ticket costs an arm and a leg. LuShan in Jiangxi province was also considered (Raindy's hometown) but we were afraid that we won't be able to get return train tickets because of the holidays. So Inner Mongolia it is.
We originally planned to go to Huangguoshu Falls in Anshun, Guizhou province but I found out that it would take 30 hours to reach it by train and the plane ticket costs an arm and a leg. LuShan in Jiangxi province was also considered (Raindy's hometown) but we were afraid that we won't be able to get return train tickets because of the holidays. So Inner Mongolia it is.
Our plane tickets were delivered last Friday. We were fortunate to get 260 kuai tickets to Hohhot (China Southern) and 380 kuai tickets going back to Beijing (Hainan Airlines). The tickets were booked from e-long.net and they were paid upon delivery. The tickets were at a bargain - we only paid 740 kuai each for the round trip tickets plus the tax.
The plan was to handle everything ourselves and not go with a travel agent. We planned to go to the grasslands and stay in a Mongolian yurt overnight, visit the Gobi desert (ride some camels), visit Genghis Khan's tomb and check out all the sights in Hohhot. We checked the distances of all these places and we're overwhelmed of how vast Inner Mongolia is, so we decided to check out travel agencies in Hohhot.
Mel found this one, Inner Mongolia China International Travel Service (ww.citsim.com) . The website is kinda hard to understand but you can e-mail them about their packages, they can also tailor one for you. They offered us a very good package for 350 RMB and found us a hotel for 138 RMB per night. We're hoping we won't get screwed or scammed too much during this trip.
The plan was to handle everything ourselves and not go with a travel agent. We planned to go to the grasslands and stay in a Mongolian yurt overnight, visit the Gobi desert (ride some camels), visit Genghis Khan's tomb and check out all the sights in Hohhot. We checked the distances of all these places and we're overwhelmed of how vast Inner Mongolia is, so we decided to check out travel agencies in Hohhot.
Mel found this one, Inner Mongolia China International Travel Service (ww.citsim.com) . The website is kinda hard to understand but you can e-mail them about their packages, they can also tailor one for you. They offered us a very good package for 350 RMB and found us a hotel for 138 RMB per night. We're hoping we won't get screwed or scammed too much during this trip.
I'm very excited to go - I haven't been out of Beijing for a month! My last trip was with Liza last March (Luoyang Trip).
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The Quickest Way
"The quickest way to a man's heart is through his back." (or through his chest...)
I've forgotten which character of what series I've heard this from but whenever I remember this line, I can't help but laugh out loud. :)
I've forgotten which character of what series I've heard this from but whenever I remember this line, I can't help but laugh out loud. :)
Friday, April 17, 2009
Time
Time is priceless, yet it costs us nothing.
You can do anything you want with it...but own it.
You can spend it, but you can't keep it.
And once you've lost it, there's no getting it back.
It's just...gone.
- Medium (Season5, Episode 10)
You can do anything you want with it...but own it.
You can spend it, but you can't keep it.
And once you've lost it, there's no getting it back.
It's just...gone.
- Medium (Season5, Episode 10)
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
TBBT Season 2: The Dead Hooker Juxtaposition
Episode 19
(Aired 03/30/2009)
Sheldon: Penny please. We're facing a far more serious problem than stray arachnids.
Leonard: Sheldon, it's not that bad.
Sheldon: Not bad? It's horrible. I mean, you hear stories about this sort of thing, but you never think it'll happen to you.
Leonard: So they steamed your dumplings. Get over it! New topic, please.
***
Raj: I like green lantern. I'm just saying it's pretty lame that he can be defeated by the color yellow.
Sheldon: Only the modern green lantern is vulnerable to yellow.
Leonard: Golden age green lantern was vulnerable to wood.
Raj: Great, so I can take them both out with a number-two pencil?
(Aired 03/30/2009)
Sheldon: Penny please. We're facing a far more serious problem than stray arachnids.
Leonard: Sheldon, it's not that bad.
Sheldon: Not bad? It's horrible. I mean, you hear stories about this sort of thing, but you never think it'll happen to you.
Leonard: So they steamed your dumplings. Get over it! New topic, please.
***
Raj: I like green lantern. I'm just saying it's pretty lame that he can be defeated by the color yellow.
Sheldon: Only the modern green lantern is vulnerable to yellow.
Leonard: Golden age green lantern was vulnerable to wood.
Raj: Great, so I can take them both out with a number-two pencil?
Monday, March 30, 2009
Week 13: Foodie
Left-over spaghetti.
.
Cold mornings.
.
Photo-editing software.
.
Arroz caldo.
.
Found the mask I thought I've thrown away.
.
Started training the new Chinese agent - Cici.
.
.
Cold mornings.
.
Photo-editing software.
.
Arroz caldo.
.
Found the mask I thought I've thrown away.
.
Started training the new Chinese agent - Cici.
.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Week 12: Mornings
Hard to wake up in the morning when you're accustomed to working at night.
.
Centralized heating has been turned off at last, my room is starting to feel like a sauna because of the heat.
.
Steaming mad at Hazel for making me wait for an hour.
.
Bought two pairs of shoes for Liza.
.
Dinner and movie at home.
.
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Centralized heating has been turned off at last, my room is starting to feel like a sauna because of the heat.
.
Steaming mad at Hazel for making me wait for an hour.
.
Bought two pairs of shoes for Liza.
.
Dinner and movie at home.
.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Criminal Minds
I am addicted to Criminal Minds. I don't like the gory bloody stuff much but the character development throughout the series kept me hooked. I just started to watch it two weeks ago (bought DVDs of the three seasons) and I'm about to finish with Season 3.
I love the episodes where they have actors that I can point out and say, "Hey isn't he the guy from that show several years back?" I loved Thomas Gibson when he played the uptight Greg Montgomery in Dharma & Greg but he is quite effective as the stern Unit Chief here in Criminal Minds. I've also seen Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Xander (Nick Brendon).
I love the episodes where they have actors that I can point out and say, "Hey isn't he the guy from that show several years back?" I loved Thomas Gibson when he played the uptight Greg Montgomery in Dharma & Greg but he is quite effective as the stern Unit Chief here in Criminal Minds. I've also seen Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Xander (Nick Brendon).
Monday, March 16, 2009
Longmen Grottoes (龙门石窟)
We arrived in Luoyang at 6:52 am Sunday morning, ate at the KFC in front of the train station and took a cab ride to the Longmen Grottoes (Longmen Shiku). The one-hour cab ride cost us 60 kuai (5 kuai flag-down rate).
From Wikipedia: "The Longmen Grottoes (龍門石窟/ 龙门石窟, lóngmén shíkū; lit. Dragon's Gate Grottoes) or Longmen Caves are located 12 km south of present day Luòyáng in Hénán province, China. The grottoes, which overwhelmingly depict Buddhist subjects, are densely dotted along the two mountains: Xiangshan (to the east) and Longmenshan (to the west). The Yi River flows northward between them. For this reason, the area used to be called Yique (The Gate of the Yi River). From north to south, the distance covered by grottoes is about one km. Along with the Mogao Caves and Yungang Grottoes, the Longmen Grottoes are one of the three most famous ancient sculptural sites in China. There are over 2100 niches, more than 100,000 statues, some 40 pagodas and 3600 tablets and steles in the caves of Guyang, Binyang and Lianhua."
The entrance of the site is about a kilometre from the parking area (or what feels like a kilometre walk). The bus number 53, 60, 80 and 81 stops are located in the parking area along with the shops selling souvenir goods. There are battery-operated cars for for 4 kuai that stops at the ticket booth and the east side fo the Longmen Bridge.
Tickets cost 120 RMB. This includes the entrance to the Caves on the East and West Hill, Xiangshan Temple and Bai Garden. The ticket booth is near the main gate (extension of the Longmen Bridge). I was so fascinated by the Longmen Bridge so I took a lot of pictures!
The sculptures are breathtaking, specially the massive sculptures of the Lu She Na Buddha and the Boddhisatvas.
We stayed at the grottoes for five hours - we didn't check out the Caves on the East Hill and the Xiangshan Temple on east bank of the Yi River because were tired but we did a quick tour of the Bai Garden.
By 5 pm, Liza and I ran out of things to do (or maybe because we have tired ourselves looking for a place to eat earlier). We stayed at the city square in Renmin Lu and played cards for half an hour before we decided to go to the airport.
Luoyang airport is still under construction, we were the only people at the airport aside from the two persons who are playing badminton inside the waiting area (we assumed they work there) - I thought we got lost again (there weren't even security guards!). People came trickling in at around 8 pm (check-in time). The plane took off early so we arrived in Beijing twenty minutes ahead of schedule.
From Wikipedia: "The Longmen Grottoes (龍門石窟/ 龙门石窟, lóngmén shíkū; lit. Dragon's Gate Grottoes) or Longmen Caves are located 12 km south of present day Luòyáng in Hénán province, China. The grottoes, which overwhelmingly depict Buddhist subjects, are densely dotted along the two mountains: Xiangshan (to the east) and Longmenshan (to the west). The Yi River flows northward between them. For this reason, the area used to be called Yique (The Gate of the Yi River). From north to south, the distance covered by grottoes is about one km. Along with the Mogao Caves and Yungang Grottoes, the Longmen Grottoes are one of the three most famous ancient sculptural sites in China. There are over 2100 niches, more than 100,000 statues, some 40 pagodas and 3600 tablets and steles in the caves of Guyang, Binyang and Lianhua."
The entrance of the site is about a kilometre from the parking area (or what feels like a kilometre walk). The bus number 53, 60, 80 and 81 stops are located in the parking area along with the shops selling souvenir goods. There are battery-operated cars for for 4 kuai that stops at the ticket booth and the east side fo the Longmen Bridge.
Tickets cost 120 RMB. This includes the entrance to the Caves on the East and West Hill, Xiangshan Temple and Bai Garden. The ticket booth is near the main gate (extension of the Longmen Bridge). I was so fascinated by the Longmen Bridge so I took a lot of pictures!
The sculptures are breathtaking, specially the massive sculptures of the Lu She Na Buddha and the Boddhisatvas.
We stayed at the grottoes for five hours - we didn't check out the Caves on the East Hill and the Xiangshan Temple on east bank of the Yi River because were tired but we did a quick tour of the Bai Garden.
By 5 pm, Liza and I ran out of things to do (or maybe because we have tired ourselves looking for a place to eat earlier). We stayed at the city square in Renmin Lu and played cards for half an hour before we decided to go to the airport.
Luoyang airport is still under construction, we were the only people at the airport aside from the two persons who are playing badminton inside the waiting area (we assumed they work there) - I thought we got lost again (there weren't even security guards!). People came trickling in at around 8 pm (check-in time). The plane took off early so we arrived in Beijing twenty minutes ahead of schedule.
On Luggage, Phones and Cars
No, this is not lost and found. This is where you leave your luggage for storage but you have to come get it back before you leave.
What do you think a phone has to complain about? Too many callers?
2. If the car stops quickly, you can't get off it!Week 11: Raining on their Parade
Monday
10 AM shift. Wrecked several people's lives (shuffled the schedule again).
.
Tuesday
Woke up late. Changed the schedule yet again and published it. Bought a new bag from Daphne. Stayed up late watching Criminal Minds.
.
Wednesday
Blank...
.
Thursday
Stayed-up late again watching Criminal Minds.
.
Friday
It's Friday the 13th again! Excited to go Luoyang tomorrow.
.
Saturday
Dinner at the Thai resto in Wangfujing. Tokk the worng bus to the train station - ended up taking a cab.
.
Sunday
Longmen Grottoes the whole day, back in Beijing by 10:30 pm.
.
10 AM shift. Wrecked several people's lives (shuffled the schedule again).
.
Tuesday
Woke up late. Changed the schedule yet again and published it. Bought a new bag from Daphne. Stayed up late watching Criminal Minds.
.
Wednesday
Blank...
.
Thursday
Stayed-up late again watching Criminal Minds.
.
Friday
It's Friday the 13th again! Excited to go Luoyang tomorrow.
.
Saturday
Dinner at the Thai resto in Wangfujing. Tokk the worng bus to the train station - ended up taking a cab.
.
Sunday
Longmen Grottoes the whole day, back in Beijing by 10:30 pm.
.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Travel Plans: Luoyang (洛阳)
After changing the date of the trip several times, Liza and I have decided to go to Luoyang this weekend. We'll be taking the K269 overnight train to Luoyang and we'll take a plane back to Beijing.
I've bought the train tickets going to Luoyang at the Beijing Main train station (Beijing Zhan, 北京站) last Sunday. A friend said there is a booth at the station where foreigners can buy tickets but I couldn't find it. I asked at the information booth where I can get tickets and she pointed me to the booth near platform 4 (on the second floor, in front of the booth for Tianjin-bound trains). The lady at the booth doesn't speak English but she was able to understand the information I wrote regarding the destination, train number, the kind of ticket and date that I copied online (good thing I brought that piece of paper with me!). Train schedules and fare can be found at www.huochepiao.com. There is no soft sleeper tickets available, so I got us hard sleeper tickets for 197 kuai each.
They are not selling train tickets for Luoyang-Beijing trains at the station. I'm afraid that we won't be able to get tickets going back to Beijing the same day so I asked CITS about it. They told me to contact their Louyang branch for arrangements. I want to be sure that we'll be back here in Beijing the following Monday so I checked around online and I was able to get plane tickets through elong.net. The plane tickets cost 440 kuai each with taxes included. They have delivered it the same day that I booked it.
I've bought the train tickets going to Luoyang at the Beijing Main train station (Beijing Zhan, 北京站) last Sunday. A friend said there is a booth at the station where foreigners can buy tickets but I couldn't find it. I asked at the information booth where I can get tickets and she pointed me to the booth near platform 4 (on the second floor, in front of the booth for Tianjin-bound trains). The lady at the booth doesn't speak English but she was able to understand the information I wrote regarding the destination, train number, the kind of ticket and date that I copied online (good thing I brought that piece of paper with me!). Train schedules and fare can be found at www.huochepiao.com. There is no soft sleeper tickets available, so I got us hard sleeper tickets for 197 kuai each.
They are not selling train tickets for Luoyang-Beijing trains at the station. I'm afraid that we won't be able to get tickets going back to Beijing the same day so I asked CITS about it. They told me to contact their Louyang branch for arrangements. I want to be sure that we'll be back here in Beijing the following Monday so I checked around online and I was able to get plane tickets through elong.net. The plane tickets cost 440 kuai each with taxes included. They have delivered it the same day that I booked it.
We're all set! We are planning to visit the Longmen Grottoes (Longmen Shiku, 龙门石窟) the whole day then come back to Beijing on the 9 pm flight.
From Wikipedia: Luoyang (simplified Chinese: 洛阳; traditional Chinese: 洛陽; pinyin: Luòyáng) is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.
Situated on the central plain of China, one of the cradles of the Chinese civilization, Luoyang was one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Week 10: Itching to Buy Shoes
Monday
No class for my level at Juncheng. Chinese agent (Raindy) training. Started 20-minute exercise.
.
Tuesday
Brought laptop to work. Picture from Mel's polaroid camera. Bacon and asparagus. Shoes on sale at Hualian Department store.
.
Wednesday
Salad from Food Market in Fuchengmen. Looked at the shoes again and checked out the bags that are also on sale.
.
Thursday
Discovered a milk tea shop in Fuchengmen (Mini Station). Kristine's flight to Manila. Still thinking of buying a pair of shoes.
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Friday
Booked return plane tickets from Luoyang. (Tuloy na talaga 'to!)
.
Saturday
Kristine's long-awaited package was delivered. Bought train tickets at Beijing Zhan. Lost my freakin' bus card.
.
Sunday
Kafe Peranakan with Reg and Liza. Got Criminal Minds season 1-3 DVDs for just 20 kuai, I so love Matthew Gray Gubler!
.
No class for my level at Juncheng. Chinese agent (Raindy) training. Started 20-minute exercise.
.
Tuesday
Brought laptop to work. Picture from Mel's polaroid camera. Bacon and asparagus. Shoes on sale at Hualian Department store.
.
Wednesday
Salad from Food Market in Fuchengmen. Looked at the shoes again and checked out the bags that are also on sale.
.
Thursday
Discovered a milk tea shop in Fuchengmen (Mini Station). Kristine's flight to Manila. Still thinking of buying a pair of shoes.
.
Friday
Booked return plane tickets from Luoyang. (Tuloy na talaga 'to!)
.
Saturday
Kristine's long-awaited package was delivered. Bought train tickets at Beijing Zhan. Lost my freakin' bus card.
.
Sunday
Kafe Peranakan with Reg and Liza. Got Criminal Minds season 1-3 DVDs for just 20 kuai, I so love Matthew Gray Gubler!
.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
The Bird's Nest (Beijing National Stadium)
We visited Beijing National Stadium last Sunday. We didn't go inside because the tickets cost 50 kuai which is quite expensive for us. The building is really impressive up close. There are also a lot of sculptures we had fun taking photos of (and making fun of) .
The Water Cube or the Beijing National Aquatics Centre is at the front of the Stadium. I've read somewhere that though it's called the "Cube" it's not really a cube but it's rectangular.
DIRECTIONS:
There is a subway station in front of the Stadium (Subway Line 8).
The Water Cube or the Beijing National Aquatics Centre is at the front of the Stadium. I've read somewhere that though it's called the "Cube" it's not really a cube but it's rectangular.
DIRECTIONS:
There is a subway station in front of the Stadium (Subway Line 8).
Monday, March 2, 2009
Week 9: Waiting for Payday
Monday
Grocery shopping. Champorado for dinner. Woke up late - took cab to work. Four days to go, and its payday!
.
Tuesday
Waited 30 minutes for the bus. Late for the second time this month. Freaked out listening to Lyndale's call. Buffalo not-wings. Can't find my mask. Three days to go.
.
Wednesday
Spicy Tuna Macaroni. Emailed JunCheng for class schedule.
.
Thursday
Decided to attend Monday class. Isang tulog na lang!
.
Friday
Payday! Sent some home. Ginisang munggo with ampalaya. Called my mom.
.
Saturday
Went out of my mind (think schedule). IDs for school and visa. Got Fahrenheit's new album 越來越愛 (Yue Lai Yue Ai, Love You More and More).
.
Sunday
Beijing Olympic Park. Korean lunch at WuDaoKou. Grocery shopping in Lotus. Bought gift for Hazel at the Village.
Grocery shopping. Champorado for dinner. Woke up late - took cab to work. Four days to go, and its payday!
.
Tuesday
Waited 30 minutes for the bus. Late for the second time this month. Freaked out listening to Lyndale's call. Buffalo not-wings. Can't find my mask. Three days to go.
.
Wednesday
Spicy Tuna Macaroni. Emailed JunCheng for class schedule.
.
Thursday
Decided to attend Monday class. Isang tulog na lang!
.
Friday
Payday! Sent some home. Ginisang munggo with ampalaya. Called my mom.
.
Saturday
Went out of my mind (think schedule). IDs for school and visa. Got Fahrenheit's new album 越來越愛 (Yue Lai Yue Ai, Love You More and More).
.
Sunday
Beijing Olympic Park. Korean lunch at WuDaoKou. Grocery shopping in Lotus. Bought gift for Hazel at the Village.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Week 8: Winter Came Back
Monday
Dumplings for dinner. Regina's out sick. 4shared said they have a work-around for the Great Firewall of China (4shared-china...).
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Tuesday
It snowed. Re-installed my firewall. Episode 13 of Hanadan Kr.
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Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Stopped snowing. Scary 23 km/hr winds. Edited PDR review. Pork afritada.
.
Saturday
Wore my orange Zara. Bullied Hazel into feeding me and Liza breakfast (hehe). Cancelled breakfast plans, Hazel and Lyndale are still sleeping. Kiss & Bake with Liza. Fixed Tin's laptop.
.
Sunday
Lunch at Babela's again. Bought a mask. Exchange rate of CNY to Peso is at 7.xx again.
.
Dumplings for dinner. Regina's out sick. 4shared said they have a work-around for the Great Firewall of China (4shared-china...).
.
Tuesday
It snowed. Re-installed my firewall. Episode 13 of Hanadan Kr.
.
Wednesday
Still snowing. The police is looking Hazel's brother (not kidding). Episode 14 of Hanadan. Hazel's late for work - had to ask Regina to wake her up.
.Thursday
Took a cab with Liza - our driver tried to pick-up more passengers at North train station (parang jip!). Still snowing. Pestered Hazel into coming with me to BeiHai Park then changed my mind three hours later (ang lamig sa labas eh!).
.Friday
Stopped snowing. Scary 23 km/hr winds. Edited PDR review. Pork afritada.
.
Saturday
Wore my orange Zara. Bullied Hazel into feeding me and Liza breakfast (hehe). Cancelled breakfast plans, Hazel and Lyndale are still sleeping. Kiss & Bake with Liza. Fixed Tin's laptop.
.
Sunday
Lunch at Babela's again. Bought a mask. Exchange rate of CNY to Peso is at 7.xx again.
.
Friday, February 20, 2009
I 'm a geek?
Just watched last week's episode of Bones (this week's episode is not in youku yet), Fisher said that he even watches Fringe (apart from all the angst and drama in his life), thus making him a geek. I love Fringe! If that makes me a geek, then so be it!
There's no Fringe episodes til April 7th according to some posts... sad. I guess I can always watch Stargate SG-1, Atlantis, and Firefly again. (",)
There's no Fringe episodes til April 7th according to some posts... sad. I guess I can always watch Stargate SG-1, Atlantis, and Firefly again. (",)
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Tian Lan Tian (天兰天)
I have discovered another place to shop for cheap clothes here in Beijing. It's quite far from the city centre but clothes are at bargain prices. The prices are a little lower than at the shopping place in front of the zoo.
The three-story building is at the north corner of the Lizeqiao Long Distance Bus station, north-east of the Lize Bridge.
After shopping, you can buy a really heavy meal at the restaurant(?) at the other end of the station (didn't get the name) for 10 kuai (one meat dish, 2 vegetable dish and 2 cups of rice). If your speak Chinese is like I do (meaning you don't), you can just go to the counter and point what you like, there's this lady who'll take your order.
To get there:
Subway Line 2 to Xizhimen (Exit D). Walk south towards the bus stop (Xizhimen Nan). Take bus number 604 and get off at Lize Qiao Dong then walk west towards until you see the long distance bus station. Lize Qiao Bus station is also the terminal station of the double-deck #2 bus that travels around the second-ring road.
By Taxi: Tell the driver to take you to Lize Qiao Chang Tu Ke Yun Zhan (丽泽桥长途客运站).
Snow in Spring
Snow came late this year. I just had my down jackets cleaned last week so I can put it in storage, then it started snowing yesterday.
Spring Festival has come and gone, flowers are starting to bloom, I even bought a pair of shorts. I guess winter changed its mind and decided to stay...
Spring Festival has come and gone, flowers are starting to bloom, I even bought a pair of shorts. I guess winter changed its mind and decided to stay...
Monday, February 16, 2009
Week 7: Planning Stages
Monday
Tuesday
15 minutes late for work.
.
Wednesday
Cooked spaghetti. Two new episodes of HanaDan Kr. Got the remote control of my aircon unit working. Trip to Datong again?
.
Thursday
It rained. Did my laundry. Just realized it is "Friday the 13th" this Friday.
.
Friday
Planning a trip to Luoyang to see the LongMen Grottoes. Bought strawberries. Cooked adobo.
.
Saturday
WangFuJing with Liza. Finally got the watch I've been planning to buy since 2006. Ate at Thai Lotus restaurant and laughed our way through lunch (took home the remaining yellow curry). Rearranged my room (for the nth time). Set-up Outlook on my laptop.
.
Sunday
TianLanTian with Liza and Hazel. 10 kuai really heavy meal near the bus station. Yellow shorts. Small Wonder marathon. Started planning Cambodia and Egypt trip with Mel. Canned sisig for dinner.
Starbucks with the girls. Grocery shopping. Bought planner. Ribs for dinner. Called home. Kei's thesis defense (which she passed, she said she'll be graduating this March. Congratulations!). Went to work looking like a panda because I haven't slept.
.Tuesday
15 minutes late for work.
.
Wednesday
Cooked spaghetti. Two new episodes of HanaDan Kr. Got the remote control of my aircon unit working. Trip to Datong again?
.
Thursday
It rained. Did my laundry. Just realized it is "Friday the 13th" this Friday.
.
Friday
Planning a trip to Luoyang to see the LongMen Grottoes. Bought strawberries. Cooked adobo.
.
Saturday
WangFuJing with Liza. Finally got the watch I've been planning to buy since 2006. Ate at Thai Lotus restaurant and laughed our way through lunch (took home the remaining yellow curry). Rearranged my room (for the nth time). Set-up Outlook on my laptop.
.
Sunday
TianLanTian with Liza and Hazel. 10 kuai really heavy meal near the bus station. Yellow shorts. Small Wonder marathon. Started planning Cambodia and Egypt trip with Mel. Canned sisig for dinner.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Week 6: The Beginning
Haven't done this since high school but it seemed like a good idea this morning. Will be doing this weekly so I'll remember how I wasted(?) my week.
Monday
went grocery shopping with the girls.
.
Tuesday
can't remember what I did.
.
Wednesday
Ricky brought the girls' phones from GuangZhou. (Please call Kristine!)
.
Thursday
Joy City ( Xidan) with Regina. Got a kikay pouch for my phone. Ate at Babela's kitchen again (will be posting some pics). Bought Lock&Lock for Liza.
.
Friday
Chocolate muffins from WeiDuoMei. Yummy!
.
Saturday
ZhongGuanCun with Liza. Bought 512 MB SDRAM for a laptop upgrade.
.
Sunday
National Arts Museum of China. Walked home from the Museum. Bought a wallet, a pair of jeans and a jacket along the way. Jelly slippers for our bathroom. On the way to being broke.
Monday
went grocery shopping with the girls.
.
Tuesday
can't remember what I did.
.
Wednesday
Ricky brought the girls' phones from GuangZhou. (Please call Kristine!)
.
Thursday
Joy City ( Xidan) with Regina. Got a kikay pouch for my phone. Ate at Babela's kitchen again (will be posting some pics). Bought Lock&Lock for Liza.
.
Friday
Chocolate muffins from WeiDuoMei. Yummy!
.
Saturday
ZhongGuanCun with Liza. Bought 512 MB SDRAM for a laptop upgrade.
.
Sunday
National Arts Museum of China. Walked home from the Museum. Bought a wallet, a pair of jeans and a jacket along the way. Jelly slippers for our bathroom. On the way to being broke.
National Art Museum of China
National Art Museum of China. Reg and I went last Sunday because one of the exhibits - The Artistic Handicrafts Grand Exhibition will be ending tomorrow. I wanted to go to this museum ever since I realized this was a museum but the girls (Liza and Hazel) can't be bothered to come unless there's food in the picture (like in a menu (",) ).
There were two exhibitions that day. The China Artistic Grand Exhibition and the Rosy Clouds in the Sky Exhibition.
The painting below is my favorite. I still can't read Chinese so I don't know who painted it but isn't it amazing? It's my current wallpaper, ' think there's a rule against that?
I always pass by this place on my way to work. Always wondered what I'll see inside. Now I know...
DIRECTIONS:
BUS: The No. 103 tram stops directly in front of the museum. The name of the bus stop is Meishuguan (美术馆).
CAB: Tell the driver to take you to Meishuguan (美术馆).
DIRECTIONS:
BUS: The No. 103 tram stops directly in front of the museum. The name of the bus stop is Meishuguan (美术馆).
CAB: Tell the driver to take you to Meishuguan (美术馆).
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Butterfly Lovers
I found a copy of the Wu Chun's Butterfly Lovers that has English subtitles at last. I bought it from the video store near the Natinal Art Museum (MeiShuGuan) for 15 kuai. The copy includes scenes from the making of the movie. Not bad for 15 kuai.
It's a Romeo and Juliet plot with a lot of martial arts and sword play. Spoilers below.
Yanzhi (Charlene) dressed as a boy to be able to enter the martial arts (?) school where Shan (Wu Chun) is a senior student. Shan finds out Yanzhi is a girl and falls in love with her. Yanzhi's parents had arranged a marriage with her and a childhood friend who is a government official and has helped her family a lot. She takes a pill which makes her appear dead for three days. The herbalist who gave her the pill died before telling Shan that's she won't really be dead. Shan dies because of the fight to get Yanzhi's body. Yanzhi let herself be buries alive with Shan. The last scene is Yanzhi and Shan meeting in the afterlife.
I fell in love with Wu Chun all over again! Great fight scenes. The ending where Charlene's character let herself be buried alive beside Wu Chun is quite creepy though.
It's a Romeo and Juliet plot with a lot of martial arts and sword play. Spoilers below.
Yanzhi (Charlene) dressed as a boy to be able to enter the martial arts (?) school where Shan (Wu Chun) is a senior student. Shan finds out Yanzhi is a girl and falls in love with her. Yanzhi's parents had arranged a marriage with her and a childhood friend who is a government official and has helped her family a lot. She takes a pill which makes her appear dead for three days. The herbalist who gave her the pill died before telling Shan that's she won't really be dead. Shan dies because of the fight to get Yanzhi's body. Yanzhi let herself be buries alive with Shan. The last scene is Yanzhi and Shan meeting in the afterlife.
I fell in love with Wu Chun all over again! Great fight scenes. The ending where Charlene's character let herself be buried alive beside Wu Chun is quite creepy though.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Liza's Dream Phone
After the long wait - here's Liza's dream phone fresh from Guangzhou. Samsung F-488. Pretty cool touch screen, 5 megapixel camera... lots of great stuff. Only we can't figure out how to activate the WLAN function which the phone is supposed to have.
5 megapixel camera
cool touch screen (the Mandarin Orange is mine..)
leather cover included
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
TBBT Season 2: The Killer Robot Instability
Episode 12
(Aired 01/12/2009)
Howard: Behold the Mobile Omnidirectional Neutralization and Termination Eradicator or..
Leonard, Sheldon, Raj: MONT-E.
Howard: Featuring one articulated razor-sharp killing saw, one polycarbonate grinding and flipping wheel, steel armor plate exoskeleton top and bottom and enough force horsepower a hundred and ten pounds of mechanized death from zero to holy crap and four point eight seconds.
Sheldon: Is it wrong to say I love our killer robot?
Raj: As with my father, I both love and fear it.
***
Raj: Okay what should be first to taste the wrath of MONT-E?
Leonard: Maybe we should start small.
Raj: Okay. Oh perhaps today is the day we finally find out what's inside the magic eight ball.
Sheldon: I did it when I was four. It's an icosahedral die floating in tinted blue water.
Raj: Man, call spoiler alert before you say things like that.
Leonard: How 'bout the toaster oven?
Sheldon: What've the toaster ever do to you?
***
Sheldon: This is an auspicious moment. Like Robert Oppenheimer or Neil Armstrong, we need the appropriate words to mark this historic scientific event.
Raj: How about "Die toaster die!"?
Leonard: That will do it!
***
Kripke: Let's settle this woboto a woboto.
Leonard: What do you mean?
Kripke: There's no guwantee we're gonna go against each other in the wound wobin so let's through it down. Unless you're afwaid.
Sheldon: We accept your challenge. Name a time and place.
***
Kripke: If you're not there you'll be exposed to widicule.
Raj: I'm curious, what part of America is that accent from?
***
Sheldon: What you fail to realize is that Kripke suffers from a fatal flaw. Overconfidence from his robot's massive size and it's overwhelming power.
Raj: It's not overconfidence, that's observation.
Sheldon: Trust me, Kripke will fall easy prey to my psychological warfare. Observe.
***
Sheldon: Kripke, I would ask if your robot is prepared to meet it's maker but as you are it's maker clearly the two of you have met.
Kripke: What is his pwoblem!?
Raj: Way to bust up the Jedi mind tricks, dude.
(Aired 01/12/2009)
Howard: Behold the Mobile Omnidirectional Neutralization and Termination Eradicator or..
Leonard, Sheldon, Raj: MONT-E.
Howard: Featuring one articulated razor-sharp killing saw, one polycarbonate grinding and flipping wheel, steel armor plate exoskeleton top and bottom and enough force horsepower a hundred and ten pounds of mechanized death from zero to holy crap and four point eight seconds.
Sheldon: Is it wrong to say I love our killer robot?
Raj: As with my father, I both love and fear it.
***
Raj: Okay what should be first to taste the wrath of MONT-E?
Leonard: Maybe we should start small.
Raj: Okay. Oh perhaps today is the day we finally find out what's inside the magic eight ball.
Sheldon: I did it when I was four. It's an icosahedral die floating in tinted blue water.
Raj: Man, call spoiler alert before you say things like that.
Leonard: How 'bout the toaster oven?
Sheldon: What've the toaster ever do to you?
***
Sheldon: This is an auspicious moment. Like Robert Oppenheimer or Neil Armstrong, we need the appropriate words to mark this historic scientific event.
Raj: How about "Die toaster die!"?
Leonard: That will do it!
***
Kripke: Let's settle this woboto a woboto.
Leonard: What do you mean?
Kripke: There's no guwantee we're gonna go against each other in the wound wobin so let's through it down. Unless you're afwaid.
Sheldon: We accept your challenge. Name a time and place.
***
Kripke: If you're not there you'll be exposed to widicule.
Raj: I'm curious, what part of America is that accent from?
***
Sheldon: What you fail to realize is that Kripke suffers from a fatal flaw. Overconfidence from his robot's massive size and it's overwhelming power.
Raj: It's not overconfidence, that's observation.
Sheldon: Trust me, Kripke will fall easy prey to my psychological warfare. Observe.
***
Sheldon: Kripke, I would ask if your robot is prepared to meet it's maker but as you are it's maker clearly the two of you have met.
Kripke: What is his pwoblem!?
Raj: Way to bust up the Jedi mind tricks, dude.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Return of Jezebel James
I've watched all three episodes. It's absolutely hilarious! I wish they continue the series.
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