Some people just continue to mess with my aura. I tried to be rational. Tolerant. But while I respect opinion in any form, it bothers me when people make conclusions based on their own twisted realities. Or because they're bitter.

And if you haven't been there, and no, fantasies don't count, don't pretend you know what it's about.

Topshop flats. It's available locally, too! Hint, hint ;)

All I wanted was to buy another pair of Havs. But I ended up with four! Hahaha. I'm getting ahead of myself, though.

Dropped by Aura today after getting my syllabus and book at school. All they had were crystal adorned Havs. For about 3k each pair. So I said, next time.

I remembered I needed a clear mascara, so I dropped by Beauty Bar next door. I got a mascara, AND an eye brow kit. Gadhelpme 'coz I don't even do make up. Hahaha.

I decided to go to Chocolate to check out their stock. Passed by Marks & Spencer to get new "stuff" since my VS purchases abroad didn't quite pan out. Turns out I ordered 1 size too big. Feeling kase. Hahaha!

I made my quick exit before I got anything else, but TopShop was calling me - SALE! So I ended up with 2 new skirts. One in red, and one in white. Laveet!

Thankfully, Chocolate didn't have any interesting finds, so at this point, I decided to get out of Power Plant before I started panic shopping. I remembered I needed some blank CD's so I stopped by another mall before heading home. I did get my CD's. Couple of cellphone cases. A USB charger. More kikay stuff for my feet and face. And a few more things.

Metallic ballet flats.

Then I made a mistake when I decided to take a peek at Sepatu. Because I left the shop with not 1, but 4 pairs of new Havs! Downward spiral na ito! So that's one off my Christmas wish list - I now have the metallics in gold and silver. Plus one cartunista and this Rose havs. (Insert palpitations here).

I'm not sure what exactly happened today. I'm not even depressed. In fact, I'm uber happy. Either way pala, I'm screwed. Hahaha. But I'm one happy camper. Err, shopper.

Now I have one hand in my pocket, trying to see if I still have gimik money left ;)

(Kiyosaki san must be very disappointed in me today. Tao lang po! :D)

This is the first time I did anything to pursue my passion. And for that I get - "Sorry it didn't work out". Ouch.

No worries. I'm not one to give up easily. Snail mail it is then.

(But I wonder, what kind of a company doesn't check on their emails that makes it over quota?)

Numbers 8-13 on my wish list. Hahaha. Go here if you wanna give me some lurve ;)

Argh, crabby again. Stress headache to the max. So asar with some folks at the office. Common sense lang talaga minsan ang kelangan eh. Not even a freakin' PH.D. Haaaaaaaaaaaaay!

Anyway, so I opted not to go with my team to MoA. Bad, as this would have been the last gimik out my team intact (partly). But I'll prolly see our kid back home. Sometimes talaga, you just have to prioritize your sanity first. So here I am. Happily getting some alone time. Away from all the, oh what the hell, crap. Some sort of survey I grabbed from one of my favorite angsty bloggers... Highlights if correct (at least in my opinion). Walang pakialamanan, ok? :p

___________________________

I wish I was a different ethnicity.
I have an eating disorder. - minsan i try to have one. nyahaha.
I'm short.
I'm tall.
I think I'm really attractive. (pucha, kapal. hehehe)
I prefer winter over summer.
I'm a geek.
I'm a shopaholic.
I'm reasonably intelligent.
I'm attracted to girls. - attracted in the sense that I can admire the female form. Sexually? Haven't gone there :D
I'm attracted to boys.
I like British accents.
I smoke regularly.
I drink regularly.
I smoke socially.
I drink socially.
I get drunk easily.
I do drugs.
I will never date a bad kisser.
I've lied to avoid kissing them again.
I brush my hair at least 50 times a night.
I'm religious.
I'm not religious but have morals.
I lie frequently. - white lies, to get out of things i don't wanna get into
I'm impulsive.
I'm hardworking.
I liked "Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind". "I'm just a fucked up girl looking for her peace of mind"
"She's All That" is one of my favourite movies.
I'm good at History.
I speak more than two languages.
I enjoy taking pictures.
I like spending money on myself.
I like spending money on others. (family ko lang, specially the little ones and the 'rents)
I have a regular income. - for now anyways, hahaha
I earn money on a job-by-job basis.
I pay my own bills. quite unfortunately, hehe
I rely on my parents for money.
I can cook.
I enjoy cleaning.
Tidyness is a must in my life.
I like clutter.
My idea of good music is Britney Spears.
I have heard of Blonde Redhead.
I enjoy Blonde Redhead.
I'm fashion-conscious.
I have good taste.
People tell me I have good taste.
I excel academically.
I'm told I have yet to fulfill my potential.
I'm good at sports.
I'm good at certain sports.
I couldn't do sports to save my life.
I'm creative.
I'm artistically inclined.
I wanna be an artist when I grow up.
I wanna be an engineer when I grow up. - ironically, hell no! hahaha.
I eat when I'm upset. - so you can tell i'm upset a lot. lolz!
I cannot adapt to change.
I'm interested in politics.
I have shoplifted.
I download MP3s.
I've done underage drinking.
I've gone underage clubbing.
I can dance reasonably well.
I can dance extremely well.
I dance like a cardboard gorilla.
I can sing.
I sing like someone stepped on my foot.
I can swim.
I enjoy surveys.
I enjoy surveys when I'm bored.
I keep a journal.
My teachers don't like me.
I enjoy controversy. - i'm not really your mainstream kid
I can be a bitch/bastard. - see title, read blog. harhar
I have a thing for bad boys/girls.
I have tattoos. - someday
I've been in a nudist colony.
I'm not sure if I want to have children.
I'm not sure if I'll get married.
I know who I will marry. (at the moment, that is. lolz)
I'm interesting.
I'm a good liar. - I ge t buking most of the time
People enjoy talking to me.
I annoy people from time to time. - hahaha.
I'm a born leader. (or at least I used to think so..)
I'm a born leader but shouldn't lead.
I enjoy felching.
I have a foot fetish.
I have a shoe fetish.
I watch "Sex and the City".
I don't think Sarah Jessica Parker is pretty.
I wanna be J.Lo.
I cut myself.
I've cut myself.
I hate people who pretend to be suicidal.
I hate popular people.
I think cheerleading is a sport.
I'm photogenic. (insert rolling eyes here. hahaha!)
I live in Chucks.
I think graffiti is art.
I have dated a criminal. - he was never convicted, but yeah, he shot a couple of people. out of rage (tho he claims it was self-defense. whatevs). and yeah, i was stupid like that.
I have been cheated on.
I have cheated on someone. - in my defense, we were technically on a break, specifically, he agreed to be in an OPEN relationship with me.
I have a temper. - like fireworks :p
I like playgrounds.
I dance in the rain.
I'm obsessed with Shakespeare. - only if it's the Hollywood version of it. hehe (Ten Things I Hate About You, Romeo and Juliet.. hehe)
I have tanlines. - I'm tan. period.
My favourite color is pink. - Pink is the new... Ali? :P
My favourite color is black.
I would classify myself as emo.
I'm musically inclined. (at least I can do vocals.. hahaha!)
I like listening to music.
I like music-blasting cars.
Thongs are comfortable. - Thongs are not even sexy, but thank goodness for thongs ;-)
I like flip-flops. - I think the right word is LOVE. lolz!
I know what monogamy is...
...and I believe in it.
I wanna be a social worker when I grow up.
I have sibling/s.
My sibling/s annoy me. - i love them all to death.
I think "South Park" is funny. - have never watched a single episode. tho i heard "good" things about it.
I believe in LOVE. - ako pa. the eternal romantic fool.. hehehe!

Thank you, Cebu Pac :) I'm set for another long one this November. Hopefully, I can pull it off this time. Things will definitely be more stable by then (organizationally).

Can't wait to see my family and friends again.
______

Argh. I'm having a problem warding off an unwanted "admirer", aka, guy who offered to give me roundtrip tickets just to go back home. Now he's in Manila for a whole freakin' month and he asked to see me already. I just answered with a laugh. He called me 3 times throughout the day yesterday, and it's just really irritating me. The thing is, he's also a longtime friend, so I don't know how to do this rejection thing. It's just soooooooooo high school!

______

I miss R. December is like so many years away still. Haay.

Retail therapy is the best! But receiving gifts is better. Hehehe. It's almost Christmas season here anyways, so please indulge me ;)

1. Black Superman Havaianas - Been lusting over this pair for so long now now, until they ran out of size 6 stock :( But I think the 4/5 will fit. Hahaha, pinilit! A bit pricey @ $24. Only available @ Kitson.


2. Rolling Sleepover Suitcase With Multi Color Hearts - Yummy! Hahaha. Makes travelling so much more fun (basta 'wag lang dalhin sa Bora, harhar). Available @ flip-flop style dot com. A steal @ $46.95.

3. Lug Puddle Jumper Tote (in pink or blue) - To match with the suitcase, of course. Can double as workout bag. I love the shoe compartment! Also available @ flip-flop style. $69.95.

4. Multi-color flip-flop tote - Also @ flip-flop style and it's on sale! :) $19.95. I love that it's covered with flip-flops. How very me ;)

5. Fuschia Beaded Flats - Also on sale at my now favorite online shop ;) It's a deal @ $29.95! I'm a size 6. Hehehe.

6. Gold and Silver Metallic Havaianas - I've been looking for these pairs here but they always seem to be out of stock! Available in most online stores I've visited, my fave of which is
Agua Viva.

7. The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath) - The author has always intrigued me. And so has this book.

This is it for now. They say 7 is a lucky number so maybe I'll get lucky ;)

You can never get away with some funny experiences while you're in another country.

It was the first day of our F2F meeting. And my counterparts from the other side of the world, still jet-lagged, was in need of caffeine real bad. So off they went to our office cafe. When they came back, we were surprised to see them holding plastic bags with dark brown liquid on it.

The other non-locals (including me) must have given them the funniest puzzled looks ever, that the two of them burst in laughter as well.

Oh yeah. That's hot coffee to go in a plastic bag. Drink 'em with a straw. The real challenge: Hold the bags while chairing and taking minutes of the meeting ;)

Only in Penang. Hehehe.

(Come to think of it, we've been joking that it would be easier to just take caffeine intravenously. Maybe that is a much better option that drinking it through a straw. Mas efficient! Hahaha.)

It's been crazy the last couple of weeks. Plus my hormones are driving me crazy (excuses! hahaha). But just one ring of the register, and I ended my Friday night with a contented smile pasted on my face. All the stress-related headache, irritability and bitchiness gone.

The loot? What else but another trusty pair of Havaianas. :p

I think this will be a very happy long weekend. Hehehe!

These days I'm literally being bumped out of my comfort zone. I need to take Strama already this term, and since I didn't know enrolment started yesterday, I wasn't able to enrol in the preferred class for most studes (well-recommended prof). So I'm left to choose between the other campus skeds, and unfortunately, the other campus is inside Makati, and my car is banned during the class sked. Which leaves me the last option, least preferred (at least by me), which is, the Sta. Rosa campus. Ohmigod. The upside to this is that the network in that campus will be mostly from the same industry, and well, the environment will definitely be different. My only concern is whether it is safe to be in the area at night since my classes will be ending 10pmish, plus, if we have group meetings, does it mean I have to drive all the way to Sta. Rosa? Egad.

Howell. Doesn't look like I have much choice, unless I try to squeeze in the full class. I'll try that tomorrow before I sign myself up for classes in the boondocks. Gulp.

Speaking of class, leadership class has officially ended and I have to catch up by watching Shall We Dance (yeah, I raised my eyebrows the first time as well, hehe) and reading a book called Callings by Gregg Levoy, which I found out the hard way was not avaialable here in the Philippines (try going through 3 major bookstores on your only rest day last weekend :(). Then it will be 1on1 sessions with prof. I'm still thinking whether I would go all out with my journal confessions. It's hard. But if I want to correct my patterns, then I will have to be open somehow.

We'll see.

How is it that our two and half months together flew by so quickly, while the two and half months apart seem to drag on and on? I miss you so very badly. These days I'm overly stressed, sleep-deprived and I can no longer even remember what day it is. (I missed my dear friend's b-day! Bad.) Today is our finals in Leadership class and I didn't even know that. And this week is our enrolment for the next term. I'm missing so many details, and I'm feeling this familiar pain around my eyes when my sinusitis is about to attack. Yes, I've been busy, and last week was really fun. But when all is still except for the light tapping of the rain outside, I can only hear the longing in my heart for you. At the end of the day, all I really want is to see your smiling face greeting me at the door, your warm hug and the way you comfort me as your fingers brush my hair. I miss your hearty laugh. I miss how you would make me laugh. I miss how you'd make all my desolation go away, with just your mere presence.

I've been trying to get through all this without you. Our weekly talks, if I can really call it that, is giving me the strength I need to carry on. But nothing beats having you around, and that is all that I could ever wish for. Even to the Burmese gods.

--0o0--
I've been coming on too strong to the people around me, some for valid reasons, and some because of a growing impatience brought about by so many other things. I apologize if I had hurt your feelings, though I will not apologize for what I believe in. And to Ali, I am sorry about the lighter. I was sleep and nicotine deprived, and yes, I need to keep of relearning the art of patience. The bridge between you and I is something I do not intend to burn. Unknowingly or otherwise. As for the rest, let's have a fresh start and agree to disagree, if need be. We will not always have the same beliefs, and we will always have our own little quirks. But you are still my friends, no matter what.

--0o0--
Some post-birthday lurve going out to my dearest friend from Seattle. You are here in my heart always :)

The fact that I loved Penang so much that it hurt to leave was suprising. I mean, I remembered how I disliked the smell of curry and the heaps of yellow rice when I was there the last time. I guess this is one of the times that definitely showcases how ignorance can be such a dangerous thing.

Here are some of the reasons why I love Penang (I couldn't think of any reason not to. The only kakaasar moments actually came from back home and not from Penang, ironically).

1. Temples. Not only are they beautiful, but it is also an indication of a culture so diverse yet somewhat harmonious. I don't know how many there are, but I know there's a lot. We went to a Siamese temple, a Burmese temple, an Indian temple. And we've passed by Chinese temples, mosques, churches, and other places of worship to perhaps any religion there is in the world.

At the Burmese temple, Ali and I knelt before a monk and he murmured a prayer on a language we didn't recognize, splashed water on us and put a tiny string bracelet on our wrist. I hoped that he prayed that my good man and I will find ourselves in a good ending to this tale. Especially since the RM coin I threw missed that bowl of interest in the wishing well;)

2. Food. The Banana Leaf Curry House is one of my favorite places to eat here. And in Penang, it is practically a daily fare. I'm kind of wary about overly spicy and hot food, but I find myself missing it already. Apparently, spicy food is good for the metabolism, and I know my sinuses definitely cleared the whole week.

The only downside, RICE! I totally abandoned my low carb diet. Rice tames the tangy and spicy feel on my tongue. And I'm Asian, for goodness sakes. I love my rice. :P

3. Novelty. I know we have carinderia, jolly-jeeps and McDoko-doko (in cebu). They are probably the hawker's counterpart in Penang. But what is different is the way they are set-up. I'm talking about the food courts there selling hawker fare. What is different is that no one stall is selling the same food. Too bad I didn't get to try laksa. And I still want to try the authentic hawker style - go line up to the hawkers selling food in one corner on the street :)

4. Culture. Diversity is definitely interesting. In the company cafe, non-halal food is not allowed inside. Most of the restos just sell chicken. When we arrived, it was start of the Chinese Hungry Ghost festival. Apparently, during the full moon, the ghosts came back to visit their loved ones (and maybe enemies? ;) ). Sidewalk plays were held for the ghosts. So don't be sorry if you see a play that has empty seats (or nilalangaw, in tagalog). That's really the way it's supposed to be. Because the seats are for the ghosts. (Insert gasp here).

The girl in the picture with me by the Gurney Drive was in one of those plays. Too bad we didn't get to watch.

5. Gurney Drive. Gurney Drive is fronting the sea. Looks like Baywalk, only cleaner and less crowded. The place is apparently a little upscale. Very pretty, breezy and serene. Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (I prefer tea lattes over fraps) is just a short walk away. And more importantly, Plaza Gurney - our little shoe shopping haven. Wahaha.

6. Uncle Siva. He has been driving Filipino expats for about 10 years now. He has become like a legend. Dapat kasama sa traveller's checklist. He is kind and honest and very fatherly. We always felt safe with him. And without him, we would never have managed to go around Georgetown or up the hills to Batu Ferringhi for a last minute shopping spree.

7. Shopping. Ali and I scored lovely pairs of shoes all for under 1.5k pesos. I got several pairs for only P150 each! The most expensive pair I got were the studded ballerina flats at about P900. Not bad. The best part is, they are all so comfy on my feet!

Then of course, there was the Shu Uemura finds. Too bad I'm not a keen make up fan. But an eyelash curler is something I can probably figure out. Harhar.

The night market in Batu Ferringhi is like Greenhills, only it's a whole stretch of stalls by the roadside instead of inside the building. You have your usual pirated DVD's, knock-offs and hand-crafts. Some items are actually cheaper here in the Philippines. But the best part of shopping is the experience in looking through stalls and stalls of pretty stuff. :)


8. Traffic. Definitely better than Manila, a little similar to Cebu. In fact, Penang and Cebu is quite similar. A developing island, somewhere between suburban and urban... More laid-back than Manila, but not without the comforts of development. I love that people hardly honk their horns in Penang. Not even during rush hour. How very refreshing.

The only downside (or should I say challenge), is that they drive on the left side of the road. When crossing the streets, I always look the other way, and now I understand why M really had a hard time with that here in the Phils. Hahaha. But like new things, this is just something that takes getting used to. So it's really not that bad.

9. Subsidized gas. Gas there is cheaper because the government is subsidizing it. Education is free until high school, and the government will send to prison parents who don't send their children to school. Wonderful.

10. Friends. Through the years I've met so many friends from all over the world. And not surprisingly, I fell in love with a Malaysian once. Good thing he's in the US or (insert possible scenarios here). Hahaha.

Too bad I wasn't able to see one of my good friends, but we did talk lengthily over the phone. I miss him, and I will miss the rest of my friends.

And most definitely, I will miss Penang. Till next time! :)

What a way to end our brief adventure in Penang. A short "backpacking" in the prime city of Singapore. We only had an hour to take some pix, and whew, carrying a bag weighing 5.5kg while running back and forth Suntec City to Merlion Park is a drill. (Insert expletives here. Hahaha). Amazing race ang drama namin nina Ali and Jerk. But we had fun. It seems that Ali and I are indeed partners in crime when it comes to savoring new experiences and new sights with the eyes of a child. Kaya we end up enjoying so much (although nagkakaasaran din. wahaha. parehas kase mainitin ang ulo :P).

More blogging soon. Sleeping time...

Discovering the beauty of a new place is probably one of the best things ever. I've been here before but almost 10 years after, Penang has really changed a lot. New roads, highways, malls. Proton is about to shut down after being the only car made affordable by their government. I suspect that globalization killed it. Change with change. It's the only way to survive.

Penang is just so culturally rich, so diverse yet somewhat harmonious. Uncle Siva, the resident Pinoy expat driver toured Ali and I at Georgetown, the other day. There you can find a Catholic Church, Indian Temple, mosque and a Chinese temple on the same street. Little India and Little China are right next to each other. It was fun to see all the colors, facets and people in this country. I've always said that Malaysia is my least favorite sites to visit, but I guess we can always change our minds.

Penang is a beautiful island. And with the nice places to shop, good food, long-time friends and accomodating counterparts, I have nothing but praise for it. Too bad I'm only here for a week. Maybe someday I can get a job here. If only it's not hard to get a residency card over here.

Speaking of changes, I guess something in me changed drastically over the last few weeks. I've come to see the people around me in a different light. I can understand we are only all so human, but sometimes, we just have to put down our feet on the things we can or cannot tolerate. Like bigotry, malice, deceit or just plain annoyance. It has come to a point where I had to reevaluate some friendships and decide which ones I wanna feel a heartburn on, and which ones I can just say - oh well. Truth is, if some people choose to be petty, or choose to gossip about their so-called friends - then, I'll say, thanks, but no thanks. It's not that I don't need friends. But I'd rather have friends who have my back, not only when it's convenient for them. This is a case where I can expect that from my friends because not only am I that kind of friend, but also, that's what friends are supposed to be.

I don't think friends should necessarily always agree with each other. But some things are just really either black or white. And no, I'm not being righteous either. But when I strongly believe in something, I will not back down on it. Even when I sometimes end up being the bad guy. At least, hindi ako plastic. Ngiti sa harap, then bite you in the back when you're not looking. Ay. Ang ganda.

Can I say it again? Thanks, but no thanks.

It's a nice night out there. So I will end this post before the trivial details mess with my aura.

I finally crossed to the mainland today, via the famous Penang bridge. Ate at a floating seafood resto in a kampung (fishing village). Not fancy, but food was yum (but also expensive!). Earlier we went to the Sunshine Market (which is the modern incarnation of hawker, but no longer roving) for lunch. It's like a huge open-air foodcourt, somewhere I don't usually eat at back home. And I realized, it is not bad at all. Culture makes you rethink your otherwise petty kaartehan kahit hindi bagay. Of course, my ever protective counterparts made sure I didn't eat anything too funky. The red bean drink/shake was sweet, but the bits of beans got stuck in my throat.

I wanna try hawker food. We passed by this guy earlier and my counterpart said he is the most famous hawker in Penang. Too bad I just had a very filling dinner. Maybe I can check him out tomorrow? Or go to Siam temple.

I wanna eat roti canai in our cafe, but it's about a 10min walk from the building we're at. And as usual, my counterparts know no breaks or lunches. Time is really tight, that's why. But there's a two-hour lunch that I can leverage on since it's a friday. Opportunity.

And for my last night, Batu Ferringhi with my CR counterpart or with Ali and her counterparts. Maybe check out Chillout?

Ah, I will be sad to leave this place on Saturday. I definitely wanna be back here really soon. Maybe then the hungry ghosts will have left town as well already ;)

Shoes, glorious shoes! I luv 'em all ;)

Nope, not parental guidance :) Bait kame ni Ali eh. It's the Penang adventures. It's been hectic and due to tight agenda, I'm barely sleeping here. All I could manage is post some pix for now.

It's only day 2 in this city revisited after almost 10 years, and I'm amazed to discover its beauty. Sipping tea latte with view of the sea across the street, walking from the hotel to the mall taking in the sights, the sound and the breeze, finding Kitkat cheesecake flavor and cute mini-coke bottles, getting a Shu Uemura eyelash curler for a bargain price of RM47 (roughly P700 only!), but best of all getting comfy and kikay shoes for RM10 (P150). Beat that.

And the adventure isn't over yet :)

Lumelevel-up na talaga ang bitchiness ko here at work. I flared up the other day to an internal auditor from another site because the auditor's haughtiness was getting to me and second, the other "support" groups who were supposed to have equal accountability on the issue I was dealing with just sat in the meeting looking dumbfounded. Classic line ko na ata ang "You're wasting my time!" or any variation of that phrase.

Not only am I appearing less of the party girl I once was (I cancelled CDO for this year), I am also turning into a corporate bitch. Ayoku!!

Howell, am I glad I have things to look forward to after work and on weekends. Some gym time never fails to perk me up, especially if I chance up on my crushie (aka gladiator). Also watched a couple of basketball games and it's fun to cheer (aka trash talk the opponent, haha).

Friday night was double booked for dinners with two friends I have not seen for a while. But alas, while I sometimes wish I can clone myself I could not, so I had to blow off one of the girls :( Sayang, girl #2 is an old MBA friend who is a US citizen and just came here for a two-week vacation. I wanted to touch base with her sana. Super sweet girl pa naman. Haay. Will just call her tomorrow. Wanted to catch up since she said that the party was til the sun rose, but I left dinner #1 around 1AM already, and I was just really beat by then. This has been a hell week after all. Sobrang kaka-stress with all the BS going on around me. I just wanted to go home and sleep. Or blog. Whatever. Haha.

Girl #1 is an officemate who is out on a medical leave due to a critical pregnancy. It was really good to see her, too. She was my BFF during my dark years, and sad to say, our lovelives then seem to mirror each others' (read: abusive relationships). I guess that was what sealed the bond that has lasted thru the years. She has moved on now and is happy, and content. I'm uber happy as well, because she has been trying to have a baby for the longest time and her prayers are finally answered. The beau passed my screen test. Goodie. The dinner turned into a mild drinking session with her fam, and well, expect that work angst is one of our favorite pulutan. We lost track of time and before we knew it, it was past midnight. I briefly contemplated about moving from Alabang to Mandaluyong (where the party was), but decided against that. Tinamad na lang talaga.

Saturday is rest and packing day. Sunday I leave for Malaysia for a face to face. An added bonus - Ali is going as well for her, well, first-ever line work. hahaha. Peace. And thanks for working on my e-ticket and online check-in stuff, while I was out trying to kill the auditor and the site owners with my tiger look. :p

There is always something about going back home and spending time with family that does what nothing else could. This lift in your spirit, and this sense of being able to declutter and destress and breathe...

Except for this minor incident with two awful cab drivers on the way home (and the fact that my flight was delayed for TWO HOURS!), my weekend was bliss.

I was able to sort out the "plans" I had mapped out before all this downsizing happened, which is now the 3-stage plan of life-after-corporate-slavery.

Stage 1 is really the simple plan of getting financially smart.

I finally made more progress with Rich Dad, Poor Dad (a book I bought and started reading some 3 years ago, hehe). Apart from all the rat race talk, the part that really got to me was when he said, that rich people use their money to buy more assets, poor people only have liabilities, while the middle class buy what they think are assets but are really liabilities. And for the first time, I finally said to myself that I want to be rich. And that won't happen if I continue to focus my energy and creativity in working for somebody else, and getting trapped in the program that tells me to strive to get good focal results each year, thinking it is tantamount to job security, and more income. But more income doesn't make us rich. It might even just lead to more expenses (expanding lifestyles), so we keep working to spend more. The pattern is never-ending.

This stage is the trickiest stage of all. It means getting rid of the liabilities (or at least, stop spending money on liabilities such as vacation, furniture, gadgets, HAVAIANAS!). I still can't quite throw away my credit card, but I've resolved to leave it at home, at ALL times. There's more to be done in this stage, and at one point, this will run concurrent to stage 2.

Stage 2 is working on my temporary exit plan. Since I've never been financially smart, and I need to build on my assets, I also need to earn more income in order to do so. Something I will not get in my current job, unless I get the much-desired "package". Resumes are on its way out, and I'm already working on my applications to Canada, Oz (not necessarily migrant visas)!

After having a lengthy discussion with my sibs, and even the recent talks I had with R, I know that I prefer to go back home for stage 3. I am more convinced that going abroad is not the end but rather just part of stage 2. It might not even be, as long as I can find something here that will serve its purpose.

Staying over the weekend just reinforced what I've known all along. Back home, I will get the best of everything. Yeah. Even love ;)