icky slug

There's a slug in our bathroom and I don't know how to get rid of it.

Slowly, i'm making some slight progress in making our apartment more habitable. I've wiped some parts of the walls that's either been blackened or browned by dust and cobwebs. The sink is a bit better though it's still far from being A-okay. The bathroom..well..this place is the one place in a house that I am most meticulous of; it-should-be-clean. But I can't clean it because of this one TINY thing on it.

There's a slug on our bathroom.

Friends advise that I could dissolve it with rock salt and poke it with a long stick to put it on the trash bag. But...~shiver~...just the thought of even the end of my stick touching the slimy body of the slug...uggghhh!! IT gives me the chills, the goosebumps, raising the hairs on my body. I'm so totally grossed out that i'm freaking out with this slug. ~shiver~

I just might have to ask my housemates to dispose of this slug. But they went to their hometowns for the weekend. So it's just me and the slug alone on the house for the weekend. Eeeekkk!!! Really, I think i'll go mindless just thinking of the icky, yucky, goooey, slimy slug.

I-need-help.

back in manila

Three months shy to four years - it's been that long since I've been assigned overseas. And so I do expect some major adjustments in the next few days.

My room's a mess and i'd probably be spending most of tomorrow cleaning, throwing old stuff i've left behind, and buying myself new things to get by. I'm trying not to think too much of how I miss Japan and how I want to be there. For one thing, I miss my clean room - a far cry from my room now. But anyways, i'm here now so I just have to make the most of things and try to be just as bubbly as always.

Okay, enough blogging now. First, get a new mobile phone number and then inquire about internet connection.

reality hits deeper

Despite my hectic schedule, I took the time this afternoon to join JPhil Band's practice for the upcoming Beer Party. I was supposed to sing Duvet, but I won't be here anymore by that time. I'm thankful Edna is still here hence she can sing Duvet instead (the chords of that song is really impressive and a favorite of Emman, one of our guitarists). They had me sing the song earlier though, which was unexpected as I really just went there to hang out and listen to them for a few hours and then go around town running errands. But sing Duvet, I did. There was a part in the song that needs some belting out. And belt out I did. It-feels-so-good-to-sing! So I gave it my all. And the giving it all in singing released the emotions I've been keeping inside.

I would miss singing with the guitar accompaniment. It's much different and much better from singing on the karaoke.

Later on, I went to Yokohama via JR. It then reminded me of all the trips I had. Made me teary eyed. For a while, I was distracted from my emote sessions, as I shopped around (boy the queue in Zara's fitting room was loooong). But later on, after having dinner with Kitty at Afternoon Tea (such heavenly mango cake dessert they had for today!) and after she gave me a Care Bear Bestfriend, it was harder to keep the emotions within.

It's really gonna be hard saying goodbye.

Giving You the Best That I've Got

Arrghh, Youtube's such an MH (malaking hadlang ^^). Haven't found a sensible video of Anita Baker's Giving You The Best That I Got. This is such a beautiful beautiful song...apt for weddings..=D

Giving You The Best That I Got

Ain't there something I can give you
In exchange for everything you give to me
Read my mind and make me feel just fine
When I think my peace of mind is out
Of reach

The scales are sometimes unbalanced
And you bear the weight of all that has to be
I hope you see that you can lean on me
And together we can calm a stormy sea

We love so strong and so unselfishly
And I tell you now that I made a vow
I'm giving you the best that I got, baby
Yes I tell you now, that I made a vow
I'm giving you the best that I got, honey

Everybody's got opinions
'Bout the way they think our story's gonna end
Some folks feel it's just a superficial thrill
Everybody's gonna have to think again

We love so strong and so unselfishly
They don't bother me so I'm gonna keep on
Giving you the best that I got, baby
They don't bother me, said I'm gonna keep on
Giving you the best that I got, listen baby

Somebody understands me
Somebody gave his heart to me
I stumbled my whole life long
Always on my own, now I'm home

My weary mind is rested
And I feel as if my home is in your arms
Fears are all gone,
I like the sound of your song
And I think I want to sing it forever

We love so strong and so unselfishly
And I made a vow so I tell you now
I'm giving you the best that I got, baby
I bet everything on my wedding ring
I'm giving you the best that I got,
Givin' it to you baby

Missed fun, bugs and success stories

I should have been out with friends and colleagues the whole day, scouring the greater Tokyo area buying anime figures and possibly shopping at Harajuku (H&M, yeah!). For me who'll possibly be going back to our Manila office at the end of the month, this might be my last weekend for frolicking around before I seriously get started with my packing.

But lo, I woke up at 9:30am to a doorbell. I looked at the little screen showing whoever is at my front door but as I was still groggy from sleep, I didn't recognize who was at the door and just ignored the call as I thought it was just the usual weekend Jehovah's Witnesses callers. Went back to bed. Then with a jolt I remembered I was supposed to wake up early today. Then I realized it was Dougie who rang my doorbell. I checked my screen but he was gone already. Checked my phone, no call from Kitty. Turned on my laptop, and sure enough there were offline Y!M messages and on Facebook as well from should-have-been-frolicking companions. How to catch up with them? Sigh...I just might as well try to make my day as productive as I can.

I planned to get started with my packing and do my laundry. But I read "The Time Traveller's Wife" instead and had a looong nap. So no packing there. Huff.

Still groggy from my nap (this at 5:30pm), I went to my bathroom to wash my face. When I went back my bedroom cum living room, I yelped and did a tiny shriek when I saw a tiny roach lying on its back on my wooden floor. Apparently very dead. How it came about though, I have no idea. ~Shiver~ There might be other roaches lurking in other corners of my room...~Shiver~

Anyways, watched this short video from TED. Need to remind myself time and again of the formula. ^^

Electronic cigarette smoking, anyone?

Was concentrating on the work at hand when my seatmate told me about the reason for the ruckus several rows down our desks. Apparently, a colleague was sharing with everyone his packs of electronic cigarette. It was the first time I heard about this e-cigars and so after exclaiming my surprise at this and after looking at the racket from a distance (i can even see some faint smoke), I just went back to my PFDs.

But later on, when my seatmate, who was not a smoker took a puff, I asked him how it was. He then led me to our colleague's desk and together, they convinced me to try and take a puff. Told me it was safe as there's no carcinogen on it. Curiosity got the better of me so puff I did. It was awkward, having a cigarette-like stick on my mouth. When I didn't feel anything, I puffed a long one. Until I instantly felt some smoke on my lungs. Drat I can still even feel the smoke up to now, some 6 hours later, wuhuhu. It was sweet though. But most of the afternoon, I feel drugged, on a high. So that's how smokers feel...Won't be on it though. My throat doesn't feel well now.

Anyways, E-cigarettes are the latest addition to smokers' alternatives when they can't smoke on public places. It has a scent that similar to tobacco flavor and contains only water, nicotine and propylene glycol which the FDA deems safe. Supposedly electronic cigarettes doesn't contain cancer-causing agents. Check this out. And oopps, didn't know one still have to exhale the vapors. No wonder I feel bad up to now. I kept it all in! yikes! And still, it's not for people under 18, and not for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Yikes!

A curious experience. Especially one taken right in the office, where cigarette smoking is banned, in front of colleagues and the department manager at that!

Spring out, Time Travel in

Just finished reading Yukio Mishima's Spring Snow. And although it's time for bed already, i'm tempted to go start my next book in line - The Time Traveller's Wife (Zoey's "happy thing" for me on my 29th birthday) - for wanting to have some feel-good story erase the depressing mood that the Spring Snow impressed on me. The book had such a sad and very abrupt ending that I flipped the last pages again and again, which I very well know contained only Mishima's profile and ads about his other books, hoping each flip would give me the epilogue with a happier ending.

Hoh well. It was interesting, the ideas and rationalizations at least. And i'm glad this book is finally finished. Read this back to back with Eat Pray Love (Kitty's "happy thing" for me on my 29th birthday) just so there'll be some diversity (?). Took some 7 weeks for me to finish this, haha! Three weeks overdue on my deadline for returning to Noge Library. heh!

I'm looking forward to The Time Traveller's Wife now. =D

beer party song

Had our first jam session for this year's beer party this afternoon. We were quite productive actually in that we were able to make and finalize our line up after an hour whereas last year, it took us some 3 or 4 jam sessions before we finalized what we wanted to perform which involved a lot of song eliminations. We're getting better at this I think. Hehe.

But my chest's a bit constricted with the thought that I might not be able to perform this time as I'll be heading back to Manila by the end of June. But me and my bandmates are so hoping I'd still get extended somehow so I can perform with them.

We've prepared a song for me though and I'm gonna be singing Boa's Duvet.


(thanks to technetium01 for the youtube upload)

Heard Carolyn Dawn Johnson's Complicated this evening in Accuradio though and I wanted to sing this one instead. hehe


(thanks to MusictoFans for the youtube upload)

We'll be singing "Dancing Queen" as well as our grand finale with us three girls in the band taking the lead.

Hope hope hope.
Anyways, sleep time for now!

My First Jap Crush

Fell in love with Five Red back when I was 10 years old. haha!



Toshiya Fuji played as Gaku Hoshikawa, the eldest of the 5 siblings in Chikyuu Sentai Fiveman (Earth Squadron Fiveman). Love his Kendo scenes. He was supposed to be 27 years old in the series. 27....

SMILE!

When looking for things to make you smile, one need not look at expensive stores. Bet you, there's lots of reasons to smile about with the things you have now. But then, should you find yourself in hard luck in looking for one, you can always turn to your nearest 100yen shop. ^^

one of my shower caps

my beloved dishwashing sponge ^^

changed

The youngest member of my current project's team came over to me if I had any plans set on the next two fridays. Told him i'm free for our project dinner on any of those fridays. A moment after, he again approached me and asked if I can drink. And I readily and confidently said "yes, I can. no problem."

And that floored me really. Woke me up. Whatever happened to that shy Marj who asked for an orange juice on her first dinner with team members on her first assignment on Japan? Whatever happened to the Marj who chose Calpis over wine during her farewell dinner on her boss' house during her first assignment?

I shouldn't worry though. I will just have to think of it as a "sign of progress". And I hope it is. ^^

Yuki No Hana

I just love this. I just so love this.

Jose Abreu and his El Sistema

Was moved with this. Both by what he was saying and by how he said it. Makes you think of your own dreams...and if any of those dreams can make this place a better world.

For more vids, see www.ted.com
Thanks to Kat for sharing the website.

Utada Hikaru's Beautiful World

YouTube - Utada Hikaru - Beautiful world (english subtitles 2007 09 07)

haha nice wish

Mishima's Spring Snow

After yoga and shopping yesterday, I plan to stay in my hidey-hole for the remainder of the Golden Week and hibernate with (alternatively) Yukio Mishima's Spring Snow and Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. My stomach muscles hurt a lot today, results from the strain they got from yesterday's yoga.

Anyways, to Spring Snow. I'm liking it actually. Though of course what i'm reading is the English translated version, it's so full of words; so heady with flowery words that I tend to read slowly so I can make a picture in my mind of what it was trying to portray. This book is so heavy, so welling of thoughts and ideas that I can't help but stop reading at one paragraph or another to mull about things, to reflect on what has been said in the book.

The book inspires in me a question though. This book is considered as one of the major novels of Japanese literature. And really, IF the author's characters in the book reflects the real thoughts of young men at that time, one would marvel at how deeply their 18 year olds think and philosophize at that time. Makes me think how mundane were my thoughts were at that age. haha.

Browsing about reviews of the Spring Snow in the internet led me to a site showing me that this book had a film adaptation last 2005 - and with Satoshi Tsumabuki on the lead role as Kiyoaki Matsugae! yay! haha. Gotta have a copy of that movie. =P