43 days. 11 hours. 
it's not that i'm not having fun or i'm not learning anything. 
i already realized that it isn't for me. a chef's life isn't as glamorous as it is perceived to be, truth be told.
there are millions of restaurants in the world, and only a handful are living a life that can be envied. 
i need time to go faster. 

 
...Leaped, and reaped the rewards. 
That was incredibly satisfying and unexpected.

Here's to second chances. :)

 
...is finally letting go and getting ready to jump.

Wish me luck. 

There's a lot of things I want to talk about, to describe, to show people about what I'm up to. I'm no good at detailed stories unless I write them. It's quite a paradox actually; can't talk about my life, but once I write what's going on, I tend to go around in circles.

So where am I right now? Not yet in New York. I'm in North Carolina, in the Triangle area, specifically in Carrboro. Yes, Pauie, it's two hours from Wilmington, where your precious Nathan lives. :P And they keep on showing OTH reruns...the good season (2nd), thankfully. :) My sister's apartment is quite the cozy place - it actually has an oven, albeit a temperamental one. Got Chinese food (yuk) delivered (yummy delivery boy) for dinner. For some unfathomable reason, the Chinese immigrants here can't replicate the really good Chinese food back home. No wonder Barney doesn't like Chinese Food here. Anyway, it scared the crap out of me when someone knocked and called out, "You ordered Chinese?" Scrambled for my tear gas spray before opening the door; lo, and behold, cute, smiling delivery boy. Hee.




About the place...it's not so much as an apartment, but a loft. The complex is generally a non-smoking area, but they have these little places, reminiscent of the spockets in Ateneo, with the same benches! So I still get my daily fix while I'm walking my sister's pooch in the afternoons when my mum's out to go to mass. Fall in NC is beautiful. My sister told me that I just missed the nice part of Fall, when the leaves are still on the trees instead of hanging on for dear life. Just a side note (and skip this part if you know how 'over-sharing' I can get), I have this thing about pooping - I can't poop right away in places that I'm new at, but for some reason, I haven't been this regular since God knows when. It's so weird and annoying at the same time cause of the 'space constraints'. Anyway...

There's way too much food in this country that I'm treading a fine line between feeling amazed and wanting puke all over the place. My sister is a diet freak, so most of the things here are labeled "diet", "fat-free", "low carb". DISGUSTING. I had to buy my own bacon. But surprisingly, she has tons of butter so I can't really complain. Was in Williams-Sonoma the other day, in the same mall where I found Jodie's E-Cigarettes (I'm still deliberating whether I should buy them - quite expensive). Saw really nice fancy-shmancy gourmet food and equipment. Then the big sister took me to A Southern Season - another specialty gourmet store that has a wine selection that can gobble up Cav three times over, and an international cheese aisle (enough cheese to make anyone lactose intolerant in a heartbeat).

Speaking of wine...Downtown Chapel Hill has this amazing brewery, Carolina Brewery, that brews (duh) their own beer and has them on tap. Really, really great beers - award winning ones that are easy to drink but has that unmistakable tasty beer. Think San Mig Premium times three in flavor. But superstar_diva is right - a half pint is $3.97 here in NC, so there's definitely no such thing as a $4 beer in NY. Donations for "Let the Peach Drink Beer in NYC Fund" is on-going. It was also fun to see a group of Filipinas in the pub having lunch - it was nice to hear familiar words again. =t I also went around the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, where my sister took her MA. Nice campus. Really the kind of place where my sister would thrive - small town niceties that I, on the other hand, can only take in small doses. The two pictures above were taken in campus. I visited the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery inside the campus as well. I thought it would be the eerie kind where the tombstones would date back to the 17th century, or at least 18th...but no such luck. Some photos...


 

Other noteworthy places are The West End Wine Bar, which has a nice cellar and a balcony; have yet to visit, might go tomorrow since I have nothing better planned to do, except get another half pint and talk to the cute bartender. Oh, and we mustn't forget The Lantern Restaurant, voted as one of the best restaurants in the US. Eating there once dad and Gerard gets here on Saturday. Can't wait for my brother to get here - at least someone has the right appetite for the amount of food they serve here. I hate wasting food and the Americans mastered the art of over-feeding their population down to a T.

Huge ass tomato grown from the vine (dubious but possible, since it's almost winter) and chili...

 Have you ever showered naked with anyone?
i dont want anyone seeing my bits and i dont want to see female bits that arent mine!!!

Who is your last text from & what does it say?
mum: umuwi ka na. (at 10pm...like i was 12 years old or something)

Burger King or Wendy's?
wendyyy. what do you call that ice cream slushie?! damnit...i forget

Latest you stayed up in the past week?
errrrr....early lately. 2ish?

Where are you right now?
dining room

Are you listening to music right now?
yuh. heaven tonight - hole

Who last called you babe/baby?
my dog barked and it sounded like "babe"

Does your phone ring in the middle of the night often?
...silent mode

Do you know anyone who is married that shouldn't be?
YES!!!TOO MANY PEOPLE!!!!!!

Do you curse in front of your parents?
i dont like the taste of soap.

What is your current annoyance?
nothin

Last time you saw fireworks, with who & where?
july, wyd sydney

Are you afraid of roller coasters?
puking after used to be a regular thing...now i loff them...just like needles! 

What would you do if your best friend told you they were moving?
ask for her address and demand she gets a webcam

Who pissed you off today?
im hungry

Are you slowly drifting away from someone?
nooooooooooo

When was the last time you felt unbearably guilty?
uh. im always guilty

Are you bored?
huhuhuhuhu pathetic

Who can you tell everything to?
koi ...but yeah, not really. because i suck at making kwento.

The last person you talked to on AIM?
hahahahah wow freshman college year friends, i guess

Have you ever kissed anyone who's name started with an G?
nopey

Can you play guitar hero?
what's that? is that the same as rockband? it looks like it in wikipedia...

Do you prefer hot or cold weather?
neither

What do you currently hear right now?
electric fan. the script.

Three days in a hotel on a beach or NFL game tickets?
NFL, amp. as much as it is fun to see men slapping each other's asses...beach nalang no!

How old do you think you will be when you finally have kids?
i'll be a great fairy godmother

Would you rather watch football or baseball?
i dont understand all that running

Where is your number one person on your friends list?
<3, that would be...alphabetical...i think gen? i think?

Three things you did today:
1. went out with maman.
2. conned nickie for stickers.
3. stared at a comp screen

Did anyone see you kiss the last person you kissed?
behind closed doors?

When a friend walks out of your life, do you go after them or let them go?
babai. hahaha kidding i dunno depends

Have you ever kissed in the rain?
i havent even frolicked in the rain :( 

What are you doing tonight?
trying to forget im going to bed hungry

Do you know anyone who is pregnant?
im sure i know someone...there's too many 

Does anyone hate you?
im sure meron

I can't get to sleep without:
setting my alarm and washing my face

If I were a doll, the accessories packaged with me would be:
CLOTHES

I have an irrational fear of:
lizards converging and/or doing a kamikaze attack

At my grandparents house I usually eat:
lechon. until lolo couldn't eat solids anymore.

When I was born I weighed:
6.6 pounds. huwaw. + 123.4 now

I am most opposed to:
.....dami eeehhhhh

On myspace I like to stalk:
i dont understand myspace. ang gulo masyado

I am too old to be:
eh basta dami restrictions...and responsibilities that i cant seem to escapeeeee 

I find the thought of childbirth:
gruesome and unnecessary 

Next door to my house is:
the bodega and neighbors house

My feet are:
actually boats in disguise

My preferred style of jeans are:
the ones that hide my hips

I know how to cook:
eggs and hotdogs; microwave pa.

I am annoyed at:
a lot of things

Men should always:
give up their seats, open doors, lead when crossing the street....yeah right. men should always be men.

Women should never:
be dominated by anyone. 

The scariest sea creature is:
snakes...anything squiggly

The world is over populated with:
People

I recently broke:
....i havent destroyed anything recently

I last cried because:
i drank too much alcohol 

I would like to be in an advertisement for:
lipo

My favorite shoes are:
now, it's my mum's chocolate and beige ribbon heels

My mothers' greatest fear is:
her children converting to another religion

When I think of Full House:
that's the tv show, right?

Do you have any special talents?
i am all knowing. ahhihihi cue nickie rolling his eyes

Do you regret anything about your past?
lots and lots and lots and lots and loooooooots 

Do people ever mistake you for being a different race?
nopey

Do you collect anything?
huuuuuugs

Would you tattoo someone's name on your body?
ew. no. instant regret yon no! 

What do you worry about the most?
dumb stuff that i shouldnt

Do you have any friends with "benefits"?
not now

How old were you when you moved out of your parents house?
23

Who do you miss right now?
food

Are you drinking anything?
food

Do you like beer? If so, what one?
im acquiring the taste recently

Do you cry easily?
not really...just when my period's near and when there's alcohol

Do you have any weapons for personal protection?
yeah, my torch and my tear gas

What is the last restaurant you ate at?
causeway 

What is your favorite fruit?
ive been eating a lot of watermelon recently

Do you go to college?
3rd time na pare taena

Do you believe "Once a cheater, always a cheater"?
YES! 

Do you sit on public toilet seats?
no. tissue, yes

What is a goal you would like to complete this year?
survive

Do you believe in karma?
yesh

Last person you had an argument with?
..i've been good lately

Have you ever ran away from home?
no, pussy eh

Where were you 2 hours ago?
here. dining room

Favorite concert you have been to?
havent been

Are you listening to music?
dont worry baby - beach boys

Your best friend's biggest flaw?
she's too damn nice 

Describe the shirt you are wearing?
IM WEARING PINK!!! IM ACTUALLY WEARING PINK!!! EPIC DAY!!!!


Do you know anyone named Bob?
bob...bunnybob? ala eh

What is your favorite candy?
butterballs

Do you take your daily vitamins?
no. doesnt bother me. last time i got fever sick was when i was 13, 7th grade

What color is your vehicle?
weird brown gold

Where is your most ticklish spot?
heh not telling

Last thing you bought from Walgreens?
iba pa to sa woolworths no?

What do you think about the president?
local? pish. 

What are your favorite pizza toppings?
i. dont. like. pizza. 

How much money do you have on you?
little less than a k

When did you last go swimming?
last thurs and still no tan rarrr

How old are you parents?
58. 54.

 alcohol is evil.
*kerplunk*

 
1. Do something about my hair. I need to have it treated!
2. Go to Naga City.  Ama Neng's coming next week instead! =D
3. See the interior of a unit in Serendra. Hahaha! Hey, I'm curious!
4. Get an impressive tan. =))  not happening with all the rains...grrr.
5. Eat at JT's Manukan. *shrug* ---> nevermind this. 
6. Clear out my pantry.
7. Ride a hot air balloon. Long shot, but hey.
8. Do kareoke. Thank you, Kits. =))
9. Bring Casey to High Street and not worry about him wreaking havoc.  (Speaking of Casey, I had the most ludicrous dream...Casey was fighting off a Doberman and a German Shepherd...He failed of course so the GS took a big  chomp of my hand and got afflicted by a sudden case of lock jaw and wouldn't let go!)
10. Celdran's Corregidor's Tour.  No tours at this time of the year.
11. Douse with gas and burn my memory box.
12. Go to Salcedo Market. God help me to wake up that early. Tried, but failed. Effort was worth it. =)
13. Eat in Mr. Kebab again.
14.
15.

And with 18 days to go, God help me. =))

 

Tash, if you get to read this, I lied. I passed by Enderun before I went to pick you up in GB, and I was there for half an hour. Heeeheee. I love you. =)) See ya Friday...Tabuuuuu yey! =) 

Here I am, making the most of the...27 (if my flight doesn't change again for the nth time) days I have left here. Gosh. Two years ago, or even 6 months ago, I was freaking out more than this. Or maybe its because I refuse to think of how near that date is and how little time I have left with people I love. 

1. I'm going to start having my dog sleep on my bed tomorrow. I know he's going to forget me sooner than most people, but honestly, the thought of my dog forgetting me hurts more. =)) Yeah, it's not a secret, I love my dog more than anyone. And no, I don't find it pathetic. HAHAHA.

2. I'm going to Bicol on the last week of October to visit one of the most important people in my life. The woman who practically raised me, my Ama Neng. I mean, my parents were both working when I was young so she was the one who cries when I got hurt, the one putting me bed, mashing my toddler food, and basically just taking care of me and loving me. She's old na, and I'm sure she misses me like I miss her.   

3. I'll be popping in an out of people's places/offices/homes to spend time with them. Hahahah, I'm kapal like that. And kidnapping is not above me at this point. So when I tell you to get in my car at gunpoint, better obey. Heehehhee. Thank god for people like Tash and Pola who are both kaladkarin (a bottle of wine,a few amaretto sours, and bottles of san mig light at GB5 and Tabu is love!). Hahahah. Except that Mikoy, who also has a crap phone like MARGARET BAUTISTA CORDERO (whom I haven's seen for the past six months!!!! So much for being my girlfriend! HAHAHHA...oh and Ryan as well, and Pauriv), bailed on us kanina. Points for effort though for trying to find us in GB until 6. =))
 

 FOR GOD'S SAKE, WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP WHINING?!

Oh pity me! Pity me! Nobody loves me! Everyone's always leaving! I'm always alone! 
I'm depressed! I'm crying again! I'm all alone in my room with no one to turn to!

For CRAP'S sake, have a little bit of self-respect! You're  depressing EVERYONE!
And here I thought I would make a great candidate for Ms. Pity-Me-All-The-Time.
Di bale na sana if you do it like once a month, tolerable pa eh. But noooo, you do it EVERY SINGLE DAY. As if your entire existence revolves around people seeing how miserable you are because of them, and so they'd notice you.
How pathetic!
I think we have a Filipino term for that, KSP. Kulang Sa Pansin!
There are SOOOO many other people who have worse lives that you. 
Can't you tell, you're driving me CRAZY with your whining? It's wannabe emo, but in reality, it's just simply SICKENING to hear. It's as if you WANT people to pity you so that you'll have a sense of self-worth from the attention you'll get. A word of advice, people get tired being dragged down; the attention will disappear soon enough.
And you're asking why people don't want you around or don't want to be around you?!

GO FUCKING FIGURE.

Can I just say that the new season of Heroes SUCKS BIG TIME?! And to think it was such a promising tv show during it's first season... Tsk tsk. The second season was so-so, but I was hoping that the third would be better since I'm sure it wasn't the producers' fault that they had such a confusing and so-so second season due to the writers' strike. But yeah, it sucks. I mean, I can't even keep up on which character's from the future or if he's REALLY dead or not, before he starts appearing from every corner once more. Confusing, much?!

Pretty much the same thing that happened to Prison Break. Had a lovely first season, went a little downhill on the second, then totally lost their momentum for their third season. WTH. All that lovely male hotness, courtesy of that guy with the weird name...Wentworth Miller! There. See?! That's what happens when the succeeding seasons of your show keeps getting suckier and suckier, people forget your name. Can't hold on to the stupid momentum to save their freakin' asses. 

It's just that Heroes was gone for almost a year (is that correct?!), and it's so hard to keep track on what happened before since (duh) you can't remember anymore due to the long hiatus. Pffft. Too bad, Heroes was such a nice tv show. Boo.

But not to worry, I found new shows to watch...Yipee!