Addicted

Addict na talaga ako! Sa Taiwanese drama, Korean drama, pati Japanese drama addict na rin ako.

Kasalanan 'to ng Mommy ko. Hahaha! Nakakatawa man, but she introduced me to the Korean dramas a long time ago. It was on GMA 7 and it was called "Bright Girl." The original title was "The Successful Story of a Bright Girl" but I think pinaikli lang ng GMA. The lead was renamed Jasmine, and my mom loved the story so much that she would drop everything when the show is on.

I liked the show din. I watched it when I don't have classes because it was shown before lunch. I was in college then, so every Wednesday, or when I have classes in the afternoon, I get to watch it with my mom. After that, the rest is history.

I've laughed and cried to Korean dramas since Bright Girl. I've seen Endless Love: Autumn in My Heart, Save the Last Dance, Princess Lulu, Lovers in Paris, Lavender, My Girl, A Love to Kill, My Lovely Sam Soon, Coffee Prince, Capital Scandal (a.k.a. Scandal in Old Seoul), and many more.

Then there was one summer in college when Meteor Garden invaded the Philippines. Oh, how I would rush home from school to watch it. I lived in the province then, and Meteor Garden's time slot was the local news' time slot, so we didn't get to watch it until two weeks after it aired in Manila. And it was shown in the morning, so I still wasn't able to see it since I had school. Finally, after some people petitioned for a better time slot, I was able to watch it after school.

Of course, with Meteor Garden came F4, composed of Jerry Yan, Vic Zhou, Ken Chu and Vanness Wu. Of the four, the lead was Jerry playing Dao Ming Si and Vic had the supporting role playing Hua Ci Lei (my favorite). For several weeks, their songs, and the songs related to the show dominated the local music channel's daily hit charts. I think this caused some of the OPM artists to complain, since their songs now don't get any airtime, so they created an OPM hit chart separately. Hahaha!

There were still a lot of Taiwanese drama I watched and loved. There's Silence (Vic Zhou), It Started With A Kiss (Ariel Lin), My Secret Garden (Ariel Lin), Hana Kimi (S.H.E.'s Ella and my boyfriend Wu Chun!), Reaching for the Stars (S.H.E.), Romantic Princess (Angela Zhang with Wu Chun) and Tokyo Juliet (Wu Chun and Ariel Lin). Some of them I loved more than the others. But if you notice the trend, I watch more Wu Chun dramas! Hahaha! Because of that, I like S.H.E. and Fahrenheit's songs. Wu Chun is a Fahrenheit member.

Then JDrama came much later with Hana Yori Dango, which is the Japanese version of Meteor Garden. Actually, Meteor Garden is based on the Japanese Manga Hana Yori Dango (Flowers Before Boys). Then after that, I got hooked on Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (For You in Full Blossom), again another take on a Manga of the same title. Then I noticed Oguri Shun, who played Rui Hanazawa in Hana Yori Dango, and Sano Izumi in Hanazakari no Kimitachi e. So I searched for his other shows and watched the two Detective Conan specials where he played Shinichi Kudo (Det. Conan).

Their songs stick to me until I get a new show. Like for Silence, the sad song "Try to Remember" kept playing on my computer, then after Romantic Princess, Xin Wo by Fahrenheit and S.H.E. was my soundtrack of choice. I alternate it with Bu Xiang Dong De by Angela Zhang. I saw Hana Kimi, so my player kept singing S.H.E.'s Zen Me Ban. When I finished with Hanazakari no Kimitachi e, Peach by Ai Otsuka and Ikenai Itayou by Orange Range were my favorite. Until now, actually, since I just started with Reaching for the Stars, and have to get used to the songs.

So there! I admit, I'm addicted. But I'm not the only one, mind you. I'm sure there are a lot others like me! Even in the office, to pass the time, we talk about the dramas. We compare notes, and recommend shows to each other. And we learn a lot from these shows too! We learn Mandarin, Korean and Japanese words and phrases. Aja! Fighting! Chayo!

So, Arigato gozaimasu, xie xie ni, kamsahamida, for reading this post. :D

Summer Heat

Hay, grabe! Can it get any hotter? According to my desktop, it's 31 degrees Celsius today. Just 31?

Today I had to go out with my cousin to get his report card. He goes to San Beda College Alabang, which is just in the village next to us. At dahil wala kaming car, we had to walk to the school. It's actually not that far, mga 10-minute walk lang. I would have welcomed the opportunity to get a short workout, but not under the sweltering summer sun!

And because I had those scratches from Stitch, I cannot wear skirt, shorts or even cropped pants. Kelangan naka long pants talaga. We went at ten this morning, and for me it felt like noon. After just a short walk from the house, I was already sweating buckets. Even the fan I brought with me did not help. Armed pa ako with payong nyan ha?

When we got to the school, the card getting was in the lobby lang, and not in the air-conditioned classrooms, so pinagpawisan pa rin. Argh! Buti nalang, there was a trike paglabas namin ng school, so nakapag-trike na kami pauwi.

Ang sarap magbabad sa pool! I was planning to go to our village's clubhouse, kaso I don't have any form of ID stating my address. Hahaha! Baka di ako papapasukin.

I really want to go somewhere I can cool off from this heat. Baguio, Galera or kahit saan, basta malamig or may tubig! Hahaha! Saan ba maganda pumunta? :D

Stitch: The Attack Dog

I cannot count anymore the times our dog Stitch has attacked me. She attacks with no warning at all. She even bit my sister's nose and caused it to bleed.

Just tonight, after dinner, I was playing with her. I was just stroking her fur when she suddenly attacked me. She held on to my legs with her paws, her claws digging deep into my flesh. It was so painful, but I had to stand still since I know that any sudden movement could mean more aggression from her.

Standing there, gripping the concrete wall to steady myself, I could only wish that she just let go of my legs. I was wearing SHORTS, for crying out loud! Couldn't she have picked any other time to attack me? Meaning when I'm wearing pants!?

The result: Long red scratches on both legs, from the thigh to my ankles. Hay! That means I have to avoid wearing skirts to work for now.

Office Troubles

It's hard to have a disagreement with your officemate. Especially if you are in the same team. What's harder is that you don't know what the problem even is!

I became close with this person because we are both Bisaya and we converse freely in the Cebuano language when in the office. We used to always sit together and talk about anything.

Although I know she has not shared everything with me, since I heard from someone else something she did not tell me, I still respect and cherish our friendship. I did not even pry or press her for details. I just let her be.

Just recently, however, as in yesterday, she started hitting me with snide (if not rude) remarks with my statements. I know she only does that when she dislikes the person or is irritated/annoyed by him or her. I don't know what I did to offend her, though. And that is what is bothering me BIG TIME.

I was hurt the most when another officemate (B) was asking her to buy food for her. Officemate B added that if A does not leave ASAP that she'll change her mind again on what to get. So I jokingly said, "You better leave now, or else you can't leave at all!" To that she replied, "Gusto mo akong umalis? Sige aalis na ako sa harap mo ngayon!" And it was not a joke, I can tell.

I don't get it. I told her right on that she must be mad at me or something, but she said, "Di ka na nasanay sa mga jokes ko." I know how she jokes around, and I know when she is serious. Yesterday, I am CERTAIN she was serious.

It's too bad it has to come to this. I am greatly troubled with what is going on and would like to resolve things ASAP, but the way she is now towards me, I doubt it's the best time for that now.

Me Scared!

Just this afternoon, my aunt arrived from Cebu. She went there to deliver some padala from San Francisco. The package is for her boyfriend's family. We have family there, too, like her mom and my mom, but she never visits them. She feels it's such a burden to go and visit them. I know, she tells us here at home.

I was downstairs with my laptop. I thought I shouldn't be spending so much time in my room, thinking that my aunt would think I was sleeping all day. She was not in a very pleasant mood when she got in. She played with our dog then went up to her room.

After a while, she came down to look for our maid. She was looking for her clothes. Apparently, the maid failed to bring the fresh laundry up to our rooms. She got mad, then she passed by me on the table in the living room. I saw her face, and I knew right then I have to retreat.

I came up, and found out what all the fuss was about. My cousin is due to leave for New Zealand this month to visit his father. My aunt will not be with him since she will be working. That means they have to secure some necessary documents and permits for him to be able to go alone. They have to go to the nearest DSWD office to get the permit and they have no idea where it is. My aunt, when she can't find what she's looking for, in this case, the telephone number of that office, gets very irritable and anything can anger her. She was dropping books, even dropped the WiFi router! I decided to help them out, so I called DSWD main office in QC and asked the operator for the number of the Alabang branch. Easy, right? I thought that was the end of it, but NO!

This time she was looking for the ream of bond paper she said they have. My cousin then asked me if I saw it. Of course not, but that actually meant if I can help look for it. We did, and saw the empty cover of the bond paper. Meaning, ubos na pala! She didn't even tell us that she found it. Jeez!

Now, she left with my cousin, but before that, screamed at the maid that she always does everything around here. She cooks... she cooks... Now, I'm really scared.

I think I should leave the house for a while to escape her anger. She might say something she will regret later on, and I might do something I might also later regret.

Hay! Life!

First Things First

Many consider me as a "promdi" or "probinsyana" just because I come from the Visayas. In actuality, I have lived my life in the city. Back home, I am a City Girl. Here? A mere probinsyana.
I don't really mind the label, but I just feel it's a sign of ignorance.

I moved to Manila in 2006, after an office I applied for showed some interest in me. I've been here ever since. When it was decided that I will be moving to Manila, my maternal aunt offered me her place to stay. A year and a half later, I'm still here.

I'm not staying here for free. I pay her every payday and I buy my own food (like snacks) and buy some food for the house when I can. And besides, I live in the south and work in Makati. My expenses alone eat up a lot of my pay.

I get to enjoy free Internet access, a maid who cooks and does laundry for me, and decent food. The only complaint I have is that my aunt is very moody. Around her, I always have to guard what I do and what I say. Even her teenage son is scared of her outbursts.

I can afford to buy stuff, but I can't really do it for fear that she might think it's eating up too much electricity, or that it's taking up too much space in her house.

Believe me, I have shed a lot of tears especially when her rantings is directed towards me. She has never scolded me directly, but I know when she's mad, I have to retreat to my room.

I have also seriously considered moving out of this house. But my mom, my aunt's sister, decided against it. According to her, it might cause trouble when I do that. My aunt might think I have something against her. Jeez! What to do?

So this blog is just my way letting out my frustrations and sometimes, sadness.