I would like to begin this entry with a quote, which I think I posted on Twitter a while back: “So much has happened in the past few months. When I look back, it seems like I have lived a hundred lives since.”

The above basically summarizes my feelings on all the events that have transpired this year in my life.

I have not been such an active blogger for a while, and I’m sure most readers have next to no idea on what happened. Allow me to capsulize it all.

1. I had my hair cut short
This was done last 13th July. The photo to the right was taken the day after. I have been planning to change my hairstyle for months and months, and finally decided to take action this time. This is the shortest my hair has been for nearly ten years. I really, really love it.

2. I am writing my first novel series
I started the project in December 2010, but began putting my back into it, so to speak, February 2011 after doing some travel. The book is generally Young Adult fiction, with lots of action, romance, intrigue and, oh yes, martial arts. The heroes and heroines are mostly Asians because I think it’s high fucking time we all stopped being just sidekicks. The outline spans seven parts. I have already set up an official website, Twitter account, Tumblr account and FaceBook fan page for the series. Hopefully, I will finish the first installment this year!

3. I have conceptualized my second novel series
Aside from the first book, I have also come up with lots of ideas for my second. This time, I am going back to my anime roots and my love for Fushigi Yuugi, Hunter X Hunter, Virtua Fighter, Yuu Yuu Hakusho, Soryuden, Recca no Honou and many others. This five-part series is YA supernatural, but with lots of action-packed twists and unforgettable, painfully human characters.

4. I trimmed down my online real estate
Last year, I had more than a hundred domains and more than a dozen hosting accounts. I have realigned my priorities and my needs and have cut down to save up. In fact, I am still selling some domains I no longer plan on keeping.

5. I re-evaluated my personal and professional life
While on holiday in the Philippines last January, I took a close look at my family, friends and relationships. I decided what are the things that mean the most to me. When I finally came to terms with what I really valued in life, all my decisions are much easier to think through and make.

6. I changed my lifestyle
With a fresh perspective on what I have and what I still want, I decided to make changes on my day-to-day living. This meant eating breakfast, always, no matter how busy I am. This also meant giving up carbonated and sweetened drinks, consuming smaller portions, eschewing junk food, and minimizing coffee and tea intake. I now subsist mostly on kid-friendly chocolate milk, an excellent source of energy and protein. I found out that caffeine just gives a temporary up, but eventually causes headaches, lethargy and acid build-up.

7. I lost loads of weight. And I mean LOADS.
As of my last weigh-in earlier this month, I lost 22 kilos since I started my fitness regimen in February 2011. I am 13 kilos away from my goal weight. I hope I will reach it before the year ends, or maybe by the time I turn another year older (24 September).

Tweet

The past two weeks have been pretty busy as I am back at work, with regular timings unlike our shortened hours during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

I have moved to a nice, big, spanking-new cubicle, after the long wait. Brushy even visited my office to have a look at my new workstation.

Brushy on the wheel of a Hyundai 4WD. Taken 20 September 2010, Shell Select, Al Khuwair Service Road, Muscat, Oman.

The above photo was taken during Brushy’s first trip to my office, when we rode the large Hyundai 4WD of a friend. We made a quick stop for lunch stuff at the Shell Select station on the Al Khuwair Service Road.

Of course, Brushy did not let the opportunity pass for a quick photo op. Perched in a precarious manner on the steering wheel, Brushy looks like he is navigating the huge vehicle!

Tweet

Happy birthday to me!

This is my third consecutive birthday that I am celebrating in Oman.

Two years ago to date, I spent an exorbitant amount of money to buy imported pork and cook and eat dishes of this all day long (more like all week long, to be honest).

As for last year’s birthday, Peter and I had dinner at Chilli’s in Muscat City Centre and went on to Markaz Al Bahja to catch the midnight screening of Inglorious Basterds.

This year, we did lots more of things together because we both had a day off work, thankfully, on the day before my birthday!

Taken during the eve of my birthday, 23 September 2010, on our way to Markaz Al Bahja for a late afternoon snack.

Again, we went to Markaz Al Bahja in Seeb to browse through the shops, spending quite some time in Muscat Sports having a look through their winter collection. Nothing of note, especially for ladies, since I was actually looking for some leggings and tops that could double up as casual and gym wear.

We then had a late afternoon snack, with sumptuous, affordable Chinese food from the Chinese Palace booth at the food court. I love, love, love Chinese Palace – it is my favorite restaurant in Oman, in fact. Not only are the prices wallet-friendly, the selection and dishes are fabulous as well. The Chinese people running the place are also very friendly and accommodating.

Corn soup from Chinese Palace, with carrot and chicken bits. Really smooth and hearty.

Chicken and vegetable combo from Chinese Palace, which has deep-fried chicken fillet strips, veggie balls in savory-hot sauce and oodles and oodles of stir-fried noodles!

After eating, we went downstairs to check out the movies running at Al Bahja Cinema. Sadly, all the tickets for Tekken and The Expendables were sold out for that evening. We decided to catch a show at City Cinema in Shatti Al Qurum on the following day.

We decided to make the trip across town to Rock Bottom Cafe, Ramee Guestline Hotel, Qurum. It was long drive, with the streets full of Thursday night weekend-revelry traffic.

At Rock Bottom, we didn’t pay any entrance fees, reward for arriving before midnight. The host led us to spacious booth at the dining area, which had huge LCD screens displaying UFC fights. We both ordered the steak-and-wine combo, just in time to have our dinner with the band’s first set.

After eating, we danced the night away until the end of the band’s third and final set, which was around 2:30 AM. We had a really great time, needless to say.

Tweet

I have been quite active on FaceBook during the past few days, uploading various photos from way back when and tagging people with whom I have previously lost touch.

Thanks to social networking sites and the like, I was able to reconnect with friends and acquaintances from as far back as elementary school!

I was tagged by the above-mentioned people in their own albums as well, much to my geeky delight. Hence, I would like to share these photos which I did not have in my own collection before, but am very pleased to have found online after all these years.

The Blue Quill Editorial Staff, with our adviser Miss Girlie Libutaque. This was our publication during high school and the photo was from my junior year days.

High School Senior Year Acquaintance Party, where I am posing with my perennial partner Ramon. We always end up together in photos, somehow. He hails from Ajuy, where I have tons of relatives – he’s the brother I never had!

During freshman year at University of the Philippines, Iloilo City campus. These are my blockmates, which includes a lot of close friends.

University junior year, when I won landslide as the College of Management’s representative to the University Student Council. During my term, our departmental sports teams Scions (Accountancy majors) and Tycoons (Marketing and Management majors) won first and second places, respectively, overall in the annual sports festival. Oh, yeah!

I really enjoyed cleaning up these photos and subsequently uploading them to share with my readers. It feels so good to revisit my school days – they feel like a lifetime ago.

Tomorrow is my birthday! Gosh, how quickly time flies. Tonight, I am celebrating with Peter by going out to the clubs for a high-protein dinner with drinks and music, of course. Perhaps we could also catch a movie, we shall see.

Tweet

This post is purely self-indulgent, I must warn y’all before proceeding.

Below is an amalgamation of pictures taken during various times of the past year or so. As such, it is a shameless expression of my unadulterated love for the color pink and its various hues, shades and tones!

I have mentioned many times, in different real-life slambooks, online social networking sites and my gamut of personal webpages, that I love this color so much that people have started associating pink with me, especially at work.

For instance, whenever they see a dominantly pink PowerPoint presentation or marketing primer, there is an automatic assumption that I either (1) designed the material myself or (2) seduced the poor man who put it together in a UAE promotions firm to cater to my whims.

A combination of pink done the old-skool and technology-era ways! My favorite Party Princess notebook, which has drawings of a funky royal fairy girl and her equally stylish pooch, together with my metallic grey and pink mouse.

A glittery stationery bag featuring a gorgeous blonde Funky Princess illustration. Its inside also has pretty pink stenciled cloth lining. What’s more, it can fit two A5 notebooks!

Shi at Starbucks, Qurum City Centre, Oman, circa 2009. I am wearing my favorite Adidas goddess-tunic style top. It has two shades of peachy pink and has Clima-Lite material to ward off the desert heat.

Shi at Starbucks (yet again, reiterating my love for Muscat coffee culture), Muscat City Centre, Oman, circa 2010. I have on my hot-pink Adidas baseball cap, newly bought for me by my baby from the Sun and Sand sports shop.

Tweet

Last 7th September, the pre-teen daughter of a friend celebrated her birthday.

Because I adore her and immensely like her parents as well, I had to give this young girl gifts to remember me by before she and her family move on to another country in the next few months.

After going shopping (doubtless my most favorite chore in the whole wide world), I went home to pack up my girly goodies. Brushy wouldn’t just let me be and participated in the process!

Brushy looking cool, wearing his dad’s sunnies. When I got home, he looked like this. Don’t know how he convinced Peter to let him wear this precious fashion statement.

Brushy posing with the assortment of girly gift items freshly bought from the store.

Brushy wants to get into the hot-pink “Sweet” carrier bag. He looks picture-perfect, like he’s from a shop window!

Brushy prodding the glittery rainbow unicorn card, trying the make the mythical creature come to life.

Tweet

Eid Mubarak to all my friends and readers in the Muslim world!

In celebration of the Eid-al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, Peter and I went on a short trip to Qantab beach and village outside Muscat, Oman, yesterday.

Qantab is where a lot of expatriates and Omanis alike go during the holidays for boat rides, barbecues and picnics if they want something different from the usual Azaiba or Qurum beach sights in the city. There are also quite a number of local settlers in the village nearby, where a lot of residents source their livelihood from the small yet steady tourism industry.

The drive from the city took less than half an hour before we reach the hilly Qantab road, from which the famous Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa could also be reached.

The road to Qantab beach and village. Uphill all the way!

After a short spin through the village, where people were getting ready for the evening’s Eid festivities, we finally reached the popular Qantab beach.

The beach of Qantab, lined with small tour boats ferried by skilled Omani boatmen for touring visitors around the cove.

The golden, sandy hills surrounding Qantab beach.

Shi in Beach Mode! Tank top by Harley Davidson, pants by Nike, shoes by Speedo and sunglasses by M&S. Scarf a gift from a friend, all the way from Turkey.

After a short walk through the beach, we decided to go for a quick cove tour in one of the smaller boats ferried by the Omani boatmen. A quick deal with a gent named Abdullah cost six Omani Riyals for half an hour’s ride.

A very interesting small, cave-like opening has formed in the middle of the giant rock formation.

Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, viewed from the open sea.

Our boat went past the private beach of Shangri-La and circled to the other end of the cove, where there were some more unique rock formations.

Rock formations looking gold and magnificent against the rolling blue-green waters.

Smaller cave-like openings have also formed in other rock formations.

A long, plateau-like rock structure, spread out for nearly a hundred meters.

When we reached the shore at the end of our boat ride, it was already high noon and the sun was quite painful on the skin. Even this did not deter me from taking more fun photos!

Shi on the beach, all smiles after the boat ride.

Shi and Peter pose for another picture against the sparkling shores of Qantab.

We spent another hour or two sitting under the big umbrella shades on the shore, going through an assortment of fruits, light junk-food snacks and cold drinks. Our Omani boatman had his generous share of choco-chunk cookies, Coca-Cola and grapes!

During the drive back to Muscat, we had another quick stop at one of the cliffside gazebo structures overlooking the coast.

View of a big wadi, or dry river, from the hilltop.

Shi and Peter perched like muscle-bound eagles on the cliffside railings overlooking the desert and the sea.

Shi and Peter by the hilltop highway.

After another quick but productive photo-op, we headed for Muscat and back home.

We both had reddish tans and loads of pictures from the trip, the latter I have uploaded to my Flickr account earlier today. Lots of cooling lotions would take care of the sunburnt skin, but I can definitely say that it was all worth the wonderful experience.

Tweet

I love dogs.

This is a simple, undeniable declaration of fact. I have even posted on this blog before how much I love my beautiful Japanese Spitz baby girl, Pikachu.

I have accumulated a small assortment of photos on various real and toy doggies that I found really, really cute and amusing and would love to share with people who stumble across my blog.

My proud, beautiful Japanese Spitz Pikachu. Taken 6 October 2006, Iloilo City, Philippines. This is one of my best photos of Pika-chan.

Jepsy of San Jose, Antique, Philippines. Taken February 2010. Jepsy is owned by a friend of my father’s, who owns the store which Jepsy faithfully guards.

A stuffed brown dog with the familiar “nodding” head, who looks quite real even if he is positioned at the rear window of a glamorous red car. Taken December 2009, Madinat Qaboos, Muscat, Oman.

My stuffed brown-and-white spaniel baby boy, Brushy, spends quality bonding time with his dad. Together, they surf the Internet and look at bodybuilding photos. They also love watching action movies, in this case, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. Taken 7 September 2010, Al Khuwair, Muscat, Oman.

Brushy and I love each other! Taken 28 July 2010, Al Khuwair, Muscat, Oman.

Tweet

Back in February 2010, I went home on holiday to the Philippines. My vacation leave was officially from 11th February to 26th March – around 45 days of work-free, worry-free, food-loaded days, most of it to be spent in my home country.

I never did get the chance to blog a lot about the trip. I’m sure that most of it I could not chronicle quite clearly now, nearly six to seven months later. However, I found some pictures in my cellular phone and digital camera and wanted to share these.

On the Cebu Pacific flight from Manila to Iloilo. Taken 15 February 2010. No, I was stubborn and did not switch off my cellular phone when I boarded the plane. I did eventually, though, after snapping this pic.

At the La Paz home of my paternal grandparents, with my uncle and mom. Brought loads of food and a cake to celebrate my grandmother’s 82nd birthday! Taken 9 March 2010.

With Peter in Barangay Nino, Concepcion, Iloilo, during our visit to my maternal grandparents. Our background was our trusty 4WD white Fortuner transport. Taken 14 March 2010.

Our farewell dinner shortly before our flight back to Muscat. We had a light meal with Melody and Genefel at Max’s Restaurant in SM Makati. Taken 24 March 2010.

For sure, pictures of smiling people are loads better to see on a Filipino’s blog rather than an angry rant on the August 23rd hostage crisis in Manila. Perhaps later?

Tweet

Gah.

It is 2 AM in Oman right now and, yes, I am still wide awake. Blogging here, of course, and watching ASAP XV over TFC. Rawr!

I have been cooking “soul food” like mad for the past couple of days and feeding the people in my immediate surroundings, most especially my baby.

Savory-sweet chicken wings by Shi!

I’ve made nilagang baka (clear beef stew), sweet roasted chicken breasts and wings, potato salad, vegetarian spaghetti with garlic bread, and lemon-marinated fried chicken drumsticks.

Tweet

This is in response to one of the more common questions that bloggers are prompted with:
What fictional character do you most identify with?

Ever since I read her story in Elektra: Root of Evil, I saw myself in the Marvel Comics character Elektra Natchios.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of commonalities, in no particular order:

1. We are the only female child of our parents. (In my case, I am the only child.)

2. We are both interested and knowledgeable in martial arts and weaponry.

3. We like working alone.

4. We use intensive physical training as a means of stress relief.

5. We like to fight and get paid for it. Sometimes, we do it for free, too.

6. We both specialize in short-bladed weapons.

7. We wear primary colors as our trademark fight costume.

8. We like our men to be as good a fighter as we are, hopefully even better.

9. We have obsessive-compulsive tendencies.

10. We had really good masters who trained us.

11. We use our mental powers to keep ourselves alive.

12. Our reputations often precede us.

13. We have many enemies and precious few friends.

14. We have a violent nature that only discipline through years of rigorous training can keep in check.

15. Finally, we have a lingering, undeniable dark side, no matter how hard we try to suppress it.

Tweet

Although I Tweeted about this a few days ago, I wasn’t able to blog right away about meeting Oman’s football hero, Ali Abdullah Harib Al Habsi.

Because of his stellar performance as the Oman National Team’s goalkeeper in last year’s Gulf Cup, he has since then earned the nickname “The Great Wall of Oman.” Professionally, he is currently playing in the Premier League for the Bolton Wanderers as a goalie.

I personally got to “meet and greet” the football superstar last Tuesday, 22 June 2010. I had my photo taken with him, of course, and was able to get an autographed picture of him as well. I was also able to get a candid photo of the Omani hero, who came clad in a simple white dishdasha.

Football Royalty! Me with Ali Al Habsi. He was such a gentleman.

An autographed picture of the Omani football hero. He signed this in person, right in front of yours truly.

A candid photo of Ali Al Habsi, seated, side view.

My impression of Ali Al Habsi? He is down-to-earth, humble and soft-spoken. He didn’t have a slew of bodyguards and personal assistants floating around him, unlike other famous people, although paparazzi couldn’t be kept away.

Tweet

Hell’s bells!

I never realized this photo existed but, yes, it does. Gosh, I never expected to see this online, and in FaceBook of all places!

Anywho, my longtime friend, high school classmate and college schoolmate Ramon (now based in Dubai, OFWs r0x0rs!) recently uploaded this picture onto FB and tagged yours truly. Ramon is the one right in front wearing the very Miami Vice white jacket.

No need to point out where I am in the darned photo, naturalmente.

My dress was made from the softest blood-red velvet my seamstress could find in Iloilo City at that time. I designed this gown myself and it remains as one of the finest, well, finery I have ever worn.

Tweet

At one time or another, I was a member in one of the gyms or fitness centers in my hometown, Iloilo City.

These pictures were taken in July 2007 at Winners Gym Super Studio, the last gym I was a member of before I traveled to seek my fortune in the Sultanate of Oman.

Super Studio was located at the Robinson’s Place Iloilo City building, right down the street from the Super wet market. This is where a lot of bodybuilding champions to train and work out. A couple of their instructors were also acclaimed Philippine bodybuilders. What can I say, this place was hard-core.

All photos were taken (again) with my Nokia 6600. Sorry about the resolution! XD

Shi at the Super Studio gym floor. Lots of mirrors, a la Enter the Dragon! XD

Shi at the Super Studio Weights Area. This is where I pumped iron like mad, especially for my triceps.

Shi at the Super Studio Cardio Area. I am on the manual cross-trainer. Feel the burn, baby!

Sadly, news has reached us that this gym was closed last year due to the dissolution of the partnership that owned and ran it.

Another fitness center opened earlier this year at the same place, but the owners, the trainers and the crowd are vastly different from those with whom I was familiar.

Tweet

Yesterday’s rather sentimental post prompted yours truly to go through some more folders of images downloaded off my first-ever camera phone, ye olde Nokia 6600.

I found some very interesting impromptu photos taken sometime in June 2007, featuring a stuffed animal I christened Bogart.

Bogart lives on the desk of my Mommy Lerma, a former colleague, a longtime neighbor, and a very cool mother figure who makes the best pork estapado in the world.

Bogart, full body shot

I am not exactly sure what kind of animal Bogart is supposed to be, but he seems to be a hybrid dog, cat and mouse. Now, that is enough to give any living thing an identity crisis.

Anyhow, he is proudly hand-made, as it is common in the Philippines for people to make stuffed toys at home as some kind of “sideline” business.

As I love all things cute and cuddly, I wholeheartedly support this up-and-coming cottage industry. Of course, I also have my very own collection of these homemade goodies, most of them lovingly created by my Nanay Pagit.

Over morning break one day, I found Bogart on my desk, smack dab at the center, sitting there like he owns not only the whole darned table, but the entire building and the ground it stands upon.

Bogart and Shi face off
“Grrrr…”

Bogart drinks coffee, right out of Shi’s cup. The nerve!

Bogart eats otap, a local delicacy biscuit made in the fair province of Cebu

Bogart chows on durian – the fruit that “smells like hell but tastes like heaven”

Bogart and Shi’s lavender Nokia 3530. Is he planning to send an SMS to someone? Or is he reading my sappy love texts? Ewww.

Really, who can resist Bogart’s hybrid charm?

Not a soul!

Shi and Bogart lurrrvvvvve each other

I last saw Bogart in September 2007 when I went to our office for the last time before my trip to Oman. He was still on my desk then, and I feel that he remains there until now, waiting for me to come back.

For a second face-off.

Tweet