tralala

Just to make a complete turn, I don't want to end my year feeling all down and low. I want it to at least end with a smile on my face. I think I had a nice Christmas over all. It's not extremely merry but I can definitely say I was happy. We were house hopping, visiting family friends. My Christmas wish list was a little helpful too. At 12 midnight, we opened our presents and I didn't have a hard time guessing mine since my gifts were all cards. Gift cards from H&M, Apple and iTunes. At least, I got to tick three from my list. I just used the H&M gift card yesterday, shopping my heart out and I ordered the aqua sleeve for Sam too and I started downloading good stuff from iTunes. (Better get going before NY approves iTax!)

Gift cards galore!

My brother pretending to play the piano on Christmas Eve

In other news, I am happy I got a new job! It does me good because it can be a distraction and thank god, I get paid for it. I am loving my new workmates definitely. Working in a retail store is waaaay better than working in fast food because you don't have to deal with grease, hot surfaces and sweat. I am a Cashier and that hand scanner on the side is cooler than I thought. It just feels weird because I don't know a lot about sneakers yet I'm working at Foot Locker. I'll just leave it to the guys. It gets crazy because all my workmates are mostly guys and a sneaker store is definitely a man's world but I'm cool with it, I like it. I think I just need to know the basics and I'll be fine. I don't want to start talking about my workmates yet, I think I need more time getting to know each of them, they all seem fun to be with. I already know one because we're in the same school and I owe her for getting me in, but anyway, I'll make an entry about

 my new job sometime when I get the hang of it.

Yes, I got that ref shirt!

In the meantime, I'll glide smoothly this week, wrapping up 2008 and I'll be grooving to the West, to the West in a jiffy. =)

christmas wishlist

Some things I want to get this Christmas:

1. An aqua sleeve for Sam, my Macbook Pro
2. $100 H&M gift card, all for accessories
3. Nintendo Wii
4. A one year subscription to Elle Magazine
5. Manicure, Pedicure, Hair treatment package
6. Fiction bookS (at least 3 in a bundle, 1 is too cheap)
7. $500 extra pocket money on my trip on the 6th
8. White Christmas (it won't snow on Thursday, unfortunately)
9. New phone because I'm sick of my Motorola Razr (preferably with a QWERTY keyboard)
10. Gossip Girl DVD, with a digital copy
11. Itunes gift card (I don't care how much)
12. Shoes
13. That $60 doctor bag from Urban Outfitters
14. a pair of Ray-Bans
15. YOU. (it's so hard keeping it only to myself)

First New York Christmas

One thing that I realized this Christmas season is the bigness of Christmas in the Philippines. We have always celebrated this day extravagantly not only with our immediate family but with our cousins, Titas and Titos and the pamangkins and the lolos, lolas, apos and everyone else. It's so big that we get so busy catching up with our cousins, kidding arouond the babies and asking pamasko from our ninangs. We would also conduct games not only for the kids but for the kids-at-heart as well. There's the famous Newspaper Dance for mommies and daddies and creative-whatever-you-can-imagine relays for the kids. Although sometimes there were no prizes at stake, the idea of winning drives the competitiveness of everyone. That's why I would always be happy by the end of the day because of the people around the house making lots of noises: the crying babies, the loudness of the music from the player, the fighting kapatids, the laughter of the oldies and the inumans of the (young) adults. Everyone's busy doing what they usually do on family reunions celebrating Christmas, awaiting the main event of the party: exchanging gifts. This is the part when everyone makes a circle holding on to their gifts and one by one, someone sits on the center describing the person he picked before giving it to that person. This is my favorite part because sometimes, my cousins would make fun of the person they picked by imitating gestures which are completely outrageous.

For this year, now that I am in New York, it has gone on a complete turn. But although I was only with my immediate family, it was still good. It is also funny how Pinoys really try to generate families everywhere we go. The other day, we had our small "Christmas Party" with family friends here who are also Pinoys. We may not be actually related to one other but we try to generate that family feeling we miss from our country. It feels quite good when you know you have found a common denominator with someone else which Americans won't ever have.

Christmas 2007

So how did my first New York Christmas go? On Christmas Eve, we had our simple Noche Buena with the usual talks with the family and we also talked to our extended family through webcam. Fun. By morning, we celebrated mass then went to the Frye family for lunch, a family friend. Remember Jack? Ha ha. Then by afternoon, we watched Will Smith's I am Legend. Talk about suspense Christmas. Lol. And then dinner. Quite simple but still meaningful to me. I just missed Simbang Gabi because I remember always wanting to complete the nine masses every year but always missed.

Can I just share? Finally, our Internet's wireless. I can have internet in my pocket through iPod Touch. Wala lang. ;p

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone!

dreaming of a white christmas.

I feel bad for my last post cause the title doesn't match the tone.

Anyway, I miss my friends when I see their recent photo albums in Multiply which are evidently fun had I been there and how they are getting pretty crunk and all. But but but. I know I have to get rid of those stupid feelings because there is no space for regret now. Never shall I regret my firm decision.

got my new Steve Madden glasses. Ginormous Hershey's Kisses as a gift. gettin kick ass crazy.

There has been an absence of snow and I hate it. I am getting large and I hate it. If you have been imprisoned inside your house aided with a pretty healthy fridge, then you're dead. But I hope I can get rid of these lbs next year-- I'll add it to my resolutions and hope to actually do it. I hate the pressure I am also having with school even if I haven't really attended the classes yet. I hope everything will run smoothly next month which will be in the next two weeks.

Well that's just it for an update. Christmas is on Tuesday and I actually feel nothing about it.

btw,
check my MySpace here.
add my rotting account. ;p

And you have to check this one out: http://www.modcloth.com
They really have good stuff. Nice dresses and a good place to hunt for best gifts!

Techie Techie

Who doesn't love Apple? I mean the brand, not the fruit. But either way, both of them are yummy. Ha ha. Anyway, we had our Christmas shopping awhile ago but we only shopped for ourselves, not for friends and families yet. My gift got a little advanced because I was with my parents when they bought it. They actually planned of surprising me by putting it on my Christmas stocking by the fireplace but didn't go as planned since I was, as mentioned, with them. They got me an iTouch! I had the option to choose between iPhone and iTouch but I picked the latter because, I don't know. I just did. I named it Apple and I welcomed it to my gadget family along with Cybercuppycake (laptop), PD (organizer), Pink (camera) and my soon to be replaced Nooki (cellphone). My brother, on the other hand, got his PS3 and was really happy about it. We love Christmas! We're nearing the era of The Jetsons guys. All techie!

The Ipod Touch has/got:
16 GB memory (not big enough but this is the best choice for Touch, the other has only 8)
Music
Videos/Movies
Photos
Youtube
You can also access iTunes from itself
Safari (Needs a WiFi network)
Calendar
Contacts
Calculator
Black in color
Is really thin

Take a tour here.

Being oh-so-happy,
Ria (ha ha)

Happy Holidaaaays

It is really becoming more like Christmas and I'm excited about it. The temperature continues to drop and all the commercials on TV have Christmas-y themes. It's that time of the year again when people get extra nicer and happier. I love it. Christmas is my favorite holiday. =)

Although I wasn't brought up with the Western kind of Christmas, I now feel the kid-like excitement putting up Christmas decors, setting up the Christmas tree, naming the stockings over the fireplace and pretend like Santa's gonna give me something. Forgive me, it's my first Christmas in the States and nothing's more like it. Maybe the only thing lacking is my holiday habit of shopping for my friends. I love it when I pick gifts for my friends. And I'm gonna be missing all the Christmas parties set for the holidays. ='( Just keep me posted, guys.

Anyway, aside from a Macbook as my top wish this season, I want to celebrate a night in the famous Rockefeller Center where a giant Christmas tree now stands. They just launched it awhile ago and I saw it on TV. I want to make a wish under that giant tree and skate in the rink while snow is falling. Wee. Don't steal my Christmas please.

I'm sorry I just felt like writing. I just wanted to do something before I sleep.

Hey! I remember, I heard rumors about the Writers Strike almost settled-- well not completely but I heard they're planning to have some arrangements or something soon. Well I'm not sure. It's been a month now and I'm just keeping my fingers closed. This Writers Strike rushed the ending of Heroes. Imagine- there's only an episode left which promises a death of not one, but TWO heroes. And the season's over, that quick. After all the sucky and slow paced start of the season. I want more Milo, more Hayden and not more of useless Maya and Alejandro. Sorry, I just hate that I've waited for this second season and it just happened like that. On another note, I am equally excited for One Tree Hill's fifth season ALTHOUGH they have only taped 14 episodes for now because again of the strike. And don't tell me PB's gonna suffer too. Oh please, give it to the writers. They deserve it anyway.

And in case you get bored, strengthen your Guitar Hero skills because someone's getting a little addicted. (Grab the latest from Guitar Hero: Legends of Rock)

XOXO.

'tis the season to be jolly

My dad has finally arrived from the States last Sunday, December 17, and I must say I'm really happy. I missed him so much. :D


With my equally vain brother.


This is a picture with my brother and my dad hamming it up for the cam. Love this. ;p


This is a picture with my mom at the airport. I don't actually know if she's happy here or what. Ha ha. Lol. She may look a bit surprised here but she may just be too tired to smile already. This shot was taken at 2am. Eyes almost wanting to shut already but my enthusiasm was still there. ;D

**Currently experiencing Christmas break. I don't want to end it yet. Lovin' the pressure-less atmosphere. [My English research proposal is still bothering me though.]

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
Cheers!