Just passing by

It was hell week indeed last week. I'm looking for a better week. Work is beginning to consume me. A lot of things are piling up. My weekends become my sanctuary and I'm losing my blogging and reading because of it. I really need to regroup, find a new hobby and secure my old ones. Work is getting the best of me.

Just got home from a sumptuous dinner with siblings, an entertaining movie and a quick stop at Limbo for a Halloween costume party. Tomorrow may be a better day to blog and narrate my weekly stories and opinions. For now, I just need to let go.

Recharging for Hell

Let's just say that I had a bad week last week and a hell week once Monday hits. I dread this week for so many different reasons that I do not want to elaborate in order to keep my mind sane. Work is beginning to consume and destroy me.

But good thing at least I was able to sleep for more than 8 hours this Saturday, had a sumptuous dinner at Agave with boyfriend and a missed friend and had a kickass 2 hour session at a Counter Strike Hub in BF. I did pretty well for whatever's left for Saturday.

Now that the sun is up, a dimsum breakfast is waiting for me, I'll probably just hear mass this morning to maximize the rest of my day sleeping and what not.

I love weekends!

Food Highlights October-18-23:Pandesal

MONDAY: As soon as I woke up at 3:30 am, sleep escaped me. I began to blog and go online to kill time. I just remembered that the super typhoon is expected to make a landfall this day. So far so good, I just see gloom. Nothing's happening yet.

At around 5:00 am, I craved for Pandesal and decided to get some. I sneaked and got my sister's car keys, went out at the crack of cold dawn, drove her overused and aesthetically neglected car to the nearest village bakery.



The bakery I go to is housed in a village. It's old school, but the pandesal is really yummy. 3 pesos for an average sized yummy pandesal. Even after work on my way home, I pass by this store.
*Drove to the quaint and classic-housed bakery in Moonville

*My breakfast: 2 hot pandesals, lasagna leftover, pineapple juice and morning paper


Pandesal is comforting to eat especially during breakfast. You could pair it up with anything or dip it in coffee. I love the aroma of a freshly baked batch, the crusty shell and a soft and warm bread inside. Some people may have made pandesal modern and commercial, but nothing beats getting it from your local village bakery. When I was a kid, I have a couple of businesses in mind if and when I have the money, right timing and opportunity. One of the classic businesses I want ever since, aside from vintage bookstores, research hubs, pet store sand grocery would be owning a local bakery, which makes bread by hand, that's cheap to sell and opens up at the crack of dawn.


*Hot and steamy tasty pandesals

Nothing like a hot, fulfilling and comforting breakfast to start the work week right.

Somewhat Spontaneous Sunday

My Sunday was intended to buy pasalubongs for our Cincinnati counterparts. I drove to the office to meet my hardworking team leader Teresa and together we went to Greenhills at 11 in the morning. The crowd was pretty manageable and before shopping we decided to eat first at Le Ching, an authentic noodle and dimsum house which I have grown to love over the years. They are very widely known for their pork spareribs, but I usually get their Wanton and Fish Tofu Rice. Whenever my boyfriend and I go to Greenhills, we don't think of anywhere else to eat. Le Ching is yummy, authentic and cheap, which will make you wait for tables especially during lunch hour.


*Teresa thinking of what to buy. Both of us dread Monday already. She had Wanton Noodle soup and I had Fish Tofu Rice and Hakaw. Yummy.


After eating, we found ourselves in the maze of good finds. It took an effort for us not to look around and buy clothes and shoes. We had to focus on finding stuff for our American counterparts. After an hour of searching we bought mother of pearl accessories for the girls, native wooden back-scratcher for the guys and the funny barrel man displays, which I hope they find humor in. Then we went to the groceries to buy local chocolates like Flat Tops and Choc-Nut while tossing in some cornicks. After going through the maze and the hassle, we settled down for coffee and cheesecake at Starbucks and met our colleague Heidi who is a true blooded local of Greenhills. At around 4 pm, we decided to go home and call it a day.

As I dropped Teresa in Makati I didn't know where else to go. I still didn't want to go home. If I do I'll just sleep and my weekend will not be fully maximized. Mitch was in a shoot and everyone else was doing their Sunday duties. I wanted to pass by Fully Booked at Fort, a place that would comfort me, but knowing that it's in Fort and near the office, eventually killed the desire. I didn't also find the encouragement in hanging out in Greenbelt. Without plans, I drove south and was about to go home and surrender to dullness when my good friend Khae called and asked to meet her and her cousin-slash-colleague of mine. Since they're from Alabang they decided to meet me halfway. We went to Brittany Bay in Sucat.




*Got Adobong Kangkong, Sizzling Bulalo and Sisig Bangus. I got Sisig Bangus, which is always my favorite here. Adobong Kangkong is okay, don't appreciate it that much because I don't eat Kangkong. Sizzling Bulalo with gravy is so-so.


It's always fun to go to Brittany Bay if you want to avoid the crowd and plainly hang out. Also I had wanted to see the bakeshop that my friend owns, which I failed to visit during soft opening. Unfortunately, the bakeshop is closed and it was this time that it began to rain. The three of us decided to eat at Dencio's to catch up and have coffee afterwards at Figaro.

Same old people with same old anxieties about work and life. Food, good conversation and a gloomy weather always make everything better.

Thoughts of a Graveyard Worker

I work on a graveyard shift. My project requires me to follow the life of an American Stock Exchange. I am bound by US Federal Holidays and the work-specific stress that comes with it. I've done graveyard shift before and I thought I was courageous and familiar enough to do it again. I admit I was enticed by the professional growth and the compensation, which my work generally deliver. But now I am constantly reminded of the sacrifices, random depressing thoughts and involuntary disconnection of my time with my favorite friends and loved ones. Allow me to pour my angst at 4:30 in the morning as my sleeping was not successfully reprogrammed, something that a graveyard worker experiences.

Working in a graveyard shift is no big joke. Number one, your body clock gets screwed. It might take days, weeks or months to take reign of your sleeping habits, but bottom line is that you are the one who has to adjust because you're a minority. It takes a lot of effort. From faking the night, losing sleep and doing the things you want to do on a normal day, either way you lose something. It's either you lose sleep or your life. There are no in-betweens. If you're an athlete and an avid gym goer, you have to adjust your gym days especially if you're working out with a group. You are the minority, you have to adjust and squeeze in the time. No one is forcing you to subject yourself to a full rest during the day, but prepare to lose sleep and be a zombie at work. If you can't take the added effort and just surrender yourself to the sleep that you very much need, prepare to be missing in action with your friends and rearranging your favorite extra curricular routine. That goes with other activities that you did on your ex-normal life. Few graveyard professionals have totally adapted to changing their lives upside down. Usually, they have successfully reversed life to their advantage, apparently not me.

I mostly don't have enough sleep. It's always a prayer to not wake up in the middle of the day, but something always gets in the way. I sleep an average of 3-4 hours in a day, 5 hours if I get lucky. Working at night is a struggle and I get so groggy after my shift that I'm surprised I haven't had a car accident yet going home. During the weekends, sleep robs me of my time with friends and family. As much as I want to spend time with them by just taking a quick nap, I easily deteriorate in the late afternoons or early evenings. I get cranky and unappreciative. And if I do sleep according to my body's wishes, I wake up at wee hours in the morning, while everyone who is living the "normal" life is still asleep. I have not found my control. I'm practically useless every Saturdays. I just catch up on sleep on that day. I only feel that Sunday is my only weekend and Monday is a half day of preparation to work.

Working on a graveyard also takes a lot of psychological effort. It takes a lot of will to block depressing thoughts and to encourage yourself to be happy. Going to work when you see majority of people going home is depressing. It automatically robs me of my desire to start the day when I should have been ending it. Seeing people go home makes me sad. Having breakfast/dinner with my boyfriend sucks because I should be going home with him, instead my day is just starting. Leaving the house at night is something that I really have to get used to.

Then comes the additional work stress, missed meals and vacations you have to adjust because your work hours would eat two days immediately. Then you have nasty conversations with loved ones after missing them so much just because you're cranky and you need your sleep.

Working on a graveyard shift is no big joke. What makes a person go through with it must be really worth the trouble. For me it was a choice between money/professional growth or my life before. It's sad to think that in any decision a sacrifice has to be made. Obviously I initially chose money and growth while I'm seeing my life change before my eyes. Can't say I have fully adjusted to it, nor I love it, but let's see how it goes. For now, allow me to release my thoughts through this blog. It's ugly, but it's reality. I just hope I can withstand it.

Food Highlights: Week 11-16

I'd be publishing food highlights every week. Food is one of my recharge agents on stress phases like this.

TUESDAY: I was driving on my way to work. I reached Fort and had an hour to spare. I called Mitch to invite him for my breakfast or for his dinner. He initially wanted to go home early, but he saw my car on the road and we decided to see each other at Serendra. I chose Conti's again.

Mitch got the Grilled Porkchops while I got Seafood Au Gratin.

Grilled Porkchops are nice and flavorful, but just like what you'd expect from a good tasting porkchop. What I really liked is their Seafood Au Gratin. It's seafood bits baked in cream and melty cheese, more of like a seafood casserole on top garlic rice with fried potato wedges.

Seaoof Au Gratin is yummy! It is just like a cheesy seafood casserole. You'll know it's sinful, but it's very fulfilling. I didn't find too much squid though. Seafood is mostly fish fillet, but it's still yummy!

Total bill is at 500 php.


WEDNESDAY:

I was ready to leave the house when Ate Ne told me that the scallops that my dad recently brought from Roxas was already cooked according to my specifications which would be baked in cheese, butter and garlic. I was shocked with excitement.

Whenever my dad goes home from Roxas, I would expect Seafood in our house for the entire week until we scream for meat. We always have shells, crabs and shrimps. My dad doesn't usually bring scallops, but because of my special request, he did.

Ate Ne cooked it nicely. It was cheesy, garlicky and buttery. I had more than 10 scallops and more than I cup of hot rice. It was a great way to start to my day right.




WEEKEND:

FIGARO: I wasn't able to get pictures then. My mind wasn't functioning due to lack of sleep. I had Chicken Ala Kiev and Arrabiata pasta. It was yummy. My colleagues got Chicken Kebab with rice and Chicken Fillet with Arrabiata. They enjoyed it. Visit Figaro and check it out.

Of course, BATCHOY at Ted's.



TO COME:

Tomorrow, I'm scheduled to meet Teresa, my colleague, in Greenhills. We plan to buy pasalubong for our Cincinnati counterparts. And you know what that means, lunch at Le Ching!! We are both fans. I can't wait.

Mega Storm Looming: Batchoy

It was announced at work yesterday that there is a storm looming. Expected touchdown would be on Monday, which is a crucial day in a work week. So my Vice President initiated a meeting on the floor to do a call tree experiment during the weekends to prepare for a BCP (Business Continuity Planning) exercise on Monday just in case the storm indeed got monstrous and people can't come in for work. Banks are paranoid, which is always a good thing in their business. For me, there's always a golden benefit to be cautious, but this impending storm is not going to affect me badly as long as I can have food supply, a good book and an internet connection.

When I woke up on a Saturday afternoon I heard heavy rains and thunder. It was non-stop for an hour at least. The rain's intensity could be compared to Ondoy, but then again it only lasted for an hour. At around 3, the rain stopped and the sky was semi clear again. The gloom got me excited and hungry so I went to the mall with my sister and had a vanity session.

I was planning to go to the groceries, but I think the impending storm was highly publicized and groceries were packed. I figured my dad must have been there. Whenever he hears a storm, he panic buys food, batteries, candles and whatever he could find useful in cases of armageddon. So now, we have a pantry full of canned goods, softdrinks, tissues, noodles, rice and a cabinet full of batteries. We kind of appreciate how he prepares, but our pantry looks like a stock of sari-sari store.

So I skipped the groceries and decided to get some take out. I bought some pizza and was about to buy congee at North Park, but my stomach was looking for something else until I saw Ted's La Paz Batchoy. A switch was turned on.

Congee and hot chinese food is one of my comfort foods during the rain, but so is Batchoy and I miss this Filipino soup dish! It's garlicky, tasty and fulfilling. Batchoy is definitely a part of my life especially when I was a kid, a toddler. It's funny when you remember scenes in your childhood, scenes that really made an impact on you, because you remember pertinent details. You would remember how you'd look, feel and how the experience tasted like. In this case, I have a special memory on Batchoy.



*Ted's La Paz Batchoy, Ilonggo Fast food chain


When I was at around 3 or 4 I was still living in an apartment with my parents in the heart of Makati. In that Apartment compound the tenants are from either Iloilo and Roxas. My dad is from Roxas so it was like home for him. I would get exposed to Ilonggos and the camaraderie of Visayan folks in the busy life of Makati. Since both of my parents were working that time, I usually spend my days with an Ilonggo maid and nanay. Every weekend or days when I don't have school, I would get excited just like any other kid, but I also get excited because of something else.


In the apartment compound where majority of its tenants are from Iloilo, I also got exposed to Ilonggo food. They are great cooks, mind you. They like flavor, seafoods and garlic. But most especially I remember there's an old woman tenant who managed a friendly stall across the street. Her stall sells Ilonggo food and hot, homemade Batchoy. Whenever there's no school or during summer, I would ask money from my tita before lunch, get a huge bowl and cross the street with my yaya to buy Batchoy. I became a regular. I remember giving the bowl, smelling the aroma and watching the soup being transferred. I usually request to have the meat innards be separated. I also remember how careful I was carrying the bowl and crossing the street to our apartment making sure that it won't spill. Then when I get home I eat batchoy with rice and that would mark the highlight of my day. When I get into a tantrum, my parents would know how to appease me. Since I'm a super regular, I got freebies sometimes.

I love Batchoy. It's something that I could eat everyday, but it's better when it's missed I realized. Aside from the flavor, it brings back happy memories from my childhood. And this is especially best eaten on a rainy season.

Calm Saturday at home

I had a heavy work week and this weekend is my pitstop.

I got home at around 8 because after work, I still had breakfast with Team Mates at Boni High. Surprisingly, I find the breakfast food in Figaro very yummy. You guys should try it out. Of course when we were there, most people in restaurants are the runners and posh early risers walking their dogs. Their presence kind of slapped me in the face for being unfit. But I'll get to that topic really soon. But for now, my only motive is to relish my weekend and rest.

I was a race car driver in an almost vacant highway and got home after 15 minutes. I immediately went upstairs and slept from 9 am - 3 pm. I woke up due to the loud thunders, excessive gloom and the heavy rains. My room became like a cave. I like it dark and cozy. But this is also the kind of weather that gets me excited.

I took a shower bribed my sister to drive and go with me to the mall to get some food and fix my nails. As soon as the rain subsided, supposed to be from a super typhoone, we went to SM Bicutan to do our personal errands. For her to obligeI treated her to a mani-pedi session while I also enjoyed a new haircut. My bangs were getting on my nerves and I wanted it cropped as if it doesn't exist.

After the vanity session, I went passed by BookSale and saw treasures. I bought two new books from my two favorite authors whose works are semi-out of print and very hard to find. You could just imagine my joy. After that I bought pizza, doughnuts and Batchoy, a Filipino Noodle soup with Garlic and meat hailing from Visayas. At 7 pm, I went home and enjoyed dinner. My dad bought pizza as well. Then I went to my brother's room to piss him off only to find myself sleeping for 2 hours.

At 9 pm he woke me up so I could transfer to my room. I was in a deep sleep. It was hard for me to move. As soon as I reached my own bed, I slept again and woke up at 11 pm. I got hungry, went downstairs to get some food and here I am blogging while watching National Geographic's special on people getting framed up by unknowingly carrying drugs at the airport. My sister's out on a party and might go to the bar where my friend is spinning. Some are inviting me for coffee. Others are inviting me for a pig out. I kind of gauged my senses and I figured I'm happy in my pajamas, in my room, with my food, strong internet and books. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

I miss moments like these. There's a certain comfort and serenity to it. I don't have to be anywhere to relax and have fun. I'm feeling hibernation in the air. Tomorrow might be different, but I thank god I'm here. I thank god for the weekend. My grand vacation might be coming around, but I'm happy now where I am, here in my room on a Saturday night.

Comfort Food: Conti's Chicken Roulade

Ever since I got back here, I'm slumped with work. While most people have vacations in the weekends, my mind and body force me to stay at home. The thought of simple pleasures and being immobile are really tempting these days. I know this work stress won't last forever, but sometimes I need to do something to repel too much stress. On a work day, I chug like a train, but find simple pleasures in attainable sources of nourishment. Food.

Food comforts me in trying times. I know this is not a healthy mentality, but if I need to reward myself, I do it with food. If I need to comfort myself, good food takes me right on track. If I need to savor conversations and free time, food heightens the experience.

Last week, before going to work I had dinner with Jim in Conti's. It's a popular restaurant from the South. They were a little bit snooty before until they have spread their wings and branched out to more popular places in Greenhills, Fort and Makati where there's traffic. Their specialties are world class desserts and gourmet dishes. I've always loved their Baked Salmon, but I've recently tried their Chicken Roulade and it was equally heavenly.


I savored every bite while Jim and I share anxieties at work. I remember cooking Chicken Roulade once in Highschool Cooking class. It's bacon and cheese wrapped in chicken breast. It has coating and fried to perfection. But Conti's version is infused with herb, flavor and it's baked. Worth every penny.

Carwash Reflection

Last Monday I had an opportunity to bond with my car and give him a bath. 100 pesos for a full vacuum and car wash is not that bad at all. This is one of the most enjoyable chores I want to do. Along with the likes of grocery shopping, long travels and book hunting, going to the carwash is something that I enjoy doing.

There were a couple of cars before me and I had 30 minutes to spare. I pondered and I realize that looking back I never thought of owning a car. I don't think I could ever afford it in my life. But here I am, older, hopefully wiser and basically owns something important in the adult world. I am happy that I waited this year to get a car. I would've gotten last 2009, but something came up which I have told in so many of my previous blog posts. I don't want to go back there again. I just find it funny that the world works in mysterious ways. I figured that there are certain things that are not for you and the world has a way of making you feel that until you receive something better. All you have to do is to wait and seize that perfect timing. You'll know it if you have this strong hunch. It's an instinct and it's a lesson we all have to master. In life's biggest decisions, we rely on instincts as much as we rely on our calculated science.




Looking at Maysehnn, my car's new baptized name, I knew I had made the right choice. 2009 was hard, but now I find it funny. I would've been strong headed and did things in haste, but glad that I waited. I feel a bond with Maysehnn, not because I'm paying for him and he's what I have right now, but Maysehnn taught me a valuable lesson to wait and knowing what should be really yours.

Beefed up Phone Plan

I bought my HTC phone on September 6. I love it and I'm still adjusting to it. After a week, I was pulled out from my afternoon weekday sleep when a Globe personnel called me. I was so pissed that I forgot to put my phone on silent mode, but I was so furious with what he had to say.

He called to remind me that my bill has reached 10,000 thousand pesos and he noticed that my bill has always been consistent ranging from 1000 to 2000/month only. It was in his good graces to call and verify with me if I was aware of the internet charges that jacked up my phone bill. Naturally, I had a violent reaction, but I was already too awake to consider sleeping. I told him that I only use my new phone when there's free Wi-fi and I only seemed to use 3g once, but I swore I always make sure that I turn off online connectivity when there is no need. I have heard horror stories about internet charges from friends and there is no way I'm paying 10,000 pesos.




He advised me to verify if my connectivity is off and proceed to the Globe Business center to lobby for amnesty. I didn't know what he was talking about. I called up Mitch and asked him to help him configure my phone. I went to Fort early and made him fix it. He urged me to settle it with Globe immediately. The next monday, I went to the nearest Globe business center and verified that 8,000 pesos was due to internet charges I was not aware off. The in-house network engineer configured my phone and promised that they would re-compute and asked me to come back the following week after my cutoff.

After two weeks, good news is that the charges stopped, but the bad news is the PHP 8,000 reported internet charge is still lurking. I went to the Globe Business Center again to finally change my plan and settle my phone bill. But when I went there they admitted that they have not fully recomputed the amount I would have to pay for the internet charges. So I just paid my call charges and asked them to recompute and reflect what I have to pay in next month's bill. After that's settled, I asked them to add additional plans to my account. I added MYSUPER DUO and MY SUPER SURF.

When I was in the states, my mother registered me to MYUNLI TEXT. I get to have unlimited texts to fellow globe subscribers for a month for PHP 349 Pesos. But I'm hardly a text person, so I wanted to add MYSUPERDUO. For this, I get to have unlimited calls to Globe Subscribers and Landline for only 599 pesos. And of course, I got MYSUPERSURF to make sure for 1,200 pesos I get to have unlimited internet anytime. Now my phone plan is already beefed up. I got what really mattered to me. For unlimited text, mobile and landline calls and internet access I would only be expected to pay PHP 2,148 pesos. Good deal since I have been usually paying that amount monthly anyways without the unlimited and internet features. I've learned about this before, but why did it take me this long to change my plan? Laziness, lack of time and unwillingness perhaps.

Now my mobile plan is beefed up for my new phone and my new life. This is such a huge help and thanks to Globe for stepping up. No more second phones for me. I'm now just waiting on my next month's bill. I hope I won't have any violent reactions.

Change Strategy: My Saturday So far

Wrong strategy. Wrong decision. Wrong move.

Once Friday hits, excitement and calm envelop me. Ever since I got back from my migration trip, every week has been draining and heavy at work. Weekends are like an oasis. It has been my personal moment to recharge, reconnect and relax. So no work related stuff is permitted as I'm only bound to catch up on sleep and only do things that I want to do. Call me selfish, but that's how it goes these days.


I was supposed to have a trip with my colleagues to Hong Kong today. I have a ticket and there was no reason for me to back out. But I have work deliverable and I realized I couldn't make it to the flight. I tried my best efforts to reschedule, but my ticket has restrictions. So I kissed Hong Kong goodbye and it was an easy decision. In Hong Kong I would not be able to catch up on sleep. I would walk, tour around and interact immensely. It wouldn't be my ideal vacation. There wouldn't be anything new for me to gain from the trip, so I just gave them my itinerary, the same one I used last January when I was there and just decided to rest and enjoy my weekend in Manila. Initially I planned to have a trip to Tagaytay to unwind, but the mind is willing, the energy isn't. So Manila it is and I'm just so glad that it's a weekend.

My team members decided to drink after work. They invited me but I begged off. I finished my work at 7 am, shut down my computer, grabbed my bag and drove off. One of the calming experiences I have is every Saturday morning realizing that the week is over. It's quiet, sunny and promising. It's a transition from work to relaxation. I love driving home at this point. I might have missed my Hong Kong Trip, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm going home.



But since it's a Saturday, I wouldn't want to waste my day sleeping and waking up in the late afternoon. I would've wasted spending time with loved ones. So, I decided to scrap off sleep since I'm feeling a little bit excited. I had a 15 minute nap and at around 11 am, I dressed up, did some house errands and met Mitch a little after lunch.

Mitch , who is ever understanding of my situation, vowed to always block off his Saturday for me. He felt our time together is always short. Though we try our best to see each other during the week days like breakfast at his place (when I go home) and dinner at Fort (when he goes home), it wasn't like before. So I really appreciate him bending down to my wishes for the day. I get to be a queen.

He knew I didn't have sleep today and he noted to manage my crankiness, which I really try. We drove at Fort and ate Chinese food at HapChan. We would've gone to Le Ching in Greenhills, but I was so hungry. After which we went to Serendra for a stroll. He found a Sugarfree Chocolate cake and he was so happy. But before buying the cake he agreed to go with me to Boni High to check out Fully booked and some stores. He was there being patient when suddenly it rained and we decided to just have coffee at Coffee Bean. The gloom and the rain made sleep attack me with passion. It was 5 pm and I felt I could sleep any minute. After coffee, Mitch had to some phone errands at Market Market while I struggled. I was beginning to get cranky, which wasn't right and fair.


***And I was so hungry and craving for Chinese. Wanton Noodles, Raddish Cake, Hakaw and Siopao for Mitch. Burp.

***Raining hard and gloomy all over. Uh-oh...Morpheus is getting me...

At around 6 pm, I asked Mitch to drive to Makati to check out Pet Express, an SM Pet Department store. I've been wanting to check that out for months now. I find it really quirky, novel and intriguing. Since I so love my dog and I've been addicted to upholding a certain lifestyle for him, I imagine this store to be perfect, grand and complete. We went past Buendia until we saw the SM Hypermarket, which was once Makro, in SLEX. We went to Pet Express and had a fun time shopping stuff for Harvey. And since Harvey has a big Pet Club Fiesta thing going on Sunday, I decided to buy him two new outfits, a new bed and a new toy. I've been such a bad master lately.




By the time we're done at Pet Express, on our way home at around 7 pm, I began to hallucinate and sleep. Mitch was still talking to me and I forced to answer sometimes. I didn't even know if I was answering his questions correctly. He felt sorry for me and decided that for next week we would change strategy. At 7 pm, I was completely useless and I decided to sleep for a couple of hours and to meet him at 9 pm. But when I went home I was knocked off. I quickly looked for Harvey, but he was out with my sister at Fort. So I just gave Harvey's bags to Ate Ne and slept at my room with my shoes still on. It was that serious. I suddenly woke up when I received a call at 10 pm and I had to be honest with Mitch that I couldn't make it. He understood and he just let me catch up on sleep.

I woke up at 2 am and now I can't sleep. Been organizing my closet for an hour now but I'm still recharged and awake. This is not the way to live. Though I'm relaxed, I wanted to maximize my time with people who care and matter to me. I have to change my strategy next Saturday. Not that I was relaxed today, but it was strange and inconsistent. For next weekend I would know what to do. I would sleep first, 4 hours a minimum and in the late afternoon I'll be recharged and fine until late in the evening. Then I could go live for 2 days with a normal clockwork. It has been fun, but it could've been better.

My Hangover remedies

I seldom drink therefore I seldom get drunk. And to record all my buzzed moments, it only happens 70% of the time that I drink out with friends. Since my system is not made up to withstand alcohol, I'm pretty weak in this department. Two cocktail drinks of vodka and I'm done. And I don't drink beer by the way.

Last night, I attended an after dinner party and had Bacardi Apple with a mixture of Sprite. I had two cups and I felt buzzed. I had two more and I was talkative, obsessive compulsive and assertive with my opinions. I wasn't wild or anything but I was just expressive with my opinions. To be specific, I became a neat freak dictator.

It was a fun party and I wouldn't miss out on seeing familiar faces. But the morning after was horrible. I didn't have the expected headache, but I totally felt uncomfortable. I felt so dehydrated and I wanted to throw up. But instead, I had to drive my brother to his guitar lesson at 8:30 AM. After dropping him off, I my innards and stomach felt so weird so I looked for a restaurant to kill time and eat. I went to Goodah, a 24 hour Goto house near my brother's guitar school. I didn't care. I just had to kill my dehydration and hunger. Based on experience, food is the best hangover remedy for me.


But it wasn't easy. I finished two bottles of water. I forced to eat my bland meal just to get through, but I admit that after having a one-hour breakfast I remedy, I felt better. I picked up my brother, dropped him at home, went with my mom to the mall and had lunch with parents at Savory restaurant where I just love their tasty chicken. After Savory I had vanilla ice cream and I finally said goodbye to my stomach hangover. Food has always saved me in this situation.

Based from experience, I deal with stomach hangovers the natural way. Good food.

Top stomach-hangover meals that always work for me.

1. Purefoods Corned beef, scrambled egg and rice
2. Cold Lemon Iced tea
3. Tapsilog at Sinangag express
4. Savory Chicken
5. Vanilla Ice Cream
6. Sardines on hot rice
7. Molo Soup and Siomai
8. Black Coffee
9. Ice Cold Pineapple Juice
10. Bananas and Hersheys

Basically the rule is, whatever you feel your body wants to eat, you have to eat. Cravings are way to tell us what our bodies need. I once craved for Tomato Sardines on hot rice, but there was a leftover seafood Lo Mein in the fridge, one of my favorites. I ended up eating Lo Mein, but the hangover didn't go away. I had to ask Ate Ne to cook Tomato Sardines on hot rice and the problem was instantly solved. There must be some science into this.

I never want to experience this again. It was awful, but if I get drunk again, I know I have reliable remedies the morning after.

How my weekends go

Saturdays are always interestingly buffed days for me. I still wonder how I manage to survive the day doing things with minimal sleep or nap.When I get home at around 7 am, everyone's awake and breakfast is served. I willingly stay up. Then I realize that I have activities lined up in the afternoons and evenings so I force myself to sleep. I sleep at 10 am and wake up at around 12:30 no matter how hard it is. I take a bath and get myself ready for Saturday. It's as if I didn't miss anything. I might go to the mall, do errands, go to the gym (yeah right) and fool around at home. Then at night, sleepiness starts to come in. For that I just take a quick 30 minute nap to store some energy that will last me until the regular-shift people gives up at around 3 to 4 am. When I get home at Sunday dawn, I sleep heavily unless of course you have a brother who needs to be driven to his guitar lesson at 8:30 am.

I seem to handle beefed up Saturdays pretty well as long as it's not work related. I'd rather be awake and maximize it with things that I want to do. I usually catch sleep on Sundays.

Last Saturday afternoon after I had my "nap," I went to Greenhills to accompany Mitch to buy something, then drove back to Fort to get my new pair of glasses. I waited for an hour and had a manicure pedicure. By 9, we ended the first leg and went home. Though SM City Bicutan is open until 11 pm, I begged to just use that time to rest because we were after all going to a pandesal birthday party. When I reached home, I slept and left the house at 11 pm. Since traffic going to Alabang was insane, we arrived there at 12:00 and I started to feel so sleepy, Mitch and I decided to stopover at ATC for coffee. I needed a booster.

We arrived at the party quarter to 1 am. I saw friends who wished me a happy homecoming. I met the Birthday Boy, enjoyed their company and had a drink that I thought I could handle. Bacardi Apple will forever stick in my mind right now. I knew I was so talkative, buzzed, but not radical. I exchanged crazy texts with people and I think once I hit the bed, I was a goner.

My sleep was cut short by my brother who needed a ride to his Guitar lesson. He woke me up at 8:30 am and I felt my stomach hurl. I was thankful that my head wasn't throbbing, but my stomach is. I wanted to throw up and I felt so dehydrated. The last time I felt like this was after my birthday party 2 years ago. I know the only way to remedy this is to drink lots of liquid and to eat a full course meal.

I took an uncomfortable shower, drove my brother to his music school and looked for a restaurant to hopefully kill my stomach-hangover. I hated the feeling. I ordered for softdrinks, water, Tapa meal and molo soup. Eating was a pain and I thought I was going to hurl, but it made me feel a lot better. At around 11 am, I picked up my brother, went home and immediately went to SM Bicutan with my mother to check out the last day sale. I bought comfortable dresses and tops on 50% off and I bought a cool pair of casual shoes for 10% off. My father went there as well and we had lunch at Savory, one of my favorite restaurants that serve tasty chicken. I honestly felt a lot better after and I was able to stay for a couple of hours.

My weekend was very fun, productive and in a way relaxing because it totally took my mind off work. I was able to spend time with Mitch. I bought my new pair of eyeglasses. I reunited with friends, acquired new clothes and feasted on some of my favorite food. I still dread the work week, but at least there's another weekend to look forward to. Next weekend: Hongkong!