Sofia Daniella

I spent the better part of my afternoon watching over my godchild Iya. She's turning five years old this March, and she's growing up to be a very precocious little girl. She's at that age where her favorite word is "Why?" and I see much of myself in her. She showed off her writing and spelling skills by writing down her full name, Sofia Daniella. She spit out spicy spaghetti, proving that children will only eat sweet spaghetti, and preferred to munch on chicharon instead. She danced around our living room, smelling the flowers, peering at our lamp, messing up all the pillows on the couch.

I finally got to wind her down by sitting down with her and watching "The Little Mermaid" on Disney channel, and it was fun. It was a little tiring to go up and down our stairs with her though (our house isn't very child-friendly, with so many breakables and a slightly steep flight of stairs).

I love hanging out with children because when my brother and sister were born, I was just a child myself. Now, we're all grown up and our ages have caught up with each other. Hanging out with my nieces and nephews always makes me feel like a kid again, and yesterday afternoon I enjoyed making noises and nonsense babble with Iya, and seeing her laugh as I did so. It was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. ☺

sunrise, sunset

This is the sight I've been waking up to for the past three days. Admittedly, it's a beautiful sight, but I'm not used to seeing it everyday. I've always been the type of person who grabs every chance to sleep until noon. On a normal day, I get up when the sun is already high up in the sky.

I suppose there are benefits to literally seeing the dawn of a new day, to greeting a day filled with possibilities. But I've always been drawn to sunsets, to the realization that as the sun disappears below the horizon, another day has come to an end and it is time to rest.

Sunrise, sunset. Both beautiful sights. I guess which one you prefer kinda says something about you. Me, I'm just glad that it's already a Friday and the weekend is in sight!

Starstruck!

I actually passed by him in the hallway and didn't realize it was him. Throughout his press conference, I was hardly inside--instead, I manned the registration booth and took care of giving press kits to the media. And in the moments that I found myself inside the venue, I didn't whip out my camera and document this day that we were fortunate enough to have him in our presence. I'm not really a super-fan, like many other women are.

But when you get the chance to have your picture taken with Mr. Piolo Pascual, you don't say no. No girl in her right mind passes up that opportunity. Not when he puts his arm around your waist and you get to wrap your arm around his waist too, as if you're good friends. You just don't say no to that. ☺

Me. Need. Sleep.

It is Day Two of being sleep-deprived, functioning on roughly three hours of sleep. Already, I feel like I'm floating the entire day, wishing to catch a few winks.

I don't how I ever managed to go an entire day without sleep. I remember back in high school and college, I used to be able to pull all-nighters, eating yakisoba and washing it down with coffee. I subsisted on M&Ms and coffee while working on my thesis. But I still found the energy to make it to class and function like a normal human being.

Now, if I don't get enough sleep, I get cranky and walk around like a zombie, daydreaming about my bed. Aahh my bed... zzz...

Good vibes on a Tuesday night

The team attended a movie premiere for the first time in ages. Thanks to Wave 89.1, we watched Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and it was such a great way to end tonight.

Even if we were seated at the very front row, it was so much fun to laugh with the kids in the audience. Now I've got a new movie to watch for on DVD so that I can get a dose of good vibes anytime!

Money Matters

It's the first day back at work, and already I'm plagued by money matters. Credit card payment, insurance payment, saving for trips, gym memberships-- it was disheartening to realize that I didn't have enough money to do it all.

When it came down to a choice between paying for a gym membership and setting aside money for a last beach trip with a friend before she goes off to live in another country, I chose the friend. Never mind if I may not have a beach-ready body in two weeks, what matters is I get to spend some time with good friends before life begins to change for all of us.

Still, I couldn't help but think today of all the things I could be doing if money was not an issue. Travelling wherever and whenever I wanted. Buying anything I wanted and needed at the snap of a finger. Joining that gym. Writing off someone's debts because I don't need the money anyway. Whoever invented money may have inadvertently invented discontent.

Anyway, I'm trying not to think about it too much, even as I begin to tighten my belt for these next few months. Hopefully that belt gets tight enough to give me those abs I need to wear a two-piece bikini with confidence. Haha, as if.

Back to reality

By next Sunday, the Christmas decor will probably be taken down and the church's chandeliers will be bare once again. It's a sure sign that we've all gone back to reality. It's a sad thought, really, to realize that the festivities are over, that we are returning to the mundane routines of life.

It will be a struggle to return to work, definitely. But hopefully it will be enough to remember the lights, remember the holidays, and look forward to the next opportunity to catch up with old friends, spend time with family, and take a much-needed vacation. One can always hope.