Took my time, didn't I? Well, it just goes to say I really enjoyed my TTT DVD. Heehee. I might have enjoyed it more if I can watch it with my co-fanatics.



Anyway I had a blast celebrating my birthday. Nothing fancy of course. Just a night-out with my cousins, aunts, and uncles. We went to this pizza parlor -- Giordano's -- where they serve this incredibly thick stuffed pizzas and large servings of pasta. Prices were steep but good thing, most of their food were 50% off that day. My family would have enjoyed it immensely too, if only they were here. Sigh. Birthdays are meant to be celebrated with families, you know. But it's ok. At least I had my Tita M and Tita B here. I know I couldn't thank them enough.

And yeah that's my birthday cake up there. Baked it myself. Diet, you know.

Yikes! Salamat po sa mga bumati. Don't have the time to post something right now since I should be in bed at this time. Have to go to church tomorrow, that's why. Basta will update maybe tomorrow. Or as soon as I have the time. Remember tomorrow is the release of TTT DVD -- do the math. Hehe.

Yesterday at 1:48 AM, my dad called.

I was a bit surprised (not to mention sleepy) when my uncle woke me up and informed me that my dad's on the phone. It's been what... 6, 7 months since I last spoke to him. I didn't talk to him immediately. I was dumbfounded. I just listened to his voice for awhile. I didn't trust myself yet to speak to him in a calm manner. My voice, I know, will betray me. But I'm glad it didn't. The call is too preciousss for me to just waste on my tears. So I just told him what I'm up to now (which is not much). I also told him I love him and that he should take care of himself. I wonder if he heard me though. After all, the line was a bit choppy. Plus, after a while, the line went dead. Without warning. I just hate it when it happens. Sigh. I miss my dad.



ERRATUM:
(Well not really erratum but I just want to clarify something.) In the second paragraph, 9th sentence, I swear -- spelling the word "precious" that way was not, I repeat, NOT intentional. Ugh. The stress of waiting for my TTT DVD is taking a toll on me, I bet.

From BBC News:

Mars will make its closest approach to Earth for almost 60,000 years on Wednesday. Dr Robin Catchpole, senior astronomer at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, London, explains how to witness the event.

On 27 August this year they will pass at a distance of 55,760,000 km or 0.3727 AU (1 AU is the distance of the Earth from the Sun), closer than any time during the last 60,000 years.

I wonder if I would be able to take a picture of this. I hope. Hmmm how much does a telescope cost anyway??

Lookit!! Aliw!!







For more icons, go to Micro-Heroes.

Nassssty Sister


Here's a conversation I had with my dearest sister:

Me: kita mo na pictures?
Sis: yup, and2 c mom noh
Me:
Me:
Sis: hahaha, pinagalitan ka nga eh
Me: bakit?
Me: ano sabi?
Sis: lagot ka daw, pagdating nmin dyan
Sis: at tsaka, pag tumawag ka daw
Me: di na ko tatawag!
Me:
Me: ayyyy, mas lalo kang lagot
Me: la na kasi phonecard
Sis: ano daw ung pinangkuha mo, cnabi ko ung totoo, d me marunong magcnungaling eh
Me: yung pamasko ko
Sis: anong pamasko ka dyan?
Me: pamasko nga!!
Me: i got 300 noh!
Sis: d maniniwala c mom noh
Sis: hehehe, BIRO LNG POW UN
Sis: d nya lam, hehehe
Sis: d kita cnumbong
Me:
Me: sabihin mo totoo!!!
Sis: d talga, pwamis
Me: so hinde nya alam!??
Sis: yup
Me: langya ka! tinakot mo ko!!
Me:
Liza: hahahahahahahahahaha
Liza:

*** My mom doesn't know I have a pencam; my sister does, hence this conversation.

Now tell me, should I or should I strangle my sister?!

Pictures...




From L-R: Dejavu, Dejavu (again), Viper





Some of the attractions and sights in Six Flags Great America


Note: Some of these were taken while I was at least 50 paces behind my aunt and cousins. The farther from them, the better (lest they turn around and discover what I was up to).

BTW, thanks to James of Yakap for his AlanisHand font.

... pictures...


A stroll around the neighborhood...





The one on the left is the new house; the one on the right is the old one, where we (my family) will be staying once they migrate next year.





This is the sidewalk. (It just amuses me that I took a picture of our sidewalk. La lang.) Anyway I'm planning to take a picture of it during fall, winter, and spring. I just think it's nice to capture the sidewalk every season (uh-huh nerdy moment there). Actually my plan was to take a picture of our street but I'm painfully shy. I hope tomorrow I can bravely go in the middle of the street and take that blasted shot. I just think it's cool to have a memento of it during summer (By now, you must think I'm very weird. Don't worry. I do too.)

Next project, the different road signs.

... and more pictures!


I'm still deciding on whether I should upload my pictures to Imagestation (or to some other free pictures storage site) or to just dump them here. Hiya ako sa hostess ko eh. Hi Wurly! Hehe.

Anyway here's another picture of our sidewalk...




... and some buildings I saw and passed by during my walks:



Yep I think buildings and streets make great subjects.

Wow I haven't blogged in one... two... three... six days. Wow. That's just unbelievable. I mean yeah I tend to disappear for days but without leaving a note. Ah well, I think it's just one of those moods. These days, I just clam up whenever I'm with someone. Whoever it is, my aunt or my grandma or any of my cousins -- I just don't have the mood to dally with any of them. I guess it's the same when I'm blogging... or when I try to. However, it's the PC that's my solacer during these days, these moods. It probably means this.

Will really try to upload some of the pictures I took during the week. Still have to do some tweaking though.

Four Five posts in a day. That's saying something, isn't it?

Will be going to Six Flags Great America tomorrow. I hope to take some pictures without them noticing. Wish me luck. (For those who don't know, my pencam is my deepest, darkest secret. Nobody in the house knows I have one. Well probably not darkest or deepest. Just a secret then.)

One of the things I'm thankful of finding here in the US is the public library. It never ceases to surprise me of the number of books and CDs they have there. Last week, I was able to purchase all the Dune books (except for the first one) for, take note, 50 cents each -- which is about P30 per book. Now is that a bargain or what?



However, guess what I'm reading right now? It's Pokemon: The Johto Journeys. Don't ask.

Got this picture of a jug from a site. Let's see if you can find the NINE dolphins that are supposed to be there. If you do find them, it means you're not as green-minded as you think you are BUT you are sooo repressed. Hey I found them all.

Dare to Fail


I've always admired the people who can just shrug off their failures as if nothing's happened. When they talk about it, I don't hear any regrets in their voices; they say it as fact. No more, no less. They don't try to hide or cover it up. They tell it as it is: be it a failed relationship, an extended year in college or highschool, or a failed quiz.

But with me, I still can't get over the things that went wrong in my life. I tend to live in the past and ask the infamous question "What if?" and think of the should-have-beens. I'm not proud of my failures, not now that is. Even though people say you should be proud of them because these failures made you what you are today, I can't bring myself to do it. It hurts too much to know that I failed. (Hmm maybe I'm a narcissistic after all.) Maybe someday I'll be proud of them. I long for the day when I can say to anybody "O kaya mo yun?!"

I almost had a panic attack awhile ago. My pencam decided to play tricks on me. It hung up whenever I press the shutter button. And I can't return/exchange it to Best Buy because I'm way past the warranty date. Anyway, feeling ko nagtampo pencam ko. The other day I was talking to a friend and I complained about it: kesyo I can't zoom in/out, can't explore much because the features are limited, can't see the output since there's no LCD, etc. Of course, it's just a pencam so I should expect this. But I guess I can't help but complain about it. There's so much more to capture here that I feel I'm missing out. Oh well, there's always time to buy a digital camera, it's not my top priority anyway.

Here are some shots I took while walking along our neighborhood:

Quick Update


Here's a quick update about my life for those people who are interested enough and/or for those who can be bothered with these bits of news about moi:

• adipose tissues dramatically increasing; neurons significantly decreasing


• muscle tissues atrophied (and still is undergoing progressive decline if I don't find a way to reverse the process)


• wallet still the same size and thickness but not because I still have money but because the receipts are slowly taking the place of the bills


• a LOT of $1 bills


• patience growing thin


• homesickness still not waning


• a LOT of Tolkien treasures


• got me some nifty gadgets


• still bored


• missing my family and friends so much


• having the time of my life... almost


• finally knows how to cut onions, carrots, celery stalks, and potatoes, whether they're for pancit or kaldereta


• still can not determine one street from the other


• online for most part of the day or rather evening

Hmm I think that sums it up. Let me know if you know anything that should be up here.

Found this in my Inbox today:

WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the draw of the Euro- Afro Asian Sweepstake Lottery International programs held on the 1st of march 2003 in Dakar Senegal. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: ********** with Serial number ********** drew the lucky numbers: ***************, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 3rd category.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$1,000,000.00 (One Million United States Dollars) in cheque credited to file. This is from a total cash prize of US$100 Million dollars, shared amongst the first hundred (100) lucky winners in this category.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon.

In view of this, your US$1,000,000.00 (One million United States Dollars) would be released to you by our security firm in Amsterdam in Netherlands, Europe.Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him.

All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 individuals and companies.
This promotion takes place annually.

For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some
unscrupulous elements. Please be warned.

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, you are to contact Mr. John smith with followings details below:

1. Your full names, telephone, contact address and
2. quote your reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our designated agent.

Congratulations, once more from all members and staffs of this program. Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.

I know I can be gullible enough to believe this but you know what? I am hoping this is true. Pathetic I know. Like what Gandalf said, a fool's hope. But heck, I've got nothing to lose.

Summer Saya


Here's a recipe I made whenever the heat here is unbearable or whenever fruits are in abundance or whenever the mood to make it strikes. Fruitshakes!! Hehe kala mo kung ano 'no?! Anyway you'll need the following:

• 1 yogurt (or half a cup of milk -- not powdered milk, mind you)


• sandamukal na ice


• a cup of fruit (any will do -- for best results, try strawberries, blueberries, bananas, peaches)


• 2-3 Tbsp sugar (optional for a more natural taste)


• a blender

So far, I have tried all the combinations I could think of: yogurt + raspberries, yogurt + blueberries, yogurt + strawberries, milk + blueberries, milk + strawberries + bananas, orange juice + bananas, and orange juice + strawberries. So far, they're all good. Now I have to find a recipe that's been on my mind lately: banana peanut milkshake. I know one of my friends posted it on her site but alas, I don't remember who. So whoever you are, please post the recipe.

My aunt and cousins went to Six Flags Great America today. I didn't go with them -- I guess I was just too tired. Well I slept at 3AM so I guess that explains it. But somehow, I don't know how or why, but I felt so drained today. Hmm.

Anyway my uncle's friend decided to drop by awhile ago to fix something. Guess who he brought? His dog! Hehe. Ka-cuuuute.



Sigh. I miss my pets. I'm more of a cat-lover though but any animal is fine with me. Except for iguanas. Or snakes. Well you get the idea.

I think I broke my aunt's washing machine.

Help.


I think I'll get myself some ice cream.