i have finally saved enough to buy myself a decent birthday gift.
i only turn 28 once, so let it be the best 28th birthday gift i give to myself.
i wouldn't have bought it if i didn't need it.
but i could've bought a cheaper one.
nah.
i deserve a nice gift.
i've been living off bargains for years and it's nice to splurge once in a while.
i won't bargain my happiness on my special day.
i did ask for a discount and i think i'm getting an 8 per cent rebate.
not bad.

I want to retire when I'm 40.
That's what I keep telling myself.
It helps me get up in the morning, shower and go to work.
It also helps me save more than spend.
And most importantly it helps me dream big.
40. No Botox.
Just fresh coconut juice, blue waters, and a sunset I can call mine.
So yeah let me wrap my head around how to do all that.

Remember the time we spent three solid days just being together?
By the beach, in the hut, out in the wilderness, on the streets.
Well, I just want you to know that that was time well spent.
It was an awesome holiday that I wouldn't trade for the world.
For what it's worth, you're still a dear friend to me.
We may never see each other again but we'll always, always have each other.
How? I don't know. You figure it out.
But first, finish your thesis you lazyass.

Thailand Trip (tried not to make it look like work)

Ok Blogger and I are not making progress here.
I've been trying to publish my pictures for two days now and it's not responding.
Good thing I had other things to do. Like work.
Multiply has been friendlier. So here:

http://zeenahhh.multiply.com/photos/album/12/Bangkok_Pattaya_Rayong

If there is one lesson I learned from my trip to Thailand, it's that if a country has interesting and wonderful things to offer, all it has to do is aggressively promote it to the rest of the world.
In the wake of a political unrest that made headlines and alarmed tourists for a couple of months, Thailand's tourism industry has managed to bounce back as quickly as it crumbled in April and May.
It invited the media to see for themselves how alive the streets of Bangkok are, how flamboyant its ladyboys have remained, and how flattering it feels to be the recipient of Thai hospitality.

It is sad that the Philippines' tourism campaign -- once the talk of South East Asia, thanks to Wow Philippines TV commercials that graced international channels such as CNN and the BBC -- has fallen by the wayside in recent years, for a number of reasons. Some of my friends argue that the height of our country's glorious marketing period was also the peak of insurgency that led to the kidnapping of foreigners in some of the country's most beautiful places. Some would say that Richard Gordon was the only man to have ever accomplished anything when it came to telling the world what we had to offer, and the fact that he no longer has control over the Department of Tourism is a shame.

I think that it simply isn't a priority. I don't know how much of the government's budget is allotted to tourism, but it certainly isn't enough. I don't see any TVC airing on CNN, and I don't even know if they are campaigning in Dubai, where half a million Filipinos live and interact with two hundred other nationalities.

We are not making waves. We are not making noise. We are barely surviving.

What do we do? Well I can start by exploring my country.
And then spread the word.

The past week was a blur to me.
But the blur was like a happy kind of trip, the one that gets you high on the details of life.
Whoa that was deep and probably nonsense.

But yeah I rushed past the week with a certain love for express living.
Go places like there was no tomorrow.
Pack my bags, feel the heat, hear the noise and smile back at strangers.

How about a penis keychain for a souvenir?
Or a super hot transexual for entertainment?
Or dinner at the top of one of the most luxurious and beautiful places in the city?
Or flying business class with absolutely nothing in my wallet?

I'm so tired to come to a sound conclusion.
But yeah it's been a fun trip.

Little Sofia

The 15 Hookups We Sort Of Regret | The Frisky

The 15 Hookups We Sort Of Regret | The Frisky

I had to laugh this one out.
Is it possible for all these guys to exist in one city?

I want to say, "no, not by a long shot", but I'm really thinking, "who am I kidding, of course, each city in the world has a complete set of idiots like them".
Except maybe Vatican City.
Well... okay that's another story.

There are definitely days when I miss Mama Becky.
Today in particular is tough to get through, for some reason.
I don't know if it's plainly a surge of homesickness, or the innate need to be near the person who will never let me down no matter what.

Or maybe it's midyear burnout.
It's been six months and I've only had one very short holiday.
And the only face I want to see that will pull the plug on work mode is, ironically, my workaholic mother.

I can't wait to tell her all about my year. It's been pretty amazing.
At the start of the year I came up with a list of goals for 2010.
So far I've crossed half of the items on the list, which isn't bad for a midyear record.
So the other half is going to be a piece of cake, but still very fulfilling.

I capped my night with three things - bath tub, vodka, blogging.
The perfect panacea for a long day, and a long day head.
The bath released all the heat I accumulated out in the sun.
The vodka released a little angst I might have had during the day.
And the blogging is something I've missed, so here I am.

I noticed that I've been playing safe in my blog and on Facebook.
I am careful with the words I choose and the emotions I convey.
Not to mention the pictures I post.
Suddenly I miss Manila, my Manila.
Not for long though. Can't wait!
Kisses!

Who would you love for football?

This is posted all over our building. I guess some resurrected commie can't wait for Germany to crush Spain! A lot of people found this funny. Not funny haha, but maybe funny what-the-hell. Although my race is irrelevant to whatever happened in the past, I would know that loving Hitler is kinda wrong in many ways. Especially for the sake of a football match. Also disturbing. But things like this don't really spook me. This one is provocative, but completely senseless . Plus I'm not Jewish.

I'm rooting for Germany. I believe it's going to be a bloodbath on the pitch if they get to face the Dutch. If Thomas Muller gets to play in the finals, the game wouldn't end without a grand attempt at a goal from him. In your face, Maradona.

I am on a hair thickening mission.
This is my third day, and with the help of Dr. Ibrahim, in less than two months, my old crowning glory will be restored.
For four years I've endured Dubai's cruel bath water and as my scalp showed through the limp strands that managed to hold on to my weakened roots, I vowed to take action.
Off I went to see my most trusted dermatologist and...
BAM!
A prescription from heaven.
See you in 45 days!

This photo was taken by Hadrian Hernandez last year.
The Filipino Press Club gathered at St. Mary's Church to pray for the souls of the victims of the Maguindanao massacre.
I was in shambles then, unable to think straight and extremely weak.
Well, whatever I was praying for then has been granted.
And every single day I say a prayer of gratitude.