We had hoped to get to the Philippines next month to help a friend celebrate his wedding. Unfortunately the house renovations are just making a trip halfway around the world unrealistic. It got me thinking though about all the time I spent there and I admit to missing it a little. It also doesn't help that my old employer has been bought out by an Indian company and many of my friends and former colleagues are feeling a bit up in arms.As rough as living there and working those ungodly hours were, I did have some amazing experiences. One of those experiences included surviving off an average of three hours of sleep in every 24 hour period. When sleep alluded me, I would sit on my couch and watch hours of mindless TV and curse. This is my condo in Manila, my couch, and the view from my 28th floor windows.
The view from the Hilton in Cebu.The hotel is this HORRIBLE candy pink color and oddly caters to Koreans. I stayed there because it was cheaper than the Shang and they treated me really well. Complimentary wine and mango banana bread...yum. That was about all I could eat there, as everything else on that island seemed to make me nauseous.
Some of the girls (Nica, Rain and Rina) during one of our Summer events. It was so damn hot, the vodka was warm, the karoke loud, and the food...well, I really enjoyed that granola bar in my bag.
The streets of Manila are not necessarily the cleanest nor the most organized. In fact, they can be downright disgusting. That didn't stop Rain and I from enjoying ourselves on one of my last nights there!
I want my friend Rain to know that nothing would stop me from being there if SHE were getting married. I'm just saying. If people really want me to visit, then Rain just needs to get married. I will be on a plane faster than even she can imagine.
Last night I mentioned that I was doing OK. Well, that was before the incident. For whatever reason, Michael thought it would be funny to stick his pinkie finger in my ear. I did not want this to happen and in my quest to struggle away, I punched myself in the eye. Yes, you heard me...I managed to punch MYSELF in the eye.
It reminds me of the time I attempted to put Chupa's eye gook in Elizabeth's ear. She about fell off the bed trying to escape, while I laughed so hard I was headed onto the hardwoods after her. I didn't understand at the time why she was so opposed to that. Well...now I get it. A finger, eye gook, scissors, keys and pencil tips, they belong elsewhere. Stick them in your ear, and you are liable to get punched in the eye.
This was a strange week. A strange week for really no reason. I just haven't been into things and therefore have had no inspiration. But then my friend Amy sent me the Planet Unicorn website and I was reminded about all the good things in life. Like gay boys named Shannon and unicorns named Cadillac. Life is good. PLANET UNICORN...HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY.We also decided earlier this week to hold off on the addition to the House until next Spring. I was seriously stressing about the money and the time. By focusing on the addition, we weren't getting enough of the existing structure updated, and that is what will give us the tax credits for 2008. We have less than 60 days left this year, so we decided to shift gears and get the existing space updated and finished, get our historic tax credits, have the house reassessed, and then move forward with our additional 900 square feet in early 2009. The good side? We get to move in earlier, get most of our stuff out of storage, and we get a chunk of this money back on our federal taxes. The bad? We basically live in a one-bedroom house and have to survive through the construction next year. The best? I don't go insane by trying to fit in EVERYTHING right now and figure out how to pay for it. This should keep the rage-filled anxiety attacks at bay for a bit longer. You are now safe walking or driving in front of me again. (Although it wouldn't KILL you to speed it up a little bit.)
Some of the girls (Nica, Rain and Rina) during one of our Summer events. It was so damn hot, the vodka was warm, the karoke loud, and the food...well, I really enjoyed that granola bar in my bag.
The streets of Manila are not necessarily the cleanest nor the most organized. In fact, they can be downright disgusting. That didn't stop Rain and I from enjoying ourselves on one of my last nights there!
I want my friend Rain to know that nothing would stop me from being there if SHE were getting married. I'm just saying. If people really want me to visit, then Rain just needs to get married. I will be on a plane faster than even she can imagine.
