Last-Minute Madness

Photos: PPA Convention, Tagaytay January 24-27, 2012

2012-01-28T12:15:00.001+07:00

Taal Vista Hotel, January 26, 2012. The place was really nice. This was at 8AM, when I was just going around to take pictures... the place itself is pretty. My photos don't do it justice, but when I say pretty, and calm, and peaceful (and super windy!), I really meant it. That's Taal Volcano in the background. The venue was just my kind of space...lots and lots of wide open spaces,

Duty Notes

2012-01-24T01:26:00.004+07:00

Typewriter love.

2012-01-23T07:27:00.003+07:00

ugly.

2012-01-22T21:22:00.000+07:00

Some days, I just feel butt-ugly.

Photo: Lings Night 2

2012-01-21T15:47:00.003+07:00

Lings Night, Vikings. January 18,2012.

Photo: Pops and Mamita

2012-01-15T21:51:00.001+07:00

Pops and Ma at Lemuel's Wedding. December 30th, 2011. Photo By: S. Two of the funniest people I know... :-) (For someone born only two months after my mother, my father really likes to make fun of their age differences...saying that he married a [much] older woman. Go figure.) Happy 31st Anniversary, Mader and Pops! We love you! - Phanie and Donskie. (Ma was born December

Photo: Promise at 9 months

2012-01-15T09:46:00.002+07:00

One afternoon, Promise visited the callroom right before getting her due shots. She looked really cute in a pink tutu and a be-ribboned top. This is me having fun with her while waiting for her "mummy" to finish seeing her patients. My godchild Promise is now 9 months old. (Where'd all the time go? :-)) One of my friends told me, "S., if you're going to be dating this year, maybe you

Sendong.

2012-01-10T07:52:00.001+07:00

This made me want to cry. I didn't realize it was that bad. The thing about not seeing what is really happening, or knowing the real truth kind of makes you detached. And I regret not having done anything. I have friends from Cagayan de Oro, and one of them, Michelle, lost some of her relatives. And Keith, who lived in the city. And 'Nong Bingo. And Collen, NakNak and Jigs who were

Photo: Badminton weekly

2012-01-10T00:06:00.000+07:00

I pretty much play badminton like I do tennis. which is pretty funny-looking. :-D Psych people are pretty competitive. I noticed. :-p TrinaLing scores. :-D In winning form... Hairography? This bring to mind that Tom Cruise hair movie, "Mission Impossible 3" This is getting to be a weekly thing, when we have free time. (I do the court reservations.) Love, S.

Photo: Landscapes

2012-01-09T23:11:00.000+07:00

Landscape entry by Tom D. Jones From here. There really is beauty in simplicity. and great composition. and proper lighting. and black and white. i was blown away. Love, S.

Photo: Sunset in the Sky

2012-01-02T09:35:00.001+07:00

Sunset in the Sky. January 1, 2012. Photo By: S. I love the fiery, but nonetheless quiet, drama of sunsets... ...and I have to say that although my flight got delayed to Manila got delayed and we had to hover for almost an hour in midair, I liked the fact that I ended up with a pretty picture (well, pictures, actually. :-)). Sunsets can be pretty symbolic; the end of a good day, the

Photo: JS Prom, Take 2

2011-12-31T09:20:00.001+07:00

Prom. Photo by: Roz. And so, for our high school* reunion, the Class of 2006 thought up the theme of J/S Prom...and so we ended up looking like this. Prom is prom, and this salmon pink number that I got off a rack is getting to be quite a fun pick. :-) Prom should be fun and carefree. :-) Anyway, these are some of my classmates who came to the "prom" . My best buds in High School (sans Ria,

Photos: Dumaguete Day 1

2011-12-29T03:41:00.003+07:00

Charm. Badjao baby riding the PUV. December 28,2011. It doesn't happen very often that 3 planes happen to show up at one time on the Dumaguete Tarmac. So not. But considering they botched up,and had to cancel a flight due to tardiness, Cebu Pacific had to "create" a new flight. “Happiness means being close to the one you love, that’s all,” muses the narrator." (Antoine was reading this

Video: Valerie

2011-12-29T03:14:00.001+07:00

:-) This is my favorite Amy Winehouse song... I like Bruno Mars' version, but this one is in a class all its own. Amy Winehouse literally, rocks. <-- even if they just did a cover. Love, S.

Collage: pop of color

2011-12-24T13:28:00.000+07:00

And so I've come up with the idea of making collages for everybody...and printing them out as Christmas Presents...after I've done a "vanity" one of my own. :-) 'If one spends all year taking pictures of everybody/people, one ends up with a lot of pictures to put in a collage." - Me. Let's see if it works. haha. Merry Christmas! Love, ~ S.

Photo: Josh

2011-12-24T13:22:00.004+07:00

Josh. December 8, 2011. Manila. Happiness is a grateful spirit, an optimistic attitude, and a heart full of love. - Anonymous

Photo: Buses and Trains

2011-12-24T00:27:00.002+07:00

Keys on a red wall. Mr. Quickie, Robinsons Manila. November 30th, 2011. You know for sure... That when you say "I Love You" first, and then the other person says... "Whoa!" or "Thank you." It's definitely unrequited. :-p --- Check out "Buses and Trains" by Bachelor Girl. It's a classic-in-the-making. If not, then for the lovelorn, at least, who want to be all intellectual and still a

Balls.

2011-12-22T12:56:00.003+07:00

For the "unofficial" Christmas exchange gift party, I got a set of 3 tubes of tennis balls..."Maybe these'll get you back to playing sports" - Joff. Yippee! (I love the "pop!" of freshly-opened balls. and the smell. and their heavy bounce when you first play.) ~ Love, S. P.S.

Photo: I told you

2011-12-22T08:00:00.001+07:00

Chamie, Trina and Me. After a harrowing morning. December 20, 2011. "I told you I was trouble. You know that I'm no good." - Back to Black's "You know I'm no good." (Although I'm pretty sure that's not what Amy Winehouse meant when she wrote that song. haha.) Love, S.

Video: Amy Winehouse' Back to Black

2011-12-22T07:05:00.002+07:00

I like her voice. And her songs. So heavy and full-bodied. and raspy, really good when you're listening to it with Phillips earphones. ...Idea. I think I'll download an album for my pops. :-) Love, S.

Flooded playground

2011-12-19T03:21:00.001+07:00

So I got to hear from my family that yes, they were all safe, and dry...but it was not the case for some of the people who lived near the river. There definitely were casualties, and my heart and prayers goes out to the families who were affected by the flash floods. I was news-less. I had no idea what our place looked like, as the news were more focused on Cagayan de Oro and Iligan. I have

Updates please!

2011-12-17T15:37:00.001+07:00

I just recently found out that Dumaguete's flooded after a 36 hour rain fall...could anyone send updates, or put up pictures please? Photo BY Clark Amante. This was around the Area of Banica River, a pretty small river, 1/3 the size of the one right behind our house... :-( My ma assured me that they were alright, though. The water came in the house a little, but they're cleaning it up now,

Photo: Powernapping

2011-12-16T17:24:00.000+07:00

Powernapping. December 15,2011.Ermita, Manila. I saw these ladies one afternoon, catching a few winks on my to the OPD, and I couldn't help thinking, "Hmm...I'd like to just keel over and grab some shut-eye too, if I could." Sleep, oh beautiful sleep, is stress relief in itself. Love, S. P.S. Am on my way to Makati to see Antoine and the Christmas lights at the Ayala Triangle

Don't break my heart.

2011-12-14T22:35:00.000+07:00

This was the song that came on when I slipped my earphones in, from the spa. UB40's Don't Break My Heart... Uncanny. One thought came to mind..."I hate walking around with a pained expression on my face." :-( Love, S.

Christmastime

2011-12-13T20:34:00.001+07:00

My Christmas Sock. December 11,2011. Manila. (I think I'll hang it on my window where Santa can see it. A patient's mom made it for me.) I got home 40 minutes past eight tonight, in a hurry, plopping down in my favorite seat on the dining table (there are 6, and I eat alone, so it doesn’t really matter.) I hurriedly opened my take-away dinner, a breaded pork-chop combo from Goldilocks. With

Talking to the moon

2011-12-12T20:49:00.001+07:00

"Moonshine". December 12, 2011. Ermita, Manila. I’ve had a session in supervision today… my supervisor came over to the department and we saw one of my long-staying patients, one of the most difficult cases I’ve had so far. She’s been admitted almost 5 weeks (our target is acute care – 2weeks.). The visit from the supervisor was a great help, especially in cases like these. I

Video: All I want

2011-12-11T00:59:00.001+07:00

Toad the Wet Sprocket: "All I want" This is one of those alternative "classics" that is perfect for listening to when you're thinking about what you just said, with all the right intentions...but said in a wrong/different way. And what the repercussions might be... But, some things just needed to be said. There will be consequences, and I hope I am strong enough for them. ALL I WANT

Photos: Prom Night

2011-12-09T20:48:00.001+07:00

Last night was the department's Christmas Party...themed "J/S Prom" (by Mer), entitled "The Sparkling Ball" (by well, Me.) :-) I thought I'd share some pictures...these don't happen very often. Only on Christmas. :-) That's our group performing a dance number to Adam Levine's "Moves like Jagger". :-) Me and my beloved batchmates. :-p <-- i guess everyone had an awesome time. :-)

Photo: Brown-haired little darlings

2011-12-05T22:19:00.001+07:00

The Brown-haired little darlings. December 5,2011. Ermita, Manila. Chamie and I passed these ladies on their way to their company party... Jessi Mendez. ;-) such fun, fun pops of color. :-) They posed gamely when I asked. Love, S.

How can you not love perfection? :-(

2011-12-05T21:35:00.001+07:00

This video was from the Breaking Dawn soundtrack... it particularly doesn't mean anything for me, nor is it dedicated to anyone in particular right now, but I have to say, this evoked some stirrings in my heart. Ah, but "...the heart has reasons for which reason knows nothing of..." - Blaise Pascal And there is the promise of someone. :-) Love, S.

Photo: David Beckham.

2011-12-04T20:59:00.001+07:00

I like you, D. ------------ we watched the Philippine Azkals vs. L.A. Galaxy game last night at the Rizal Stadium last night with friends from work. That's David Beckham, the man himself. a few meters away from me. Isn't he the coolest? :-) Love, S. P.S. The Younghusband boys (Phil and James) passed right in front of me, and I fell speechless. So did my camera. in camera terms. <--

Video: It will rain

2011-12-03T07:06:00.001+07:00

I watched Breaking Dawn with my cousins Mae and Maan a few days ago... and up to now, I still keep thinking about this song... it's absolute dope. :-) :-) Bruno Mars has this really cool way of sounding so passionate. Like he embodies in his voice and his songs, the hurt it feels to yearn for someone...someone whose loss you cannot even imagine to bear. Never has it been that love

Lady Macbeth

2011-12-02T22:32:00.001+07:00

This afternoon, I found myself answering a Shakespearean question by Dr. C. from UE at the recently concluded Philippine College of Psychopharmacology conference and I somehow ended up with a brand new phone. and ended up in this photo with Dr. C... with his "professional" pose. <-- I'm trying to do the same. all in all, a very lucky afternoon. Thank you, Macbeth. Love,

Happy Anniversary.

2011-12-01T21:00:00.001+07:00

And so the year comes to pass... :-) First anniversary dinner of the "Lings". :-) (Actually, it's just a private joke, amongst ourselves, we call each other " 'Ling", short for "Darling". haha.) (My batchmates and I at Trinity...best seafood this side of Manila. *burp*). Love, S. (I was the last one to stop eating...although I'm not necessarily sure if I had eaten

The L word...

2011-11-30T12:23:00.001+07:00

What starts with "L", and makes my heart beat like crazy? Why, the LX5 (by Panasonic), of course. :-) (Although L-O-V-E does have the same effect on me, for some reason.) Presenting pictures taken from my new electronic "boyfriend"... ( I just bought this today, 11:20AM to be exact, and these are the first few pictures I ever took.) picture 1: I couldn't even wait to get home to

Sunday Birthday Party

2011-11-29T22:05:00.001+07:00

Last sunday,I went over to my cousin Kuya Rich's place for his birthday party... I was really looking forward to it, knowing a lot of my family in Manila will be there. :-) I had just gotten off duty, and just finished rounds before I trooped over to their place (which was far away, I have to say.) Kuya Rich/Kuya Ick2x. 7 hours short of 33 years. With some of my family who went.

Lu-MEex.

2011-11-28T22:32:00.001+07:00

I'm doing quite a lot of camera research...but just on two types. It's a tedious process, but i'm thoroughly enjoying the whole thing. I've always wanted something like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5.. (Thanks for the tips. :-)) Love, S. :-)

Video: What's my name?

2011-11-28T22:24:00.001+07:00

:-) like i was saying...one of the perks of living alone is that you get to sing along to Rihanna songs at any time of the day in your skivvies even. Love, S.

Duty Notes: Late nights/early mornings

2011-11-27T00:33:00.001+07:00

It’s nearly one AM, and I just got back up here in the call room, after having admitted a patient from the ER. In the still hours of pre-dawn (my favorite time for writing), I don’t feel sleep at all. No hint of the need for somnolence has come to me, so far. (It helps to have a huge mug of 3-in-1 instant coffee handy.) My friend Anne, who came over for a visit, is currently snoozing

Loops

2011-11-26T03:28:00.001+07:00

The other day at work, one of my out-patients handed me a cellphone cover. It was black and brown, and crocheted. "I made that while I was waiting for my turn, in the waiting area..." she said. I turned the thing over in my hands, and then said, "The workmanship on this is very good..." And she then talked about how she had discovered crocheting just recently, and talked about how

Smileys

2011-11-22T23:48:00.001+07:00

One time, I ended up watching "First Love (A little thing called Love)", projected from my laptop onto the wall (using Bien's personal projector), with Aleah, my duty-mate. Pretty nifty, the projector, I mean. It was a cute movie, actually. Not exactly a favorite yet, but I thought the theme of wanting to make yourself a better person for the one you love was enough to make me want to just

Video: The Hunger Games

2011-11-21T14:41:00.001+07:00

The Hunger games are showing soon. Something tells me I should speed read through all three books. or at least, the first one.

Video: Jimmy Tagala plays violin

2011-11-20T10:57:00.001+07:00

I love Violin Music.

Much ado about interviews

2011-11-14T20:43:00.001+07:00

I spent most of last Saturday at the hospital…even though I had the weekend off. :-) I had 8 patients admitted, and I wanted to take the time to talk to them, and redo their histories. So, that’s 8 patients, and then 8 family caregivers (i.e. bantays) that I talked to, last Saturday. Sometimes, the responsibility of making their lives “better” daunts me, but usually, it’s been

Let it Be, shirt edition.

2011-11-13T16:03:00.001+07:00

Guess what I found. A Beatles Shirt, with Let it Be on it. :-) And no, I did not forget my pants. haha. (Weekend outfit for watching the Pacquiao-Morales match.)

Where'd all the time go?

2011-11-12T04:51:00.001+07:00

Clock face. Jerome's "Shanghaian", Makati City. September 2011. Accreditation people are coming in a week, to check us out and give their stamp of approval on our training program... (I'll be one of the "welcoming committee", they assigned me to be 'escort service' to one of the accreditors...who is from Cebu, which is just about perfect.) Paperwork crunch time. :-D Where'd all the

Video: I Bruise Easily

2011-11-11T03:50:00.001+07:00

I heard this song back when I was in Med School. I've always liked it, maybe even more than her other songs. It's pretty heavy, but I like her styling. :-) And so I saw it again a couple of weeks on MTV, and i liked the video very much. "There's a mark in me, like a love heart, carved on a tree..." :-) (such pretty lyrics. ) The video on MTV was about a geisha, coming home from work,

Photo: iPad Footballer

2011-11-11T03:17:00.001+07:00

Manang Bebang, apparently trying to play football on my iPad. And smiling, ear to ear about it. :-) Love, S.

On the brighter side…

2011-11-08T21:05:00.001+07:00

I’d just pulled in a long day at work, with hardly any sleep…I slept some on the couch, but was mostly either talking to my patients, or talking with their parents. It was a holiday yesterday, newly-announced and I had many outpatients come to consult with me despite that. I’ve been feeling kind of overwhelmed with work lately…I’ve got many patients both in the wards and in the outpatient

Worry

2011-11-08T19:53:00.000+07:00

Old lady by the boulevard one afternoon. October 2011. " Worry is a god, invisible but omnipotent. It steals the bloom from the cheek and lightness from the pulse; it takes away the appetite, and turns hair gray." ------ My credo when things get tough? "There are other bigger things to worry about, out there. This is not just it. Or, "I've been through this before, it can't be

One Good Day

2011-11-05T19:13:00.001+07:00

It was a stroke of luck. A table all to myself at the nearest StarBucks, with the lamp just hanging above. Perfect lighting, perfect little corner by the glass window, space enough to wrap my legs around the table leg and a nice cup of Toffee Nut Latte in hand, with my name on it (it simply is my favorite). Ma'am Wamcie and Pearl, who are my seniors at work wanted some "quality studying

Video: Don't Speak (Reggae Version)

2011-11-05T09:27:00.001+07:00

It's a cult classic. in reggae. :-) Don't speak. Love, S.

the little black quote

2011-11-05T08:48:00.002+07:00

Ooh. food for thought for next time this ever comes up. :-) Love, S.

Photos: Long weekend swim

2011-11-02T23:18:00.000+07:00

I had a great time during the long weekend. I spent it with family. and people i loved. That's me and my godchild Promise, who went for her first ever swim at the pool where I lived. This is a vintage-ish pic of me and her on the rocking horse...something I'd keep, and show her when she's older. Chamie and Tope were my friends from way back in Med School...and they both had Promise

Photo: All Saints Day

2011-11-02T08:50:00.001+07:00

Wax and Light. August 2011. Baclaran, Manila. "Lighting a candle is a way of extending one's prayer and showing solidarity with the person on whose behalf the prayer is offered." (full article here.) This is in remembrance, as well, for all those that we have ever loved and have gone ahead of us.

Libera...Surprise, surprise. :-)

2011-10-26T18:51:00.000+07:00

I wanted to cap the night with doing rounds on my 9 patients at the wards, when I bumped into Joff who told me that he had free tickets to Libera from a friend, and if I wanted to come. What do you think I said? (I decided on the spot. Yes!) Bien, and his pretty eldest daughter Tricia (who was also in a choir) were also going, which made it more fun (but I have to admit, thought,

Photos: Manila Days

2011-10-23T00:59:00.001+07:00

Half-minute. October 2011.(This is what a Manila Bay Sunset looks like...when the photographer hits the shutter button half a minute late.) Family time on the curb. October 22,2011.(I saw this family from the vantage point of the second floor, across the street.) Promise lulled to sleep by Ninong Joe's rocking, and Bulgari Pour Homme. October 2011. I get jeans from Kamiseta

Free reading

2011-10-23T00:25:00.001+07:00

My best friend Ivy was in town for the weekend for a work-related thing. :-) I've known her since I was 13, a veritable "sister from another mother." Earlier tonight, we were eating our Starbucks stuff and drinking coffee at the dining table of my condo. After tasting a bit of the strawberry whipped cream from my waffle, she went, "Phan, this is so not high school anymore." And we had a

The perfect pizza

2011-10-17T20:44:00.000+07:00

Now I know what "Pizza" should be like*... :-) Presenting Pizza Hut's Tuscani Pizza, in All-Meat. Inspired by: The long day at work... My cousin Ruville's recent victory at the CPA licensure boards (You rock, Manang Kobee!)... My cousin J Miguel's birthday....(I like to call him my "Kinapanggaan"* cousin). ...and simply the chance to just have a few hours to kick back

Photo: Sunrise

2011-10-16T03:45:00.000+07:00

I have a thing for sunrises...I got this one yesterday morning, when I woke up super-early, just in time to see this beauty rising up from the horizon. So tell me, what/who do you think about first thing in the morning? Love, S.

"Utilitarian"

2011-10-15T20:08:00.000+07:00

My good friend R. just recently celebrated his 26th birthday, and I got him a present, which I told him was “utilitarian”. He agreed. It was inexpensive, of course, but I figured it was something he could use, being the busy medical student that he was. According to him, it was just what he needed…however, after a few beats, though, he said that I should have gotten him the bigger one. (

Picture posting...

2011-10-11T20:41:00.004+07:00

is currently a Herculean task...as none of my uploading attempts are working. Be back in a few... Got exams in a couple of days. Onto other things... Happy Birthday to the Duchess of CL, Ma'am Wamcie. You rock! :-) Love, S.

Video: Poison and Wine

2011-10-11T20:29:00.002+07:00

i was watching "Something Borrowed"...i love their soundtrack. This is my favorite song out of the album...aside from Salt N' Pepa's "Push It". :-) :-) love, S.

Video: Adele's Someone Like You

2011-10-11T11:42:00.000+07:00

This was my theme song for much of yesterday morning (October 10,2011, 6:00AM). Let's keep that a secret...That i'm a closet cornball. Adele reminds me of Armi Millare from Up Dharma Down, but she's better. A secret, ok? :-( Love, S. "Someone Like You"I heard that you settled downThat you found a girl and you're married now.I heard that your dreams came true.Guess she gave

The Boyfriend Substitute

2011-10-02T20:17:00.001+07:00

“You are my boyfriend substitute…” my friend said. We were walking towards a restaurant for take-out food, and she happened to jokingly mention it. “My boyfriend won’t be around tonight, so I wanted to eat dinner with you guys, you’re my boyfriend substitute for now.” She said further that she didn’t want to be alone in the house, because she’d probably just sulk. She tells it in a joking,

Knee Deep

2011-09-28T22:31:00.001+07:00

The other day, tropical storm Pedring came and hit a major part of Metro Manila and Luzon. Earlier in the day, TV stations all over warned all that Pedring was signal number 3, and classes were cancelled. When I asked our chief resident regarding our schedule, she confirmed it. Our scheduled didactics classes were likewise postponed. Wind speeds were...strong. :-) Judging from

Video: Maria Mena

2011-09-28T20:43:00.002+07:00

I like Maria Mena. And I like this diary-like song's lyrics.

The Supervisor

2011-09-26T23:38:00.000+07:00

This afternoon, I found myself sitting in at my friend and co-resident’s supervision session. She asked me to accompany her to my supervisor, because she felt that she needed additional input and help for her grand rounds. I had been through the grand rounds preparation mill two weeks ago, and I have to admit that it wasn’t a very pleasant experience. You just wanted to prepare

Video: Say What you Want

2011-09-25T07:40:00.001+07:00

I love this song. Oh, the 90's, gotta love the era.... :-) I'm reading "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" on my pad these days. So 90's. (I vividly remember the music videos.:-) ). love, S.

Reading period

2011-09-24T22:28:00.000+07:00

Love affair with my ipad. September 24,2011. Hotel Intercon, Makati. Photo By: Chamie Today, I initially planned on staying home and nursing my allergies. Somehow, before the day ended, I wound up going with Chamie on her supervision for grand rounds in Makati. (It's her "tough time"...good thing I've already done mine.) And yes, I think i'm in love with my iPad. Got my "light

Curlicues

2011-09-20T23:03:00.001+07:00

Where I currently live right now has a balcony that lets me see a good part of the city. Down below, I can see people, going about their daily lives, walking up and down the street where I live in, oblivious to the fact that someone was watching over them, while they meandered along their, well, literally little, lives. Ever since Manila had the ordinance that discouraged smoking in public

"Hi Love"

2011-09-20T00:11:00.001+07:00

On my way to the main building, I always pass by this old, discarded safe with the words “Hi Love” written on it in black marker. “Hello Love, how are you?” :-) (it was probably written by some patient's watcher who had nothing to do...) ;-) Love, S.

Promise at 5 months

2011-09-19T23:09:00.000+07:00

My little cousin, J Miguel, asked me if this was my baby. So nope, I said she wasn't but that I loved him and he was my kinapanggaan little cousin anyway. :-) Promise, my co-resident's baby, was in the callroom again, sprinkling baby charm. :-) I just simply think she's adorable, and has such cute cute little fingers...among other things. Ooh, she can do "Align" today! :-) haha, i

Emo

2011-09-19T22:18:00.001+07:00

“I was walking off into the sunset (or, at least I pretended to be) with a friend of mine from Medical School who I had a bit of a secret crush on then. We had lagged behind our other friends, and he suddenly asked me, “Why are you in Psych, when you know that your patients will never get well?”. In the middle of discreetly getting a whiff of his expensive cologne, I stopped short, and did a

Thought bubble..

2011-09-15T16:41:00.000+07:00

Assume = ass of u and me.

Video: Only Girl

2011-09-14T20:53:00.001+07:00

I like this song a lot. :-) "...Want you to make me feel like I'm the only girl in the worldLike I'm the only one that you'll ever loveLike I'm the only one who knows your heart..." :-) Love, S. Only Girl (in The World) lyrics Songwriters: Eriksen, Mikkel; Hermansen, Tor Erik; Johnson, (Undetermined); Wilhelm, Sandy Julien; La, la, la, la La, la, la, la La, la, la, la I want

Seriously...

2011-09-13T00:46:00.001+07:00

Getting my draft back, I get these notes from my consultant (In red): "His relationship with his second girlfriend, Janine, started during freshman year in college, but was short-lived, as he was not serious about her." (What do you mean by not SERIOUS?) (Me to myself:Hmm... What DOES that word mean? Pretty ambiguous language. does that mean he likes/cares about her, or is intimate

Pre-Grand Rounds

2011-09-11T21:30:00.000+07:00

A friend of mine took this picture of me waiting for the elevators earlier tonight. She told me I looked really skinny in it. I wasn't pleased. Being this skinny meant I wasn't eating right, and I wasn't getting enough sleep. And lately, I've been feeling like I've been under this burden of...not knowing. I'm doing a paper on first episode psychosis and presenting...how bad can it be?

Family Meeting pictures

2011-09-09T19:32:00.000+07:00

That's my cousin Bong, and his son (my nephew) Miko. And that's me and my cousin Kuya Bong, 45. with Tin and Miko It's the Miaco eyes thing, I suppose. I've always wondered if we were Japanese, and then Kuya tells me that he had officemates from Japan who say, Yes, there are many Miaco's there. Mystery solved. I'm not Chinese, I'm sort of Japanese-ish, then. :-) ok ok,

Coffee troubles

2011-09-08T02:16:00.001+07:00

The effects of caffeine can be felt most strongly 6 hours after ingestion…which is when the caffeine is at its highest levels in the bloodstream. I read that back when I was medical school. And I read some more of it here. But my point is, I’m having a hard time sleeping now, because earlier tonight, when I was at this Singaporean coffee place, I had a couple of cups of brewed coffee one

Molo Balls

2011-09-07T08:02:00.001+07:00

Now I understand the concept of food as stress-relief… After pulling all-nighters for quite a number of nights already, I was starting to feel drained and, well…ugly. So after work, when my friend Loreen wanted to go get herself duty shoes, I tagged along. After she found the shoes she wanted, I had her pick the place to eat. We ended up on the second floor, where, I suggested Japanese (

Video: “Let It Be”

2011-09-05T20:49:00.001+07:00

I like Let it Be by the Beatles. “There will be an answer…Let it Be…” My favorite Beatles song, and I think it always calms me down whenever things don’t go well. :-) (It reminds me of home, or the feeling of home, at least...) Love, S. P.s. this gospel version from Across the Universe is also something else…

Photo: Never Let Me Go

2011-09-05T11:03:00.001+07:00

"Never let me go". August 5, 2011. Binondo, Manila. Photo by S. Sitting across this couple in the jeepney, and seeing them all "entangled", the only thought that was in my mind was Kazuo Ishiguro's book (although it's of a different theme altogether), "Never Let Me Go." (Hold fast, one of you just might get away.) <-- PDA's are fine, and I have no problems with other people doing it. But

Family Meeting

2011-09-05T09:54:00.001+07:00

…that the old name of Kyoto, Japan, used to be Miaco? That’s something I usually say during conversations (or in parties)…well, once or twice, but not every time. Anyway, I met up with my cousin and nephew yesterday at MOA. It was my first time to meet them, after just talking to them on facebook. But hey, like with any other thing that is near and dear to your heart, family will always be

Photo: A regular rainy morning

2011-09-02T22:42:00.000+07:00

Rainy Mornings in Manila. (August 2011. 6AM. Manila.)

Update

2011-09-02T22:23:00.001+07:00

1. I went out with someone, and we watched Zombadings, Patayin sa Sindak si Remington. Inspite of myself, I had a great time…Zombadings was a fun surprise…the lead actor was pretty good. For a while there, I really thought he was gay, and then afterwards, I knew he was not. for sure. Or was he? (yes, he was THAT good.) 2. I like eating out. 3. My grand rounds patient is doing well. I hope

Note to self

2011-09-01T09:56:00.000+07:00

1. i need a mouse, a blue tooth keyboard, a protective case for my ipad, a new ink cartridge and speakers. 2. tickets to see All-4-One and Color Me Badd on the 7th 3. i need to do research for my...research paper. 4. i need to stop listening to Tina Turner's "Missing You", especially in the part where it goes, "In you world...I have no meaning..." (It's a stress-relief song that I hop around my

Soft seats

2011-08-31T02:12:00.002+07:00

Hello. Welcome to the unedited, conversational edition of the last-minute madness, which only I, Sonia, erstwhile Med-School Thera Group Presentation Amazon Princess character can do with typical Sonia style. It is actually 2:30 in the morning, but for some reason (and probably because earlier, I had napped on the couch while my friend Loreen worked on her thing on the dining table :-)), I

On certain journeys

2011-08-29T21:34:00.001+07:00

LRT, Manila. August 5,2011. Photo by: RD Laxina. Certain truths, especially those that we actively seek, can be heartbreaking. Like everything else in life, it takes courage to accept things that we cannot change. We will all have to take some journeys alone eventually. Fortitude does not come easy. The Strength of mind that allows one to endure pain or adversity with courage. “ cannot be

Video: Do you love me?

2011-08-28T21:26:00.001+07:00

sometimes, I wish I was proletarian when it comes to love and loving. and that everything would come easier for me. but I’m so not, and thus, life is a little more complicated. This was from Fiddler on the Roof. Anyway, good night.

Photo: I could fall in love with you

2011-08-28T21:03:00.001+07:00

A biracial couple at dinner. August 22, 2011.

Pain

2011-08-26T21:55:00.000+07:00

This afternoon, I made a grown man cry. I could not help it. I am appalled by how patients with mental illness are being treated in their own communities because they are misunderstood. This particular patient I knew was apprehended by the law, but the details of it, I cannot discuss. The grown man was the boy's grandfather. He only cried after he realized that he shouldn't have left the boy in

who needs pictures?

2011-08-24T22:20:00.001+07:00

In the last few scenes of "The Rebound", this song starts playing. My initial reaction was that it was a vaguely familiar song...and that it made me feel like smiling. But I couldn't remember where it was from. and then it hit me. Boy with guitar. over the phone. heebie jeebies. "Who needs pictures, with a memory like mine?" (oh when will it ever end? :-( ) --------------- Everytime You Go

Thanks, Vivz

2011-08-24T14:16:00.002+07:00

Just recently, my best friend Ivy came to Manila. Her sister Ann and Loreen had just passed the medical boards, and I just recently had a birthday...so we ate out. Steak dinner. Coffee. Lots of laughs. (The usual Fun-with-Ivy-Guevs time.) And then her younger sister Ann and Loreen went off to go somewhere and we were left alone on the soft chairs. And after thinking a while, I asked, "Say Vivz

To be in love

2011-08-22T01:20:00.000+07:00

Prayer Candles. Quiapo, Manila. August 2,2011. (Photo by: S.) To Be In Love (By Gwendolyn Brooks) To be in love Is to touch with a lighter hand. In yourself you stretch, you are well. You look at things Through his eyes. A cardinal is red. A sky is blue. Suddenly you know he knows too. He is not there but You know you are tasting together The winter, or a light spring weather. His hand

Photo: The Street Crooner

2011-08-22T00:59:00.000+07:00

Street Singer. August 13, 2011. At any given time, there is a singer on the Pedro Gil side of the hospital. This guy sang a really amazing version of Freddie Aguilar's "Anak"...which I think even sounded better than the original. I just had to take a picture...after dropping a donation, of course. Props. He had soul. (He was a regular BB King.) :-) No wait, Stevie Wonder.

Photo: The fool's moon.

2011-08-20T22:43:00.000+07:00

Moonlight over an empty house. Ermita, Manila. August 14,2011. This picture was better in real life, and up-close. The moon was shining so brightly, that it made the empty house seem all the more eerie... Trust me, I scare easily, but this time, I was especially confident because my friends were nearby when I took this picture. I could almost imaging a creepy face bursting out of the shadows

Video: Ides of March

2011-08-20T20:54:00.000+07:00

I knew it was a song... well, an instrumental one, at least. Pops had me download this one time. :-)

Birthday Bits. :-)

2011-08-19T06:45:00.002+07:00

I’ve never denied it. The reason why I like birthdays so much is that I get presents and lots of love and attention. ;-) I’m still a big kid. Getting birthday presents never gets old for me. The novelty of being given a present and being thought of as special on my birthday will always score high in my book. J I’ll never grow tired of birthdays, because I always feel that there is

2011-08-15T22:59:00.001+07:00

August 12, 2011. Sunrise over Ermita. Photo by: Sonia. i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)i am never without it(anywhere i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling) i fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true) and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and