Date Night

Hamil and I are both pretty busy--aside from working full time, we both have sports to keep us occupied: I have disc, and he has basketball and mixed martial arts, and each of these entails time allotted for training and tournaments. We also have fairly active social lives (meaning, we meet up with friends quite often). Plus, I always make sure I see my mom at least once a week.

"Til death do us part" doesn't mean we're joined at the hip. P.S. Check out my hair bling!

One of my bridesmaids, while giving her speech at my wedding, said that one of the best things about me and Hamil as a couple is that we're devoted to each other but we give each other space. We're still our own persons outside of being a couple. And a number of other people have also noticed it over the years--not everyone understands it, but it's a setup that totally works for us. I'm the type of girl who needs some breathing room. Besides, we have more interesting conversations because we have other things going on in our lives that we get to tell each other about.

When my husband took his masters a few years ago, we had to find a way to spend more time with each other--aside from going to class, he had projects and papers to submit, case studies to review. We felt that weekends weren't enough to nurture our relationship; we needed another regular day when we could surely see each other. He normally didn't have classes on Wednesday, so that became the default day. Even my co-workers knew that Wednesday meant I would be getting uninterrupted time with the love of my life.

We didn't do anything particularly special; he or I would come over, and we would have dinner, and just watch TV and talk all night. He finished his masters, years went by, and Wednesday remained our regular date night. To this day, even as we're living together, Wednesday is still date night--when I have to work on Wednesday night, or something really important comes up, we go over our schedules and figure out when date night would be for that week. It's cool that some of my couple friends have told me that they were inspired to have their own date nights because of us!

I highly recommend it. It doesn't have to be anything spectacular--a fancy restaurant is nice, but a weekly splurge isn't realistic. Hamil and I often do just really normal, basic stuff. Sometimes we go to a favorite restaurant, or go out for a drink, or catch a movie, or go on a run together, or do yoga together, or go on a coffee shop date where he and I both bring books, and just sit together and read and talk in (you guessed it) a coffee shop. Other times, we just stay home; I cook, we watch TV or a DVD, or stay in bed and talk and read.

It's always a treat just to spend time with my darling husband, whatever it is we're doing. If you're with someone whose company you truly enjoy, then you're bound to have fun, no matter how mundane the date seems to be.

My Baby Is Out!

I've been waiting months, and the day has finally come. My first official issue as acting editor in chief of Good Housekeeping Philippines is out now!

It's our money special, so we've got quite a few features on cutting costs. I especially love the "Live on Less" story, where we feature five families and how and why they cut back on spending. I originally thought this would be a super light-hearted tip-filled article. But when I read the draft, I was just so moved. The families' stories are so varied, some are so heart-warming, that I felt I got a better article than I had hoped for!

There's also a feature on making Facebook safe for your kids (and you!). Facebook privacy is such a hot topic now--did you hear about the dude who collated a third of Facebook's user info? Scary, right? Our story, by the Third World Nerd, can help you keep some semblance of privacy intact in the Age of FB.

We've also got tips to exteeend your beauty treatments (so you'll end up spending less), and a budget-friendly fashion tactic that even showbiz people use. There are lots of other stories in there, and all for just P100! I'm not kidding. In the words of our creative director, Carlo Vergara, "Mas mura pa sa sine!" ("It's cheaper than a movie!")

So you can stop reading now, and head out to your nearest bookstore, newsstand, or supermarket, and grab a copy!:)

I Won! I Won! Part 3!

OK, not as major as a vacuum cleaner or a ref. But I didn't have one of these things so it was still pretty cool that I won this at a recent HSBC event...

Black tube top and bag from People are People, jeans from Bayo, super cute jacket by Kimono at Karimadon, necklace was my grandmother's. Photo by Hannah Dormido.

A fondue set.:) Time to buy some chocolate, marshmallows, and fruit! Fondue party, anyone?

My Past Life

At the SGV Alumni Homecoming with Miss Marlu and the "S" in "SGV," Washington SyCip

People are normally surprised when they find out that I used to work at SGV (a member practice of Ernst & Young), a professional services firm known mostly for its audit services. When people ask me how I ended up with the Warriors, my ultimate team, and I reply that I used to work with them, I get this look of bewilderment. Shock, even. Before they even verbalize their first question, I already say, "No, I'm not an accountant." Then their faces relax, assured that all is right with the world again. I don't know what it is about me that makes people think I can't possibly be an accountant. (And save the theories--I think I'd rather not know!)

For the record, I used to work with SGV's Marketing and Communications department as a Market Circle editor, so it's not like I made a huge leap. I used to handle the company newsletters (both online and print), edit management letters, help prepare proposals and presentations, write letters and speeches, and pretty much anything else that had to do with writing and editing. I also taught business communication, which meant new hires (and there were truckloads of 'em) had to endure a horrid training day with me. (A teammate remembers me as "Miss Tish.") There was the rare occasion when I had to accompany a foreign guest's wife on a sightseeing tour or shopping trip (awesome!) and that one time I had to be the "trophy girl" at an awards thing (embarrassing!). I was also a regular fixture at the in-office gym, an event planner, program emcee, and choreographer!

Me (white top, black pencil skirt, black necklace) with some of the Marketing and HR girls at my birthday merienda, back when my skin was ten shades lighter (pre-disc), and my hair was three shades darker!

Working in SGV proved to me that God has a sense of humor. I tailored my pre-work life so that I wouldn't end up working an 8-to-5 desk job, and I ended up at possibly the most corporate-y office of all. (I had to find ways to make the strict business attire work. I was probably the only girl in the whole office with a powder blue suit. And I had a bunch of killer, non-open-toe heels!) Ever since I was a kid, I knew I was more of a words person than a numbers person, so I figured I would have a career that involved writing. I took up Communication in college, interned at a weekly magazine, and contributed articles here and there. And then God, chuckling at all my careful planning, decided to pick me up and plunk me down in SGV. Then He watched as the live sitcom started rolling!

I'll admit, I was resistant at first. I went for the job because I heard wonderful things about SGV's training, and I was looking into the possibility of building a career in corporate comm. And, well, the other offer I had prior to this one was to work at a daily newspaper, and I couldn't imagine that kind of life for myself. (No holidays? No thank you.) But I honestly didn't think I would stay very long. Maybe six months. A year, tops. About a week into the job, the premier fashion magazine in the country called and asked if I was interested in the editorial assistant position. I decided not to go for it; I felt I had already made a commitment to SGV, and that it was poor form to up and leave right after I was hired. Noble shmoble--I cried my eyes out right after I said no!

My direct supervisor in Marketing was Miss Vicky, one of the best bosses you could ever have, one of the loveliest women you will ever meet. We were at odds at first--she was extremely frustrated with me because I was an incredibly stubborn newbie. Thinking back, I am absolutely appalled at my attitude during that time. I saw SGV as a very temporary thing, a waiting shed til a bus to a better place--a place where I felt like I belonged--came along. To use a couple of cliches, I guess I was the odd one out, I kind of stuck out like a sore thumb. (Hello? Powder blue suit!) The magazine bus came and went, but there I remained in that shed. And perhaps, that made me resent my job for some time.

With the Volleybelles, the volleyball team made up of girls from CBS

I don't know exactly when it was that I started to like or even--dare I say it?--love SGV. As I grew closer to my group, work became enjoyable, if not bearable (on really bad days). I bonded with my fellow editors, laughed with the artists (to know the Bigotes is to love them), and got close to the events group (one of them, Queenie, is my kumare--her son is my godson). And the work...well, while it wasn't what I would call a dream job, it sure taught me A LOT. Like how to spew out a brochure in a week. And how to deal with different personalities and temperaments. And that you don't say "trainings." (It's "training sessions" or "training programs" or "training days" or whatever else is applicable.) Miss Vicky became my grammar guru, and sort of like a second mother. Miss Marlu, our department head, demonstrated what it was like to be a woman with balls. (Something I'm trying to become, given the sink-or-swim nature of my current job. Dem balls will definitely keep me afloat!) The girls in my department became the sisters I never had. And MC4--the market circle where I was assigned--became the birthplace of the Ultimate Warriors, my beloved ultimate team.

It was 2005, and the SGV Sportsfest was introducing a new sport--ultimate. Back then, it was known to us as "Frisbee." We later learned that Frisbee is a brand of the disc, so calling the sport "Frisbee" is akin to calling toothpaste "Colgate," or photocopying "Xerox." Marketing's umbrella group, CBS (I forget what it stands for--it's all support services), combined with my market circle, MC4, to form one team.

Maybe it was because CBS was more interested in basketball or volleyball, or because ultimate was a virtually unheard-of sport, or because I was already comfortable with MC4--arguably the most laidback, most fun MC (their Christmas parties were always rockin'!)--but I ended up being the only one from CBS to join the first ultimate training session. I attended a couple more training sessions but wasn't able to join the sportsfest because Real Living came calling. The bus I was waiting for had finally come. And that's when my life in the magazine industry began.

If at first, I had bawled over my decision to stay in SGV, this time I bawled at the thought of leaving. I had been with the company for two-and-a-half years, and there were ups and downs for sure, days when I just didn't have the will to get out of bed. But at that time, I loved where I was. I had gotten the hang of my job (yes, it took me that long) and was so used to working with this harmonious, easygoing group of people that leaving it behind was heartbreaking. But someone pointed out that it was the best time to leave; I was making my exit on a high note, with no bitterness, and with a lot of fond memories and lifelong friends.

My dear friends from SGV at our wedding. I hear Miss Marlu (lady beside me) even helped out at the registration table--we really can't help ourselves, huh? Darling Addie isn't in the photo because she was busy running around as our coordinator!*

I may have taken a circuitous route to magazines, but I believe that SGV made it possible for me to get where I am now. The work ethic, efficiency, and attention to detail I developed at my first real job translated well into my managing editor position. And, well, that led to greater things. So yeah, God does have a sense of humor. You just have to trust that He knows exactly what He's doing.


*I know, I'm horrible for putting a friend to work during my wedding. But I think she did get clients after our wedding was featured in Martha Stewart Weddings! (If you're interested in checking it out, it's still in stands til September!)

Work Outfit

I work in media, so the dress code isn't very strict. In fact, it's pretty much anything goes, so people even come to work in flipflops. (The Preview girls wouldn't be caught dead in flipflops though! The girls are always dressed to the nines. It's a daily fashion show!) So coming to work in jeans is no big deal.

Top from Italy; blazer from Maldita; pants from Pam Q; shoes by Parisian; necklace from Platinum Mall (Bangkok, Thailand); watch by Swatch; lipstick by Nars, retouched with Avon lipstick in Ruby Red

Today, I dug up a striped halter that I had never worn before. It was given to me years ago by a friend, and it's really cute, but I tend to veer away from form-fitting things. My main problem with this top was that if I pulled it down, the neckline showed a little too much chest; but if I pulled the straps up to cover my chest, the bottom would end at an awkward part of my torso.

I don't know why it took me so long to figure out that all I needed to do was layer. This morning, I really wished I had an oversized blazer (I'm so tiny that I look ridiculous in my husband's jackets)--I would've worn it over the halter together with skinny jeans. But since I didn't have a big blazer, I decided to wear a tiny one (leftover from my corporate days), and put the top and coverup together with some loose, flared pants. These pants have such a hippie vibe--I can't wear 'em with a retro top because I would look like I was four decades late to Woodstock. Almost every time I wear them, someone asks me if they're custom made. They're actually from my stylist friend Pam Q. They didn't fit her well, so she passed them over to me. I had 'em altered a bit.

I wanted a pop of red, and dug up a long red necklace I got from Bangkok. It was a tad too long so I removed a section of it. I also had really red lips earlier in the day--something I hardly do, but for some weird reason, I felt like I could pull it off today. I decided to put my hair up in a high, sleek ponytail. With the red lips and sort of plunging neckline, loose wavy hair would've looked too vavavoom-y. I had to take public transportation today so it was a look I was keen to avoid.

Lastly, I needed chunky shoes that wouldn't be overwhelmed by the wide-legged pants. They're not so seen in this photo, but I wore black shoes with thick wooden heels (shown in this post).

This photo was taken at one corner of my work area. I didn't want to ask anyone to take my picture, so I set it on timer--hence the weird angle, and hence the massive leg up front. To my left is a vase with leaves, and a framed photo of me and my husband on our wedding day (items from my previous desk). Beneath the table are plastic tubs filled with magazines. Behind me is a magnetic board with old event invitations (I've since replaced them with an updated batch). I'm still in the process of spiffing up my area, but will be sure to post pics once I'm done.

Payless in Manila

And I don't mean the noodles! Seriously, some editors thought I was on my way to a noodle event!

Anyhoo, after the madness of the Forever 21 opening (hadn't heard so much buzz since the drone of the vuvuzela), another American retailer is coming to town. Footwear store Payless Shoesource is opening in Manila! At yesterday's press event, we were given a sneak peak at the stuff on offer...

Casual footwear for the ladies

Shoes designed by Christian Siriano of Project Runway fame; there were also shoes by Isabel Toledo on display.

I was drawn to these laser-cut cuties!

A little somethin' for the men...

...and the kiddies!

Our worry was that, given the markup and everything, the shoes would all end up being Paymore. But Store Specialists (the group that brought Payless in) was thankfully able to keep prices down--flats, like the lime green and black ones in the first photo, go for as low as P795 (about $18). There are also these flat, calf-high boots for just P1,400 (a little over $30)! The more detailed little booties with heels are a bit over two grand ($45), but that's about as pricey as it gets. I hear the men's shoes don't go over P1,800 ($40)--and as anyone who's ever shopped for or with a man will tell ya, that's pretty decent for men's footwear! (Or maybe my husband just has expensive taste. Hmmm.)

The first store is opening at Festival Mall on the 28th if I'm not mistaken, with at least seven more stores set to open this year. For the uninitiated, Payless isn't a single shoe brand, but a carrier of several brands--and if the local stores will be anything like the stores in the US, all shoe sizes of a style will be stacked one on top of the other in their boxes. Sorta like a self-service shoe buffet! I think I'll wait for a more accessible branch to open though.

True Blue

Just wanted to share this cute little number I found online. Hamil and I gave it as a gift at that recent baby shower. A little backgrounder: The dad is a true-blue Atenean, and I'm willing to bet a million pesoses that it's Ateneo or bust for his little Aaron Matthew. So anyway, the gift...

The other boys at the baby shower--all Ateneans--already said they wanted the same gift for their own babies! Funny because one of them isn't even married yet. Har.

I found this cutie at The Urban Baby online shop. Since I was doing some last-minute shopping, I was worried that they wouldn't be able to ship on time. But they were nice enough to deliver right to my office! There are also onesies for future Lasalistas and Iskolars ng Bayan. Prices don't seem to be updated (at least not for this item), but the price diff isn't that big. Just make sure to clarify with them first to avoid confusion.

Googoo-go Ateneo!:D

Baby, Baby, Baby Oh

I volunteered to take care of decorations for a friend's baby shower today. I loved this post so much that I chose a color palette of blue, orange, and brown--equal parts sweet and sophisticated, and subtly boyish.

I wasn't quite as thorough as my peg (for one thing, we don't have stores that sell really nice scrapbook paper for a dollar!), but doing this really inspired me to develop my baby shower styling skills! A few photos...

I made banderitas bearing the name of the baby boy, who'll be making his grand entrance any day now.

Mommy Rhea joked that she would be using the same banner at Aaron Matthew's baptism.

I used cartolina and some striped wrapping paper from The Wrap Shop. My friend Sheila added the bibs.

I originally wanted to hang blue and orange paper flowers from the ceiling but 1) the Japanese paper that looked orange in National Bookstore's light turned out to be yellow in daylight, and 2) it wasn't feasible to hang them. Our host Tita Grace called their househelp to take a look at my handiwork, and Yaya suggested that we use the flowers as centerpieces, with some real blooms (from Market! Market!) right at the center. Ingenious!

Aren't they purty? One of the shower organizers, Sandy, asked if she could take one home, the way Pinoys take home centerpieces at weddings. Haha

If you want to learn how to make these paper flowers, click here.

Sheila brought some baby clothes and shoes that she intended to hang, but she decided to just scatter them throughout the dining room. These were mixed with some balloons that Tita Grace had on hand.

I'm starting to dream up baby shower themes and am raring to decorate another friend's upcoming party! Too bad it's still about four months away!

Mamma Mia

I'm typing this as I watch Mamma Mia! on HBO. I have very fond memories of this movie. I watched it with mamma mia, and we both secretly cried when this song came on...

This was especially poignant because it was right before I got married, and my mom and I could so relate to the scene, the song. In a blog entry almost exactly a year ago, I wrote about how much I would miss my awesome mom, and how much she deserved a big bawlfest. She did get that bawlfest--when she played this video as her "speech" at my wedding!

My mom accidentally stumbled upon my blog a couple of weeks ago, so there's a big chance she's reading this. Mamma mia, I miss you every day. Ti amo.

Viva Espana!

The octopus is now probably Spain's national animal...and calamares, the Netherlands' national dish.

Yep, I jumped on the World Cup bandwagon. And nope, it wasn't because of Ronaldo's abs. I think my heightened interest in sports over the last few years (tennis, basketball, disc, even rugby) also brought on a heightened interest in the Greatest Show on Earth. I never thought I could sit through 90 minutes (and then some) of football...but when the ball handling is masterful and you're munching on crispy pata (fried pork leg) with your husband while watching a match at some bar, it's actually pretty awesome.

Hamil and I spent a lot of late nights at various places because we didn't have Balls. (To non-locals, that's a cable channel!) I really don't enjoy staying out so late anymore, but we reasoned that this only happens every four years--a thought that helped me soldier through a few 2:30 AM games. I was rooting for Argentina, in large part because my brother's a hardcore fan, and Maradona's antics totally cracked me up. (My nephew is named after him.) I was stunned after that 4-0 loss to Germany. And I thus rooted for whoever dem Germans played against (har), eventually deciding that Spain really was my team. (My apologies to my relatives, who would actually watch Oranje matches at home in matching orange jerseys!)

We were bleary eyed as we waited for the 2:30 AM showdown. The finals match wasn't exactly beautiful; I am no football expert, but it didn't seem that well executed. The commentator's dry British humor kept me entertained though--I wish I had jotted down his gems! We were surrounded by people rooting for the Dutch boys. I stood up and yelled each time a goal was attempted. And then, as the sky started to take on a rosy hue--inky black darkness making way for the pinks and reds and oranges of sunrise--as the clock hit the 116th minute, Andres Iniesta made World Cup history.

Four more years til this happens again. And maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to make a trip of a lifetime to Brazil.

OMG

That's the title of a song sung by this guy, at a concert that my husband and I went to last night...

That luminous guy in white, as viewed from our "VIP tent" as Hamil jokingly called it, is none other than Usher! As in "You Make Me Wanna," "Burn," "Confessions," "My Boo," "Trading Places" Usher! In college I danced to a medley of his songs! And at the concert, I realized that my calling in life is to be his back-up dancer! Haha.

In our nearly ten years as a couple, Hamil and I had never gone to a concert together. The last concert I attended was probably...Bon Jovi's, something I'm less embarrassed to admit now, given that they were the top-selling act in the US last year or something. Circumstances always kept us from watching the acts that kept coming over (sigh, even JT and Timbaland). This time, we didn't think we could watch because I had to work the night of the concert. And Hamil told his friends that it would be pointless for him to go since he wouldn't have anyone to dance with. (Sweet.) But things at work went swimmingly, and before 8:00 PM, it became possible for us to make it to the concert! I also figured that I needed to reward myself after a particularly grueling week.

Originally, we were willing to settle for the cheapest tickets (Bronze), but Hamil was able to pull some strings and we ended up with...

Since we were completely unprepared for this, I didn't have my camera with me. Hence, phone pics!

Woohoo! It was much more than I expected! And given that we (er, he) didn't have to pay full price (far from it, in fact), we were incredibly lucky!

We missed the first couple of songs, but it was still pretty awesome because...

...Usher sounds exactly the same live as he does on the radio--and no, it didn't seem like there was any lip-synching or auto-tuning involved!
...I loved seeing their dance moves. It just made me miss dancing so much. It's been over a year since I was last on stage!
...we had a pretty good view for something totally unplanned.
...he sang some of his old hits, and not just stuff from his latest record. (Yes, "record." It's a clear indication of how long it has actually been since I went to a live concert.)

On the down side, he didn't perform one of our all-time faves ("Twork It Out") and people weren't dancing (what's up with that?). But, ah, mere trifles! We got to see Usher! Yay! What a rockin' end to a long, stressful week!

I Won! I Won! Again!

How about that? I got another big prize at an event! Last time, it was a vacuum cleaner at the Electrolux event. Yesterday, I went to a Samsung home appliances event and got...

In case you can't read it, it says, "Samsung 7 cu. ft. Top Mount No Frost Refrigerator"! I won a ref! I won a ref!

It was the highlight of an otherwise dreadful day. It was so epically dreadful that our managing editor Kat remarked, "You're so calm. If that were me, I would've called in the army by now!" When things go terribly wrong, there comes a point when you're just done fretting about everything, and just have to soldier on. So that's where I am now--rockin' n' rollin'! Besides, I'd rather focus on the other good stuff that happened yesterday. Like...

...Seeing old friends at the SGV homecoming (more on that in a later post).
...Getting free Wendy's iced tea from Kat, who felt so bad for me that she surprised me with my drink of choice.
...Knowing that some pretty awesome people got my back.
...Having a husband who is there to defend me and support me and fight for me when I'm just too damn tired to fight. "You're my knight in shining armor," I told him. And he replied, "And you're my princess." Kinda cheesy, I know. But when you've got that to hang on to, no bad day can bring you down!

My Best Friend's Wedding: Fashion Show

Ladies, if you think you have trouble figuring out what to wear to a friend's wedding, just think that you could have bigger fashion problems. Just consider what my friend Surabhi said when we talked about Indian weddings: "It's so hard because you have to think of four different outfits for every wedding!" It's tough work but the result is a visual feast.

With the bride and groom (in matching turquoise), the bride's mom,
and our friend K

For the Sangeet, the outfit required was "traditional." For girls, this meant a sari. For boys, this meant my husband wore this for the first time...

So cute! And he matched the bride and groom! Mads insisted on providing us with outfits. She made me this cute dress, with a very heavy, coral-like neckpiece; she also made pants to go with it, to make the outfit more Indian. Hamil's outfit, fresh from India, came with matching pants, but the fit was a bit awkward so he wore his own. He kind of looked like he was a member of the groom's family...

I would have wanted to wear my gorgeous sari, but Mads said, "No! Save the best for last!" Meanwhile, our other Pinay friends wore their saris, also courtesy of Mads...

K and Pam and their Indian poses on the dance floor. Pam was quite the headturner that night!

She reserved an animal-print fabric for Pam--an edgy fabric that suited this super fashion stylist (and which caught the attention of every table she passed). It was too loose on her, so we spent twenty minutes in her room trying to secure everything so she wouldn't give everyone a free show. I think it pretty much held up during all the dancing we did that night.

For the beach barbecue, we were encouraged to wear "floral." I just wore a black eyelet dress and my famous floral wedges...

You already saw a sampling of the costumes at the Youngsters' Party in my previous post, so let's skip to the actual wedding. I LOVED my sari--and so did K! When Mads asked her to choose a fabric prior to the wedding, K eyed mine. But sweet Mads had already reserved it for me. "It's your color," she told me, gently prodding me to choose the fabric among the multitude that she showed me. (BFFs naturally get first dibs. Haha.)

With my dapper husband

It's a mustard yellow with intricate gold embroidery. The aunties were stopping me and telling me that I looked "very nice." When I mentioned this to Mads, she remarked, "Wow, even the aunties were impressed!"--normally a tough bunch to please!

Luckily, I didn't have to figure out the draping much--all I had to figure out was how to suck in my stomach for several hours. Mads had the sari sewn so that all I had to do was wrap it around once and place it over my shoulder. Sari veterans (like Mads's mom) could artfully drape a plain piece of fabric (albeit one that's six yards long) around their bodies.

A little bit of skin

While I adored my sari, it didn't come close to Mads's and Muks's breathtaking outfits...

Now take all the pinks and blues and yellows and bling, and multiply them by 500, and you'll get an idea of just how dazzling an Indian wedding is--a wonderful reflection of their colorful, beautiful culture.

Photos from Heidi Valencia and Jamie Lihan of Imagine Nation, K, and my own cam

Quickie

My apologies for not updating. Was supposed to blog about all the fabulous outfits at Mads's wedding (the last post of the series) and all our recent date nights (fooood galore), but my husband is (gently) hurrying me along for tonight's DVD marathon. Haven't been home much--Hamil and I have been spending evenings (and sometimes early mornings) in whatever bar is showing the World Cup matches. (My heart bleeds for Argentina.) Relatives were/still are in town from abroad. And well, there's been work.

Speaking of--today (yes, a Sunday) we shot our cover girl for September (secret!). I introduced myself, and it floored me when she said, "Yes, we've met before!" I couldn't believe she remembered. We had a five-minute encounter months ago, and she remembered. That was pretty cool.

And the compliment of the week comes from my former boss. She asked if I set my hair every day, and I replied that that's what my hair looks like when I don't bother to blow dry it. She first muttered, "I heychu!" but followed it up with, "Ikaw na ang bago kong hair idol! Patay na kasi si Farah Fawcett." ("You are my new hair idol since Farah Fawcett is gone.") Awesome, considering Farah was my personal hair idol!

OK, the husband just gave me a look. Will blog again soon.