Biscotti Calories

I just realized after eating the 3rd slice of Goldilocks Biscotti (biscotcho) that I ate in a matter of minutes whatever calories I've burned running for an hour (5 miles)! Yikes!

Oh well... You only get to live once...

Ipod on Shuffle

I found this thing online and for lack of stuff to write here in my blog right now, I decided to just post this instead.

Instructions are very simple. You just put your music player on shuffle. Press forward for each question. Use the song title as the answer to the question. No cheating!

What does next year have in store for me?
If you were gay [Avenue Q]
** I don't know why....

What's my love life like?
Defying Gravity [Wicked - Eden Espinosa]
** Definitely defying gravity!!!

What do I say when life gets hard?
Not the Doctor [Alanis Morissette]
** Yep, I'm not the doctor. I don't want to fix everything.

What do I think when I get up in the morning?
Breathe [Kitchie Nadal]
** Breathe in and out....

What song will I dance to at my wedding?
The Wizard and I [Wicked]
** I'm already married but... I'll stand there with the Wizard, feeling things I've never felt! And though I might not show it, I'll be so happy I could melt!

Your favourite saying?
No More [Into the Woods]
** Yep, NO MORE INDEED!

Favourite place?
There's a Fine, Fine Line [Avenue Q]
** Wherever that fine fine line may be...

Describe your life:
Chimp in a suit [Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]
** Give him a dandy little topper, tie on a natty cravat, buy him a castle and he'll still be an asshole and nothing you do will change that...

What do you think of your parents?
Thank goodness [Wicked]
** Thank goodness indeed or else I would've probably been such a screw-up.

Where would you go on a first date?
You can be as loud as the hell [Avenue Q]
** Right there, right there.. that's the spot!

Drug of choice?
Don't I hold you [Wheat - Elizabethtown]
** Huh???

Describe yourself:
All I need [Matchbox Twenty]
** Yeah baby, all I need...

What is the thing I like doing most?
Every Story is a Love Story [Aida]
** Umm... I guess what it's trying to tell you is I love reading women's fiction.

What is my state of mind like at the moment?
The Light in the Piazza [The Light in the Piazza]
** I don't see a miracle shining through the sky...I'm no good at statues and stories.... Geezz... this is depressing!

How will I die?
Climb Every Mountain [The Sound of Music]
** I guess rock climbing is out of the picture for me now.

What was the first song you danced to?
Both Sides Now [Susan Egan]
** Yeah, you stay on your side, I stay on mine.

What would you say to the President?
Here I Am [Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]
** So, what do you need now?

What is your favorite movie song?
Come on in from the outside [Taboo - Boy George]
** Technically it's not a movie song but a song from a musical.

If I were to start a band, I would name them:
Flying Home [Songs for a New World]
** And we'd be singing showtunes.... hehehehe....

Under the moonlight, you like to kiss your sweetheart to:
Why do you love me [Barbie's Cradle]
** Yes, why do you love me?

Cleaning

Is it just me? Or is there anyone else out there who does not profess their love for cleaning the house? Ever since I was little, I have been taught that it is a woman's job to clean the house and you take great pleasure in making your home clean.

Okay, I must've lost that gene that takes pleasure in cleaning. I hate, hate, hate cleaning. Sure, I love a clean house. Who doesn't? However, cleaning is one of those chores that I could do without but unfortunately, it's not something that I really could do without since I refuse to live in a pigsty.

I am a great believer of automation. That's why I love the Roomba. Why vacuum the floors yourself when you can have something (or someone) do it for you? Unfortunately, I cannot bribe my husband enough to clean the house. The dog won't do it either. So I am stuck with this chore.

Is there such a thing as a self-cleaning house? If there is, I want one! Or maybe, I should just call the Merry Maids and schedule an appointment for them to come in and clean the house for me...

Random Things/Thoughts

Ipod Nano
I picked up a new ipod nano (black 8gb) today. It's so teeny tiny! I'm a gadget freak and hearing someone tell me that my ipod is huge freaked me out. Hehehehehe....

Air Soft Guns
Arvin (hubby) and his friends are into these airsoft gas powered guns. The bullets are plastic pellets that probably hurt still if and when you get hit. I've never held a real gun in my life -- this is probably the closest that I'd ever hold a gun. Been doing target practice the past few days. I suck. However, I am very competetive so I'll probably keep on practicing until I get a lot better at it.

9 Ball Billiards
It's been a while since I last played billiards. When we were living in Walnut Creek, Arvin and I used to go and play often at Masses Billiards hall. Anyways, we decided to go out and play 9 ball billiards this afternoon. I think I did pretty well. I was telling Arvin that I really do not mind losing as long as I don't get zeroed out on the score. I feel like I played a decent game today. 2 games to 4.

Working at Home this Weekend
For the first time in a long time, I actually didn't work from home this weekend. Sure, I VPN-ed into the network tonight to check on something but I wouldn't consider it as working. I guess I was a lot more tired than I though tI was from my recent trip to Houston. If not for my new ipod which I needed to synchronize with my files, I probably would not have used my computer at all today. Well, okay... I'm using it to write this blog.

Running
I'm trying to get back to my running schedule. I haven't been running for over a month since I've just been so busy.

Vacation
What's that? I was supposed to be on vacation last week but I ended up going back to Houston. I haven't taken a real vacation this year and from the way things look right now at work, I don't think I'll be able to squeeze in any vacation days. Well, I guess, I should look at the bright side of things. I'm going to have a lot of vacation days next year!

TV Week
See vacation. I never got to take this. I haven't finished watching the second season of BattleStar Galactica. I think I'm only halfway through. I don't think I'll be able to finish before th new season starts. Oh well...

Reading
I have not been reading at all for the past 2 weeks. So my to be read pile has not shrunk at all. Need to really catch up on my reading. I feel like my mind is turning into mush when I don't read.

Sleeping
I always have a hard time sleeping when I am travelling. No matter how plush and expensive the hotel room is, I have trouble sleeping. This weekend was all about catching up with my sleep. Hubby knows better than to wake me up early.

Allergies

I have been battling allergies for the past week. My doctor tells me that it's something in the air. So I guess the only way really for me to escape these allergies is to stop breathing -- uummmm.... not an option.

I can't tell you how hard it is to actually talk and at the same time breathe from your mouth. It's a good thing that I don't use my mouth to blog.....

Mandatory Turning Older Blog

*** This blog is a few days late. I needed to experience being a year older for a few days before actually drawing any conclusions. ;) ***

Over the years, on my birthday, there is always at least 1 person asking me how it feels to be a year older. My standard answer has always been, I feel the same as I did yesterday. It makes me wonder if I am supposed to be feeling something different once the clock strikes 12 o'clock on the day of my birthday. Truth is, I really don't feel any different when I was a year younger. Seriously, I don't really feel like I am getting older -- well, except physically -- the aches, the pain, and other things that come with age are starting to announce their presence. A day, a month or a year probably wouldn't make me feel any different. However, ask me about how I am feeling now compared to how I felt 10 years ago and I would definitely be able to tell you the difference.

Ten years ago around this time, I was fresh out of school. Wide eyed, idealistic, ever so optimistic and ready to conquer the world and nothing could get in the way of all my dreams and aspirations. I felt like I was super woman. I jaywalked across busy streets filled with crazy drivers trying to avoid running me over. I went mountain climbing and even climbing slippery waterfalls. I wasn't afraid of anything. Lyrics from a song called I'm not afraid of anything written by Jason Robert Brown (Songs for a New world Soundtrack), nicely describes how I felt 10 years ago.

I'm not afraid of anything
Be it mountains, water, dragons, dark or sky
I'm not afraid of anything
Tell me where's the challenge if you never try
So watch me fly
I'm not afraid

Now, I'm just contented to let the world pass me by. I have gone further than I could ever have imagined 10 years ago. I have never thought I could be where I am right now and living the kind of life I live. Over the years, I've become more of a skeptic -- more of a I'll believe it when I see it type of person. I'm practical and a pragmatist. I have come to the realization that some of my dreams are and will remain as dreams and do not apply to the real world. Am I disappointed that not all my dreams are turning into reality? Nah... The odds are still pretty much in my favor. :)

Nope, I have not started counting backwards. :P

Sacrifices

I have a good life. I'm very thankful for all the blessings that have come my way. I have a loving husband. I have a good job. We're financially stable. We have our own place. We have a somewhat well behaved dog. We get to do the things we want and buy the things that we need and want.

I really have nothing much to complain about my life. Well, except maybe for the fact that we're so far away from family and friends. It really sucks being so far away. I guess this is the price I have to pay for having the kind of life that I currently have. I keep on missing events in the lives of people that matter to me. I have not seen my family in almost a year. I haven't seen a lot of my friends in about 3 years. Today's my brother's wedding. It's my only sibling's wedding and I cannot even be there. It really stinks but there's really nothing much I can do about it except sulk.

We have to make our own sacrifices and this is one of mine. Oh well, that's life...

Open letter from my computer

Why the hell are you always in front of me? You look at me more than you look at anything else. I could not remember a day that you were never in front of me. If there was such a thing as having a reflection burn in, I would have the imprint of your face smack dab right at the center of my screen.

You oftentimes complain about lower back pain and stiff shoulders. Well guess what? It's because you sit on your butt all day long! Good thing thing the chiropractor's office is just round the block from work. You've had carpal tunnel syndrome yet you don't cut down the number of hours that you spend tapping on the keyboard. Whatever you're doing must be very important or not but I promise I will never tell!

You my dear are addicted to the web. No doubt about it. You spend countless hours on the Internet just poking around or going to your countless message boards. I am pretty sure that you will suffer from withdrawal syndrome if ever your Internet connection is taken away.

You want me to do what? You are way too demanding! You take multitasking to the nth degree. You like spreading the love around, no wonder I am not your only computer at work. You're such a control freak too. You always need to have full rights on everything you manage or else you won't manage it at all.

Please, get off me and do something else!

Love,
Your computer (you never gave me a name)

Hot Seat Day

Today was my hot seat day on the Judith McNaught Bulletin Board. Click on the title to go to the bulletin board posts.

I would suck as a...

Ever wonder what your profession would've been if you're not doing what you are currently doing?

I thought it would be good to compile a list of jobs and write down a reason why it was such a good thing that I didn't go into that profession.

I would suck as a SINGER
Considering I am off key most of the time. I sound the same in every song that I sing when I am in the shower. It starts raining when I sing. Heck, I even have a hard time talking! I'd rather listen to music and let the pros do their job. I don't take criticism so well. I do have utmost respect for people in the arts -- no matter how good they are, someone is bound to criticize them but they still keep on going. The world would be a sad place if they stopped performing.

I would suck as a CONCERT PIANIST
Yes, I was sent to piano lessons since I was about 8 years old till I was 15. I swear to you, I never memorized a single piece. It was pathetic! I managed not to go to any recital in 7 years! I am amazed at how I managed to do it. I think I eneded up chatting more with my piano teacher than actually playing the piano, so yes, I would definitely suck at this.

I would suck as a TAXI DRIVER
I am pretty bad when it comes to directions. I always manage to get myself and my hubby lost whenever I navigate. I can read a map (I think!) although I have a hard time trying to figure out which way the map should be facing. I know, there's the GPS now however, how many taxis have you seen that are equipped with a GPS?

I would suck as a GOLFER
I admit, I have a full set of clubs somewhere in our garage. Only the 7 iron has been used. That's the only club that I can actually hit the ball with. Plus, I could not find the logic behind hitting a ball and then running around trying to look for it. Anyone want a full set of clubs?

I would suck as a NORDSTROM CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
I don't think I can keep a smile on my face if someone is yelling at me. I would be so tempted to yell back. I like to be the one doing the yelling and not the one getting yelled at. It's amazing that 2 weeks have passed and I haven't yelled at any of the vendors that we're working with. It used to be a daily occurence. Some of the products just suck big time!

I would suck as an ACCOUNTANT
I can't even balance my own checkbook. I had one accounting class in college and I almost flunked it. I can't do my own taxes (I'd rather pay someone to do my taxes). I can't count money. But one thing's for sure, I CAN spend money.

I would suck as a WRITER
I can't stick to one topic. I'm probably not feeling well if I did. Plus I can't think of anything really interesting to write about except stuff that I have here in my blog. Writing an essay that's at least 1000 on one topic in college was torture for me. I go off on different tangents. I tend to rant and blabber so being a writer is out of the picture.

I think I am convinced that there is nothing else in this world that I can do aside from my current line of work. I've been working in IT for about 9 years now. I love what I do. I love the different challenges that I face in my job.

I am such a geek...

Me, a gay white guy? Bwahahaha... Maybe in a previous life...

This is one of the topics that I fear would bite me back in the ass but what the heck. I have already mentioned it in a previous blog so there is no turning back. A friend of mine told me that I've opened up a can of worms so I have to 'fess up. I am also enjoying writing down my thoughts. It's exhilarating!

A co-worker of mine emailed me when I was in NY asking me what I thought about Wicked. I replied to him and told him that I looooved it, loved the songs and was going to watch it again before I go home (this was after I watched it for the first time). He just blurted out of the blue that it's too bad I am already a woman or else I would've made a great gay man. LOL! This really cracked me up and this is pretty much the reason why I felt that I should write this blog.

His statement got me thinking. What on earth have I been doing to merit a comment like that? Hey, gay men are great! I have first hand experience on how they are. A dear friend of mine is gay and I love him dearly. I would rather have him gay than straight. It's even better than having a great girl friend -- we go to jail in Columbia all the time (I've read that they throw you in jail for gossiping in Columbia) and we talk about boys (Matthew Fox and Ricky Martin are present most of the time in our conversations). I don't think I would have as much fun with him if he were straight. Plus HELLO?? I'm in San Francisco -- GAY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD! Of course, I took the statement as a compliment and told him that I may have been a gay white guy in my previous life.

Here are the reasons I came up with why I would've made a great gay white guy or why I may have been a gay white guy in my previous life. May not all be valid reasons but I'm writing them down. I felt that should make another list. ;)

1. Madonna and Cher. I have no explanation for liking these 2 women. They're good but they're not the best singers out there plus I like male singers and bands (not the boy bands but instead the REAL bands). I've heard from a reputable source that whenever these ladies release a new record, attendance at gay bars that play their songs are on the rise and 24 hr fitness play their songs.

2. My friend said that I can do the hair flip as well as any drag queen you've ever seen. Care for a demo? I dare you ask. LOL!

3. I loooooove theatre! I love musicals and showtunes! I will watch a show even if I have to go all by myself. I'm tired of missing good shows because I couldn't find anyone I know who was interested in watching it. For some reason, a co-worker mentioned that it's sooooo gay to go watch a show all by yourself (from a straight guy's point of view).

4. I think gay guys are HOT! HOT! HOT! Um, um, um! OMG! A lot of them are very cute and have great bodies. 6 pack abs baby! Lately, my friend has been having me look at pictures of hot papis. Woof! I can look at them for hours. I tend to cast them in the romantic novels that I read however I make them fit the part and they become straight and get paired with beautiful women! Just to give you an example, I casted this really cute gay guy with really great eyes as Mitchell in Every Breath You Take (Judith McNaught) and paired him off with Evangeline Lilly from Lost. Hahahahaha....

5. I obsess about paint colors. My friend David and I were looking at paint colors for weeks (I mean weeks!) for my house. In the end, we picked out 7 different colors. Yes, 7! It's not random colors and it looks FABULOUS on my walls! Just in case you're wondering, my living room is this very nice shade of orange. The official name on the Benjamin Moore website is Golden Harvest. Makes the room look alive. Hubby wanted to paint the entire house white and I thought it was boring.

6. Quoting a friend of mine, I have no problems calling a beotch a beotch if he/she acts as one. I'm surrounded by divas, drama queens and queen bees. Sometimes, I am one too!

7. I think of shopping as cardio. There is nothing more exhilarating than walking around the mall with both my arms carrying A LOT of shopping bags. Come to think of it, it is both cardio and weight training.

8. I think along the same lines (more of on the same gutter) as my friend who's gay. It's freaky sometimes because it seems that I can read his mind and he can read mine. You know what they say, birds of the same feather, tend to drink out of the same gutter... So it's either I'm a 45 year old gay white guy or he's a 30 year old Filipino lady!

9. My close friend in college calls me 'yot -- short for bayot, which is slang in Filipino for a gay guy. I call her the same thing.

No, I do not work out at 24 Hr fitness... (Watch the 40 year old Virgin)

I assure you I'm a girl through and through. My hubby can definitely attest that I am a girl. I have real boobs and all the right parts!

Yeah... I am crazy...

Getting Old Part Two

I felt I needed to add an addendum to my blog from last night. I made it sound like getting old is such a horrible thing. Like everything else in life, there is an upside and a downside. I've focused on the downsides last night. Let me now create a list of the upsides. Yes, I am still in a list mood at the moment.

1. If I was 13 years old, I wouldn't be able to afford my toys considering I would be depending on the allowance my parents would be giving me. I am such a gadget freak! I work in IT so I love electronics. Did I tell you how much I love my roomba and how much I would love to get the scooba? (roomba = vacuums, scooba = scrubs and mops. These are the wonderful products from iRobot http://www.irobot.com/)

2. If I was 13 years old, there is no way in hell I would be able to afford to watch 3 Broadway shows within a week. All orchestra seats too!

3. If I was 13 years old, I wouldn't be able to go to certain websites on the Internet. Bwahahaahahahaha.... Enuf said.

4. If I was 13 years old, I wouldn't be able to drive. Heck, I don't think I would even be able to reach the pedals. I'd be craning my neck to see above the dashboard. Yes, I was small when I was 13. I didn't start growing till I was 16.

5. If I was 13 years old, I wouldn't be married to the most wonderful man ever! *sigh* That would be a total disaster.

There are so many more reasons but I'm already drawing blanks right now plus I can't think of anything else that would top #5.

Getting Old

I am getting old!

I will be chastised by my friends who are older than me when and if they see this. Almost all of my friends are older than me. I am considered as the baby in the group. At work, I am the youngest person in our group in the SF office (but the most senior Systems Admin! Yay me!)

Why do I feel that I am getting old? Bear with me, it's not easy to accept this fact. The little girl inside me is 13. She's in here somewhere...

I seem to be in a list mood tonight so here's another list stating all the reasons why I feel old.

1. At work today, my boss was asking me if I know of a software that would synchronize files. I was telling my co-worker that I know we have a utility and for the life of me, I cannot remember the name. I kept on saying that I know it starts with the letter S. I finally find the utility and the name is Filesync. Yeah, sure.. Starts with an S. My memory is going down the drain...

2. I'm beginning to listen to classical music and showtunes. I realize this may not be a valid reason why I feel old, but... I used to hate listening to classical music. Whenever my mom would listen to classical music, I would cringe and tell her that it's "old people's" music. Showtunes, umm... I love showtunes. It may not be part of the getting old part but instead it's the old caucasian gay guy inside me. LOL! I'll write to explain this part one of these days.

3. I was chatting with the ladies from the Judith McNaught bulletin board tonight. Several ladies were asking if there were members who had myspace profiles. I said I had one and I plan to use it mostly for blogging. I could've used friendster where most of my friends are however it's too slow and I'm too lazy to install a full pledged blogging site on my own web server at home (one of these days when I don't feel lazy, I will do it). So, I got 2 invites from my JMBB friends and they're in their early 20's! Doh!

4. I get achey now! ARRGGHHH! This is the part I hate the most. Whenever I do any physical stuff, I get all achey and my back hurts. I'm starting to degenerate.

5. I don't seem to need as much sleep as I used to. I read somewhere that the older you get, the lesser sleep you need. Except on weekends...

I have finally found a very valid reason to start blogging. Since my brain cells are starting to die on me, this would remind me one of these days of the things that I've done and what I was thinking. I know, I know. This might bite me back in the ass...

I am mostly in state of denial about my age these days. No, I have not started counting back -- at least not yet. I don't feel like I am 30. I feel like I am 21 (okay, I'm lying. I feel like I am 13... heheheheh...).