A productive day today...

Today I just stayed home and cleaned our (Tata's and mine) room from 8 am til 4 pm. Aaaaaaaa! Am exhausted and covered in grime. What a lot of kalat I've accumulated in just one year!?!?!

There are so many books in our room, I'm tempted to sell the older, not-so-important ones to make space for new books. Then again, I can't. (sigh) They're in our book list for Ex Libris UP kasi e.

Yesterday, Tata and I met up with Jaime for lunch at Burgoo's, Rockwell. We were there for 3+ hours, so darn long that the waiters were starting to give us curious looks. Haha! We updated each other on our life dramas, it was really fun. :) I had the pettiest drama to share, pathetic moi. I know it's petty but it doesn't feel petty to me...

Jaime, I can't believe it's been 5 years already?! Ang tanda na natin!

I haven't finished thinking of my New Year resolutions, but here are the first three (apart from the required "Be a better person" resolution):

1. Spend only 30% of my weekly allowance and save the other 70% (wooohoooo, I hope I can keep this one!)

2. Don't buy anything I don't really need.

3. Lose weight.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Social Life

Last night, Tata and I went to our annual high school Christmas Party/Reunion, traditionally held each year at Kris' place. :) It was fun! I miss being a high school senior, worrying only about acads and extra curriculars.

My eye bags are so big nowadays, I'm hardly getting enough sleep. Late nights up thanks to Diner Dash courtesy of Yahoo! Games, haha! It's so addicting, I swear. Ooooh Lemonade Tycoon's also fun. Yup, I'm acting soooo mature for a 19 year old. (haha! can't get over it...I'm so OLD)

Am meeting up with a few old friends over the course of the next few days, wheeee! Can hardly wait.

Something to do while waiting for dinner

1. ARE YOU OVER 18?
>> tomorrow, I will be :)

2. FAV. CARTOON CHARACTER ?
>> tough one... can't decide between Dexter and Bugs Bunny. Oooh, and Mulan!

3. DID YOU GET ENOUGH SLEEP LAST
NIGHT?
>> nope but I had a nap today

4. FIRST THING YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS
MORNING WHEN YOU WOKE UP?
>> Merry Christmas World!

5. WHAT DO YOU HAVE HANDY BY YOUR
BEDSIDE?
>>cellphone, organizer, pens, my i-only-write-once-every-two-months diary, alcohol

6. EVER TRIED TO SKIP MEAL?
>> Never!! I can't live without food

7. GRILLED OR FRIED?
>> both

8. WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE ?
>> :)

9. ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?
>> Only if I'm fresh from a horror movie

10. FAVORITE HANGOUT?
>> my college, the Acad Oval in UP, any bookstore, any good cafe

11. THINGS YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT?
>> cellphone and organizer

12. FIRST THING YOU WILL BUY IF GIVEN 1
THOUSAND DOLLARS?
>> a Clavinova!! :)

13. FAVORITE SONG WHEN YOU'RE
SLEEPY?
>> Enya

14. WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?
>> losing my family

15. ARE YOU A GIVER OR TAKER?
>> giver

16. WHAT ARE YOUR NICKNAMES?
>> gabi. gabitwin. gohbbie

19. IF YOU WERE INVISIBLE FOR A DAY,
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
>> sneak in an airplane and go to Scotland!!

20. STUCK ON A DESERTED ISLAND & COULD
HAVE ONLY ONE KIND OF FOOD FOR THE
REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
>> cream of mushroom soup or caesar's salad

21. FAVORITE T.V. COMMERCIAL?
>> don't watch tv :(

22. IF YOU'LL DIE TOMORROW, WHAT WILL
YOU DO NOW?
>> be with my family

23. FIRST THING YOU'LL SAVE IN A FIRE
>> tough one! probably my keepsake box

24. YOUR EYE COLOR?
>> dark brown

25. WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU ALWAYS
BRING?
>> wallet, cellphone, alcohol, tissue paper, paper, pen

26. WHAT DID YOU WANNA BE WHEN YOU
WERE A KID?
>> an author

27. WHAT DO YOU USUALLY DO WHEN THE
CLOCK STRIKES 7 AM?
>> usually I'm at my college, signing the practice room reservation sheet

28. THE COLOR OF YOUR BEDSHEET?
>> blue

29. WHO DO U WANT TO MEET?
>> the great sopranos, past and present 

30. HOW'S LIFE TODAY?
>> Couldn't be peachier. :)

What a fun Christmas!!

I can't sleep, am too excited. Too happy. How wonderful the world seems tonight! I want to throw my arms wide open and embrace the whole world, the whole universe... I want to go out to the streets and kiss every stranger on the cheek... I want to go outside in the street and shout MERRY CHRISTMAS to the neighbors...

It has been a perfect Christmas. :)

"I'll be there"

Today I was lucky enough to chance upon Charlotte Church's first movie, "I'll Be There," costarring Craig Ferguson (a middle-aged Scots who still managed to look VEEEEEEERY bonny despite his age), I forget if it was on HBO or Star Movies. At any rate, I've been DYING of curiousity to see this movie ever since I heard she starred in one. :)

Ah... Charlotte... the heroine of my adolescent years. I would never have joined the chorale and started singing if I hadn't been inspired by her "Just Wave Hello" music video.

Can't wait for midnight to come... we're hearing mass later in Makati, am REALLY looking forward to singing all those Christmas songs with everyone else in the church. Nothing beats community singing... brings back good ol' chorale mems.

Merry Christmas everybody!! :)

A Most Happy Day

Today, Tata and I went out with our good friend Raymond. :) We hung out at ATC, ate several times (in the spirit of the adage, "During Christmastime, one must grow fat."), then proceeded to CCP where we watched the homecoming concert of the Philippine Madrigals (or The Madz, for short). Great food, heavenly music, and good company... what more can one ask for?

Get this: they FED us at the concert. :) There were six choices of drinks (four of them, different kinds of vodka), and lots of sushi, small potatoes, little chicken legs, and other pika-pika food (Pika-pika they might be, but if you eat a lot of the little tykes, it counts for a whole dinner!). I had a sip of vodka, hee hee!

Ooooh!! Am on a musical high. Highlights of the concert (for me) were the Ay Kalisud (simply gorgeous, and oh so tragic... I nearly cried) and the show stopper of all show stoppers, Circle of Life from the Lion King (this is the 3rd/4th time I've seen the Madz perform this... their "signature" encore piece, but they just keep getting better and better). Bravi! They're even better than the original! (no offense to Sir Elton John)

Mabuhay ang Madz!! Long live the World's Best Choir!

From your number one fans:


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Below was tonight's program:

Part I

Angele Dei by Balsamo
Esto Les Digo, Lange
Dayo Dayo Kupita, Alcala II
Ay Kalisud, arr. Nepomuceno
Iniibig Kita, Cayabyab
Pakiusap, Santiago
El Manisero, Simons
Clementine, Montrose
Canto Negro, Montsalvatge
Way Over in Beulah-lan', arr. Jennings

Part II

Gumising, Francisco and Pagsanghan
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Blane and Martin
Stille Nacht/Silent Night, Gruber
Sino Si Santa Klaus, arr. Abeleda-Piquero
Kasadya Ning Takna-a Vicente/Ang Pasko ay Sumapit, Rubi and Vestil
Lullaby, Joel
Better World, Cayabyab
Light of a Million Mornings, Cloninger & co.

Encore pieces:

The Circle of Life
Bituing Walang Ningning