ENOUGH

yes, im making it real clear as to what this post will be all about. today has been a good day actually. first day of spring. not bad day at work. and towards the end of the day i get an email from somebody. this person is not even someone im close to or on regular speaking terms with.

the email was in regards to the disaster that is the hostage taking of HongKong tourists in Manila last week.

Ok first of all, unless you've been living under a rock or just sickly apathetic--then you sure as hell know what this is all about. no links or introduction needed. in fact i don't even want to talk about it or give any reaction to it but this email has broken the camel's back.

before i rattle on even more, id like to get one thing clear-- I feel extremely horrible about what happened- that's 8 innocent lives gone. I will feel the same degree of emptiness, sadness and hollowness regardless of where those 8 people came from--be it a bus of local commuters, a bus of school children-- it does not matter what their nationality is, whether they are tourists or not--in my eyes human lives are valued all in equal level.

like most of you, i have read the numerous articles/essays/what have you's of "what should have been done", "10 things the Police did wrong" , etc. --opinions are shooting off like open fire After the tragedy. nothing more useless than backseat, aftermath comments.

and there are even more tirades against how utterly useless the police force/government are.

unless i know with all certainty that I myself could have done better and saved the day--not just with my side comments but with the right judgement and action--for sure i would give my million dollars worth of advice.

now after all this reaction against the government and how 'pathetic' it is...the mood of reactions (from Filipinos) have shifted to being defensive. First you lambast your own government , then when everyone else (the non-Filipinos) start to bash us-- the shields of defense are now brought out.

is this a classic case of "i can bash my own but you can't"? yes it is painful to hear negative comments from non-Filipinos, especially when they are sweeping generalizations. but the self-depreciation usually comes first from us Filipinos. We (i speak as one--no time to point fingers) are very quick to judge ourselves, and bring ourselves down. If there's anything good out of those "aftermath" articles, it is the one from Huffington Post about "the bus and Ms Universe". We Filipinos should really take ourselves more seriously and expect more. we can do more than just being the best in boxing, singing, or beauty pageants.

Integrity starts at home so if this one is well established in the beginning--as a community and a nation there won't be a hard time following through the right course of action.

I find that so many words have been written and spoken. But its time to walk the talk. And until we get our act together--we deal with the side effects and repercussions of where we fall short.

Now back to the email!--where this bad mood rising has hatched from anyway.

the subject of the email was "A template/guide for a letter from the Filipino communities to the loved ones of the victims of the bus hostage"

reading through the lengthy email..i can deduce that it is from a Filipino community in Malaysia (where the email was sent from, to me). it looks like it is from a Catholic/Church group.

There was an instruction to sign your name at the bottom--much like a petition for a cause and the email's objective was to gather as much signatures from Filipinos and to forward it to the HongKong Ambassador to Kuala Lumpur.

then, attached to the email was a word document:

To the loved ones of the victims and to the people of Hong Kong...

We are sorry for the loss of the precious lives of your loved ones

the senseless action of one man has robbed them of the most precious thing - the gift of life

We are sorry for the void in your lives that can never ever be filled

we feel helpless that nothing we do now can ever change things

We are sorry for the great sorrow that has beset you

we share your anguish and mourn with you

We are sorry for the agony suffered by all others who were caught in this tragedy but thankfully survived

they too will never be the same

We are sorry for the gross mishandling of the situation by our authorities and media

this has not helped in addressing your shock and sorrow and in this respect we urge our President and our government to put right what is so wrong in our system that enabled this tragedy to happen

We are sorry for the insensitivities of various quarters

these actions or inactions are totally unbecoming, they do not reflect the true empathy of the Filipino people

We are sorry that we have not, as a nation, taken total responsibility for this tragedy

we have not had the humility and courage to do so

We are sorry that apologies were not immediately forthcoming from our leaders, that their disposition and demeanour conveyed a lack of compassion

the needs of human persons must take precedence over political bureaucracy

From the depths of our hearts we ask your forgiveness...

WE ARE SO SORRY

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Though my heart is crushed for the families of those who died-- I refuse to take part of this chain email.

I am not belittling the tragedy but this is just too much.

Too much of this sorry and apology is just almost patronizing

That letter already sounds like a NOVENA for crying out loud--" We are sorry that we have not, as a nation, taken total responsibility for this tragedy

we have not had the humility and courage to do so"

Enough with the flowery words already!!! Enough with the self-depreciation!

Why do we want others to always like us? This letter is reflective of how Filipinos as people, like to be liked. and will do anything--bend backwards to please. What's done is done and really--accept the consequences. it will take time to heal their pain and anguish (albeit misdirected) but let it be.

And from here on, learn from this very costly mistake and live onwards.

And that person who sent me the email--who is not even Filipino--I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. maybe this person has sent it in good faith, because at the bottom was something along the lines of "pass on to as many Filipinos as you can". but i just find it incredibly insulting. It's like "hey, go and apologize to them!"

Unbelievable.

Ok now that I've aired out my rants like a rattle inside stainless steel drums , i shall end this post and move on!

i need. i want!

so speaking of things of mine that have taken a beating--my rusty old laptop needs to be replaced..badly! it's been with me for 6 years now and browsing the net with my iphone is much faster. i feel so bad about it--it's got missing parts and pieces yet here i am blogging with it!
its been with me through different stages of my life--different countries too. yes its way. too. slow. it has broken down countless times. but hey, with ample time on hand--it has always been reliable.
i don't know if i should wait until this totally breaks down before getting a new one.
im not sentimental about things. i don't name my laptop or anything silly like that. but look-i feel like im betraying it--writing about how im planning to replace it while using it!

im thinking about getting a mac book or a mac book pro--but i would like to explore all other options. i haven't had time to read all the numerous reviews on laptops out there because computer speak , to me is just like poring through gps reviews-- bor. ring.

i just need plainspeak recommendations. a simple one- mid sized, can store gazillions of photos and videos, fast processor!

on moving

if moving was this easy and compact--i could move about 30 times a year! moving is fun--no doubt about it. i always look at the bigger picture--new environment, new experience, new life! to me, it is well worth the small nitty and gritty details that come along with it.

moving a lot comes with a price though--one that i am thinking of right now is that our furniture has taken a lot of beating. you have to be prepared for the damage and loss that may come. just an example--our tv got stolen along the move--flat screen 40 inch. it was a bummer but 3 days later we got a bigger and better one. well we've been lucky because all our moving is done by our company hence any loss or damage is taken care of immediately.

but my point is--you take the good with the bad.

sometimes it also serves as a prompt for us to get new things. out with the old, in with the new!

was in ikea this weekend , and have majorly hoarded on new things for the new place (hello Visa reward card!) and i am so excited about my brewing project ;)

yes moving can be costly and a back breaker but for someone like me who values life changes and experience, it is very much worth it.

the aftermath

why hello there. yes im still around and have been itching to just sit down, log on the net, and just browse, browse...and catch up on my very long list of post assignments.
but working on weekdays and having only the weekend to catch up on settling in, unpacking, and tidying--that seems abit impossible.
were getting there--the worst bit is at least over--the actual moving day.

well let me tell you about the actual moving day. we went to the clinic in the middle of the day to try to squeeze in a consultation for my husband's cough.
when we came in, i just casually mentioned to the doctor that since we moved here, I haven't stopped sneezing. not just in the mornings but all throughout day time.

and he casually suggested that if i would like to take an allergy test, he can arrange one right away and it will be over in 10 minutes.

i jumped at the chance. this sneezing and runny nose (but not cold) has been bugging me to no end and i would like to see the end of it!-all this despite religiously taking garlic and horseradish and vitamin c and echanecea everyday

i went to the lab and the nurse/lab lady asked me to roll both my sleeves up. "Are you going to get blood from me?" I asked.
"Blood?? Oh no no no no...." she said laughing. as if what i asked was out of this planet. as if what's about to come next is a walk in the park...



i would very much have preferred to have a litre of blood drained out of me--i was poked and stabbed at least 30 times.
no actually it wasn't just poking. it was more like puncturing my skin repeatedly (as they needed my skin to be cut so the allergy specimen could come through.

i really wanted to strangle somebody after that. it was honestly like ancient torture. i thought that by now, medical technology can recognize allergy without having to inflict pain!

nevertheless, im glad in the end that i did it. i wish this was done when i was younger. i mean, some people can only get this through North Carolina health insurance or something. but i did mine free of charge, and in a jiffy. i am allergic to a number of things but the main culprit are dust and cat hair.
im glad im not allergic to dogs! i can live without them cats.

dust--thats a little hard as dust is everywhere! i think its the hotel weve been staying at though. because its not that bad now in our new place.

now if only i can have the same test to know which people im allergic to! oh that would be fun.

this is the real Stunna Deal

can I just share with you this piece of perfection??

this just HAS to be. the most stunning cover photo of Ms. Angelina Jolie.

The pose, the gaze, those cheekbones--everything about this woman is to die for. Team Jolie-haters need not comment ok?

I've never been one for the wholesome type

Anyway. I just love this woman! Her dedication to her causes, how she is very un-hollywood, her overly simplistic style, her career, her family.

She just makes everything look more extraordinary. Even if she was just strolling around with her twins and their matching Peg perego strollers--Ms. Jolie can make it look like it's the coolest thing on earth to do.

Oh Angelina indeed!

Ms Jolie aside. This month's copy of In Style Australia is just awesome. Of course, there's the very candid Angelina Jolie interview (where she is surprisingly more revealing than usual), and also a thick section on hair --perfect timing for my post below.

September 2010 issue. In Style Australia.

Hair Repair!

What is the first thing a girl must scout for when she's moved to a new place?

A GOOD HAIR SALON!

another thing to love in sydney is the abundance of hair salons. in every street there are probably at least 10! which means the prices are very competitive. and these are mid to high range salons (not franchise fast hair cut services like just cuts or john brennan).

and because i am living in the cbd area, most of these are asian salons. im kind of happy with this because in my personal experience ( i repeat, i am not generalizing, this is just my own personal experience), my thick and heavy asian hair has always been styled and cut best by one who knows what its like.

a couple of weeks ago i decided its high time for a cut. well , just a trim, but needed some styling as well. i mean...look

this was my hair just before the move. it was heavy, almost wild, and thick as ropes! i needed it that way though, because God knows how cold its been in Canberra! you definitely need all insulation you can get --even if its in the form of a split end-ridden head of hair.

yeah, talking about ends--the ends of my hair were sharp enough to poke your eyes out. it's not dry though--its just really thick and heavy.

so anyway. i knew i was going to get my haircut here. It might be just my luck but I have never had a highly satisfactory haircut in Canberra. The last one I had been to, was highly referred by someone at work--and it was a sort of high end one in the city. I was extremely disappointed with the lack of skill and styling. And lack of advice too. For the price Im shelling out I expect at least good hair care and styling advice.

So. Back to the now. With hundreds of salons around me-- I just randomly picked one. I didn't need to venture out very much. After picking up stuff from the post office, I just walked right in the doors of the next salon--which was just a few steps away.

I figure, its just hair. and i have the next how many or so years to try and test all of these parlors. So let it be a trial and error.

The salon had screaming signages that they are a "HAIR STRAIGHTENING SPECIALIST"

I am the number one NON-FAN of straight hair! I still walked in anyway and asked how much a haircut was. The price was very reasonable--AU 45!!

For a shampoo, cut (trim) and blow dry.

The price alone got me hooked. Took my chances, and the next thing I knew, my hair was being shampooed.

The service was very professional. The receptionist took my coat and bag and put it in a locker--giving me the key of course.

And then this nice Korean lady started working on my hair. I told her what I wanted (a trim). She asked me what I like in a hairstyle and I told her VOLUME VOLUME VOLUME!

and she suggested cutting short to mid length layers around so as not to weigh my hair down. I told her I didn't like it wispy or airy I just want it volumized. She said doing that will really volumize my hair.

Anyway--she was very adept at it, and worked her magic through my hair. She also noted that my hair has been given very blunt layers by my last cut (that "posh" one in Canberra) and she fixed it all around. She also analyzed my hair and head--where the crown is, how I should brush/part and style my hair , etc. In short she gave me sound styling advice.

Snippety Snippety Snip. You just know when your hair is being cut and styled by a pro. You feel it. You hear it in the snips.

After the cut, I was horrified when she next brought out..... a hair STRAIGHTENER! Yes, those FLAT IRONS! I cringed away and told her, please, no straight styles! But she just patiently told yes she knew.

I didn't have any appointment that day anyway so i let her be.

When I looked up next--my hair was Exactly how I wanted it to be. LUSH and volumized (not curled)--all from a hair iron!

I was kind of bracing myself for the bill--I definitely got more than I wanted. It was definitely waay more than a trim. But I was still charged AU 45!

I loved it! Loved the service, loved the place and most of all loved my hair. Here is my 45 dollar hair style

HALF the price of what I used to get in Canberra, but 100X better. I highly highly recommend this place:

HAIR MANIA (yes the name scared me off too but who cares . They are G-O-O-D)

449 Pitt Street Sydney

Open 7 days 930AM-730PM

The lady who did my hair is Sylvia. She is the Senior hairstylist and Manager of the place.

Now this makes my plan of trying out and testing the other places abit hard. Why risk and venture out more when my FIRST run-in was a stroke of luck!

the irony of it all...

i am the most non conformist person. i hate following trends, fevers, and going with the flow. i hate uniformity. i don't like uniforms. one of the things that i love my about my job at the moment is i can wear anything i want (given that it still looks corporate).

when suppliers give custom water bottles , i give it away.

now i don't do things just to 'stick out' . i just don't like being the same as everybody else.

so...


..why did i end up getting the iphone 4???

Because it's such a FUN and USEFUL phone! My husband got a 3G (dont ask why). We, who have been non iphone users for YEARS..finally gave in.

This is such a foreign feeling for me--getting excited over a gadget.

and look---

I got a HOT PINK case! LOL

Im getting a new and more sensible casing for it in a few days.

OMG I will be a zombie because of this. Just today I almost couldn't wake up because I was hooked on Angry Birds till 1am!

*grainy photos taken by my not-too-old phone that I got in HongKong early this year. it won't RIP yet. going to use it for international calls** :)