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meet the predator
call me jenie
born on 02/20/83 after my Dad & Mom drank beer and ate balut 9 months before
lives in Singapore, but always a Pinoy at heart
works as an advertising copywriter, but hates proofreading her blog entries
loves true friends, fake DVD's, alternative music, alcohol, sarcasm, boxing, hatha yoga, and House (the TV series,not the music genre)
loathes indifference, power trippers, narcissists, giant egos and bad breath
tries to live by the quote "Postpone death by living, by suffering, by error, by risking, by giving, by losing." by Anais Nin
i survived my 1st xmas abroad :)
"Blessed are they who don't expect for they shall not be disappointed."
I must say this year was not so bad because I've had worse. Haha. But seriously, ever since I moved to Singapore, most of my fellow Pinoys would tell me how lonely it is to spend Christmas here. So I've mentally and emotionally prepared myself for the the dullness and melancholy of the upcoming holidays. I psyched myself up saying that they don't celebrate Christmas here, that's why I was quite surprised to see towering X'mas trees around the metro, and the city streets sparkling with beautiful lights. But once again, the cynic in me thought that it's all done in the spirit of consumerism. Regardless of one's religion, almost everyone wants to celebrate Christmas because it is indeed a another excuse or reason for uncontrollable shopping-slash-giving and receiving.
It was only on the 22nd of December when I realized that it's easier to go with the flow than resist it. So off I went to the mall to do some better-late-than-never Christmas shopping for only four people I intend to give gifts to this Season - Tatoff, my brother, my Mom and my nephew who both arrived the day after.
On Christmas eve, I was still not done shopping (yes, i'm a horrible shopper) and I couldn't believe I was one of the people walking frantically around the mall just to find the perfect gifts. If you think about it, what pushes everyone is the thought of making people happy even just for a day. Or maybe the pressure of finding gifts for people who will give them presents as well. But really, it's not really about what's on the price tag, but more about the effort to squeeze through manic crowds and patiently queue to pay for your precious shopping finds.
Years ago, I found joy in giving the cutest yet most affordable gifts. I remember giving my friends and colleagues an ang pao with a chocolate coin and a small card inside. (I should have done that here but those chocolate coins are impossible to find now.) Ironically, I didn't give a single gift to any of my friends and officemates. Why? First of all, I wasn't sure if they celebrated Christmas. Second, I realized that some people are just not so appreciative when you give them gifts here, I don't know why. Whenever I bring treats from the Philippines, some even refuse to accept it because they're full or they don't eat breakfast or whatever. Oh well! Lastly, I don't think I've established good friendships in my new agency yet. My male teammates are just quite stoic and the suits are, well, friendly but I just don't want to get too close to the enemy. Jk!
Honestly, I only started to feel the real meaning of Christmas when I attended the last days of the Filipino community's Simbang Gabi and after I went to confession as a gift to the birthday celebrant. (See I can be religious! :P) I did it even without my mother nagging me and I even went to mass on my own one time because Tatoff had work and my bro was lazy. It felt weird to be surrounded by families, but I know that somewhere out there, there's also someone like me who found comfort just by being around her kababayans. For a moment there I didn't feel like I was in a different country.
On Christmas eve, I was lucky to go to mass with my Mom, brother and nephew. We had an unconventional Noche Buena this time around. It didn't involve stressful cooking for my mother and cleaning up for us siblings. In fact, we weren't even home. After the mass, the church prepared a simple buffet for everyone to enjoy. We almost ignored it because of the multitude of people, but of course like true blue Pinoys who wouldn't pass up on anything free, we braved the chaotic queue and enjoyed a free and almost hassle-free Noche Buena in Singapore.
An hour before midnight, the four of us were back home exchanging gifts and preparing food for Tatoff who was only on his way back from work. When he finally arrived, that's when I truly believed the cliche that no matter where I celebrate Christmas and no matter what tradition I stick to, as long as I'm with my loved ones, then I'd feel right at home.
Besides, the true meaning of Christmas doesn't change. We do. And it's up to us to define it every year.
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Belated Merry Christmas to all my wonderful friends back home! I miss you all! :-)
love, jenie
3:56 PM
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
All I want for Xmas...
..is my own Coopers Beer-Brewing Kit! Hehehe.
It costs S$175 (P5,162) and I read that it makes 23 bottles. Astig :) Pero ang mahal pa rin kung ikukumpara sa presyo ng beer sa Pinas noh! :P
Wala lang, astig lang that I can make my own beer. My own San Gabriel Beer. Bwahahaha!
Visit ibrew.com.sg for more info :)
4:19 PM
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
PINASaya for 8 days! (Dec 10-17 '07)
8 things I realized during my stay:
1) It's possible to gain 5 lbs in 8 days. My mother is such a spoiler! Para kong bibitayin sa sobrang daming pinakain sakin :P
2) Parusa ang makinig sa 1 hour catechism lesson about baptism lalo na pag may hangover. Buti nakasagot ako nung tinanong ako. Ugh.
3) The only thing I missed about SG is the transportation system. Lately ko lang narealize ulit ung napakalaking difference ng MRT nila. Saka syempre, wala talagang basura sa mga kalye. Howel.
4) Antagal ko nang di kumakain ng isaw!!! Pero at least nakakain ako ng kilawin, tahong, sinigang, oyster, chopsuey, tilapia, pinakbet... Shet ang dami.
5) Masarap uminom pag libre, at hindi $15 ang isang bote ng beer.
6) Iba pa rin mag-party ang mga Pinoy!
Thanks Saatchi peeps for letting me crash your party :) Sulit sobra kahit namiss ko party dito. And I found out namigay ng iPhone at trip to Japan. Hahaha! Pero wala pa ring tatalo sa paglalakad sa Urdaneta ng 3am buhat ang 6 bottles ng wine at may kasama pang umiihi sa sidewalk! Priceless!
7) Panalo yung P150/hour/room na videoke sa Shaw! Astig talaga kahit para tayong nasa aquarium! Babalikan ko yun, ang saya! Thanks SND peeps sobra!
8) Di na uso ang tulog at pahinga basta para sa gimik at kasama ang mga kaibigan. Di bale nang pagod, basta masaya! Ngayon, back to reality na naman. Pero sigurado ko na kapag nalulungkot ako dito, babalikan ko lang ang mga larawan na 'to at okay na ulit ang mundo.
Kitakits ulit next year mga chong! Aylabyu all! :-)
yours, jenie
5:57 PM
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
3rd day in Pinas! :)
Spent the last three days pigging out, sleeping and watching tv! I also went to the derma, had a massage and got a haircut. Yeah that's my idea of a holiday hehe. These are things I can't really do in Singapore because I'm such a cheapskate, and I don't really like the food there even until now. Hopefully, I won't miss Pinoy food too much when I'm back. I'm also glad I had lots of quality time with my Mom. It's her birthday today, and she still couldn't believe that my brother and I flew to celebrate with her :)
While the first three days of my stay is relaxing and dedicated to bumming around, the last four days will be tiring and intoxicating but in a good way. Haha. Starting tomorrow, I'll be meeting up with friends in Makati. Friday night will be for my Saatchi friends because I'm crashing their Christmas party. I can't believe they have the same Hollywood theme as Publicis in SG. How freaky is that?! Ayoko mag-dress please Lord! Anyway, Saturday morning will be my nephew's baptism in Laguna. At night, I'll be with my SND college friends and I might also go to the SBMA party in Antipolo. On Sunday morning, my Mom and I will check in at Bellevue Hotel to use her free overnight stay voucher. So that's where I'll celebrate my last night in Pinas. Sigh. I hope I'd still be sober enough to enjoy that day and I won't just pass out in bed after nights of binge drinking.
I better make the most out of my stay here, man. I'm really gonna miss Pinas again.I actually feel the Holiday Season now. Amidst all the beautiful lights and grand decors along the streets of Singapore, there's really no better place to spend it like home.
12:42 AM
Thursday, December 13, 2007
the ironies of life
Most of my friends who know I'm a rocker will probably faint upon reading this. But I actually want to watch the Spice Girls Reunion Tour in Hong Kong next month. Bwahahahaha!
You see, there was a point in my life when I memorized all their songs and even danced to their music videos. I was a high school freshman and thanks to Nonie a.k.a. Baby Spice, my beloved gay childhood friend who taught me (a.k.a. Sporty Spice) the dance steps, I found myself buying my first cassette tape. Yes it was the Spice Girls album, and it's one of those albums you'd rather bury in your backyard when a year later, you're headbanging to the tunes of Prodigy or Wolfgang.
Yeah, teenagers are twisted like that.
12:23 PM
Friday, December 07, 2007
