This is me.
Bloggies: colors & designs
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I was taking one of those quizzes you can paste on your blog again. It didn't improve my life or cure cancer but I found this result a coincidence... (The red phrases were the thoughts going through my head at that time.)

Your Blog Should Be Purple (WAAA. REALLY? COOL! GAAH...)

You're an expressive, offbeat blogger (I am?) who tends to write about anything and everything.
You tend to set blogging trends (I do?), and you're the most likely to write your own meme or survey.
You are a bit distant though. (scratches head) Your blog is all about you - not what anyone else has to say.
What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

Is it just me or does anyone else agree this blog is as purple as can be? :)

On another note, I just made a new blog design on High School Musical. I really loved the movie and couldn't help myself. It's here.

Lookie here! :D

Sometimes I look at the stuff I make, think of the hours I spend doing so, marvel over the enjoyment I get from the activity, then realize I'm such a dork.

Daisy on 6/30/2006 12:37:00 AM


Swimming through school
1 had an opinion on what I wrote.

OK, maybe just wading.

It started pretty innocently this afternoon at 5 pm. Our last class would be in half an hour so I was just sitting around unproductively with friends at the canteen.

There was Cookie, Joni...


... and their attempts to outdo each other at the monumental game of Hangman.


Beside me was Hazel (she will be angry with me about now; she hates being in pictures).


And this was the sky at about that time.


I should have known it was going to rain. But our school has so many false alarms that it's ridiculous. I'd gotten tired of bringing an umbrella then watching the sun come out. And all I had in the car was a large umbrella resembling a cane. It made me feel like a grandma so I left the thing.

I'm sure you, dear Reader, know where this is going. Well, sit back and enjoy not being there when hell broke loose.


So there we were caught in some sort of flash flood. I thought of the granny umbrella, and ended up getting it from the car with Cookie's umbrella (our only one) for protection.

I did get it. And I also got soaked. Back, front, my pants up to my thighs... I think only my head wasn't wet. I once heard everything would be fine as long as your forehead wasn't wet. That wasn't comforting as my shoes full of muddy water sloshed about.

I felt like a human sacrifice for the good of all. My penance for pride, I guess. I could have lugged that umbrella around and avoided wading through that water.

We thought the teacher would be crazy to show up. And he did show up. I won't hint what this is supposed to imply about him. :D

Hazel and I looked like wet rats (her words, not mine). The teacher even offered to excuse us from class so we wouldn't catch pneumonia or some such rain-related disease.

But we stayed and practically dried up. I hear you're not supposed to do that.

What can I say? I drove home cold.

***
By the way, songs from High School Musical are stuck in my head right now. I compounded the problem by downloading them into my iPod.

Listening to "Breaking Free" over and over...

It's not that the movie was Oscar material but any movie that makes me feel good is good enough for me. And this one REALLY made me feel good. It's just so fun! :D

Daisy on 6/26/2006 10:41:00 PM


Cooking, cooking, cooking
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I've missed it, you know: the tactile way of connecting with raw meat, fruits, vegetables, and other edibles to make really scrumptious dishes for family and friends. My mother's afraid I'll get too tired if I do homework, church, friends, family, and STILL cook at home. So I haven't. And there's been no food as a direct effect.

I never thought I'd get into this or that I'd miss it so much. So I got out my favorite pan and some produce I kept around today and made something.

TADA!

Need a closer and almost disgustingly private look?

Here you go.

I think this is called food porn in some distinguished circles, but I digress.

It was good. I love the feeling when I'm cooking; it's almost like I'm an artist. And my tools are my knives! :D OK, so not only knives, but it makes me sound dangerous. Uh... as if I'd ever be anything more than harmless.

The food was good. I thought I left it on too long; the carrots were still hard but the meat was already cooking. It was a life-or-death decision. The carrots or the meat? The carrots or the meat?

I picked the meat, and stopped cooking. Happily, the carrots AND the meat were perfect. My dad said it was good, and that's the first time he's said anything more than all right.

I'm going to have to think up some sort of schedule so I can do this more often. Yay. :)

Daisy on 6/24/2006 02:59:00 PM


Guess where I was yesterday?
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It was a Friday and I could have been any number of places. I was not at school. *hint hint hint*

OK, I don't think anyone will get it anyway unless I saw them on a daily basis. Which does not qualify many of the readers of this blog. So I'll save time and say I was at a business conference.


The picture's not that good, but I apologize for forgetting to bring my camera. I ended up using my phone instead.

Anyway, my parents made me attend an Entrepreneurship Conference at a hotel. There were lots of good speakers talking about business, and my parents wanted me to hear them. They said it was more important than school. I totally agree, and so did everyone else I met in the conference. What a beautiful congregation of like-minded people. ;)

My teachers all thought it was a good reason so I disappeared with no ill effects. Well, it was a good conference. We sat in plush chairs and listened to people who had made it, if you get my meaning. There was talk on determination, lots of coffee, and a very adequate supply of food. No pictures, though, I ate it all before I thought of taking shots.

The food was all right as far as food went. Functional (filling, that is) but not particularly wow-this-is-the-most-awesome-thing-I've-ever-tasted level. But no one was there for the food anyway.

There was also an exhibit showcasing the different towns on my island and what they had to offer: jewelry, food, culture, beaches with white sand... There was even one place with a specialty in making guns; I forget the name though.

exhibits


& more exhibits


I guess I learned a lot. At least, I'm becoming more serious when thinking about work and business in general. Sometimes it's overwhelming. And sometimes, it seems challenging in a cool sort of way.

And I missed school too which is the icing on the cake. :D

Daisy on 6/24/2006 02:24:00 PM


Dessert (among other things)
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silvanas (noun)
buttercreamy goodness

This is what I was scarfing about an hour ago to end my late dinner of oily pork. Unhealthy, I know, but no one really cooks at home (except me) and my mother doesn't want me to cook when I have class. So beggars can't be choosers.

Anyway, the silvanas were good. My mother detests the poor things; she says they are always too sweet. Being impartial to almost all kinds of food, I shrugged it off and bit into creamy deliciousness. And it was delicious.

We had bought this particular batch from our trip to Dumaguete (mentioned in a previous post). Evidently, Dumaguete was famous for these things. So I figured, what better way to try out a dish than when prepared by the best?

different angle, same silvanas


the brand


Yup, Ana Maria makes good stuff. I can prove that by my plate ten minutes later.

crumbs and emptiness

I savored every bite. :D

******

The title of this post is "Dessert (among other things)." So here are the other things.

First, Father's Day has come and gone. Daphne and I split the money to get Dad gifts, and he was appropriately touched. I don't know why he never expects us to give him anything. Maybe it's because he doesn't even remember when Father's Day is supposed to be.

We had a presentation for Father's Day at church. Songs were sung about fathers (especially the Great Dad Up There) and a short movie with very emotional actors/church friends flashed on screen. I played the violin, as usual, and Daphne sang her heart out. Well, not literally out but you get the idea.

I don't have any pictures from the occasion though. I forgot to bring my camera, and I've never regretted it more. It was a real success. A lot of people laughed; even I laughed. Wouldn't you when you saw your friends being so dramatic onscreen?

But when the estranged father and son became larger than life and ran through the church to a teary reunion, a lot of people cried too. I guess it was just a beautiful reminder of how God takes us in.

Daisy on 6/22/2006 10:49:00 PM


School, messed-up cars, and the like
0 had an opinion on what I wrote.

On the first day of school, I read a lot of novels, took pictures of a friend's jewelry designs for export, walked around in my pajamas, and caught up with friends via cellphone.

one of the photos I took

That's right, I didn't show up for school. Talk about starting on the right foot.

College in my school begins with this quote of wisdom: On the first week of school, no one goes to school. Or at least those that do inevitably sit around waiting for teachers who never come. This hallowed tradition has been going on for years, maybe even before I was born (though I can't prove that).

In fact, I'm supposed to be in school now but why waste time sitting around? School seems to start this Monday anyway.

But I did go in on the second day of school (technically my first day but who's keeping count?). And my car got mauled.

I was leaving the school as I often do, studiously glancing left and right repeatedly like an idiot as I entered the road. Unfortunately, my infallible human radar does not extend to seeing through vehicles innocently stopping so I could pass. I totally missed the speeding white car breaking the rules.

There was a mighty screech (like scratching a blackboard with your nails but much louder) and our cars swapped paint. You know, my blue paint gets on the white car's side and vice-versa. Very irrelevant to the story, but I'll continue.

It was a scary moment. The impact made my car go backwards, and I thank God I didn't hit the one behind me and make things worse. My classmates (incidentally in the car) were well... my classmates. I'm not sure how they were feeling; I was too busy figuring out what I was feeling.

I got pretty shaken up and moved the car. This is not something one is supposed to do. Anyone who watches TV knows the scene of the crime/accident should not be disturbed until the police are through with it. All I can say in my defense is I don't watch TV, and I just wanted to get out of the way.

Sad, really. The other driver could have paid for my car and gotten into loads of trouble if I had stayed. But I forgot.

To make a long story short, the other driver didn't pay me. She did have worse damages though and no insurance to cover it. She even went in the hospital for a while.

If she was honest... but that's a moot point, isn't it? I don't have much faith in human nature. Not that I'm angry or anything; I'm not. That's how a lot of people will act, and you just can't trust anyone to be perfect all the time.

Thank God for Jesus Christ. I prayed a lot and leaned on Him. Even though I felt a little disappointed, I was still thankful. I was safe (and so were my friends). I didn't have to change the whole hood of my car. I wasn't driving a more expensive model.

I mean, God was still taking care of me. And people who don't do the right thing just get what they deserve sometime.

I was cheated, true. But as my Dad says, "It's just money. We have God, and He'll take care of it. God is more important." Or something like that. It's called paraphrasing: different words, same content.

God is good. :)

Daisy on 6/16/2006 03:24:00 PM


Dolphins and such
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I don't know what I'm supposed to start posting about. I'm just sitting here feeling the ill effects of not updating my blog and letting all the words pile up in my brain. Too much has happened lately.

OK, so maybe the dolphins first since I have already mentioned seeing them in a previous post. I'm going to quote myself so no one has to scroll down.
But I'm hoping when I see the dolphins, I'll get all teary-eyed and emotionally say it was worth it.

That's what I said before I left. So here's the verdict:

IT WAS WORTH IT.

Stupid, I know. I was being sarcastic about what to expect from this trip.

Evidently, I underestimated how the dolphins would get to me. But no, I didn't cry.

Seriously (well, as serious as I can be), there were a lot of them. They jumped in the air, swam under our boat, let us take pictures... This is all pretty amazing since I know some people who went to see them before and didn't see them. Did that make sense?

I can't offer any pictures though. I promised my cousin (incidentally the professional one who caught the best shots) I would not post the dolphins on the internet because he didn't want them to be used for commercial purposes. And sadly, my own paltry efforts resulted in greyish blobs in a lavender sea.

I did get other pictures without dolphins though.

This particularly awed me. It was so quiet at that time.

Boats and sea as far as the eye can see...


My cousins swimming in the clear waters of the ocean... It almost looks like paradise.

So we really enjoyed the trip. I didn't even sleep during the road trips; we were too busy laughing and listening to really great music. The company wasn't bad either: mostly friends of my parents in church but they're a riot.

It was just what I needed to say goodbye to the summer and start school on the right foot.

Speaking of school, this morbid issue will be tackled in another post. I don't think anyone could take reading me blathering on and on like an idiot for too long. :)

Daisy on 6/16/2006 02:39:00 PM


Summer's last stand
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Summer's dying in the Philippines, you know.

I've started to see people wearing school uniforms and toting backpacks in the malls. It's getting traffic again at 7 am and 5 pm --- the time when students check in and out of their prisons, er, schools. ;)

Seeing these signs, I felt I just had to write some sort of ode (obituary?) to the season.

Well, summer was wonderful. I got to do a lot of things I wanted to do (and which are all written down in this humble blog). I did:
OK, so that was a pretty long list. I forgive whoever reads this for skipping that.

And this is important: I also became even sillier than I already used to be.

This was obviously no surprise. Happily, I am not a danger to society and will be locked up quietly in school soon. Soon being this Tuesday.

I'm a little nervous. I don't know why though. It's just school.

My schedule's partly good and partly bad. There are less units this semester but more hours clocked in on weekdays. I don't know how that happened but it did.

We have a little student group meeting on Fridays at 5:30. But class ends at 6:30 now, and I won't be able to go. *pouts and glooms*

On other breaking news, summer's not really over for me. Yet.

I'm going to Dumaguete and Bais tomorrow. It's supposedly known for dolphin watching. I've never heard about it, but I have also been known to be pretty ignorant. It's no great concern.

Anyway, we're going dolphin watching (naturally) provided the dolphins actually show themselves. That is crucial, after all.

They look a little like sharks to me. :)
picture from here

Some people are saying it's not really worth it. We take a long trip by car then barge then car then... Basically between the two, we spend most of our time being transported to different places. But I'm hoping when I see the dolphins, I'll get all teary-eyed and emotionally say it was worth it.

Oh well, it's still a trip.

Lastly, it's the Philippines' Independence Day on June 12. Happy Independence Day everyone! :) So I'm going to stop typing now and start packing.

Daisy on 6/11/2006 01:34:00 AM


Toilet water, cheers, & sighs
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I was peeing at 4 a.m. a few days ago. It was just one of those times where one gets up in the middle of the ungodly hours because it can't be helped.


Anyway, I peed, closed the toilet bowl, and leaned on it to get at the flush knob. Then I see this... *scary music playing or some other appropriate additions to the ambience*


OK so maybe people are thinking "What the heck are you looking at?" Not KOHLER evidently. That's just the brand of our pearly white toilet bowl. No, I mean below that.


That's right. Every flush costs 1.6 gallons (or six liters) of water. I freaked out for an inordinate amount of time about the water I've been wasting. I drink about a sixth of that amount a day, and every time I use the toilet, I flush 1.6 gallons (or six liters)?

So using both units is a little silly but when the brain is forced to work at 4 a.m., these things happen. But I digress once again.

I did get pretty tired of going over that fact after a while. In fact, I went back to sleep.

It was just an observation.

*******

Now for the cheers. I've learned how to do something new! (YAY ME.)

I've been playing with my Adobe Photoshop lately. Just happily making blog designs which are all here. I'm using one of them right now, in fact.

And if it's getting tiring to see my blog change skins periodically then I don't think you'll have to worry. I don't think I'm changing this design for months.

But I could always eat my words later. :D

And as for the sighs... Has anyone noticed (at least in the Philippines) that school is almost starting? I don't know if I should be happy that I'll be facing new challenges and growing as a person. Or should I be sad and go kicking and screaming?

It's a hard choice to make.

As summer sets, I'll be as productive as I can doing things I want to do. In fact, we're going out with Daphy (my sister) and Allie (adopted cousin).


I leave you with a picture of us looking as cute as we can manage. I don't think it was much in my case.

Daisy on 6/05/2006 12:22:00 AM