Sunday, April 29, 2007
the second coming
Long have I waited. Long have I prayed. I have a date with this man and his band on Saturday.I have to make sure I don't die before Saturday. Dalawang tulog nalaaang!!!
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Wednesday, April 18, 2007
my 3-day long birthday
Day 1My birthday wasn't till the 17th but my sis threw a party for me Sunday night. She told me to write her out a guest list, and to sit down and relax.
I wasn't allowed to know what the theme was, so she swore all invited guests to secrecy, and held me captive in my room all day Sunday while she decorated our house.
An hour before I was scheduled to "present" myself to my guests, she put make-up on me (she's a professional make-up artist) without letting me look in the mirror, just so I wouldn't see what the theme was. Ten minutes before I was set to be "unveiled", she made me slip into an outfit, and it was only then that I figured out who I was supposed to be and what the theme was (and that the make-up brush she was dabbing on my cheek earlier wasn't concealer as she claimed, but a brush full of black paint).
Ala's Hollywood Awards Night Birthday Party (and what the black paint was really all about):O diba, only 5 minutes in costume at feel na feel ko na. At this point, I wasn't sure if I was a Marilyn or an Anna Nicole :-pMarilyn with Donatella Versace hahaFamily picture! Donatella Versace, Audrey Hepburn, Elvis/John Travolta, and MarilynJohnny Depp, Paris Hilton (she wasn't sure who she was, so I say she's Paris), and Eva PeronWith Nicole and Trish!
I was feeling pretty down earlier in the day. Birthdays can go horribly wrong and remind you of every inadequacy and insecurity in your life, and I was feeling sort of homesick (I'm sure you've all had the same experience on at least one birthday). But by the time evening rolled around, I was just so happy to have everyone in my new life over to celebrate my 24th birthday, that I forgot I had been depressed all afternoon!
Thanks to everyone who came! It means alot to me :-) And thanks to my family who worked to make the day special!
More pictures here.
Day 2
Lars with lobster.
Me with oysters.
Miel with calamari!
I went out with friends Lars, Gutsy, and Miel, and was treated by Lars to an unforgettable oyster lunch for a birthday present at Sydney Fish Market.
God, I LOVE oysters (or anything that comes from the ocean for that matter). I felt like it was the one day in the year that I could legitimately stuff myself with seafood. And so, aside from the 7 baked oysters I ate, we had white bait, calamari, lobster thermidore, salmon sashimi, and cod between the four of us.
I was so stuffed, I didn't even have any dinner anymore.
I had a wonderful afternoon! :-)
Day 3- my real birthday
I always make it a point to buy something new to wear on the day of my birthday, whether I'm actually going out or not. I also like to get all dolled up. It's just part of my birthday ritual.
It's a good thing laziness won out on the morning of my birthday, and that I didn't put on alot of make-up, and that I didn't wash my hair or wear a new dress, because...
When Henry showed up at my doorstep at 9 am to take me out (he refused to reveal where he was taking me), he was only wearing an old shirt, and boardshorts, and ratty old shoes, and he took one look at me and said, "Uh... I think you may have to change."
"Why?", I asked. I mean, I was already in pretty casual clothes, just shorts, and my cute new top, and my new ballet slippers, and a cute necklace. But when I found out where were going, I had to hurriedly change into my rattiest old tanktop (ok, my sisters old tanktop haha), old shorts, and my trainers.
Who would've know that an hour later, I'd be holding on for dear life while white water rafting in Penrith?
That's me at the very front on the left. Someone was kind enough to stand by the shore and take pictures.
Penrith White Water was built for the 2000 Olympics held in Sydney! It was pretty wild, and I was covered with bruises after, and I forgot to bring extra shoes, but it was so much fun!
At one point, I fell into the water and found myself right under the boat. Scary! But the rapids pushed me back to the surface and I came popping out of the water on the other side of the boat and was thrown a rope to swim back to shore. Happy Birthday to me!!! See all the pictures here.
Then I got treated out by Henry to lunch and dessert at King Henry's Court on Henry Street.
I had my first bite of lamb in almost 4 years (yes, people, I am officially a meat-eater again). God, I love lamb!!!
And I love pavlova.I had pavlova (made by moi) and champagne with my family after a delicious dinner my sister made!
I had a wonderful day, but what made me feel special was that all the people who mattered, near or far, greeted me. :-) I fell asleep happy, and glowing, and feeling loved (and very, very tired and full :-p). I feel very, very thankful for everyone in my life.
Happy birthday to me!take that, Starbucks
It's been a very full week. A month ago, I complained that despite an Ateneo degree, I couldn't even get a job at Starbucks. So a few days before turning 24, my brother Mio and I took a course and became trained, certified baristas and coffee artists. I know how to foam the silky milk and to make a flatwhite, a tallblack, a shortblack... you name it.
O diba? Gawa ko iyan. With design-design pa!
Now to look for a barista job (crossing my fingers). Unqualified? Hmpf! Take that, Starbucks!!! :-p
I also went to the Royal Sydney Easter Show. This is the only photo worth sharing.
"Wait, don't take the photo yet"
Mukha daw akong mumu na nakatakas sa Haunted Mansion.
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Thursday, April 12, 2007
posting for the heck of it
Been away for awhile. Been hiding away in my own mental space, prefering very little human company. I've taken some time away to reconfigure my inner world. Been sketching alot, and spending time with my family. In the meantime, here's what's been happening.
I celebrated my 1 Year in Aus anniversary with a FOB ("Fresh Off the Boat") party. I didn't mean to invite only Filipino migrants, it's just that they were the only ones who could make it. So the evening became a celebration of our FOB-ness, our foreign-ness, our Manila-ness, our Australian visas (we all had different kinds), and how far we've all come since we first set foot on Aussie shores.This picture was taken almost 3 years ago but I decided to bring it out again after I saw 300 on iMax. Well, ok, so I'm not exactly in leather briefs, and well... I'm not a man, and I'm not even buffed up. And I am holding a coat hanger, not a spear. But I look like I'm leaping at the enemy shouting "Spartaaaaahhhhh!!!", so it's good enough.
I enjoyed this movie. I don't care if critics say it's "racist against Asians" or has "subliminal pro-American messages". It was based on a comic book, and it's about a bunch of half-naked, beefcake men beating each other to a pulp, and a drag-queen king. How can anyone even take this movie seriously?!?!
No, I don't take it seriously at all... not at all, ho hum :-p
I made a new friend at Featherdale Wildlife Park last Monday.
Birthday ko next week. Hehehehe. Happy birthday, Patty Laurel. Magka-birthday kami. Pati din si Victoria Beckham.my new little project
There is such a thrill in being able to hold your own original designs in your hand, whether it's printed out on a piece of paper, a t-shirt, or a coffee mug.
I'm not above "endorsing" my own product, hehehe ;-) I'm very, very proud of this Pinoy Christmas-themed mug.
Seriously, what good is a drawing or design that you slaved away on for week if you can't share it with the world? So I opened my own little online store. This mug, along with other merchandise featuring my designs, can be found at cafepress.com/alaism or you can just click on this button!The front page isn't looking too nice, and I haven't got a wide selection of merchandise yet, but I'm really excited to add more throughout the next few weeks. I'll expand depending on the success of my small venture.
Please try to stop by! And thank you for continuing to encourage this artist to keep on creating!
Note: I've gotten alot of inquiries on whether the items are available in the Philippines/ Australia/ etc. It's an online store so if you can pay for it online, it can be shipped to wherever you are. :-)
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