Back, sorta

Ok ok, I know I said I will write, yet never did. Between Facebook, YouTube, The Chocolatier online game, work, badminton, yoga and the trips to Manila, I've been busy. ;)

I was in Manila for a week in Feb. Ask me why, quick!

To pay my property tax for the South of Market condo, would you believe? Yep, I went voluntarily to be 'held up' by the Taguig govt to the tune of Php14k. For a studio apartment, 14k in tax is so high! My friend who owns a house and lot in QC was assessed so much less for her place, about Php5k if I remember. So grrr grrr grrr. Taguig sure has upped the property tax rates of the Boni Global City area. I read that it is now pegged to Makati property tax rates, so there's no way to go but broke in that area.

Anyway, after that business with the city hall, I had a great break in Manila. I stayed in the condo this trip, met friends for lunches and dinners over at Boni Hi St and rushed home at night to watch Seasons 1 and 2 of Gossip Girl. I didn't dilly dally with the GG watching knowing that I couldn't bring the pirated disks with me back to Sing, so had to double-up on that or risk not knowing how the season ended.

All in, got to break bread with Hannah, Rachel, Mard, Jopie, the SMC gang, Wena and Monica; got to go to the spa with Hannah one time and another time with my family (Net and Joan); got to finally go to the Salcedo weekend market with Mard, Mishka and Hannah, rode in our MRT for the first at the urging of Monica (while carrying my Balenciaga, que horror! Good thing it wasn't crowded) and got to cheer for my nephew Waji during his singing finals at San Agustin.

Great trip, all around. I can't wait for the next one. :)

After that trip, its been work, work, work here in SG. See, I would normally have prefaced that part about 'work' there with the words argghh, boring, argghh. BUT we live in interesting times, as you know. Work nowadays is PRECIOUS! Work is good, work is your friend, work is something many people are losing all over the world and so must be treasured by those who still have one.

Singapore is in a recession, joblessness is up, lay-offs are common, so are 4-day weeks. Paycuts are here too and yours truly has been hit! Yes, hit! Argh!

Company said it's still profitable (then why cut!?) BUT to 'brace for a possible protracted difficult period', they allowed pay cuts of between 2 and 10% depending on salary level. Jaws ko!

But I ain't complaining (sige na nga). Juxtaposed beside the threat of being jobless in this environment, the pay cut is nothing really but an early call to simplify life a bit, trim out some frivolities and fluff.

C'est la vie.

Inspired, some are

Shahnana... yo!
Joanne... yo yo!
Joanne... how's it going down in the hood, yo
Shahnana... guess who's a happy bunny?! thrilled to bits anticipating the weekend?!?!
Joanne... i know!!!!
Joanne... u leaving tomo??
Shahnana... yep!!! yep!!! yep!!! tomoro i leave office at 5pm!!
Shahnana... i'm soooooo excited!!!
Joanne... what time is your trip?? overnight?
Shahnana... we leave s'pore at 7pm-ish
Shahnana... i can't remember how long the drive is
Shahnana... but we reach resort at abt 5am
Shahnana... rest a bit till 9am
Shahnana... and then we do OUR DIVEE!!!!!!
Shahnana... i'm soooooo thrilled!!!!
Shahnana... wish u could come along!!!!
Joanne... u better stay safe, ok?
Shahnana... i will
Shahnana... definitely
Joanne... dont do any antics, thinking you are a dolphin or a stingray
Shahnana... of course lah
Shahnana... i'm very cautious
Shahnana... yesterday
Shahnana... when we did the pool dive
Shahnana... we practised a bit
Shahnana... and im a little bit better with my buoyancy
Shahnana... so it's more fun..
Shahnana... wish me well, ok?
Shahnana... :-))))
Joanne... of course!!!
Shahnana... so so thrilled!
Joanne... i pray that the sea creatures wont be too shocked to see you in their hood
Shahnana... mwahahahah!
Shahnana... i hope i dont cause too much damage to the flora and fauna there!
Joanne... you better not!!!
Shahnana... yes, thats why its important to have neutral buoyancy
Shahnana... thrilled - thats me!!
Joanne... wow, it all sounds very exciting!! im jealous to bits
Joanne... :(
Joanne... i wanted to do that too
Joanne... ok, you must tell me how easy it is and I just might still get the guts to do it.
Shahnana... ok! will do!
Joanne... when you back??
Shahnana... sunday nite
Shahnana... its just over the weekend
Joanne... ok
Shahnana... but im on leave on monday
Shahnana... but will come for gym
Joanne... lets do lunch!
Joanne... on mon
Shahnana... my gyms at 1pm though..
Shahnana... tilll 230pm
Shahnana... u can meet up then?
Joanne... no lah, too late
Joanne... i start at 3
Shahnana... we can do dinner today if u want
Shahnana... i think i'll be working late
Joanne... ok
Joanne... yey
Shahnana... got smokes?
Shahnana... on second thought, no need
Shahnana... i need lung capacity to breathe underwater
Joanne... yes!!!
Joanne... crazy woman
Joanne... i mean yes, you need clean lungs
Shahnana... i cant focus on my work now
Joanne... hahaha. understandable
Joanne... what are we eating today
Joanne... im hungry
Shahnana... got cake here, kristie baked
Shahnana... u wan?
Shahnana... im thinking of composing haikus
Joanne... hahaha
Shahnana... i watched vagina monologues the other day
Shahnana... quite funny
Joanne... your first time??
Shahnana... yep
Joanne... oh
Joanne... saw it when i was still in mla
Shahnana... aah
Joanne... 99 or 98
Shahnana... so long ago?
Joanne... yes, that's why i was surprised when u said u were going for it
Joanne... it's at least the second run in singapore
Shahnana... yep i guess
Shahnana... my haiku: clouds float in the sky
fluffy and light, blue and white
beautiful day
Shahnana... keke
Joanne... hahahaha
Joanne... does it fufill the strict haiky req??
Shahnana... 5, 7, 5
Shahnana... thats all i know
Joanne... im so hungry
Joanne... what shld we eat
Joanne... is your DM hot?
Shahnana... wats DM?
Joanne... dive master
Shahnana... oh
Shahnana... no lah
Shahnana... youngish thing
Joanne... oh ok
Shahnana... i go for 37 or older
Shahnana... haiku 2: my dreams woke me up
im drenched in sweat and im lost
why? where are you now?
Joanne... wah, it should be read to the strains of the Desperate Housewives anthem
Shahnana... haiku 3: the bird chirped and sang
what an annoyance, goodness
i threw an old shoe
Joanne... i can smell a bestseller haiku book already
Shahnana... hahahah!
Shahnana... one mor haiku
Shahnana... online mates, thrilling
i fell for one and floated
i crash to the ground
Joanne... hey be like ee cummings
Joanne... the guy who uses symbols
Shahnana... ok, will try!
Joanne... in his poetry
Shahnana... next haiku: :-) i love smileys yeah!
;-) superfluous they are not
:-) :-) :-* :-& how are you today?
Shahnana... next haiku: love life, love yourself
wonderful feelings engulf
liposuction pls
Joanne... hahahahaha
Joanne... now that is funny
Shahnana... thank you! (takes a bow)
Joanne... looney
Shahnana... next haiku: prata, instant mee
a glorious treat on board
my diving trip.. weeee...
Shahnana... (the last wee is NOT referring to my colleague, ok)
Joanne... hahaha
Joanne... someone is soooo free today
Joanne... lets go eat!!!!

Fort-area South of Market condo unit for sale

After considerable thinking and a serious weighing-in of the pros and cons, I've decided to sell my unit at South of Market.

It was turned-over in late April this year and has since been left forlorn, unoccupied by yours truly in the wonderful area that is The Fort in Taguig, Manila. I only just managed to inspect it, had it blessed, made sure it was spic and span before I had to lock the place to fly back to Singapore.

Now, what am I to do with it?

Two years ago when I signed on the dotted line to buy it, I was single and thought I should get me a bit of roof over my head someplace convenient for when I returned home for good.

I decided on the smaller-cut unit (South of Market calls it a 1-br) as it was the configuration that allowed me to pay the bulk of the purchase price in cash.

But clearly, with my personal circumstances now changed, I've had to rethink my decision re real estate ownership in the Philippines.

For one, I'm married to a man who isn't keen to live in Manila.

Also, the unit can't possibly accommodate the 5 children we are going to have (dreaming...) plus the 2 dogs we want to acquire along the way (this may be more do-able than the 5 progeny scenario).

I could just rent it off, of course. (I've had it listed too.)

Anyway, in case someone is looking to buy a move-in-condition, brand new, fully furnished, fully fitted unit at the Fort, contact me, mate.

The specs: The unit measures 38 sq-m, comes with a parking slot at the basement. Furnishing includes window-type aircon unit, small dining table with 2 chairs, sofa set with centre table, bed frame, flat-screen TV, kitchen cabinetry, ref, cooktop, rangehood, microwave oven, washing machine.

Condo amenities include a swimming pool, a theatre room, function rooms, a fully-equipped gym, concierge and doorman-assisted entry.

This condo development is about 2 blocks away from Market Market and Serendra or about 10-12 minutes of slow-walking away. Bonifacio High St is about 8 mins by foot. Ground level of the condo itself is alloted for commercial spaces. On location alone, this condo is a W-I-N-N-E-R if I do say so myself.

Check out the real estate company's marketing website for South of Market at http://www.century-properties.com/soma/frame_set.html

Will post pics in a while.

Bag hag for a colleague

An office colleague came up to chat with me by my desk today and in between topics he looks at my bag and mindlessly reads the label aloud.

'Miu Miu,' he says. 'Miu Miu Miu Miu.'

Then his head snaps back and he looks at me.

'Hey, you like Miu Miu too?' he asks. I didn't have time to say 'hmm..' before he says, 'You have to meet Amy, a new hire at my department. She's bag crazy like you and she carries a Miu Miu too. Bag hags both you are, victims of marketing. You must come and say hi to her. Come now! Be welcoming!'

I trotted off with him to meet the lady.

My new bag-hag friend is a really cheerful young woman. She's funny, articulate, warm. Like me, she sure can talk so passionately about bag styles and brands! Aside from Miu Mius, we also both like Bals it turns out. No, wait! Let me be accurate here. Make that LUV LUV Balenciagas.

Anyway, as a celebration of our new bag kinship, we've decided to act like schoolgirls by agreeing and solemnly promising to carry our Balenciagas tomorrow for our mutual show and tell.

I can't wait to see her lilac city!