You know it’s summer when the the fireflies starts to appear. Don’t you think that fireflies are one of the most amazing things in the world? Watching them dance, twinkling their merry little way along the green lawn during sunsets, I just can’t help but feel so happy and carefree. They make me forget all my worries even in just a fleeting glance.

Summer for me is a long agony of stickiness and sweatyness. But i’m still not sure if I like summer more over winter, because I also hate extreme coldness. Why can’t we just have fall all the time?

Don’t get me wrong summer for me is not all that bad…especially if i’m in a secluded white sand beach, walking along the shore, as my toes and feet slowly digs through the powdery sands with an ice-cold Stella Artois in one hand…Just enjoying the unadulterated summer breeze as the warm wind blows through my hair…ahhh so nice…so calm…so beautiful…

And then I woke up…i’m still here in the concrete jungle of Louisville, darn!

But summer is a happy season, everything is bright and colorful. The skies are blue, seasonal flowers bloom, people wear bright colored tank tops and flip flops. People are tanned and some are faux-tanned. You can eat all the ice cream you want. Scooteristas on the streets. People enjoying the waterpark and so on. It’s also good reason to get a haircut, make it really short, and you won’t feel guilty…and …and..one of my faves, the summer olympics! it’s coming, wooohooo!

So to celebrate summer I designed a new theme for this fabulous website of mine, haha. I called it “dance with the fireflies” and it’s now on it’s version 33! Again if you’re still using the old version, you can change it using my theme switcher on the sidebar. Try it, it’s like magic, LOL.

Last night I had a night-out with the girls. I had fun.

Appetizers, anyone?

While waiting for another friend in the hotel. We had some appetizers: ‘Value City’ muchies (lol) and several bottles of Miller Chill to start the ball rolling. After waiting for an hour and a half and four bottles of Miller, our friend “K” failed to show up. I was pretty drunk myself, I was afraid I might be crawling to Pucker’s. But thankfully not. We were all laughing and really enjoying the moment…I was talkative, but I knew I was drunk coz my upper lip is getting numb by that time and could’nt talk straight in English LOL. Remember the ‘Robin’ test? Well, i tried saying the word ‘Robin’ several times to check myslef…”Ro-Ro-robeeeen”…”Ro-o-ow-ben”…”Robin!’…Ok, Mina is fine….for now LOL

Pure conversation classics

While taking tequila shots at Pucker’s, we reminisced…talked about college life, travels and the silly stuff we did during the good-ol’-days. The owner of the bar was there, checking us out every now and then, and wanted to join the conversation,maybe because we were all laughing and was really having a good time. He was nice and friendly. Our ‘tequila attendant’ kept on visiting our booth and made sure our shooters were filled with tequila goodness. After four shots…hmm was it four or five? Couldn’t remember, I was long gone. I can’t really remember what I did, but thank God ‘E” was beside me, I think there were times that I was hugging her, thank God she’s there or else I’ll be lying on the floor!

…long gone

We knew it’s time to go back to the hotel for I was being quiet in my cozy little corner of the booth staring at the ashtray. So the three of us walked back to the hotel and hit the bed. I think I hit the bed first, for I was long gone.LOL

Am I sober now?

It’s 9 am and I’m up, writing this blog…still a bit dizzy…Can’t stay away from my computer for a long time I guess, hehe.

After reading my cousin Ann’s blog, I was inspired to write my own 2007 year-end report. Unlike hers, this will be short (I hope), hehe.

It has been a great year for me regarding work. I’ve been talking about work all the time, because it has been my life when I started living here in the States . It may sound pathetic, but in a way it taught me so many things. Being independent and deciding things for myself was a huge transformation for me. Back in the Philippines, aside from work, I partied all the time, night-outs with friends, overnights here, ovenights there. I don’t know if i’m still adjusting here or not..but it’s different! I might just be exagerating, I still manage to have fun every now and then. Maybe I just miss my friends back home. I have grown to really love my work now, even though its far different from the work that i used to. Unlike on my previous job, where I sit infront of my computer all the time,designing, drafting, editing, print here, print there..and the only time I get to see the outside world was during site visits…were I guess…alright. But I wanted some more…I wanted to communicate more, to serve more and to “move” more. So when I had the chance to land this job, I embraced it and at the same time praying that this will give me insights on what I really want to do. It’s different..it was a total shock for me…it’s energy consuming, time consuming. But I like it…I really like it alot. 2007 was roller coaster ride for me, I was promoted, became an empolyee of the month (again), was awarded an employee of the year (for the past year), travelled, met important people…made more friends.

2007: the year of shopping…dot…com
I think I have shopped more online than in an actual store in 2007 (well except for the groceries). I was cleaning up my desk and found this stack of receipts from mailed packages…and thought…”my gosh, I think i did alot of shopping this year…online shopping!” Bought my cds and dvds online (from my favorites music store yesasia.com). Bought lotion, sanitizers and other beauty products online (from, where else…my fave…bathandbodyworks.com). Bought stuff for my computer online, softwares and hardwares (from circuitcity.com and corel.com). Bought magazines, perfumes, watch tool and other knick-knacks online (from ebay.com). Bought shoes online (from zappos.com –>my place of nirvana, hehe). Bought my ipod and ipod accessories online (from apple.com). Purchased songs for my ipod online (i-tunes store). Bought feng shui items online (from fengshuiweb.co.uk). Upgraded to a better plan from my web host (the best web host ever–>site5.com)..etc .etc.! But I think the best purchase that i did in 2007, was my ipod…Oh, my ipod how can I live without you! LOL. At first I was really hesitant to buy one, but through the convincing powers of my bestfriend Edc, I finally did it with no regrets at all! I use it all the time, not just for music but for other entertainment as well. Plus, it’s a good tool if you want to isolate yourself from the annoying public, hehe. As of this moment I have 948 songs, 100 videos and 10 podcasts.

2007: the year of lost and found
Well, I really didn’t lose anything important that year. But I finally found the person, that i’ve been searching for a long long time. Fely was my closest friend way back in highschool, we’ve lost communication for more than 10 years. Through the power of the internet and the world wide web, I found her again, and I’m so happy. We have alot of catching up to do…unfortunately we have to do it online. I was extra happy that my bestfriend Edc have finally met her in person giving the opportunity to represent me, I felt like i was there meeting her again. Edc is like the other half of me…oh he’s the best!
Met new friends in 2007, and I mean a diversity of friends…Japanese, Italian, African-American, Latinas, Turkish, Russian. I love making new friends from all over the globe. Learning their language and culture excites me alot. Hmmm, did I use the word ‘excite’? lol. It’s fun to learn a new language! I have started studying the japanese, spanish, italian languages years ago (and still in the learning process), but now i’m into russian. What a beautiful language, but it’s a tongue-twister for me…zdrastv-oo-tye! (hmmm, not sure about the spelling though, hehe)

2007: the year of web designs…and graphics
You all know by now, that web design is one of my passions. I’m not a proffesional nor an expert on this part, but I learned it through self-study. And I’m hooked!. I did alot of web designing that year, not just for my own homepage but for others as well. It’s a natural high for me when someone wants my ’services’ to make their own webpage. Aside from my ccastardust site, I made some designs for Edc, the AFLS group, the 750 connection group, the seasoned writer Sabine etc. etc! But the best thing that happened to me in 2007 is when I won the logo design contest for this organization in Texas. I was extremely overjoyed when they have chosen my design.

2007: their nine-lives are over
Isis and Gertrude past away. First, it was Gertrude, she had some sort of illness or something and then the adorable Isis, my fave. They were really old cats and I guess their nine-lives are over. I miss them alot.

2007: the year of ‘goody bags’
I think I have received more gifts in 2007. Thanks to my family and friends. I especially love the gifts from Edc and Richie, most of them were unexpected ’surprises’. These guys are good! They can really make this girl happy and excited, hehe..and now this girl is craving for more, LOL..you guys started it, hehe. It’s not just me who got goody bags but them as well. I think it has become our (the three of us) tradition to do this every year…excites ourselves with the exchange gifts of goody bags. Some are ‘expected’ but the best part are the hidden surpises in the bags. You’ll never know what you’re gonna get!

2007: the year of the comeback ‘Kit’
He finally did it this time! Kit is back in the motorcross racing again. It was an exciting feeling for me as well, coz it’s the first time that i’ve seen him racing, not just in photographs. I admit it, I had mixed feelings about this, I wanted him to go back to racing, but at the same time scared, because it’s kinna dangerous…accidents might happen you know. But thank God he finished with no broken bones or something…only missing bolts from Hodie, hehe. It’s so exciting to watch these guys race their bikes, and i’m thinking of joing them in the future, but I need my own bike first.

I think I have written enough, whew!…did I say, it’s gonna be short? LOL. But I know there are more stuff to write, i just don’t wanna bore you guys.

2007 is a good year for me and I hope 2008 will be the same as well, even better. 2008, is the year of the rat (in chinese astrology) will it bite?

It has been a very busy and tiring week for me at work. And i’m sure next week will be the same. I can’t believe they scheduled us to work six days, which means we only have one day off!

It’s a lazy Sunday for me, all I wanna do is to bum around the house and update this blog.

My day started with a really nice chat with Edc, It’s been days since we have chatted. He sent me the link to the Ghibli site and found so many good anime movies. I’m a fan of Japanese anime but Edc gave me this opportunity to explore some animes that i’m not really familiar with. My love for japanese anime started when I was a kid. It all started with Voltes V, my sisters and I loved it. We had voltes V posters, Voltes V shirts, and even a 45 rpm record of its theme. Then I got interested in Fushigi Yugi (Mystery Game), Yu YU Hakusho (Ghost fighter), Rekka No Hono (Flame of Recca), Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X), Inu Yasha…and the list can go on and on.

Do you still remember the old Sanrio characters?(back in the good ol’ days when we can still get them ‘made in japan’, hehe) There’s My Little Twin Star, My Melody and of course the flagship character of Sanrio, Hello Kitty…I used to like Hello Kitty, along time ago when she used to have red and blue colors. Now, she’s all pink! What happened!

One thing that i like about the Japanese, is that they have the wackiest and silliest programmes ever. Takeshi’s Castle is one of them.Everybody in the Philippines remember Takeshi’s Castle,you know the one with Anjo and Smokey? LOL. The show has become a cult television hit and would you believe they also show it here? Yes folks, we have it…they changed the title to MXC Most Extreme Challenge and course dubbed in english. For those who are not familiar with the show, it’s a game show that pushes people to their limits. Hmmm, are those people mad or what? Those obstacles can really hurt you…as in back-breaking,bone-crushing pain from hell! But i like it, i don’t know why, maybe because i sometimes like watching weird people playing even weirder games, hurting themesleves to death, LOL.

I can’t leave this topic without mentioning their cuisine. I love Japanese cuisine! It’s one of my favorites. Those delectable sushis,sashimis can make my mouth water. And i can eat all the
shrimp tempura that my tummy can handle. Yum-yum!

What’s with the Japanese culture that makes me rave and crave? Is it the food? The art? The language? The music? It’s hard for me to tell…I guess all of them!

Funny word, eh?So in the interest of putting something up on this fabulous blog space (lol)…Let’s now move forward to my today’s post…

Last night I seem to be experiencing a ‘temporary’ technical difficulty…the fact that my mind had temporarily lost its ‘functionability’, I could’nt seem to remember where i’ve put that ‘borherding’! Maybe I was just tired or maybe its because I’m getting old…oh no!
Being a person who likes to move things around, I think I should now follow one of Kit’s personal mantra – ‘Everything’s a place and everything in its place’…

‘Change is good’ as I would always utter. But next time I should put things back in its proper place before I forget where I put them eventually.

No luck in finding the Borherding, so I had to use a new one. I know one day it will just show up, and I really hate that! Realizing that I should have used-up the other first before breaking-in a new one…silly me.
(NOTE:Borherding-It’s a Chinese medicated ‘thingy’ that smells minty, it supposed to help to ease your migrane or any sore spot on your body. My leg was terribly hurting last night.)