Ivy on Manly Beach. After shopping. I got her the pink scarf for her birthday. To match her pink puffy jacket. And her pink bag (not in picture!)  

Me and Ivy on the ferry to Manly! 

Ivy and Me at Hugo's Pizza Bar, King's Cross. And yes, that's a trashy romance novel.  

Sacha attacks Jojo in anger, as he has ordered pizza with chunks of cheese that she can't eat! (Sacha hates cheese) 

Jojo's Revenge! 

At the State Theatre before watching "The Bar at Buena Vista" featuring the Buena Vista Social Club and many others. Fantastic music. (I bought the cd) The best performers were between the ages of 70-80. They were excellent! 

This is the Arroz ala Cubana I cooked for our lunch. Yes, I can cook.  

The ferry where Ivy left my book. She had this funny tendency to leave stuff on public transport. First she left my digital camera on a bus and we traced it to burwood, which concluded in a hilarious adventure of walking, walking, missing a bus stop, discovering sydney had more than one river (i didnt notice...), seeing pretty houses in cabarita and finally, finding a camera that would have been lost in the philippines in five seconds. 

Sacha and Ivy at Lowenbrau, the German beer place (if I say beer garden it means something else, to me at least.) for after birthday drinks. She had a nice beer and I had some schnappes. And more dessert. 

Princess Ivy and Me at the Sydney Opera House. This was Ivy's first day, which as promised, I began by taking her walking, walking and more walking. 

The Short Update

Because Im so tired.

House that I liked in Leichhardt called Monday to say they found someone to move in right away so I got booted. After much looking this week and reviewing all the things I needed to do, I decided to stop looking after this weekend, at least until the end of sept and my midterms are done. This comes after one of my housemate's friends is coming to stay and rent for 8 weeks so none of us are leaving till after he's gone so we're all okay.

I've got a lot of house hunting stories from the "is it ok if i take recreational drugs" to today's computer junkie who possibly was gay and had 2 cats but im too tired to write about them now. I may have two more places to look at but Im most likely going to say no as Im not in the mood to move in a rush next week. I'd rather move in Oct, as I'd like to be stable to study.

Training starts this week, will have to talk to the manager and ask if i can take the last day of training (next wed) the week after as I have to stick to my 20 hours.

Just got back from kickboxing. I think that my tummy has shrunk just the teensiest bit, at least. I am happy that this is so!

Go Me!

I'm Knackered!

Blogger has taken 50 million years to load of late so I am posting my compiled journal entries from last week!

8/6/05 07:18 pm - My weekend so far

My diet is going all right, I feel better, healthier and less bloated. Im having a better than yesterday day today, meaning I got over the once in a while moment of "I feel like shit Nobody Likes Me Im struggling to adjust in this foreign country". Annelyn is right, a good night's sleep is always best. I solved my shittiness by giving myself a break, and watching sin city! Which since I am a full time student, cost only $11. Tonight I might go and watch This Movie, which has Joan Chen. I saw the trailer on quicktime - go broadband internet! - and immediately fell in love with it.

Went to the grocery - I seem to have gone every other day this week, buying food -and mostly bought toilet paper - I left the twelve roll, $4 special toilet paper somewhere yesterday because I was so harrassed. I think I might have left it at the optometrist's or on the bus. Sigh.

I messaged my friend Pupi, who gave me advice on whether or not I should do the protein shake thing, since it is filling, as I experienced a few days ago when I tried the vanilla shake. I have gotten two strawberry shakes - of the atkins brand para siguradong low carb - but they suck!!! Unfortunately there was no vanilla or I would have stuck to that.

I also got two chicken breasts and sirloin slices, to make parmigiana and beefsteak respectively. I also learned how to cook brown rice in the rice cooker (the dogs were the happy recepients of my first wrong try) but no matter what I do the brown rice here sucks.

I am dogsitting this weekend, my housemates have gone up the central coast. I fed them all nice. I think they are kind of lonely, Moses keeps following me around. He is so cute, when I opened my door kanina he was sitting outside waiting for me. Awww. I let him sit with me while I read my case study on This Company.

Tonight I'm off to look at a house on the street perpendicular to mine, and then off to that movie. Have only heard from one other person I've messaged re: houses. Tomorrow will read more case studies, go see my cousin Miel and possibly watch wedding crashers (im making up for the fact the last movie i saw was fantastic four about a month ago), go see another house, and cook my meals for the week. Or at least the chicken parmi and tuna casserole with my low carb low fat egg noodles (don't ask).

Next weeks plans are to follow up job applications, sign up for a two week gym trial for $25, and yaaaay, start KBOX again!!! Go me!

8/30/05 09:56 am - Signs of Winter (or maybe that you've had a bit too much)

1. The sun is blindingly bright in the day but you still need at least two layers
2. Your skin feels like sandpaper and you can write the word dry on your leg. Worse yet, when you try to rub it off, its still there.
3. You have bought every single moisturizing lotion for all the appendages of your body and none of them work, despite your faithful applications.
4. You havent waxed your legs in months and you dont see the point. Besides, its warmer that way.
5. You have a pedicure that no one has seen because you are always in boots.
6. You have run out of socks and have had to use them more than once at some point.
7. The only things that keep your chest warm are either coffee (or some warm beverage) or cigarettes, which are not healthy for you to have
8. You have taken to carrying the dog around because he can serve as a fur muff.
9. You take a beanie bonnet and a pair of gloves everywhere. Even if your gloves are striped in different shades of green and dont go with all your outfits.
10. You spend 40 minutes in the shower trying to get warm
11. You are happy not to live in Melbourne :P

08/10 09:51 am - I've been dewormed and Moses has dandruff

The doggies are getting dewormed, so apparently we have to get dewormed too, so my housemate gave me a pill and i took it. Its a bit sweet tasting. the doggies are padding about the house now, making papansin. Moses especially, I think hasnt gotten over his being left my his owners for the weekend. While Toby is just chillin' (as in, that dog is like, The Independent Doggie) Moses like walks up and asks to be patted or just sits where you are. While his parents were gone he would be sitting outside my door when I woke up.

Strange developments in my house: Handle, the housemate no one has met has a friend named Duncan who was kicked out of his house and Handle pretty much gave him his room, so we have a new housemate, which leads me to ask, is there a need for me to move? But nevertheless Im still looking anyhow, as I havent been told not to. Also I wont hear from the house that I want until Thursday.

Didn't get the uni job but the call centre job sounds like they want me but they cant get my references to reply. At least thats what they say. My references say they havent got any or in the case of my Dark Evil Boss, he already got an email and replied to it on the first day. I got two missed calls from a private number while in class yesterday, which means it was them but I couldnt call back as it was too late. May try again later or just wait.

Im off to see another house in Newtown/Darlington today - more on surreal house hunting adventures later - and nakakawalang gana kasi parang wala namang ok na bahay this season. Can't wait for when Nicole and I move in together, which is what we've decided to do when she moves down here next year. In July. Matagal-tagal pa to ha.

Anyway, off I go to see the house then do some homework! And possibly cook my beefsteak :)

8/11/05 - The latest!

I am so tired. Yesterday I was at Wynyard Station handing out MX News as part of my temp job. Imagine having a bazillion newspapers draped over your arm and shouting "Free News!" as you stood in the station - with the wind blowing in mind you, and handing them out. My fingers were black afterwards and my left arm hurt. Then I went to kickboxing. (What a masochist!) Having not gone in a month I was out of practice and sucked at holding the pads. My teacher was the same, but none of my old classmates could make it. My new partner was really good, though, even if she didnt kick as hard as Steph, my Pinay friend who kicks ass big time.

Last night I lay in bed with my left arm at an angle, in pain. Ironically the kickboxing doesnt hurt as much - last night was a prep kind of class, so it wasnt too hard - it was the arm that held all the papers. I am completely covered in Salonpas and $8 muscle gel that I had to buy at the friendly uni chemist.

I had a very very long day today. Thursday is the day I start at 11, and end at 9pm and today it was an especially excruciating start. After my first class - i stopped by broadway to grab gloria jeans because "i deserved a real - non-generic uni decaf - coffee this morning, damn it!" - i went to check out a house in Glebe. The directions I printed from whereis.com.au made me go around a long route and involved crossing a major road from a freeway like crossing without signposts. Apparently it was shorter than I thought. The house had 3 German boys (literally boys, ave age 21) who were the nicest Germans I have met so far, they were nice and not arrogant. Unfortunately they were only there until December, were renting all major appliances - including fridge, washing machine and tv - and although the house was nice and neat enough, Im not to keen on walking to uni everyday, or wondering if the streets will be well lit at night.

I have seen a number of houses, including one with a girl who took a seminar that resembled the PSI one I took years back, who told me over the phone, "I have to tell you, I regularly take recreational drugs. If you mind, then its okay, I understand but you have to be ok with that to move into the house." Also saw a few decent ones, including one in darlington that is close enough to uni to walk but not far enough to be too far. The guy that has the lease is used to internationals, in fact the girls leaving are from sweden, but the house isnt too well kept and am not too sure of other facilities such as cooking pots and the like even if all the appliances are complete. The other one in Petersham is pretty decent, and nice with facilities too but the walk to the house is a bit dark, and although there's a bus at the corner, its not too frequent and missing it means a walk to paramatta road. The house that I like is still in Leichhardt, on Elswick, and I am waiting to hear from them. My dilemma is that the Petersham people have left a voice mail on my phone already and I have to get back to them... ah well.

I got the call centre job. Long story. Later. Training starts on the 18th. Ivy arrives on the 21st. She will spend the first three days of the week, running around by herself because I will be unable to pay attention to her...

Tomorrow I have volunteer work ahead of me. I have volunteered for Careers Day for Girls
at uni and then after that have got more MX work at North Sydney Station. All in all a busy week. And an equally busy weekend. Have got to catch up with the reading and all that. Hope to see Wedding Crashers (yeah, I know its probably been showing in Manila already) this weekend. And finally cook my beef steak (haven't yet...) , the sirloin must be harder than a rock in the freezer. I'm so knackered (ie: Too Tired. it's not what you think, you know!) . Tomorrow I must be the energizer bunny. Go Me!

Someday, I'll be Nigella Lawson. In the meantime, the kitchen really stinks.

In preparation for my diet this week, i have been cooking cooking and cooking. Okay since there is a limit of things that I can cook, its mostly been omelettes and things. I went to the grocery store earlier today and bought things to cook. So far I have made 3 omelettes with variations of roast turkey, ham, asparagus, mushrooms and cheese and stored them, because I am a lazy breakfast maker and cereal isnt allowed until possibly week 3. I also cooked an entire can of spam lite, which is allowed.

I am now frying bangus in olive oil. The instructions say 8 minutes on each side. Its been approximately 2 mintues and my kitchen smells like fish already. Ive closed all possible doors, opened the door to the garden, put on the kitchen fan and it stinks. This is why I deliberately waited until my housemates were gone before I cooked.

I am also cooking spaghetti sauce, which can be eaten without the pasta. I have cooked the beef the right way but right now it is sitting on a pot in my stove because I cant open the freaking sauce jar and believe me Ive been trying since 3ish. Its already five. Ive been outside the house twice to see if there is anyone who I can accost to open the jar for me but nooooo.

Everything is getting stored in nice little tupperware containers in my fridge for microwaving. I also have sirloin which I bought to make tapa with. Mum has sent instructions, etc. and I think i will have time to make them sometime on Wednesday or Thursday (Im so scheduled this week its not funny) but I may have bought the wrong thing. It also cost $14. I have never paid that much for meat, which is the sign that I may have bought the wrong thing. Well, no matter what happens I'll end up cooking it anyway, somehow some way...

Neil Gaiman and Me. 

July

In Summary, July was one big chaotic vacation. Uni ended and my mum arrived. I spent most of July taking her around and doing the goodbye thing as all my international friends (Dan, Colin, Laura) left. Every morning I went around with mum, every evening was a goodbye dinner for one of them which involved lots of alcohol. Consequently, I got sick and spent a week being taken care of by my mother (yay!) in Epping and being fed loads of filipino food. I got my grades and ended up failing a subject - the first time ever in my life - after dealing with the disappointment, embarrassment and the depression and talking to my professor I have moved on, am repeating it (I missed by 5 points and almost everyone in class didnt get anything resembling a 60, all of them were in the 50s, it was a hard class and there are various reasons why I didnt pass all relating to personal adjustments so I have chalked it up to settling and moved on) and have not told my parents - and no one better! - as I have to take extra courses anyway.

I am a lot more hopeful this semester. Part of this is because I feel more organized and that things are more put together now. I am trying to be a calmer and more organized person.

I have done a few one off jobs, one where I helped out at the academic dress shop putting people in togas and just last week I was distributing flyers for 8 hours at uni, something I'll be doing again next week. Uni has started again and I am better organized and hopeful. I have more excellent teachers this time around and it looks like Ive chosen good subjects. I have ten thousand things that I have to do, not least of which is clean the kitchen today, which is proving to be difficult as one of the dogs is still sunning itself in it, which defeats the purpose because they shed so much hair and i dont want to have to keep repeat cleaning.

I will have to look for a new house soon. My housemate Handle is moving out in October with his girlfriend Rebekah. My other housemates (the couple) have decided that we probably wont get anyone to take over his room for 2 months until December to give away the lease so they are moving in October. This I found out last week, so I have to move. Either I am going to find another place or I'm going to move in with my Auntie from Dee Why who is looking to buy a place closer to the city. We will see. All I know is I dont want to be moving until after my midterms because last time it was such a disaster doing both of that at the same time. I dont want anymore extra anxiety.

My friend Ivy is coming to visit August 20 and I am excited. I am going to have to come up with an itinerary of things for her to do while I am at uni, etc. She will be staying with me. I have two job interviews next week, one for a temp agency and the other for a uni contractual job. I am very interested in the uni job but it is only for three months and i need something that is more long term. They said they were very impressed by my application and that they had only shortlisted 3-4 candidates and I was one of them. I am very flattered and excited, I really like the job.

I also finished a group interview for a call center called SalesForce for their Ticketek Program (www.ticketek.com.au). They emailed D.E.B. at home to check my references already and I am also excited for this job. It pays well, you can do casual, and shifts are all in the day (calls are 9am-9pm) and they book you for 4-5 hour shifts mostly. What does the job involve? People call to buy tickets for concerts, theatre and sporting events. You say okay, take their money and place the order. Sometimes theres a bit of selling involved, and it looks like a fun company to work for (voted no.1 employer in Australia for 2004). Their promotions and intro and stuff sound just like eTel!!!

I am also going on a diet. I am about 5 kilos (12ish pounds) over the required weight for my height (too many chips and choccies and lovely ice cream with no dairy, etc. etc.) and my mother spent the whole time here telling me I had a beer belly when I dont even drink beer. (Tell that to the former anorexic, why dont you? I am so glad I no longer feel that insecure and as such feel the need to starve myself everytime someone says I have gained weight!) I think the problem is that although I walk a lot more I eat a lot more (mostly of wrong thigns) and thus need to exercise more and the gym is so expensive. Im going back to kickboxing, which starts again in two weeks. May also take salsa and try out a uni gym. I also promised my mother when she left this morning that I would be thinner the next time she saw me, which I should be if I want to have some semblance of a body when I put on a bikini in 4 months, damn it!

So South Beach Diet, here we come...

I have been loaded up with pinoy food, most of which I cant eat during the diet so right now I am cooking longaniza. Had no idea it took forever to cook and that, well, it cooked in its own fat. Also I didnt know how to tell when it was done, so I let all the water evaporate and then tasted it. It's pretty good, if I may say so. So I'm going to go eat it now and then finish cleaning the kitchen and then organise my study materials (if there is time, or I'll do that tonight) and then go to church.

And then it will be August...

Does this sound familiar?

Your Hidden Talent

You have the natural talent of rocking the boat, thwarting the system. And while this may not seem big, it can be. It's people like you who serve as the catalysts to major cultural changes. You're just a bit behind the scenes, so no one really notices.

What's Your Hidden Talent?

Excerpts from my week

These are all excerpts from letters or other journal entries...

7/4/05 10:50 am

I am officially a DUPPIE - a depressed urban professional which is defined as a person who once had a high power job but is now unemployed.

I actually do miss the call center i worked for but I am glad I am not there right now. They are in worse chaos than they were when I was there and they have one less person to keep things in control (not to be mayabang or anything). In fairness, I do give my babies pep talk calls every now and then.

I got this definition from the Cosmo Philippines that my mommy brought. I have all these nice things, but still no stiletto heels. (heheheh)

Last night part of my dream included wrestling over laundry with my friend from work, Eric. He was making ligaw this girl secretly and he put the evidence in my laundry. When he was about to be discovered he stole my laundry - we were perhaps, in a mall, a very white and shiny one - in its shangrila laundry bag and went running around in it. Of course I chased him and we were wrestling for the laundry on the floor. I kept saying, "Eric what about my underwear, I need my underwear. Give it back." It was very funny.

7/8/05 08:29 am

Today I woke up and there was another dog in the house. My housemate
says he's a stray that wandered in. I suppose that we are going to
find his owner. He is a gigantic labrador just like the one in
spanglish (or gus, if anyone remembers him) and he is at this moment sniffing around the kitchen. I have spent some time dodging his attempts to play, which have come in the form of him dragging toby's bone around and trying to get me to throw it. I refuse to end up like Paz Vega, perpetually throwing around balls, unless it means I get boobs like hers, which I doubt.

I got a one off job today. The Careers Centre called and asked if I was free so I will be working today and on Monday from 10-2 helping distribute academic dress. Its a start and I hope that it leads to a more long term position sometime soon.

Yesterday I went around dropping off resumes on norton and tomorrow sacha and i are going to bondi so we can shoe shop/resume drop.

I woke up this morning because someone was groaning in the middle of
the night. I got scared bec it was dark and four am and it sounded
like groans of agony. I asked my housemate about it he says it was
miki and i doubt it because i know what she sounds like and it sounded
more hungover to me (which i think he is this morning). My housemates
also had a fight this morning and she was crying when she left the
house. I think maybe later I'll mention something along the lines of -
maybe you should close the door when you fight, or something more
tactful.

The labrador is smelling my foot now. Must go.

7/9/05 01:04 PM

The house is in a tizzy as my housemates prepare for Mike's 30th birthday. Miki is busy cutting stuff and he is busy blowing up balloons with a tank. Chas, the guy who used to rent my room is here to help out. I did my part by doing dishes, sweeping up the living room and sticking things up with blutac. The party has a musical instrument theme, where everyone is supposed to bring their own instrument. I dont have one, but I live here so I figure I can grab a toilet paper roll put wax paper on the top and finish it off with a rubber band. There you go.

Am off to Bondi to go drop of resumes at the westfield mall there with sacha. she wants to go to manly so we may drop by after. Then i have to go to party then back to Epping because mummy wants me to sleepover so that we can hang tomorrow. The things you do for love.

I really need a vacation.

Must dash...

I am so happy to be freeeeeeee!!!

I am so glad my exams are over. I realized I still havent posted about my Melbourne trip, have been so busy. Will most likely do a short summary and post it soon. Mum is arriving for a visit on Sunday, she'll be here for 3 weeks. Derrick should be popping by soon as well. I am excited! Also busy job hunting and cleaning and well, if I can teach myself enough, cooking. Want to cook Arroz ala Cubana, but you try finding saging na saba in this place. My tita, who has been here 30 years has no idea what theyre called in English. Jojo, on the other hand says theyre called "Plantains" and you can buy them anywhere. Haber, why havent I seen one?!?! Anyway, just a short entry before I go off to clean my room, make lunch and hurry off to get a coat before going to do the laundry.

In short, my life so far (for now):
Today, my name is: still Maria
I am feeling: so glad to be freeeeeeeeeeee
The weather is: Rainy, Rainy and more rainy
The last song I heard was: Jojo singing this song by Jamelia
The last thing I did was: Have a night out to celebrate the end of my final exams with Jojo and Sacha. We had tapas at the Spanish quarter (not so good), a drink at Hugo's on King's Cross (it took forever to find a place that was open) and Pancakes on the Rocks! (kick ass!).
I learnt: How to Say different things in Dutch, that the funniest song in dutch involves a dentist's assistant and that they also have a song that goes "there's a horse in the hallway" (dont ask, Sacha didnt know either.
The last bus I took was: Wala. I took a cab from Circular Quay.
The last movie I saw was: Madagascar - You gotta move it move it! You gotta move it! - this has since prompted us to think of translations to this in different languages. It is particularly hilarious in Dutch and in Hindi.
I thought it was: Fun and Funny
My latest accomplishment was: I have successfully cleaned both bathroom (including toilet) and kitchen properly.
My latest interest is: cooking (o diba!) and possibly brazilian jujitsu, also salsa if jojo and i can get around to finding a place to learn in
My latest celebrity crush is: still Hayden. Sigh.
I am currently: about to clean my room, change my sheets and get my laundry over to Jojo's so I can use his dryer!
Tomorrow: I am going to a job interview in North Sydney for an Office Assistant Position! I hope that I get it.
My latest goals are: To get a job. To add to the repertoire of dishes that I can cook.

5 Miles from Gundagai, on the way home, singing in the rain 

Our Last Night at Melbourne, in the Rob Roy Hotel