23/09/09 - sydney turns red

(i know its a late post... but still, its history...)

an amazing red orangy glow from my window woke me up yesterday,
without knowing what it was, i was amazed, looks really cool,
its like an orange fog covering the whole city,
awesome!!!

that was me, amazed, until i get to my car!
silver craig get tanned!!!
news last night said it will be raining and expect strong winds,
turned the radio on and heard jakie o saying,
dust storm hit sydney at dawn...
that's it!!!

it was of course all over the news,
its a red day for sydney!!!
then at around midday, it started to clear,
this is much better, thank god!















and today, is another amazing day,
sunny and blue!!!

bike bike bike

finally, got one!!!

happy!!!

us open

my tennis is just horrible...i can serve... but that's it, end of story.

watching the tennis heroes play just amazes me... how can they serve so fast, how can they run so quick, how can they stay in the game for hours...!!!

watching federer play is another story - it hits my heart!

corny no, pero seryoso! everytime he plays, i think of him not just as the tennis player but the roger he is! everyone knows things he do outside of tennis!

not only does he has so much talent and skill, he has so much humility that radiates in every game...

i call him the ultimate!!!

lord please, sana manalo cya sa US open... (the game is on while im typing this, and now i cant work!!!)

p.s. me bago akong papa sa open... gonzales out, del potro in (guapo!!!)... but of course, just next to the ultimate! haha

* * *
update: talo c ultimate... and im sad... very sad... very very sad...

sabi nga nya: "I tried everything, it din't work. It was tough luck today, but Juan Martin played great. He hung in there and gave himself chances, and in the end was the better man."

still love the humility... he is still the man!!!

ah, uminit daw ang ulo nya on the 5th set, cant wait to watch, its a bit out of character, but im sure its not that big deal...

quadbiking in glenworth valley

went quadbiking in glenworth valley last saturday with friends...

so much fun!!! i did enjoy it!!! not too sure if my friends enjoy it, but i definitely did haha!!!

definitely satisfied my need for speed...

the first 10 min... that is getting to the track is really slow... everyone has to be in a single line following the guide... at that point, i told myself, the next hour will be very boring... but as soon as we get to the track... it was time to get crazy... saya ko!!!

will i do it again?.... YES! but has to be in a different track, next level please...

bisikleta

matagal ko na tong gustong gawin... ang mag-bisikleta, and finally, after 33 months in Sydney, i had my first bike ride yesterday... it was so much fun!!! the last time i went biking was sometime when i was in college and my nieces/nephews visited me in baguio and we went to burnham park... so that was ages ago!!! i was so worried that i might have already lost my balance... but, but, but, pagsampa ko pa lang sa bike, yes, i felt na kaya ko to, and yes, kinaya ko nga... went around bicentennial park in sydney olympic park... i love the bike i rented, and thanks to manong (pinoy ung nasa bike hire) for teaching me how to use that bike and for his tips about the gears... pati pala bike me gears din and they are indeed so helpful esp if its uphill!!!

rondz, next weekend ulit!!! haha bili na tayo ng bike haha...

this is it!!!

Decided its time for me to do what i need to do...
It feels great!!!
Painful, but great!!!
You can do it Ghie!!!
Go! Go! Go!

rain

its just thursday morning and i feel like its already friday! Its raining so hard, and while its pouring so badly, the bus' windshield is going faster and faster with a very annoying noise... hey driver, something's obviously wrong, i said... but just in my brain, eeh, no guts to say outloud...

im not a fan of the rain, it brings out even the most hidden emotion...

dunno how much longer can i hold this, naiiyak na ko, and still no sight of the familiar building... sigh...

the opera house

oh yah, i've been here in sydney for more than 2 years now and you'd think by now, i should be sick and tired of the opera house...

on the contrary...

it just never fails to amaze me... indeed the great mind behind it must be very proud!

no doubt, every tourist that comes to sydney will for sure have a photo with the opera, at least one!!! (obviously, i had more than 1, more than 2, more than 3, more than n....)

and how lucky are the tourists this month to see it in a different light...

i was seriously amazed by the brilliant mind behind those magnificent lights...

curious of what im referring to... go and check out photos in my fb!

btg

call this crazy, and yeah, it is...

its 3 am and im still awake, and just shed a tear, crazy!

am watching britains got talent... and i just cant stop finishing all the episodes

and then shaheen made me cry, ano ba to!!!

give me a break...

http://www.gaiaretreat.com.au/

i want it

i deserve it

i really do...

* * *

i can't afford it

(sigh)

friends...

biglang i miss my friends...

bes, who is in dubai - i dreamt of her last night and its a super weird dream... napadaan lang daw ako sa area ni shrek then saw her in a meeting room na me iniinterview... huh, c bes? what? yes, andito daw cya sa sydney for an interview, na hindi daw nya sinabi sakin... what?, weird... well, kaya nga dream eh! pero sana totoo na lang...

dhel, my hs best buddy - i cant even remember the last time we saw each other or talked (kahit sa text or call lang)... geez... its been ages...

ella - super miss ko tong taong to.... watched the cd she gave me as my sgv farewell gift... pinaiyak lang naman nya ako ng sobra sobra at bonggang bongga...

rondzkie - we had dinner last night, he is flying home today, and yah, now lang nagsink-in sakin na uuwi na nga cya.. rondz, if you are reading this, good luck to you 'mate and see yah! and thank you too of course!... cant deny na you've been a great part of my sydney life since my day 1 - oh well, ill see you in august!

bevs - natawa ako sa wonderwoman blog mo haha... namiss kita kc wala ng kumakanta ng don romantiko... haha... and namiss din kita kc wala na kong kasamang matulog sa sala haha...

mamy julie - one great person who has influenced my life so much... hay sana nasa tabi ko lang cya... buti na lang me sametime...

and a lot more...

well, am sure ill see you guys soooonnnn....

chicago...

it was brilliant!!!

while watching, i cant help saying ang galing, ang galing!!!

i super admire those talents...

roundtable

as expected

it was very political...

flashing red man

for a change, i have been an early bird in the office lately...

then yesterday, i was walking by myself, i saw the green man... then after few seconds he turned to a flashing red man, that was so quick, oh no!!! instinct told me to run and cross... so i did!

then a thought rushed on my head: buti na lang walang penalty ang beating the flashing red man!

silly but funny enough to start my day...

haha...

ticks

the past two weeks have been hectic weeks - not the ideal weeks i would wish for... not complaining though, part un ng job ko... i realised na me mali sa client portfolio ko, cos they all tend to happen in the same week, mmm... i have to hop from the city, to mascot, to north ryde... and have to deal with bosses of all sorts... im currently working with one in particular, na sobrang into my nerves na cya... pero towards the end of the week.... i have learned to manage her... madali lang pala, kontra kontrahin mo lang, at wag gawin lahat ng pinapagawa nya, in short tigas ulo ghie (pero reasonable naman i swear!) - nung nag debrief kami, sinabi ko sa kanya: "xxx - i guess you also need to balance your expectations between audit quality and efficiency" i said it in a non-offensive way, tapos inexplain ko ng mabuti... kainis kc, andami pinapagawa na d naman necessary, and worse, ambagal magdecision!... nagpareview ako ng ultra comprehensive SRM na isasubmit to group... sabi nya, leave it with her, sabi ko, lets sit down and discuss, kc otherwise, one week na mabubulok un sa kanya (as per what i hear from others which ive confirmed during our interim reporting)... while discussing, me tinatanong cya about an issue na ginawan ko na ng conclusion na previously pinag agreehan na namin (you know, the type of issues na you have to conclude as ok though not perfectly ok!), ay, ang drama nya, we need to revisit this and make sure we are happy blah.... ay, uminit ang ulo ko! sabi ko "xxx, we have already discussed this so many times and have already spent hours talking about this, what is there to discuss further" - ay, gaga ka ghie, rude, though calmado pagkakasabi ko, the meaning was so rude... pero sorry lord, naasar kc ako... tapos tatanungin ka ng how is our WIP, why is the team spending so much hours? duh, duh, grrrr!! ah, pero in fairness, effective ang kagagahan ko, i had her signature before she walked out the room (yahoo!!!! i win!!! nyehehehe...) happy happy!...

well well well... though weekdays can be hectic, weekends are always great!!! as i write this blog, i am sitting in a balcony of a very nice apartment here in hunter valley... its very relaxing, its very green... i love it! yesterday, we went wine tasting... we went to about 4... and today will be another day to explore the valley... im sure it will be fun!!!

...

what is one thing that you are most passionate about?

* * * * *

* * *

*

AUDIT

*

* * *

* * * * *

so help me god...

$189...

what a rip off!!!

sobrang bad trip! got a parking ticket!!! nagpunta kami ke shawee sa north sydney to get some stuff... on our way back, ruby anna noticed a ticket on my wiper... and un na nga, parking ticket!!! what???!!!

Offence: Disobey no stopping sign

I swear, pinili ko ung parking spot na un cos its clear and before we left the car, i doubled checked... how stupid can i be na hindi ko nakita na me "no stopping" sign... i really cant believe up to now... alam ko naman ang itsura ng mga no stopping/no parking signs... bat d ko to nakita??? is it because mejo madilim, but still, i double checked na ok to park and that there were no signs whatsoever!!!... its plain stupidity na nakakairita sobra... hay ghie!!!

Sabi sa ticket: Either pay the penalty or contest in court! My gulay...

Ok fine, things happen for reasons... isipin ko na lang na lucky pa din ako, at least its just a parking ticket and not anything else... i guess il say love pa din ako ni lord...

I guess i clearly learned a lesson tonight...

craig...

finally, craig is here!!!

and yes, i am more than happy!!!

(named after a cheerful aussie!)

verdasco

call this crazy, but yah, it probably is...

its past 12 am and am still hooked with verdasco vs nadal... they are indeed both great players... the power of nadal is simply unquestionable but the magic of verdasco makes me cheer for him... the game is so intense, i can feel the pressure on nadal to defend his title, but i share verdasco's desire to be equally extraordinary... win or lose, verdasco is now top in my list..

he is just incredible tonight...

* * *

post-game update:

ok, after 5 hrs and 12 minutes, yes, talo cya... and yes, affected ako, d na nga ata ako makakatulog... ang galing ng game, it was worth the watch... galing cla pareho... tied to the 4th round...but nadal got the last round... it was not an easy game for nadal, not at all, so for sure cya mismo bibilib din ke verdasco... he did not give up... he tried his best up to the last serve but i guess nadal got luckier at that moment... ang galing ng mga serve, ng mga shots and ng mga kills... the hot shots were amazing... ang galing galing... indeed, that game was incredibly special... round of applause to both and a salute from me for verdasco... gusto ko cyang i-hug and whisper to his ear "ok lang yun, mas guapo ka pa din kesa sa kanya"... (hahaha, un pala un!, no no, really its his game more than his face!)

sunday will be the day! its nadal and federer... i admire both and a fan of both but not a super fan (i mean not as much as a fan of verdasco and gonzales)... so whoever wins, saludo ako and for sure it will be a tough game... having said that though, i might cheer for federer...

jelena

she did not win... but still, am so proud of her... she did her best and thats what matters... i salute her for being a fighter!

go girl, see you at the next open, have faith!!!

she asked god to help her through the first round... she was blessed four rounds instead... am sure she's more than thankful...

jo-wilfried

tsonga won!!!

happy happy happy!!!

go fernando!!!

just came from darling harbour and yes, as expected, people are everywhere!!! had lunch with rondz and dith at olivo... mmm, yah i miss sydney's steak so had it!

had a couple of photos and watched a street entertainer, then we decided to head off... why so early??? well, i actually don't want to miss the fireworks, BUT i also cant afford to miss gonzales' game against rafa... Am sure it will be very exciting!!

post-match:

well, rafa won... it was a great game... rafa deserves it... but am loyal to gonzales... well, okay lang un, playing against the world's number is already a pride in itself!!! go go fernando!!!

australian open

its this time of the year again..

yes, its this time when everyone go crazy on tennis!!!

gonzales remains my favorite, with a new discovery this year, tsonga, being next in line... magaling cla pareho and papa cla pareho =)

as to the ladies, jelena dokic!!! galing, believe ako sa fighting spirit nya... its a very inspirng comeback! good luck girl, galingan mo!!!

sana marunong din akong magtennis... hay... someone help!!!

Jan 26

Definitely a big day down under!

To all australians, permanent residents, temporary residents, and visitors - happy aussie day!!! Enjoy your barbie!!! Greetings extended to ruby anna who's still enjoying her holidays in pinas - tsk tsk, you'll miss the fireworks girl, to Renee, who is already in new jersey, and of course to Bevs, who is now in LA (bevs, remember your foot!)

25 months in sydney!!! and lovin' it!

lost

im seriously struggling to get my senses back to work...

i have so much things to do but i just can't get into work mood...

help me god please...

skydive the beach sydney

what a saturday! it was my first weekend back in sydney, and yah, what a weekend!!! and hey, its meant to be busy season, but well, weekend is weekend!!! so off we go to wollongong!

i dint have a reservation as i backed out (obviously chickened out) when loreto was asking me before she made the booking for herself and 2 other friends, but i promised to go with them to give them support (yes, moral support!)...

for whatever reason, on friday night, i was really insanely so tensed, ewan ko nga ba, feeling ko ako ung tatalon... sobrang kinakabahan ako at seryosong naririning ko ang heart ko (i know, its insane!)... then i figured, this could be a sign that im actually already ready to do it... well, yah, reality is i really want to do it, its on my list, i just chickened out and was not sure if im ready to do it on saturday... plus im worried i won't ever have a chance to do it unless i have the superpowers to convince my friends, which could be possible, but perhaps not in the near futhre... so then i composed myself and thought... pag me slot pa bukas, i will do it!

as always, woke up late that morning, and quickly grabbed a shorts and a blouse and my thongs... well, we are going to the beach!!!

on our way, i was really so convinced that i will be jumping today... and so i was praying that there will be a slot... and that they also provide rubber shoes (cos im sure they do provide jump suits!)...

and who is luckier than me on this day... yes, there is an available slot, and yes, me rubber shoes din --- awesome!!!

naubos na ang nerbyos ko the night before, and now, its really just pure excitement!!!

it was definitely an experience!!! the thrill of freefall over the beach was just awesome!!! the adrenaline begins when the door is opened and you move to the edge of the aircraft.... from 14,000 ft, here i come!!!! that's it, next thing you know you are free falling and enjoying the rush for 60 seconds.... then thanks to the parachute, you can now relax and enjoy the nice view before you finally land...

it was fantastic... id definitely do it again (ooops, need to save money first of course!!!)

ruby, rondz, dith - no reason to chicken out promise!

WELCOME BACK GHIE!!!

Well I guess I just have to formally welcome myself back to reality to get my senses working! I’m officially back to work starting yesterday, 12 Jan, though I should admit that I was only 50% productive as my mind was still up in the air.

It’s a mixed emotion – happy to be back here in Sydney but also sad to leave home. Gee, it feels so different to be away from home after being with my family for almost six weeks!!! Yes, everyone thinks that im a strong little girl, but at times, I can be weak too… but not that bad coz there were no tears!!!

I have abandoned my blog during my holidays, in short, pati blog ko, nag leave din --- there are so many amazing thoughts to write, so many fantastic stories to share, and many others to tell but I dint have the time when I was back home. But what’s to rush anyway, I’ll do them here in Sydney!

For now, I should go back to work…