SFo Back to Back

I flew SFO again after that day off after SFO flight.

It was day after Thanksgiving when I got there so I planned on going shopping after arrival and take advantage of the huge sales. When I stepped out to go to Union Square, I was overwhelmed with the volume of people who are there. Everyone was carrying shopping bags from almost every store, most prominently Macy's. Nalula ako sa dami ng tao and ended up heading back to the hotel after getting a scarf from H&M and a big hardbound book from Borders (National Geographic Greatest Photographs).

Then aL picked me up after his work shift and we had dinner with his parents at a Chinese restaurant. He was supposed to leave me at home afterwards while he went to church band practice but he suggested I go so that we could get coffee afterwards.

Next day we went to church where aL played drums for the band. Had brunch there afterwards. Then to a nearby CostCo--an ultimately good place to shop! Argh! I could spend a hundred dollars and not feel like I spent too much; it's Makro-ish. Head home and later that night had dinner with his Emoticons bandmates (after their Fil-Amusic launch party gig practice got cancelled) at a pizza place in Tanforan.

Five-Eight Girls in SF

Had my requested flight with Mica to San Francisco. Flight was ultimately T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E. It was one of my worst SFO flights ever. It was Delhi-connecting from Seoul to SanFo so my zone was like almost all Indians and with the limited English that my fellow [Korean] crew members have, they turn to me almost always when some conflict happens.

Anyway we arrived at the hotel and got picked up by aL and Mama; they haven't had lunch yet so off we go to Fisherman's Wharf to have late lunch. Clam chowders, calamari, fish and chips! Then roam around Pier 39 (and there was this huge Christmas tree...), rang Bianca to see how she's doin while we went to almost every souvenir shop to find Mica the keychain she wanted. I was taking pictures of Mica with the Alcatraz as a backdrop when I saw the Golden Gate bridge engulfed in fog. I said to myself, "Remind me again why I haven't bought the lens I wanted?"

Mica wanting to swim to the Alcatraz to find Wentworth.

Golden Gate Bridge somewhere within the fog.

One of the things you'd love around there would be shopping at cheap stores like Ross. So before the shop even closed, we headed and dropped Mica and Mama at Ross while Al and I parked the car below Union Square.

And then there's this huge Christmas tree...okay so I have a thing for Christmas trees. :)

The girl who always leaves her heart in San Francisco.

Next day, despite the fact I can't get myself to open my eyes, we woke up, prepared breakfast and went to Fairfield for... *drum roll*



JELLY BELLY FACTORY! I knew the Jelly Belly factory because of Abet and so with a little more research (which is Googled) and a little help from the GPS, we found it. Felt like a kid. Super happy. Bought two pounds of jelly beans too. =) Then we had lunch at Applebee's and Mica shopped at TJ Maxx. Headed home to get our things from the aL's place and headed to the hotel after stopping by to get a dozen Krispy Kremes and some night shots of the SF skyline and Golden Gate. :)


The skyline. Thank God for D and a tripod. :)

Golden Gate. Smile. Ten seconds shutter speed.

Bottom line is, I enjoyed my time touring Mica around. I'm glad she's comfy with aL too, being the shy person she is. They laughed together more than I did, I think. I'm amazed they're on the "comfort level" as I tell them. Request pa ulit!

The Distance - Evan and Jaron

If I had a dollar for every time I use the word "miss" I'd be rich by now.

And so, I turn to music...

+ + +

I can't take the distance, I can't take the miles
I can't take the time until I next see you smile
I can't take the distance And I'm not ashamed
That with every breath I take I'm callin your name

Silver Day

November 10, 2007

8:00 am Nuptials at
Saint Anthony Parish (Singalong, Manila)

Breakfast buffet at
Cafe Noir at G Hotel by Waterfront (Roxas Blvd., Manila)

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The bride and the groom, before the wedding. I did mom's makeup and I said dad looked like a priest!


The flower girl--Yana. Tatay says this is the photo of the event. I was telling her to walk down the aisle before the wedding so that I can get a photo, but she dropped her flowers and walked away. Here she is picking up her flowers again as per her tito Andre's orders.


The happy couple after the reception. Had them pose in front of the curtain to get a "studio shot". Haha. They were off the next day to Dumaguete and Davao for their honeymoon.


My family. All tired after the reception; we woke up soo early. We wore whatever we wanted, as long as there's a touch of silver on our clothes. Only the bride, the groom and the ever special flower girl wore white. :)

Great-ful

I went to Hyehwa Dong church yesterday straight from my Hanoi flight. I really take the opportunity whenever I'm in Seoul on Sundays. I really miss going to church and I swear I'd go to church if I'm not on a flight. And besides, there are a lot of things to be grateful to God for.

One, aL. 'Nuff said. =)

Two, I get San Francisco flights on my original schedule every month, regardless of how short the stay is. That's always a relief. Especially now that the company's got a new rule on swapping schedules.

Three, I'll get to go home on my parents' silver wedding anniversary on Saturday. Without even requesting for it.

Four, December sched is out. And my request was approved. I'm spending Christmas in San Francisco! It's probably the best Christmas gift I could have this year. We were told our batch would probably have to fly on the holidays as the seniors get the privilege to go home so I requested for the next best thing. And the next best thing indeed :)

+ + +

Incidentally the choir sang the song "Kristo". Part of the lyrics:

Kristo, Kristo, bakit minsan ka lang nakikilala
Kapag nakadama ng dusa't pangamba
Tinatawagan ka sana'y maawa ka
I think this is true though. There are a lot of people who forget about faith/religion unless they're in a dead end situation. Which definitely sucks. I know a lot of people who'd pray to get what they want and instantly forget being grateful.

Spending Normal Days Together

Back from my October SanFo layover. No fancy restaurants, no tourist spots, no big dates, nothing. We spent my layover like I'm from there. Errands, watched DVDs, a bit of mall time, preparing your own breakfast and stuff.

28th (Arrival Day) Surprise! No girl hates surprises. aL picked me up with a grande Starbucks drink on one hand and my white Keds (that we bought last month) on the other--got speechless after finding a jewelry box inside the shoe. --Skipped the details!-- A white gold name necklace! I love it! :) (Still too lazy to upload photos though, hehe)

The story behind this necklace made me say, "A for effort, Hun!"

Then we went to have late lunch with Mama at Red Ribbon, then off to church to hear mass. He prolly was hella bored, haha. Went home to drop off my things and freshen up then headed for aL's boss' going away party. Met his coworkers at Kragen--lotsa names! *sheepish smile* On the way home we detoured to a grocery to get a loaf of bread and cream cheese then called it a day with another Starbucks fix. Oh, we tried watching Shutter before we slept...but we fell asleep halfway through it, I was dang so sleepy.

29th. Woke up late, 10-ish or 11? He had to peel me off the bed just to get me to have breakfast(I had no plans of getting up, my eyes were shut tight!) of coffee--which is his job to prepare--and toast wheat bread with cream cheese and ham. Re-watched Shutter but I'm on my senses now so I remembered I hate scary movies, so I just laid on the couch while he watched the movie. Left the house by 4pm to run some of his work-related errands and ended up at Serramonte coz I was craving for McNuggets; malling. Paid our T-Mo bill and bought a few stuff at PacSun and Bath and Body Works. Marco and Oyo came by to get Marco's tripod; then Mama came and we left to grab dinner at a Filipino resto. Brought some food to aL's dad in downtown SF and then headed back home to Daly City, after detouring to Walgreens to get some stuff, another Starbucks Cafe Mocha, and rented a couple of DVDs. Was halfway watching Knocked Up when Mark called and aL and him talked til I got sleepy. Decided not to finish the movie and just go sleep; he fell asleep and I was there, so sleepy but jetlagged, still awake by 6am.

30th (Departure Day) Having slept at 6am with an alarm clock set to 7:30, we got up by 8:30. Quick breakfast and bath and off we head back to my hotel just in time for the wakeup call (which is an hour before work showup time).

Ranting for Home

Gusto ko na magresign.

I have repeated this sentence for more than ten times by now. The unbelievable seniority and unruly Korean culture is already a given factor, but now living out of a suitcase is taking its toll on me... I mean, yes I expected to live out of suitcases when I go on layovers, but hey I never knew I'd always be. For those who don't know, we check in/out everytime we come/go from/for a flight. Had to drag our big suitcases to and from our hotel room.

Home. I don't even know where that is; I don't even have a place to call home! Manila feels like an extended layover now; I even bring clothes from Seoul to Manila to have something to wear while on days off! I am such a homebody; I'm still struggling on living away from my family, but can't I at least have a permanent room?

Permanent things on permanent locations contribute on the homey feeling. But no! I get a different room every time. A twin, a single, a king, a queen. Whatever! I can't even stock my fridge with food nor arrive from a flight to find an ice-cold soda inside it. I spend probably an hour after arrival and before I go just to fix my things, rearrange my toiletries by the sink, or make sure all my things fit in my suitcases, etc.

I miss things from home, too. How on earth could I improvise my own Christmas tree? My dad gave me a cute night light but I can't put it somewhere for fear I might forget it and have the room attendants yell, "Finders keepers!"

Therefore, gusto ko na magresign.

...But yea, Hun, I know I can't. Yet.