Home Ideas

I love IKEA. Its home furnishing and accessories is like Disneyland to me these days. "Sweet dreams are made of these," I am reminded of a line from an Annie Lennox song. Although IKEA is actually a low-budget home furnishing outlet, it sparks wonderful and creative ideas in my distraught mind, giving me something to look forward to. For instance, I used to think beech would be the color scheme of Studio 34, and then I talked to a furniture expert and she said the popular wood color these days is dark. And so I thought my new scheme was going to be dark wood, but then I looked at white, and ooh-lala, it looked just the right color for me. White shelf wooden planks would be put on the wall to act as a book/CD/DVD holder. White bed and white side tables, white Japanese lamps. The overall white theme would be accompanied by stainless steel color, Toot Toot convinces me.
A set of halogen lamps hung from the ceiling could also be the option, but I figured this can work well with the high-ceiling of the condo (see picture with the staircase and bulky TV set), and should be used to accentuate a painting or artwork. The halogen lamps can be quite intense for the bedroom. Cost of the 5-set halogen lamp from IKEA, $129 or around PhP4.5K. In the meantime, I remind myself I have to start with just a bed, an airconditioning unit, a lamp and a fridge.
Chris fell for these glass-covered cabinets and the white theme for the bathroom as well. For the other areas of the bedroom, a workstation, a reading corner or TV set would be an option.

Next project, the dining and nook area.
I like the stainless steel table hooked up to the wall, I can put 2 high-backed chair or stools and it would work well. A foldable wooden area may also be considered.

IKEA linked to ikeaph.multiply.com
Valentines linked to Valentines.com.ph

Shoe-Crazy

Ok, I admit. I'm shoe crazy. Who isn't? Look at all these women. It's not just me. It's not just for a special ocassion. Women want shoes so they can have a reason to go out. In quest for the cutest, fanciest, sparkly shoes, I've scoured ebay and found some of the best ones in Singapore. It's too bad some of the nicest ones are not in my size. Here are some of my loveliest finds:
Purple flower pumps from Trendy Zone, for the true Kikay. I'm meeting the seller of this item.
Silver Mondo flats for casual dates ala Carrie Bradshaw without the heels. I'd bid for this if it had heels. Now, I'm just content looking at it.
New Black Mondo pumps selling for $35. My budget is only up to $25, but these are cute.
I love love love love this X:odus pink pigskin pumps, but they do not fit me, and cost $50. It's for a size 39.
Shiny ball shoes, Size 39, PVC, baby blue with a bunch of blue plastic stars attached to the toe-front, worn once, in EXCELLENT condition, price starts at $5.
This is one of my favorites because of its unique style. Of course it doesn't fit me. Size 38, multi-coloured (silver, pink, gold, etc).
This butterfly shoes is just lovely to look at. Size: 36, Measurement: Heels-3/4', Length of shoes-23.5cm, width- 7.8cm , Color: Pastel Green , Material: Canvas, Style: Short Heels, Match: Skirt, jeans. Bid starts at $19.90.
This one I'd love to find, but these are not available in the stores where I looked at. Brand NEW PINK Ballet Shimmer from X:ODUS. Still retailing at $59.90 but is up for bid starting at $37.90. Size 37.

Navy blue wedges. Brand New *Size 7 (23cm) *Colour: Baby Blue *2.5" High.
Look at these girls. Pink Adidas for $33-$50.
And another one up for bid for only $25. I'm watching this item too.
So far, I've only bought 2, they were on sale!

Roommates

Chris comes in at around 8 PM, the sun is already out but the sky is still lit. He says hi, goes to his room and never comes out. One time when I was here he did, the adobo toot toot cooked got the best of him and he helped himself to some. (I thought it was salty, because I asked toot toot to dry up the sauce, just like Tata does it at home, but I digress, and that's unfair). Mark comes home way past 9 PM, when his shift ends at 8. Before sneaking into his room he talks to toot toot, mostly on office stuff, or gadget talk. Sometimes Mark cooks, or joins us in watching CSI or a movie, while he checks his mail on his brand new HP laptop and chats using Yahoo's Instant Messenger. When I came here 4 months ago, he was using an old laptop to communicate to his friends and family, now his brand new toy is worth every penny, or every Singapore Dollar he says. So this is how life in Singapore is. Guys love their gadgets and girls love their shoes. Let me count the ways:
Toot toot's desktop has 2 terabytes (that's 200 Gig) of hard drive, 19 inches flat LCD screen, pentium D-dual core processor, 1 Gig RAM, multiple card readers, Sonic Gear speakers, webcam of the latest model with the highest resolution available at Sim Lim Square. Actually, I love his set-up because we don't use the TV anymore. He downloads movies and shows from TV series, music, and uses the unit as a gamer's machine. Yesterday we stayed in and watched a season of Whose Line Is It Anyway, before we went out for dinner. This evening we watched CSI; the other day Serendipity and my season 1 of LOST which was in my external Samsung hard drive, bought from Guang Hua in Taipei. The other day we listened to new CDs we bought in HMV, the Balcony and Lounge CD we bought are fabulous finds. Actually, I forget that the set-up is a PC, and that I brought my laptop with me. So every time toot toot uses his desktop for checking his emails and chatting with his friends, I feel bad. Like at this moment, I hear loud gunfires and realize he is online gaming with some other guys on the internet. And then I realize, shit I have a laptop and they have a wireless set-up so I can hook up and actually check out my mails, write some stuff or view items on sale at eBay. A-ha!
While I'm typing this, Mark is already in his room, still chatting or using Yahoo Voicemail to call home. He has recently uploaded our photos from our little field trip with Elton and Toot Toot at Marina Bay. His digicam is a Sony Cybershot digicam (of course), small, but with very good resolution shots (as they should be). While chatting his iTunes play some lounge music that suits his lavander aromatherapy set-up in his bedroom. (He let me peep into his room and even let me borrow the lavander oil lamp for one night. I swear, I slept well that night. ) His laptop is the latest HP model in Sim Lim Square, but his cool set-up includes a docking bay for all his other accessories.
While we were watching CSI tonight, I asked about the other Chris and wondered what his computer set-up was. (You see, the way to a man's heart is not just through his stomach, but if you speak gadget talk, they can't stop talking). They say Chris bought 2 flat LCDs for his computer monitor, taking back home his laptop. Chris works for HP as a programmer, and I ask," What do you do with 2 LCDs?" Well, obviously, you can work on one screen while doing something else on another screen. Oh I get it, so you can have more work done. While some of us back home puts on our make-up while the computer boots up, Chris has 2 LCDs, one for his syntax and another for his excel files or porno download or whatever it is that guys download on the net.
So here I am in Singapore, with 3 geeky guys and their hardware set-up wondering why men are so different from women.

Trailblazer

I was still a child and she was already driving her own car. When she chose to live independently, she went to Singapore while I was still working at the Japanese factory in Canlubang. Years later, I lived in Tokyo while she packed her bags in Singapore and went back to Alabang. After 6 months in Japan, I did the same and went back to work in Ortigas. By the time I had my own car, she was in graduate school, and one day, called to tell me she was going to tell C that she is going to New York and that she loved him, even if things were difficult for them. She did, even if C's secretary wouldn't take her calls so when I told her to go after the man she loves, she just drove from Alabang to Greenhills to tell him that, and flew off to New York. In a month's time, C followed her in New York and then to Canada.

You see, Lei is always one step ahead of us. She would make her mark and blaze a trail. Not that she wanted to, she just did what she wanted and in the process inspired others to find out who they are and be the best they could be. At least she had that effect on me. She's almost like a man, practical, rational and ambitious. But in the same sense, she's the modern woman because she pursued open doors and opportunities without thinking that she's a woman, or that it mattered if she was a woman, a Filipina at that.

Seven years after I last saw her, we kept in touch through emails and instant messengers and Friendster. After all, she's a friend worth keeping, and friends keep in touch in spite of the distance. Now she's been to the Bahamas, Europe, navigated the United States, and is now working on a new career path. A tough act to follow, indeed so I just made sure I drove all the way from work on a traffic-jammed December weekday all the way to Alabang to see her. She's my friend. She has made me shine, supported my journeys, shared my success or setbacks, loved the people I loved, and made me think a woman's life is best lived if we just did. Live life the best way we could, that is.

Thanks Lei, for the inspiration. Remember our parting words," Whenever, wherever!" Love you!