6 Things That Make Me Happy

This is called the "6 Things That Make Me Happy Tag." According to the rules, the things should be unimportant. As usual, I'm not planning to tag anyone so it looks like I'm breaking the actual rules of the tag. I just thought it would be nice to share the 6 (only 6?!) silly things that never fail to make my day. It wasn't easy coming up with these because we would assume that whatever makes us happy is important, to us at least.

1. Trying out new restaurants. Those who know me, know that I love food and eating is a favorite past time of mine. One reason that I really miss Manila (aside from the shopping) is because I miss trying out new places to eat, just as much as I miss my favorite restaurants. There just isn't much to choose from here in Zamboanga. I also enjoy reading food/restaurant reviews online so I can plan where I want to eat the next time I'm in Manila. Too bad I can't cook anything to save my life. Sometimes I think I should have married a chef. Heheh.

2. Watching my two boys sleep. It seems that when they are fast sleep, it is the only time of the day that I get to see them calm, peaceful and serene [not to mention behaved!]. I adore my little boys, and its so cute how Kaden talks in his sleep while Chace chuckles.

3. Downloading episodes of my favorite shows. Downloading is my guilty pleasure, I think I leave my laptop on 24/7 because of this. I download Greys Anatomy, Private Practice, Gossip Girl, Heroes, 24, Chuck, among many others. I get sad whenever the season ends and I get really affected when other shows I like (like Lipstick Jungle) don't get renewed for another season.

4. Blog-hopping. Among my favorite blogs are Chuvaness, Daphne Osena's, The Bag Hag, Manila Fashion Observer, Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop (which I signed up to receive newsletters from) and many others. Just look at the right portion of my blog for the links.

5. Long warm baths. My mom constantly complains about the length of time I spend in the bathroom, but what can I do? I can't possibly deny myself that long, warm, relaxing bath. This is also why I like buying great smelling bath products.

6. Online "window" shopping. I may not be able to go shopping [or window shopping for that matter] now because I'm still fat [hehehe] and because I'm stuck here in Zamboanga [in the mean time], but I still find myself going online "window" shopping every now and then. The experience doesn't come close to the real thing, but so far it's been a good substitute for the shopaholic in me.

3 things! Only because I'm bored!

I very rarely answer questionnaires like this, but since I'm bored and I want to post a new blog entry, here it is:

THREE NAMES THAT FRIENDS CALL YOU:
1. Mar
2. Baba/Bab
3. Mariben

THREE MOST IMPORTANT DATES IN YOUR LIFE:
1. January 11, 1983 (my birthday)
2. July 12, 2008 (our wedding date)
3. September 5, 2005 (Kaden's birth date)

THREE THINGS YOU'VE DONE IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES:
1. Ate chocolates
2. Chatted with friends on YM/facebook
3. Admired the new set of pictures on the Mango Red blogsite.

THREE WAYS TO BE HAPPY EVEN IF YOU'RE JUST AT HOME:
1. Spend quality time with Kaden
2. Watch my downloaded shows
3. Surf the net/chat

THREE GIFTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE:
1. My D90 with 18-200 mm VR lens. (sooon! I hope) :D
2. LV Stephen Sprouse Graffiti Speedy 30 in Pink.

(I'd only like to receive it because I'm not willing to spend for it.)
3. Bare Escentuals Get Started Kit in Fairly Light.

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. Eating.
2. Reading.
3. Shopping.

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO FOR VACATION:
1. Amanpulo
2. Fiji Islands
3. Venice, Italy

THREE FAVORITE DRINKS:
1. Does Ice cold water count?
2. Coffee
3. Green Tea

THREE THINGS FOUND IN YOUR POCKET/BAG:
1. My wallet.
2. My "makeup kit" which I barely use, especially now.
3. Keys

THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
1. Red
2. Uh, Pink?
3. Black

TOP THREE HANGOUTS:

At the moment...

1. My bed
2. Our kitchen/dining area
3. The shower

TOP THREE U LOVE SO MUCH:
1. My husband!
2. My little boy! and our soon to arrive baby boy!
3. My family! (parents and bro)

TOP THREE WHO YOU THINK (OR HOPE) WILL ANSWER THIS SURVEY:
No one really.

TOP THREE "THINGS" SPECIAL TO YOU:

It clearly said things, not people.
1. My engagement ring. :)
2. My laptop, without which I feel detached from the world! My husband especially.
3. My camera, which makes me document everything I want/need to.

Hopefully, it will be replaced by a much more special camera, very soon.

TOP THREE THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY LATELY:
1. Thoughts of holding our new baby boy soon.
2. Thoughts of seeing my husband soon.
3. Thoughts of all the vacations I'm planning in my mind!

How pathetic is that? These days, it's all thoughts that make me happy.

Thank heavens for my overactive imagination! Hehehe. Oh well! :)

Looks Familiar? :)

25 Random Nonsense About Me!

I'm not trying to sound self-absorbed but because a lot of people have tagged me for this, I figured I should give it a shot. If you can't beat them, join 'em right? However, I choose to post it in my blog rather than on facebook. :)

25. I now like facebook better than friendster. There are too many strangers in the latter, I'm hoping to limit my facebook contacts to people I actually know. (hoping!)

24. I love thrift shopping. During my wedding preparation days, whenever I felt stressed out, I'd run to the ukayukay to de-stress. I miss thrift shopping now that I'm pregnant. I have a lot of catching up to do on that and I can't wait.

23. I can't sleep comfortably without a blanket. I like wrapping myself up. Even when it's not cold.

22. I get touched very easily. I actually cry during touching movie scenes, sometimes even the not-so-touching ones. Once in college, I was sobbing really loudly in the cinema that my roommate (Kathy) threatened to leave me there alone because she said she was so embarrassed and people were starting to stare at us. It also happens when I read touching stories.

21. I love the beach, but I can't swim. I wish I can though. A lot of people have offered to teach me and I don't know why I always end up declining.

20. Sometimes when I get obsessed with a certain kind of food, I can eat it everyday until I get really tired of it and I never want to see it again.

19. I'm a shopaholic, that's why I was hoping to marry someone kuripot to keep the balance. :) Art is a very indulgent husband, so sometimes I wonder if that's a good thing or not.

18. I'm a very impatient person. I hate waiting. For anything, for anyone, for whatever! So 9 months of being fat and pregnant is pure a-g-o-n-y.

17. ...But if I do get pregnant again within the year, why not? hahaha! Next project: Baby Girl!

16. I trust people very easily, and I've come to realize the hard way that I shouldn't. So, now I'm learning to not be too trusting (although sometimes I still forget).

15. I want to get into photography. Been wanting to for more than a year now. All I need is the "eye" and a DSLR. At the moment, I don't have both.

14. I absolutely hate people who lie. It's my pet peeve and I think it's the worst thing anybody can do to me.

13. Because both Art and I come from a small family (he's an only child), we want to have as much kids as we can. At least four would be good, and more than that would be better!

12. It's such a huge pain to wake me up. I feel sorry for the people who have [and had] to go through it. My parents, roommates, husband, and my brother can attest to that.

11. I cannot imagine my life without internet! I actually feel like I'm cut-off from the world when the connection is down. Yes, I'm cyberholic. I think I spend over 8 hours a day online. Or is it more?

10. I love to eat! and it's not just now that I'm pregnant. I like to research about new restaurants and read reviews on the food. I make sure that every time I go to Manila for my R&R I try something new.

9. I always always always miss Kaden when I'm not with him. I can only imagine how it would be when I will have two sons to go home to. However, I believe I need my monthly or bi-monthly trips to Manila to keep me sane. I don't want to be an irritated mother who snaps at her kids, or be present but emotionally absent.

8. I can't cook. But now that I'm a wifey and a momma, I'm starting to be interested in taking short culinary courses. After I take photography lessons, maybe?

7. I have ophidiophobia, which is the fear of snakes. You might think, who isn't scared of snakes? Well, I am really really really terrified of them, like you cannot imagine.

6. I gave birth to my first baby in Vallejo, CA by natural means. [read: no anesthesia at all] I didn't know that you had to ask for an epidural early on so they could give it to you before you dilate to 7cm. I felt unbearable pain at 9cm and begged them for it, by then they said it was too late. I honestly thought giving patients in labor epidural was a given, like in hospitals here. Imagine the pain I went through!

5. I'm now only a few weeks short of graduating from nursing, yet I still cannot see myself being a nurse.

4. Shopping is therapeutic for me, and yes, I'd like to believe it is a sport [my only sport]. ;) I know I should be embarrassed to admit that in the midst of a recession, retail therapy is one of the things that fuels me.

3. I forgive very very easily, but because I'm human, sometimes it takes a while to forget.

2. I love surprises. Too bad my husband is terrible at surprises. He keeps trying though and I love him more for it. ;)

1. I'm currently making a list of the places I want to see before I die, but I'm waiting for Art to arrive so we can finish it together. After all, I don't wanna travel to those places without him by my side. :)

I don't have anyone to tag. But if you want me to read your 25 things in your blog, leave me a message.

This Is My Happy Birthday :)

I love you, Kaden! :)

As for Art, thank you for the 5 carats of severe headache u gave me for my birthday. Tsk!!!

50 Things You Didn't Know About Me! (which I highly doubt)

I'm doing this out of boredom :D

1. How tall are you barefoot?

> 5.1 (so what?)

2. Have you ever smoked?

> Socially, yes.

3. Do you own a gun?

> I wish.

4. Do you hate someone right now?

> Hmm. Hate is a pretty strong emotion. I'm not sure if anyone deserves to be able to evoke such strong feelings from me right now.

5. Do you get nervous?

> Yeah, who doesn't?

6. What do you think of hotdogs?

> Breakfast meal, with eggs!

7. What's your favorite Christmas song?

> Everything on the Carpenters' Christmas Portrait Album.

8. What do you prefer to drink in the mornings?

> Cold cold water.

9. Can you do push ups?

> Barely.

10. Can you do sit ups?

> Yeah, big deal.

11.What's your favorite piece of jewelry?

> My engagement ring. :)

12. Do you like painkillers?

> Yes, when I'm in pain.

13. What is your secret weapon to lure the opposite sex?

> Duh, secret?!

14. Do you own a knife?

> Not my own and it's in our kitchen with all the other knives.

15. Do you have H.I.V?

> NO.

16. Last name?

> Tan

17. Name 3 things u wanna do at this exact moment?

> Get a full body massage, be with my boyfriend, and sleep.

18. Name the last 3 things you have bought lately:

> IMCI book, Salt Scrub, Junkfood.

19. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink:

> Iced tea, green tea, water.

20. What time did you wake up today?

> 12:30 pm.

22. Current worry?

> How to turn my flabs into abs.

23 Current hate?

> My flabs.

24. Favorite place to be?

> In the arms of the one I love :>

25. Least favorite place to be?

> Anywhere away from the 2 people I love the most. Guess who? :p

26. Where would you like to go?

> Venice, Fiji, and Amanpulo.

27. Do you own slippers?

> Loads.

28. What shirt are you wearing?

> The top that goes with my pajamas.

30. Favorite color?

> Red.

31.Would you like to be a pirate?

> No, but I think Kaden fancies the idea of himself being a pirate.

32. Last time you had an alcoholic drink?

> In March with Marj, Marbs, n Kei.

33. What songs do you sing in the shower?

> What ever's stuck in my head that day, I guess.

34. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child?

> Mamaw.

35.What's in your pocket/s right now?

> I have no pockets in my pajamas.

36. Last thing that made you laugh?

> Kaden.

37. Last thing that made you cry?

> The movie, One More Chance, which I only recently watched for the first time. haha!

38. Worst injury you've ever had?

> When I was kid and hit my head really hard somewhere (long story). Next thing I knew, I saw blood streaming down my face. Eww.

39. Who is your loudest friend?

> I don't know anyone louder than me :p

42. Who is your most silent friend?

> Hmmm... I have silent friends?

43. Last movie watched?

> Like in a movie house? That weird, morbid demon barber movie starring Johnny Depp.

44. What is your favorite book?

> Love Story by Erich Segal.

45. What is your favorite chocolate

> Cadbury Milk Chocolate. among others.

47. What song do/did you want played at your wedding?

> A lot! I'm still completing the list.

48. What were you doing 12 AM last night?

> Chatting on ym while watching Dirty Sexy Money.

49. What was the First thing you did today?

> Brushed my teeth.

50. What was the last thing you did the day before yesterday?

> Read Lovely Bones.