BOOKED!

Yesterday was exciting.  Why?  Because my first REAL vacation has been booked!  Yup!  And we are excited!  It won’t be for a few months but still… lots of planning!  I started to do some research (lips are sealed) on what to do during the vacation.  Lots of things to do in the next few months.  I am very excited!  Very much looking forward to our anniversary!  =D

I’ve been slacking.  Lack of motivation, no energy, it sucks.  Well, I’m hoping for that to change.  I’m thinking of getting us to cut back on things that cause laziness.  Gotta start pushing to feel better.  I’ve got a lot more reason to push now! Yessir!

I have a lot of things in my mind at the moment.  I guess I’ll write again next time when I have time.

is it dinner yet?

Currently waiting for dinner.  Going to Gyenari tonight.  Our first time going was for our 6 month anniversary.  We thought about going back exactly one year after our first time, but we had other plans already.  We'll finally be able to go tonight.  =)

Work's been busy, mainly because I'm waiting on late cases.  Even though I've been getting my stuff done, my mind's been distracted w/ other things.  Good things though.  =)    

east coast trip to moving to ER to farewell

These last few weeks have been super busy - too many things going on.  On 3/19, I got my braces OFF!  It took a while, but it was worth it!  It was a busy day that day cuz it was also one of my best friend's going away dinner and my babe's friend, terri, was visiting.  The dinner was great.  Afterwards, we headed out to West LA to meet up w/ the boy's gang.  We just hung out and chatted til around midnight before heading home. 

A few days after that, we headed off to the east coast to visit his dad.  We took a day's trip to Brooklyn to visit his aunt.  Her cooking was AMAZING!  She was right about how great her cooking is.  I remember that she mentioned how delicious her cooking was during a "bonding" moment when we first met last summer.  I concur.  We flew back on Sunday morning and started packing when we got home.  Why?  Three days later, we moved.  It was a long day particularly because I was stressed w/ work and stayed at work til about 7pm the previous night having only eaten one meal the entire day.  Same goes for the move-in day.  Aside from eating a few Chips Ahoy! Peanut Butter Chunk cookies, we had only eaten one meal as well - dinner at Saladang.  Very tiring, I must say.  For the next couple days, we moved the small stuff from my storage and from the old apt.  Robert and Florence helped (our first guests!).  On Saturday, we moved my big stuff from storage.  It only took two trips.  Robert and Florence were available to help on that day, too.  There were only two trips, yet it took hours!  It was pretty busy since Odessa came up from SD for a final get together w/ Kel (plus 'Diva').  After the move and after Robert and Florence left (I'm soo glad they offered to help!), the five of us headed to Scoops to try some interesting-flavored ice cream.  I picked lavender honey and red bean.  I wish the move didn't take that long since we had guests, but I guess we're not like the pros who pack and move ten times faster than us.  Even though we briefly hung out, it was really nice getting together in the short amount of time we had.  

On Sunday, we went to get groceries for Qing Ming.  After all the shopping, we picked David and Chanelle up and headed to the AV.  The weather was windy and gloomy, and Sue hinted why that may be.  We had TONS of food, including two roasted pigs - 40 lbs and 17 lbs.  That meant lots and lots of leftovers.  I think we took home less than 2 lbs out of the 57lbs.  We just finished nearly half of it for a few meals in the last couple days.  Gulp, still more to go.  

Fast forward to Tuesday.  So my stomach (since before Qing Ming) was feeling weird but I thought I was either hungry/stuffed.  After getting home Tuesday night, I started to get sharp pains in my stomach.  I thought it was just gas cuz someone told me that that causes sharp pains.  Emmanuell ran to Ralphs to get me some medicine.  I took a couple.  Result - more sharp pains.  I hardly slept that night due to the intensity of the pains jolting me left and right.  At about 2am, I wounded up on the couch hoping that sitting up would help.  Nope, nada!  My babe woke up at around 6 to find me huddled on the couch w/ my arms wrapped around my stomach.  He took me to ER over at Kaiser.  Luckily there were just a couple ppl there besides us.  After checking in and the routine blood pressure and health questionnaire (if I smoke, when was my last menstrual period, etc.), the nurse grabbed a wheelchair and wheeled me to the emergency room.  I entered the room thinking "this is the same room as the time when Ang and Odessa dragged me to the hospital after I got hit by a car walking home!"  (Yes, that really happened.)  First, the urine test came back negative.  The doctor decided to hook up the whole IV thing and inject me w/ some morphine.  Emmanuell held my right hand as we watched the nurse poke the needle into my left arm.  She took some blood for some lab tests then watched her set up the IV bag and inject the meds through the IV line.  As we waited for the blood test results, I observed the room I was in - the IV bag dripping and traveling through the line and into me, the monitors, the buttons on the wall.  It felt like a long wait for the results.  The doctor returned and announced that the blood test results were negative and that I would then go for an ultrasound.  I drank my pitcher of water then they rolled me to the ultrasound room as my babe looked manly w/ my BR purse, hehe.  The ultrasound took a while.  My bladder wanted to burst.  They couldn't locate my ovaries.  After some further searching for ovaries, still no luck.  Eventually he let me get up to go pee, hoping that I would be able to hold some of it for more ultrasound pictures.  Nope, I couldn't hold any of it any longer.  I returned w/ an empty bladder.  Shoot, then they FOUND my ovaries!  So after that was over, they rolled me back to my room to wait for the results.  By then we were nearly falling asleep.  The doctor came back to tell us that they found a cyst on my left ovary.  The cyst leaked, causing the sharp pains.  Time at home w/ some meds will be needed for my recovery.  WHEW!  No surgery needed for this one!  After waiting for an hour to get a prescription and doctor's note to be excused from work, I got discharged!  We left the hospital at about 1pm, went to Porto's to get some food, then headed home to rest.  My sweetheart did some stuff (I assume he watched anime) as I napped.  During the time I was in ER, I texted most of my siblings and a couple close friends informing them of what was going on.  Every time I felt worse or when I got scared, I turned and my honey was there by my side.  THANK YOU BABY FOR BEING THERE THROUGH IT ALL.  I LOVE YOU!!!  <3

Even though I was drained and weak from the 5+ hrs in ER, it did NOT stop me from seeing one of my best friends one last time before she headed off to the peace corps.  We headed to Culver City to meet up w/ Kelly and some of her other friends @ Father's Office to enjoy one final dinner and take one last photo together.  ("Our last pic together til your wedding" - Kelly)  I'm gonna really miss Kelly... well, I already do.  I'm glad she accepted to be part of my big day... til we meet again.

no more braces!

as of friday, 3/19 - no more braces!

shop shop shop

I looked at my expenses and thought about things I’ve bought.  So, I decided to write about the “big” purchases I’ve made.

Gifts – In 2006, I decided to do a dvd of memories for my fam, mainly as a tribute to my dad.  The entire 21-minute project cost me over $1,050.  I ordered 10 copies of the dvd and gave one each to my family members.  Overall, I was satisfied with the xmas gift I made for my fam.  When I get sad from thinking about my dad, I watch the dvd to cheer myself up.  It helps me cope with it.

Dinner – My friend, Odessa, and I have not forgotten about our dinner-for-two that cost us 1.5 bills in Morels French Steakhouse at the Grove.  BUT it was worth it!  The steak dishes we ordered were DELICIOUS.  I would love to go back.  The last time I had delicious steak (well, almost to that level) was at Ruth Chris’s.  YUMM for steak!

Purse – I bought my first Coach bag in 2004.  It was a gift I bought myself for working in stats for a year.  I wish my older sis didn’t introduce me to that brand.  Good thing I don’t shop there anymore.  I’m currently using the BR bag I bought a few months ago.  Aside from the occasional cleaning since it’s a light colored bag, I still love it (the color I got is an off-white color, not the grey below).  It’ll be THE bag for a WHILE.

Jacket – I didn’t think I’d spend soo much on a jacket, particularly a down jacket.  I needed a winter jacket/coat of some sort for the east coast xmas trip.  One night we went to The North Face in Beverly Hills.  After some browsing online on that site prior to going to the store, I had my mind set on one particular jacket.  I came out w/ a down jacket twice the cost.  I wore it to work once, and my coworkers said that I look like I’m from NYC.  I guess it helps since I’m severely anemic.  I’m so glad that I have a thermostat in my office so I can turn up the heat! 

Hair product – I was never into purchasing crazy expensive hair products.  I don’t have the money for that anyway.  One day, I started browsing for products to help strengthen my hair.  I hated my split ends and the tangles and knots I got around the back of my neck  (mainly due to my necklace).  After some research, I purchased a bottle of some Paul Mitchell strong strengthening spray.  It’s AMAZING!  It works wonders on my hair, and I can comb my fingers through my hair any time of the day and not get stuck.  Tangle-free!  I’m definitely satisfied w/ the purchase.

Shoes – Ahh, shoes.  I think that I started to increase my shoe collection after my 2nd bro’s gf would tell me all the shoes she’d buy.  I don’t have that many shoes to begin with.  I recently did buy more shoes in the past few months.   In November, I bought a pair of Naturalizer MBTs.  Normally those cost $250, but I found a pair on sale for $142 (after tax) in the Mary Jane style.  It’s comfy, and I like it.  Then last month, I bought a pair of heels that I got attached to.  We took a walk to Old Town and bought it!  Luckily the saleswoman was nice enough to tell us there was a coupon so I saved about $60 (although they ended up costing a bit more than the MBTs).  THEN yesterday, I decided to browse for boots cuz the one that my oldest bro bought me for xmas 2006 had a tear which allowed water to get in on a rainy day.  After browsing over 3,000 styles, I found one I really liked.  When I clicked on it, they only had a size 10!  Ughh, I started looking everywhere online.  After some time, I finally find one my size, or at least I think it’s my size.  Soo, this morning before making breakfast, I purchased it!  I’m hoping that it is the right size because this is the ONLY pair I found in size 8.  All the other sizes are at least 9.5.  I’m crossing my fingers! 

Alrighty, that’s all for now.  I can’t think of anything else to add.  Overall, even though these things cost more than I wanted to pay, these were all good purchases.  Oh, and Happy PI day!

today is...

gloomy.

bye bye february aka BUSY month! moving onto march...

february was quite a busy month for me, here is why:
- back to back doctor appts
- job offer
- housewarming
- surf city half
- chinese new year
- pasadena half
- starting my new job (the day after the pasadena half)
- sd w/ my best friend
- praying w/ fam

the last time i was that busy every wknd was in december.  overall, february was a good month.  i just felt accomplished, and that just puts a smile on my face.  the exciting news about march is moving.  i'm very excited.  we'll have plenty of space, and now my stuff will be stored!  looking forward to it!  okay, that's all for now... time to shower!