And just like that, the season is over for Denver.

Dammit.

"It's time to shock the world"

ATL, baby!

As much as I'd like to see an old-school Celtics-Lakers showdown, you can't help but cheer for the underdog. Hmmm...I wonder if a Hawks-Sixers showdown is in the cards. Haha.

On the flip side, I'm feeling on edge about the Lakers-Nuggets game. I have no loyalties as of now (since Shaq joined Phoenix, I've lost a bit of love for them...), but I don't want AI to be swept! Denver was supposed to be the dark horse here, but that pesky 0-3 standing is nearly impossible to shake off. Down three points with 6:13 to go. Come on, AI, work your magic.

Interesting playoffs this year. But my tune hasn't changed--anyone but the Spurs!

Lost in Kalentong

Hmmm...that was supposed to sound like Lost in Translation, but I think my attempt at a witty heading proved unsuccessful. But anyway...

Last week, on our way home from Makati, H decided to avoid EDSA traffic and instead passed through Mandaluyong. "Do I just go straight?" he asked, and I said yes, realizing too late that we really were supposed to go straight...if we had been on a parallel road. We ended up traversing Hoover Street, which led us farther away from our desired destination (i.e., my house), and ended up on Kalentong.

"I've never even been to Kalentong!" said H, who was remarkably calm, although I feared that he was mighty pissed off. "I think it's in Mandaluyong," I offered meekly. "At least we're together..." I added. Small consolation considering the next street sign we saw was Blumentritt, marking highly unfamiliar territory. "Where the f--- are we?" said H, although he didn't really sound like he was ranting.

A while later, we found our way to my house, and I was extremely apologetic. "It's OK," he reassured me. "I kinda thought we were supposed to turn right instead of go straight, but I just trusted you."

I swear, this man is something else!

On a side note, this is just one of the reasons why I would make an undesirable Amazing Race partner. And the others are:

1. "Can you read maps?" I asked H. "Of course!" he replied incredulously. "Oh OK," I said. "I normally end up reading maps in reverse..."
2. I haven't driven in over two years, and I've never even driven an automatic. So I am totally useless both as a navigator and as a driver.
3. I can't ride a bike.

BUT you can throw all the physical and mental tasks at me and I'll do them. Hey, you can't have it all, right?

We ain't gettin' any younger

My lower back started to hurt Sunday night. I don't know if it was because of my backbend while warming up (which I sometimes do when I need an extra streeetch), or because of that mindless dive during summer league. But damn, I am in pain.

It hurt even more yesterday. I couldn't bend forward, and each time I had to get out of my chair, I had to struggle out of it like a pregnant woman (palms pushing me off my chair, pelvis up first). I chalked it up to muscle strain, but over lunch with my mom and my tita, they kept telling me to have it checked. "You're not that young anymore," my tita chided me.

Damnit.

If this thing still majorly hurts by tomorrow, I gotta get me to the doctor.

Congratulations and best wishes, Dondi and Sarah!

It's official--Sarah is now Sarah de la Cruz-Cruz. Have "good-spirited" marriage, you two! It was a great wedding.:)

More pics and a recap here.

Aaaaah!

I am so smitten with this kid. It's my niece Marga and I just want to bite her! Or play "bilangin ang tali sa braso." Hahaha.

Dream dance

Every few months, I take a liking to a particular song--last year, I had a Paula DeAnda-Walk Away phase; earlier this year, it was Britney's Toy Soldier. Right now, it's Trey Songz's Can't Help But Wait. My dream is to dance a street pas de deux of that song, but I don't have the skills (er, skillz. Haha) to choreo it. Sigh.

Fashion editors, unite!

I originally intended to have a dress made for this beach wedding I'm attending, but T&C's Rorie convinced me to just borrow a dress. "I have one--do you wear polka dots?" she asked. "Yes--pero hindi ako magkakasya sa damit mo! Mas mukha pa akong nanay sa 'yo!" I told her.

In any case, I began to see the merits of borrowing versus having something made, and asked the fashion eds to come to my rescue. As a result, I have bags and bags of stuff to choose from.

From MC's Pam:
- A beautiful one-shouldered number with a flowy skirt that looks like water. Problem is it's just way too long, even when I wear five-inch heels. "Just walk like this!" said Pam, swishing an imaginary skirt as she pretended to walk by the beach.
- A Grecian-style jersey dress that she said I could cut--it's got a hole (I hesitate to say keyhole because it's MUCH bigger than a mere keyhole) in front and it's backless, so it's quite sexy.
- A one-shouldered olive green dress with a rope belt. I have yet to try it on.
- A short, smocked, orange number.

From Seventeen's Cindy:
- The front-runner, a long cotton dress with a gorgeous brown and purple print. Pam calls it very boho, I think it's boho-slash-edgy (given that there's a little skull embroidered on it!).
I could wear it with gray wedges, then just change into flipflops on the beach.
- A white dress with gray polka dots and a striped gray sash.
- A super sexy pink and purple striped number that looks awesome, but which I would regret wearing after having something to eat.
P.S. I'm ecstatic that I could fit into Cindy's stuff!

From T&C's Rorie:
- That orange polka-dot dress. Really pretty, although I doubt that it would fit me.:(
- A black number that I don't think I could pull off.
- A lovely black, cream, and silver dress that I really wanna wear, just because it's Vivienne Tam!
- A pink dress that I have to try on first.

Tata also brought a cream-colored dress with all these colorful flowers (pretty, but not very flattering on me), and I found two other dresses on my desk, I'm guessing from Pam as well. Cosmo's Kat might bring stuff, too. Will have to do a fashion montage in my room tonight to finally figure out what to wear!

Oh, happy day!

Elps is back!!!

I am ecstatic to have our trusty old driver back. He's come out of retirement to work for us again. I am thankful to the driver who replaced him for a year, but it just wasn't working out.

I have seen the light--no matter what our complaints were about Elps before, we, I realize now that he was a pretty great driver. You really don't know what you got til it's gone! The time he was away made me appreciate him, and our helpers, more.

I just feel like a cloud has been lifted, and I'm generally in a much better mood. I'm actually having conversations with him now, instead of just sulking as he drives me from place to place. It's awesome. I can't wait til his birthday (six months away! Haha) so I could get him a little cake.

Yay!

I can't believe that a line in Janet's "Feedback" goes, "'My swag is serious, I'm heavy like a first-day period"!

I just realized it as I suffered through said lyrics in real life. I am so not feeling well today. I just wanna stay in bed with a bowl of white cheddar popcorn, a glass of water, and a Ponstan SF--500, of course--at my disposal. Oh, and a puke bucket. I feel so bloated, hence today's hippy look (a kurti from India, flared jeans).

What I would give to just watch a Buffy marathon all day.

Do you like my style?

Summit people's workshop with Gino and Mara. That's me in my cut-up PnV shirt and bangs. Lyca (in blue), Macy (in pink), Roch (the one who runs after setting the cam), and Coni (with all that fabulous hair) are also seen. So is Red, who's observing from the background.