And off we go!

In 30 minutes, we'll be starting our 8-day roadtrip to Vegas and LA.

Woohoo!

***
It's final.

Will be taking the first clinic's offer.

It feels good to know that I have a job waiting for me when I get back from vacation :0) Thank you, Lord! Love mo talaga ako ;0)

***
To follow.

Been busy packing. Pics and stories of my bday dinner when I get back.

My 28th.

Today, I turn 28.

Celebrating my birthday without most of my family and friends seems strange and a lil lonely at first. But with Mr.A by my side, I know that everything will turn out great :0)

***
Busy birthday girl.

I spent the earlier part of my birthday going from one end of the Bay to the other.

Went to an early interview at a clinic in the Mission District of San Francisco. Got lost and arrived 15 minutes late! Talk about making the wrong first impression :0P It's a good thing that I prefer the other clinic to this, in terms of job description, location and salary.

(On a sidenote, I found out from a friend that the rate the first clinic offered me was way higher than the usual rates for aides. Yey!)

From the Mission, I went on my way to another interview at a far-off East Bay city by BART, missed the once-in-an-hour bus to the city by just 5 minutes then decided to just cancel the interview all-together instead of waiting almost an hour for the next bus.

I'm not actually interested in the position since it was a full-time one, and I was bent on finding a part-time job to give me time to study. I was just going to the interview for the experience but I didn't think the experience was worth going hungry and wasting an additional hour of my birthday.

So I called Mr.A to tell him that I'm not going through with the interview and to meet me at the BART station in an hour.

And now, after a nice lunch of Shrimp Scampi and angel hair pasta, I'm already home. I'll be off in a minute to get ready for my birthday-dinner date with Mr.A.

Ta-tah!

Full time domestic-goddess-in-training...

Part-time Physical Therapy Aide :0)

Yup, I already have a job offer!

The clinic owner told me yesterday that they still have 6 other candidates to interview after me so I should expect to hear from them on Friday, at the earliest. That's why I was really surprised when I got a call from him after lunch today.

He told me: "It's unanimous. We love you!"

Well, I love them too! Hehe :0)

***
Although...

I still have two more interviews scheduled for tomorrow. One in San Francisco and one in Pittsburgh.

You know what they say... collect and collect then select.

"I watch Friends."

"You speak really good English."

I get this remark all the time.

Let me correct that, I get this very surprised remark all the time.

Whether at the dentist, the optometrist, or the dermatologist. Once people learn that I've been here for just 5 short months, this observation is bound to come up. I'm getting tired of explaining that in Manila, English is the medium of instruction in almost all subjects, in all levels. And that I basically grew up writing and speaking the language.

The job interview I went to today was no exception.

"You speak really good English."

Said the clinic owner.

"Yes"

Said Mrs.A, launching into the oft-repeated script of the Why I Speak Good English monologue.

I swear, next time, I get this, I'll just tell them that I watch Friends.

Urban Adventure

After work today, Mr.A and I parked Reg (our beloved SUV) and went off into the strange world (for us at least!) of bay area public transportation.

We didn't know what to expect but we came prepared. We were armed with quarters, a 511.org itinerary, BART schedules, more quarters, bus routes, bus schedules, and still more quarters.

We worked the BART ticket machine like pros, joined the rush of people catching the next train and was soon sitting comfortably in the plush seats* of the bay area transit's pride and joy.

I took note of the stations we were passing by -- Berkeley, Ashby, MacArthur.

And I can't help but think -- Kita mo nga naman, dati ang tinitignan kong mga istasyon ay Edsa, Gil Puyat, Vito Cruz. Talagang kay bilis at kay dami ng mga pagbabago sa buhay ko.

Before long, we reached our stop. We got sidetracked for a while trying to figure out where to get bus transfers (sayang din kasi, 25 cents din ang mababawas sa pamasahe namin). We gave up for fear of missing the bus we're supposed to catch.

As it turned out, we did miss the bus :0P We had to wait 15 minutes for the next bus. We spent the time playing pendong kotseng kuba. Yep, we're juveniles that way :0P Pero talaga, nare-realize naming mag-asawa dahil sa larong ito na ang dami pala talagang kalbo at kotseng kuba dito sa Amerika!

Finally, our bus came. The bus ride is actually just 20 minutes but it seemed a lot longer because we were anticipating our stop the whole time. And our stop was the last on the route :0P Kita mo naman sa mukha ng asawa ko yung pagkainip hehe :0)

Finally, we managed to reach our destination which turned out to be a very nice and cozy-looking village. Parang maliit na Baguio nga sya e, with hills and all. We poked around for a bit and had dinner at this Mexican place with a great salsa bar.

After dinner, we went to the bus stop to start the return-trip part of our adventure.

Maybe you were wondering where we went and why. Well, this adventure is actually a dry-run of the routes I would take tomorrow afternoon for my interview. O di ba? Girl Scout ang lola nyo!

*(For someone used to the seats of LRT and MRT, believe me, the BART seats are like La-Z-Boys!)

I heart 511.org

Got a call from one of the numerous employers I e-mailed regarding a part-time job. Will be coming in on Tuesday for an 'informal' interview (their words, not mine).

Which led me to the dilemma of going there. I still can't drive by myself, let alone drive the 20 miles it takes to go there. I know Mr.A would be willing to drive me there but I've imposed too much on my husband's work sched. Plus, I've never been the kind who gets ferried by a driver to-and-fro, I sure as hell don't want to start being one now.

Problem is, I don't know how to get around here using public transpo.

Coming from a place where you can hail an fx, a jeepney or a cab from almost every kanto and corner, it's a lil frustrating for me to not even know how to get to the nearest mall without driving :0/


Enter 511.org, the counterpart of Yahoo's Driving directions to those taking public transportation. You just fill-in your place of origin and your destination, specify the time you want to arrive, choose whether you want the fastest or the cheapest itinerary, even the number of miles you're willing to walk and the site will plan out your trip for you. Uhuh, down to bus/train schedules and how much it costs. Cool huh?

Looking forward to...

GETTING A JOB. Please, please all you employers I've e-mailed, show some love and reply to me!

OUR VEGAS - L.A. VACATION. My first ever US road trip! Can't wait to see the fountains of Bellagio, waste quarters playing the one-armed bandits, walk among the stars, frolic in a Southern Cal beach and visit English-speaking Disneyland*. Wohoo!

BEING IN THE ZONE. My studying is still suffering from fits of sleepiness, laziness and mindless Lifetime movies :0P But my fairy-godmother from Georgia sent me a couple of reviewers to give structure to my disorganized ways. Thanks Tessa-girl!

HAVING A LEGAL IDENTITY. Waiting for my SSN. The moment I get it, I'm gonna get me a date with the DMV. It's about time I legalize my affair with Nognog :0P

WATCHING WICKED! We have tickets for the week after our road trip. It's been ages and ages since I last watched a play.

TURNING A FABULOUS 28 :0D Oh yeah. Life's just getting better and better!

***
I'm in the mood for three's(lifted from selle)

Three names you go by:
1. babe (if you're Mr.A)
2. lei (if you're family)
3. leng (if you're a part of my hs barkada)

Three screen names you have had:
1. Mrs.A
2. missleia_ph
3. leia_grl

Three physical things you like about yourself:
1. eyes
2. height
3. being morena (meaning year-round tan, baby!)

Three physical things you don't like about yourself:
1. pango nose :0P
2. big thighs!
3. feet

Three parts of your heritage:
1. filipino (of course!)
2. spanish maybe (my maiden surname is spanish after all hehe)
3. honestly, i don't know what else :0P

Three things that scare you:
1. death of a loved one
2. violence
3. failure

Three of your everyday essentials:
(before, as slave of the system, it was:)
1. cellphone
2. kikay kit
3. wallet
(now that i'm dyosa ng tahanan:)
1. checking my e-mail
2. calling Mr.A at work
3. quality time with Mr.A after his work

Three of your favorite musical artists:
1. Eheads
2. Barry Manilow (hehe)
3. Parokya ni Edgar

Three of your favorite songs:
1. Minsan by the eraserheads
2. Moon River (acoustic version)
3. Wonderful Tonight (Mr.A's version)

Three things you want in a relationship:
1. friendship
2. trust
3. respect

Three lies and truths in no particular order:
(guess which is which)
1. I have a tattoo.
2. I like the color red.
3. I know how to speak Spanish.

Three things about the opposite sex that appeal to you:
1. smile
2. sense of humor
3. intelligence

Three of your favorite hobbies:
1. reading
2. surfing the net
3. shopping

Three things you want to really do badly now:
1. get a job
2. pass the boards
3. go on a vacation with Mr.A

Three careers you're considering/you've considered:
1. lawyer
2. doctor
3. journalist

Three places you want to go on vacation:
1. hawaii
2. europe
3. amanpulo

Three kids' names you like:
1. Alleia
2. Aleisha
3. can't think of a third one

Three things you want to do before you die:
1. prove to Mr.A that I love him more hehe :0)
2. be the best parent I can be
3. travel around the world

Three ways that you are stereotypically a boy:
1. I enjoy well-delivered green jokes.
2. I like techie stuff.
3. I eat a lot :0P

Three ways that you are stereotypically a girl:
1. I cry easily.
2. I love dressing up.
3. I love shoes and bags.

Three people I would like to see take this quiz:
1. you
2. you
3. and yup, YOU.

:0)

*Tokyo was fun but you lose something when the tale of the Pirates of the Caribbean is told in Japanese :0P

Putting everything in perspective.

I've been getting a lot of responses regarding my resume. But all of them have one universal question, am I licensed to practice here in California?

And of course, even before I get to step one, I'm already out of the game :0(

I'm still about a year away from being fully licensed. Let me tell you about the steps I still need to go through:

> credentialing (which would take 2 to 3 months at least)
> when I get credentialed, board application (another month or two)
> if approved, I get to take and hopefully, pass the boards.
> 9(yup, NINE) months of internship as a physical therapist license applicant (kinda like apprenticeship or mentoring)

And even before I can start the credentialing, I need to have my SSN first.

Where am I now? Day 2 of the two-week wait for my SSN.

I was really feeling so bummed about this. Until I got to talk to Mr.A during lunch. Mr.A pointed out that I was putting all sorts of pressure on myself when everything is really so simple if we take things one at a time.

As usual, my husband has a way of putting everything in perspective. And all was right in my world again :0)

The plan now is to for me to find a part-time job that I'll enjoy. The primary purpose of the job would be to get me out of the house and in the presence of people again. The main priority is studying and passing the board exams. And I still have 4-5 months to do it.

Now, if only I can stop pressuring myself:0P

I've been tagged!

From Selle. Will give my answers in fives.

1. What are the things you enjoy doing even when there's no one around you?
> Reading (whether it's books, mags or even the pamphlets I find on the street :0P)
> Writing (... soothes me and gives perspective to my life)
> Browsing (bookstores and thrift stores are my favorite places!!)
> Daydreaming
> Surfing the net

2. What lowers your stress/blood pressure/anxiety level?
> Crying (uhuh, my form of release :0P)
> Talking to Mr.A about my worries
> Conversing with God
> Writing on my journal
> Sleeping

I tag anyone who wants to answer this :0)

***
On other news...

I went to my first job interview/exam today.

How was it? It went ok... I think.

It was actually a job fair for a nonprofit organization dealing with the developmentally-disabled. I thought it was perfect for me while I'm in the process of securing my professional license. Anyway, I was interested in one of the management positions but it turned out that the job fair was primarily for the recruitment of direct-service positions.

I didn't want the trip to be wasted so I took the exam to be considered for the direct-service positions while making it clear to the interviewer that my priority was the management one.

The exam consisted of three essay questions (one about the skills I have, one involving behavioral modification as applied to a client and the last about least liked trait of former supervisor) and a couple of easy math items. When I say easy, I mean really easy (addition, subtraction and multiplication of decimals).

Thinking about it now, I'm suddenly not so sure about the direct-service positions. I know I have to start somewhere lower than what I'm used to given that I'm still unlicensed but I don't wanna be stuck in a job I don't really like.

Sigh. I hope I'll soon have more alternatives to choose from.

Jobhunter

Today officially marks the start of my jobhunting.

After about a week of editing and rewriting, I have crossed the point of no return and sent my resume into the world wide web. My resume is now at the mercy of employers, recruiters, staffing specialists and bored surfers.

Yep, ladies and gentlemen, starting today, people I do not know will judge me by the way I strung a couple of hundred words to describe how I toiled professionally for the past five years.

Let the emails pour in!

photo credits: neatplates.com

Dance as though no one is watching.

I signed up for belly dancing classes for the exercise. I figured out that doing something new and getting a good workout out of it is already a deal in itself. (Not to mention the fact that my husband gets a break from me outside of work ;0))

So for the past two sessions, that was all I was doing and all I was expecting from it -- exercise and a lil fun.
But tonight was different. Oh, I had my usual work out. In fact, my pectoral muscles are starting to sing a painful aria after all the push-ups we did. And let's not even go to what my abs(upper, lower, side and in between :0P) have been through.

Tonight was different because, tonight, I danced.

You see, the past classes, I was intent on the technicalities, how to move my body in the exact (or nearest to it) way as that of the instructor. I was looking at how the others are doing it and how I compare to them. Counting out the beats and moving with it. I guess that was the difference. For the past sessions, I was just moving, not dancing.

But tonight, after a particularly confusing move (I think it was stepping on one foot while thrusting your pelvis forward and a lil butt sway on the same direction as the foot, all on a half beat, with your arms on the 2nd position), I stopped focusing on the technicalities, on the counting, even stopped watching how others do it.

Tonight, I looked at myself in the mirror, checked if my form was correct, then closed my eyes. I stopped thinking about the directions (you know, right foot, front, right butt etc.), focused on the music and just danced. And you know what? For the first time, I felt like I was really doing something right --I could feel my body moving smoothly and in rhythm.

In that moment, I could understand how this can become a life's passion.

But old habits die hard. Soon, I was back to my old OC self, checkin' others out and letting the technicalities get in the way :0P

Still, I can actually say that for once, I was able to dance as though no one is watching. And it's an experience I tend to repeat.

Weekend with friends.

Aldwin's college buddy, Jeff and his wife, Monique, drove up from OC to spend the weekend with us.

They were actually on a week-long vacation from work, with San Francisco and the Bay area as their last stop. Before coming here, they spent time at Sequioa and Yosemite National Parks. Kinda like a second honeymoon (or was it the fourth? hehe) for them :0).

Although it was the first time that I met Jeff and Monique, we were really hitting it off before Saturday was over! It was nice to be with people that just gets you --your humor, your stories, even your memories (of what seems like a too distant land). It has been a long while since Aldwin and I laughed that much with another couple. It's sad really 'coz they live ~7 hours from us :0P

It's ok though. We're bound to see them again soon -- after three weeks, to be exact. It's our turn to drive down to their part of Cali. I'm sure it'll be so much fun!

Just like how this weekend was :0)

***
The Winchester Mystery House


Construction at the Winchester Mystery House started in 1884 and continued uninterrupted (including weekends) until the death of its owner, Sarah Winchester, in 1922. This is because Mrs. Winchester believed that continuous construction of the house would provide a home for the spirits killed (and at that time, being killed) by the Winchester rifles. She was told by a psychic that it was the only way that the spirits can be appeased and she can reach immortality.

As a result of 38 years of incessant building, the house now have a total of 160 rooms, 40 stairways, 47 firplaces, 10,000 windows, 2,000 doors, 6 kitchens and 13 bathrooms.

Ok, you say. That's big but what's so mysterious about that?

Well, in order to "confuse" the spirits, Mrs. Winchester had staircases built that ends in the ceiling, doors that open to walls and to the outside (with a sheer drop to the ground below), cabinets opening into rooms and windows on floors.

During the one hour tour, we passed a staircase that descends 7 steps and then rises 11, saw a cabinet that's only an inch deep, admired an exquisite Tiffany stained glass window that has never seen the sunshine and posed in front of the beautiful $3,000 (at that time) stained glass front doors that were never used.

Really, I don't know whether to marvel at the oddities or shake my head at the staggering waste of money.

As large as the house is, it never welcomed any visitors during Mrs. Winchester's lifetime. But seeing the dozens of visitors that milled around the house's gift shop at present, I guess Sarah Winchester kinda achieved her campaign for immortality through this house.

***
Pakwan Pakistani

Said a restaurant sign we passed in San Francisco.

"Sa sobrang mahal dito" said Mr.A to us.

"You can only Pakwan Pakistani for a price. Isa lang, di pwede dalawa man lang."

It was hilarious at that time. Oh well, I guess you had to be there :0P

***
Sesame-flavored ice cream


One of the dessert choices at the buffet we went to in Japantown. At first, I was hesistant to try it when I saw its greyish-blue color. But surprisingly, I really liked it! :0)

It's creamy with the toasty taste of sesame seeds. The seeds were ground to itsy-bitsy pieces that they looked like specks of ground black pepper. Made me think of the after-taste of Buchi.