12/29/2005

Strike three... and I'm out.

Yup. I am ashamed to say that I screwed up again.

I won't go into specifics 'coz, looking back, it's such a stupid mistake. :0P

Hay. The only good thing about today's experience is my acceptance of the fact that driving is such an effort for me. Forget the cool, femme driver of my illusions. Or my naive belief that since I have a superior IQ, driving should be a piece of cake.

Some people just have a knack for driving. I've accepted that I am not one of them.

Thus, even though I am years removed from being a minor, I told myself that I still need the requisite 50 hours of driving practice before I attempt to sit for another exam again. I need to face the fact that even though I have a license from Manila, it doesn't change the reality that I have less than 10 hours of driving experience.

This time around, I promised myself that I'm going to drive everyday, everywhere until it becomes second nature to me. To try to overcome the urge to give in to the temptation of leaving all the driving to my hubby; to practice driving until the mere thought of driving doesn't make me go into fits of nervous coughing. Practice until I can drive without murmuring to myself: signal, look at the mirrors, look back, change lane. And until I can drive and think about something else other than the fact that I am driving.

Looks like Mr.A got himself a driver for the next month or so :0)

Oh, and there's another silver lining in today's dark cloud.

I don't need to take the written exam again. Yey! :0)

For some reason or another, my DMV examiner waived the written exam when I went back to apply for another permit (remember, 3 strikes and I need to reapply again, which means passing the written test again). I must have looked so sad and pathetic that he took pity on me :0P

(I told my hubby that it's either that or he found me cute. He said it's probably the first one hehe :0P)

So yeah, I still can't help but feel a lil stupid for striking out but instead of wallowing in it, I'll try my best to rise above it and hopefully, overcome it in time.

*Syet, after reading what I wrote, di ako makapaniwala na ako
ito... does this mean I've matured?! Di ko kinaya!

12/28/2005

A year ago today, I walked down the aisle.

As much as I want to reminisce about that day, I can't.

Not until I get my behind-the-wheel exam over with.

Tomorrow afternoon, I will take that friggin' exam for the third freakin' time. And yes, I am frustrated as hell.

Strike one was when I got so rattled when the DMV examiner asked me to parallel park (uhh, what park?) that I forgot to look back (but I looked at the mirrors!) while pulling out of the curb... number two was when I (gently :0P) hit the curb while backing up. Add number three and I'm out.

My husband comforts me with the thought that if I don't make it, I can always try again. No biggie.

Thing is, if I still don't make it this time, I need to retake the written test (which I aced in the first try, thankyouverymuch). And thinking about poring through the DMV handbook again and paying the sitting fee again and going through the stress again of anticipating the behind-the-wheel exam... hay.

Ewan ko ba, I do well when I'm practicing with Mr.A. But as soon as it's just the DMV examiner and I, I turn into a mechanically inept person, seemingly incapable of controlling a compact car:0P

I have never failed this miserably before :0(

I hope that the driving deities will look favorably on me tomorrow. I really, really hope so.

12/26/2005

Happy Holidays!!!

The 3-day Christmas weekend ends today. Will be back to work tomorrow.

So let me tell you about my Christmas this year.

This is my first Christmas here in California and it's kinda bittersweet -- to finally be with my hubby yet far away from most of my family and friends.

I must admit I miss the frenzy of Christmas in Manila -- all the lights, the glitter, the crowds, the hype, the Christmas parties, the family get-togethers, the nights out with friends, the food (especially the food!!). But there is also something to be said about Christmas spent quietly with the person you love the most.

I cried after my Christmas eve phone call to my Dad and brothers in Manila. For a moment, there was this overwhelming sense of sadness that enveloped me. I guess it was a mixture of missing the Christmases past that we shared and the knowledge that all the future Christmases will never be the same again.

Yet different doesn't necessarily mean bad.

I look forward to more Christmas eves spent preparing a simple dinner (baby back ribs this year:0)) and enjoying it with Mr.A; singing Christmas carols and exchanging gifts.

This Christmas, I really missed my family and friends but there was this sense of contentment and peace of mind that I never had before. With Mr.A, I know that, for the first time, I am actually home this Christmas.

***

My husband is a funny guy.

When we were exchanging gifts, he gave me a small bottle of Bath&Body Works body lotion in my favorite scent -- White Tea and Ginger.

Then I gave him his gifts -- 2 shirts, a remote-controlled SUV, a Superman figurine and a bottle of cologne.

After opening his gifts, he said he felt so bad about giving me such a small gift that he'll play me a song on his guitar to somehow make-up for it. I said it was ok but I'll welcome a song :0)

So he went out to the garage to get his guitar, came back to the living room, and started playing a song. And that's when I saw THE bag hanging from his arm!



Yup, THE bag is the gallery tote COACH 2005 holiday patch collection.

I saw it sometime before Thanksgiving and just fell in love with it! I've been dreaming about it but wasn't really serious about buying it 'coz it's sooo expensive! It didn't even make my wishlist 'coz I was thinking that it was too much to ask from my husband.

I guess Mr.A really knows the desires of my heart hehe! :0D

***

Christmas day was spent half in bed (we woke up after 12pm!) and half in front of the TV, with our movie marathon -- LOTR:Return of the King, Madagascar and The Gladiator.

Sweet times!

12/09/2005

I've forgotten how physical physical therapy can be.

And working 8-hours a day refreshed my memory :0P

The last time I felt this tired was when I was an intern. And since we have 30-minute slots for patients here as opposed to the one-hour slots in Manila, I guess that makes me doubly tired.

This week just drained me. As soon as I finish with my hot shower, I fall into bed. And that's at nine in the evening! I must be getting old :0P

Like last Monday, we went out for dinner and a movie then got home at the fairly decent hour of eleven. I was in bed and asleep in half an hour but I still found it so difficult to wake up the next day, you'd think I stayed out the whole night!

Hay. I miss my early twenties :0P

12/04/2005

Been a couch potato all weekend long.

And I am not complaining :0)

Staying in allowed me to blog (obviously!) and to reacquaint myself with an old friend:


Meet Kitty, my iPAQ.

She and I used to be best buddies, but moving here and leaving my laptop behind in Manila kinda made us drift apart.

Now, all the reasons why we became best buds then are slowly becoming clear again.

And saying goodbye to scrawled reminder and to-do lists on random scraps of paper is just one of them.

***

And since we're on friendships anyhow...

I miss my friends. Especially my college barkada.

I miss the counselling sessions over coffee. I miss the regular get-together at Alda's and the conversations that seem to flow endlessly -- from jologs showbiz chismis to everyday life anecdotes to intellectually stimulating topics like sex (hehe!) and umm... health policies :0) I miss the wit, the jibes, the understanding, the laughter, the acceptance.

Most of all, I miss the comfort of knowing that yes, you are among friends.

***

Don't wanna end on such a senti note.

So, just wanna say that I'm looking forward to our NY trip in January. Yey!

Trust my husband to make everything fun.

Or in the case of folding the laundry, bearable.

He laid out the sleeping bag in front of the big TV in the family room, turned on the heater to make the room cozy, chose a chick flick in the DVR, dumped the freshly washed clothes in the sleeping bag and proceeded to fold the clothes with me.

And before I knew it, we had quite a pile of neatly folded clothes waiting to be put away :0)

Let me say it again: I am so lucky to have you, babe.

***

Speaking of Lucky.

I'm digging Lucky magazine more and more. In Style's ok but Lucky's turning out to be more helpful fashion-wise.

Found a lot of layering inspiration on their November and December issues. Perfect for the wintry months ahead. Can't wait to go through my closet to put inspiration to action.

12/01/2005

I need a holiday after the holidays.

Had a four-day weekend last week and I'm dog-tired :0P My mom, my sis and my sis' friend came over for Thanksgiving and we spent the whole weekend walking, shopping, eating, walking, shopping, eating, walking... shopping... eating...

It was definitely fun but utterly exhausting.

Can't wait for the weekend.