Manifestation

Seriously... I'm such a hypocrite sometimes. Anyway the reason I'm saying that is... I don't like to go Gaga/hyped-up over things that everyone is going after - i refuse to be one of those people. Though sometimes I can't help it. You know how Y! has been having some difficulty uhm... getting their crap together. For some time now, I've been so paranoid of losing my Yahoo account, now I've started utilizing Google for email and such. Gee whiz... only recently did I find out I really don't need fancy Microsoft Word/Powerpoint/etc... because those applications are available to you already once you get an account in Google - Isn't that Wicked!

And not to mention all the things you can do... like you can customize your page using your favorite artist (i.e. chihuly, gustavo rosa, antonio gamito, tim yip, akira isogawa, etc...) artwork. It's insane!

Anyhow... nuf of that. Let's move on to "real" things =).

----

Different topic...

I met this girl, she's also an IR major and we've become muni-buddies. We used to ride on the Muni (SF City train) together, but now she's got her license back so she's driving again. Anyway, to make the story short...

First impression, she's one of those girls who talks like "OhMyGhad" "Like" etc... - like a Valley Girl, but once you get to know she's actually pretty cool, down to earth and smart; but you can just tell that she hasn't been exposed to the "world" yet. I've gotten to know her a little bit, over time I started seeing/recognizing myself when I was 20/21 yrs old in her - naive, immature, overly sheltered, the whole thing. I laugh out loud inside whenever I'm around her. I was totally like her when I was at that age - she's 21yrs old. Gee whiz... howcome nobody slapped me when I was at that age - I was embarrassing myself but I made people laugh more in a very silly way.

pulla.

I have a new cat.
His name is Bisquit.
He is black and has a lot of ticks on him.
I wish he could say.
My mama dislikes.

When Bisquit first started coming around I made a professional statement.
It was a girl cat who was pregnant.
She even had babies in her stomach.
I felt them!

Then my sister started patting her.
Bisquit then relaxed and started slowly poking my sister's thigh with its penis.

Biologists do make mistakes.
But I like my Bisquit.

- E

habibi.

I went to a Roots Meeting last weekend. It was so boiling outside that I thought my head was going to melt or maybe leave my shoulders. I think the only thing keeping it on place was my old friends. The park was also poppin' and bathing in light.
Very summer.
Very reggae and roots.







Then came the evening. The light changed so rapidly and abruptly.
This is Oona.
She is one of the most beautiful people I know.
Inside and out.
But tremendously out.


My sweet 'Anna works at Mbar in the center of Helsinki city.


Hanna and I, we have come a long way.
Gone together, heart to heart.
Sometimes ripped it open a bit.
Then fixed.
My habibi.


Helsinki in the summer is a lot of love if ones heart is open.
This year I am open.
Avoin.
Öppen.
Open.
Oh so open.

- E

Love

I don't know exactly how the Filipino's came to be such romantics. My Dad and my Uncle are two of the most devoted husbands. I've never seen such strong bond and love those two men have for their wives. I am the way I am - rotten spoiled - because partly of those two men.


Filipino Concepts

In Filipino concepts love is expressed in a wide variety of terms. What is interesting, is that in Filipino culture, love is divided between purely personal and reciprocal variants. These terms are conveyed in the Tagalog, the most widely-spoken language in the Philippines beside English:

Ibig is used to imply a fond love, and is used in to convey desire in an affection. An example is: "Umibig si Ningning kay Buboy" (Ningning loves Buboy). It is a commonly used term in casual conversation of the topic. Yet in courtship or between couples, the term "Iniibig kita" - "I love you" is understood to be an intimate, romantic love.

Mahal implies a highly valued affection. Its literal meaning is close to the English word "dear", in terms of expense, with an emphasis on that love being reciprocal. An example would be the phrase "Mahal kita" - "I love you". As well as being a main term for love between partners or in courtship, it is also the main term to express Platonic love. An example phrase is: "Mahalin mo ang iyong mga Magulang" (Love your parents.)

Giliw is used to term a "yearning intent love" harboured personally for someone, declared or undeclared. It has connotations of personal loneliness when the partner or person for whom such feelings are directed towards, is absent. Used in situations to prove or emphasize a persons affections for another. It is also used as an endearing address similar to the English word "baby".

Sinta is a confident reciprocal established romantic love between partners, where both partners consider an equally high affection for each other. Because sinta is an archaic term (equivalent linguistically to the Malay/Indonesian word Cinta, but differing in its exact connotation), it is considered malalim (deep) and poetic. Hence sinta is rarely used in everyday conversation, but may be used by couples in an address similar to the English terms "darling" or "dearest".

Pagnanais is used to convey a heavy desire with a main focus on the partner or courtee. It places focus on the actor achieving a higher stage of affection, such as sinta, with the object of affection. In contrast to the other terms, the linguistic element of pagnanais, which has its root in nais (to want), is a more grave wanting love. Because of the root word's meaning, it is avoided as a term in conversation when referring to affections, but its rather used for "wanting and liking" a certain object.

Goodies

I love the scarf... Funny, I've also been looking for something like that but a tad shorter, to tie around my neck when i'm wearing my white long sleeve shirt =))) oh so chic =))) we watched the "Houseboat", starring Cary Grant and Sophia Loren. Gee whiz she was beautiful back then... =/ Too bad she succumbed to plastic surgeries. Oh well... Anyway, it's the market scene where she was wearing all black and a red scarf - I love that style.

I think that's one of the adventures of going to second hand stores and such... to collect stories - stories behind those things. Especially coming from older people, I love listening to them. To me, there's almost always a lesson behind it.

Jesus.

Some things in life can not be measured by the amount of paper with numbers on them said the Russian lady who gave me this at the fleamarket. I thought she was right and I felt embarrassed for asking the price. Her gesture made my stomach warm and my knees wobbly.

Now Jesus lives in my room, above the table.

I feel calmer and will leave my love under his eyes and escape.

To an island with no electricity and twenty French men.

But do not worry I will be back.

In three days.

It shallt be grand.

- E

5 euro.

Summer Helsinki is all about the Smiths, ice cream, blueberry picking, sometimes sun, friends, loving, kissing, hugging. And fleamarkets.







Five euros is le grand total that I spent on these little babies.
The bag was a tad expensive at 3.
I guess you just sometimes have to take it.
It might be the price for the endless stories that come with things bought second hand.

The bag was formerly bought at a fleamarket by the old owner.
She said she liked it a lot and wanted 5.
I said 4.
She said ok and that it is a bit old.
Oh my so I said 3.

The hat had been worn by the elderly lady at her schools 'Hat Day' sometime.
She said she performed in it and as she stated that her cheeks blushed a bit.
She said 2 and I said 1.

The scarf was wrapped in plastic and looked oh so fabulous.
The older lady said she thought it was beautiful.
I agreed.
But then I found that it said 'Viking Line' on it.
The lady then assured me that no one will ever know if I wear it right.
She was good sales lady that one.
So I said 1.

A good Sunday filled with stories and now some swimming.

- E

crapola.

I have taken 133 pictures on my camera that has been set to take photos on RAW format which makes them unusable. So I will go and enjoy summer on our little beach. God bless technology.
- E

that hat.

In Sweden every self respectable little fashion blogger has one.
In Paris I bought it at BHV for quite the high price.
I thought to myself
'I shall be chic'
Like the old Parisian men sitting in the cafes smoking little cigars.
In real life the only people wearing the hat in Paris were old Japanese tourists.
And moi.

- E

pride.

I am so proud.
My dear father will be teaching at UCLA this upcoming weekend.
It kind of feels like my tum tum is going to burst.
He doesn't really need it but I will say Good Luck Pops.
Just in case.

- E

encore.

Strange weather quel horreur


Je vous aime


Mocking my shoes


Beautiful skyline and clearing weather


Ante up


Sweet smell of luxury bought with own money


Les Puces


Sacre Coeur


It is the city of love after all


Le metro


C'est beau


Un peu tacky but still


Adieu

I shall now move on. Maybe I will introduce you to my house in Finland or let you on my adventures in Sweden before arriving here. Who knows. Now I need to go.
I have a date with the city.

- E

"Chris Matthews"

I'm a huge fan of Chris Matthew - he has a show on MSNBC, Hardball with Chris Matthew. Last night he was on Late Night Show with Jay Leno. I loved what he said about the government; very proud I'm on his side. I adore his personality, he makes this very distinctive laugh - "HA!" - he doesn't stretch it, just 'ha'. Wait till you hear it, I find it hilarious.

Anyway, I wanted to share that video of him on Jay Leno's show, but it has not been posted out yet (went to the website of NBC, but Blogspot is not included in their sharing social bookmark list). I'll try again later =)))

I hope things are well with you =))).

i heart Paris.

Oui monsieur nous sommes de Finlande.

Non monsieur Finlande n'est pas Roumanie.

Non monsieur ma soeur n'est pas Miss World 2009.

Non monsiuer c'est n'est pas possible pour vous d'acheter ma cousine.

Oui j'ai un copain aussi.

Ah..oui...desolee monsieur.

But can we still eat at your restaurant monsieur?

- E

Mama Mia!

Saw the movie a while ago =))) I like ABBA - lol... (I know) Their music makes me smile =))) And the movie was just adorable and sweet. Fun-vacation film =)

Ugh... don't get me wrong I heart Pierce Brosnan... but he sang on the movie! Lol. I cringed when I heard his singing voice - yikes! So watch out for that.

Sunday

Camille (below) and I, went out for a bit. I had late lunch at Imperial Tea Court inside the Ferry Bldg. A bit disappointed, the ETC in Berkeley, surpassed this. The meat that I had (Beijing Beef Stew), it seemed like it has been sitting out for quite some time - the meat was not as moist and it sort of coagulated.

Our new favorite chocolate maker - Recchiuti, local chocolatier. And mi Peet's latte =). Heavenly!
Ferry ramp - towards Sausalito, CA.

The weather in the City has been dreary this week, starting to get to me.

Chihuly

Not quite sure if you like glass sculptures.

This man's sculptures are Amazing! Mi Auntie and I, we went to see Chihuly's exhibit in the City. I had low expectations but when I was walking through his exhibit, OMG... I felt like I was in a wonder-glass-land =))).

I like how he utilizes glassblowing and mixes it with nature to form his art organically - he would inflate molten glass into a bubble and let gravity and such, take its course.

One of my favorite piece. By the way, this piece was made with collaborators involving glassblowers from Finland (Nuutajarvi).

My other favorite. This was part of a huge installation. The texture of this piece just added to its already beautiful structure and style. Gorgeous!

And this here (top), once, Chihuly went to some trip and saw some vases that were by Native Americans. He liked how the vases when stacked together, its side or bottom are contorted or distorded. That inspired him to make vases and bowl-like pieces based on those ideas and forms - which, I think, came out fantastic.