Blood Workup Time

It's a family tradition to have our blood workups towards the end of each year. This year, we did it a bit earlier. My mom's been bugging me to do it since she and my brother had theirs done two weeks ago. Their results reflect the same old habits they can't seem to shake off. Poor dieting, little or no exercise and smoking are tantamount to above-normal levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and uric acid. My results, which I'm just seeing right now, aren't the best either, although all are within normal range. I *try* to watch my diet. There are hiccups along the way but I want to believe that my constant visits to the gym could make up for them. If you're curious about how I did, here's a screenie:



My cholesterol and uric acid are kinda on the high side. Could it be because of the eclairs I had last night?



Note to self a year from now: Don't go to a buffet the night before a blood workup!!

Crest Pro-Health Whitening Toothpaste

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my toothpaste, Crest Pro-Health Whitening Toothpaste, for giving me my pearly white teeth and obscenely fresh breath LOL. No really, this toothpaste packs some serious punch. It addresses numerous dental concerns we may encounter from time to time, such as cavities, tooth stains, gingivitis (ouch), tartar and bad breath. I discovered this gem of a toothpaste at my cousin Marty's house in Chicago. I wanted to steal her tube but my conscience got the better of me hahaha. So, when I got to California I purchased a couple from Walmart. I wonder where I can buy this here in the Philippines when I run out. I can attest to the efficacy of Crest Pro-Health. It really whitened my teeth. The proof is in the pudding:


My teeth are so white, they sparkle in photographs. (pic was NOT edited I swear!!)

Zoomed in version:

Kicked (Cigarette) Butt for 5 Years

Today, September 21, 2009, marks the 5th year that I quit smoking. I remember that day distinctly. My niece Mavis was just 2 weeks old, and I was over at their house in Commonwealth Avenue to visit. I hadn't smoked yet that time. I finished my pack the night before and wasn't able to buy a fresh one coz my dad was such in a hurry to see his first grandchild. For a baby, Mavis was a cryer. She cried and cried when people came near her. She was also the result of a very difficult pregnancy. Her mom Veronica had to be taken to the hospital several times due to excessive bleeding. There was one particular night when we thought we'd lost her. My dad, my brothers and I took her to Cardinal Santos. Ve was crying a lot and I was worried sick. Thankfully, after several tests, the doctor cleared her to go home, but gave her some meds to alleviate the bleeding. After a few months, Mavis was born. At 6 or so pounds, she was a beautiful, healthy baby. As I looked at her in the viewing gallery, I promised to myself, "I'm going to quit smoking for this kid." And what better day to impose martial law on myself than September 21st?

I spent the rest of the day with my niece. Though I have to admit that I was close to having a convulsion lol. That continued for another 2 weeks, until finally I can say that I successfully quit smoking. And it was all worth it.

It is With Great Regret

... that I will be forced to torture myself on the G-MAX reverse bungy ride in Clarke Quay, Singapore!

My friends and I decided that whoever backs out will pay for dinner... at Pepper Lunch!

See the mortified looks on these three people:



They chat almost nonchalantly and then BOOM!! Ok, since they end up laughing in the end, perhaps it is a little fun to try.

Hmm. I heard I have to pay extra for a video recording. Which I will certainly NOT do!

Travel Update: Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia

I'm traveling again! On September 27 to be exact.

Before I left for Europe, I had already planned this trip with my college friends. My itinerary includes my favorite city, Singapore, plus Phuket, Thailand and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Our starting point is Singapore, to which we're flying straight from Davao City. After one night, we're off to Phuket, spend a couple of days there, then finally, Kuala Lumpur. It's quite a hectic schedule that we have to follow. Basically we're squeezing three countries into 6 days. We wish we had more time, but we don't want to lose our jobs. :P

Thanks to my friend Nina Fuentes for helping us out in deciding what to do in Malaysia. We are taking a chartered van to Malacca (or Melaka) and spend a whole day enjoying the historical sites and probably a little bit of shopping too. I'm so psyched about this tour! And of course, who wouldn't be excited about Phuket?

On a side note, I still have a lot to write about my European trip. For now, you'll have to contend with my filler posts. Have I become boring? Please tell me. I'll try to be funnier lol. Anyway, I promise to have my Versailles post up really soon.

Also, this morning I totally screwed up my blog template. I had to rebuild it from scratch. Ughh. Oh and check out my profile pic on the sidebar. Cool huh? :P

Happy Birthday Jehzeel Theodore Laurente!!

Me and Jehz (someone was unjustly cut out from this pic LOL)

September 12 is the birthday of one of my best friends (forever lol)... He's no other than Jehz Laurente!!! Wooooot!

Errr.. Sorry, I don't have a present for you, but I hope this blog post will suffice. You still owe me that steak in Manila, remember? (wink, wink)

Have a good one, my friend!

Nestea with Calamansi is Gross

I woke up at 830AM today, with Taylor Swift's song "You Belong With Me" playing in my head. It played and played, like a broken record. I gave up and stood from my bed, not really knowing what to do. Ha. How about a morning picker upper to jumpstart the day? I came downstairs to the pantry and attempted a new iced tea concoction: Nestea mixed with fresh Calamansi juice. Here's my "secret" recipe:

Iced Tea of Death

Ingredients

2 tbsp. Nestea Iced Tea powder
2 pcs. Calamansi
1 glass Water

Directions: Squeeze calamansi into glass using a strainer. Pour iced tea powder and water. Mix well with ice.

Ok, did I say it was gross?

The result was a cross between chlorinated water, Bisolvon and a rotten citrus fruit (e.g. calamansi duh). I don't recommend the recipe above. If you insist, replace the Calamansi with 1/4 cup of Minute Maid Citrus Pulp. Adjust the amount water to accommodate the juice. Tastes a million times better.

Ahhhhh.

Alright, that's it. I'm boring.

About the Gadget

So I realized too late that my blog posts here also show up in my Facebook account. My mom was a little ticked off about my Gadget post coz she didn't want the "whole world to know we have a new car" (her own words). I don't see what the problem is. Number one, we didn't steal the car, right? Two, sooner or later people in our "world" will see us use it. Unless we wear disguises and pretend to be secret agents. Three, it's f*cking gorgeous! If it were a stainless steel jeep, I'd rather keep it a family secret and take a cab.

New Gadget

Look what my mom bought behind our backs. =(


Our new white Montero Sport

She has fine taste in automobiles, I'll give her that.