Noel & Via

Has it really been three years already? This year felt like our 3rd year of being newly-married as we had to slowly refurnish our flat back here in Manila after moving back from Italy. We had three months to slowly ease our way into things, not to mention stuff ourselves with all the Filipino food we'd been missing! :) Now we're both shifting into higher gears as we try to focus on all our little projects, including our self-development ones: I'm back taking Italian at the embassy and Noel's thinking of starting some Programming classes at the Ateneo Professional Schools in Rockwell.
We've got so many dreams and plans ahead- we have so much to be thankful for and excited about!

Over dessert yesterday (we're on a kind of break from all our South Beach madness)at one of our favorite places, Windows Cafe, we were giggling over something which I can't remember anymore. I told Noel how we were really like two kids just hanging out. He added two kids with chocolate, as we were giddy from the "sugar buzz". (Fran, I hope you're reading this!)

It's the greatest feeling in the world to still be two kids high on chocolate, holding hands. And I'm so glad that you're that other kid. Happy Third Year Anniversary to my wonderful husband!!!!

Posted by Via at 02:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I spent the whole morning oogling at the slew of new products that Apple came out with yesterday. Seen here is the Mac mini which is only 6.5inches. Reminds me of the Cube that came out a couple of years ago.

To top that, they also came out with a new iPod, small and screenless. Plus new software iLife and iWork. Apple is shaking the industry again.

Posted by Noel at 07:03 AM | Permalink

A while back I saw a couple of people who looked like they were from India. I thought to myself: "what a rare sight." I concluded that manila wasn't the "melting pot" as I thought it was, compared to say.. Munich or even Torino.

But today while I was surfing at Starbucks in Makati (central business district), a couple of Italians came in. Sipping their espressos and speaking in their beautiful language. (I do miss the sound of it.) Moments after a Japanese couple sat down, one on his cellphone talking in Japanese. I also remember two loud Americans coming up to the counter before me. And as I am writing this, a British guy is talking business with 3 Filipinas and to their left is a Turkish/Middle Eastern looking fellow showing something on his laptop to another Filipino.

So I guess Makati is the Philippine's equivalent to New York and there are still a lot of foreigners doing business with us.

Posted by Noel at 06:55 AM | Permalink

Noel and I trooped to the Blue Eagle gym today at our former university to check out the list of freshmen freshly tacked up on about two bulletin boards. And there it was: Francesca Z. Medina - AB PSY (which is Psychology for those of you that have forgotten) She made it out of the thousands that apply each year. CONGRATULATIONS Fran!!! We're so proud of you! ONE BIG FIGHT!!!

Can't wait till you move into your happy, yellow room. :)

Posted by Via at 04:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I was surprised to hear this phrase outside our window last night that I just had to look. These are words I haven't heard in a very long time. I used to utter them way back when I was 10yrs old. I'm sure most of you filipino readers know this: "Pepsiiiii.... 7up!"

It's a filipino game for kids. I forget the rules but basically there is the person who is "taya"(it) and others who have to tag him. The "taya" is the one who shouts out "Pepsi" while he is facing away from the rest of the players. Then the other players slowly move towards him without him noticing. Then when he says "SevenUp," he turns around to see if any of the other players are moving. If anyone is caught moving he or she is out of the game. I think in the end it turns out to be a game of Tag and people try to tap the "Taya" to be the next "Taya."

It makes me smile to hear that this game is still being played, at least some of our own culture is still being kept.

Posted by Noel at 12:26 PM | Permalink

Ok, so I have 3 gmail invites to give away. First 3 people to ask for it by writing in the comments get it.

But what's so great about GMail? I have been using it for quite a while now and I haven't been using it as frequently until now. My personal reason is that my current email host and current ISP seem to have difficulties connecting to one another. So, if I need something urgent, I have to use GMail. It seems to be the most stable web-based email I've used so far.

Posted by Noel at 12:20 PM | Permalink

Just a quick greeting to everyone, hope you had a fun new years celebration. I wish you all the best in the coming year.

Posted by Noel at 05:26 PM | Permalink