Pre-Birthday Dinner

My birthday fell on a Saturday which means I have work. But, days earlier, a friend treated me to a pre-birthday dinner at Ikea. There is this pamahiin (superstition) that you should not celebrate your birthday before your actual birthday because it shortens one's life. I want to shrug off the idea at first because I'm in a different country so I guess my cultural superstitions doesn't apply here. However, just to be on the safe side, I told my friend to never treat this dinner as a pre-birthday celebration.

Being cash-strapped employees, we just ordered these simple meals and ate them in the Bachelor section.

My friend had this meal combo from the Ikea Food section.

While, in the spirit of Filipino-ness, I ordered the spaghetti for kids.

And I also added my favorite chocolate chip cookie. It's so good I thought it was from Mrs. Fields except that it isn't as chewy as Mrs. Fields cookies, but still good nonetheless.

Before heading home, my friend got me an iTunes gift card for my birthday! Sweet! It's $50 in Apple credit. And because the pre-birthday superstition bothered me so much, I extended the superstition to the gift as well. How? I only used the card to top up my iTunes account on the morning of my birthday.

Well, so much for being a devout Catholic.

The TV Show

Now that the interweb speed in the office makes you say "amazeballs", I can't stop watching videos online. There's this constant need for me to be amazed right now especially I'm anxious about going back to Pilipinas. It's not even a need, it's a requirement or else I'd explode from this reeling feeling.

The music video is just sick! Love the beats, too. ;)

[spotted]

Crazy Diamonds

According to its YouTube page, it boasts that they did no camera tricks or special effects for this video.

Nosebleed, I say! Up until now I don't know how they did it. Stop motion, perhaps? Or just magnificent lighting effects?

Maligayang Pasko 2009

Since this is my first Christmas in the kingdom, I'm totally missing out on all the simple pleasures of the season. My mind is filled with things like the love of my big family, the company of good friends, and the warmth of the Filipino people. I've been crying my eyes out whenever one of my family or friends call me on my phone to greet me, but I compose myself knowing that I'll be home to experience what I'm missing and to celebrate the coming of 2010 in a few days time.

May the warm, wonderful feelings brought about by the miracle called Christmas fill every part of your world with happy memories of hope and joy! Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!ü

Hey, kid! Happy 25!

I've heard a lot of people say that age is just a number--a mere quantifiable figure that determines the years you've lived in this world. So even though I'm all by myself on this very special day of reflection, I'm happy celebrating another year being a big, jolly 12 year old.

Oh, and I finally get a valid excuse for my friends and family whenever I'm having a fit or a breakdown now that I'm officially 25. Quarter-life crisis, anyone?

ManU for You

Saw this near the place where I'm having lunch these days. It was just a tad weird seeing this soccer ball being sold at a telecom store where phones and SIM packs are the usual suspects.

I immediately remembered a good friend who is a major football fan and I'm planning to give this for the Holidays (or as soon as I'm back home). In the event that I run out of money though, I'll give the snapshot in lieu of the real thing.

Microtrends: Are we all hipsters now?

During college, we were forced to read and report on John Naisbitt's Megatrends. I'm not sour graping; it's too late for that. In all honesty, I'm totally grateful for having been introduced to the Megatrends concept, even if it's like two decades off the radar. It opened me to the little arena of predicting trends, which can be a great resource for business-minded individuals.

I actually wanted to purchase the small version of Microtrends months ago (priced at SAR 39) but something was a little off so I didn't continue. Sometime during the first week of this month, I went over to Jarir again after meeting the ex for brunch (and receiving an iTunes card as an early birthday gift) and then I saw that the bigger version of Microtrends is on sale--from SAR 79 to SAR 19. How absobloodylutely fraking great is that, huh? All I was thinking while handing out my crisp 20 riyals bill to the cashier is that Santa's giving me an early Christmas gift.

I read this whenever I'm in the trono (eew piece of info, sorry); and, sometimes, I read a chapter or two before going to sleep. I'm still far from halfway with the book but there are tons of questions popping up my mind as I held the book and read its chapters. For example, the most pressing one of all is this: If there are so many microtrends today that the distinction between them and the mainstream trends doesn't matter anymore, are we all capable of being hipsters now?

Can't wait to finish the book! *giddily whirls around*

Pota Spice ~ 6th Street, Al Akrabiya

Saw this while walking the neighborhood looking for a place to buy dinner. Definitely "Pota" smile on my face.

Haha, ang lame ng joke. ;-P

Cheeseburger + Trampoline = Fun!

Brock Davis' Cheeseburger on A Trampoline would be nice piece to do on a chalkboard wall, no?

A printed tee, of course, should be in order too.

[spotted]

For Sell ~ Parking Lot

It was raining for days but today was a sunny but chilly one. After arriving safely in our premises, I saw something posted in a car as I'm heading to the lobby.

Yes, the car is For Sell. ;-D

Tekla - Ikea, Dhahran

I went to Ikea yesterday to buy some inexpensive, all-cotton dish towels because I don't want to use the ones that my mom left. Caprice aside, I just also wanted to see the newly set up showrooms upstairs to get some decorganization inspiration.

I browsed the kitchen section to look for the dish towels but as soon as I saw the item's "Ikea name", I stopped at my tracks and my jaws dropped in full awe.

I heart Ikea more for splitting my sides yesterday. This store never fails to amaze me every single visit.

Lost with The Lost Symbol

I wanted to buy the latest book by Dan Brown, but which cover of The Lost Symbol should I buy?

Treats from Jordan!

For the holidays, one of my co-workers went home to Jordan. As soon as he arrived, he placed this transparent tray on top of my desk and told me to tell everyone to get one when they pass me by.

I asked him what it was and he said that even he didn't know. So naturally, I got one so I could check out what the pasalubong is.

It's a cookie! A fat, fat cookie in which I don't know what the filling is.

The second I took a bite, I was in heaven. The exterior was sorta between uraro/puto seko and a muffin while the filling is a mix of custard and pistachio. Yum-oh!

I didn't have breakfast that morning and, being in that sorry state, I grabbed a few (okay, a quarter of it) to keep me going for the first half of the grueling day.

Can someone identify this pastry for me? I really, really do like it. I think I've had this when I was a kid here in the kingdom.

LOLness in Bold Italic

Those who love to kern knows that this homage is absolutely a nerdy (and hilarious) treat.

If you want this Lady Gaga-inspired earworm, you can download it here for free.

[spotted]

Hindi Masama Ang Mangarap

Don't you just wish these are the only things you have to do in the office every single day? ;P

Why Artists See Their Work As Extensions of Themselves

I needed an affirmation. ;-)
[spotted]

Braving Winter with Fingerless Gloves

When I started working again as an expatriate this year, I braved the winter season without sporting any gloves or mittens to protect my hands. Pretty brave, huh? You'll even be surprised that I didn't even have a scarf and ear muffs to protect my neck and ears against the harsh, cold weather. I just donned a jacket (knitted or leather) and I think I'm all set. Although I always get this throbbing headache whenever I subject myself to the dropping temperatures outside. The coldness took a toll on me then, I guess. I won't let it happen again this time.

Now that the days are getting colder and colder than the previous (with the temperature dropping by three degrees each and every day), I decided to buy a set of black knitted gloves from Topshop. I didn't want the one from Marks & Spencer's because it was tacky looking. Besides, I don't want to get caught wearing the same gloves as my brother's! Ayokong matawag ulit kaming kambal.

My most pressing problem, however, is how I could operate my phones without removing my gloves. Have you tried using your phone while wearing gloves or mittens? Yeah, I know. It sucks big time. I can do this tutorial with the gloves I have right now but it'll be troublesome to find the required materials and I'm the weather makes me too lazy to execute it. Instead, I went to the mall during the Eid holidays to buy me some fingerless gloves.

I spotted these cashmere fingerless gloves over at Koton (a Turkish brand, btw), and I instantly fell in love with it. It's cheap for SAR 35 (roughly Php 440) and, because of its neutral color (it's like a darker ash), I can easily incorporate them into my current office wardrobe.

It's really perfect for operating my phones in the cold — it gives me that warmth I need in my hands without sacrificing practicality and style.