Its drawstrings are actual functioning headphones!!!

Subic is really magic. Two years ago, Jason got Neil Gaiman to help propose to me, and I won my first ever Araw Award (a bronze for a Bayantel billboard). This year, we went back to Subic for the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress, and also to celebrate our first year wedding anniversary. And what do you know...I got three bronzes for BBDO (for our Venus work), and Saatchi's one and old gold for my The North Face direct mailer.

It's such a rush, I swear...after all the Silvers were announced, I felt my heart sink. Everyone else had already gone up on the stage for bronzes and silvers, and not once did my works win--yet. I was about to give up (emo moment: texted my CD an apology for not winning anything for Saatchi) when our TNF Pins DM popped up onscreen during the Gold category. I kept screaming my head off.

AAW YEAH!!!

Idea is inspired by a Mitch Hedberg joke. If you have "All Together Now" and listen to it constantly, you'll know which joke this is. :p

So we had a bazaar this weekend and it sucked eggs. Not a lot of people showed up, and I think a big chunk is because it wasn't that publicized. Anyway, so Saturday evening I decided it was time to make a new batch of vanilla extract.

I know of some people who reuse the vanilla beans they ferment in the same jar, but I sincerely doubt the flavor/essence won't ever run out (as some people say). Anyway, I didn't have any more Russian vodka that our wine supplier gave us, so I used Skyy Vodka.

See you in May 2010, lover!

Also, I made some gingerbread cookies. Whee!

The soles of my Nine West boots--my one and ONLY pair of boots, which my mom bought for me when I went to London--are breathing their last breath. Seriously. Apparently they're cracked in so many places, and when I stepped on a small stone in the parking lot this morning, it dug a hole into the heel and stayed there the entire day. WTF.

I want a new pair of Nine West comfy boots. :(

I hardly join contests anymore, but since getting married, I've been even more guilty about spending money. So any extra source of money or ANYTHING in general is very much welcome. So I joined the Yummy Food Writing contest, in hopes of winning the grand prize: a trip to Hong Kong so Jason and I can reunite with my awesome art director, Ming-Mei Hung.

Alas, I didn't win the grand prize, but I did win a three-month subscription to Yummy Magazine (don't laugh). Oh well. Maybe next time. I'm still surprised that I got the confidence to submit an essay. I still do get very nervous when I have to submit anything written for any contest. I guess being a published writer for 10 years doesn't really give you that much confidence.

Click on the photo below to read my entry.

I wish hospitals here would let us bring in our Dr. Dogs to cheer up patients. Our dogs are clean and more sanitary than the people coming in and out of the hospital!!!

I miss my house in New Manila.

I miss my room.

Due to the approaching storm all PAWS events this weekend are canceled.

Donations for the animal shelter may be brought to these events:

Finally the RED CROSS is accepting donations via Paypal. Please send your gifts to give@redcross.org.ph.

I baked some "Donation Cookies" last night, sold all 16 today (8 went to Saatchi, 8 to Ogilvy.) Now I got people left and right requesting for it, and even two people from Singapore and the U.S. asking if I could bake 200 cookies for them. ACK!!! I just finished another batch tonight and I don't think I can bake any more...unless someone comes in the condo to help me bake and decorate them (it took me two hours to frost 2 dozen cookies, I am fuckin' tired.)

If you want a cookie tomorrow, here's how it works: Donate Php100 to Red Cross via your cellphone. Text RED 100 to 4493 (for Smart) or 2899 (for Globe). Then come to my desk tomorrow and show me the confirmation SMS that you've donated...and you get a cookie from me! :)

Okay good night my shoulders hurt from being hunched over all night. And my thighs are still burning from all the lunges we did yesterday! Workout much?

...bid on my yummy cakes. Ain't this a yummy way to help out?

I went to the gym early this morning. If I knew what I would be doing in a few hours, I probably wouldn't have had. At 10 a.m., I phoned our CEO, Matt.

ME: Hey, can we go to Whitespace (an events place that was turned into a relief effort center) and help out with the relief efforts? We don't have any meetings today, they've all been moved...

MATT: Sure.

What followed was five hours of unpacking, packing, hauling, sealing, distributing, and moving goods that were being dropped off by people. Jason, Glenn, Windel, Pao and I went to Waltermart to get trash bags and more ramen noodles. Bogey actually rode with one of the trucks to distribute the packed bags to the Makati Rotary Club (where the members, upon receiving all 600 bags, posed for the press with the bags. F*ckers.) Companies started donating goods: tons of crackers, bottled water, and noodles.

Jason and I making sure there are 4 bottles of water per bag. Photo by Cynthia Dayco

We're home now, and there are so many people at Whitespace helping repack items. I'm pretty happy, albeit super tired (major ab workout: transferring boxes of crackers in a line!), that I was able to help. Last night, I thought my biggest contribution was donating the entire Cherrypop Shop t-shirt inventory. I guess God finds ways!

If you want to help...

DONATIONS

URGENT NEED FOR COOKED FOOD!

1) Please deliver to ATENEO, SERVINI HALL

2) MARIKINA RELIEF - UNDER the flyover of C5 which connects to Katipunan – I hope this makes sense because I’m not from the area and I can’t figure out where this is but this is what I was told. There should be a group of volunteers there.

CASH
Mobile donation for the flood victims! I just donated P100 to Red Cross! Send your donations too, to raise funds for the flood victims- text REDAMOUNT to 2899 (Globe, amount can be 100 or 300) or 4483 (Smart, amount can be 50 or 100)

RELIEF GOODS

SUGGESTED RELIEF GOODS FOR KIDS
Blankets /towels
water – distilled
powdered milk
diapers
clean underwear
dry goods – biscuits

MAKATI:

1) PEOPLE NEAR SAN ANTONIO PARISH - Making the parish center a drop off point as well. Starting at 2pm, Sunday, September 27, 2009. Look for JJ YULO or Mike Yuson. Will have volunteers with us as well to help us bring the things out. Thanks!

2) WhiteSpace, 2314 Pasong Tamo Ext., beside Makati Faith Christian School

3) Mon Eugenio is accepting donations of rice, noodles, canned goods, drinking water, and CLOTHES FOR KIDS at either Myron's Rockwell or Myron's Place Greenbelt 5. These will be divided between the Relief Operations at La Salle Green Hills, and the affected residents of Marikina through Miro Quimbo.

4) DASMARINAS VILLAGE PARK PAVILLION: for the victims of Ondoy, we're accepting donations in behalf of the Philippine National Red Cross. we're told that they are in URGENT need of drinking water. of course, any other donations will be most appreciated. we're set up to receive your donations at the park pavilion.

GREENHILLS:

1) A Relief Operations Drop-Off Center has been set-up at La Salle Greenhills beginning today 9:00 AM, Sunday, September 27. Please bring donations to Gate 2 of La Salle Greenhills, along Ortigas Ave., Mandaluyong

ALABANG:

1) Pls send your food, clothing, & blanket donations to the addresses below....Cong. Ruffy Biazon - G/F, South Center Tower Bldg, Market St., Madrigal Business Park, Alabang, Muntinlupa City...Tel# 8093132 c/o Zac Faelnar - 434 Taal St., AAV 4687991

QUEZON CITY:

1) Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas launched a relief goods mobilization operation to help everyone affected by the floods...drop off area for relief goods is Balay -expo centro- edsa cor gen macarthur ( near farmersmarket ) araneta center cubao qc...Please contact Ms Clare Amador at mobile no 9285205508 for more details regarding Noy/Mar relief efforts

2) 113B Gonzalez St., Varsity Hills Subdivision, Loyola Heights, QC

GAS STATIONS:

1) SEAOIL Metro Manila stations are accepting donations (food, clothes, blankets,towels, etc.) for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy. Please visit seaoil.com.ph for the complete list of SEAOIL Metro Manila stations

2) ALL PETRON STATIONS ACCEPTING DONATIONS

Much more information on this blog -
http://burymeinthisdress.com/blog/2009/09/where-to-send-donations-for-victims-of-typhoon-ondoy/


NEED RESCUE – tried calling these number but unfortunately no answer. Leaving information anyway just in case…

->If you have friends and family who are stuck in their houses and need assistance, please contact Red Cross 143, MMDA 136, NDCC 9115061 & Coast Guard 5276136 for rescue. Provide street names, roof colors, landmarks, etc so that it is easier to find them.

VOLUNTEER – was able to get through Alabang and DSWD numbers today, Sunday Sept 27,2009 … hopefully others will get organized by tom…

->Time for action. Red Cross needs volunteers for sorting, relief packaging, please call Pasay Chapter 8542748 n 4343751; Las Pinas Chapter 8734873 n 4689688; Pasig Chapter 6350922; Alabang Chapter 8093132 n NHQ Manila 5245787 n 5270864, Caritas Mnl 5639298; DSWD DISASTER 9517119 All accepts donations. All catering owners, can you help in the evacuation centers, they need big cooking pots n gas.

Sometimes, we just want a little support.

…was when I turned 22.

My then-boyfriend had just broken up with me (rather, he decided to disappear on me), and I was trying my very best to keep it together at work…which was a hard thing to do, since I had just started working at that company. Our office was at 6750, so my mom met up with me at Greenbelt for the 6:30 p.m. mass. After that, we wandered around the mall and found ourselves right smack in the middle of Greg Behrendt’s stand-up.

At that time I already knew who Greg Behrendt was. He wrote the book “He’s Just Not That Into You”, which I deemed as another one of those stupid self-help books. I saw him on Oprah a few weeks earlier. What I didn’t know was that he was a heck of a comedian, and before I knew it, for the first time in those many painful weeks where I pined and whined over my phantom ex, I was laughing—out loud. At the end of his act, my mom rushed over to the Powerbooks booth and actually bought a copy of “He’s Just Not…” for me. I cringed, hoping no one saw her hand it to me after purchasing it.

So why was that my most memorable birthday so far? Because that night, I read the book. And I started reading other books. I understood what codependence meant and I accepted the fact that I was codependent. When I heard Behrendt was releasing a second book, “It’s Called a Break-Up Because It’s Broken,” I immediately reserved myself a copy at the nearest bookstore and even snuck out of a meeting to buy it. That book changed my life.

So yeah, it was a memorable birthday because it jumpstarted my LIFE. Baby steps, one day at a time, I got through the anxiety attacks, the grief, the pain, and the sadness. I could finally sleep with my door closed, not having to bother my mom in the middle of the night that I coldn’t sleep. I started to understand why I kept falling for losers and that I had to make a conscious effort to stay away from them. And although I did stumble and commit the greatest mistake and biggest regret in life (I went out with a guy who was so vain he would stare at his own reflection on any metallic surface), six months after reading Behrendt’s book, I met my husband.

I wrote this all out because I was just thinking about it the whole day.

I just spent four hours at the Ayala MRT/LTO License Renewal Office. Last time I renewed my license, it only took me an hour. Now, it took me four…and I didn’t even GET my license in the end.

Apparently they were centralizing some system that involves thumb scans and whatnot that the DOH required...long story short, there was one computer that did that. There was also just one dude who processed all the urine samples. I went at 9:15am, had my medical test at 10:45, and got my drug test results at 12:05. Which meant that the LTO was closed for lunch. So I went off into the mall and had lunch by myself. When I got back at 1 p.m., they told me that their internet connection (PLDT myDSL) was down and since my files were at the Makati Central LTO, I had to go there instead.

So let’s see, I basically got up early, waited in a cramped room for four hours, and missed half a day at work…all to not get my license.

The same instructions were given to those whose licenses were issued in 2003 or something...that they had to go to either the Guadalupe LTO or the Makati Central one. The others, they told to their faces, in a matter-of-fact fashion that of course got these applicants all riled up. I, however, was pulled into a room, and they explained it to me slowly and kept saying "Ms. Drilon sorry, Ms. Drilon...it’s just that your new name isn’t in our system yet, Ms. Drilon…we hope you understand…”

ARGH. But the weird thing is, in situations like this, I would have normally blown my top…just like the man who walked in at around 11:45 a.m. and demanded to know why it would take so long to get his license renewed—when the people in charge said it was because there was a backlog, he very loudly said, “Who do I have to pay grease money to in order to make this go faster?” But instead, I sat there, politely answered questions asked by other applicants, and just read my book. I didn’t even frown once…or cuss (at least not while the nun was there. I muttered “Jesus” under my breath out of exasperation and caught her look at me). I chalk it up to perhaps my growing up, or because I felt so bad for Cupcake Brown, the author of this book I’ve been reading. Either way, even when I was told to go to the Makati Central Office, I just sighed.

Because really, what can I do? If I acted out, I’d only get a migraine. Complain, complain, complain…but no one in the government really listens. Oh well.

I have not voted ever in my life.

But I will next year.

Okay, first things first…does anyone actually read my blog?! I think only Ming-Mei and my parents do. ANYway…

The Drilon boys ran the Greenhills/Ortigas marathon, so I decided to go with them. Woke up at 4 fuckin 30 in the morning to drop Jason off at Greenhills, pick up the dogs, then go to Greenhills to walk them. The dogs had a pretty fun time I think (Diesel tried humping a 3-month old Husky), and the Drilons beat their previous time.

Hubby, Bro-in-Law, Dad-in-Law

Oh and I have to gush over National Bookstore’s annual Cut-Price Sale. I hardly buy books now since they’re so expensive…but I scored four books over the past two days at bargain prices! And look, I even found the book I’ve been lusting over on Amazon.com!

Plus it's already wrapped in a plastic book cover, so no need to buy any for THIS book!

And I finally got to go to Saizen, which is the original Daiso (a.k.a super bargain Japanese store). I can’t believe they sell these…at the KID’S SECTION.