Two snaps

A while back, my mom was in town for the weekend and was staying at the house.  I happened to be out that night so she gives me a ring...

(Ring ring)

Me: (looking at caller ID) Hey mom!! (I was in a bar and it was loud in there) 

Mom: Hi!  Are you out?

Me: What?? Am I out?  Yeah! 

Mom: Where are you?

Me: What?  I can't really hear you, it's loud in here.  I'll call you back later!

Mom: What?  I can't hear you.

Mom: Ok, anyway, I know you're out and I just wanted to tell you that if you're going to drink, just stay at a friend's place and don't drive home.

Me: What??  That's what you called to tell me?  (laughing)

Mom: Well yeah because even if you just have one drink, I don't think you should drive...

Me: Ok, thanks for thinking of me... ok, I gotta go.  I'll call you in the morning!

Mom: Oh and I think you should always carry extra underwear with you.

Me: What?! 

Mom: Just in case you have to stay at someone's place, you'll have clean underwear for the next day.  What have you been doing all those times you slept at someone else's house? 

Me: (Thinking to myself, "This woman is crazy) I can't believe you're telling me this right now.  Ok, thanks mom, I gotta go, it's really hard to hear in here! 

Mom: Ok, no driving and clean underwear.

Me: K, Bye mom!

So ever since then, you bet your marbles I gots me a ziplock bag with an extra pair in my bag at all times.  Mothers' wisdom I tell ya, always comes at a weird time.  Thanks for the tip, Mom! 

Times are a-changin indeed.  I read an article on U.S World News & Report about 30- and 40-something professionals struggling to make it to financial comfortability they grew up with and looked forward to achieving.  It's depressingly true and I am definitely proof of that.  When my parents were in their 30s, they had a 3-bedroom house, which was expanded to have a new kitchen and a ginormous bedroom my sister and I shared - complete with custom wardrobes.  My sister, brother and I went to an accredited private school throughout our kindergarten, elementary and for my sister, even high school years.  We had live-in nannies too, but what I just described was commonplace in the Philippines.  We weren't filthy rich or anything, but my parents seemed like they were in a comfortable place. 

Fast-forward to 2008 and we find: Celisse is two years away from 30 and is living in her parents' house (thank you Mom and Dad for housing a would-have-been homeless child), making enough to cover bills and ending up with some spare change for public transportation.  Plans to attend grad school have been thwarted due to the fear of being buhhhroke and moochin off EVEN more from the parental units.  I would like to buy my own place, but with financial obligations I already have, it's looking like I can afford a piece of land with no house on top of it.   

Thus, it is time to search for my long, lost rich uncle!  I know he's here somewhere and has been neglecting his godfather obligations.  I expect him to call my house, apologizing for being MIA (because he's been taking care of his businesses in Geneva, Tokyo, Prague and Dubai).  He will call my dad and my dad will give me the news that Uncle ______ has been trying to send gifts but he always puts the wrong address that's why I never got any of them.  To make up for it, he has decided that he will pay for all of grad school, including housing and personal chef... oh and personal trainer, too.  He will understand that being in grad school full-time must be taxing so let's make sure Celisse gets a well-deserved break by sending her to Greece to enjoy the different scenery and history.  But there is one condition: Celisse MUST finish the program within three years otherwise she'll have to pay it all back - including personal trainer dues.  Celisse says, "You got yourself a deal, Uncle _______!!"  And they all lived happily ever after.  The end. 

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Can't a girl dream??? 

Are you my long, lost rich uncle... ? *blink blink* 

It took some getting used to... I was at first a little turned off by the obnoxious, smarter-than-thou vibe that I got from listening to NPR's Bryant Park Project.  After a while, though, it was rather entertaining and I had to listen to it every morning... along with the other daily NPR offerings.  That's what it's come down to here at work since my iTunes no longer works, meaning work blocked the capabilities of listening to podcasts or live streaming radio.  Why must these people torture me so???  In any case, I'll take what I can get and if that means NPR then so be it.

So today was Rachel Martin's last day at BPP.  She is going to be part of ABC News as a Washington correspondent.  I'm sure she'll miss the randomness at BPP, but I'm also sure that the correspondent gig will be awesome.  Her voice is so distinct and I will totally miss that sing-songy way she reads the news. [I wonder how much those NPR people get paid.  Can't be that much as they are constantly asking for pledges and donations.]  I just hope they find someone just as animated, enthusiastic and goofy like her.  No room for goofiness at ABC News, you know... I'm just sayin.  Mike Pesca sure will be sad...

Sigh.    

How does one tell a colleague that she cannot approach his workstation because there is/are:
a. remnants of food from three months ago
b. coffee rings on almost every part of the surface
c. an offensive odor within a 10-foot diameter of the workstation
d. Oscar the Grouch sitting on the chair
e. All of the above

It's just not right. 

Excitement quickly ensued after I heard that the new generation of iPhones will be released next month.  Prior to the ensuing excitement, I stupidly made a promise (a drunken handshake is binding in the city of San Francisco) with a friend... mind you that that came with an enormous amount of peer pressure.  Yes, I'm still an adolescent, but I highly doubt I'll jump off a cliff even if everyone was doing it (wth?!).

So today, I consulted with a friend who works for AT&T and I found out that my company discount won't apply to the calling plans for the iPhone.  What.  A.  Suck.  I'm paying a measly $49 sometimes $52 per month on my phone bill right now and I am SO happy with that.  Sigh.  That is greatly influencing my decision to pick up the new said piece of technology.  But the drunken handshake, peer pressure, plus the wanting-to-be-cool factor will probably "force" me to get it anyway.  

Debate over...

I think.

Sick of the dark, gloominess in this place. 

New beginnings...

Words wouldn't come for a long time. 
I would try to sit and try to post even three sentences worth, but there was nothing. 
There were a lot of somethings, but so many somethings that it was hard to get anything.
Everything seemed to not matter and little complaints about this or that became irrelevant.
Regular routine was broken, sleep was was hard to be had.
And it didn't really matter. 
Every day people choose what to live with or without.
Some choose to live with addiction
Some choose to live without passion
Some choose to live with their decisions
Some choose to live without conviction
Some choose to live with what they're given
Some choose to live without finding their true selves
Some choose to live in extravagance
Some choose to live within their means
Some choose to live without boundaries
Some choose to stay in relationships that lack passion
Some choose to stay to be unselfish
Some choose to stay because there is nowhere else to go
Some choose to leave when it just isn't working anymore
Some choose to leave for someone else
Some choose to leave because they can
Some choose to live with being second on the list
Some choose to live without having to lift a finger
Some choose to live with one-night stands
Some choose to live without sacrificing anything
Some choose to live by their religion
Some choose to live without knowing the truth
Some choose to live a life they couldn't have before
Some choose to live without planning
Some choose to live without risks

It isn't always easy, the decision
Some people are willing to live in solitude, left alone
While some have to forever live without the presence of a loved one.

I'm willing to live as a listener, my concerns and needs hardly being noted, as long as someone else gets to finally be heard
I'm willing to take numerous, deep breaths and let things go
I'm willing to step out of my box, so that you can stay in yours
I'm willing to stick it out because I'm not willing to live without it
I'm willing to stand up for you even though you may not do it for me
I'm willing to look you in the eye and mean everything I say

I'm willing to keep doing what I'm doing in hopes that there will come a time when you will notice.

Everyday, people make all kinds of choices.
When it comes down to it, what are you willing to live with(out)?

Sometimes, I want to live in people's heads to see what the hell goes on in there.  There have been way too many times when I just wonder...

I ran into an old friend on the way to work this morning.  We haven't spoken in three years and frankly, I didn't think I'd ever see or speak to her again.  We used to be really good friends and as it is when younguns get older, they choose different friends and forms of "extra-curricular activities".  So after high school, we had very minimal contact and aside from this morning's happenstance, a run-in at the mall three years ago was the the most recent encounter.  That encounter was short and we went our separate ways.  This morning, however, seemed different.  As I said goodbye to her (after exchanging numbers), I realized that we've both changed, and in a way, haven't changed.  Appearances and careers aside, life experiences have taken us in different paths -- through successful employment opportunities, cities of residence, life-changing struggles, amount of contact with mutual friends/acquaintances -- and yet we found ourselves a block away from each other on Montgomery Street.  

There was something very pleasant about it.  Not to say that run-ins aren't, but there was no awkwardness or uncomfortable silences that would result in one of us ending the conversation.  It brought me back to why she and I crossed paths and became good friends in 7th grade.  And at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what she or I do for a living.  It doesn't matter that we couldn't be the way we were.  What matters is where we are now... and it feels like a very good place to be. 

To everyone who graced the dinner table, the dance floor, the bar and to everyone who sent unbelievably love-filled greetings through emails, IMs, text messages, voice messages, myspace comments, facebook, friendster, and everything in between ... I am deeply thankful.  Giant bear hug to you all  :)  

Day two of being 28: feels just like day 2 of being 25, sans the memory loss.