Thursday, April 27, 2006

it was supposed to be a fieldtrip con team building for our department. however, as to how will a teambuilding activity be incorporated to the schedule or to the plan, was one thing i was wary and sure that more likely, will not happen. =)

anyway, i woke up at the same time i usually do during weekdays. florian fetched me up infront of Crowne Plaza Hotel, 6:50 AM. we were the first ones to arrive at PI. one by one, the professors as well as the Exploration Advisor arrived right after us. Dr. Pierson, the advisor, gave a short briefing about the trip. Around 8 AM, everyone hopped into respective 4W drives they were assigned to. i was with florian and dr. ali.

after PI, we stopped by an ADNOC petrol station where everyone (except me) bought their light lunches. my hubby prepared my lunch pack so there was no need for me to buy anymore. =) some pinoys working at the said gas station gave me an inquisitive look as i was the lone lady in a pack of 9 expats. naku, if i only had known that Pilar wasn't coming, i shouldn't have come as well.

from the petrol station, we started to follow the trip itinerary. we first stopped by the Mussafah Channel where we saw bedding of sand, desert rose (halite) with some gastropods, algal mats, anhydrite and a fossilized mammal! i bet, it must have been the shark of Jaws 4. hehe. he just died first before his life was made into a movie .

after some geological discussion ek-ek, we went to see the algal mats in real life, the mangroves, and we even saw an oasis which was just a meter deep from the desert. as discussed, these almal mats, mangrove and bodies of once living creatures, are the ones responsible of giving the oil which they abundantly have.
i learned quite a lot today despite the burning sun. here are some of my learnings:
  • destruction made to almal mats are irreversible;
  • mangroves live only in saltwater;
  • mangrove roots stick themselves out into the sands/soil to get the needed hydration for the tree to survive;
  • mangrove leaves perspire salt crystals;
  • some parasite plants live around mangroves because they need the desalinized water around and due to the magroves;
  • anhydrite forms from salt water and when temperature is above 80 degrees Celsius;
  • halite forms from saltwater and when temperature is 50 degrees and below.
now, that's what happens when you are around geologists for too long. you get to borrow some of their words. masama na 'to! haha. luckily, i still manage to keep my sanity. =)

Friday, April 21, 2006

The Virgo Woman

i had one great sleep last night. without grudges or worry that bothered my subconciousness. i do recall having a dream although i don't remember now what it was. hehe. medyo volatile lang talaga ang isip ko paminsan-minsan. =) i got up around 9 AM although been dozing on and off from sleep since 6 AM. hubby went out early for his karate class while i was scheduled to go to church for the Tagalog Mass at noon.

i called up muna sa bahay in the philippines to check how things are. as usual, got a good laugh from IA who tricked me to believe that they indeed watched the MYMP concert in Araneta. iniinggit ako! hmp. but she later admitted that she's just teasing. naku, manang-mana talaga!

the Tagalog Mass celebration went well naman though it was an outdoor mass. we had a short warm up beforehand, although we were still familiar with the tunes and all since we just sang the list last Easter Sunday. we also had some photos taken after the mass with Father Eugene. i'll post it here when i get myself a copy.

for lunch, i cooked munggo beans with celery. ewan ko ba, since i tasted celery in Ruel's (a choirmate) molo soup, been craving for the flavor eversince. kaya ayun, ni-try kong lagyan ng celery pati yung munggo. wala lang, lasa siyang kintsay. hehe.

after lunchtime, got online to surf stuffs over the web. blog hopping actually. chanced upon a blog and a post about her zodiac sign details. naiinggit na naman ako, so i googled for my own zodiac details as well. hehe. so far, here's one that i find that describes myself best :

The Virgo Woman

The Virgo female usually has a strongly developed maternal instinct and makes for a very devoted wife and mother. Counted among the best housekeepers, she is economical (in short, matipid at kuripot, hehe) and delights in having her home and personal belongings tasteful as well as elegant. This is a woman who will be extremely precise...even to the point of fussiness (medyo korek!). Clean and chaste in thought, most Virgo females display expressions of purity and virtue. There is normally a certain fascinating sweetness lingering in the eyes and about the mouth. Females governed by this Sign love those who are pure in mind and who possess characters which are just and true (i really hate backbiters!). Thus, they tend to dislike the baser instincts associated with the male population and are apt to find marriage something of a disappointment.

Nonetheless, the magnetism of the Virgo woman is very marked and once she has gained an influence over another person, she will rule absolutely (talk about having my way, hehe). Although the heart of this female will not go out to the world in general, she is likely to be very loving and affectionate toward those of whom she is fond. If one single word could describe the Virgo woman, it would probably be discriminating. She demands action rather than words and quickly seeks commitment in any relationship (sobrang true!).

With a love of finery, dress, society and display, women who fall under the jurisdiction of Virgo will resort to any honorable means in order to gratify their desires in these areas. Likely to be a leader of fashion...if circumstances permit...she will always show excellent taste in the selection of wearing apparel. These women harbor much respect for the beautiful coupled with an outstanding perception of color, which often develops into artistic talent and may be displayed in their use of a needle, brush and pencil. Floral arrangements and home decoration are their particular specialities. This female is blessed with a quick and accurate eye which enables her to excel in any profession which utilizes such gifts. This woman is not one to be trifled with and she truly knows what she is all about. It would be a grave mistake to underestimate this female. She will set goals and overcome any odds to achieve them. The most enlightened Virgo woman is one who has developed both her intellectual and spiritual sides. Such a female is extremely powerful, magnetic and charming (ahem, ahem)...one who could possibly sway an entire nation, if not the entire world.

Acccommodating and adjustable, this woman may basically be a shy individual, but such will not deter her from overcoming life's obstacles. If some flaw or imperfection is perceived in a relationship, then she will have no hesitation in breaking the bond (yep, yep!). When annoyed, females who fall under the jurisdiction of this Sign can be shrewd and fussy (kaya, don't mess with me, hehe) and they are certainly nobody's fool. However, this woman can be won over with grace and taste rather than physical charms. The approach to life here is direct. Virgo women can be pessimistic and critical souls but somewhat earthy in their judgments. This is one of the few female types of the Zodiac who can be trusted in every way.

Often possessing the reasoning powers customarily associated with males, the Virgo oman refuses to adopt a veneer of helpless feminine charm...although she is usually feminine in appearance. Severe in her moral judgments, this woman is frequently good at hiding such, presenting a smiling face to the world and always pleasant on the surface. By no means a spoil-sport, being tolerant and wise in many ways, the Virgo female does possess such high standards for herself that she often seethes with inner tension. In addition, this woman will probably have a tendency toward hypochondria. She is so centered on being perfect that she is inclined to imagine ailments and diseases whenever she feels the slightest bit out of sorts. In truth, however, the Virgo female rarely requires medicine at all and usually lives a long and useful life...frequently appearing much younger than she actually is.

Intellectual by nature and blessed with a gift of language...or even the powers of a retentative memory which helps her pass examinations...this female is something of an academic type which can be threatening to many ordinary males. Nonetheless, this is a woman who does possess sex-appeal and is often counted among the prettiest females of the Zodiac. She will also be lively and vivacious well into old age. The woman governed by Virgo will have a quick and alert mind but can be something of a snob. Regardless, she respects all the old-fashioned virtues and is one of most subtle and delicately cast women of the entire Zodiac. As a mother, she will be relatively indulgent, taking infinite pains to understand her children. As a wife, she will constantly strive for perfection in every way...backing her partner in each endeavor while making every effort to be self-effacing.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Me? A Racist?

although i am aware that a certain race has it's bad stock and it's good stock, i have always keep an open-mind to give every individual a chance to prove himself/herself. that, not only applies to everyday living but most especially to the workplace. why is that? because being at work means that person should already be well-educated, well-trained.

yesterday, our new laboratory technician reported to work. so far, i had nothing against her. that was, yesterday. today, i felt otherwise. she have earned a masteral degree and can't even put a chemical powder to a bottle without spilling it??? don't even know the laboratory adage, "clean as you work and work as you clean"? most importantly, can't she even watch her hygiene??? aahhh!!! her second day and i could almost die!!!

i have always considered myself slow, not until i met her. haha. she's so slow... in actions and in thinking! ggrr.... no! i am not a racist. it's just that, i really hate people with no common sense. what to do??? and i could imagine her nodding from left to right instead of up and down! getsch mo? :p

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Rebonded Hair

woke up early since i alloted this day for a trip to a beauty salon. yep! yep! para-magpa-beauty! =) after hubby eft for the office, i work around the house for awhile, took a bath and off i went to El-Joy Beauty Parlor just across Najda Street.

as usual, it was Mel (the petite young pinay) who got asigned to my hair which i also prefer as she was the one who made my rebonded hair before. she started working on my hair around 10:30 AM. it was a rebonding procedure so it took her roughly 5 1/2 hours! i was so hungry that i bought a waffle that they were offering at the parlor. hehe. the taste was OK since i know my stomach will take any kind of food at that time. anyway, i left the parlor at 4:00 PM fully satisfied with the result. i know that my hair itself ain't healthy at the moment so this is the best that it could get. hehe.

Saturday, April 01, 2006

song by Gary Valenciano


Lately I've been winning battles left and right
But even winners can get wounded in the fight
People say that I'm amazing
I'm strong beyond my years
But they don't see inside of me
I'm hiding all the tears


Chorus:
They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
(Look up for His smile)
'Coz deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child
(Aahhh)


Unafraid because His arrow is the best
But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest
People say that I'm amazing
I never face retreat, oh no
But they don't see the enemies
That lay me at His feet


Chorus:
They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
(Look up for His smile)
'Coz deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child
(Aahhh)


They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
(Look up for His smile)
'Coz deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child
(Aahhh)


been listening to this song a lot lately. next to my other never-fails-to-bring-me-to-tears song(More Than You'll Ever Know), this song also have the same effect on me. every word was right on target talaga... the melody, the lyrics and the feelings that it invokes in me, everything combines to make me feel sentimental. *sniff* *sniff*

;;