Matandang Dalaga

I belonged to the popular group when I was in high school but I was not a popular one. I was the fat friend in the group. I tried to make a name for myself, of course. I became an officer for the CAT and got some attention. I love my friends and they are still my friends to this day and I wouldn't exchange them for the world but there is a price to pay for being int he company the popular ones. For one, they are popular for a reason. My friends are the pretty, smart, or they just have this x-factor that makes them stand out from the crowd even if they do nothing but stand and smile. I was in high school, I didn't know who I was and the only way I could define myself was by comparing myself from the people around me and the comparisons I was making weren't always the right ones but the result was consistent, I was the ugly fat friend... the unpopular one in a popular group. 6 Crappy Things Movies Taught Us About Love

The interruption is intermittent... sporadic... it's up for some and down for some. Facebook has not released a formal statement. It could be just their system or a hack. Who knows... but the point is that you shouldn't panic. I'm sure guys in facebook are busting their cajones to get it fixed. You can check downrightnow.com for regular status.

I was on my way to visit my bestfriend whose wife just gave birth. It was a particularly lousy day. I woke up, brushed my teeth, made coffee, peed, messed with my laptop while drinking coffee... and off I went to visit my... I already said that. No one was around which meant I had to take the car out, park it while I close the gate. Our dog, which is not really mine but my cousins', was begging for food. I made a mental note to bring him some chicken or whatever. When I went back to my car, my auntie asked me if my cousin (her son) could hitch a ride. I was a little surprised that he was home. I didn't even know he was back in the country. He is a seaman.

I've always had nice hair. I don't put a lot of effort in it, it's just my genes. What I later realized is that I cannot not take care of it. If I abuse it, it's going away. So, I have adapted several practices to take extra care of my hair. By now, you probably have realized I like going for natural things as much as possible. It's not always easy but it's worth it. Photo by Sing Chan Tips on How to Take Care of Your Hair Don't shampoo everyday. I know some of you will find that disgusting but it's the other way around. Shampooing everyday is disgusting. Remember that your shampoo is made of chemicals and as brilliant as humans are, we have never really perfected the art of mixing ingredients without side effects. Use it everyday and you are damaging your scalp. 

You gotta love Pinoy family culture. I mean... the whole culture is frustrating, unreasonable and absolutely juvenile but you just gotta love it. God created families to keep us all insane in times of sanity and in times of insanity, our families keep us even more insane. I remember growing up and being told by my parents to study hard, don't get pregnant outside of wedlock, choose the right guy, save for the future, experience the world or I will have a hard time when I am older. They said I will have a shitty life when I grow old if I mess up my youth. They said I will have no one to rely on and I can't ask for anyone's help when that happens because people have their own lives to live. They told me that I must get my shit together or my shit will hit the fan. It's going to be disgusting and it's my ass that will be f$%^ed. So... I did pull my shit together. And I turned out okay.

And my response has always been simple – yes, now more than ever.  I got to 33 without being married and I am okay. Most of the time, I am doing wonder fu$%in’ ful. Sure there are moments when I wish I have someone but even my friends who are married sometimes wish they are with someone else. I’ve seen a little of the world and met so many wonderful people, many of whom remain my friend. Sure, there are moments when I wish I get to travel with someone but I have a lot of friends who are with someone but are stuck in a house they don’t even own with people they don’t even like. I’ve fulfilled a lot of my dreams, dreams that I set out for myself when I was a kid. I didn’t lose a part of the ideal life I wanted to have when I was a kid. Sure, I’ve messed up a lot of times but I have a lot of friends who are married and have messed so much the Kardashians have nothing on them. I’ve given back as much as I can to my family, to my friends and even to those who tr...

I'm not ugly but I'm not pretty either. Among all us cousins, I'm the ugliest. That's true for both men and women. I'm the ugliest. I mean that. I'm serious. I'm the ugliest but don't worry, it doesn't bother me... anymore. I used to be insecure and at some point I looked up and screamed at God and challenged him into a duel. I figured, I'm already ugly, it won't matter even if he beat me up, right? Nothing much will change. There is something else I don't have that my cousins have, sex appeal... I think that's what they call it. I have a cousin with a 38 inch waistline, married and separated twice with 3 children and she still gets more suitors than I do.

I have traveled alone countless of times because most of the friends I have are already married and can't just pack their bags to leave with me. During our younger years, we didn't have enough money to travel to places we wanted to see and now that we finally are in that financial situation when we an afford it, they are already married. I am not the kind to put things on hold. I don't want to wait when I will have a boyfriend that will go with me in my travels. I have the money and time now so I go. Below are some of the places I have visited and would recommend to those who are over 30. Even if you go to these places alone, you will find someone to see the places the with once you are there. That's why I am recommending these place.   Bangkok It's not a family place like HongKong. It's where you go if you want to: A. Shop - the exchange rate is almost 1:1 and the clothes and accessories there are so cheap. The things you buy here for Php2,000, ...

The kind of work that I do require me to be online all the time. That's why my phone, an iPhone with unlimited data access, is one of the most useful tools for me. I cannot leave home without it BUT I don't allow it to change the kind of person that I am. When I am with someone, I don't go looking for someone else so talk with on my phone, I look people in the eye, not on my phone. My phone remains a gadget, not my boss. 

At 30 something, chances are that you've had your share of relationships. I have. It's not a lot but it's still a number. At this particularly quiet evening, when the rest of Manila are most likely preparing to go to their Friday night to let loose all the pent up emotions they accumulated from their 5-day slave-mode week, I am sitting alone in front of my computer thinking about what to write that's interesting to both you and me. For some reason, I remember my exes. I wonder what they are doing now. No, it's not because I haven't moved on or that I still have some unfinished business with them. It's only because I am curious what has happened in their life after they screwed me over. Have they found the girl they wanted? Needed? Looking for? Have they settled down? Are they happy?

There's plenty of fish in the ocean.  I think some stupid fisherman used dynamite for ten years and killed all the fish, destroyed the corals and polluted the gaddam ocean!

When you decide to quit your job and start a new career at 30, the idea is that you shouldn't be afraid. You should have done enough in your 20s to not give a damn about anything but your own interest. You shouldn't be scared to start something new because you should have been able to do everything you "needed to do" in your 20s. At 30, you should just care about what you want to do. I quit my lucrative 9-5 a little over a  year ago because... I just didn't want to work for anybody anymore. Ten years in advertising was enough for me. I couldn't take it anymore. At 34, I was forced to explore a new a career, one that I like and wouldn't mind doing for the rest of my life. There were different considerations:

How do you find a date when you are over 30? Seriously. Men that are also over 30 are most likely already married or about to get married. Those that are married are most likely not interested in marriage or are interested in marrying someone ten years younger than you are or are interested in marrying another bachelor. At 30, you're pretty much set in your life. You are supposed to have made all the friends you are going to make in your life. The new ones you'll make are less likely to establish the kind of bond you have with your friends from younger years. Click here and read about the different "roles" in a relationship.

I don’t believe in New Year’s resolution but endings and beginnings have a special way of making people lethargic or, at the very least, nostalgic. So, I’ll do a reflection instead… however twisted it may be. Things I Lost in 2012 Hair. Lots of it. I shed like a monkey on chemo. Apartment. We stayed there for more seven years and the landlord decided to raise our rent. As much as we love the peace and quiet it was just impractical. Pants. I just buy Levi’s, it’s practical. I end up using it for years but it’s not that expensive. I lost a pair and my sister blames it on our former help. She said the maid took it with her when the maid left. It was my favorite pair.