Stars in my Coffee

About a month ago, i made a commitment to reach for 21 stars. And on the 27th, 4 nights shy of the coming new year, i completed all of them and earned myself my very first Starbucks planner!

Gee. Truth to tell, i don't remember feeling this thrilled and accomplished when i got hired by Bigfoot mid this year.

And it's not so much about the Starbucks planner really (though it's so, so nice). I haven't had a planner for years and I was just fine with it. I guess the rush came from the whole creative process of reaching for the stars one at a time.

The moment the cute waiter finally convinced me to accept the Starbucks card (which I snubbed the first time it was offered to me for FREE. sheesh.), I was a girl with a mission. I decided right then to make it my last goal for the year. I proceeded to connive, campaign and compete with other cardholder friends to have as many silver stars possible sticked on to my Starbucks card. I reached for my stars one at a time like a girl gone mad.

I drank so much Starbucks coffee the past month that I'm partly blaming it for exacerbating my weight gain (the rest I blame on mango float).

I don't usually like variety in my coffee (just black - no sugar, no cream) but the past month, I opened my world a bit and learned to appreciate the other flavors required.

And to think I've never been a Starbucks fan. I've always maintained (and still do) that Bo's brewed coffee is better -- in terms of taste and price. But the past month, I was all for Starbucks. So much so that I'm probably among the first to know that they just opened their third and newest branch at IT Park in Cebu.

Some may call me gullible. Others may consider this a waste of time and money. Perhaps.

One thing I'll admit -- it's one hell of a marketing strategy.

Besides, it was fun. Each accomplished star has its own story and that for me makes it all priceless.

I get to be a Holiday angel too as the planner comes with a donation made in my name to Project SparkHope (with the slogan: Enriching children's lives, one barangay at a time). Not bad.

I realize that all things can be made possible if you just focus your mind. And my cool Starbucks planner is one testament I'll carry through the coming year.

Happy 2007, everyone!

Cloudbreaker

I learned something from FG last night -- there is such a thing as a cloudbreaker.

Have you ever looked up at night and seen that shaft of light sweeping through the skies?

All the while i thought it was just there to signal an event in the city and to call on/guide people to a particular place (much like that of a lighthouse). But actually, FG says it does more than that -- it sweeps through the gathering clouds to break them up and drive away the rain.

Instant weather control. Amazing.

So you knew it already, huh? Whatever.

I wonder though what they'll think of next.

And I so love the rain, too.

A Yen for Japanese Food

Out of the blue, it just came to me – this terrible craving for Japanese food. The last two weeks, I managed to drag friends to dine in three different Japanese restaurants in the city—Rai Rai Ken, Mikado, and Tokyo Joe’s. And still, I want more.

Every now and then, I get these terrible cravings. And by terrible I mean – non-stop, never-mind-the-expense, who-cares-if-everyone’s-sick-of-it-let’s-go! kind of thing. I remember one phase in my life when I had this yen for Yakisoba noodles that I ate it everyday for lunch for two straight months – much to my friend's disgust and (I’m pretty sure) amazement too ;) Not once did I puke and up to this day I still love it. Then there was Jollibee’s peach mango pie that I managed to eat five pieces of at one time and at least 2 pieces everyday for months too. Then there was strawberry ice cream, vegetable lumpia and, well, let’s just say there was a lot. And now, adding on to that list is Japanese food.

But why on earth Japanese food? It never was my favorite cuisine. Japanese food used to make me think of eating raw fish (which for me translates to French kissing with dead fishes), and the guy who French kisses so bad I simply want to forget him. Yet here I am, still not eating raw fish, mind you – but daydreaming of tempuras, maki, beef teppanyaki, chicken teriyaki, Japanese rice and much more. Yummmm

For lack of anything else, I’m blaming it on the chopsticks. If only F, my crush from long ago, taught me how to use them sooner like he said he would, then I would no longer have this overwhelming urge to eat Japanese food to prove that I can use chopsticks beautifully not only on my hair but my food as well.

The first time I successfully picked up a California maki and brought it to my mouth with my chopsticks, I decided right then and there it was definitely one of my favorite dishes and that I gotta have more. Then I tried chopsticks on tempuras and fell in love some more. So what if I’m still having trouble with my rice and noodles? Laugh all you want, but I’m getting there. I figure a few more Japanese restaurants ought to do it. Then I’ll never have to go hungry in China or Japan or Korea. What a thought!

Sigh. Who am I kidding? Raw fish aside, with chopsticks or without, Japanese food simply tastes so good it’s knocking off Sunburst chicken on the number 1 spot of my favorite food list. And mind you, that is no small and easy feat.

Anyone in the mood for Japanese food, call me.