scaffoldings are cute. period.

With its cute bikes (just about everywhere), charming houseboats and forward-leaning buildings, Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities.* Look, even their scaffoldings are too damn cute! Turquoise! Lavender! I wonder if they had hot pink and powder blue?

I was there for only two days in June, and the schedule was definitely packed to the brim. Although I wanted to try their, uhm, herbal delicacies, I couldn't because I was traveling with my mother. Heh. On our last day, we wanted to go to the oldest church in the city, which ironically, is located in the red light district. On our way to the church, we encountered a handful of adult toy shops (which I pretended I didn't notice) and some shops with professional women as window displays. My mom. was. appalled! I'm not really sure if she was upset that those women in lingerie were on display, period, or because there was one plump woman with unflattering make-up and a very bored look on her face. I shrugged it off and told her that some men are into that and continued to walk. Faster.

That has been my last trip this year, because the next one would be a long and grand trip to the Philippines. I needed to save me some pocket moneys. Oh, how many long weekends have I controlled myself just so I wouldn't book any cheap flights or train rides to nearby cities I haven't explored yet! I can't wait to go to the airport and board an airplane (where I'll just sleep, eat and watch things - oh wait, isn't that what I already do at home all the time?), I can't waaaaait!**

*London is number one

** but first I have to lose some weight

video of the week believes when i fall in love it will be forever

Okay, it's more of a song of the week rather than a video. But listen to it. Along with all the other Stevie Wonder songs, it has been on my iTunes for a while now, but to be honest, I always skipped it because I didn't like the title. I know, right? Beyond the cheesy and long title, I discovered the song when I was watching High Fidelity. It's the perfect closing song.

Taking a cue from the movie, here are my top 5 cheer-up songs for the moment

1. Supermassive Black Hole by Muse

2. I want you back by The Jackson 5

3. Starstrukk by 3Oh3

4. Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder

5. I believe (when I fall in love it will be forever) by Stevie Wonder

dan. dan. daaaaan.

It seems as though in the past few weeks (or months?), time has just been passing me by. I rarely savor moments anymore - the plus side: that works well with the not-so-good events. Heh. Once in a while, I catch myself saying "I can't believe it September/October/November/almost 2010/already 1AM." 2009 is flying by sooo quickly, maybe because there wasn't any major drama. That's good, I guess.

All I want to do is go to the cinema or stay at home and watch my favorite TV series.

I recently took a liking to the band Muse. I wouldn't count "Knights of Cydonia" as my favorite song, but I really like the line

"Don't waste your time
or time will waste you."

Anyway, let me just say that I can't believe it's mid-November and that I'm flying to the Philippines in a month. In a month! It was kind of frustrating for a while because between time-wasting and work, I didn't have the time to plan things properly. What can I say, it's just too tiring. How did people manage to efficiently handle flight, hotel and people (!) bookings during the pre-(fast)internet era? Now I'm happy to report that I have already booked my hotel in Manila, my flight to Cebu with Ging and Kate, and more or less the people I'll be seeing. The people are the hardest to book, huh. But I am very excited because I need a freakin' vacation. Aaaand I'm going to see my friends and family and dogs.

I'm almost done with my shopping, and sometime soon I have to buy a big ass suitcase. Either in turquoise or tangerine.

I haven't travelled since June and my feet are itchy! Excited excited excited.

pro

Aaaaah, back from the gym. A few minutes into my workout, my famous* professional football player neighbor walked in and started using the stationary bike. I promised my cousin I would take a picture when I'd see the player, and so far I haven't been successful because once I saw him after getting my laundry (who goes to the laundry room with camera?) and another time when I was getting my mail. Without a camera with me on the treadmill, a photo was a no-go either. Small talk? Uhmm...no, not while I'm sweaty and icky and wearing unflattering clothes. He was talking on the phones for a few minutes anyway and then playing the music from his iPhone without earphones!

Anyway, speaking of pros. Today, I was given a pearl necklace for singing at a party! I love it. It's a choker and would totally look great with my other necklaces when layered. Oooh I was also treated to a lunch and coffee. Nice, nice.

*I know he's famous because I've seen huge pictures of him in the sports section of the paper. And whenever I mention to my football-loving/watching friends that that guy is my neighbor, they instantly know who I'm talking about.

videos of the week are not lightweight

Oscar de la Hoya's video for his his song Run to Me. Don't like his shirt, love the song.

Manny Pacquiao, the hesitant prize fighter, singing Sometimes When We Touch on Jimmy Kimmel Live! The song was...well he's an awesome boxer. Loved the interview, he's an adorable interviewee!

can't explain why it's not enough

Well I can't explain why it's not enough,

Cause I gave it all to you.

And if you leave me now,

oh just leave me now.

It's the better thing to do,

It's time to surrender,

It's been to long pretending.

Theres no use in trying,

When the pieces don't fit anymore

Pieces don't fit here anymore.

"The Pieces don't fit anymore" perfectly describes how I felt when I left the Philippines to come back to Austria. Although I have been thinking about it for a very long time, I really left with a heavy heart because sooooo many things happened during my last year there. I left really pissed off.

Buuuuut now, all of that is so behind me and in one month I'll be back for a well-deserved vacation! I never went on a vacation that exceeded a week in 2 and a half years, so yay me!

mindless tv babble

I'm on a self-imposed TV ban for seven days. I think I'm on Night 3 now. Just because I can't watch the boobtube for a while, doesn't mean I can't write about it.

You know what show is on my mind right now? 90210. Yes. I was a fan of the original Beverly Hills, 90210. Brendon was my first crush evah. I had a postcard of him on my bedroom wall. My cousin Rachel had a huge poster of Brenda on her bedroom wall, that's why I loved going to her place all the time. My best friend was Kelly and I was Brenda. Haha. Anyway, when I started watching the new 90210, I wasn't too excited about it. There were some crazy plot twists though that made me curious enough to continue watching it and mocking it.

Then came season 2. Suddenly Annie wasn't the central figure anymore (yay! Her character doesn't interest me at all) and everything suddenly got juicier. But last episode was the bomb because of three things

- N.E.R.D. made a guest appearance and performed

- Samantha Ronson DJ'd AND gave Navid advice about girls like they're old pals

- Liam

Totally. Awesome.

cute stuff and covers

I love online shops that
a) deliver to Austria
b) accept bank transfer or Maestro card transactions
c) sell cute stuff that I can afford

I recently discovered Bertine, a German online shop with super adorable items. A few of my faves:

travel kit

retro clock

sleep mask

hot water bag

Anyway. There's nothing like the original, but I think cover songs, when done well, are not forms of imitation but tributes.

Some of my favorite covers:

1. Strawberry Fields Forever by Regine Velasquez

2. I Melt With You by Nouvelle Vague tied with Jason Mraz' version

3. Careless Whisper by The Gossip

4. Umbrella by The Baseballs

5. Human by Craig David

I haven't seen This Is It yet! Gonna watch it this weekend. I'm excited because I've heard really good things about it. This is how we planned our movie-going:

"Guys, if we watch it on Thursday, I can't make it!"

"I thought we're watching on Friday?"

"There's a show at 11:30PM on Thursday"

"But aren't you already asleep at that time?"

"We have no problems being awake at 11"

"And you'll still be awake for two hours after the movie's done."

"Thursday's no good for me!"

"Okay, Friday then."

"If we go on Friday, we have to go early because I have to be somewhere at 9"

"I was gonna say we have to watch it at a later time because I have practice in the early evening"

"Alright, let's watch it on Saturday."

against the light, against delight

taken at the James Morrison concert, October 21, 2009. Gasometer, Vienna

I don't like having insomnia, but I get a certain comfort from being awake when everybody's asleep and sipping tea that's aptly called Innere Ruhe (Inner Peace) with the only light coming from the laptop screen. It's when I feel that the line between being alert and being relaxed gets blurred.