my avatar can read

Every quarter, I look forward to the day I get my haircut. I got one today.

Every now and then, I look forward to creating a new avatar. I created one today.

I admit that although the hair style is still very similar to my new hair, it is not a perfect match. The glasses however, is a completely different thing.

punch drunk love

I love how he is running in through exits to get to the door.

touch base

I admit not spending enough time with certain friends the past few weeks. And over the weekend, I am happy that I was able to touch base with them. There is a part of me that feels like I should have done it sooner. But maybe the timing was meant to be as what transpired. Regardless, here are some of my thoughts.

(I seem to be writing this kind of entry most Sundays.)

1. Sometimes the easiest (and worse) thing you could do is do nothing.
2. It is a no brainer telling whether something is a whim or not, but it is not the easiest thing to act in accordance with the situation. The minute you recognize your wrong doing, make steps to mitigate it.
3. Now is the perfect time to meet more people.
4. It takes one kind to leave your comfort zone to better yourself.
5. Change is good.
6. Settling is one word that means a lot of things. At a certain context it is neither right nor wrong, it is a decision.
7. Define the terms. Clarifying the difference between the icing and the cake could help.
8. I want to listen to you talk about it, but I'm not sure if you are up for it.
9. Commitment is absolute but it is quite possible to commit less.
10. Long distance relationships can get harder.

four eyes

I always feel weird taking photos of myself--especially when it is not to document stuff that I made or altered.

This is me documenting the day I got my reading glasses.

buloy

I had a good laugh about Peter's Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang and eyshanavilavina (asian Avril Lavigne ah) late last night.

Anyways, I'm posting so you could see.

little children

Some photos of my niece and her cousin playing basketball.

hot lunch

Hot doesn't correspond to the food but to the surroundings. This is it. Eat.

Welcome to Laguna.

Okay, maybe I don't actually work in Laguna, but where I work is comparable. Forget that the work space is quite good; once you get out, you start rolling your eyes so much that you'd get a headache.

OA. Hahaha.

I should probably quit blogging now, it is 1PM.

librarian (look) at work

I had reading glasses made today.

The down side is that I now have another thing to put in my bag. As if I don't lug around too many things already.

On the other hand, Aa can now stop teasing me about my curious specs.

(It is also a relief that I only need to wear it when I'm working. Fine, for all you the-glass-is-half-empty folks, I also need to wear it when I'm reading for personal enjoyment.)

i can't see

Lately, I notice that I need to move my reading material back so I could see better. It is not that I can't read, it's just that it has become at times, a conscious effort for me to focus on what I'm looking at.

The last two days were extra difficult for me.

Yesterday, I stopped reading a book after 12 pages. That never happens--unless it is an uninteresting book.

I had my eyes checked today. And true enough, I need reading glasses.

(Rhea, I know what you are thinking! I won't change my mind!)

as a lady would say

I received a package with this book today. It is a late birthday present. I am so excited to start reading. This should be hilarious. I'm sure that I would at some point, write an entry quoting (or bashing? <-- I hope not) this.

Oh, and as a lady would say, Thanks for the gift, it is very, very well appreciated.

Image from Amazon.

seven

I like eating out during Sunday afternoons, mainly because the busy eating places are empty. Think Clarke Quay and Holland V.

Today I went to Hooters where I ate 7 out of the 10 samurai wings.

As there were only one other table that was taken inside, I was for once, able to really look at the signages. There were two that I liked.

Warning: Blonde thinking.

and

Air contaminated with Hydrogen Peroxide.

Of course blonde jokes are not really very applicable to Asians, but these are still really funny.

Mysterious Skin

Imagine my surprise when I realized that the character Neil grew up to be the boy in 3rd Rock from the Sun. Oh, and he can act. I think I would want to see his other movies.This is a must see. And it is not because of the girl with a pearl earring!

There is no other way I would have liked a movie that included aliens, prostitution, baseball and trailer parkish moms.

I refuse to write more except make time to see this. Please.

it's saturday

I got an early email at 9:30 AM from a very close friend.

I think I am one of the people who appreciates him most. There are many reasons behind the appreciation.

The traffic in Manila and the proximity of our homes gave us the chance to become close. Up to now people wonder how we got to be good friends when besides our degrees, parental homes' geography and rules on disclosure (which is not apparent for very obvious reasons, so maybe only the first two count), we have nothing in common.

Whenever I come home to Manila, I do my best to get in touch with him. And each time, it is like we are back to our college carpool days.

This post isn't about conversations shared while speeding at two meters per minute. It is about the email.

Two lines.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How do you decide to break-up with someone?
How do you decide to throw away all the time and emotion you’ve invested?

Tough questions.

I think the answer(s) would vary (to some extent) depending on the kind of relationship you have and want.

First off, I believe that there are degrees of dissatisfaction that correspond to for the lack of a better term, a break-up spectrum which has four major phases (1) thinking of breaking up, (2) seeking counsel, (3) weighing of options and (4) breaking up. It isn't necessary to go through each one, nor to lead to the last.

In my opinion, the minute you touch on the metaphoric spectrum, it means that something has to change. People (who make sense) don't think of breaking up just because they are bored.

Asking yourself questions might be the best way to assess the situation.

Do you truly want to work things out? If your answer is NO, then there is no need to proceed.

Is there anything your partner can do to make you want to stay? Again, if your answer is NO, then there is no need to proceed.

What do you want to happen? Is it (reasonably) possible? Sustainable? The first in the series is hardest to answer, and it might take some time before you can really figure this out. If you answer YES to either of the next questions, proceed to the next question.

How far are you willing to negotiate? If you do, is it something you can live with? Will you resent your partner? The key phrase here being you can live with, at the end of it all, it boils down to that regardless if the reason for dissatisfaction is an arrangement, an event, a sin of omission, a habit, or even a quirk.

Think of how you feel about the relationship today. Think of how you imagine feeling about the relationship tomorrow, the day after, next week, next month. I am not an expert, but I know that the right relationships feel right. In a general sense it should make you feel good. Happy. Not suffocating, dreadful, resentful, bitter, beat or inadequate.

I think I have once again, overwritten. I'm not sure if this helped. I understand that at this point you don't really want to talk about it, but you would appreciate some thoughts.

(I'm not sure if you remember that time I was crying the whole time during the drive from school to our street. You came by later to bring and say something. It helped. If only I am in Manila now, I'd be by your doorstep.)

choco polka

I did it! I sew something on Thursday.

(As if you haven't figured it out) I made the top.

This top is especially good for fat days. Or when you are anticipating a heavy meal.

HEALTHE: take cointreau

Among the people in this photo, I was the last one standing.
In this one, I was the first one out.

lost

Tomorrow is my last day with my current company. And before I write about how much I would miss my colleagues, my bosses and my office that is a few paces away from the Merlion--literally, I would write about what I lost today.

I took the last of my things and put it in a bag. And left to meet a good friend for coffee. I had such a good time that I realized I was running late for dinner. I was such in a hurry that it was only when I was nearing our home when I realized that the bag with my office stuff is missing.

To make a long story short, the bag is lost. Forever.

The contents?

- Tooth Brush / Tooth Paste
- Mouthwash
- Dental Floss
- Alcohol (disinfectant!)
- Lavender Cologne (Yeah, the one that smells hmmmmm!)
- Hand Cream
- Box of calling cards
- Scissors
- Tissue
- Coasters
- Pain killers (for cramps)
- Sliced ginseng chips (supposed to help with the cramps)
- White Flower Oil (for fainting spells, as advised by unknown woman in bus stop)
- Other supplies (for women)

While I feel bad losing some of my stuff, I can't help but feel thankful that it was that bag that I left behind rather than my main bag. I would be very hassling if it was the other way around. I'm blessed.

waisting

This is the dress I altered as I mentioned in my previous entry.

Why did I buy the dress? Hmmmmmm. Interesting question. It reminded me of one of my bestfriend's dresses. Of course hers was a tube dress, but it was made out of black cotton material and had beige embroidery on the chest area and at the edge of the dress. It was gathered at the chest and waist by elastic bands.

While I couldn't transform this into a tube, nor could I gather the chest area (as it could look real weird), I thought that I could gather the waist. And I did just that.

It is still a bit duster-ish, but I think it can now pass for something that could be worn during casual afternoon barbecues.

Or an afternoon butterscotch baking affair at a place that sounds like a cookie factory. (I wonder if I should start sewing an apron. And pastry chef hat.)

While I don't think people who sew read my blog for sewing tips, I am posting the stitch pattern I used to sew the elastic band on the wrong side of the dress. I ran the cloth overlapped by the stretched elastic through the machine along the waist. The effect is nice too as the gathering looked a bit ruffled.

June 17, 2009

I was tempted to write a post birthday blog entry but decided it is already a bit far off from my 29th. So instead, I'm doing a how-have-I-been-lately blog entry.

On Friendship:

I would be the first to say that I choose my friends--not with categories that one might think, but by the kind of person they are, the type of commitment and amount of respect they put into friendships. I am happy that I am surrounded by people who are friends.

Like all relationships, the path of friendship is not paved entirely with good times and it is during troubled times that it is most challenging to stick. I have been blessed with friends who stuck with me.

I hope they feel the same way about me.

Thanks guys for the will to work things out with me :)

I have also made new friends. I didn't think I would make lasting relationships at this point but as it turns out, I did.

On Family:

I recently talked to the old man--after three years at least. For ten seconds. It is a start.

Some things came up and I was able to spent a bit more time with my cousins and their extended families. Good vibes.

On Past Relationships:

I remember writing this in the past, relationships don't end, however, relationships change. During the last nine months, I changed my mind about how a certain past relationship should be countless of times. I am not sure where I am currently.

I am happy though that things are working out for HIM.

On other Relationships:

There is always someone interesting, but it is not everyday you meet someone worth getting to know. And it is not the easiest thing to tell which is which--or who's who.

There are people who don't necessarily influence us but make us better (if you've met someone who has that effect on you, you would understand).We should surround ourselves with these people.

Commitment is not complicated.

Sometimes, even if you want to, you find that you have nothing to give.

Timing is not everything, but it does improve your chances.

Games could get boring.

(QUESTION: Is having no game, in itself, a game?)

I find that with certain company, I do not feel compelled to smoke, even when we are having drinks. Curious.

On Faith:

I think I let myself slide a bit. But the past few weeks had been beyond satisfactory.

I stopped attending mass to go through the motions and started attending mass to rediscover myself. I would not write too much about this as I am still a work in progress, but I am hopeful that I wouldn't lose my footing this time.

I also rediscovered comfort in prayer.

On Prayer:

(St. Theresa's Prayer)
May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

On Work:

I'm starting on a new thing next week. I'm excited.

On Goals:

I'm not as stressed about it as I was last year. And I'm so much happier. I still continue to sow the seeds but no longer get worked up if no new leaf materializes the next day.

On Skin Care:

It has been two weeks. My battle scars are still not completely gone. I always thought that the expression the wounds that never heal is just that, an expression. Now I'm not so sure.

On Excesses:

I have too many clothes. I need to again, revisit my closet and take out what I could.

I have also been drinking more than I should. I know because I am back to my tip top drinking condition.

I will not even write anything about my weight.

On Hobbies:

I had been playing Martha Stewart with some of my old jeans. I don't think I have any other pair I am willing to distress. I however have so much sandpaper left!

I haven't been sewing lately. I did however, put a waistband on a dress to make it look more of a dress and less of a glorified duster. I plan to do an entry on that piece. Alteration details will be in that post.

I want a stud gun. I'm still trying to convince myself that it is worth buying.

On Books:

I haven't read anything in a while. Does Why do men fall asleep after sex? count? Yeah. I didn't think so.

I would recommend this book for the times you don't want to think. It is a book of trivia about random things. A lot about your body. Useless information. Good stuff. Hahahaha.

Seriously though, this saddens me. I better start reading again.

juex d'enfants

Sophie: Tell me, because if I tell you first, I'm afraid you'll think it's a game.

Love me if you dare was the english title of the movie--but the more accurate translation is games of children. Linguist? Nah. I looked it up.

This is probably a universal feel good movie, as people can relate to it--maybe not in a literal sense.

Boy meet girl. They become friends. They play games. They become best friends. They play games. They grow up. They play games. They play games.

Watch the movie. It has a very whimsical take on almost everyday events. It will make you smile.

thank you

The best gifts are those that come from the heart. I received one not more than a few minutes ago. Thanks Mom.

To my dearest Daughter Tracy

When you were small and just a touch away,
I covered you with blankets against the cool weather

But now that you are tall,and out of reach,
I fold my hands and cover you in prayer.

howl at the moon

Thanks guys for putting up a wonderful birthday eve for me :)

(and for putting a leg up while trying to get a ball in)

It is the very first time that I celebrated the eve of my birthday with colleagues--turned good friends.

you got gold

I think I saw a leprechaun in the pantry. Only, he is so much taller than me. I always imagined them to be a foot tall.

He was wearing a green suit and with that, an even brighter green shirt--and, pointed gold shoes. He was missing his hat. Maybe because we were in the pantry. It is bad manners to wear a hat when you are indoors.

He had sleek back hair (READ: Steven Seagal) and was continuously snapping his fingers while waiting for his cappuccino drip.

I smiled at him and greeted him a good morning. He smiled back and said likewise.

I grabbed a glass filled it with water and left.

When I got back to my seat, I felt my pockets for gold. There wasn't any.

dragen jeans

I aged another pair.I wasn't really planning on another project, but someone stepped up and got me some sandpaper. As you can see, I managed to thin out some areas, I like how those places turn into a brighter blue. I'm so happy with how this project turned out.

Here is a mirror photo. Hence, the sudden shift of the flower and dragon from one thigh to the other.

I got carried away and accidentally made a hole that is in the wrong place, so I had to mitigate the situation by placing a flower over it. While it closed the gap, it doesn't change the fact that it still fell on the wrong place. I had to sew on a dragon to sort of balance things out. Of course it is not one of those screaming dragon prints. It is in fact very subtle and you won't realize what it is until you look very closely--as if it is a secret.

The dragon and flower came from the same fabric that I bought a few months back to make a kimono with. I ended up with a kimono with butterflies--and jeans with a dragon.

Sometimes things we don't plan for happen, and it isn't always a bad thing.

beat it!

Because of that moment, I can't help but think of a certain 6-letter-word that starts with T and ends with ambol whenever I see, pack, wear or merely think of my swimwear.

Thanks for the encouragement dude.

Image from drumsoloartist.

Three Wolf Moon T-Shirt

Somebody sent me a link to this wolf shirt in Amazon. The comments are hilarious. A bit lengthy, but worth reading.

Check out the shirt listing here. You'd want one. Hahaha.

B. Govern "Bee-Dot-Govern: This item has wolves on it which makes it intrinsically sweet and worth 5 stars by itself, but once I tried it on, that's when the magic happened. After checking to ensure that the shirt would properly cover my girth, I walked from my trailer to Wal-mart with the shirt on and was immediately approached by women. The women knew from the wolves on my shirt that I, like a wolf, am a mysterious loner who knows how to 'howl at the moon' from time to time (if you catch my drift!). The women that approached me wanted to know if I would be their boyfriend and/or give them money for something they called mehth. I told them no, because they didn't have enough teeth, and frankly a man with a wolf-shirt shouldn't settle for the first thing that comes to him.

I arrived at Wal-mart, mounted my courtesy-scooter (walking is such a drag!) sitting side saddle so that my wolves would show. While I was browsing tube socks, I could hear aroused asthmatic breathing behind me. I turned around to see a slightly sweaty dream in sweatpants and flip-flops standing there. She told me she liked the wolves on my shirt, I told her I wanted to howl at her moon. She offered me a swig from her mountain dew, and I drove my scooter, with her shuffling along side out the door and into the rest of our lives. Thank you wolf shirt.

Pros: Fits my girthy frame, has wolves on it, attracts women
Cons: Only 3 wolves (could probably use a few more on the 'guns'), cannot see wolves when sitting with arms crossed, wolves would have been better if they glowed in the dark.

T. Guymon "SonOfSpam": So I'm looking for threads that say, "Hey baby...I'm real boss!" when I stumble upon this epic creation. The wolves spoke to me in a language all their own; it was like German, Mongol, and Bitchin all mixed together. I mean, one wolf howlin at the moon is major...but three???

I ordered next-day air (if only there was same day!), and, of course, a size smaller than usual to ensure the closeness of the wolves to my chest hair. When the package arrived, I tore it open, and I SWEAR angels sang. I think it was Freebird. I immediately removed my "No Fat Chicks" shirt, and replaced it with this finery. Lemme tell you: AW YEAH.

I'll spare the details of my conquests since I started wearing this shirt; suffice to say, I'm swimming in a sea of babes the likes of which are usually found on those K-Tel infomercials. I'm also more confident at work, and expect to be promoted to cashier soon. I owe everything to this shirt (I should say "shirts", since I now own 23 of them).

Lupidorr Theopian: I'll be honest. I ordered the Three Wolf Moon T-Shirt based off the amazing promises I read about at Amazon.com.

When my order arrived, I was not disappointed. As the UPS truck was driving down the street with my delivery, my female neighbors began opening their doors and stepping outside. I suspect the Three Wolf Moon T-Shirt contains powerful lupine pheromones.

The shirt is made up of soft cotton. I was grateful to see this as it flexed as my muscles grew after donning this garment.

The Three Wolf Moon T-Shirt gave me a +10 resistance to energy attacks, +8 Strength, and added 30 feet to my normal leap. I cannot list the specific effects involving the opposite sex as I am still discovering these. And they are many.

Since owning the Three Wolf Moon T-Shirt, I have successfully solved 7 crimes in my city, including 4 cold case murders. The local police force is currently wishing to retain my services.

I do have one complaint, and that's that I must stay indoors on windy days. Last fall we had a windy day and I received notice that hundreds of women were suddenly pregnant, carrying my offspring, up to 12 miles away.

That said, I would whole-heartedly recommend the Three Wolf Moon T-Shirt. You never need to be a lone wolf again!

mambobola(bola)

It has been a week. No. Maybe not. But it would be after work today.

I am still with spots.

I have two distinct ones. It is like telling the world that I have bola bola rather than asado inside.

(Image from a blog entry featuring charsiew pau jokes. I think she got it somewhere else but the reference link she provided now points to nowhere so, I am pointing to her blog.)

wHOLEsome

I didn't make the jeans. I did however, distressed it.I'm not really the type to wear barely-there-might-as-well-wind-strings-around-yourself clothes, so I didn't go overboard. I just put some details here and there.I admit then when I initially thought about distressing jeans, I wasn't sure I would wear the end product. After I was done though, I was sure that I would. In fact, I could hardly wait. Maybe I'll wear them tomorrow.

five people you meet

during a downtime Saturday night...

1. Geographer
2. Alleged RRI Masters Degree (almost) Holder
3. Male Random Thing Specialist
4. Female Random Thing Specialist
5. Someone whose name you can't remember

#s 14 and 20

20 Types of People You Meet in the Men's Room

This is the funniest thing. I saw it at the toilet of one of our secret wine places.

Okay, so I took my phone inside the toilet to take a photo. I couldn't help it. It was too funny to let go!

Click on image to enlarge.
(It is odd how there would be things that had always been there, but one day--or Friday night, you suddenly decide to pay attention.)

happy birthday

to my wonderful sister with the uncanny ability watch over you however the distance.

I love you Rob :)

one for the wounds...

the wounds that never heal.

It has been two days but my wounds from Tuesday's torture are not drying up!

It is really downtime for me.

Down for maintenance, not unlike Mang Kiko's machines!

During dinner, Neneng told me to eat more tomatoes. I said I didn't like tomatoes in big chunks, she said "Tres, maganda para sa kutis yan". Great. Thanks for the tip.

The cookies remind me of my current state--brown with random white cream spots.

Cookie naman o!

Image cropped from one of dolcedanielle's photos.

all about hair

Okay Dolp, so you are in Bora. And I'm stuck doing my 8-5. Or 9-6. I'm also turning 29 and you are perpetually 21. Errrr 19?

Whenever I get a haircut, I ran out of shampoo, I get seasick, I go to the beach, I see, taste or feel Asti, I think of you.

I miss you Blondie.

Boating? Boating??

shanghai kiss

I didn't realize until tonight that I am unable to eat lumpiang shanghai with rice.

That is not super weird when you think about it as it is the filipino equivalent (then why is it coined with shanghai?) of the vietnamese fried spring roll which is a side dish, therefore not eaten with rice.

There.

masquerade anyone?

I hate getting a facial. It hurts. Like hell.

And let us not forget that you come out in a much worse condition compared to your initial state.

Consoling yourself by binging in Din Tai Fung and hoarding pastries would not help your skin recuperate faster. Or your weight. Although, I must say that great company would make you forget you look like crap.

I don't want to face myself in the mirror tomorrow.

testing

I was looking for some UI ideas and found this site.

I think it is not intuitive as the next person might not figure out that all icons have corresponding questions and to complete the test, you have to click on each and every icon (and answer each and every question). I also noticed that the option is highlighted whenever you accidentally mouseover as the form minimizes after you have clicked on your answer.

On the other hand, the look and feel is kind of cute. I like the images used. And well, the content is well written. I bit cliche, but hey, this is a seduction test anyways.

I did finish the test, and look at my results. BUT WAIT. Forget the quiz results, look at the tactical guide. LOL! Click on the image to enlarge.

Chuck Norris

I was doing some email clean up and I saw THE Chuck Norris email. There are supposed to be 100 facts about him, but I am posting only the ones I liked most.

If Chuck Norris is late, time better slow the fuck down.

Chuck Norris can divide by zero.

Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.

Superman owns a pair of Chuck Norris pajamas.

If at first you don't succeed, you are obviously not Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris can speak braille.

The quickest way to a man's heart is with Chuck Norris' fist.

Most men are okay with their wives fantasizing about Chuck Norris during sex, because they are doing the same thing.

Chuck Norris' action figure has slept with more women then most men.

Jesus owns and wears a bracelet that reads, "WWCND?"

usapang 28

T: I hate the fact na wala na si Nadal. Parang wala nang point.
R: Ako happy pa. (R likes Federer)
R: Wala na si Roddick--ang next na pinaka-pogi sa game
T: Yeah. Pero hindi na gagaling yun ulit. Done.
R: Well, actually. tapos na glory days niya.
T: "vigor" is the synonym of "nadal"
R: rigor
R: rigor mortis
R: the brother of edgar mortis
T: Hahaha
T: ayaw ko ng rigor
T: muscles naman o
R: Funny kaya yun
T: I'd rather pick a "victor". Laging panalo.
T: How can you lose?

duty free

I noticed that whenever you hang out with a new group regardless of age, race, gender or waistline, at one point the long distance relationship (LDR) topic would leer into the conversation.

Saturday was no different. The minute someone brought it up, I secretly ticked the phantom checkbox. Done.

This entry wouldn't be about LDRs.

I've written (and talked) too much about it, so unless there is someone who would like to talk about it, I don't think I am up to do a spill.

I would like to write however, about Girlfriend Duties.

(No idea why I went full monty with whole yada about LDRs.)

There should be parameters set here.

In short hand. Not engaged. Not living together.

Not living with parents.

No agenda or special dependency. (Think "together for the right reasons").

And no funny shi*t. By funny sh*t I mean, no wife, no husband, no third party. A straightforward, uncomplicated--in paper relationship.

Hmmmmm.

All of a sudden, this has become a daunting task. I am not willing to dive into such topic tonight. I would pick this up some other time.

(Mahabang entry, but it turns out, WALANG POINT.)

(something catastrophic) something blue

I finally wore a top I had been wanting to wear for a long time (it beats me why I haven't).

It is our first day in our new office location. It is Monday. It is the perfect day for the top.

Maybe not exactly perfect.

I decided however, to forget that although it is very thin and one-third lace, it is after all, long sleeved, high collared.

I got to the office at nine, there was no one there except one colleague. I told him I haven't had breakfast and I was going out to get some. He said he'd go with me.

Where to go?

Ahhh. This is a tough one.

We ended up walking quite a bit--under the sun.

Breakfast was uneventful, but good. I love clam chowder.

The walk from the office was bad enough. The walk back was disastrous.

By the time we got back to the office I was ready to faint. Joyce said I looked really hot. I don't think she meant it in a good way.

I sat down and hurriedly let loose a few buttons down the back of my top. Any more delay and I could have totally blacked out. I couldn't breathe. I also felt like vomiting. The next few minutes were spent reclined, fanning and occasionally sipping water.

I am now feeling a bit better, but still not 100%.

If only I didn't have a meeting this afternoon, I would have gone home.

So much for my much anticipated top debut where I passed up on smokes, coffee, lunch and even after office drinks.