Long Happy List

1. A trip to National Bookstore on a rainy weekend, to buy stuff for the Rotary's projects . National Bookstore is one of the few remaining stores where your P100 still goes a long way. And it has branches  near home so we don’t even have to go in a mall. I hate going to malls on weekends and would rather spend the time with my books somewhere more creative.

2. If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson. Heartbreaking in the way only teen romance novels can be. (Yes, I still read this genre. I gobble them up in one sitting.)

3. Lift by Kelly Corrigan. It’s a long letter from a mommy to her little girls, so they’ll remember how their childhood was when they’re all grown up. Poignant and funny in the way only motherhood can be. So good I finished it in one sleepless night.

4. Luminarc glasses from Gourdo’s, in the blue shade I JUST LOVE. I used to have this Breakfast at Tiffany’s kind of thing with all things homeware

5. Krispy Kremes from MIB, that everyone but him munches on while we meet and discuss work updates. On hindsight, it was kind of embarrassing that I finished both the Snickers and Oreos donuts in the span of the meeting, in front of the boss who just sipped his tea as usual. Groan.

6. Sharing private jokes with MIB, as well as emails that are clearly not meant to be seen by anyone else in the office, and adjectives that  kids will easily censor as Bad Words. I was also close to my other favorite bosses, but they were more like mentors to me, whereas MIB is more like a friend. Imagine my surprise and joy. Haha. I guess it’s the fact that we’re the in same age bracket. Or maybe he’s just really a cool person. I love MIB. Have I already said that? I love MIB.

7. Another dear friend moving on from MWC. It’s a good company, no doubt, but I’m happy when my friends find something better and with the potential to make them happier. I was also touched that he sought my advice before he came up with The Decision. He’d call and we talked for hours. Owww. I love this guy. (The same thing happened with Lala altho our communication was by email and three-way with Babette. Thom is mad at me that I know about these major, major resignations months before he does and he’s the one in MWC. Haha.)

8. The famous sylvanas from Dumaguete from Karen. Not too sweet, just the right level of soft and crunchy, and over-all so yummy. Better than my favorites from Beard Papa.

9. Butterscotch and barquillos from Iloilo from Anji. I’ve never had staff who were so well-travelled, I’m telling you.

10. Quiet dinner, air time on work dramas, and a lot of hand-holding with "insert secret****  at Tokyo Cafe. All the stresses and sadness of life are manageable bcoz he' is with me everyday.

11. Emailing Mumi about every little thing, from Bambi biting Asians to seafood chowder to finding the perfect pair of polka dot tights from Kids of Bayo, to go with my Hello Kitty tutu. (I told you I get a lot of goodies from the kids’ section.)

12. Amy Winehouse CD from Chestnuts. She was a real talent gone too soon. He also brings me and the boys revel bar, butterscotch, andchicharon from his office tiangge. (I miss the MWC tiangge all of a sudden.)

13. Pro bono and not to mention topnotch legal advice from Jon even if he is all tied up and all the way in KL, about this legal query that I’m working on for a friend. Jon has been ever reliable like this since law school. (I’m not going to say since college bcoz he hardly showed up in class then. We called him The Absentee Heartthrob behind his back. Haha.)

14. Lunch with Karen at Kanin Club after a board meeting. I’ve already gotten a lot of positive feedback about her from the bosses this early in the relationship. To think I thought twice before hiring her bcoz she was from Poveda and I was worried she would be too rich for us. (Haha. Me and my prejudices.) She’s smart, quiet, and conscientious, and I’ve found we also have a lot of things in common – 

15. A visit from Thom to catch up over dinner. He brought me Moon Leaf milk tea (my new obsession courtesy of him) in yet another yummy flavor – wintermelon. I’ve already tried his other recommendations like hakka and tiramisu but I still prefer the caramel bcoz it’s the sweetest. Haha. He brought me and Clara cashews, too. Where would Clara and I get our regular cashew supply when Tito Thom moves to the US? (Don’t go, Enteng ...)

16. Dinner with Ches at Eat and Go. It’s one of the new places in the Atrium. I wanted to try it bcoz their specialty was some English thing called salmon pie. It was no great shakes, tho. I ordered the parmesan-crusted salmon with pasta and veggies, while Ches had one of the pies. I guess I was turned off bcoz the owner furtively scolded his staff when he thought no one was looking. (Hello, Mr. Hotshot Chinese Owner! Even if your food was heavenly and cheap – which it was neither – but you were mean to your employees, I so would not go back to your resto.)

17. That it’s already the middle of October and I’m still filling up these Happy Lists week after week. Sometimes I’d get to Thursday already and would have only like three things listed in my Moleskine, but then one happy thing after another happens, and I end up with a long, long list, anyway. God is truly so generous and good