Me & Mr (Kelly) Jones

Fort Canning, Singapore--It felt almost ILLEGAL to walk out of the office in jeans and a shirt but as I raced to the City Hall MRT to meet my mate Nat with Dakota blasting on my ipod, I knew it was going to be an amazing night. The boys definitely know how to put on a good show--they played a mix of old songs (traffic, hurry up and wait, i'm just looking, local boy in the photograph, the bartender and the thief, and of course dakota as encore) and tracks off their new album (bank holiday monday, pass the buck, it means nothing). I didn't know all the words to the songs (unlike Nat who reckons she was 16 when she started listening to a thousand trees) but every inch of me was feeling it. And when Kelly came on stage solo to do maybe tomorrow (used in the movie Crash), it was pure bliss. Everyone needs to go wild once in a while, to let loose, jump and wave your fists in the air. Hell, everyone should take off their shirts and rock in their bras. And this is Singapore, mind you. God bless the Welsh!

Dengue fever alert

Online, World Wide Web -- Justine has an update on Brasil: there’s a huge dengue outbreak in Rio de Janeiro. It’s a worrying turn of events as we’ll be South Am-bound in 4 weeks. On YM conference, Dr. Deets explains to us non-doctors (Reese, Jan & Hasten/Justine) how to prepare for dengue before and when we’re there. Here’s the edited version of our little medical convo (suffice to say that we digress a lot, hence the need for some snipping):

Hasten: How long do these things last?

Deets: Uhmmm…years?

Hasten: 96 dead, 96 more suspected deaths. Crap.

Hasten: Bloody hell! Years?

Deets: Well, depends on their climate. The mosquitoes usually come out after the rainy season.

Jan: Now I’m really scared. Are there anti-dengue shots?

Hasten: I need to get yellow fever shots or else the Sing government won’t let me back in

Reese: That could turn out for the best.

Hasten: Reese is also setting up typhoid and hepatitis shots for me…Jan if you haven’t had these, let’s go together when I go home on the 17^th.

Reese: Jan if Dr. Kitts is away can we ask Manay to do it?

Jan: I hear the hepa shots should’ve been taken months ago

Hasten: Better late than never?

Jan: Ok I’ll schedule it with my sister.

Hasten: Jan ask Manay if we can do yellow fever, typhoid, and hepa all together and how much please.

Reese: Deets how about malaria shots?

Hasten: The thought is making me queasy.

Jan: Surely teets! There’s anti-flu as well in case you’re interested

Reese: My dad got anti-cholera. Syrup lang.

Deets: For malaria you just drink the anti-malarial drug. For hepa you get a vaccine if your titers are low. There’s no anti-dengue.

Hasten: Titers??

Jan: I’m really scared about dengue. Seriously! Mosquitoes tend to gravitate towards me.

Hasten: I don’t think I want to go to Brasil if the outbreak is serious pa in June. S***t but our tickets are non-refundable. And so are my NY tix! So dengue, please go away!

Deets: Just put a lot of mosquito repellent.

Hasten: Seriously? With an outbreak that has killed 200 people?

Deets: We had more deaths than that during the outbreak in the Philippines, but it didn’t affect you, right? They don’t give you the demographics of those who died. They’re probably those with no access to medical care.

Jan: Ah ok. That’s comforting! Thanks, Deets. What precautions should we take besides Off Lotion?

Deets: Wear protection – pants, long-sleeved blouses.

Jan: I guess we won’t be getting a tan at Ipanema too often!

Deets: Maybe we can get a travel advisory, like where exactly in Rio are the outbreaks so we can avoid those places.

Hasten: Plus the Sing government is really strict. They may restrict travel to Brasil. And I don’t want to be quarantined when I get back!

*** end of medical talk***

So Dr. Deets, what are titers?

My Baby is Here!

Harbor City, CA -- Here are the first few things that I did after Rico and I were told by my obstetrician that our baby is coming.
1) Shave my legs
2) Exfoliate
3) Plucked my eyebrows
4) Charged the camera
5) Pray
6) Try to stop giggling with excitement
38 weeks, few Tums, 40 -something pounds and tubes of anti-stretch marks later, my Lucas finally arrived.

I had to stay for a few days in the hospital so when the baby was asleep, there was pretty much time for "his pictorials"



If you'll ask me, "Was it all worth the time, pain, the drama and losing a South Am adventure with my fellow pseudobackpackers?" After seeing him all I can say is "Yes, it is." After all, training a little traveller sounds fun. =)

To the Man Who Has Everything...

And by everything, we mean good friends, great artistic pursuits, tons of good music, a mysterious-but-blossoming love life, all the toy cameras in the world and of course, Rock Band!

Happy Birthday, Sparklemind!

Year one of hanging out with you. Here's to more of those!

Live from New Jersey...

It's "Ditas Turns 28!"






With performances from all over, including Nada Surf, DMB, and Justine's favorite singer, Nyoy!

Happy Birthday, Deets! You've come a long way from your no- social security- days!

One round on us when we're all together in June. Have a crazy birthday weekend adventure ;)

* note: your song should be 'blankest year' - oh f**** it, i'm gonna have a party!

* all photos from sparklemind

Hello Baby!

an 11pm text message from Joy says:

"Hi! I gave birth last April 10 to a healthy, goodlooking, 7 lbs. 7 oz. baby boy. His name is Lucas Michael. ;) "


Welcome to Earth, Baby Lucas! Hope to see you and your beautiful mommy soon.

a lo-fi summer

summer days - phoenix

Manila, PH -- why, hello global warming! the long, hot summer on these islands has just begun. make that a long, hot, lo-fi summer. here's a preview of the next lofi issue from lomomanila, complete with soundtrack.

so nice (summer samba) - bebel gilberto

feel flows - beach boys

what i wouldn't give right now to watch bebel gilberto live, on the beach, with a cold one in my hand...

* thanks for the lomos + music, sparklemind