witsandnuts

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  • Category: Musings

    • Picking up through this cold November air

      Posted at 9:27 pm by witsandnuts, on November 6, 2011

      At a glance: September to October 2011

      August 23, September 23… two of my preceding posts were logged coincidentally on a 23rd. I never thought that I can be absent from blogosphere that long. Anyway, I’m sort of affirming, as the title of this post says, “to pick things up” including the bloghopping part soon. I realized that my attempts the past months were not enough. While things are overwhelming at work and off work, it’s in a nice way and I’m doing really well. I just sometimes wish that we can freeze a moment and/or have more than 24 hours in a day. I’m probably one of the happiest people with this long break brought by Eid celebrations because I finally had the chance to catch up on sleep and savour few hours of lazy days (*points to the specific lyrics of Bruno Mars’ song*).

      I have a handful of pending posts, i.e. not even in draft form, the memories are just all written in my head and heart. I don’t know if I should deal with those on a first in, first out (FIFO) or last in, first out (LIFO) basis. Randomness is good at certain times!

      1. My closest aunt stayed with us during her almost 2-month visit to UAE. We shed a gallon of tears that day we brought her to the airport.  We got to re-visit and visit new places in the UAE as we showed her around. Having her with us was an enriching experience for so many reasons. It took us some time to be back to normalcy since every bit of things reminded of her. My mother is probably visiting us next year so we must get used to bittersweet farewells.
      2. Tasted a camelcinno (that’s cappuccino with camel milk) for the first time!
      3. Another first – wore sheila and abaya (UAE’s national dress for women) when we visited Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
      4. Screamed at Ferarri World.
      5. Had my second godchild (yehey to ninanghood!) in the UAE
      6. Started setting up our Christmas tree (the bokeh below).
      7. Got our buy 1, take 1 (many thanks to a friend!) F1 tickets. After-race performers from November 11 to 13 will be Britney Spears, Incubus, The Cult, and Sir Paul McCartney. It’s been a year since the Kanye West, Linkin Park and Prince high.
      8. Winello, our kittycat, has reached his manhood’s “maturity” and was neutered (i.e. testes removed) last month. After the surgery, he was required to wear a cone for several days to prevent him from licking and scratching the wounds. We got a note from the vet that  literally reads as “he’s a good boy (*insert smiley*)” during the operation. We’d like to think that our cat is too gentleman for a nagbibinata (sexually matured) because he didn’t bother us with all those known mischievousness of a maturing cat. However, we noticed that he became a little moody (probably would like to court an equally ‘mature’ ladycat). He is back to his normal angelic self.

      Our kittycat's soon-to-be first Christmas

      Just a little sad though I can’t sing “I’ll Be Home For Christmas This Year” concept-wise due to work commitments. I have so far gotten over this fact; I can only be grateful that I had several Christmasses at the Christmas island the past years and even had whirlwind trips back home twice a year for certain occasions. While Christmas is best spent in the Philippines, but it (and any occasion) is nevertheless, also best spent with people we love most wherever we are. Ahem, I have just had an early drama. Forgive me, heehee.

      Thanks to everyone who continuously knocked and left messages and comments while the blogger in me was away. I did miss everyone and I earnestly hope to catch up soon!

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      Posted in Musings, UAE, Winello the cat | 0 Comments
    • Marina Bay Sands Hotel

      Posted at 11:47 am by witsandnuts, on September 23, 2011

      Marina Bay Sands Hotel

      Marhaba (that’s “hello” in Arabic) to everyone! I can’t believe my month-long absence from this space. Thanks for the continuous visits and I gathered that most of you thought that I’m still in the Philippines for a vacation. I’m back in Abu Dhabi 3 weeks ago, yet I’ve been (and still) swamped with work. My responsibilities are getting crazy and amazing at the same time, but I’m not complaining! When time gets tough(er), I always refer to that scenario when a man complained about his feet sores until he saw a man who’s handicapped. And of course, it’s best to think of the better days. Anyway, here’s to catch up with the things that happened not so long ago. Before I share the Philippine-related entries (i.e. highlights of my recent break), this one’s to reminisce the less than 24 hours we had in Singapore enroute to Abu Dhabi.

      Continue reading →

      Posted in Musings, Singapore, Travel | 0 Comments | Tagged Canon S95, Marina Bay Sands Hotel
    • A wedding and a lot of fun

      Posted at 3:33 pm by witsandnuts, on August 23, 2011

      Flower girls in a wedding in Hinatuan

      I’m currently home for a short vacation and it’s amazing how much we did the past few days. That goes to say how much we were going around. From Laguna to Davao (it’s good to be back after my 2003-2004 visits) to Surigao to Butuan to Manila-Laguna. We attended a wedding of a very good friend held in South of the Philippines and it follows that we did a little sidetrip to nearby places. All in all it was a mixture of urban and rural experiences. That made me realize how important it is to be genuinely flexible. We had a lot of fun, especially that we had new discoveries about the hidden beauty of the Philippines… our country is full of surprises.

      While I’m still sorting photos, I’m afraid that I won’t have enough time to blog (soon) once I’m back to Abu Dhabi. Hence, here’s a peek to the fun-filled past days that zoomed like a blast:

      Pearl Farm Resort

      Continue reading →

      Posted in Friends, Musings, Philippines, Travel | 0 Comments | Tagged Canon S95, Davao, Friends, Fujifilm FinePix X100, Hinatuan, Musings, Pearl Farm Resort, Philippines, Surigao del Sur, Travel, Wedding
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    • About witsandnuts

      Snapchat-5703935704258315256 Marhaba! That's "hello" in Arabic. I am an expatriate based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). I started writing about my adventures and misadventures few months before arriving here at winter of 2008. I have 2 cats and a dog who live harmoniously together. I am also surrounded by kindhearted, crazy, funny and indescribable humans! I was a dormant blogger for almost 3 years because of countless reasonable justifications like watching football, postgraduate studies, sleeping, traveling, caring for the world, and more! :) I am just so happy that I am back! It is never too late to catch up with the people and things we really care about. Feel free to look around.
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    • Recent Posts

      • 2017 Reflections and being back to basics in 2018
      • Obtaining a license for your dog in the UAE
      • 2017 Spring break in the US
      • Citywalk, Dubai
      • Not in This Lifetime Tour: Guns N’ Roses in Dubai
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  • Recent Posts

    • 2017 Reflections and being back to basics in 2018
    • Obtaining a license for your dog in the UAE
    • 2017 Spring break in the US
    • Citywalk, Dubai
    • Not in This Lifetime Tour: Guns N’ Roses in Dubai
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    Abu Dhabi Architecture Blogosphere christmas Concerts Desert Safari Dubai Emirates Palace Ferrari World Films Food Friends Life Malaysia Music New Year Philippines Photography Ramadan Singapore Travel UAE UAE National Day Wales Winello

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