I say "Pool," you say, "Party!" "Pool!" "Party!" "Pool!" "Party!"
This is CC. Officially at your service. And in keeping in the vein of the assignment, here are the basics:
Today, I am 26 years and 10 1/2 months old.
I was brought, by my parents, to The Home of the Brave when I was 2 1/2, from The Home of (my favorite!) Sinigang. (And for those of you that know, I mean Sinigang, not Sin-i-Gang.)
I work as a creative in the Advertising world. I say "creative" because although my business card says "copywriter," I've found myself doing anything from designing windows at Macy's Herald Square to art directing a Rolling Stone spread about MP3 players to, which happens more often than the likes of the previous two, writing email blasts about why you should purchase your next vehicle from the New York Long Island Honda Dealers.
If I don't do yoga, I am 20 times more likely to grab at your throat.
And when I was a kid, I used to spend upwards of 5 hours at a time in a pool.
Oh, and don't anyone dare say anything bad about Michael Jackson in my vicinity.
- Til' next time, my little swimmers.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sarah Marie Margarita Carina Go Meier
My name is Sarah Marie Margarita Carina Go Meier - although the Margarita and Carina names only came into effect when I was 7 years old - at which time my Mother realized how Jewish "Sarah Meier" sounded.
[Just to clarify, I am not Jewish.]
I was born and raised in Hong Kong during British rule, with a Filipina-Chinese maternal heritage, and a Swiss-Yugoslav paternal one. I have lived the second half of my life in the Philippines, and consider New York my second home. This makes the question, "Where are you from?" a dilemma to answer when you're really just making small talk, and prior to the query, were already thinking of ways to politely excuse yourself from the going-nowhere conversation.
When I was a child, I traveled to a different country every summer. On two of these trips, I spent majority of the vacation topless, and have since buried the photo albums somewhere in embarrassment:
Pattaya, Thailand - I wore no clothes, because none of the other children did, and neither did our pet monkey. I half-wished his name was Spank, just so I'd have a story to tell, but in actuality, his name was Hong Kong. Our favorite pastime was running around asking each other, "Where is Hong Kong?" and tirelessly replying, with a shriek, "Near China!!!".
Switzerland - I wore no top because none of the other women did.
[On second thought, maybe I should unearth those photo albums.]
I married a stellar chap named Banjo three years ago, and again this past March. We have an incredible daughter named Kaya, whose name, amongst other things, is a synonym for weed in Jamaican.
[Just to clarify, I do not smoke pot.]
At our latter wedding, we failed to realize what a cataclysmic event it would be to introduce some of the most "interesting" people from our lives (who, on the contrary, DO smoke pot), to each other . We likewise failed to realize that fish balls were more fun to throw than eat, that bridesmaids were such a hot commodity, and that everybody loved to swim so much. What we did realize, was that if yous gots a good thing going, don't stop - 'til you get enough.
On that note, the saga continues.
Pool Party in 20 minutes, motherf#$%^&s.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thanks for a Golden Good Time...
Thanks for all the birthday wishes and for all of you who came out to help me celebrate. Here's a couple of pics for a re-cap. We're waiting on the official party pics from CC...
Friday, June 26, 2009
Wandering Star
Name: Erica Noelle M. Paredes
Nickname/s: Aycs, E, Lushie, Drunkie
Age: Anywhere from 15-40 depending on situation, although legally, my birth certificate says I am 30.
Occupation: Technically, "Beauty Editor", but I prefer "Gypsy".
I was your typical wild child growing up-partying too hard too often (Oh wait...that's still me now.) until I got pregnant at 24, and had my beautiful baby girl at 25. She literally saved my life I believe, and everyday I learn more and more from her. I like to travel, eat good food, drink good wine, have great conversations, experience new things, get lost in a country/city I've never been in, get tattoos, write about both profound and inane things and randomly do cartwheels and handstands. I eat and breathe hip hop and old school slow jams. My clothes are all vintage, and so is my soul.
I love my friends like family, and I love my family as much as frozen yogurt, and that says a lot, ask anyone.
I am required to confess any criminal records, so I will come clean and admit that I have been caught vandalizing property with cans of spray paint, back in my early teens when I thought I was cool. Now I know I am, so I don't need to do that anymore.I was also constantly grounded growing up for "underachieving" (aka bad grades) and answering back at teachers and/or walking out of class. Oh, and once I was caught for something that had to do with a parked car and a boyfriend but lets leave it at that.
Hopefully you don't judge me for my honesty :)
Fun Fact: When my sister was born I wanted to name her Chuck Mangione.
Me at 4 years old with my dad and "Chuck"
now :) (Still in Quito, Ecuador at present)
Peace and Love,
E
Nickname/s: Aycs, E, Lushie, Drunkie
Age: Anywhere from 15-40 depending on situation, although legally, my birth certificate says I am 30.
Occupation: Technically, "Beauty Editor", but I prefer "Gypsy".
I was your typical wild child growing up-partying too hard too often (Oh wait...that's still me now.) until I got pregnant at 24, and had my beautiful baby girl at 25. She literally saved my life I believe, and everyday I learn more and more from her. I like to travel, eat good food, drink good wine, have great conversations, experience new things, get lost in a country/city I've never been in, get tattoos, write about both profound and inane things and randomly do cartwheels and handstands. I eat and breathe hip hop and old school slow jams. My clothes are all vintage, and so is my soul.
I love my friends like family, and I love my family as much as frozen yogurt, and that says a lot, ask anyone.
I am required to confess any criminal records, so I will come clean and admit that I have been caught vandalizing property with cans of spray paint, back in my early teens when I thought I was cool. Now I know I am, so I don't need to do that anymore.I was also constantly grounded growing up for "underachieving" (aka bad grades) and answering back at teachers and/or walking out of class. Oh, and once I was caught for something that had to do with a parked car and a boyfriend but lets leave it at that.
Hopefully you don't judge me for my honesty :)
Fun Fact: When my sister was born I wanted to name her Chuck Mangione.
Me at 4 years old with my dad and "Chuck"
now :) (Still in Quito, Ecuador at present)
Peace and Love,
E
The Poetic One...
Santiago Rodriguez Garcia IV reporting for duty. I'll pretty much make you smile, guaranteed. I come from many places but much rather be here with you. I believe what really matters is what you like, not what you are like... Books, records, films - these things matter. Call me shallow but it's the fuckin' truth!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Roll Call!
So, since there are about 400 of us in on this little collabo, I suggest that we take turn being "Editor" on a weekly basis. That way, each week, there is one person in charge that gives everyone else a theme, a question, an assignment, or a direction - which gives us all liberty to post our posts, but with some sort of unifying undercurrent.
And since it was my idea, I'm going to go first.
EDITORIAL ASSIGNMENT #1 (For the week of June 26 - July 3):
Introduce yourselves, individually. Make sure to get the basics across, plus a nice little backgrounder, and at least one fun fact about yourself. A childhood picture is also required.
[Coming clean now about any potential criminal records is highly recommended, because I personally like to know EXACTLY who I'm going swimming with. And Banj - your arrest for hopping the turnstile in the Subway counts.]
Deadline: July 3, 2009
Punishment for late submission to be determined by suggestion/majority vote at the time of offense.
And since it was my idea, I'm going to go first.
EDITORIAL ASSIGNMENT #1 (For the week of June 26 - July 3):
Introduce yourselves, individually. Make sure to get the basics across, plus a nice little backgrounder, and at least one fun fact about yourself. A childhood picture is also required.
[Coming clean now about any potential criminal records is highly recommended, because I personally like to know EXACTLY who I'm going swimming with. And Banj - your arrest for hopping the turnstile in the Subway counts.]
Deadline: July 3, 2009
Punishment for late submission to be determined by suggestion/majority vote at the time of offense.
The Pool Party is Officialy Open!!!
With much procrastination and much more verbal bullying (...you know who you are), I'm proud to officially open Pool Party, 20 Minutes! The One Blog for The Many.
I don't think we've really come to a consensus on the direction of this blog. I say we just run with it and where ever it takes us, is where it takes us. Someone wise once told me, "it's not the destination, but the journey." Actually I think it was 'Playful' who said it. I don't know, I think we were intoxicated at the time.
So contributors...contribute and visitors...enjoy.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
I heart the Galapagos Islands
Look what I found! I wanted to cry. It was so so so awesome.
A baby sea lion, no more than two months old, abandoned by his mom. I wanted to take him home with me!!!
The only other time I saw killer whales was at Sea World
Sea lion pups are fun to play with but the big ones are a bit scary so I kept my distance.
Back in Quito now, but my heart is still in the Galapagos
A baby sea lion, no more than two months old, abandoned by his mom. I wanted to take him home with me!!!
The only other time I saw killer whales was at Sea World
Sea lion pups are fun to play with but the big ones are a bit scary so I kept my distance.
Back in Quito now, but my heart is still in the Galapagos
Ummm
I really don't have anything to post right now. I'm just playing around with this to see how it works. Is that okay?
Ohh, wait. Is this like a travel blog or a place where Banj can post old-school videos. I thought that was what his multiply page was for...
Oink, oink...
Ohh, wait. Is this like a travel blog or a place where Banj can post old-school videos. I thought that was what his multiply page was for...
Oink, oink...
Friday, June 19, 2009
Galapagos update
I wish i had faster internet and my laptop but i don´t. I never thought I would find myself in the Galapagos, hangin ´out with crazy animals I didn´t think I´d ever see face to face.
Played with sealions in the deep waters the other day and swam with giant turtles yesterday. Pictures to follow. I just wanted to say that I feel so freakin´blessed. God made us a pretty damn awesome planet. Peace!
Played with sealions in the deep waters the other day and swam with giant turtles yesterday. Pictures to follow. I just wanted to say that I feel so freakin´blessed. God made us a pretty damn awesome planet. Peace!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
A Good Day to Board!
Good Morning Everyone!
I woke up today feeling completely ineffable. It's as if all of the mental congestion disappeared and all of the clouds that hovered over my sanity had made way for me to breathe. I had breakfast, hills above the rest as the sun shun and kissed me on the cheeks. It was warm and I felt alive. The large patio was empty; it was just me, and my trustworthy optimism that managed to re-appear today. The sky was clear and a bright aqua blue and the air was still. This is the moment I'd been waiting for; this is the moment that I knew would come as it always does.
It's funny that way that sometimes, things happen so fast, that you might take a second to look at the little details, and all of a sudden, your peace is disrupted and you become engulfed in a madness that only you can resolve; small things look huge, and tasks, infinite. But then, you wake up one morning and it's as if everything sorted itself out and everything filed themselves into the places that they belong, chronologically, then alphabetically, then colour-coded themselves in order of importance. And yet, all you did, was laid back and let everything go. Nothing has changed. The world is still revolving as it was yesterday, but today, I am not being driven up the wall in the name of this glorified chaos; instead, I return to thrive on it. The excitement is palpable.
Another day in paradise to end at its airport. I am heading back to the city. This flight is notorious for being a difficult one to get on, but something whispered to me, telling me that today was my day. Perhaps it was the pink fringing on my scarf and the interwoven gold tinsel that glimmered in the fluorescent light that paved my luck through the airport; but my guess is that, my rejoining into the world in the way that it works today, had more to do with it.
They let me skip the line and handed me a boarding pass almost seamlessly - something I wish would happen more frequently in my world (but not to worry, I'm working on it!), and now I am typing this blog entry out as I sip on my Earl Gray and savour my butterscotch cookie. All is well! Like they say, God works in mysterious ways, but I'm glad that I've got him weaving the thread that is my life into his celestial quilt.
I woke up today feeling completely ineffable. It's as if all of the mental congestion disappeared and all of the clouds that hovered over my sanity had made way for me to breathe. I had breakfast, hills above the rest as the sun shun and kissed me on the cheeks. It was warm and I felt alive. The large patio was empty; it was just me, and my trustworthy optimism that managed to re-appear today. The sky was clear and a bright aqua blue and the air was still. This is the moment I'd been waiting for; this is the moment that I knew would come as it always does.
It's funny that way that sometimes, things happen so fast, that you might take a second to look at the little details, and all of a sudden, your peace is disrupted and you become engulfed in a madness that only you can resolve; small things look huge, and tasks, infinite. But then, you wake up one morning and it's as if everything sorted itself out and everything filed themselves into the places that they belong, chronologically, then alphabetically, then colour-coded themselves in order of importance. And yet, all you did, was laid back and let everything go. Nothing has changed. The world is still revolving as it was yesterday, but today, I am not being driven up the wall in the name of this glorified chaos; instead, I return to thrive on it. The excitement is palpable.
Another day in paradise to end at its airport. I am heading back to the city. This flight is notorious for being a difficult one to get on, but something whispered to me, telling me that today was my day. Perhaps it was the pink fringing on my scarf and the interwoven gold tinsel that glimmered in the fluorescent light that paved my luck through the airport; but my guess is that, my rejoining into the world in the way that it works today, had more to do with it.
They let me skip the line and handed me a boarding pass almost seamlessly - something I wish would happen more frequently in my world (but not to worry, I'm working on it!), and now I am typing this blog entry out as I sip on my Earl Gray and savour my butterscotch cookie. All is well! Like they say, God works in mysterious ways, but I'm glad that I've got him weaving the thread that is my life into his celestial quilt.
Monday, June 15, 2009
A Silent Break
Dear everyone,
I'm feeling a new sense of inspiration today, maybe because i'm sitting 18-stories high, over-looking a vastness of different shades of green and tiny, tiny buildings in a far, far away distance.
I am in the Lebanon for some R&R. Sorry, I hadn't been in a rush to tell anyone, but a little bit of time-out is in due for this potty-mouthed little lady. And perhaps the potty mouth has come into full-swing more so because the combination of fatigue and multi-tasking breaks my balls so hard as if I actually have them, and makes cuss words more like adjectives to me that emphasize what I really want to say, like, "how do you pack your life up in two-hour fucking increments, in between working and jetlag?", or "how can I stay in touch when there is no fucking telephone line or internet in my new, beautifully laid-out apartment which is in the middle of motherfucking nowhere". That's right, my company paid-accommodation is being moved, and therefore, I am being moved. The awesome thing about this is that I will now have a dishwasher; the chaffing thing about this is that we are being given 2-days notice (or less) before we can actually move. All family and friends should be prepared to not hear from us pawn folk for a while because it seems that this area is pretty much secluded and disconnected from other life forces. That is unless, you are lucky enough to flag down a lost taxi driver, who would be better off taking your ass as a passenger than to further go astray, or, if you step outside of the building - meters away from said building, and find yourself one lucky, fluctuating bar of reception on your mobile phone. All this until...approximately August 14th, when they aim for the communication tower to be erected and functional. Ah, who am I to complain anyway. The company pays for our accommodation, and hey, like I said, I get a new dishwasher. This would be a lot more spectacular if I didn't find washing dishes therapeutic and if I didn't think that rinsing dishes before putting them into the dishwasher negates the point of having a dishwasher to begin with. Sorry. I've just been a little stressed as of late. Woosah. Positivity-in. Inhale. Negativity-out. Exhale...
Positivity-in. Inhale. Sitting in the cafe of this semi-boutique hotel makes me feel a lot more settled . I had a moment the other night and mulled over about what life is going to be like after flight attending. I felt in dire need of coming up with plan for Phase 3 of life. Phase 1 is aptly titled The Sabbatical wherein I moved to the Philippines and spent nine months of my life figuring out what I wanted to do with it. Phase 2 is this - living in Dubai, while traveling the world as a flight attendant, and Phase 3 ...Phase 3 is the part when I quit flight attending, after 2-and-a-bit-years of living in Dubai and settle back in the land that makes me happiest in happy's most virginal form, Australia. After my epiphany, I decided that Phase 3 is when I've established my humble empire back home, which will allow me to trade between continents and make a good living out of it.
Down time: Sometimes, a girl needs to do something counter-productive like this in order to be a hundred times more productive in the near future. i.e. instead of packing my house up, I have decided to fly out to gather my thoughts, charge my batteries and plan out my future, so that when I return to Dubai, my morale is back up and my mind has resumed the pace of my life.
The cutlery clinks and clashes against each other as the lady bustles to re-set the dining tables in the background. I look up, and the man in the olive green button-down puts some elbow grease into brushing what seems to be the sink, spotless. South American music, the last thing I expected to be wending in the air of this Middle-Eastern paradise. I listen and am even more pleasantly surprised to discover that it is the original version of Garota de Ipanema, the same one I played months ago when Kym and I recklessly dissipated that South African bottle of Merlot, while I, having donned my "stolen" Noodle House apron, simmered my experimental curry in my kitchen, in my apartment on Sheikh Zayed Road. I love this song. It always makes me feel more coquettish and disarming than my unkempt bun and bantam gym shorts. And today, it's doing the trick as it always does.
This kid's ready to kick back and shift straight into neutral.
Love,
Kristine
I'm feeling a new sense of inspiration today, maybe because i'm sitting 18-stories high, over-looking a vastness of different shades of green and tiny, tiny buildings in a far, far away distance.
I am in the Lebanon for some R&R. Sorry, I hadn't been in a rush to tell anyone, but a little bit of time-out is in due for this potty-mouthed little lady. And perhaps the potty mouth has come into full-swing more so because the combination of fatigue and multi-tasking breaks my balls so hard as if I actually have them, and makes cuss words more like adjectives to me that emphasize what I really want to say, like, "how do you pack your life up in two-hour fucking increments, in between working and jetlag?", or "how can I stay in touch when there is no fucking telephone line or internet in my new, beautifully laid-out apartment which is in the middle of motherfucking nowhere". That's right, my company paid-accommodation is being moved, and therefore, I am being moved. The awesome thing about this is that I will now have a dishwasher; the chaffing thing about this is that we are being given 2-days notice (or less) before we can actually move. All family and friends should be prepared to not hear from us pawn folk for a while because it seems that this area is pretty much secluded and disconnected from other life forces. That is unless, you are lucky enough to flag down a lost taxi driver, who would be better off taking your ass as a passenger than to further go astray, or, if you step outside of the building - meters away from said building, and find yourself one lucky, fluctuating bar of reception on your mobile phone. All this until...approximately August 14th, when they aim for the communication tower to be erected and functional. Ah, who am I to complain anyway. The company pays for our accommodation, and hey, like I said, I get a new dishwasher. This would be a lot more spectacular if I didn't find washing dishes therapeutic and if I didn't think that rinsing dishes before putting them into the dishwasher negates the point of having a dishwasher to begin with. Sorry. I've just been a little stressed as of late. Woosah. Positivity-in. Inhale. Negativity-out. Exhale...
Positivity-in. Inhale. Sitting in the cafe of this semi-boutique hotel makes me feel a lot more settled . I had a moment the other night and mulled over about what life is going to be like after flight attending. I felt in dire need of coming up with plan for Phase 3 of life. Phase 1 is aptly titled The Sabbatical wherein I moved to the Philippines and spent nine months of my life figuring out what I wanted to do with it. Phase 2 is this - living in Dubai, while traveling the world as a flight attendant, and Phase 3 ...Phase 3 is the part when I quit flight attending, after 2-and-a-bit-years of living in Dubai and settle back in the land that makes me happiest in happy's most virginal form, Australia. After my epiphany, I decided that Phase 3 is when I've established my humble empire back home, which will allow me to trade between continents and make a good living out of it.
Down time: Sometimes, a girl needs to do something counter-productive like this in order to be a hundred times more productive in the near future. i.e. instead of packing my house up, I have decided to fly out to gather my thoughts, charge my batteries and plan out my future, so that when I return to Dubai, my morale is back up and my mind has resumed the pace of my life.
The cutlery clinks and clashes against each other as the lady bustles to re-set the dining tables in the background. I look up, and the man in the olive green button-down puts some elbow grease into brushing what seems to be the sink, spotless. South American music, the last thing I expected to be wending in the air of this Middle-Eastern paradise. I listen and am even more pleasantly surprised to discover that it is the original version of Garota de Ipanema, the same one I played months ago when Kym and I recklessly dissipated that South African bottle of Merlot, while I, having donned my "stolen" Noodle House apron, simmered my experimental curry in my kitchen, in my apartment on Sheikh Zayed Road. I love this song. It always makes me feel more coquettish and disarming than my unkempt bun and bantam gym shorts. And today, it's doing the trick as it always does.
This kid's ready to kick back and shift straight into neutral.
Love,
Kristine
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Hola!
I'm in Ecuador now. It's cold and rainy, so I'm staying in and doing all the work I didn't get to do (read: didn't feel like doing) before I left Manila. I would write a longer blog entry but I need inspiration (aka A NICE TEMPLATE) so who ever is responsible (*coughcoughshantiahem*) Please help us be inspired to write. Muchas Gracias Senor!
Found time to party in LA before leaving for Quito
If you are an Isabel Allende fan and have read The house of the spirits, you would so love the hotel I'm staying at. It's exactly how I would imagine the big house on the corner to be, mixed with Frida Kahlo-esque paintings. It's not fancy schmancy, but I like it because I really feel like I'm in South America.
This is probably the longest travel time I've ever had. All in all, including lay overs and everything, it took over 40 hours to get here, but I'm sure it'll all be worth it.
My first thought when I was on the way to the hotel: Hmmm, it's like Manila, but in Spanish lol
abrazos y besos,
E
Found time to party in LA before leaving for Quito
If you are an Isabel Allende fan and have read The house of the spirits, you would so love the hotel I'm staying at. It's exactly how I would imagine the big house on the corner to be, mixed with Frida Kahlo-esque paintings. It's not fancy schmancy, but I like it because I really feel like I'm in South America.
This is probably the longest travel time I've ever had. All in all, including lay overs and everything, it took over 40 hours to get here, but I'm sure it'll all be worth it.
My first thought when I was on the way to the hotel: Hmmm, it's like Manila, but in Spanish lol
abrazos y besos,
E
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
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