During our team building which was held last May in Pitogo Beach Resort in Piilar, Sorsogon, I found myself in a cabin full of girls from another department. We did have some guys with us but most of the time, they were out and playing some games near the beach.

Anyway, around lunch time, I heard an announcement that it was time to eat already. I told my cabin-mates that it was time to go to the hall and get some lunch. I was ready to go despite still being sweaty from the games that we played that morning. I was surprised to see my girl cabin-mates putting on some makeup and freshening up and spraying some perfume or cologne. I honestly was in shock. I had never experienced something like that. Oh well. To each his own and I am fine with how I am already. Hehe.

Anyhow, this blog post's actually about a post I came across today. So this is just the right way for me to see if I can still be considered a girl or a guy (who's just been living in the body of a female).

My Foundation: What's that?
My Mascara: Another what's that.
My Blush: I blush naturally. There.
My Day Cream: Uh... Does Nestle All-Purpose Cream count?
My Lipstick: Now this I know. I use whatever lipstick's in my 'kikay' kit. And yes, I only use the lightest colors. I use this when I feel like my lips are too dry.
My Beauty Product Brand: I don't use beauty products that much so I can say I don't have a particular brand.
My Essential Beauty Product: Lipstick?
My Favorite Makeup Product: Uh... lipstick again?
My Perfume: I like various scents. So whichever I like for the day, then that's the one I use.
My Nails: I cut my nails when they are too long already. I don't trim them until they're like all attached to the skin already. I leave around a couple of millimeters of 'extra' length.
My Feet: I don't give my attention to my feet that my friends who adore looking at feet have offered to clean mine. Hehe.
My Hands: I am not very particular with my hands. Well, not as much as my feet though. I do rub alcohol over them once in a while when I have touched something that my nose doesn't like. And yeah, I hate touching food which leave a certain odor on my hands.
Three Products to bring on a deserted island: Well, food. And water. And a scrunchie I guess.
Woman I Admire for their Beauty: Uh... Me?
WomanWomen with the Best Sense of Style: Kate Beckinsale.
My Ultimate Dream: To be able to travel to... well, the rest of the world!
My Favorite Fashion Publication: Uh...

So there. Do ya think I'm really a girl?

When I first had my braces, I thought I would not be having trouble eating. But lo and behold, when I tried eating that night I went home, I was absolutely disappointed because a lot of the rice found their way in between the brackets. I could not chew on my food because of the pain. And yes, my teeth have become sensitive. So there. Since then, I've been eating quite a little and I oftentimes do not munch on my food anymore.

I miss being able to eat. And right now, I'm craving for burgers and pizza and chocolates. But I can't. So I've resorted to rice with a lot of soup or other hot meals like goto, lugaw, batchoy, and lomi.

Speaking of food, I went out last night with some friends. We were finding a place to bring another friend of theirs who arrived early this morning. We decided to try Hawak Kamay because we were told that it was a good place to eat. So there we went and one of the things we discovered was that the place had a good location. Maybe a good location if you had your own wheels. But if you were commuting, it is going to be a task because you would have to ride a jeepney and then take a tricycle. If you're going early, you can maybe catch one of the very few jeepneys that pass by the place.

Anyhow, we went around the place looking for a good place to sit. The problem was each was cramped. Unless you took that place inside (which I think had too much light if you're opting for a quiet night) or that table right smack in the entrance. We were told that the kilawin dishes were great so we decided in tanguigue. We also ordered some buko juice and a mango juice.

It took quite a while for our orders to be served though there were only quite a few customers and a lot of waiters. The buko juice came fresh for they were served still as coconuts with the tops chopped off and a straw was just inserted in the hole. We were almost finishing the juice we ordered when the kilawin came. It took quite a long time for the kilawin to be served despite the fact that kilawin does not need to be cooked. Really.

Anyhow, I found the kilawin to be quite okay but my friends who are food lovers find the whole kilawin experience to be not okay. They said that a person who eats much would probably suffer from a stomachache because of the coconut milk (gata) used in it when it should be plain vinegar and some spices only. Oh well.

After the whole dinner, we decided that we bring their friend to Seven Degrees today instead. Later, we'll be going there. We might try going back to Hawak Kamay in a few months but we are not so sure if we will.

The fact remains though that no matter where we eat, I still won't be able to enjoy the food as much as I used to.

Image from RPM

Finally, I have braces. It's been almost a year since I decided that I needed braces. But because of various circumstances, I am now a person with teeth braces.

If you think that having braces is fun, then think again. Putting the brackets on takes quite a while. Your tongue and your lips start to feel like they would crack anytime because they are so dry. You would have to open your mouth for a couple of hours while the dentist attaches the brackets. Now, I feel like I still have not brushed well because I still expect to feel my teeth but of course my tongue would only feel the brackets and the wire.

It's quite expensive to have braces. And yes, it is also quite painful. Well, for me, it is painful because I have a low tolerance for pain. The dentist knows this so he only used the thinnest wire there is so that I would not be feeling that much pain. But still, the pain is there but I guess I can handle this through time. These braces has been on my teeth for a little over 24 hours so they're still pretty new and I'm not much used to them yet.

I got the new kinds of braces though - Damon braces. They don't use elastics which actually cause more friction and more pain. And I don't have to have any teeth pulled which is good. I have no more savings as of now because I spent 'em all on the initial deposit which is quite a hefty sum. But it's okay. At least I would be getting pretty nice teeth in a few years (well, compared to my present set). And I like the braces because they don't have those colorful elastics. I want mine as simple as it comes.

Wish me luck on these braces.

By the way, I think I pretty much look like Betty La Fea and I don't care. Hehe.

Image from Smile Stylers

I am quite fine knowing that I do not need to kiss anybody's asses just to be where I am right now. I have known quite a couple of people who would kiss ass just to be able to get what they want. They may not want something right now but they would just kiss ass so that when the time comes that they need to ask a favor from them, it would be easy. Blackmail? Maybe. Still, that ain't my style. If I'm helping you out it's because I like to help you. It's not because I am asking for something or I am going to ask something from you. 

Anyhow, I am also quite happy knowing that I have friends from all walks of life. They often call me the cowboy because they can bring me anywhere and I would just blend in. I have this friend who loves tagging me along because she says I can talk with anybody without getting in any kind of trouble (like catfight trouble or nasty malicious kind of trouble). Maybe it's the aura. Or maybe it's just me. Or maybe because I can talk with anybody just because. I don't try to be somebody else just so you would like me. Take me as I am and that'll be okay. If you don't like me, I don't care.

I could talk about a lot of my realizations right now but I won't anymore. I know it's boring you. But I don't care anyway. This is my blog and I want it to be a record of my thoughts and ideas and experiences. Oh you know. Those things that do matter or had caught my attention. There.