California, right back where we started from....

I'm very uncreative and cannot really think at 4AM for a better title to keep this blog alive. My brain is highly scrambled because unexpectedly, my iMovie decided to do this error bullshit and it's really driving me insane since I've searched up all forums and they all resort to freaking reinstalling and troubleshooting via original CDs. But, Problem No. 1: I'm in LA and the rest of my mac stuff is in the RP, scattered somewhere since our house is being renovated. Problem No. 2: I am operating on my macbook pro with no optic drive since it broke and was removed about 2weeks before I left the Philippines. SOOOOOOO... to all my readers, can you just imagine the steam coming through my pores as I type hardly on this stupid keyboard, and the amount of botox I will soon need in three years as the lines on my skin collect downwards on my forehead. BUT.
This is indeed a vacation.
So as I'm downloading all sorts of editing software demos, I decided to blog and post pictures to keep myself calm.
I'm rarely on the net now since we're driving around so as far as I remember, I think my last entry ended with posts from San Diego and our first day at Disney. Taking it from there, we woke up early the next day for 5AM mass, and had breakfast at IHOP...mmmm :)After breakfast, I spent the next day filming stories that you should soon be able to watch on INQUIRER.net. To give sort of a sneak peek to what type of clips I've shot...just think of Life of the Filipinos in California...excited? Keep yourself posted. :)
I drove around Orange County and Cerritos and driving isn't that bad with the help of our GPS we named Linda, after our amazing Shanghainese tour guide. So digital Linda took me to one of the most touching stories I've done...I visited a home for the aged, or a caring facility for the elderly.After a long day of hard work and spending quality time with Tita Susan and Tito Jean, we had dinner at their place, which was absolutely beautiful. They are such wonderful and sweet people whom my sisters and I have grown to love as foster parents in such a short span of time.The next day, I went to CalState Uni to trail a visually impaired Filipino freshman through a normal day in college. Again, another story you should be looking out for at INQUIRER.net.
After which, we briefly went to the theme park only to get wet by these crazy dudes in costumes. Freakin insane! We had like Buzz Lightyear hose us with icy cold water, random guns aimed at us shooting us with water, but it was so fun just spending it with my sister since my parents and Ella were in the other theme park.
Since it was our last night at the OC, our long lost relatives took us out for supper after the Disney fireworks...which ended up being canceled due to strong winds. Boo. So we had dinner at this Chinese restaurant with my fair-skinned lola, fun Tita Elvie (whom we have grown to love and see as our Lola as well), the crazy Tita Grace and Tito Danny and his architect friend who designed some buildings at CalState. Dinner was a blast and I'm really going to miss everyone at the OC...It really saddened us that we were leavin So Cal so the next day we still drove around and visited the Angels stadiumate at this fabulous Italian resto called Buca di Beppoand went shopping at Cabazon, CA (Palm Springs area).Boy, I have never been so sick of shopping in my life!!! It's NUTZ! Then we had dinner at this hotel at Palm Springs and we managed to take pics at the casino. Lol. This is all for now since the dmg's are now making it's way into my hard drive. Will post more pictures tomorrow and will tell you about LA.

Californeeeiiiiaaaaa (that annoying voice from the OC soundtrack)

Yup, am in CA. BUt before that, I GRADUATED!It was a stressful day which started with a Baccalaureate Mass, which, was quite boring if not for seeing the academes march around in togas that made them look like they came out of Hogwarts. We then we went parlor-hopping across the street just to get our hair done cause uni is so far from home. At that point, as long as we got to school back on time, even we did look a tad bit like someone who just got ran over by a car but managed to survive with only a few cuts and bruises, that's fine. But looking back at these pics, I regret not having myself properly fixed up by an expert.
I felt real bad for my parents, sisters and my Lola who came to watch, cause it was so hot and they couldn't even see a thing. Livestreaming was better. So after grad, the usual, dinner with the fam...some couldn't make it.
***
Okay, okay. So I was a party pooper since I didn't even party after dinner, or the next day, or the next, or the next next... cause I was working and was sent to Cebu. Sorry, no pics from there but do look out for the videos I took around the city proper at INQUIRER.net's Tales of the Nomad blog or INQUIRER.net/VDO.
***
A day after Cebu, my family and I flew to the US for a vaca. And as usual, I packed hours before the flight so it's no surprise that I left valuables behind -- like my mobile phone, socks, chargers, jackets...and that's it so far...I haven't really realized any other valuable missing since we got here.

I'm at Anaheim, California and it's a nice area. Very calm and quiet; nice weather of course, and friendly people. However, things are just so far and it would be impossible to go around without a car. Papa rented out a car and a GPS as well so we've been driving around freely nearly as though we lived around the area.Of course, he doesn't do this back home in the RP, so we just HAD to photograph Papa.
Plans were shifty for the past few days because we'd bump into random relatives who would keep wanting to take us out for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I have never seen these people in my life, although they claim to have seen me before I was speaking -- so on my part, I think it's very fair to say I have never seen them in my life -- so it was quite awkward and it felt a little stiff for my sisters and I, to dine with them. These were some relatives OF my mom whom she was avoiding and LITERALLY, running away from, after worship service at the locale of Anaheim.
Plus, it was quite annoying cause plans would change, and although I am not a great event or day planner, let alone room planner, it was still frustrating to have these plans changed and completely altered because I woke up knowing that that particular thing was going to happen within the day. You get what I mean? It's not that I'm being a KillJoy or walking around with a stick up my ass, and believe me, I enjoy spontaneity once in a while; but in this case, it was the repetitive feeling of exerting effort to get to know people, driving to their houses to tour their homes instead of just doing what you want to do.
So this is part of Newport Beach, San Diego, the beach we didn't get to go to. :(
We went to Sea World, which was alright. Nothing spectacular...except for maybe Shamu and that ShamuSlam cheer they had that actually did get the crowd pumping. :p
Lots of shopping was accomplished and I really don't enjoy it all that much. I'm so happy though, cause we were fed real good food tonight when we were invited for dinner at my Aunt Elvira's house. It gave my energy when I had to help pack huge boxes to send to the RP as well so that by the time we're back, the stuff purchased would be there too.
I can't wait to go video hunting tomorrow, and just enjoy the theme parks more and really enjoy 'em to the fullest.