Additions to MOPWORLD!

Like I said in my earlier post, my Japanese friends are just love! Aside from my fangirl omiyage, they also feed my passion for purple. Look!!!

How could I use that cute lavander Burberry towelette? My sweat does not deserve such luxury..hahahaha!
And that purple feather pen!! How adorable can it be?!

Not to be outdone is that purple ballpen that has a cute bling on top. Guess what? It lights up when you write! Cool beans right? :-D

Everytime I receive purple gifts from friends, I sound like a little kid. Damn right, I am like a kid. It's always like Christmas for me. The joy will always be the same. It's not the color per se because that is a given in my world but it's the thought that someone has bothered to remember the color and remember..me!

Arigato gozaimashita Mayo and Minori! *bow*

Omiyage!

Despite my pre-occupation with F4 these days, I still got a big kick out of the omiyages (presents, pasalubong) of my Japanese friends who I see everytime there are F4 events. They knew that aside from F4, I am crazy about SMAP particularly Kimura Takuya.

So my luggage going home has become heavier with the addition of the above. My friend and I were exchanging emails and commenting that Jerry Yan and Kimura Takuya seem to have similar hairstyles these days.

I also loved my cd of Happy, Happy SMAP. The non-song sounded really happy. And I love the deck of cards from the Happy SMAP store that was in Omotesando Hills in Tokyo during the Christmas holiday season.

These fan events has now led to some sort of reunion of friends. I kept bumping into fellow fans like soldiers at war. We would hug each other and reminisced about past events like soldiers telling war stories. We would exchange presents which usually are goods that one could not get from their home country.

I realized that if I go to Japan, I would have friends who will meet me and help me get around. Just because of fandom. The same will happen if I go to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Hongkong. Sending SMS messages when there are news and rumors has now become global for me.

My world has actually gone smaller and my network of friends wider. This has got to be the profit from all those hours invested in fandom.

And I ain't complaining! Nope, no complaints from me at all. :-D

21 Hours in Ximending Red Square

This was my view. For 21 hours. From 12am of January 20 up to 9pm. I was only in Taipei for 48 hours and spent almost half of it on this square...sleeping, sitting, eating, chatting and chatting some more.

This stage was at Ximending Red Square where the F4 Album Stamping session was held. Right after the mini concert in Tamshui Fisherman's Wharf, we all trooped to this square to start vigil for another event.

And if I felt like a rolling pin during the mini concert, I now knew how it felt to be a homeless person sleeping on the pavement with newspapers and plastic mats for mattresses.

We had a perfectly good and comfortable hotel room but in our quest to get tickets to the album stamping, this is what he had to do. The objective is very simple - keep the spot and the distance from the stage in sight!!! We cannot allow anyone to come between our spot and the coveted stage. We already imagined how we were going up the stage, speak to each boy, practiced what we were going to say and NOTHING is going to stop us from that objective. Never mind if we were all asked to stay awake in the middle of the night to wait for the stamp from a very rude Sony BMG staff that confirms we will get a number to get up on stage. Never mind if some of the girls had to run from the hotel to the square in their pajamas and sleep wear just to get the stamp. Never mind if some of the girls hasn't slept a wink since they've been queuing since Friday. Like I said NOTHING is going to get in the way of the girls to the boys that has dominated their lives for the past 5 years.

The tenacity and determination paid off though. Everyone had their special moment with each member of F4. They were just seconds. But I still relished the words exchanged, the smiles, the handshakes (next time I'm gonna get me hugs!).

Jerry - you were oh so careful in stamping that it does not smear the edges. When I said we miss him in Manila, he stopped for a second, looked at me and asked "Oh so you're from the Philippines?".

Zaizai - you were great. you even stamped the new version of your solo album even if the buzzards around you were saying no. Your eye contact encouraged me to get the booklet stamped.

Vanness - dude, you were too fast with them stamps! But I won't miss you for the world so even if you were done, I had to tell you that next time you should try purple. I loved it when you said "I've always wanted to do that". That's the best thing to say to someone who lives the color.

Ken - I was speechless with you. It was my first time to come face to face and eye to eye with you and Vanness. I was only able to say finally I've met you.

So to you godfathers of Taiwanese boybands (credit: Vanness Wu), Xie, xie nimen for making it all worth it.

Rolling Pin in Taipei

If I were to be reincarnated as a rolling pin - you know, that long rounded thing that a baker uses to flatten dough - I already know exactly how it feels!

I was in Taipei over the weekend to indulge once more in my fandom addiction. It was F4's Mini Concert to promote their 3rd album "Waiting for You". The event was held at the Fisherman's Wharf (http://www.fisherman.com.tw/#) in Danshui, a picturesque town in Northern Taipei.

When I flew in, several of my girlfriends have been queuing since Friday noon so that our group has a good chance of getting good tickets to the show.

We were fortunate to get VIP tickets but unfortunately there was chaos and confusion when the gates were suddenly opened and thousands of women rushed in carrying me and my friends forward. We found ourselves inside the "pit" of the concert arena. How I got there is a miracle...

Because we had to climb under a metal fence with only a couple of feet opening at the bottom. When I saw the girls doing a reverse limbo rock snaking their way under, I was so gung-ho to follow but when I was face flat on the ground I could not move my body across! I don't know if it was just quick thinking or extreme state of panic that I will be crushed by the stampede but I held my folded mini director's chair tight to my chest and simply rolled over! Yes, like a spring roll, a lumpia, a burrito! :-)

When I was standing just a few feet away from the stage and staring at the gorgeous boys who started fandom for me, I thought to myself - how in hell did I do that?!!! And how will my body pay for this madness.

But it was all worth it. So worth the pain from the tip of my hair to the tip of my toes. Tsukaretta dayo demo ne ureshii na.

.....I'm tired but I'm happy....

Notebooks, Purple, Notebooks!!

I was rushing to finish my report this evening so I can go away for a long weekend when I complained that my desk does not have enough space. Well, my fault actually. Because it is not enough that I horde purple stuff on my desk but I have this growing collection of notebooks that I picked up during travels. I should start thinking about putting a shelf to display these gorgeous paper products.

I do have my journal but these should last me for years. Of course I would probably continue to buy if a nice one catches my eye. I just can't help it. :-)

I am again off to Taipei for my fandom fix but I pray that I don't see a bookstore. This is one of those days that I am thankful that there are no Kinokuniya (http://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/english/index.html) bookstores in Taipei because I would have been a goner if there were. The Eslite bookstore ( http://www.eslitebooks.com/) which is what one will find dotted around metro Taipei does not stock much stationery so I am not hopeful that I will spot a nice notebook.

Here's keeping my fingers crossed. + :-)

Christmas Loot

I should have said I'll be back next week instead of tomorrow... Gomenasai minna-san...Sorry everyone!! I got caught up in 14 hour work days. And before I get into the marathon week again, here are some of the additions to MOPWORLD.

These are the gifts that I got from my ex-Phildata (my former employer) gang. I love the tissue box. That little envelope with the purple string were gift certificates. Naturally they are all gone now and was donated to the New Year dinner menu. :-D

I absolutely, absolutely love my new purple stack heeled pumps. It is from Denmark and my sister's Christmas gift. The Woolworth's blouse is something that is not attractive when you first see it but I loved the fit and is now a permanent staple in my weekly wardrobe thanks to my brother who bought it in Dubai.

I forgot to take a photo of my gifts from colleagues and officemates but there was quite a ton. All I can say to everyone is THANK YOU! MARAMING SALAMAT! ARIGATO GOZAIMASHITA! XIE XIE NI MEN! KANSAMHAMNIDA!

And the winner is...

HO CHI MIN CITY, VIETNAM!!!! Wooohooooo!!!

Btw, I hope everyone had a great start with 2008. I did not. Was pestered by a painful headache that had me visiting the hospital during the first week of the year. But I'm fine now and went to work over the weekend to catch up. Whew!

To all purple friends of MOPWORLD who voted for Ho Chi Min as my next destination, thank you so much - there were 4 of yah!!! Cool beans!! It was decided that I will visit Ho Chi Min with playmate Butch towards the end of 2008 for some serious Christmas shopping.

Jakarta, Indonesia was a good choice. Thanks to the 2 of you who voted. Maybe Ochie and I can squeeze this in??? And Shanghai is still on the list but maybe next year..also thanks to the lone voter.

Well, that's it for my first poll. After the holiday mayhem its back to work and back to regular blogging for MOPWORLD. And of course I will share tons of new purple stuff that I have collected over the season. Such excitement!

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I'll be back tomorrow!