Day 10: Someone You Don’t Talk To As Much As You’d Like To

Dear R.,

    Hoy Panget (Hey Ugly)!!!!

    What’s going on with you?? I haven’t seen you or heard from you since April, and before that.. January. And before that.. MONTHS!!

    I know we drifted apart and such, but we were such good friends. Dammit, we were bestfriends!! Actually, we were soulmates, remembers? :D WE became friends four-ish years ago and in that span of time, you’ve had four boyfriends and I’ve had one. And you always disappear when you’re in a relationship.. it makes me sad. =( <- see?

    And I hate the fact that you’re so faaaar away. I mean, I still love you and all but Woodstock? Maaaan, I’m too broke to even drive to work! Haha!! Every once in a while, we catch up. But I sometimes wish we can be bestfriends again. You and I are the only ones who understand you and me. All our little mischief and random adventures. Remember when we drove to Chicago after you offered to take my “new car” for it’s first car wash?? Haha!! We both didn’t know how to drive to Chicago back then and we bought a map, spent 20dollars on parking, and chilled at the North Avenue Beach for exactly 20 minutes because it was too cold.. and then went home?? Well, we had all the money and none of the bills back then.

    I miss you soooo much and all the troubles we get into and long phone calls. I wish we can go back to being the best of friends, and I know it’s selfish of me, but I wish  you’re not that busy all the time so we can hang out.

Abuuuu!! (I love youuuu)
Jaja

Day 8: Someone You Wish You Could Meet

Dear Mark Salling,

    Hi! (giggle, giggle)

    Others would have wanted to meet politicians, legends, blah blah blah. I just want to meet you. I think you’re really cute AND have talent. And you’re tall. And you’ve got edge. I think that as far as guys go, that’s pretty much substance.

    If I do end up meeting you (crosses fingers and wish wish wish), can we play some video games at the arcade and come home to my apartment and play board games?? Haha, I’m not kidding. I’ll even make you some Filipino food.

    Anyway, lest I start sounding like a highschool girl, I’ll cut my letter short. Oh and BTW, in the wildest dreams that I do end up meeting you in person, I don’t want a meet and greet fan-based meeting. Just two awesome kids hanging out. :D

    Good luck in your career and God bless you!

Giggles and Blushes,
Jaja

Dear 8: Your Favorite Internet Friend

Dear K.,

    I guess the internet has some unexplainably useful reason for existing. I’m glad we’re friends, you’re cool. I like the fact that you’re very.. participative, internet-wise. Haha! Honestly, when I first met you, I thought you were snobby. Haha, sorry. =/

    It took (I’d say..) two years later to become friends, and I guess that’s cool. I like being friends with interesting people. People who are different from me, ‘coz I like learning new stuff. Plus you’re cool and laid back, so that’s chill. XD.

    INXS: I love your blog, and I’ll see you in two weeks!! (Oh, well.. your dance comes first..!)

Karaokes, Bowlings, and Blogs,
Jaja

Day 7: Your Ex/Love/Crush

Dear D.,

    I was broken, and yet you took me in. My bestfriend, my love. You delicately took the control out of my hands and showed me how to let life unfold in front of my eyes. Three years later, away from your lovely eyes, I am broken again. Ten months have past, and I’m still picking up the pieces. But I’ve learned to smile every time I pick up each piece, each memory, each lesson.

   Out of sight, out of mind. Red ink for keeps.

T.O.D.
Jaja

Day 6: A Stranger

Dear Tiny Filipino Greeter Lady at Meijer,

    I like it whenever I go to Meijer and you’re working. You are so cheerful, exaggerated at times, but cheerful. I wonder how many hours a day you work, because I could not keep up with a Good morning Ma’am/Sir, Thank you Ma’am/Sir, and Have a nice day Ma’am/Sir aaaall day long. I find it interesting how you manage to individually run up and greet EACH and EVERY person that walks in AND out of that place. Sometimes, if you miss one, you half-chase them to greet them. I think that’s kinda creepy-ish. But I don’t mind as much, it makes me feel special. Hehe.

    Are you getting paid per person that you greet? Are you being watched? Is that why you have to greet each of your loyal Meijer customers?

    I’ll let you in a little secret.. YOU are the only one that does that. Well, there’s this one old guy one time that would hand out a cart. But you, madam, are the only one who stands there and does her friggin’ job.

    I commend you. You always have a smile on your face. The others just stand there., oftentimes getting in the way when I’m trying to pull a cart out of the corral. Thank you for always putting a smile on your face, and saying hi and bye to me whenever I leave the store.. even if you’re practically chasing me out in the parking lot. :D

Smiles and More Smiles,
Jaja

Day 5: Your Dreams

Dear Event Planner/Organization Developer/Photographer/Writer/Published Author/Traveler/City Dweller/Home Owner/Degree Holder/Paid Blogger/Wifey/Mommy/Bad-Ass Career Woman Skinny Me,

    First of all, if I haven't mentioned any other dream, I apologize.

    Secondly, I want to apologize, too, for pushing back my dreams a bit. You see, there's a minor set back in my life right now. But don't fret, It's been starting to all tie together, and everything is starting to fall into place. Just be a little bit more patient for me, that's all I ask.

     Don't worry about me. I'm getting there. We're all getting there. I want you to remember that the fire of desire and drive burning in me is still there. I will fight to become the person that I want to be, I will make it happen.

    So sit tight, relax, and enjoy the ride.. because pretty soon, we're gonna be living the bad-ass life.

Success and Happiness,
Jaja

Day 4: Your Sibling (or Closest Relative)

Dear P,

    Remember when we were younger and it was just the two of us? No half brothers or half sisters? That was fun, wasn’t it? :D I mean granted we fought a lot (I guess we still do.. haha!), but the world was just the two of us. They always told us, “Why do you two keep fighting? It’s just you two you know? When you’re all grown up, you guys will have to take care of each other. You’re lucky you got each other, some kids don’t even have brothers or sisters.” Blah. Haha!

    We had to share toys, and clothes, and shoes, and friends, and school, and attention. I know you don’t remember, but when you were a baby you’d be in your walker and I would sit on the tabletop of your walker and slide across the room, with you on it. Haha! Or how about that time when we were in elementary and our maid found a dead cockroach and I grabbed it by the antlers (?) and threw it at you and you got scared and jumped up the couch? Or how about when we were in highschool and we were about to go to sleep and the lights were out.. and I made the noise from that movie, The Grudge, and you cried because you got so scared?

    Times have changed. We’re grown up now (I guess you can say that..). We’re living in opposite sides of the world. I mean, who would’ve thought right? We used to be inseparable. Now, you’re married already. I mean, I gotta admit, I was hurt when I found out that you got married and didn’t tell me about it. I was going to be your maid of honor you know? Boo. But I guess, it is what it is.

    I wish you all the best in your endeavors and new life. We may not carry the same last names anymore, and I know that we’ll always be biting each other’s head off, but I know that deep down we still have a deep sisterly bond. And I thank God for that. I don’t ever tell you this but I love you okay? Take care!

Through Ups and Downs,
Jaja

Room Raiders: Jaja Devicais

I gave up my studio apartment at the beginning of August of last year because I lost my job and I've lived on my friend Maria's bedroom floor and my other friend Diana's living room floor up until the last week of May 2010. So for ten, excruciating months of trying to save up, sleeping on the couch, and living out of a suitcase, I finally have my own room and my own bed!

And I’ve always wanted to do a Room Raiders series, and of course, I want to be the first! Haha, here goes..

These are the before shots. It’s so empty.







After!!

This is what you see as soon as you open my bedroom door: my bed, which I missed so much!! It’s kind of low and boring.. I really wanna get a new bed though, I saw this one that I like from Ikea.. so I might save up and get it. :D


Across my bed is my closet.. and my closet.. and my drawers. They’re full of clothes. I know, too much. I still have more clothes in boxes in my storage. :D


Directly facing the door. That’s the bathroom door out there. And my DVD shelf, and bookshelf.


View from the closet. I know, I have a lot of knicknacks. Apparently, I’m a horder. I might need a big house just for that.


A close up of my bed. FYI, that laptop NEVER leaves that side of my bed. Hence, I need a desk. Oh, and ew for not trying to hide my laundry. FYI, I get too lazy making my bed because my comforter always end up at the foot of the bed, so I just leave it like that and I use that white mush of a blanket. It’s the heated blankets they give you at the hospital. My mom got it for me. :D


My shoes on the top shelf. The green bin hold my flipflops and the wicker basket on the top shelf holds belts and light scarves. These are just my dresses (which you can’t see very much), hoodies, long sleeves, and long pants and jeans. FYI, I love hoodies. :D The narrow plastic drawers holds more clothing articles, and the wide drawers have school supplies, electronic stuff, and lotions and perfumes at the bottom. The wicker basket in the corner has all my leggings, and knitted winter scarves, gloves and hats, on the small platic container. And ladies and gents, my laundry. Haha!


I need a better closet. This can barely hold my tops. It has given up on me at least twice. Top row: sleeveless tops, halters, tubes. Bottom row: sleeves. Notice anything about my clothes? If you guess they’re arranged by colors, good job! :D


My whiteboard calendar and my day bag. These drawers hold sweatpants, etc., shorts, skirts, tshirts, and purses at the bottom drawer.


I bought this pair of swimsuit and it’s my “yellow polka dot” bikini” (aka, I have to see it everyday so I can be motivated to lose weight and wear it), that’s why it’s hanging there on my dvd shelf. That reminds me.. must buy more dvds soon.


My shelf full if knicknacks.. hmm, I really should declutter.

UPCLOSE:

1.) Authentic Blue Man Group Show Artwork
2.) Cabaret poster. (I was supposed to give that to someone, but oh well.)
3.) “Pinas” trucker hat I got from a friend.
4.) My very first sword. I got it from my first time at the Anime Convention of early May 2010.


1.) Recipe books: meals, desserts, and mocktails
2.) My sungoggles! (aka huge-lens sunglasses, I’m obsessed with them!
3.) Birthday balloon from my friend.
4.) Empty champagne bottle. Got it as a gift for my Quarter Life Celebration (aka 25th birthday.. if you must know), and emptied it then of course. :D
5.) AFC Officers Collage from a friend.. from the most successful talent show ever! Haha, I’m biased because I was president that time. :D


1.) Hardbound books
2.) Souvenir glasses: Chicago, Bubba Gump
3.) Lizard beanie someone gave me.


1.) More hardbound books. (I really need to collect that Harry Potter set!_
2.) Vases I bought a long time ago from Ikea.
3.) I use one vase (vahz? :D) to hold all the chopsticks I get from restaurants.. :D
4.) Oh, and that’s my AnimeCon name tag. My friend’s niece decided to add ADD to my name.. thanks a lot.


1.) More books.
2.) Handpainted sushi plate I made when a friend took me to Color Me Mine. Heaven! I wanna go again!
3.) A couple of scented candles.
4.) A collage made by a friend of my 23rd birthday in Chicago, when we went museum-hopping. Favorite birthday ever!


1.) More books.
2.) A random ice cream bowl.
3.) Stuffed bear.


1.) More books. I really have a random and eclectic taste in reading, among other things.
2.) Is there a book here that catches your attention? ;D


1.) My journals..
2.) ..and a few of my old planners.
3.) ..and a Bible that someone important gave me.


1.) Photo albums. (That reminds me.. I want to start printing photos again.)


1.) Scrapbooks: 12, CPB..
2.) Binders with some stuff in them.. *shrug*


1.) Board games!!!! I love game nights! My favorite is Catchphrase.. and I get really REALLY competitive with Boggle. Oh, and FYI, stop playing Monopoly with friends if you wanna keep them :D Next purchase.. Apples to Apples!!


My name is Jaja Devicais.
I am a rockstar.
And this is my room.

Day 3: Your Parents

Dear Mama,

      I had to insist on living with you, you know? Papa wanted me to live with the grandparents in Cali. But upon my insistence, I told him that I wanna be able to say I’ve lived with my mom before I fully become an adult and be on my own. In the five years I’ve been here in the US, I’ve alternated between living under your roof, and living alone in an apartment.  Now, you’re all the way in Cali and I’m all alone here in Illinois. Short as it may, I’m glad I still got to live with you. I miss you!

Dear Papa,

      I haven’t spoken a word to you in five years. I feel so terrible that I pulled away from you, after all you’ve done for me and Punky when we were still in the Philippines, just us three. I may have a lot of hard feelings with the hurtful stuff that was said and done, but I know that I should just get over myself and let you back in my life again. I don’t know what’s stopping me. I cried when I saw the video of you being interviewed by a local news station about your record collection. I cried when I saw the recent pictures of Punky when she visited the Philippines and you two had a picture. In my head, I thought “It’s probably breaking your heart that five years ago, you drove two daughter to the airport, and only one came back to visit you.” I always psych myself to write you a letter, but I get scared, I don’t know what to say to a father who’s daughter decided to ignore him out of the blue. Nothing hurts more, I know. Please forgive me.

Dear Mama and Papa,

      I am who I am because of you two. We all struggled as a family. Mama and Papa, my younger sister Punky, and I. You Mama had to do what you did by working in the US while Papa and Punky and I stayed behind. Days gone by where we literally didn’t know where to get our next meal, while my sister and I were unaware that you were in the US with another man. In spite of the struggle, the hardships, and the mistakes we all made to each other as a family, I am still standing strong. I may be broken, but that’s what makes me unique. One day, we will all be happy, I promise. I love you Mama and Papa with all my heart, even though I don’t express it.

Your firstborn,
Jaja

Day 2: Your Crush

Dear S,

      I am soooo lame. I don’t even know why I have a crush on you. I met you one time, almost four months ago. My first impression of you was that you looked smart. And it seems that you are. And although I feel like your sense of humor is quite dry, you still have a sense of humor.. and I like that.

      I actually don’t even want to call it a crush, because crushes are soooo highschool. But it’s not like I can say I like you.. I mean, I “barely” know you. I just find you really interesting.. and I think you can carry on an interesting and intellectual conversation. When you were trying to be friends with me on Facebook, you seemed more engaging, that you really wanted to be friends. But when we finally figured out was was wrong with stupid Facebook *poof* clock strikes twelve and you’re MIA. The only explanation I had in mind is that you “checked me out”, and then you checked out. Hmm, maybe in some way or another, you kinda figured out. Haha. Oh well, story of my life. Better be disappointed now than have my hopes up and be let down later.

     I still think you’re smart. Too bad we’re not gonna have intellectual conversations. I may not be sexy, but my brain is. :D I’ll see you whenever and have a nice life.. :D

Hugs and crushes,
Jaja

30 Day Letter Challenge

Day 1 — Your Best Friend
Day 2 — Your Crush
Day 3 — Your parents
Day 4 — Your sibling (or closest relative)
Day 5 — Your dreams
Day 6 — A stranger
Day 7 — Your Ex-boyfriend/girlfriend/love/crush

Day 8 — Your favorite internet friend
Day 9 — Someone you wish you could meet
Day 10 — Someone you don’t talk to as much as you’d like to
Day 11 — A Deceased person you wish you could talk to
Day 12 — The person you hate most/caused you a lot of pain
Day 13 — Someone you wish could forgive you
Day 14 — Someone you’ve drifted away from
Day 15 — The person you miss the most
Day 16 — Someone that’s not in your state/country
Day 17 — Someone from your childhood
Day 18 — The person that you wish you could be
Day 19 — Someone that pesters your mind—good or bad
Day 20 — The one that broke your heart the hardest
Day 21 — Someone you judged by their first impression
Day 22 — Someone you want to give a second chance to
• Day 23 — The last person you kissed
• Day 24 — The person that gave you your favorite memory
• Day 25 — The person you know that is going through the worst of times
• Day 26 — The last person you made a pinky promise to
• Day 27 — The friendliest person you knew for only one day
• Day 28 — Someone that changed your life
• Day 29 — The person that you want tell everything to, but too afraid to
• Day 30 — Your reflection in the mirror

Day 1: Your Bestfriend

Dear D.E.,

      The way we became friends is an odd story, if I have to say so myself. It never even crossed my mind that we will be friend, but we did, and for that I thank God. I just moved here from the Philippines and going to a community college where everyone pretty much knows everyone, you became my friend.

      Thank you soooo much for showing me things and teaching me things that I never would have known if not for you. You taught me how to love my family, you slowly brought me back to God, and most importantly, you showed me the person that I can be. You understand me and you accept me. The best, and I think the most hilarious, part of our friendship is that to you, I am so predictable, that you know every reaction, every emotion, every habit that I have. That and the fact that you notice all these random facial expressions that I have that even I am not aware of. Like apparently, how I have a different twice pre-lie and post-lie, how you can tell if I took a nap or not. Everything. You’re weird.

      Even though you are drifting away from me, I want you to remember that you will always be my bestfriend. It may not be the same, but In my mind and my heart, it will be. The memories we shared and the deep and meaningful friendship we always have will be with me forever.

      I pray that you be successful in all of your endeavors, I wish you all the best in your life, and always remember, I will always be here for you.

Your friend all the way to the moon and back,
Jaja