South American Granny Smith

I'm Ready to Move On



One sweet day, I'll get over you,
And tell you straight to your choked face,
That I am not stupid to argue,
Whether I gamble with any of your horse races!

Yes, I had been so dumb and moronic,
To your tasteless, grody "Holas".
This girl might be your trash, oh how ironic.
For a troubled, stranger's wicked dash!

It hurts so, so much I couldn't bear
anymore, and it crushed my being a woman.
You said, it wasn't your fault for my heart to spare,
An impossible love affair, with this fuddled American. 


Go ahead, have fun but remember not to look back,
Because I'm not the lady you  once goofed off with.
You know what, I'm no boobie and brainless you could pack,
Up in a box of your pointless, useless, bits-and-pieces "Granny" smith! 

Your's truly,

The Little Coward

Muffins and Vodka

Happy Holidays

This post is for the people I love from my family back in the Philippines mom, dad, siblings, nephews and nieces, to my best friend, sister Sofie in Canada, the ever-loving +Lovinni in Doha, my daughter Barbie and her loved ones in Tokyo, my sister Ellen and her family in New York, Geleen my buddy, partner in crime and soul sister in Bahrain, the painter, hot guy (LOL) +Frikkie in Johannesburg who has been giving me too much laughter and my best friend, brother baby duck "Baryam" from Istanbul.  Well, I still have more... +Eva C. my best friend and sister in G+, as well as +T Brown, +D Denman, and the new lovely lady Roxy May. I am not sure if this page is enough to mention them all but I will try my best. In fact I still have +Deha Serdar from Istanbul, +Junko Fuji an awesome Japanese mom, +Suan Gon and +Phat Kassab whom I believe unique French ladies in my circle and of course +Ghazi Riman my favorite painter from Bahrain...and +Steve Ramsay, too. 

Here are more and one of the most important people in my life and to start with I have +Pamela Viernes who has put up with me through ups and downs and my prayer partner. And in Vietnam I have my one and only younger siblings +Le Tung and +Pylot.  Hola to more love of my life... to my son +Kien in Da Nang, the fastest driver and my travel companion +Mateo, my ever loyal friend +Cecile.

How about my brothers and sisters in Christ? Let me tell you that they are also special...my Singaporean mom +Gracia, my ultimate Australian crush +Tim Middleton and Mr. Afternoon Nap, Jesse from Canada and I won't finish it without the South African perfection +Yvette and to Pastor Nelson from HIF and +Larry O'dell from the U.S. who always thought that my profile pics are awesome..Haha! 

Gosh my heart beats so fast to my daughter (student) +Quan Thu Phuong who has been looking for a dad..Haha! Oh I almost forgot, my Thai friend +Boonmee Kanphai and my ever loving fan and love +Goldameir Ybarley who has been with me whoever I turn to be...I just love this lady. Not to mention... my "beatfriend" former student in Hoa Lac Duy who is always ready to hunt idiots with me, and Bes Sof (My) the most talented girl in the campus and yes my photographers +Khang Panda and Duong Dut De. Ohhh  have I told you that I also have a personal and the sweetest nurse in the campus, Lan Anh? 

Yes, call me crazy and dumb...I won't forget the mean guy (J.M.) who "once" made me whole for even just a few hours.  He isn't here and we don't usually talk but he is special to me...though I know that he doesn't give a damn on how I feel like an idiot missing him each day. Anyhow, my very good friend Frikkie the panther has been there to cheer me up and I thank God for that. One day, I will get over that mean guy... amen? 

These muffins, M and Ms, and bottles of wine are for you all my love! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! God bless you from all walks of life.  I am very thankful to the Lord for having such great friends, siblings and family. 

Enjoy the photos and please don't shoot me for the different angles. Hugs!!!

Sending Warmth to Istanbul

Dad Makes Our World

Well I had the best day ever because one of the managers in Al Fresco's spoiled me with my own "set" meal...thanks! I remember the facial expression of that guy 12 o'clock from my table...he simply stared at me every other minute while my taste buds were gloating the chicken-wing barbecue, potato wedges with spaghetti bolognese and vegetable salad. After the quick lunch, I shopped for pink boxers in Surfer's Paradise because they were on 70% sale...hey "boxers" are more comfortable and sexier when worn by women. 

Then I kicked in the bookshop for "baby's" postcards and other stuff...and to complete the season's greetings, I dropped by Big C supermarket for coffee, tea and natural cacao. Of course I never end each day without my Hazelnut Jelly freeze in Highlands while busy chatting with the "panther" Frikkie and laughing like idiot in front of too serious wrinkled faces around the brewer. Well, this guy is really awesome that we couldn't stop talking until 8pm Ha Noi time zone. Till next time my dear friend!

So here are some shots of my simple greetings to the future daddy who would make his angels' world in a few months. Hope I'd be able to meet them soon.

Love lots,

Susan

The Little Match Girl

FPT University Ha Noi, Vietnam


Been teaching here for three years and all I could say is that most of the kids here are very creative when it comes to drama, music, arts, and other extra-curricular activities. Well, I always scold them for not sparing a bit of their free time learning English but somehow they can do something beyond improvement of the English language.  Here is the story of the little girl who would make your wish come true.  So, make a wish...

Freaky Frikkie

24 hours

Should I say, I'd hold you up in the next few seconds, and
Take you to the jars of wild, Vietnamese wine.
Are you worried, you would end up this way?
Listen, my dear...please think of the Bastille Day,

In which stray, spring souls fritter away their vigor,
To surfeit their suppressed urge,
Of embracing the moonlit, passionate big dipper.
No matter how broken their hearts maybe in search,

For the right one, yet every single night,
Those spirits are jumping off the verge of fright.
That one gloomy day, they'd find themselves alone,
At the darkest, bottle of velvety Cabernet Sauvignon!

Now I have your deal, to get crazy and "Frikkie", (freaky)
For only 24 hours, will you promise,
You would behave and follow me,
With all your might until your flabby limbs couldn't resist!

Come, let's sloppily  blow the cork of vengeance and despair.
Because life is too short to chase the untamed love story in the past.
Get up, keep walking until we see the sunny pier...
There you'll thank me for not pushing you into the crowd of "lost" caste!


I was once asked what would I do to a friend if I had him for 24 hours...so I made him a poem instead.  Hahhaha!

The Mellowing Golden Hour

Dead on my Feet

Getting a horrible nightmare for four consecutive mid-nights doesn't sound so good because it is killing me.  Why do I have to see him with another woman even in my dreams? I'm worn out physically and emotionally...I thought I was strong enough to get over but it seems like things and feelings are at the peak of getting into the worst ending as a result of being paranoid at things. Is it my fault if I fell for him, though, he couldn't be trusted with my feelings? And...of course he isn't to blame on the other hand either.  

One chilly morning, I woke up shivering, curling, sobbing into my knees feeling sorry for what I saw in my "delusion" seeing him ignoring me and looking happy with another girl.  I always remind myself that what I had with him were simple hugs and  "kisses" for a few minutes---in short he was never mine! 

"Baby Crazy" (Bayram) always prompts me not to listen to any love songs before going to bed as it would make the sentiments worse. By the way, "baby" is one of those nice guys  I met in G+ who turned out to be a part of the family tree of friends who would laugh at me sincerely when am at my worse yet willing to take a bullet for me.  I could say that he is a bit childish and innocent yet charming in so many ways. Anyhow, going back to my consciousness...I knew that as "golden hours" pass by, my cravings for anything "Hispanic" has become stronger, wilder and more fierce that I ended up going back to my Spanish lessons. Gosh! 

Uhmm...this afternoon while wandering around the grocery store for a bottle of Irish wine, I suddenly felt weak hearing the wobbly sound of Christmas, and it hit me that I was dumped, forgotten and on the rocks of fighting against my dense, naive illusions getting off my rocker again thinking about him...wondering if one day he would bother say hello. Oh no...I'm the most stubborn lady in this world of sneaky, wily, mixed emotions! Can't help but...to keep thinking until I'm dead on my feet. 

getting ready.. hehehe

Siblings on the Gleeful Fixie

Shadows of Miracles 

Wednesdays seem to be my day off because it is the only "heyday" of the beavering week teaching young adults who always grumble for being exhausted in class when in fact I never give any of them homework nor back-breaking exams. Well, students will never appreciate the benefit of giving themselves a chance to at least spare a bit of their time indulging their naked, empty souls to a sneak peek of the next lesson's script with their lonely, crumpled textbook at the messy, dark corner of their room. Anyhow, I used to care, but not anymore... I'm jaded! Sometimes, I think that this job has turned out to be really dull and tedious, so I don't give a damn no more. But somehow, I am still thankful to God for having a good and decent work, though, each day is a struggle that I can't even take some snaps of my surroundings while chasing the sun to hide its perfection in the hills like I used to! 

But you know what, miracles do really happen whether in its smallest way of "thumping" our egos or slapping us with the brighter side of life. I'll tell you why...lemme share with you how grateful I have been for feeling awesome despite the miserable attitudes of some people around me. Alright... this morning, while waiting for the bus to Ha Noi, I felt like a blank tablet, my horrible headache almost knocked me off the ground and my eyeballs couldn't move that I was just staring at the moving objects coming from different directions of the busy,dusty,narrow streets in Hoa Lac. Everything was black and white shadows of those disturbing sounds around me... UNTIL I saw a colorful and gleeful fixie full of content and happiness from those vulnerable, frail souls of must be "siblings" on it. 

Though, they were far from where I was standing, I was so sure that the boy who drove that bike was confident enough that the girl at his back was safe while they were enjoying their chitchats of random stories in which I wasn't certain if they were excited to go home, or might be talking about how their teacher scolded them for not paying attention in class that they found it funny, or maybe the simple feeling of gratitude that at long last, they would be able to play "spin" this afternoon. The echoes of their giggles and innocent chuckles came into my whole well-being like a supernatural phenomenon in which I couldn't help but grab its beauty and genuine promises of love and appreciation. 

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to keep an image of that magical moment, but I could still clearly recall how those kids turned into morning wonders like a roseate beam of dawn rustling in my dreams asking me to get up and make each day meaningful and extraordinary! 

Walnuts and Apple

grilled scabbard fish

800k vnd for winter

Saturday Escape

I went nuts first thing in the morning today! The bank had me waiting for almost 30 minutes, only  to find out that they ran out of Western Union forms so they couldn't process my transaction. Ridiculous! Well, I had to spend an arm and a leg for the cab and wasted too much time looking for another branch for which they couldn't even give me any idea where the nearest bank was. Oh yes, I found one and it was a pain in the neck to instruct the driver the way because I didn't know the exact address but I knew how to get there. Huhu! Finally they were able to attend to my needs but it took them almost an hour to fill the information sheet out for the control number.  What a day! 

wallnut and apple

scarf 100k from the flea market

Hmmnn... didn't have any idea where to go after, and ended up going to Indochina Plaza in Xuan Thuy Street and there... a flea market welcomed me and I bought a scarf to add up to my collections. Then had lunch in Sushibar, bought a bottle of blueberry shower gel in Yves Rocher, dropped by at The Body Shop for a lip shimmer, then had my coffee in Highlands where I got ticked off with the darn bartender as she kept asking me the same question to confirm my order even if I already pointed it in the menu. OMG! 

By the way, before I went home, I got a pair of shoes as I have been looking for reasonable  ones as it is getting colder in Ha Noi, and most of my "matches" are already worn out through the seasons. 

Here are some photos of the day! 

seaweed salad

toothpick (tam)

Defunct "Vietnamese" Discman

He Gets Into My Nerves

If being "conceited" kills, I wouldn't have a job now. Alright, how many times have I been grumbling about how rough and ill-mannered some Vietnamese students are. I am so exhausted...I had to be professional, though I was already "insulted". "This won't be forever", I bet. 

Let me describe this jerk to you... and ohh  he called me "silly" too! 

First, he is doomed with his being arrogant, paranoid and rude. He thought he had the right to tell the teacher the way he wanted her to check the attendance because he was good enough to express his bullshit opinion in English. Second, he is nothing but a dumb, non-sense walkie-talkie, trapped in the "defunct" discman waiting for a psychopath to pick him up. Third, his intonation and pronunciation suck...I couldn't even figure out which accent was that, yet he was too proud of himself. Fourth, he is simply a "plain", stinky-headed kid who thought that he could understand the English humor perfectly, when in fact he interpreted every joke literally according to what each image showed. Isn't he pathetically ridiculous?! Fifth, just because he went to an English language school, he already believed that he was the best student in class, and thought that he would be able to impress me with his worthless, bumptious attitude. Sixth, he always showed me that he was a lot better than others that he could even be much more intellectual than his "humble" lecturer. Seventh, at the end of the day, I could only "pray" for him that one day, he would be able to respond to me in a "sophisticated" way because I'm fed up with his being too "shoddy" and tawdry. Finally... I shouldn't stoop down to his level because he is nothing but a vain, egotistical "holy cow" with the latest smartphone stuck on his slimy forehead. 

Hey... no worries I already got a remedy on his mangled brain cells--->> and that is to "IGNORE" him and slap him with the most nasty and harrowing "screech"of sarcasm.

P/S. Pardon me if there are too many "vulgar" and inappropriate words and expressions in this post. There is no intention of stereotyping anyone, nor the purpose of "insulting" the subject publicly. My post is my escape for me not to explode in front of those disrespectful students. 

Good Morning Balls

Shopping! 

Class "Summit 2.4" decided to take a day off this afternoon, so I had a chance to shop around for some small things for Christmas! Well, I thought I would be able to buy a magic "blender" for my fruits as I have been dreaming of getting one because I have problems eating them raw... my stomach don't like any of them. Funny, because I ended up purchasing a 125ml citrus juicer! Woaaaaa... and the most silly thing I did was to drop by at the book shop for small "balls" because I am going to use them in my "good morning balls" activity to make my kids awake first thing in the cold mornings...but I ended up having them as part of my "top-of-the-fridge" holiday decor together with the pink scented candles, teapot, my mug collections, and of course "Haruki's" tour de force. 

Enjoy! 

the Gardens Shopping center