when the Choc Nut and Christmas islander blogs within the breeze of the Gulf

There’s something about the blue and orange tandem that makes it effective. (It’s actually one of the reasons I reverted to my current blog layout/theme because I’m forever crushing on it. Heehee.) It is no wonder that the often unnoticed (though obvious) heavy use of these colors on film-related materials (posters, etc.) is a classic practice.  Take for example the following:

(Photo source)

Orange/blue just so happens to be the most common set of complementary colors because blue is “cool” and orange is “enthusiastic” and “energetic.” – Slashfilm.com

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They are supposed to perform in Manila tonight. But due to unforeseen circumstances, their concert was cancelled.

It is with great regret that The Killers have been forced to cancel their upcoming appearances in Singapore, Beijing, Hong Kong, Manila, Tokyo and Seoul due to unforeseen circumstances involving a serious illness of a close family member. The band deeply apologizes to their fans and hopes to reschedule their shows in these cities soon, we hope you understand and respect our privacy at this difficult time. At this time, the band’s Australian appearances remain scheduled as planned. – The Killers official statement

When I saw them performed live last December in Emirates Palace grounds (in Abu Dhabi), I realized that I can watch them forever. If I have the chance, I will definitely catch them again.

In case you want to know how mesmerizing they were during one of their last performances, click here.

A  colleague’s henna tattoo for her brother’s wedding. It has almost the same intricate design on the front.

This is my entry for this week’s photohunt.

Continued from First Abu-versary.

I am sharing an old entry which I wrote exactly two years ago. I was months old as a blogger that time. Thanks to blogging that I was able to document some of my sentiments in that particular hour (less than 24 hours before I took off to Abu Dhabi), when I have not yet virtually met most of you. However, I had to refresh my memory to understand why I titled it “Ahn nyung hee ke se yo” which means farewell in Korean wherein I was going to UAE.

Ahn nyung hee ke se yo
27 January 2008

I am taking the littlest break from my last minute preps to blog. Every minute counts and I got only an hour sleep the past couple of days. I only have less than 24 hours and there are still loose ends. I can not really be a superwoman.

This is sooner than expected. The dusting of my personal stuff went several stages. I could not let go of so many things. It was hard sorting them as precious versus less precious… rather, “must bring” versus “give it away” and “till we meet again” stuff. This also let me realize that I accumulated so much junk in the past. Those that I bought in impulse, but I enjoyed that time, and those that I should not have bought in the first place. The dusting also reintroduced me to those that I never thought I have.

I have no unmet craving this minute and that feels good.

As always, everyone who leaves work will have unfinished business – not that he did not turn over loads, but the feeling that you wanted to help and still be there, but can not anymore simply because you now have to go.

I was reporting for work till midnight yesterday. Hence, the meet ups and send offs happened in squeeze. All worthwhile. I am restricting myself to look at the many photos we/ I captured lately to shoo the nostalgia. Most of them are the busiest people in the land and they took time to see me. They really made a means when it became so impossible to meet up. Despedida at 7am, lunch, dinner, midnight to 3am… , and those that I begged off (sorry, if only I can be in one place at a time) due to errands and all that took time to make surprises, catching you at work and at home unexpectedly. I will leave to your imagination how little sleep I had lately.

Preps were stressful. But the meet ups, bonding and rekindling outweighed everything. To those that I didn’t get to see no matter how they tried and vice versa, we owe each other big time! Hehe. We will see each other again.

It has been two years since then. But after reading this, I was timewarped (again). Who would have thought that I’d have my Abu-versaries? What they say is very true: just enjoy the ride and live the life wherever you are.

I picked this flower from the different sets of fresh blooms displayed in the office each week. Instant flashbacks:

• My Japanese hair.
• Before attempting to count the petals, I had to refresh my memory about the parts of the flower. I was not so sure if the pretty little pieces at the middle are still petals or are the pistil’s stigma.
• On a lighter note, it reminded me of the little girls who play with each petal with “he loves me, he loves me not…”  Anyway, I haven’t tried it. Though I wish I did. Had I tried, maybe I selected a flower with the fewest petal (which one?) or the one like in the photo, depending on my appetite of prolonging the agony (read: knowing the results). We know that there’s no truth in it. But it’s funny how at some point one’s innocence is entrusted to the petals for decision making.