Welcome to the 24th edition of the screaming pages Thursday Thirteen.

I’ve mentioned a few times that I’m a Karaoke junkie and figured now is as good as any time to explain why.

On a trip to Manila I headed up to Antipolo with a group of friends – Eula, MJ, Chas, Bon and Val – for an afternoon of videoke, food, beer and fun. One thing I’ve learned from my many trips to Manila is that a lot of Filipino’s love to sing. Their joy in song is infectious and before long (although with quite a bit of prodding) I joined in.

When I returned to Canada, I started joining in when my friends were singing. Since I’d only be home for a few weeks before flying back out to Manila, each trip home would always include a trip to the bar and at least one rendition of my soon to be named traveling songs.

What I hadn’t realized before Manila was what a social event heading out to Karaoke can be. As many of my work friends have also run away from the evil empire (most long before I finally quit), Friday nights at Karaoke is often the only time we manage to get together as a group. Sure, about once every few months we gather for dinner out at a restaurant, but Karaoke is always fun because you never know who is going to show up or what they’ll be singing. Sometimes, there’s only a small handful of us, 4 or 5 at the most. Other nights, over 20 people might show up to share stories and sing.

Now, I’m the one dragging newcomers out to Karaoke. Mom and the hubby have even trotted up to the mike to belt out a song or two.

Thirteen songs I’ve sung at Karaoke. Leaving on a Jet Plane – Peter, Paul & Mary Daniel – Elton John Desperado – Eagles People are Strange – The Doors The Dance – Garth Brooks Closing Time – Semisonic Bitch – Meredith Brooks Crazy – Patsy Cline Walking in Memphis – Marc Cohn I don’t want to miss a thing – Areosmith Friends in Low Places – Garth Brooks Have You Ever Seen the Rain? – CCR Proud Mary – CCR Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Technorati Tags: thursday thirteen, t13, meme, karaoke, Manila

Often, when I dress up to go out with the hubby, I don’t carry a purse. Instead, I hand off my driver’s license to him and he keeps in on hand in a pocket in case I need it. A week ago on Friday we attended a black tie dinner. As usual, my license was handed over to the keeper of the ID. This time he placed it in his wallet.

Normally I remember to get the ID back – or he remembers to give it to me. This week I forgot. On a standard week, this wouldn’t be a big deal. Unfortunately for me on Wednesday the hubby drove off to go play in the mud (aka: military exercises at another location) for a month. And where’s my driver’s license? Yeah, it’s in his wallet.

Now, I’ve been taking the LRT downtown most of this week and haven’t been driving, so I didn’t notice that I didn’t have it. Late Friday night, as I was prepping to go out to karaoke with the girls, I discovered I had no driver’s license. ACK! Saturday was a wash and today no registries were open within walking distance. Tomorrow I need to get the dogs to the vet so I’ve had to find a friend who can drive me to a local registry so I can apply for a temporary driver’s license.

I am not amused.

Technorati Tags: driver’s license, ID

A real, honest to goodness, in an envelop and not a card, snail mail letter!

Woohoo!

I have no idea what it says because I’m in India and the letter is in Edmonton, but it’s still cool to know that people still write and send letters. I’m still debating whether or not to let the hubby open it and read it to me, or if I want to wait until I get home and savour the whole experience of opening it and reading it myself.

Technorati Tags: letter, snail mail

There are benefits to being 1/2 way across the earth today. For me, it’s Thursday while for most people back in North America, it’s still Wednesday for a number of hours. So, I get to kill two birds with one stone. I can post my T13 on time (here) and still make it Valentine’s day centric to fit the time zone back home.

Welcome to the 16th edition of the screaming pages Thursday Thirteen.

I never say it enough…

Thirteen reasons I love my hubby. He’s the son my parents never had, loved and was loved by my dad. He didn’t mind when I brought a new “puppy” home while he was away. He knows what I look like first thing in the morning and is still willing to kiss me before leaving for work. He looks damn good in uniform. He’s happy to let me roam the earth in the name of “work” and never complains about how long I’m away or how far I go. We don’t have a phone in the bedroom, but he brings a cordless one into bed with him so he can answer the phone at 3am if I forget the time difference and call him randomly when I’m away. He cooks and does laundry, which makes up for never paying the bills (that’s my job). He never made fun of my fear of heights or of driving, and let me decide when I was ready to learn to drive. The new pickup truck is mine, while he drives my old beater car. He lets me read the book we’re both dying to read first – even if it’s his Christmas present. He tries to make friends with my cat, who’s been in my life longer than he has and never lets him forget it. He understands that sometimes I just need to be alone with a book and isn’t threatened by it. He’s my best friend. He understands my moods, my ups and downs, my crazed ranting, and need for peace. He’s sweet, intelligent, sensitive, and a far better man than I deserve most days. Best of all, he loves me no matter my faults. Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Technorati Tags: thursday thirteen, t13, meme, marriage, love

Ok, so it’s not Valentine’s day in India anymore – but it still is in Canada – so remember it’s the thought that counts!

For the second time in two years, I’m spending Valentine’s day away from my sweetie. I didn’t actually remember that I’d spent Feb 14th in Manila in 2006 until the hubby reminded me in an IM a few nights back. Apparently he keeps track of these things much better than I do.

So, gentle readers, today is an important day for me. It’s one where I get to say, from half way across the earth, how lucky I am to be sharing my journey through life with my hubby (my best friend). Who knows how to make me smile, how to comfort me when I’m sad, how to calm me down when I’ve reached my limit and am ready to hit the roof, how to ignore me when I’m ranting like a crazed loon, and how to feed my sweet tooth. It’s been 12 years and I love you more now than when we first met.

Thank you.

On a unrelated note: Today is the first time since Saturday that I’ve felt somewhat human. Vini cooked salted rice and brought it into work so I’d have something easy to eat and Ted brought me plain rice last night. I’m back to eating and starting to feel semi-human again.