Missing Pinas

a friend of mine is coming and she asked me "hey, what do you want me to bring to you from manila?" hmmm.... i thought, nah... most of the philippine products and delicacies can already be found here, what with hundreds of thousands of pinoys inhabiting UAE!

plus, the things i enjoy in manila, i have to enjoy in manila... such as...

FOOD TRIP
Jollibee!!! i have long foregone eating fried chicken skin, but when it's jollibee, no rules!

Max's!!! oh, i just love this resto! and now they have more affordable combo meals!

Red Ribbon!!! my fave cake store, and they added other sumptuous meals!

MALL HOPPING
Trinoma!!! it's like SM, glorietta and greenbelt rolled into one

Serendra!!! i love the greens and the cozy ambiance! i like ayala malls!


BARGAIN HUNTING
Ukay Ukay!!! not a visit is complete without a trip to Ukay Ukay with Nanay!

Greenhills and Tutuban!!! well, if we have the time and the energy...

Sta. Lucia Mall, Big-R and Ever !!! i can't believe i found bargain gems in these malls near our place!


GET AWAYS
Tagaytay!!! especially when summer heat is scorching!!!

Sleepovers at friends houses!!! oh, nothing beats this! haha!

Mall cafe's and Restos!!! rendezvous with friends has always been in cafes even if i'm not a coffee-drinker... or stand aloone specialized restos in timog or eastwood, or the fort for some reason...

Fellowships at church!!! oh, i love spending time with my mcbc family, either for church, activities, fellowship, etc.

our humble abode in cainta!!! oh the best get-away place from all the work chaos! i love the breakfast time with nanay, the afternoon play with the kids, and the evening tv time, catching up on dyesebe, maging sino ka man or 24 oras! hahaha!


ohh......... just writing this makes me misssssss pinas soooo much!!!!! even though there's traffic, undending rain, impatient drivers, humidity, high cost of gasoline, etc. well, you can't have it all!!! ;)

Forgive and Forget, yes.... but Help???

last week we've finished our exhaustive bible study on the life of joseph in CnC (college n careers) which we started wayback in february 2008. there were a hundred and one lessons which we can digest on, but one thing that really struck me is the lesson of forgiving, forgetting, AND helping and loving back. reading his story is like a very nice story to be told and to listen to... but to apply it in real life?... hmm, really takes much grace from God!

for many, forgiving is hard enough... and then add forgetting.......... and now, even help this very person who hurt you, who betrayed you, who caused so much pain to you?

there are only a few people who can hurt me so deeply, that is, my family and so-called close friends. because my principle is, i choose the people who will affect me, and if you do, it means i consider you close to me.

so the past years in my stay in dubai, i have been hurt so badly maybe just a handful of times. others are mere egotistical offenses, which, fortunately, i forget so easily.

he is one of those who has really let me down. i've forgiven him (even if he has not asked for it) and even forgot the offenses... but now, he is there knocking on my door for help, desperate and seeking...

should i shrug him off? should i lick old wounds? should i help him?

remembring again EB's words at CnC, "let us always think how Christ would act if He was in our shoes at this particular moment." i think i know what i have to do........

Alive.. Dying.. Dead

Love is alive when it is patient, it is dying when it is hurried, and it is dead when it cannot wait.

Love is alive when it cares, is dying when it forgets, and is dead when it ignores.

Love is alive when it is secure, dying when it starts doubting, and is dead when it stops trusting.

Love is alive when it is giving, is dying when it is exchanging, and is dead when it is taking.

Love is alive when it acts its way into feeling, is dying when it feels and doesn't act or acts and doesn't feel, and is dead when it no longer feels or acts.

-Anonymous Author

When It Rains It Pours

truly, when it rains, it pours...so many of my prayers have been answered. i'm so thankful for i do not deserve any of these... i just pray that all these blessings be used for His glory! sometimes, we only ask for a day, and He gives us months. and at times, we only ask for one thing, and He gives us more. not because we are good, but because our Father is good and He knows what we need and when we need them...

and truly, God moves the heart of the leaders as well. months (or even years) ago, we've been pushing for a number of people programs to our top management. and this day, i saw a silver lining...just a little paper pushing and in a few days, maybe we will see these programs coming to life! ;) sometimes answers can take a while, but when it comes... it's such a sweet gift from above!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

Can Lovers be Friends? Part Two

after reading my previous blog, a close friend posted the reverse situation question: "Can lovers be friends?"

in the first place, those who are in the relationship should be friends with each other. the element of friendship has more permanence than romance, glueing it together when sparks fly outside the window. we all know how 'romance' is very fickle, and sadly oftentimes equated by couples to their commitment--> that is, if the romance is gone, and so does commitment. wrong.

now, going beyond the scope of a relationship: "Can former lovers be friends?" hmmm... again, it depends on how the parting away has been. if it is was REALY amicable, this can happen, otherwise, do not force the issue. do not open a can of worms. do not hold on to the ideal but accept the real thing. reality bites, and moreso former lovers. haha! this poisonous end is what makes us afraid of getting into a relationship with a good friend. so it's good to be careful, discerning and... resilient ;)

Can Friends be Lovers?

oh, the perennial question that tickles the minds of those in a girl-guy relationship! i've been in that situation and i can symphatize with the sleepless nights, the marathon of analysis of what-ifs, and the daydreaming portion of a happy-ever-after.

and my answer to this? YES, it is possible, but not always the case! it takes divine intervention for it to really work and for you to know it without sweating an effort at all! ;)

i've always had close guy friend. and having three brothers around has somehow helped me how to deal with this situation... not that they taught me how, but it helped me understand guys a bit. i do not say i've always been in control of the situation (coz who says you can always control that deceitful heart?), but i've pretty much passed most of my friendships with flying colors and has kept these close guy friends longer than my exes...

if i just like him as my best friend, nothing more, how do i avoid him misinterpreting my actions and words?
when i've a close guy friend whom i see only as a friend (after months and months of looking at a romantic angle to no avail), i make sure it is clear to him. how? i do not cross the boundary of physical friend zone, like casual hugging and holding hands. why? because even if it is harmless for me, it may be encouraging for the other party. also, i do not cross the boundary of conversational friend zone, like talking to him as if he's my BF.

ladies, do not be selfish that you are only thinking of expressing yourself to your 'best friend", oblivious of its effect on the other party. be very careful, in the same way that you yourself do not want to get mixed signal from your guy-friend and be hurt in the end, right? do not simply indulge in this "best friend" zone. with privilege, comes responsibility. remember too that the difference between best friend and romance is really just thin-line, thin ice, and if the feeling is not shared by both--- you can be losing a very important relationship because of carelessness and selfishness.

what if i feel something for my guy best friend and i'm not sure if the feeling is mutual?
now, this is a killer-- if not handled well! and i had one friendship 6-ft below the ground now because of my immaturity! anyways, i suggest that being his friend, stick to the facts first. if you really know him, you will know if he likes you. he will drop hints if he does not know your feeling for him, and he will look for encouragement and hope before he drops the real bomb...

so do not delude yourself of reading-too-much-between-the-lines. guys are usually wired simply, unlike us. they do not go the lenghts of scheming things in order to let their feelings be known to you. do not rob off your friendship of its current joys because of "malicious thoughts". do not go inventing sweet dreams, when reality does not support it. do not think for him and do not start sewing facts together. do not spend sleepless nights trying to analyze things, coz really, he just might not be thinking about you and you end up feeling unfair!

instead, pray for it, and do not mess up with your close friendship! let Him do His work, let Him freely work out His great design. in the first place, the worst case scenario if it is not His will is, is that he will still be your best friend-- which isn't really bad after all!

i've always been a believer of guy doing the first move, because if he really really like you ENOUGH, he will make the move however much "torpe" he is. so let him do the chasing. but i also believe that girls can encourage and do their part in making it easy on the "torpeng" guys--- only if you really like the guy.


what if my best friend told me he likes me more than friends, but i do not feel the same?
put yourself in his shoes and you will be reminded to handle this well. he went thru all the troubles, and really, it took a lot of guts from him to do this, so if you will decline him, decline him squarely but gently. be honest, but be gentle. be firm, but be gentle. this is not just another guy, but a real close friend with whom you shared part of your life with.



oh well, this is not a list of what-to-dos but simply a sharing of how i did it in mine. but still, no situation is ever identical, so play it by ear, be guided and be brave for the circumstances ;)

Looking thru the Eyes of Kids

lately, even after months of vacation, i did not find going back to work something to look forward to, when in the past, it used to. for some vague reason, i did not find work as appealing anymore. maybe it has something to do with being in the same place and the same work, and the same workmates year after year... oh the glooms of monotony!

but then this afternoon, i got to treat some of the kids of my churchmates to adventureland. i welcomed being pushed away from my office chair even for just a moment. and then seeing how the kids were sooooo happy with the cards i gave them gave me a certain lift of joy! oh, those were precious moments when kids' eyes just flash with ecstacy! haha!

and then when they finished playing, they went to our table and started chatting with me. there were 4 kids talking to me simultaneously...

"hey, what's your favorite ride?"
"do you need to pay when you ride? no? wow, that's sooo cool!"
"what's your work there? do you just go around the center the whole day?"
"are you the boss? no? so you get to tell everyone what to do except the boss?"
"wow, you can play all you want here?"
"you do not need to swipe that card to enter?"
"you have free cards?"
and i knew this was coming "i think i like to work here someday.."

haha! i think looking at my work in these kids' perspective will help a little in bringing back the joy in my work... ;)

The Tunnel

last week, in a bible study, a brother asked us about the benefits of sufferings for His sake. a number of us flipped thru the bible, and there we saw an ocean of list of good things we get out of suffering: closeness with God, pruning of our character, increasing our faith, etc. (romans 5:2-4; romans 8:17; 2 cor 1:7...)

and the next question which seemed to have been logically easy to answer based on the premise above, but was really difficult to, was "if there are a lot of benefits to it, and then why do we avoid sufferings?"

it made me think for a while. and in my mind, aside from the other obvious reasons of avoiding it such as fear of alienation, financial distress, pain, sadness, i realized that one thing that really makes this kind of suffering something we do not look forward to, is the thought of uncertainy...

suffering is always appreciated at hindsight, at that end of the tunnel when all questions are answered, all pieces of the puzzle are complete.

but while we are at it not knowing what is happening and the end is seemingly so far-fetched from what we hope it would be, suffering becomes so unbearable.

but it is in this uncertain period do we clearly see the stark contrast that we are mere mortals and that He is the all-powerful and all-knowing God! it is in this period that we have no one else to turn to but to Him, no one else to strenghten us but Him and no one else to hope to than on Him. and this is certainly an opportunity to exercise our faith and to look at these dark providences thru the lens of our Saviour...

Lazy or Busy?

whoa! it's been months since i last updated my blogsite... so not me huh! either i'm lazy or just plain busy. hehe. well anyways, i'm back on my normal sched after a month and a half of hiatus, so expect new articles to come... i still owe you my maldivian adventures, and now i have my philippines tales to tell you, my bangkok trip and other tales of my grey matter... watch this space.... ;)

The Paradox of God's Gift

i've always heard of ladies in the church saying "when i was already contented being single and not looking for that someone anymore, just then, he pops up from nowhere." i thought, how can God be so paradoxical in giving His blessing, giving you the very thing that you wanted when you are already willing to give him up graciously (not resignedly) and you thought you do not need that someone anymore?

i think what "He gives it to us when we do not 'seem' to need it" may mean is that:

• He gives him to us when we are already complete in Him first, before another person comes into the scene. He is a jealous God and another wonderful creation taking His place in our heart is not His will.
• Being able to give up 'graciously' the precious gifts is a sign of maturity in receiving them
• The very nature that it is A GIFT says that it is not His obligation towards us. it is a gift... a grace... and so He gives it in His own sweet time! and many who has received their gifts could not have thought of any other perfect timing than His.
• He knows that this gift is not just a momentary present, but a lifetime gift so He wants it to be given, not when "we" need it, but when "He" thinks we need it, and "He" thinks we are well equipped to receive it
• this overall paradox just simply display His sovereignty above all things, even the littlest details of situations pertaining to our God's gift! ;)

so to those who has received them already, continue rejoicing in Him! they are one of the best gifts that any person can ever have in this world.

to those who has not yet received them, be happily patient, be prayerful and be expectantly faithful!

Sweet Miracles

Many times in our lives we pray for miracles. sometimes we know how impossible our requests are, and we know how undeserving we are, yet day and night we wet our pillows with deep cries and petition for it. The uncertainty of attaining it challenges our faith. The long waiting period challenges our source of peace. And the first sign of a negative response challenges our perseverance.

And just when we thought that things are very remote from being a possibility, God sends forth His sweet miracles. And more often than not, even if we are expecting it and praying for it, we get utterly surprised when we get it! Talking about lack of faith huh? ;)

And when the dust has finally settled, we will then fully appreciate the sweetness of this miracle, and how He has worked out His wonderful scheme of things beyond our wildest imagination. It will just give you that smile on your face and twinkle in your eyes! Truly, His ways are higher than ours, more creative than ours, and much more wonderful than ours, if we just let Him do His perfect will in our lives! And to many impatient souls like me, sweet miracles are a testament of God’s perfect timing—never too late, nor too early! He knows best when we need it, when our wants should be met, and when we are most prepared to receive and take care of it.

And this sweet miracle begets great joy to our hearts, a thankful spirit and a worship to Him! May the sweetness of this miracle when it was first revealed to us, never fade in time…but the more that we appreciate it as time goes by… as things go good or bad… as more miracles unravel…

Decisions

i just wanna share with you a different take on the wisdom of God on crossroads that we encounter... it helped me, and it just might be of use to you too.

"The wisdom God gives is not necessarily information on how to get out of trouble but rather insight on how to learn from one's difficulties (see also Proverbs 29:15). It is not more information about how to avoid times of testing but instead a new perspective on trials. The wisdom of God begins with a genuine reverence for the Almighty (see "the fear of the Lord" in Ps. 111:10; Prov. 9:10) and a steadfast confidence that God controls all circumstances, guiding them to His good purposes (Rom. 8:28)."

Up Close and Personal

i think i got this inquisitive bone from my dad... i do not normally pass up opportunties to meet with people, either old friends or new alike. i consider every encounter a big opportunity and a privilege. i am always curious to know how God has dealt wonderfully with them, either in good or bad times. i get excited with people the way some get excited with fashion, with cars, with gadgets, with sports, with investments. i ask a lot. i learn a lot. i see precious souls within. sometimes i confuse them a lot too, or they confuse me back. then, at the end of each meeting, it's like i'm living ten new lives...

lately, i've been going to different small get togethers. each one is unique in its own. i've met so many wonderful people who has touched my life in one way or another. some i did not have a good start with, but we ended up well anyways. some were hard nuts to crack. dubai, being a melting pot of cultures, will open your eyes to different point of views and i celebrate the diversity of it all! they have different stories to tell about their lives here, about struggles, about victories, about life-changing moments and the ever-present roadblocks! i am even surprised to know that those who seemed to appear having a problem-free life, are actually a testimony of "peace in the midst of storm"!

and what struck me also are the stories of seemingly "random acts of kindess" which we often hold back because of past pains and mere laziness. it's really true that God works thru us in answering prayers of others. so do not hold back that thought of sending sms to comfort someone, or stopping and entertaining a directionally-challenged person, or simply popping up "hey how are you?" to a friend, or thinking of giving food to someone, or even saying the long-delayed "pls forgive me" to a hurt person...


i realized it's really equally blessing to go out of your comfort zones and try to start a conversation, which in the end may turn to something up close and personal...

Grass is Greener

many times, it takes another person to point us to appreciate what we already have.

i met some friends from london, who had their one week vacation here in dubai. even before we finished our dinner, i have a pretty much clear picture of how unlikable london is. not that they are discouraging me from staying in london (i do not have plans anyways), but i guess, it is just pouring their hearts out as part of their "vacation". they kept comparing london to dubai. but the thing is, they see london in a microscopic lens, and they saw dubai in a macroscopic one. so, it's not a fair judgement at all! it's not comparing apples to apples.

then last friday, i had lunch with other girlfriends. talks about work tales, and worse, work woes! i told them "i think i'm liking these kinds of lunches coz it makes me appreciate my work more" ;) of course, it is too bad that it is at their expense!

but it all led me to confirm more this ever-pervasive disease of "grass is greener on the other side of the fence". always is, and will always be... and the antidote? Read Phil 4:11-13


"11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

Touch and Go

" Hold on tight'
Cause life is touch and go
It's sink and swim, But never doubt
If you're out on a limb
I'll get the call
To break your fall
I'll never leave you
Even when life
Is touch and go
Or hit and run
We'll never break
If we take it as one
I'm here to stay,
I pray you know
I'll never touch
I'll never touch and go"

so goes a famous 1980's love song... recently, i've had more than my share of encounters of people coming in and going out of my life. that's what so unique about my expatriate life experience here in dubai. the only permanent thing is change. even friends come and go (well, some just physically, coz there are a few gems i've kept until today)... jobs come and go.... opportunities come and go... men come and go...

but if you look at it at half-full glass perspective, it has made me appreciate and treasure each moment more, knowing that "life is touch and go"... and more importantly, it has made me clung to Him more and surrender to Him more, whom i can count on when "life is touch and go"...

Eureka!

It is most famously attributed to the ancient Greek scholar Archimedes; he reportedly proclaimed, "Eureka!" when he stepped into a bath and noticed that the water level rose – he suddenly understood that the volume of water displaced must be equal to the volume of the part of his body he had submerged. This meant that the volume of irregular objects could be calculated with precision, a previously intractable problem. He is said to have been so eager to share his realisation that he leapt out of his bathtub and ran through the streets of Syracuse naked.

Well, i am no archimedes, but i had the same "enlightenment" when i was doing just a very ordinary thing -- writing a response letter to a friend. you see, months before this, i had in mind tons of questions that has been nagging me, and somehow putting me in that hanging scenario. i kept all these questions at bay, thinking i'd deal with it when i have the time. so while writing a letter to a friend... composing answer to his question... i just realized that i had been answering my life questions already! in an instant, a light bulb lighted up, and i pushed back my laptop, thought for a while and the big picture just snapped right into my face! it's like the whole thing fell into the right place! i immediately called mano and recalled to her my 'eureka' moment! oh, it's very liberating indeed!

there will be times in your life when answers to pressing major questions do not come in big packages. you maybe just doing the most mundane things, when God flashes the answer! just make sure you are not tooooo busy nor toooo blinded to read His words ;)

The Customer is Always Right

i've always worked in a service-oriented industry, so it is common for me to handle customer concerns, or worse, complaints. but did i tell you that customers here in the UAE is a far-cry from what i've been accustomed to in the philippines?


1. "where's the manager?" that's always the question whenever our staff encounters problematic customers. they would not deal with the lowlies, but rather only with the decision-makers. i guess this is a european influence, or maybe, they are born with this assertiveness.


2. "no Filipini, i need arabic" ok, here's when they bluntly tell you i do not like to talk to you, period! that's when our emirati employee comes in handy. and this is the time when i get frustrated with my arabic skills, although really, even if i know how to speak the language, they want someone from their own race.


3. "why before, they always allowed my son to ride here, and now no?" (yes, that broken english) this rational for insisting their kids to go to our rides even if the kid does not meet height restriction has been so infamous that we already learned the antidote: "sir, we are very strict with this safety rule given to us by the manufacturers to avoid accidents. so tell me who's the ride operator who allowed you this, and i will fire him immediately." almost all the time, they cannot point a person. really! but then, i'd give them a plus point for trying soooo hard just to let their kids into our rides :)


4. "i came all the way from oman just to get these free rides!" there's really nothing wrong with this statement, except that they are asking for redemption of free ride vouchers which are two months expired! yes, they have a talent in switching the burden on you. this is when a certain level of judgement call is needed among our managers.

just yesterday, my operations manager called for SOS. we had a very angry customer and insist on talking to his superior. i ushered him to come to my office. i let him vent out his complaints and then i stated my side, which is the same as what my manager said. he became more furious, insisting on allowing his child on a ride, breaking the height restriction rule which is a cardinal sin for us! and since he sensed i will not allow that to happen, he then accused us of inconsistent implementation of rules depending on our mood. he ended up asking for my name, to which i gladly gave my business card, and telling me that he will call the owner to complain about this. i told him "sir, it is perfectly ok as it is your right. once again i apologize for the inconvenience we have caused you. " he said to me to stop apologizing, saying that i ruined his life and his child's enjoyment, and went out of my office and he said "f**k you!"

my operations manager apologized that he had to elevate that seemingly simple concern to me. i told him that any given day i'd take in a hundred of this kind of complaint, rather than one accident just because we've given in to this safety restriction.

well, all in a day's work....

Interviews

it's that time again of the year when we line up people for interviews as part of our staffing program. in front of me are CVs of 5 shortlisted applicants--- in manila. yes, i've conducted interviews of people in manila thru internet. this is how we've been doing things for the past years.

there's much lost when you interview via conference call, even if there's webcam. the eye contact, the involuntary gestures which means a lot to an interviewer, and the curve of the lips when they smile, their attire, the sweaty palms, the train of thoughts when the line gets so choppy, etc.... so these aspects, we have to leave in the able hands of our manile agency who shortlists for us.

as i interview them, i've to up my antenna in terms of other aspects in liue of the personal connection. so i am more conscious of their wordings, their stammerings, and the consistency of their answers after numerous rewordings of the questions.

i love asking them the perennial question of "what makes you the best candidate for the position". i love the resolve, the self-salestalk, the promises which i know would be broken someday. there are times too that i learn a lot from their experience, and from the industry the've worked on. you just don't realize the valuable information the interviewer gets from all of these ;)

more often than not though, i am the one who gets lost in the interview, specially when they start telling their tales when i ask them "why would you like to come here to the UAE". i know it would always be financial reason, but the reason of their lack of finance varies from pole to pole, and that's what would usually captivate my ears! i would be drawn to stories of big families trying to make both ends meet, to candidates left to fend for their own, to hate tales of being victimized by swindlers and fraudulent agencies, etc.

my filipino boss has always been asked to get staff from other nationalities, especially when the partners know that we are having problems with our pinoy staff not finishing their contracts. but he has kept with his policy of "one filipino staff coming here, means one less needy family in our country". very noble, yet most would forget that and the other bold statements they have said during the interview, a few months after......

Loving the Long History

i brought my pair of shoes to Minutes to fix the sole. i got a look that says "hey lady, why don't you buy a new pair?". i just blankly stared back at him.... i love my shoes, even if it really looks worn and torn after years of loyal service. it's my fave shoes-- tangerine color, right 2-inch heel and it's just sooo comfy ;)


i bought a pair of jeans last 2002, and until now, it is what i wear for special ocassions... i have a purse given to me by riza's mom years back, which is now already faded and really old, but i haven't changed it since... my bible has been with me since 93 given by my bro, and i wouldn't trade it for anything newer... i've this red tops i bought in HK last 98 which until now i wear for casual ocassions...

unlike most people, when i've new things, i do not take care of it so much more than i would an old stuff. i am not very 'new' fanatic, you know the kind most people usually are when they have new bags, new shoes, new things, new phone, new gadgets, treating it like it's so fragile, so immaculate... i don't freak out when it gets dirtied. actually the more i'd want it to be dirtied, crumpled, faded... weird huh?

there's something about old stuff that endears me. i like the worn-torn look. i like the old yucky smell. i like the signs of the years weathering the storms. i like the scratches... maybe it's the long history we've had together. or maybe i'm just typically sentimental...

Alias

i started with season 3 last year-- the best season i must say! and i am hooked since then. i was so into the story revolving sydney who was back into the CIA but had severe memory loss specially of her past two years. and the first person that she saw? agent vaughn! cute ;) i learned from mano (who's the real avid alias girl) was that before season 2 ended, their love story really blossomed, but as usual, it went ka-poof! and that's why there is season 3 to keep all of us glued to the boobtube. the not-so-cute part is --- he is now married--- to a CIA officer! hmmm... very interesting twist and really keeps you at the edge of your seat..

so i watched season 3 almost non-stop (of course i gotta go to work as a break, hehe). it is about that love triagle, mysteries, espionage at its best and so much more in between. it is a well written plot and well written screenplay. i even borrow some of the lines which i use whenever it suits the situation (oh, yes, even during our ManCom sessions). it taught me also how to do the delegation thing, the interrogation sequences and most importantly, the separation of professional from personal life. tough! and after that, i of course moved on to season 1 and 2 (mixed up sequence? haha), and now i'm into the last part of season 4...

i like sydney's being the master of disguises. she's so cool in so many of the personas she's done. she has been a nerd, a nurse, a teacher, a bimbo, an argentinian, an american, european, etc. and speaking various languages! cool! and the coolest part is her fighting skills. i love jen!

i love the other characters as well-- they seemed to be cut to a T! jack bristow, the ever irritating arvin sloane, and another of my fave, nadia, sydney's sister. she's also great and really gorgeous to boot!

each charater has its own flavor and kick, especially the antagonists. oh, you'll really abhor them, and even dream about them!

so, when evenings allow me 2 hours of tv watching-- i go for my Alias dose! watch it and see what i'm talking about!