today at UCC

The ultimate aydol! =)

Pretty, fab, funny, warm. =)

the lovebirds. =)

I'm wishing all these beautiful people the best of life and love. =)

Chel, thanks for everything. I'll be missing you. *hugs* Wishing you a safe trip, and hope to see you blogging really soon. =)

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Surreal but Nice

I know I've been neglecting this blog for days now. :hide: Why? I don’t know. But I could give a couple of reasons.

First, I’m kind of busy. Haha! I know the line is kind of overused. But really, I am. Toinks.

Second, maybe it’s because I am in a state where everything seemed surreal. This has got to be the busiest summer of get-togethers ever. Not that I’m complaining. Hehe. It’s just that suddenly, I’m seeing and talking to friends whom I don’t get to see and talk often. It’s just surreal, definitely surreal. I couldn’t be more grateful. =)

Lee-bog, a long-time friend of Josh and I. One of the most talented writers I know. I wish she’d write more while in Dubai.



Two of my most favorite people in the world. That night when we surprised Aileen is still surreal to me. Ai, thanks sa pagtunga bisan naglain imo paminaw. *hugs* And Chel, thanks for making me a part of the surprise. *hugs*



That night when we were at the house of Chelo’s mom, I never expected to be that fun! We honestly really, really enjoyed it! Thanks again, Chel. Your family is very loveable and funny and warm! Did I tell you how I wish to be like you when I grow up? =)



Cym arranged a little surprise despedida party for our friend, Mayet. This despedida is way, long overdue. We’ve been wishing her this for a very long time so she could go and be with her husband, and of course, do “resting”. Hihi. *peace* Ayaw saba, Cym. :hide: Bon voyage, Mayet!

Third, the month of May has so many things in store for us. There seems to be so many things to do and so many things to think about. Yet it’s full of excitement. =) I just can’t wait. =)

La lang. Share lang ko. Nyok. hihi. Have a great, long weekend ahead! =)

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April 26

This day was not always special to me, until that fateful day Yai introduced us. It just had to be that day because that supposed day we were introduced the first time, I was in a foul, whining mood. :hide:

This day is special because of a friend who has brought me lots of good memories since 1999.

…tea at Marriott
…rotating 500
…adoptive sister and family
…fantastic weekday and weekend nights
…heartfelt, long-distance chats

Oh there’s just a lot to be put all in a list.

But I just have to add how she has helped me cope with myself during one of the worst times in my life when I was; you guessed it right, at my worst. Although I know I’d always choose swim over sink, isn’t it amazing to swim with a swim bar that you can just hold on to when you get too tired and too whiny? She was my swim bar.

And chocolate bar, too. She’s sweet, caring, and thoughtful. I just got to love her family, too. They’re like family to me. Mangangkon jud. LOL!

Thanks, tiris. *hugs*

You know that from the bottom of my heart, I am truly grateful to have met you, known you, and celebrate you.

Enjoy this day like when we were barely 23-year-olds, Jukebox style. Haha!

Wishing you Leiko, more success with KH, and a happy, healthy, sweet life always. =)

pretty therese. sige lang. naa pay lotto og bingo. hihi.

Happy Birthday, Tiris!

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letting out the child in you

J and J, being a child again.

The night was perfect to go biking outside. So we went and explored the neighborhood riding a bike. I swear it’s been ages since I’ve last had that experience. Then we got home, got to reality, and got to our “old” selves again.

There should definitely be more of this. I wouldn't mind. =)

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some kind of webby-derful

way connect-ment pero sige na lang. hihi.

It’s funny because while I find it challenging to simplify things or ideas, it’s what I actually do. And although we’ve probably heard a thousand times that you just got to do what makes you happy (and just maybe money will follow) and you’d be fine, I’ll say it again. I am fine. Thank you. =)


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Today is a very memorable day. I just have to write this, and write more about it by the end of the month or so, if all goes well as planned. ;-)

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I really don’t mind helping out or sharing ideas with others (not financially though because I can’t afford it. :hide:) When someone comes up to me and ask anything I may have full or little knowledge about, I’d gladly share what I know, and trust me, I won’t ask for anything in return. Hihi. I guess it’s my way of paying it forward, or just because.


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I couldn’t be happier to finally see friends’ websites and blogs. *jumpclap*

First, there’s Kusina Habana of Tiris and hubby who finally launched its long awaited dot com! Congrats, mam! You did a great job jud. As what I’ve told you, you have all the right reasons to get a dot com. You’re selling “real” products (not just char-char. Haha!) and of a sumptuous kind at that. =)

Second, there’s Cym. She finally got a new personal blog in blogspot. That means she could finally tinker more and make it as pretty as she and her daughter, Cybelle, are. I miss you, mam. That’s why it’s happiness to get to read you more and more. =)

Third, there’s Cathy. She’s just begun photo blogging. She’s wanted to do it but she’s a little shy and just didn’t have the time. But she finally did it. It’s about time she shares the beautiful photos she takes. This is just the beginning.=)

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life's sweet prizes

Happiness! Gigukod ang anak sa amahan kay ang anak, abtik na gidagan ang premyo. hihi.

Believe it or not, I’m not really fond of parties (especially big ones) and mga kalaagan. :hide: I love to just stay at home. If only there weren’t any errands to run on weekends, I swear, I’d just be at home and still be busy. I remember in my hometown, my neighbors always get surprised when they see me out. They used to tease me, “Magmungha ka?” hahaha! :hide:

But for now, it has to change...for my daughter and husband, of course.

Last Saturday, we attended a birthday party and my little family had a blast. Khandi enjoyed being there. Nag-latas2x ra from our table to the front where they held the games. She fell in line like the rest of the kids (although mag-balhin2x. haha!) She laughed with the rest of the kids and even played with them. The clown named her, "Khandi, the flower" kay apil-apilon man. haha! She also laughed at her dad when he played hep-hep, hurray, and when he won, she went up to him and together they went to get their prizes. Thus, the picture above. That moment, I hold dear to my heart. It was a mix of feelings that would let you blush like a schoolgirl. One feeling was certain though: I was a proud parent and wife. =)

While Khandi was busy doing her thing up front, it was happiness to see happiness in my husband’s eyes not only because he was a proud parent but also because he was happy to see his friends whom he hadn’t seen or talked to in person for so long. =) I've also seen and felt that his friends were also so happy, excited, and surprised to see him around. They even didn’t get enough of each other that after the party, we went to one of his friends’ place so we (yes, including the wives na apil-apilon. haha!) talk some more and have to come back the next day for a sugba-sugba, and that would be another blog entry. Hehe.

It's just happiness to see your loved ones happy around friends (and other kids), even if that means for me to go out of the house more often than the usual. Toinks.=)

La lang. Share lang nako ang simpleng kalipay sa kinabuhi sa usa ka inahan og asawa. Bow. :hide:

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Puto Shoot

Para ninyo nga naa sa abroad. Mukaon ba mo ani? Haha!

I remember the time when I took up Humanities II (Art, Man, and Society) back in College. It was an elective I never thought I’d enjoy. Our teacher (Lily Rosebud Uy—God bless her) was very encouraging that sometimes she would show everyone my work for the sake of the fact that I was rather taking a very odd course. Haha.

I remember there was this one exercise where she asked us to bring a potato and a cutter. During class, she told us to carve any thing we could think of out of the potato. We were given (I think) 30 minutes to do it. Since I have never tried to do it before, I thought I should cut the potato in half. I always knew I am very clumsy when it comes to using the cutter I will most likely fail in the first try so the second half of the potato should come in handy.:hide: After 15 minutes, I still haven’t figured out what to do with the first half. I tried to just carve but the potato was formless as air. I looked around and my other classmates were doing acorn-like objects. I was in awe at how they’d done it. I realized I did not and could never carve outward. So I threw the first half of the potato and worked on the second half. I began to carve a flower inwardly. Toinks. Good thing was, our teacher had something else in her mind. We weren’t just supposed to present the carving to the class just as it is but were supposed to stamp it on paper. When I stamped mine on paper, I was impressed. It wasn’t that bad at all. In fact, my teacher showed it to my classmates and they were seemed impressed, too. It turned out I was the only one who did it that way, inwardly. So in effect, it produced interesting forms when stamped. Esee…haha! :hide: But of course, pila ra pod mi sa klase! Wehehe.

There are no rules in Art. Well, that’s what it is to me. I am or may never be artsy-artsy but I do appreciate forms of Art. To me, Art is (more than anything) a self-expression, rather than aesthetic by convention. It’s often contextual with immense subjectivity, and never a contest.

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I’ve been taking lots and lots of pictures. In fact, my phone is acting silly because I’ve almost used its entire memory. Haha. :hide: But you know it doesn’t really matter what you have. You can always work on it and with it. Matu pa ni Lynette, “di bitaw lumba ang life.” That could be applied to almost anything. What’s important is you’re happy and you’re happy. =)
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Thanks, Ai, for the inspiration. I know you know ikaw gapasiugda aning tanan bisan kinsa pay pasultion. Hahaha! Until now, I still couldn’t get over that first headshot of yours in your first multiply account. It’s still in my head. If I were a painter, I could have painted it with eyes closed. =)

Also, thanks Chelo and Lynette. The frequent visits I had to your photo blogs inspired me to get one for me. Your pictures are so inspiring that I felt like I’ve been to the US and Europe already. I thought I might as well share my mundane life in pictures to all of you, para malahi pod. Haha! Jk. =)

Unya karon naa na pod kang Tiris. Whattalayp! =)

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curly tops and whatnots

This one is for you, lynette. I know you love chocolates. Local lang ni. haha!

Happy birthday, Lynette! =) I wish you good health and more happiness and more happiness! *hugs*

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When I took this pic, I just know I’d have to include that “www” in the bag.

Something came to me while I was riding a jeepney on my way home. It was a stop. I was sitting at the far end so I could see the signal of the car right behind us. It was blinking on the right side and so I know it was supposed to turn right. But whoever was behind the wheel and whoever were inside that car, I’d have to admire. It turned out that the jeepney I was riding was blocking their way to make a right turn even if it said that the lane we were in is only for vehicles turning right. If it were probably another set of people in the car, they would probably be honking their horns mindless of the jeepney passengers turning deaf. Didn’t we all have to experience that? I just had to say God Bless to whoever these people were inside the car.

I think it all boils down to what kind of person you are, and of how you were built. There are people who could easily place themselves in someone else’s toes and at least, empathize.

But sadly there are people who simply don’t care about that. Once they get into that state where they are a little up there somewhere (take for this instance they needn’t have to ride jeepneys because they now have cars), they just get lost in the feeling. They honk their horns though they pretty much know it'd hurt. They just want to honk or blow one’s horns to anyone and think that that’s just how the world works: honk and honk.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, simply, there are people who are (to quote a friend) “maitim ang budhi.” No wonder why the world is chaotic and heartbreaking at times.

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happy thought

No stranger.

I’m grateful of yesterday.

It was happiness to have heard from two of my friends again whom I haven’t seen for a long time (3 years, I think) but have communicated with through chat and text. Both of them have joined me in that online stint two years ago.

My friend E is doing great and is happy with her life, love, and work. And what I really admire about her is her sense of empowerment. When I asked about how her boyfriend (of the longest time) was doing and if he was already a doctor, she said he would be soon and while waiting for that before getting hitched, she plans to get a law degree aside from the MBA degree up her sleeve. It’s really amazing to know of women who just don’t wait for their men and grow insecure of them. They do something.

Meanwhile, my friend P just confirmed he has a girlfriend. This makes me happy because despite the fact that he can be a little arrogant and can rub people the wrong way, I know he is a good person and deserves someone to love and love him back. However, I feel sad when he said he’s going through some tough times and that if I could include him in my prayers. But with that I have come to admire him because it takes courage in people to accept and say it, and to actually believe in the power of prayers. That’s really something.

I am simply touched, humbled, and proud of these friends. =) I can only wish and pray for them to be always well and happy. That’s the least I can do.

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a look back

Sbarro Garlic Bread. Cheap, yummy, and memorable.

There are those years you wouldn’t want to look back and memories you certainly wouldn’t want to remember. These are exactly the ones you’d rather keep away from your mind’s reach.

But you know they’re there to stay. They could stay dormant, but dangerous.

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Last year was a trying year. I had my friend J witness all that just as I was to her in her struggles. I miss her the most yesterday when I passed by the candy store and Sbarro. We used to just eat two pieces of Sbarro’s Garlic Bread for dinner and wait for each other at that candy store after work. What a sweet bittersweet memory it was.

I miss you, J. *hugs* Someday soon all our dreams and wishes will come true and we’d still eat that garlic bread with gusto. =)

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A for adorable

I still remember the first time I met my friend Alva in college. It was during enrollment and it was by chance that we knew we were taking the same course. So we tagged along with each other the whole day. My first impression of her was she’s such a carefree individual, and up until now I’d have to say the impression has lasted. But I’d have to add, caring and sincere, to her character. =)

When I heard she was in Cebu for a quick visit, I just knew I have to meet up with her, no matter what.

Alva and I share a friendship that graces back when we were these carefree, careless, and drifting students to being careful, full-time, and working mothers. Let alone, we both had our share of weird online stints. :hide: Although we’ve lived in distant places, we managed to keep in touch online, laugh and cried our hearts out virtually. In short, we just have that connection we both can’t put a label on but we know it’s stuck in the deepest of our hearts. I’m just so grateful of her being a source of joy, of happiness to me and our circle of friends. Honestly, it was a struggle for me to part with her for the night, for the meantime that who knows how long it would be. But we had that very precious talk and we just know we do what we have to do.

Thanks for everything, Bang. Things have been uncertain lately to me and you. But we know things will light up for people who live and struggle with a heart, and I just know we’d be good. =)

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of festivity

Ai and I on the eve of Sinulog

Since early this week, I’ve been feeling the festive air Sinulog (never) fails to bring to us despite the cold weather, despite life these days, just despite. In fact, something inside me wouldn’t want to make it end. It seemed everyone around me was just so happy, and who wouldn’t always want to see happiness?

Happiness is one of those moments when you meet up with a friend who has witnessed your life's ups and downs --may it be through eyes, calls, text, and pms, and has helped you stay afloat. Happiness is when you know how sincere a person is when she asks, “how are you?” and how eager you are to answer it.

Thanks, Ai, for being happiness. Thanks for all the prayers (I just know you do) and for always, the friendship. *hugs*

Ai, I miss you already and Khandi does, too. Whenever we ask her where Tita Ai is, she’d act like she's driving a car. Haha! Take care always. =)

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NOT

I woke up to a heavy heart, and it didn’t take me a minute to know as to why.

I know how it may be easy for them to imagine things I’m missing out. It may be true and there can be too many.

But if only they'd try to dig deeper like that when you search buried seeds on the ground. They’d stop, listen, and discover that my heart beats, too:

every little piece of muscle strained before

every little piece of history I’ve gone through

every little piece of dream I’m rooting for

every little piece of me

Like theirs, my heart is but beats a different beat.

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Why I'm Thankful of 2008

This year has taught me countless of things I wouldn’t have dared imagine in my entire life. I wouldn’t have braved through it all without these friends. I’ll be forever grateful for all the sincere love and support. Thanks to all of them and of course, how could I ever forget, to you. ;-)

with (relatively) newfound, kindred friends

with old, earnest college friends

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a brighter New Year! =D

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Late Nights

Khandi wearing her back-to-back, ukay-ukay blouse. haha!

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I have to admit that I could be a little difficult to drag to dinner or get–together ever since I became a mother. :hide:

When two groups of girlfriends have agreed to meet up (separately), I was excited but at the same time hesitant. That could mean getting home late for two nights in a row. That’s a concern for me. Yeah, I know this happens not everyday but I feel for Jenny and how tiring it could be for her to extend hours watching over Khandi. Let alone, there are moments with your daughter you wouldn’t dare miss out for the world. Think swinging and singing to High School Musical and the Sound of Music videos. :hide: Thirdly, it’s really not wise to be out late, monetarily. When you dine out, you do spend. Also, we live very far away from the city. Getting home late would mean missing the bus and thus, resort to riding a cab or buy some gasoline for the good old car. See, that’s how crazy my mind could get. Toinks.

So when both groups finally reached a decision (murag unsa bah. Haha) when to meet up, I was the happiest. Why, it’s all going to happen in one night! First few hours would be spent with the girls who happen to have other important things to do after dinner time. Then the next few hours would be spent with the girls who happen to have other important things to do before dinner time. =D And there’s no worry about missing the bus. My husband and I would be going home together (Thanks to his weird work-shift.) We'd still get to save some fare, even for just a little. :hide:

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I’ve never had issues between family time and me–me time. It’s never a tug of war and should never be. I just have to know my priorities: get rid of poor priorities (until now, I’m still learning), and nurture rich priorities (family is.).

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