Wonderland

Sunday Jobs

2011-11-06T19:57:00.007+08:00

This weekend, my family and I busied ourselves with our annual pre- Christmas garage sale. This started almost three years ago when my Tita, who was then busy packing & getting ready to move to a new home with her kids finally decided to face a certain problem ahead. What to do with those old stuff she didn't want to bring to her new home? I, on the other hand was wondering the same thing after a thorough search on my closet. I was staring at the items I've found, consumed by disappointment because I didn't even get the chance to wear all of them and because I know I have to dispose some of them to free some closet space. So right then I sent an SMS to my two Titas. I have three beautiful and amazing aunts by the way, two are living here and the last one now living in Arizona. I asked them to raid their closets as well because I am organizing a garage sale. We filled our garage(where else?) with clothes, shoes, toys, kitchen wares and even some furniture for the event and it was a huge success! I was able to convert my old stuff into shopping money so I was more than happy with the result. Maybe next time I'll organize it as a fundraiser. That would make it more special and worthwhile :)

We are doing this for three years in a row now, always a few weeks before Christmas for a couple of weekends. Always at this time of the year because I know Pinoys tend to spend more and are more inclined to shopping when Christmas is just around the corner.

This is hanging on the gate of our garage for two weeks now. I'd like to call it marketing material. :)

So this morning, I was working on my usual friendly, approachable saleslady stint. The morning shift is always packed and busier and let me add that I love my neighbors for being so supportive! LOL I skipped my saleslady stint during the afternoon because I had to drive my Tita to work (Yes, on a Sunday! How very unfortunate.) and to the mall as well for a little shopping. Around 5 pm I've already accompanied her to their head office in Muntinlupa, to Festival Supermall and we're already on our way to Ayala Alabang Village. Her boss called while we're in the middle of phone shopping and asked her to report at their home in 2 hours! He called an hour before saying that he still doesn't need Tita around until 8pm. That makes him like a typical wealthy man who changes his mind almost every minute. At least to me. I still had time to pay my bills at the mall after I dropped her off.

So this concludes my tiring but still fun day. I'm glad to be of service sometimes. Talk about being productive despite the cold, lazy weather. :)

My Usual November 1st

2011-11-01T18:27:00.008+08:00

A lot has happened over the long weekend and I'm glad I set aside time for myself, some quality time with friends and of course, the usual Undas tradition of our family. We went to the cemetery along with I think, everyone else. After all, what is it to do on November 1st?

So we stayed at the cemetery most parts of the day. Lighted candles and said our prayers, played some cards with the kids, ate (a lot!) and ate some more. One cool thing about going home in Indang, Cavite is that almost everyone I know can whip up mouthwatering native delicacies like suman, biko (these are basically forms of rice cakes & I regret that I didn't even took a picture) and cassava cakes any time of the day. So this explains the ate (a lot!) description of how my day went. I brought a new book with me this time, it's called The Hunger Games- the first of a trilogy. It was mainly reading a few chapters before I grab a plate and started savoring our baon again and again. I gave the books to my sister Louise as a Christmas present and she's spent almost a year trying to convince me to read them but I kept on procrastinating. Now that I'm back on track, thanks to Eat Pray Love & Fat Cat, I happily and willingly obliged. :) Louise told me that the back will be translated into the big screen, to be released on March 23, 2012. I am very much looking forward to this already.

I reckon by returning to my old habit of reading books one after another, updating this blog comes along with it. And yes, I will try my best to sneak in here every once in a while and hopefully I come up with something worth reading (and writing) each time.

Ciao for now!

Grab a book and finish it.

2011-10-29T19:20:00.010+08:00

So today I decided to do something I haven't done in a while. Instead of driving around to run errands I chose to take the bus and the MRT to my destination. It was kind of fun, considering that I was spared of the famous and always annoying EDSA traffic. To accompany me on my journey I took this book called Fat Cat with me, something I got hold of thanks to my sister Louise. A book which she also borrowed from her classmate. She was supposed to return it yesterday but I practically begged her not to. It's a long weekend and a good read is exactly what I needed. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a short-term relationship for I was able to finish it in less than 24 hours. I have to give myself props for 1.) being able to read while on the bus- Coming from someone who feels a sudden gush of motion sickness by reading a two-liner text message while on the road, this really is something. 2.) being able to finish a book on my usual time frame. (Eat Pray Love was good but it took me months). I remember I wanted to get to my destination quick but I was also half wishing for a little delay (thanks to the usual Imus-Bacoor traffic) just so I can crack open Fat Cat and read some more. It really is a good read. Somehow, I was reminded of the days when I was following the lives of Jessica & Elizabeth Wakefield of Sweet Valley Junior High (I hope this doesn't give you a clue how long ago this was) but Fat Cat is loads, loads better. It is fast-paced, hilarious and close to reality. Most importantly, this young adult novel has a heart. It shows a girl's transformation from a fat nobody to a hot somebody. It's not all about the looks, though. It's about setting a goal for yourself and working real hard to get it. It's about the value of real friends and the gifts of forgiveness. :)

Happy Birthday Daddy

2011-09-08T09:45:00.000+08:00

Feeling a bit down lately, I decided to succumb to my bed's invitation to wrap me around its faithful embrace. I was about to write about the things bugging me but decided not to since it will obviously do nothing to help me feel better. Bad vibes away!

So I like to dedicated this post to my dad who's celebrating his birthday today. To this man who never fails to give us more than what we need. The only downside is he has probably spent more time being away than being at the shelter of his own home. And you know I can never thank you enough for that, daddy. But whenever I think about it I say a little prayer, thanking God for the fact that I can never thank you enough. Because with it comes my endless mission to give back to you and to love you as long as forever.

I love you.

How I fell in love with Bali

2011-09-04T11:28:00.006+08:00

No. I haven't been there yet. I just finished reading Eat Pray Love. And obviously, my favorite part is Indonesia. I think it's the first book outside the J.K. Rowling-Stephenie Meyer-Dan Brown trio that I've actually finished. Not that I'm not into reading books, I've always been a bookworm! It's just that I fell in love with the works of those three that I find it hard to put them down once I started reading them. Everything else after that were books I read just for the sake of reading. I buy the books because I heard they're good, read the first few chapters, I take a break and put them down then force myself to progress by reading the next chapters if and only if I have nothing else to do or if I'm having trouble putting myself to sleep.

That was me while reading Eat Pray Love. Italy & India were a drag. I liked the book. I also picked up valuable lessons I can apply to my life from day to day. For me that's one quality of a good book. But I guess I didn't have enough strength to escape the realms of Hogwarts or the Cullens or even the Holy Grail. When I finally flipped to page 285 everything changed. I was amazed by how Liz Gilbert described Bali that I fell in love with it. Only six pages into Book Three and I already see my self walking the streets of Bali, Indonesia, enjoying the view of tropical treetops and rice paddies, visiting one Hindu temple after another, and taking countless pictures of tropical flowers. I already have everything in mind, it's like painting a beautiful drawing in a canvass and every important detail is already in it, the only thing missing on the picture is the main character which is of course, myself.

It's a dream I am already set of turning into reality. Will I travel alone? Oh yes, I plan to! Will I have the courage to travel alone when the time finally comes? I don't know! But that's the fun part, right? You keep some things a mystery.

I told you I will catch up.

2011-02-21T11:07:00.019+08:00

It's been a year since my last real post. Not counting my promise featured on the last post, that is. A lot of things have changed. For one, I am now working as a Sales Engineer in this company in Metro Manila. We deal with various industries from Semiconductor Electronics to blah blah blah. I could go on and on and on but it'll be no fun. The cool thing about my job though is I get to travel frequently and talk to various kinds of people. To some it may appear typical just like any other jobs out there but its the part where I learn a lot of new things and try things I haven't tried before. Most of my free time were still spent on traveling. Basically, I am just enjoying the 'fruits of thy labor' going places.

Last year's highlight was when I flew to Phuket, Thailand for the Phenom-World Sales Meeting. T

his was my first trip out of the country. Though the trip was mainly for work, I sure did enjoy it a lot. Lots of firsts for me, gained a couple of acquaintances. Some I'm still in touch until now both about business and personal.

We stayed at the Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket. I instantly fell in love with the place!

My favorite place at the Dusit Thani.

This is the view from my hotel room window.

I've also been to lots of beautiful places for the past months. Take a look!

It was August last year when I visited Zambales together with a couple of friends. We went to Anawangin Cove. Seconds after our boat sailed off I knew that I'd always want to go back this place. I was simply blown away!

Great friends are always travel must-haves! They never fail to convert a simple weekend getaway to something special & ultra-amazing!

Balite Falls in Amadeo, Cavite has already been my favorite spot when I want to go on a road trip during Saturdays. The cold water washes away all the stress & anxiety accumulated during the week days.

Gotta go to bed now. I have to be up early for the Sunday Mass. Until next time! :)

Because I Miss You.

2011-02-20T13:39:00.007+08:00

I am back! Over the past few days I realize I missed writing. There was never a moment though that I didn't wish I had the time to actually sit down and write about what has happened to me over the past year. But now I promise to make time! This is my little escape from my busy world after-all. And look there are some changes on my template too!

There's definitely more to come! This is a promise I promise to keep. ha ha! :)

Love and Hot Air Balloons are in the Air.

2010-02-20T22:55:00.014+08:00

For some reason, my 2009 journal entry for February 14 is "I now officially dislike V-day. :(" I can barely remember why, but since it is evident that that day belongs to the not too good memories of the not so distant past, I refuse to ponder on it any longer. In fact, my February 14 this year is way too much fun that it makes up for last year's and some other days of its kind.

This year's Valentine's day celebration was a Sunday of everything that flies! I gladly spent the day with friends at Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga for the 15th International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

We took an hour and a half bus ride from the Cubao Terminal to Dau, Mabalacat then another 15 minute ride to Clark Freeport Zone. We arrived there at lunch time, so naturally we missed the first flight of the hot air balloons scheduled at 5:30 to 7:oo in the morning. (There were over 22 hot air balloons from all over the world.)

After lunch, we busied ourselves watching the Skydiving and Kite Flying Exhibitions followed by the Light Airplane Flyby while we patiently waited for the Valentine's day Flowers and Candy Drop scheduled at 3 pm. Now this part is a bit disappointing because I didn't see any flowers but I did see three candies fell from the air. (Yes, I counted. It's either there were only three or I just wasn't in a good spot during the Candy Drop.)

To make up for the Valentine's Day Flowers and Candy Drop, amazing Aircraft Formation Flights and Paragliding Exhibition soon followed.

The highlight of the 15th International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta for it's final day was the Valentine's Fireworks to cap off the event. The Valentine's Night Glow was another wonderful sight too. This time, the hot air balloons went up to lit the night sky and to add a romantic glow into the night.

This is one Valentine's day I'd always remember. And eventhough I could hardly feel my legs by the time I got home, I'd take the trade any day. :]

Mission accomplished!

2010-01-30T19:42:00.003+08:00

My coffee mug would be so proud.

***

I've always disliked being routinized. It is important to me that my everyday has a good deal of variety attached to it. Otherwise I am inclined to float away and do random things out of the blue, even if sometimes I turn out to be unproductive. But as I got through college and review school I realized that being routinized is inevitable. I maybe taking a short break from it now but as soon as I start on my career, monotony would be hogging the spotlight once again.

On the lighter stuff, I figured that buckling down under this situation won't resolve anything. I had to maintain balance. But somehow, while I patiently waited for those few times I could take the time off, I overlooked the little things. By never experiencing the moment, we miss the chance to savor life's small pleasures. I've read that on a magazine just recently and I know it is time to hit the panic button pronto!

I keep thinking about how I'll feel or what I'll do during those much awaited breaks that I fail to savor the joyful mini moments along the way. I think we all have the tendency to be distracted with matters we've been juggling mentally or the tasks that keep our daily planners loaded up that we fail to take in those little reminders telling us that we can be happy any time of the day.

I've been using the same coffee mug every morning for two years now. It also has been my companion during those countless all-nighters I've managed to pull of during college. This is why I can't believe that for years I have failed to take note of four words, printed on the inside which represent the secret mission of my coffee mug. That is, to wish me a great day ahead. (I'll post a photo soon.)

I am not saying that being mindful of the mini moments that can liberate us from that I'm-too-busy state of mind is just about using printed coffee mugs. (I just wanted to give my coffee mug credit for being true to its mission and for wishing for my happiness everyday while I'm too busy to even pay attention.)

With this is in mind, I am now focused on heeding those little things that transform my busy days and even my downright boring days into bliss. It can be the sound of laughter after my sister cracked a silly joke over breakfast while we share chocolate-chip pancakes, or an unexpected call from someone special who always seems really happy at the sound of my voice, or a good news shared by a friend confirming an answered prayer. The fact that more than a dozen feel-good mini moments can start happening right when I get out of bed until the time I'm comfortably tucked in my covers at night is enough for me to always have a nice day. :]

A bamboo and a spark of hope.

2010-01-04T19:26:00.002+08:00

Change.

The only thing that is constant in this world. And perhaps, the one thing that was constant in my 2009. This is a tribute to the people and events that brought about changes in my life during the previous year.

People.

People that you know come and go. But for whatever reason why, you know that they came to change a part of you. They came maybe to let you experience happiness, or to teach you the true meaning of selflessness. Maybe to let you see that hidden courage inside of you that you didn't know was there. Yes, people that you know come and go, but they come for a reason and go by leaving you a lesson.

During the previous year I've said goodbye to some people who have been my source of happiness and hope for a while. And by parting ways I knew that my life would never be the same again. At first I thought they are bound to leave a hole. But it turned out that the goodbyes were to give way to new acquaintances. New people easily filled those holes as if there weren't really holes to fill in the first place. This doesn't mean that the old ones are easily forgotten. It was more like transforming goodbyes into something new, flourished by beautiful memories and helpful lessons of the past.

Yes, my life has never been the same again since then. Once in my life I have built dreams with people I hoped would be with me forever, only to wake up in the world of reality that nothing's permanent in this world. Something is bound to change. The only thing that should remain constant is how we welcome change. Be like a bamboo. A bamboo survives by bending with the wind. You can survive by adapting to every change that comes your way, even to life's most unexpected twist!

Events.

I had my own share of ups and downs in 2009. I won't deny it. The previous year was a difficult one not only for me but also for those whom I hold most dear. I am sure most people have had the same experiences we've gone through: suffered the pain of losing a loved one, have witnessed your once perfect home crumble, have had broken ties with friends, have seen your dreams at the brink of jeopardy, and have almost mastered the painful art of letting go of a lost love, or a lost dream.

The fact that life isn't as perfect as each of us wants it to be has been reiterated to me over and over and over during the past year. Same as the fact that a person may not always get what she wants no matter how bad she wants it. This year, however, I am starting with a clean slate, armed with the most effective means of retribution I could think of- hope. I am hopeful that with this fresh start, things are going to be different, and 2010 will be a great year for me. If everything is just a matter of perspective, then I choose to have a great one.

Let us all be hopeful this 2010! If you have had countless of unsuccessful resolutions for the past several years, may this be the one you can perfectly stick to, despite whatever it is you've gone through . :)

Against All Odds

2009-10-04T22:24:00.006+08:00

To all the victims of tropical depression Ondoy and super thypoon Pepeng:

May God give you.. for every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends a faithful friend to share, for every sigh a sweet song and n answer for each prayer.

SEPTEMBER 26- SATURDAY

Ria, Don and Ann slept over my place the previous night. We all had everything planned. The original cast consists of Ria, Ihsun, Don, Ann, Tine, Dionie, Rjohn and I. Unfortunately, Tine, Dionie and Rjohn did not make it. It was a visit to Pink Sisters Convent in Tagaytay City, we were then to spend the afternoon in Picnic Grove to relax and unwind. It was what we thought we needed before we welcome the month of October, merely four weeks before the board examination. We all slept soundly the night before, all very excited for Saturday's Tagaytay trip. But rain was already pouring when we woke up on Saturday. We kissed the picnic part goodbye but decided to push through with the Pink Sisters visit. It turned out that it was more of a challenge rather than just a simple visit. Rain started to pour real hard so I wasn't allowed to drive. The moment we stepped out of the house, we were all drenched and cold. It also took us ages to finally catch a ride to our destination.

With only a few meters away from Pink Sisters, along came the ultimate test:

The water was knee- deep! Don and Ihsun piggybacked Ann, Ria and I just to get there.

It was a simple visit turned AMAZING RACE, but our spirit was high. We all took it as a test of faith. After all, it was a trip planned weeks ahead. Despite the cold and rain, our hearts were set to be there, to kneel down and pray.

Ria and Ihsun

me :]]

Ann and Don

SEPTEMBER 28- MONDAY

I've been worried sick after I received a horrible news from Ann the night before. It turned out that most of Cainta Area, particularly where John and Don live was in a terrible condition. Swollen creeks forced many residents on to the roof of their homes. It turned out that 100% of Cainta was flooded, with neck-deep floods in some areas. Since John's phone has been constantly unreachable, I tried calling some of my friends who live in the nearby area. After much difficulty, I've managed to speak to Roy ad Allen who both lives in Rizal. I was relieved to find out that they are alright, and so are their families. It turned out that the villages where Don and John live took the toughest blow when tropical depression Ondoy hit Cainta area.

Classes on all levels, including review classes were all suspended so I spent the whole day in my room, watching the news while my anxiety grew each minute. I waited for updates on Ondoy especially updates on the situation in Cainta. It was a relief to finally talk to Don in the afteroon and learn from him that his family was safe. Their home was a total mess but everyone from his family was alright. It was what mattered most. I thanked God and prayed. All that is missing during that time was news from Rjohn. However, hours passed but not a single call or text message came.

I tried calling him every hour to check on him but to no avail. Waiting was the hardest part. But I know it was nothing compared to what John and his family were going through, or what most Filipino victims were going through. It was as if the anxiety I was feeling was not enough, the news report I was watching showed a video footage of Vista Verde- the same village where John lives. I almost went white with dread.

Then finally, a text message from Allen soothed my anxiety. He forwarded a text message from Rjohn, saying that they were fine. It was all I needed to get me through the day. Hours later John sent another message. It was addressed to me this time. They were fine but everything they own were washed out. He said that they were deeply in need of prayers. He also thanked us for our concern. That text from him worked for me like a sedative. I prayed and thanked God that he and his family were safe.

SEPTEMBER 29- TUESDAY

At around nine o'clock in the morning, I was already on my way back to Manila. The rain has stopped pouring and my face was finally hit by the sun's warmth. But it was still as if my whole being was clouded with anxiety. I knew I had to do something to help so I was more than glad when Ann told me that she and Don were planning to visit the latter's family in Cainta. It turned out that some areas in Cainta were already passable. Flood in some areas has subsided already but there is no water, no electricity and no phone lines. Although Don's purpose of visit was only to bring charged mobile phones to his family, Ria, Ann and I agreed to put on our work clothes to go on a house cleaning mission. First on Don's house, then on Rjohn's. :]]

SEPTEMBER 30- WEDNESDAY

With only less than three hours of sleep, I was surprised that I was the first one to wake up at five thirty in the morning. The girls and I still have classes to attend to in the afternoon hence the early wake up call. We all agreed to go to Don's place first before John's.

Cainta was as bad as expected. Trash, water, and mud woes afflicted almost the whole town. Both homes that we visited were washed out with flood and trash and even their cars had their own share of mud after joining water world. To sum it all up, to say that there is a lot of cleaning to be done is an understatement. But at the end of the day, the mud, dirt, and the tiring workload were nothing compared to the relief that washed over me after seeing for myself that Don's family was okay. They were nothing compared to the gladness I felt to finally see John after the tragedy and to see for myself that although they were still struggling, he and his family were alright. Lastly, they were nothing compared to the sense of fulfillment we all felt, knowing that no storm is strong enough to keep us from helping those in need. :]]

photos from our house cleaning mission:

Paradise Falls and Don's Surprise.

2009-08-30T21:23:00.011+08:00

We decided to give Friday night a boost by seeing Up in the Mall of Asia. This is our first group date with Don and Rjohn, both whom we just met and became friends with during our review and stay in Manila. I was ecstatic about this movie date since I was already looking forward to watching the movie when I first saw its trailer late last year. I've always had this thing for animated films and one of my favorite way of spending those few times I've managed to sneak away from Engineering Mathematics, EST, GEAS and Electronics is to go see one.

As expected, everyone was laughing their heads off the whole time. I really had a great time watching the movie. Too bad Ria wasn't there. I also had fun watching Tine on my left, seeing her face light up like a little kid or teasing Rjohn on my right, waiting for him to get teary-eyed during those touching scenes. (Of course he didn't get teary eyed. He was laughing hysterically the whole time. hahah! )

Overall, Up is not just about an old man taking his house to Paradise Falls using 10,000 helium balloons, it is an exquisite fantasy adventure that mixes comedy, action, and drama into a satisfying whole.

Carl Fredricksen: [Carl, with his house high in the air, opens his door to see who knocked on it. Looking around, he spots Russell and yells... ] Whaa!
Russell: Hi, Mr. Fredricksen! It's me, Russell!
Carl Fredricksen:What are you doing out here, kid?
Russell: I found a snipe, and I followed it under your porch, but this snipe had a long tail, and looked more like a large mouse.
[His flag then blows away in the wind, and he gasps]
Russell:[Turns to Mr. Fredricksen] Please let me in.
Carl Fredricksen:[pause] No.
[He slams the door shut]
Carl Fredricksen: [Russell waits uncertainly for a few seconds. The door opens again] Oh, all right...
[Russell runs inside]

***

This part goes to Mr. Orlando Punzalan Jr. since I wanted to give him something better than my heart-shaped paper clip surprise and tons of pictures with him on it we've put on our newly decorated table. :]]

Don

For almost two months of knowing this guy, he instantly became not only Ann's prince charming but our knight in shining armor as well. He is so much fun to be with, not to mention suuuper nice and understanding. He has also built his reputation as the "all-around guy" who takes good care of everything and can fix almost anything. From organizing BBQ parties and surprises, holding worthwhile conversations, from fixing the doorknob, the sink and even my broken umbrella. Name it, and he can do it. :]]

Don with Ann. :]]

He never fails to surprise us by doing the unexpected.
I'm putting 'paglusong sa baha' on top of our list. hahah!

Now let me rephrase the first part, for almost two months of knowing this guy, he instantly became not only Ann's prince charming, not only our knight in shining armor but one of my favorite people as well. Cheers Don! Cheers to the many years of friendship ahead! :]]
Thanks for everything.

1286 Loyola St,- home away from home :]]

2009-08-15T23:29:00.024+08:00

It's good that blogs can't give anyone a cold treatment because if they do, mine will send me back to the Ice Age as punishment for abandonment for sure.

***
I've been missing in action since Father's day. It's been a while and I'm sorry, but I've got loads to tell! :]]
Above all, I am so pleased that my more than four hours of excruciating-due-to-heavy-traffic travel to Manila for my review classes has long ended. That's because last June, I've finally decided to join three of my college friends in an apartment in Manila, located halfway between our review centers. On top of my worries before doing so was homesickness, since the longest time I've ever been away from my family before was during camping trips.
Luckily, the girls made being away from home not only bearable but enjoyable as well. To celebrate our first three months of living together, I've came up with the list below. :]]

15 Things I've learned from living with with Ann, Kristine and Ria:

1. Hot Pandesal at 11 o'clock in the evening are best shared with friends, while you talk about boys. :]]

2. A barbeque party on the rooftop is an effective stress reliever.

(L-R) Don, Ann, Lei, Ihsun && Ria during our first BBQ party

again!

3. Eating is suuuuper fun! :]]

4. Big fat bellies after the pig out fest is the primary drawback of number 3, but it feels good to laugh about it while arguing with the girls about whose belly sticks out the most.

5. The hair on the sink and on the floor belongs to Ria. If she's not around, it only means one thing- Tine just finished combing her hair! :]

6. If you can't find something, talk to Ann. She knows where to find it, she's probably the one who put it there.

7. Things you can do half-naked:
Dance by the window, tell a story, read, gossip, take pictures, eat, send a text message to everyone on your list, gossip, solve a math problem, walk around the room, do the dishes, and have I mentioned gossip???

8. Alone time makes someone philosophical: If I eat my 10th piece of chocolate pretzel stick when I'm supposed to stay away from chocolates and no one is here to see it, did I really eat it?

9. The best way to ease the pressure of the upcoming board exam is by spending time with friends. :)

Ann, Ria && Lei with Don after the tedious lipat-bahay

(L-R) Don, Ann, Lei, Tine, Ria, Rjohn :)
This was the day I ditched Differential Equations class because Rjohn said so.
hahah! :)

during Ann's birthday celebration last August 11
(L-R) Teofilo, Billy, Don, Dionie, Ann, Archie, Lei, Tine, Jhaym, Howell and Merce, photo taken by Ria

10. Girls, are not truly girls if they don't take at least two hours to get dressed and get ready.

11. We love surprises although we get wa-poise when we receive one, and a bouquet of flowers never fails to sweep us off our feet. :)

12. Memoplus sucks! If it really enhances your memory, why the hell do you always forget to take it?!

13. Kikay girls can talk longer about cars than when they're talking about boys, fashion or make up.

14. Two things happen just when you start thinking about your dream car: 50% of the time, you see exactly the same one zooms just outside your window. OR half the time, a more luxurious one passes by, slow enough to give you time to stick your head out the window just to get a closer look.

15. During both instances mentioned on number 14, your jaw drops in awe. :]]

Superhero.

2009-06-21T10:30:00.000+08:00

Happy Dads' Day to our superhero daddies! :]]

So what if we don't usually paint the town red during daughters' or sons' day? There's really no need for that, thanks to our heaven sent moms and superhero dads. Because they make each day OUR day. Thanks to them, our everyday turns extra special. So there's really no need for a particular day to celebrate daughters' or sons' day.

Have you done something special for your dad this Father's day? I sure hope so.
Let's kick-start Daddy's Day by showing our dads how much they are loved. :]

Happy Father's Day to you, Daddy. I wish you knew that you'll always be someone I'll look up to no matter how tall I've grown.

It runs in the family.

2009-06-02T22:29:00.000+08:00

I know I said I'll be posting one more May entry, but I've been too busy with my review class and devoting my free time to my Lola who's in the hospital for almost a week now. (It hurts me to see her in pain. Please help me in prayers that she gets better soon.)

Here goes my supposedly May entry. I know it's late but it's better late than never, right? :]]

Though my review classes started on May 4th, the first two weeks were devoted to our orientation, diagnostic examinations and seminar on calculator mathematics. We didn't formally start with the review proper yet so I was still able to ditch my textbooks during the weekends, guilt-free. Last May 16th, my family and I all went to my mom's hometown in Indang, Cavite for the annual Santacruzan. We were there to see Bea and Pito play Little Reyna Elena and consort in the parade. There was nothing that could wipe the smiles off their faces. Bea loves to play princess in a beautiful gown like Cinderella so she wouldn't miss this for the world. Pito on the other hand adores any excuse to get people's attention and I guess he figured dressing up as Prince Charming steps it up a notch.

With Little Reyna Elena and Little Constantine (I took a break from my photographer stint) :]

Since I like to promote anything Filipino here in my blog, I googled Santacruzan and here's what I've found:
Santacruzan is a religious-historical parade held in many cities and towns throughout the Philippines during the month of May. It is one of the most colorful May-time festivals in the Philippines which depicts the finding of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena (Reyna Elena), mother of Constantine the Great. Reyna Elena is usually the last member of the procession. According to some sources, this considerably prestigious role is given to the most beautiful girl in the procession. (No wonder Bea's feeling beautiful all over..)
The highlight of the procession is Reyna Elena who walks with her consort under a huge canopy of flowers. They are immediately followed with a float carrying the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary then a brass band that lends festive sounds to the procession.

(Thanks www.seasite.niu.edu for the info!)

Don't get fooled. Most girls were not wearing heels. That's the very reason why they can still smile during the parade despite the very long walk and the heat. Who says girls can't cheat at times like this? We'll do whatever it takes to stay pretty. That's for sure. :]]

The Title. (Yes, I'm going to spill it.)
It's not always Bea who gets to play the Queen. I had my own share of the glitz and the glamor too. *wink

I was Bea's age when this photo was taken. I came across this photo while flipping through the pages of my old photo album. And I guess what I have here is enough proof. Whatever it takes to fit in a crown? We need not to search too far because it runs in the family.

hahah! :]]

I'm putting MIA mode on a SCREECHING halt.

2009-05-24T10:44:00.001+08:00

I know my blog is on the brink of accusing me of total abandonment for this month of May so to make up for the previous weeks that I've gone missing in action, I'll be posting two entries before May ends.

I just got back from the church and my hands are still throbbing from clapping too hard when our Parish priest finally announced the good news. It was exactly what most of us was hoping for. He's staying! Bishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle extends Rev. Father Leoben O. Peregrino's appointment to our parish- Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish Church for six more years effective May 22, 2009 to May 23, 2015. :]]]] This news alone completed my day.

**
My review classes for the upcoming board exam in October started on May 4th. This is the reason for my few weeks stint of taking a blog leave. So three times a week, I travel to Manila for my review classes. I already got a hang of waking up early ages ago so this isn't a problem. What annoys me is the heavy traffic that greets me during most mornings. :[[[[

**
On a previous post, I mentioned that I've read three non engineering-related books last April. My sister, Louise on the other hand is now reading the 7th book of the Harry Potter Series- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. That's her 7th book in a month's time! She's doing this 'Do Not Disturb' drama when she's holding a Harry Potter book and nobody can force her into putting the book down. Harry Potter had obviously worked his magic on my sister.

**
This week's highlight for me, was the back to back season finale of Suvivor Tocantins and American Idol Season 8. I've been watching Idol since Season 3. This was the season when Jasmine Trias became the very first Filipino ever to advance to the American Idol finals. From then on, I've seen Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, and my favorite, David Cook (I missed Season 6) bag the title on each season's much anticipated finale.

(photo grabbed from: www.tvguide.com)

I am happy about the latest season's result. Though I'd be much happier if Danny Gokey didn't get booted from Idol. (I was rooting for Gokey). I think Adam is an amazing singer, even better than the season's winner- Kris Allen. It's just that I like Kris better than Adam. It's usually a matter of taste, right? And Kris seemed more likable to me than Adam. Adam is a great singer, but I did not enjoy his type of music or his performances. There was a point when I even found him painful to look at. (Sorry.) I like to hear him sing, but I can't bear to look at him. I don't think Adam Lambert lost because he's gay and he has this weird thing over eyeliners. It's just that maybe, just maybe, there are people who does not prefer listening to artists who look like they're on the verge of tears at one point then suddenly scream and screech at you on the other.

Lesson: Being the judges' pet doesn't always pay off. And over the top theatrics with matching off-pitch screams hardly count as a contestant's key to success.

More pictures, less talk.

2009-04-27T19:05:00.000+08:00

The rest of April has been a lot of fun. There were less bum days and I got to spend more time with few of my favorite people in the whole wide world- my beloved high school friends. Although we only get to see each other at least once a week this summer, the 'planning stage' of our next get together was enough to sustain my sanity and keep my excitement on a mile high during the remaining parts of the week. The 'planning stage' of our next get together is usually accompanied by my being stuck in my room all day, reading books I got hold of courtesy of Sharmaine. I am currently reading The Stolen Child, a novel by Keith Donohue. Before this novel, I've also read A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer and Book Two of The Bartimaeus Trilogy, the one entitled Golem's Eye. Meanwhile, most of my non-bookwormish days were spent with friends.

Last Good Friday, we spent the afternoon for a drive to Tagaytay City for another visit at Pink Sisters. This trip to Tagaytay is slowly becoming a ritual for some of us still living here in Cavite and still capable of meeting up given a very short notice. After visiting Pink Sisters to pray, we ate meal at Mushroom Burger before heading home.

on our way to Tagaytay City

at Mushroom Burger

My Easter Sunday was spent with Sharmaine with her good friend (now boyfriend!) Mark, her Dad whom she haven't seen for eight long years, and her Tita Tess together with her kids. Sharmaine and I relived our high school days at Enchanted Kingdom where she once spent her birthday back in senior year.

Mark, Sharmaine and I

Enchanted Kingdom, Sta. Rosa Laguna

meet my new boyfriend hahah :]

Sharmaine and I with Tita Tess and her Family

The following week, we met up again to quench the summer heat and get some tan. This time, Katrina whom we haven't seen for years joined in the fun too. This was a great time for catching up over lasagna and BBQ. We even got to spend time with Russell who usually skips trips to Tagaytay because of hospital duties.

with Shar, Emay, Russell

us! :]] rusz, jen, emay, carlo, kat, shar and I

well, I hope you're not trying to steal my boyfriend. hahah

Then last Friday, April 24th, we saw each other again in Dani's surprise graduation party in Makati City. This time, Mav became our latest addition to our small group of get together attendees. After our non-stop cam whoring during the party, we resumed catching up on each other's lives over a cup of coffee before finally heading home. :]]

reunited once again at ACCM Bldg. Salcedo Village Makati City

again

and again..

and again.. this time we're trying to be serious

later that night while doing some catching up :]]

I'll see them again this coming Friday. Now THAT is something to look forward to. I can't wait! :]]

This is how we do it in the Philippines

2009-04-11T19:35:00.000+08:00

Here in the Philippines, the Holy Week is characterized by a blend of native traditions and a modern day touch of commemorating Jesus Christ's sacrifices for our salvation.

When I was a kid, I secretly disliked the Holy Week, for three <embarassing> reasons. Reason no. 1 is because my mom will definitely barge into my room at 5 in the morning so we can attend the early morning mass on Palm Sunday and on Easter Sunday. No. 2 is because no matter how early we arrive to church, it is always full of people. This means we have to stand up for an hour or two while I fight so hard to prevent my eyes from drooping. Reason no. 3 is because the only TV show I enjoyed watching during those times was a rerun of 7th Heaven.

Don't worry, I was still a kid back then and I'm a changed person now. *wink

This year, my sister Louise and I decided to try something different. So last Tuesday, we joined Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, the same parish church we attend to every Sunday in their Lakbay Nilay: Visita Iglesia 2009.

Visita Iglesia is a Filipino Catholic tradition which literally means, church visit. Simbahan.net defined the Visita Iglesia as a practice introduced by the Spanish colonizers which goes back to the time the early church where Christians would visit the seven great basilicas in Rome for the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament during Maundy Thursday. These churches are: The Saint John Lateran, St. Peter, Saint Mary Major, Saint Paul Outside the Walls, St. Lawrence Outside the Walls, Holy Cross in Jerusalem and St. Sebastian Outside the Walls. The last was replaced by Pope John Paul II with the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Divine Love in 2000.

Filipino Visita Iglesia is often a contemplation of the fourteen stations of the cross and traditionally, seven churches are visited with two stations per visit during Maundy Thrusday. However, the Visita Iglesia Louise and I joined visited nine churches in the province of Bulacan and was done during Holy Tuesday (April 7, 2009). We were allowed to take pictures after we said our prayers. Below are the churches we've visited.

Santa Isabel Church Malolos, Bulacan

Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, popularly known as the Malolos Cathedral in Malolos Bulacan

The Barasoain Church

St. James the Apostle Church, Paombong, Bulacan

National Shrine of St. Anne, Hagonoy, Bulacan

Louise and I just outside the National Shrine of St. Anne

Parish of St. John the Baptist, Calumpit, Bulacan

San Isidro Labrador Parish Church, Pulilan, Bulacan

The church was under construction during the time of our visit. This town is famous for their Carabao Festival where carabaos kneel as they pass through this church during their parade. This is in honor to the town's patron saint, San Isidro Labrador.

St. Michael the Archangel Parish Church, Marilao, Bulacan

Our final stop was the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Marilao, Bulacan. Unfortunately, I have no pictures to post since both my digital camera and camera phone both went dead.

I had a really nice time, met new friends and simply glad that Louise and I have decided to devote the entire day for Him. :]] One thing's for sure, we'll do this again next year and I am looking forward in bringing the whole family. :]

MILESTONE

2009-03-31T14:44:00.000+08:00

Graduation day.

It was the day we've all been waiting for. Suddenly my constant whining about school stuff and about how sleep-deprived I was during my five years of college became nothing when compared to this. March 25, 2009 was definitely well worth the wait. :]

On the day that marks a great milestone on my simple life

I remember feeling like something has come to an end. After all, going to school was something I've done for seventeen years, I was happy, relieved, excited and hopeful. This marked the end of getting up in the mornings to put on our white and green uniform, it marked the end of our fifteen minute walk from the entrance of the university to our college building. It marked the end of countless problem sets, laboratory reports and exams. It marked the end of lunch with my closest friends at the canteen then in the student's lounge, huddled together in our group sharing stories, laughing and most of the time cramming for assignments and quizzes until the bell rang. It marked the end of our barkada bonding after class, our movie dates, shopping with the girls or patiently waiting for the boys while they bask in on computer games. This marked the end of my 5 minute- powder break turned 15 minutes chikahan session with the girls in the CR while the boys wait by the door; I will never forget their exasperated what-took-you-so-long looks when we finally had the urge to come out. :]]

I will surely miss my dearest friends and the rest of the ECE 51. They are the very reason why I still look forward to going to school everyday despite the very heavy workload that awaits us each day and a serious form of fatigue that goes along with it. It sucks that the two belonged to a single package.

I will definitely miss my professors, and I will always be grateful to them for giving us the benefit of their wisdom.

The most important lesson I've learned isn't about the stuff I learned from textbooks or laboratory experiments or from the long hours of sitting in class. It is the lesson I've learned through meeting the people who touched my heart.. and still do until now! :]]

What Pays Off?

2009-03-11T10:28:00.000+08:00

I:
officially became on vacay! a week ago.
wanted to blog weeks ago but kept procrastinating because I know this entry is going to be looooong.
and most importantly..
I:
got pass thesis and case study and pre-board exams!
am graduating on March 25!
am finally done with school for good. :)

Here's a rundown of the important events that happened while I was taking a Blog-leave.

February 6: Final Defense

The original schedule was at 8'o clock in the morning but at 8.30 we were still 2 panelists short and our thesis adviser was nowhere to be found. Luckily, we managed to find the right substitute for the panelist who called in sick and even though we started late, everything went smoothly as I hoped. We passed with minor revisions on the paper.

Minor revisions and more than a thousand bond papers later...

February 26&27: Pre-board Examinations

These were the 2 days everybody was dreading. You're lucky if you have good history on the previous comprehensive exams, but if you don't (like me and everybody else), the pre-board exams were clearly a matter of life and death. It sucks that these two days can put your chances of graduating on time in jeopardy. And unfortunately, for most of us, it did.

March 2: THE Results.

At around 4 in the afternoon, we were asked to enter the Dean's office one at a time for the dreaded results. At that moment, we were immediately branded into two. Those who passed and those who did not. Immediate relief awaited those who passed while sadness and disappointment greeted those who did not. During that time, I just felt that I can't be happy, it's enough that I am relieved for most of my dearest friends passed too. But seeing those people who cried because they didn't make it , even those I don't even know and haven't spoken to during my five years of college was heart breaking enough. I reserved my happiness for later and tried to comfort as many people as I can, especially those who are my friends. It's very hard to see them like that. I mean, we all did not sign up for this pre-board thing. How can they just drop a bomb like that thinking that everybody can handle it just fine. We were working on our thesis, doing internship and case study and we still have academic subjects, for Christ's sake! It's easy for them to say that all we need to do is study hard for the pre-board but I don't think anyone can be fully prepared especially if he has to juggle everything else on one hand including the fear of not graduating on time. Yes, it was easy for them to say that all we needed was to study hard, but I don't think they even thought about the pressure they were inflicting. And if they were in our shoes, I doubt that they could handle it.

March 6: First job interview.

This was a funny experience. I can't believe I did not take this seriously. I did not even think about the things that they might ask and how I should answer. I didn't even cracked an Electronics book open to prepare for the technical exam. It didn't even cross my mind. I just accepted their invitation, (I was lucky I was among the 6 people who passed their first exam) sent them my resume via email, then went to my first job interview unprepared. Hahah!
My excuse?
My mind was already in vacay! mode that time. And I'm not planning to land a job immediately, I still have the actual Board Exam to prepare for.
At least now I know what to expect for my next job interview. And I learned a lot of lessons, believe me. :)

March 7. Senior's Night: Black and White Party.

My friends and I are not exactly the type who go to events like this especially if the Student Council organized it. It's not that we have anything against them, it's just we think there are better things to do. Always.
But the Senior's Night was an exemption. After all, this was for us seniors. And we just couldn't miss the chance to be together in a Black and White Party. We are about to separate ways, so this may not happen again.

However, one bad thing about school events is that they always have a curfew. It was not even long after we got into party mode that the organizers were already calling the night off. It was a good thing we had a back up plan. It was a road trip to Tagaytay plus partying and dancing until 4am. :]]

So what if wearing heels sucked big time? I was just too happy that we were together.

So, what pays off? Patience and hardwork pay off. And love of friends pays off too. Suddenly, it doesn't matter if college life has been difficult, at least I have them. And I intend on keeping them, for good. :)

P.S.O.D

2009-02-01T19:01:00.000+08:00

No I'm not speaking forensics. Though I enjoy watching Gil Grissom, OD does not involve a crime scene this time.
*****

One mid- December morning at the office where I was an intern, a friend urged me to finally try Facebook. Our boss was gone and service orders were still far from many. It was the time of the day when everything work related can just sit in the corner and be left ignored. I've been wanting to try Facebook for the longest time but starting an account also means putting up a decent profile for everyone else to see, finding the people I know and uploading a photo of myself. I didn't have the time for that back then and yes, I'm still living in 2003 trapped with Friendster.
My friend too, has recently joined Facebook that time and she wanted to add more friends and more pets in her Pet Society neighborhood. So right after she created an account for me, she introduced me to Pet Society and finally let go of the mouse so I can choose what my pet will look like.
I settled for light green and really cute big round eyes. But just like how I never wanted to wear baseball cap and a plain t-shirt in real life, I didn't want my pet to wear something of that sort. I soon became obsessed with earning more coins, I even went as far as creating an account for both Archie and Billy so I can use their lottery coins to buy furnitures and cute dresses. I am a sucker for anything pink and the first dress I really wanted was this pink princess dress.

I guess the game appealed to me because it involves looking fabulous and getting creative in decorating your pet's house. This pink dress was the first item I really wanted. BAD. But it costs a whooping 800 coins so I had to turn to Billy's pet and his coins for help. I couldn't use my own coins because I was saving up for a pink Mademoiselle's bonnet worth 500 coins that surely did go well with the pink dress.
34 levels later, and after taking over 6 accounts excluding mine, (Billy's, Archie's, Sharmaine's, my brother's and sister's, Brad's), here's a peek of my pet Sundae. :)

Last night while I was looking for new room ideas for Pet Society, I came across this blog called Pet Society Anonymous. The author's January 6 entry was entitled Pet Society Overdose- are you at risk? She presented a list of questions which I dutifully answered while laughing at myself and feeling guilty both at the same time.

Signs that you may be at risk for Pet Society Overdose: (taken from petsocietyanonymous.com)

You feel intense pleasure and guilt when playing Pet Society.

GUILTY

You lie about how much time you spend on Pet Society.

Uhmm, if we're talking about those times that I should be working on our thesis instead, (oh! this is embarrasing) YES.
GUILTY

You curse loudly at your computer when your pet falls during a hurdles race.

Here's one I am NOT GUILTY of. I stopped racing a long time ago.

You neglect to clean your real house, favoring to decorate your pet’s house instead.

GUILTY

Well, not the entire house but my room is a total mess! But my pet's house? Fantastic!

You think that a pink Christmas tree is classy.

GUILTY
I know the yuletide season was long gone but I told you, I'm a sucker for anything pink and I was desperate to have a pink tree when I first saw it on the Forum. So I am keeping it in my pet's room. It IS classy. And it's final. The tree STAYS.

You have multiple accounts on Facebook so that your pet can have more “friends.” Or, you have taken over your boyfriend’s/husband’s/ girlfriend’s/wife’s Facebook account so that your pet can visit his/her pet.

GUILTY
Yes. I've taken over my boyfriend's, my friends', my siblings' not just for visiting reasons but for earning coins as well. This helps if you're a shopaholic. There's a tendency that your pet is one too.

Pet poo excites you.

GUILTY
Pet poo excites me just because Archie wants to collect poo in his pet, Pochi's house. The brown poo's all his. What I am excited about is the possibility of my pet popping out a golden poo!

Thank you petsocietyanonymous for sharing with me the signs of Pet Society Addiction. Not that I'm not aware of them before. It's fun to read the signs from somebody else's POV.
That's it. Enough for today. I still have to feed my pet and open 22 gold mystery boxes.
I'm kidding. I'm pulling an all-nighter (again) for our thesis. Thank God Sundae's here to keep me company. Hahah :)

Another cup of coffee please...

2009-01-21T23:13:00.000+08:00

I don't want this month to end without a single post so I'm multitasking. This involves shifting my browser from thesis stuff to Facebook and Pet Society, to Fashion Wars and to my blog. It's been a while since my last post. But nothing much have changed, really. I'm still caught up with tons of school stuff. If there's one thing that has changed, it's my rekindled relationship with my over-sized coffee mug.

The fact that I have a lot of experience in the area of sleep deprivation plus my constant practice of pulling an all nighter definitely did come in handy during these times of thesis cram sessions. Though I am done with my second set of 200 hours of internship (this means I'm supposed to be free during Mondays and Wednesdays) my whirlpool of daily activities did not even changed a bit. Back then, most of my free time are spent in Billy's place doing our thesis. Now the days when I'm not supposed to be in school were still spent in school since we have to do a lot of testing procedures and consult our thesis adviser every chance we get. And then each day after class, Billy, Archie and Merce stay at my place until almost midnight for our thesis. I try to catch up on some Zzzs while they work and then I start working on the paperworks until morning after they left.
To make my long story short, I am currently back on zombie-mode. I'm having a hard time listening to my professors during class. Unfortunately for my Broadcasting subject, it's on the exact time that my sleepiness is at its peak and falling flat on my face from some serious form of fatigue was all I could think of. But I can't sleep during class. especially if I'm seating at the front row!

I still have loads to tell! And I promise to make time during one of my Thesis101 overnight sessions. That is, if I still have an ounce of sanity left.

Pains, Lessons and Blessings. Part II

2009-01-01T10:20:00.000+08:00

FRIENDS= HAPPINESS.

The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.

This one's a given. They are one of the few reasons why my sanity is still intact even though college has taken its toll on me since day one. They are one of the few reasons why I always look forward to sem breaks and holidays.

And Sharmaine, who has been my dearest friend since fourth grade. I've learned enough lessons from her to last me a lifetime. She reminds me of the type of person I wanted to become. And in times of troubles, when all others fail, hers is the hand I can always reach out to.
24/7.

HE LOVES YOU, SO BE NICE.

To love is to place our happiness in the happiness of another.

2008 was the year we turned two.
Sure, we do argue a lot. There were many times I refused to speak to him for days. But it still doesn't change the fact that two years later, I'm still in love with someone who makes me suuuper happy. And loves me dearly even though my mood swings proved to be a real pain in the ass time and time again. Who tries hard to keep up with my shopping sprees and treats complaining as a big no-no. Who treats my family as his own. Who holds my hand as if he's never ever gonna let go.

THANK YOU.
You're the very reason why I would love to believe in HAPPILY EVER AFTER. :)

Pains, Lessons and Blessings. Part I

2008-12-31T17:34:00.000+08:00

"Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect and Thank God it can go."
****
2008 has been my own whirlpool of ups and downs. Got me close to tears at some point, crying my heart out in another, but happy and contented most of the time.

Lessons-

COURAGE.

The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing the heart.

There were a dozen times during the year when I have felt defeated.
I was almost in tears when I found out that Daddy was sick. That was by far, the biggest blow. I immediately prayed for him to be okay, but the damage was already done. One of the hardest parts, apart from from not-knowing and dealing with uncertainties is facing my shattered views. Just because he's the best father anyone could have ever had and he takes good care of everything, and he lifts you up even from the deepest pit of your darkest days, it doesn't mean that he has this impenetrable shield and he's always strong.
Those six months was among our darkest days, and I thank God with all my heart that it's all over now.
Yes, I've dealt with my shattered views about my father's health. But how I see him as a person will never change, or shatter like a broken glass. It's hard as steel.
He is still the world's greatest dad.

ACCEPTANCE.

Acceptance is not submission; it is acknowledgment of the facts of a situation. Then deciding what you're going to do about it.

One failed mark last semester was enough to send me locked up in my room for three straight days while crying non-stop. That sucks. A lot. But thankfully, I've gotten over it with a lot of prayer that everything will turn out fine. The thing about failure is (though it sucks a lot), it gives you the opportunity to bounce back higher.
Because of that subject, I'm taking different classes now for the first time. Technically. It's not really the first, but the first one's internship so that doesn't count. I had to face my first 200 hours of internship alone while everybody else had to take classes on Signals and Spectra again over the summer. (Remember when we filed a complaint regarding of our professor and I'm the only one among my friends who passed the subject. Yep, that's why.)
Now, I've decided to omit taking different classes on my things-that-I-hate-to-do-since-it-totally-sucks list. It does not really classify as overly-majorly bad. In fact, I'm happy that I'm taking different classes. It's good that I'm learning different things and I got to spend one whole day every week with Ann and Ria alone. And looking back, it's good that things got really shaky last semester break. Since I was too worried about the possibility of not graduating on time, I got Archie and myself into skipping the semester break and starting with our internship early to avoid schedule-problems. Now Archie, Billy and Gaudi, all three who expected to be summer grads are almost done with 400 hours of internship! Now all that's left for us to do is get pass this huge obstacle called thesis back to back with pre-board exams and we'll be done with school. For good. Best of luck to all of us!

CHARITY.

Kindness is contagious.

Probably one of the best things that I've done this year is embracing the gift of service by joining Charity Focus. Writing for HelpOthers.Org and touching other people's hearts from different places across the globe really IS something. This is certainly one good way of spreading my blessings brought by other people's kindness.

Too bad I'm too busy at school, I've posted only five stories so far. That's nothing compared to dozens of stories most volunteers post each day. I promise to make time during the weeks to come. Writing for HelpOthers.Org has become my sort of theraphy. My personal escape from my busy world. :) Here are some of my favorite comments posted to my stories.

From my story Smiles (April 14)

On Apr 16, 2008, lovebug says:
Life is very often, not a pretty picture, but you gave what you had. That is enough.

On Jul 13, 2008, Aurelia says:
Smile because what you did made a big difference in him...a few coins and a big smile...perfec combo. :0) ~Aurelia

From my story Straight From a Woman's Heart (April 16)

On Apr 16, 2008, martzi says:
it was proven that God really exist using the people around us. your sharing is really good. here is my smiles for you.

On May 1, 2008, lovebug says:
Sorry, it has taken so much time to catch up with your story of April 16th, it really touched my heart. Hope you will post again, I might learn something before my time is over.

From my post Happy Father's Day to my Angel In Disguise (June 15)

On Jun 15, 2008, wayfarer says:
Arnee, I used to sail with guys from Sierra Leone who did the same thing, worked at sea ten months a year to provide for their families. I thought it was heroic then and I still do. Your dad is a hero!

On Jun 15, 2008, lmil1954 says:
That is a wonderful tribute to your dad, arnee. You are blessed and so is he. Happy father's Day to all...and my daughter said it to me this morning too (and Im her mom) Love, Lida:)

On Jun 15, 2008, makesomeonesmile says:
That is great arnee! What a special dad and special person you are too!

From my story Love, Life and Service (July 8)

On Jul 8, 2008, JuneBug says:
Yes, a beautiful story! There were many services I have missed because of the pain of my disease. I always regret missing out. Then I came to the conclusion, I'm gonna hurt wherever I am, so might as well be in church with my church family and growing closer to God. Yes, He knows our pain well....:)

From my post Eight Lies of a Mother (August 29)

On Sep 1, 2008, warmth says:
i salute all the women i know of my life. Your story have inspired me to appreciate them. Thank u and God Bless u

There you go. The first part of my year-end report. Part II's due tomorrow. This is a promise I have to keep.
Gotta go. Gotta go. I still have to help mom with all the cooking. :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! Cheers to another chance to get it right!

I'm sure as hell thankful that I take down notes!

2008-12-23T22:39:00.000+08:00

For the third time this week, I'm on this very spot. Trying to pull things together, get pass these loopholes that are seriously starting to affect my memory. It has been a while and I wanted to write about lot of things. I planned to write about lot of things. Some of these things even hit me when I least expected it. I have no idea why most of them vanish into thin air when I'm at this very spot. The only reason I managed to get pass my first sentence (which is something I've failed to do in my previous attempts) is that I've got help from a notepad.
It's THAT serious.
Leave it to my memory to forget about stuff just when I am about to make use of those stuff.
I even had to write some of them down just so I wouldn't forget!
Oh well, I guess jotting down notes would not be too bad. The good thing is, it doesn't take much getting used to. I've had lot of practice at school. And now I have to do the same for my blog, for crying out loud!
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Let me happily announce that I am enjoying my Christmas break a lot. Although there's a lot of school stuff I ought to be dealing with (it's hard to concentrate on school stuff when you're all prepped up for the holidays), I am very happy that I am getting a lot of sleep than usual. And I get a chance to read books. And go shopping till my feet are screaming in agony from walking from store to store and I am nearly broke.
Unfortunately and inevitably, it's only just a matter of time before I go back to zombie-slash-vampire mode. Zombie- since I will definitely have to deal again with a serious case of eye bags fully equipped with the dark circles under my eyes. I would be somewhat disoriented during the day due to lack of sleep, I will talk less and stare into nothingness most of the time.
Vampire- not because I'm only awake during night time but awake during both day time and night time. Stephenie Meyer has been feeding a lot of vampire facts into my mind. I know the 'being nocturnal' stuff about vampires is just a myth since vampires don't sleep. At all. We will surely have a lot of common then for the weeks to come, while I stay up all night doing my thesis.
But before that, I would definitely have to do this again. Notes or no notes. I will write about some of the good things that happened this year.
Somewhat like a year-end report.
But I guess I have to make a written list first. Anything mental does not function really well right now.