From this side

TAGAYTAY’S PICNIC GROVE

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:54:00 +0000

Taal Volcano
my brother's girlfriend failed to adjust the date setting of her camera - the date should be 2012/01/23

My loved ones and I went to Tagaytay City last Chinese New Year – January 23, 2012.

We have been planning to go to Tagaytay City since last year, but we kept on postponing it until it pushed through this month. It has been ages since I visited this “Little Baguio” of Cavite.

It’s our first time to commute going to Tagaytay City so my brother and I researched first where to get a ride to the City and how we’re going to go around the places we want to visit.

I was unsure the night before if my boyfriend will be joining us on this trip because our agreement was I was to call him at 5:00 a.m. to wake him up, but knowing how hard it is to wake him up early in the morning, I had doubts whether he can come with us. Fortunately after more than 15 missed calls, he answered to my 6:30 a.m. call. By 7:15 a.m. he was eating breakfast at our house already.

We started our trip with a prayer and a blessing from my father. We never leave for any long trip without prayers after a bad incident last year.

MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: Bus and Tricycle

We rode the San Agustin Bus with the sign board Nasugbu at the Araneta Center Cubao Bus Station at around 8:00 a.m. The bus left Quezon City for Tagaytay City 30 minutes after. One-way ticket to Tagaytay City is P104.00. The bus transverse through EDSA, Coastal Road, and the long stretch of Emilio Aguinaldo High way that passed the towns of Bacoor, Imus, Dasmarinas, Silang and finally after two hours of travel at Tagaytay City.

When in Tagaytay, you may ask the conductor to drop you by the jeepney terminal near the Rotunda if you want to ride a jeep to Tagaytay’s favorite places or ride the tricycle just like what we did which was at P20.00 per person.

TAGAYTAY PICNIC GROVE:

The P20.00 fare per person onboard the tricycle was worth it because Picnic Grove is far from the rotunda where we alighted from the bus. We passed through retreat houses, restaurants, the Good Shepherd Convent, and the Pink Sisters’ Convent. I was at awe by the beautiful scenery along the road and in love with the picturesque Taal Volcano.

Entrance fee: P50.00

We did not rent any cottage while at the Picnic Grove for we planned to just explore the surroundings; I’m sure no one among us would want to stay and be left behind as the others roam through the park.

ACTIVITIES AT THE PICNIC GROVE:

1. Try the zip line and transverse a 250 meter long cable, suspended 300 feet off the ground at 60 km/hr.

Rate: P200.00 per person one way and P300 per person two way on weekdays; P300 per person one way and P400.00 per person two way on holidays and weekends. It comes with a free souvenir picture.

2. Ride the cable car. Same rate as the zip line.

3. Rent a cottage and just sit down and take in the scenery.

Rate: P100.00 to P250.00 depending on the size.

4. Eat at the Alamat Restaurant inside the Picnic Grove.

5. Fly a kite.

6. Ride a horse.

Rate: P200.00 per hour

7. Hike around the eco trail.

8. Take pictures. J

9. Buy souvenirs. There are many souvenir shops around the park.

Thank you, Maricel for posing inside the souvenir shop :)

PLACE RATING AND COMMENT:

We didn’t get to try the zip line and ride the cable car because there’s a long queue of people waiting for their turn. We just strolled around the place, enjoyed the cool weather,

and looked at the beauty of nature. Looking at the Taal volcano within the Taal Lake is a sight to behold. Being in a beautiful place makes you feel grateful to God for the beauty of the surroundings you see and you feel so close to him.

I hope that the administrators of Tagaytay Picnic Grove do something to improve the place. The cottages need repainting, the comfort rooms need some tidying up and they should do something about the horses because they looked really famished.

Overall, I’d still visit the place because it has the most amazing view of Taal volcano.

Will continue my post on Tierra de Maria here.

Driving Around The Metro

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:48:00 +0000

Last Sunday, my boyfriend and I went with his father, mother, sister and nephew to different places around Metro Manila. We were at Marikina, Tondo and Las Pinas City to accompany my boyfriend's sister to her business transactions. My boyfriend needed to be there because once her sister leave for Japan again ( she is based there with her family) he would be the one doing the business already.

His sister said to my boyfriend that if he wants to be left behind and just accompany her on some other day it would be okay. But I insisted that we went with her because we don't have anything plan for the weekend. And his father said that it would be nice if we could join them so that I could go and see different places.

I on my part was okay with the idea because I don't frequent those places.

Being on a long ride with them was not boring. There were plenty of things to talk about while on the road, and we had finger foods to munch along the way too.

It was my boyfriend's father who drove, and I was amazed that he knew a lot of short cuts to the places we went through.

Too bad I did not bring my camera with me. I was unaware that we will be passing by so many historical and beautiful places.

We passed by Binondo Church or the Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, Jones Bridge, Intramuros, the National Art Gallery,Rizal Park,Quirino Grandstand, Manila Bay and so many monuments.:(

I could have a new set of pictures for these places if I brought my camera.

Rizal monument in Rizal Park

the tamaraw statue in front of the Quirino Grandstand

National Museum - Museum of the Filipino People

National Museum - National Art Gallery

It was tiring to be on the road for five hours but it was still a happy day for me because I got to spend some time with them.

The Second Sunday Of The New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 01:30:00 +0000

The second Sunday of the New Year proved to be a happy day!

The joy started when my brother and I attended mass and worship service at the Quezon City Feast. It was a heartwarming and glorious celebration of thanking the Lord for all the blessings in 2011 and praying for abundance in 2012.

My boyfriend had lunch with my family and then we went out to watch "Sherlock Holmes" at Blue Wave.

photo was taken from imdb.com

"Sherlock Holmes," starring Robert Downey Jr in the lead and Jude Law as Dr. Watson. It was a fun movie. A lot of lines by Holmes were hilarious. It was a good, entertaining movie. The loose ends at the end of the movie signals that there will be a third installment of "Sherlock Holmes."

After watching the movie, we went to SM City Marikina to buy a new cellphone. It's actually a late Christmas gift and an early birthday gift for me from my boyfriend. My phone needs replacement because I accidentally spilled betadine solution on it and because of that the words on the screen on the phone are barely readable.

Okay, I am not really into expensive mobile phone because I am stingy by nature. :) So even if it's a gift, I've requested that it should not go over the set price. hehehe Besides, I am not really comfortable with pricey phones because I just commute to work everyday. Carrying a less priced phone will not attract so much attention from snatchers. For me the brand does not matter as long as I can text and call. Plus, it should be dual sim because I don't want to bring two phones for my Smart and Globe sim. I have found a perfect phone for me and it's an Alcatel unit. My boyfriend was pleased with the purchase and I am grateful that he bought me a new phone.

Now, you might be asking why I have two sims if I am kuripot (stingy). Well, it's because I used to reload cellphone loads; I can't give up my Globe sim because it got 12,000 free texts that accumulated because of my being a load seller before, and I can't give up my Smart sim because my parents and siblings are on Smart and most of them would asked load from me.

After watching the movie and buying a cellphone, my boyfriend and I had an early dinner at KFC.

It was a happy second Sunday of the year!

Make A Gold Investment Now

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:54:00 +0000

It is the start of another year. One of the resolutions we should all make for this New Year is to take care of our finances. I know it is hard to save and invest especially now that we are on a financial crisis, but it is important that we make small sacrifices now in order that we will become financially stable in the future.

According to most financial coaches, we should allot at least 10 % of our income for savings and 10 % of our income for investment. We could invest in business, mutual funds and even in gold.

Gold in the form of gold coins, nuggets or gold paper investment are solid investment because it is not affected by financial crisis. Over the years, despite wars, stock market crash, inflation, bleak political situations; the price of gold continues to increase. One can make investment in gold by buying gold through brokers and some even have converted their pension plan or 401k plan to Gold 401k

Like in any other investments, if you want to have a GoldIRA transfer or buy gold coins, you have to be sure that you have made a thorough research and understanding of this investment. You have to study the pros and cons because it is our hard earned money that we will be investing.

If you want to have a prosperous future, make the necessary financial changes now. Plan your investment now.

Blessed? Or Stressed?

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:31:00 +0000

We are only on the second week of the New Year, but I feel that the year is so old already. Things have been hectic at work and their were some challenges I need to face personally. I am tempted to complain how this year is turning to be very stressful.

But I need to stop myself because even if there were many stressful situations at work and at home, I am amazed by God's guidance. His providence is always there to meet my need whether financially or emotionally. So I now wonder were those situations really that stressful or were those circumstances necessary for me to see how God has been faithful to me and for that I am very blessed! :)

Excited For My Class Tomorrow

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:37:00 +0000

After my three week break from school, I will attend class again tomorrow. So I have to bid my lazy weekends good bye again.

But I am not complaining. I am excited for class tomorrow. It would be nice to see my teachers and classmates again. I miss the audio recordings I need to transcribe. :)

Hopefully, I still remember the basic rules in medical transcription and improved on my accuracy and speed.

Looking Forward to 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:01:00 +0000

The New Year brings with it new hope, new beginnings and new opportunities.

I want 2012 to be my year. I wish that at the end of this year I will be a lot wiser and better in all areas of my life.

I pray that I will be able to have a successful and more stable career. I have been working in the same company for the last ten years, and I feel that this year is the year to pursue better working options. But I'm still thinking really hard if I am going to embark on a teaching profession ( I'm a licensed teacher), remain as a medical technologist ( and just transfer to another health facility) or start my home-based medical transcription career (I'm enrolled in a medical transcription class right now).

I am enrolled in a medical transcription class but I have attended only a few classes because I only attend class every Saturday. But definitely I will be able to finish it in five months time including the on the job training, and that is something I am looking forward too.

It was not a productive blogging year for me in 2011, so I hope that I will be able to post more here in my blog and reconnect with my blogger friends. There were many good things in 2011 that I regret not to be able to document here. I will try to share here in my blog all the wonderful stories I have at least within three days after it happened.

This year I plan to be more healthier. Now that I have gone organic with regards to my beauty and bath products, I hope that I will be more conscious with my diet. I must have put on some weight during the past holiday season. I wish I can let go of my junk food addiction. I know that all the salts and preservatives in it are bad to our health but its the ultimate comfort food for me. I can finish a whole salty bag of any chips all by myself. I have to kick this bad habit good bye. I hope I will turn my junk food craze into a vegetable and fruit craze. :)

Well, I hope that my siblings and I will get to visit many different places in 2012. Not really far places because I need to save but just places that we have never been to or it has been ages since we have been there. We are planning to go to Tagaytay, Nuvali in Laguna, Angono Petroglyps, the MV Logos, Daranak and Bislig Falls, the Mind Museum and so much more. And if we have more money, I really want to go either in Bohol or Palawan. Just listing the sites makes me giddy with excitement.

I want to be more adventurous this year. I am the type of person who is always on the safe side of things. I miss a lot of crazy, happy, spontaneous stuffs like trying out the zip line, or riding the intimidating too many loop roller coaster ride or joining a Cosplay.

Yes, cosplay as in costume play. I was at gamersbin.com's cosplay forum a while ago and reading the threads there make me want to dress up to. Wouldn't it be fun to pretend to be your favorite anime character? I would love to be Kaoru of Samurai X. Cosplay is big here in Manila. Cosplayers would meet up with one another in different malls and there were several cosplay events last year.

I'm really looking forward to 2012. There are some challenges I need to face right now but that do not hamper my enthusiasm for the year because I believe that my greatest burden will turn out to be my greatest blessing!

Have a wonderful New Year everyone!

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 23:58:00 +0000

And just like that 2011 had ended. It's the start of another great new year!

But before I bid 2011 goodbye, I want to look back and give thanks to all the wonderful things I've received in the past year.

2010 was a very challenging year to me and I felt that things will get only worse with 2011. I was in much physical, emotional and spiritual pain back then.

The greatest blessing for 2011 was to be given the grace of discovering a wonderful Catholic community in the Light of Jesus. Our Feast Builder Brother Eng Si was instrumental in my spiritual healing. The mass, preaching and worship session did wonders to my spiritual health. I feel God's love so much. I am happy that I was able to bring my brother to the Feast and experience the same joy I feel every time I go there. Attending the Feast also made him grow in his faith.

I am blessed with so much online work, not really with paid posts but more on data entry and posting of articles in wordpress from various contractors. I was able to secure four contracts from Odesk during the second half of the year. It was a productive online work for me this year.

Last year I also started going organic with regards to the beauty products that I use. It was a good change to use only products that are of natural ingredients. It is my wish that this year I can go organic too with the food that I eat.

There were no long trips for me and my siblings but still we were able to visit The La Mesa Ecopark, Paco Park, The National Museum, Fort Santiago, San Agustin Museum and The Manila Ocean Park

La Mesa Ecopark

Paco Park

The National Museum

Fort Santiago

San Agustin Museum

Manila Ocean Park

Another thing that I am grateful for last year was that I was able to reconnect with two of my closest friends in high school and before the year end I was able to bond with my Tita, Tito and my cousin in Pampanga.

There were also some sweet surprises for me towards the end of the year - like winning in an ice cream contest and winning an electric fan in a raffle.

the two 1.5 L of free ice cream from Selecta

But it wasn't all good in 2011. There were many challenges too last year, but I believe those trials were essential for me to grow as a person.

I pray that this new year will bring more abundance, joy and love for me and my loved ones. I hope that my faith will continue to grow. I hope that my relationships will continue to be blessed and that I'll be showered with more online projects this year.

I hope that all of us will have a good year and allow ourselves to be guided by God every step of the way. Happy New Year everyone! God bless us all!

Selecta Hershey's Heath Ice Cream Surprise

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 01:35:00 +0000

Last week I joined Patty Laurel's blog promo for Selecta Hershey's Heath Ice Cream Surprise. The mechanics of the promo were the following: write in three sentences the story of the person who inspires you the most, and you think deserves the ice cream surprise, then write the name of that person and his/her address as well as the time when it will be delivered.

My father is the first person that came into my mind upon reading the instructions, and I know that he will be surprised if he received the Selecta Hershey's Heath Ice Cream because he loves ice cream. Remember in my post last September that he and I bonded over ice cream at an ice cream parlor near our house.

Contests or promos are never my thing. I never win anything; except for the one time in grade school when my name was called out to win three big cans of Ovaltine from a raffle. But then I still joined the promo knowing that I will not lose anything by joining.

So I excitedly checked my email to see if I win early Monday morning because that was my preferred date of delivery, only to be left disappointed. I told myself" you really never win any promo." Oh well, it was a good try though.

Then I get a big sweet surprise when I received an email last Wednesday from Selecta telling me that there has been some problem with their logistics but that they will be delivering the ice cream soon.

Yehey!!! Free ice cream baby!!!

Last Thursday, a Selecta ice cream truck came to our house and brought this to my father:

two 1.5 Liter of delicious Hershey's Heath Ice Cream

And my father loved it. He had two servings of this as soon as it got delivered. He did not wait for me any more to be home from the office.:) But more than the ice cream which he really loves, I guess he was happy because I told him that I win it for him because he's the number one inspiration of my life.

My father is my hero because he has been a mother and a father to me and my siblings since my mom passed away fifteen years ago. He never tires of taking care of us, and he prepares the best baon for work in the world for me everyday.

Hershey's Heath ice cream is divine. Why wouldn't it be? It's made by Selecta. It's vanilla ice cream loaded with yummy Hershey's Heath English toffee chunks and lots and lots of chocolate syrup :) How's that for an ice cream.

I got two of this for dessert last night. But who can resist an ice cream this good?

Thank you Ms Patty Laurel and thank you Selecta for the sweet ice cream surprise!

Hair Loss Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:03:00 +0000

Christmas is just around the corner. Have you completed buying gifts for the people in your Christmas wish list? Being out of budget right now, I’m still waiting for my next salary to start my Christmas shopping. But despite the lack of money at the moment, I already know what to get for my loved ones except for my boyfriend.

I am still deciding whether I am going to get him a new polo shirt, or I am going to purchase the bottle of hair loss pill that I have read about online. My boyfriend is only in his early thirties, but he already has a receding hair line. Well, it is not something surprising because most of the men from his family are bald. I have read that most men start suffering from hair loss in their thirties. I know that his receding hair line is bothering him a bit. He has become a little conscious about it.

There have been a lot of positive provillus reviews that I want to purchase it and have my boyfriend try it.

Provillus pill seems to be a safe pill because it is a natural dietary supplement, plus it is FDA approved. I do not want my boyfriend to try a product that may be bad for his health. As much as possible, I want to help him solve his receding hair line problem naturally without having to result to surgery and hair transplant. And wearing a wig does not suit him. I hope this product works well, so that my boyfriend does not have to worry about his hair loss problem.

Although, hair loss in woman is not really common, there are still some women having this problem. It would be very hard for woman to experience it because the hair is considered the crowning glory of a woman. Provillus also has a product especially formulated for women having hair loss problems.

If you know anyone who might be suffering from hair loss problems, you may want to recommend to them Provillus, or better yet why not give them Provillus as a Christmas gift.

An Afternoon With "The Spoliarium"

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 06:31:00 +0000

I have seen "The Spoliarium" three times prior to this whole Sunday devoted to the National Arts Gallery. It's actually the main reason why I visit the National Museum. I could practically stare at this Juan Luna's masterpiece the whole afternoon, and I won't get tired looking at it.

At nine years old, the first time I saw it, I had this sense of pride that a Filipino artist has drawn this, and that it won the gold medal at the Exposicion Nacional de Bellas Artes in 1884.

The scene depicting dead gladiators being dragged to one side of the arena, reflected the abuses the Filipinos suffered under the Spanish Colonizers.

It took another twelve years before I saw it again, and I came back a year after and just after a few months and I was back at the National Art Gallery again to visit it. I still feel excited every time I open the door that leads to the Hall of the Masters where this painting is exhibited. It feels like finally, my eyes will get to see this national treasure again.

I know a lot of people don't get giddy with a piece of art but this painting elicits a good feeling on my part.

Because I'm not an artist, I can't imagine how Juan Luna was able to paint this huge piece of art? how he was able to balance the scale of each character drawn? and how he was able to put all those dramatic colors together. I wonder how many days did it take Juan Luna to finish this? Did he throw a lot of canvass before he was able to come out with this perfect one?

My words will always be inadequate to describe how beautiful it is, but let the pictures I took speak for how magnificent it is. But again, my pictures will not be able to capture its beauty. You have to see it for yourself and behold "The Spoliarium."

There's no entrance fee at The National Museum every Sunday.

(When I visited the National Museum last 2010 picture taking was still not allowed, but when I came back last May 2011 and October 2011, digital cameras are allowed for souvenir shots at the museum.)

Still Here

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 06:12:00 +0000

Wow! Two months of no new blog posts. Honestly, I don't know what to do with this blog. A part of me wants to keep it as it is and another part that wants to change it with a new domain name.

There have been a lot of things that happened in the last two months that I want to share, but I don't know where to start.

I envy those who can write long post because I'm not like that. I feel like my creative juice gets snapped out and I ran out of words to really express what I really want.

This post don't even have a direction..... It's just to let my blogger friends know that I'm still here......And hopefully when I come back, I'll have something good to share.

A Christmas Tip for Your Business

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 06:17:00 +0000

Time does fly…..it only seems like it just the beginning of the year a few months back and now were on the BER months already.

Here in the Philippines, Christmas observance starts really early. There are already a number of times that I’ve heard Christmas songs being played over the radio and at the mall’s sound system, and I’ve seen shops selling Christmas decors this early.

If you have your own business, wouldn’t it be a smart move now to think of promotional gift items you can give away for Christmas to your loyal clients and shop around for companies that will do these printing within your budget. And once you’ve found your choice promotional printing company, why not order those pens, mugs, calendars, key chains, etc., from that company this early.

Why not try amsterdamprinting personalized pens as a Christmas give-away?

Amsterdam printing is one of the most trusted and reliable promotional printing companies; they have been in the business of printing for 110 years. Their staffs are capable to work on your set budget and deliver quality printing on your promotional items that will convey your company’s logo and message to your clients.

When you are pressed for time which usually happens at the end of the year, you might not have enough time to look for an affordable with quality promotional printing company; worst scenario is these promotional items may not be printed on time. So work on those promotional gift items now and avoid the Christmas rush.

KFC's Streetwise Spoonfuls

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 06:15:00 +0000

Have you tried KFC’s Streetwise Spoonfuls?

Streetwise Spoonfuls are KFC’s latest desert offerings at only P29.00. There new deserts are: Chocolate Mousse Spoonful, Tiramisu Spoonful, Mango Cheesecake Spoonful, and ChocoBananapie Spoonful.

Last Saturday, I had lunch at KFC, and I ordered my favorite Chicken ala King Super bowl and the Mango Cheesecake Spoonful.

I was surprised when they put the desert on my tray because the Mango Cheesecake is in a teeny-weeny cup; I did not expect that it would be that small. Because of my disappointment, I just slid the desert inside my bag and planned on eating it at home; I was not excited anymore to satisfy my cravings for it.

So when I tried it home, it tasted okay, nothing special. I could taste the very scant sweet mango bits on it, and the whipped cream is the predominating taste.

I guess it’s called the spoonfuls because you can finish the entire desert in two to three spoonfuls. This desert is not good to share with someone because one cup may not be enough for one person. I'll probably recommend this to those who are trying to lose weight because I don't think a cup of this desert will do a lot of damage to your diet.

A Generous Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 06:11:00 +0000

The father of a good friend of mine from high school died last week due to pneumonia. Her father had a liver transplantation about a year ago and because of the anti-rejection drugs he had taken his immune system weakened and he became susceptible to infections like pneumonia.

My dad too is a kidney transplantation recipient. I remembered that last year, we swapped emails about our anxieties about our fathers' condition and I found relief that I can share my apprehension with someone whose going through the same thing that I was.

I visited her father's wake at Filinvest 1 last Saturday and it was the first time we saw each other again after almost sixteen years. It was a sad occasion to see each other and to catch up on each others lives.

But what amazed me is that even if I haven't seen my friend for that long, the bond I have formed with her years ago is still there. It feels like we've grown so much over the years but our friendship remained even if we haven't communicated as regularly as possible.

Last Wednesday, I received an email from her asking me about my father's medication. She told me that her father had left many medicines that could be of used to my father. I know that both our father were taking Certican. Certican is anti-rejection drug that cost P200.00 per piece, so if she would give me the medicines her father did not use it would mean that we will be able to save a lot from my father's medication. So I texted her all my father's med including the dosage, it turned out that Certican is the only drug that both our fathers used but her father's dosage is higher than that of my father's. If I will take the drug and cut it in half, the dosage will be lower than what my father usually take, so I have to refuse her offer.

Even if she wasn't able to share her father's medication with my father, I am still grateful because of her generous offer. The thought of having a friend who is going through a lot yet still have time to think of other people's need is something admirable.

She informed me that she would donate the drugs to the National Kidney and Transplant Institute to a patient who may be of need of it. It was a good thing though that my father is a member of the Kidney Transplant Association of the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, I was able to give her the secretary's number. She could just coordinate with the secretary and hopefully, the secretary will be able to give her a member of the association who might be in dire need of those medicines.

I am blessed that I have a very kind and generous friend like her.

Worthy To Worship Concert

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 06:10:00 +0000

My friends from office - Ate Kat and Arnie, Ate Kat's boyfriend, my brother Paul and I attended the "Worthy To Worship Concert" of the Quezon City Feast at the GT Toyota Center in Katipunan last Saturday.

Quezon City Feast is a weekly prayer meeting of the Light of Jesus Community in Quezon City. At the Feast, we celebrate the Holy Mass, followed by worship and then an inspirational talk by our feast builder - Bro. Eng Si.

At the "Worthy To Worship Concert," the music and dance ministry performed songs by my favorite band Planetshakers, Hillsongs, Tommy Walker and by other Christian artists. As the music and dance ministry did their numbers, our worship leaders led the community to pray and sing with the performers. Father Peter who regularly celebrates mass at the Feast sang Casting Crown's "Who Am I" and "I Won't Last A Day Without You."

Every one who attended the event had a great time singing their hearts out and dancing with much gusto. Everyone is on their feet to worship the Lord for almost two hours. When the show ended at around 7:30 pm, a lot of people were clamoring for more songs and were not yet ready to go home.

I forgot to bring my digital camera to the event, so I just bought a souvenir program of the event.

It was truly a concert to remember.

The Quezon City Feast is held every Sunday from 9:00 am - 12:00 noon at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management at the corner of Elliptical Road and Visayas Avenue, and every Saturday from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm at the GT Toyata Center at the corner of Katipunan Avenue and Magsaysay Street. Please come and be at one of the happiest places on Earth.

Helping Substance Abuse Victims

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:13:00 +0000

Drug Addiction is a problem that is prevalent now a day. This menace to the society has destroyed countless lives and families.

What started as just being curious as what drugs is may lead to dying at a very young age, losing jobs and properties and seriously hurting oneself or other people.

Most people who get into drugs usually have an underlying problem that they try to escape by getting high on drugs, like having a problem in the family or having self-esteem issue.

Other people become addicted to drugs because of pressure from peers to try it and later on find themselves having problem quitting the vice.

Whatever reason someone has for getting into drugs, it is important that they quit their drug addiction the soonest time possible.

The first step in solving a drug addiction is the realization from the drug addict that he has a problem. The problem is most of the time a substance abuse victim is in denial that he has a problem; if that is the case, the family or close relatives or friends should intervene to save their loved ones by getting them into drug abuse rehabilitation center.

There are many Drug Addiction Treatment Centers staffed with professionals ready to help the victims get over their drug addiction, and hopefully quit the vice for life. If you are looking for inpatient drug rehabilitation center in California or for Drug Rehabs in Oklahoma, addictionwatch.com can help you.

Addictionwatch.com can provide you all the information you need about the different rehabilitation centers and detoxification programs suited for the drug abuse victim.

If the drug addict has satisfactorily completed his rehabilitation program, starting a new life may be a challenged at first. It is important that he stay away from friends, alcohol or environment that triggered them before to try drugs. It is beneficial too for the newly sober individual to get into hobbies or go back to school so as to preoccupy his mind with productive things.

Loot From Subic

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:09:00 +0000

My father went to Bataan last week for a vacation. Before he went home, my aunt brought him and my grandfather to Subic in Olongapo City.

These are some of the things he brought home for me and my siblings:

Bonding Time With Papa

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:07:00 +0000

My dad loves ice cream! I believe that I can bribe my dad with anything with just a pint of ice cream. :)

I was at the ice cream parlor a few Sundays ago with my boyfriend and I just realized that I can bring my father at the ice cream parlor for our weekly dates.

Yes, date my dad and bond over ice cream which he really loves. I know this simple act is something that will show him that I love him and that I really appreciate everything he has done for our family.

So a few Wednesdays ago, my dad and I have our first date and we had a banana split. We ate ice cream while chatting about many things. I told him afterwards that we'll have ice cream dates every week and try all the ice cream offering at the ice cream shop.

Haunting Paco Park

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 01:22:00 +0000

Haunting Paco Park

Paco Park is one of the favorite locations for pre-nuptial shoots, wedding receptions, and the St.Pancratius Chapel inside the Park as a wedding venue. But it was only last May that I get to visit this place together with my siblings and my brother's girlfriend; I wonder why no one from my friends or relatives choose this place for their event:)

Paco Park used to be a cemetery for the elite during the Spanish Colonization Period in the Philippines and was converted into a Public Municipal Cemetery during the cholera outbreak in Manila in 1820.

This used to be the old gate of the Park, on top of the arc the following words are inscribed, "beati mortui qui in domino moriuntur;" which means, "blessed are they who died in the Lord."

The cemetery is circular in shape and most of the remains of those who were once interred here were already transferred to other cemeteries. At the center of the cemetery is a chapel dedicated to St. Pancratius.

The Chapel was closed at the time of our visit, so we were not able to go inside and see the repositories of the remains of the former governors and bishops of Manila found at the sides of the altar.

This marker commemorate the martyrdom of the GOMBURZA (Fr.Mariano Gomez, Fr.Jose Burgos and Fr.Jacinto Zamora); the three Filipino secular priests wrongly accused of starting and organizing the Cavity Mutiny. The priests were buried in a shallow ground here at Paco Cemetery right after their execution through guillotine on February 17,1872; their deaths inspired the Filipinos to fight the Spanish Colonizers.

Jose Rizal, our National Hero, was also interred here right after his execution in Luneta in December 30,1896. The Guardia Civil guarded his grave for fifteen days and in order to conceal the identity of the person buried in this spot, they put the acronym RPG on the cross which is the initials of Jose Protacio Rizal backward. Jose Rizal's remain was transferred from Paco Cemetery to Rizal Park in 1912.

This place is not only rich in history but is also a quiet place where one can relax and unwind. I find the Paco Park beautiful in its old charming way:)

Drug Rehab Centers

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 22:07:00 +0000

Many of the heinous crimes reported in the news right now were done by suspects under the influence of drugs. Many of these crime offenders started with drugs by just being curious about it and giving it a try and then it became an addiction they cannot control.

Many of the well-known celebrities started out getting high on drugs and end up wasting their lives and dying at young ages usually at the peak of their career.

It is so sad that drug addiction is prevalent now a day and their victims are usually young people who could have gotten a bright future if they did not do drugs.

Before these addicts continued with their destructive paths they need to be check into addiction treatment centers. Drug rehabilitation is the first step for any person with drug addictions to get sober.

There are many types of drug treatments available for the needs of different individuals. Treatments can be done as an inpatient or as an outpatient depending on the recommendation of the drug rehabilitation professionals. Individuals or their families can choose the Holistic method and Christian Methods to treat the addiction or get into programs that deal with a specific substance of abuse like for marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and others.

Whatever the type of substance abuse there is, there is surely a program suitable to help an individual get rid of their drug addiction.

If you know someone in need of help you may check online through addictionwatch.com which facilities are near your place or which centers have the programs suitable for the person in need of treatment. Addictionwatch.com has a comprehensive list of all the St Louisdrug rehab centers, Missouri Drug Rehab Centers and the other drug treatment centers that can help your loved ones get sober.

I hope all those with drug addiction problems will be able to get the treatment they need the soonest time possible to help them get back to the right track.

Chef Karen

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 21:01:00 +0000

My aunt hosted a triple birthday celebration for my Papa, Leslie (my aunt's daughter) and for Sav's 9th month birthday (Sav is my aunt's grand daughter) at their condominium unit at Taft.

Karen, my aunt's youngest daughter prepared and cooked the menu for the day.

Karen just recently graduated from her culinary course at the Center for Culinary Arts and is now taking up a baking course under Heny Sison.

Here are some of the delicious recipes she whipped for us:

Sorry, the pictures were taken right after we had our feast :)

fried kare-kare

chicken cordon bleu

chilly crabs

chocolate mousse

last Friday was my cousin's first day at Heny Sison's class and this was the first cake she baked!

Breakfast at Jollibee

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 20:44:00 +0000

My brother requested me to accompany him to the diagnostic laboratory for his annual check-up yesterday. We were at the laboratory as early as 7:00 am but his blood extraction was done at around 8:00 am to complete the fasting period required before the blood tests.

Right after the tests, we were both very hungry! and it was a good thing that Jollibee was just beside the laboratory.

Here's what we had for breakfast:

pancake with sausages for me with pineapple juice

tapa,fried rice and egg with coffee for my brother

Jollibee take out for my Papa and for my other brother

Papa's Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 20:37:00 +0000

It was my father's birthday yesterday! We celebrated his birthday the day earlier at my aunt's place.

My papa is the best father in the world and I love him so much. My wish for him on his birthday is good health, long life and happiness.

Help For Addicts

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 00:06:00 +0000

Illegal Drugs are a menace to the society. It has destroyed countless lives and affected millions of families. It is a problem that continues to plague our society and still hasn’t been solved by governments around the world.

According to a pamphlet handed over to me by a drug testing company representative, that from 20,000 illegal drug users in 1972 their numbers have increased to 1.8 million “regular users” in 1999 and about 1.6 million “occasional users” in 1999. These statistics are very alarming! I wonder how many illegal drug users are there in the country now.

Other facts mentioned in that pamphlet is that “marijuana” or tetrahydrocannabinol and “shabu” or methamphetamine are the most commonly abuse drugs in the country.

Another information I have gathered from the internet said that there are about 60,000 young people in the country are suffering from drug addiction. That the most common reasons for getting into drugs are: curiosity, peer pressure, family problems, escape from traumatic experiences and ignorance of the real and dangerous effects of illicit drugs.

Drug addicts need help before these illicit drugs claim their lives. They need to be check into drug addiction treatment centers and get the treatment they need to rid themselves of this addiction.

If you’re friend or relatives are suffering from drug addiction it is important that they get into rehabilitation centers the soonest time possible. In the Philippines, you may check the Department of Health website for list of accredited drug rehabilitation centers and in Missouri you may check the drug rehabs in Missouri and other Missouri drug addiction treatment center through rehabmissouri.org.

I pray that this deadly vice will stop in the country and that help may be given to the drug addicts.