The Wandering Deity's World

Sonnet to Fathers

2020-07-02T09:54:00.003+08:00

The King: Eternal Monarch - A Happy Bittersweet Ending We Are All Half-Expecting

2020-06-14T21:01:00.000+08:00

Spoiler alert! Those who have yet to see this KDrama, please stop reading now.

Moving On

As with everyone else, I cannot move on after watching the season finale. I am happy though that everyone got their happy ending.

Lee Gon and Tae Eul who cannot marry each other under any circumstance, lived the life of a happy couple, one weekend at a time. Though we want the couple to tie the knot as the grand reveal, the writer's decision to have them off together in different eras each weekend is a beautiful option. For that, I am not complaining. Better than them not being together at all, forever.

Here's my take on what happened to the rest of the major and minor characters that I have learned to love. I cheered them on from the start and I am glad that they got the exposure (and closure) they deserve in the last episode.

No More Nightmares for Shinjae

Happy that Hyeon Min (Shinjae) from Corea no longer has to bear with nightmares that torment him all through childhood and adulthood, leaving him a miserable person, on top of the fact that he is secretly in love with Tae Eul, but can never be loved by her. If there's anyone in this drama that deserves a happier ending, it is Shinjae aka Hyeon Min.

Secret Affair in the Palace

So, I was right! Jo Yeong has a crush on the social media girl Seung Ah, as his counterpart Eunsob is in love with Nari. Jo Yeong having this discreet affair with Seung Ah in the palace is the cutest thing ever.

Quite saddening though that he will never get to be reunited with Eunsob. It's kind of bittersweet for him to have the memories, while Eunsob never had any. It's cute though that Jo Yeong's siblings were named after Eunsob's. Awww, the guy must be missing his counterpart terribly, more than he would dare admit.

The Caring Ok-Nam

It was never revealed what really happened to Ok-nam apart from that little story of her travel to Corea before the Great Korean war broke. The last episode didn't show much what had become of her, but it's nice to note that she knows this little secret of Lee Gon. And no matter he is not telling her the truth, Ok-nam knows what's going on. I think in some ways, it's sad and happy at the same time, like what Lee Gon said in the previous episode, "You must be very lonely to have this secret all by yourself." Awww, my heart breaks for her.

Come on over to Facebook, Mamangnim, and let's gossip about your ward freely. Hahaha.

Chief Park's Solitude

So now we all know why Chief Park keeps saying he needs to go and meet his "loneliness" or "solitude" or "sadness" from time to time. We get to witness how the good captain kept his word to an offender, to take care of the young offender's grandma and little sister. It doesn't make sense though that the chief had to sneak behind the missus. It was for a good cause sure, but he probably didn't know that the wife will find out eventually. Next time, don't use the credit card. Meh.

So nice of Mrs. Park too to accept this little secret of the husband without much drama. Happy for them both.

The Fabulous Prime Minister Seo Ryung

Sorry folks, but I laughed my ass out seeing the ever-ambitious and domineering Prime Minister Seo Ryung in prison. Fashionista no more, we see her in prison garb. But come on, whatever outfit our elegant Prime Minister dons make her look even more ravishing. Anyway, so that's what become of her when the parallel universe was altered after Lee Lim died. Shows that no matter what, she's one greedy corrupt to the bones woman. And to think that her ever-loyal assistant is now the warden. Love her or hate her, she maintained her strong presence up until the end.

A Better Life for Luna

Luna's life did a complete turnaround when Lee Rim died. And I love it! I love how she became a good person. I always suspected that she's a good person turned bad because of circumstances beyond her control. I always knew that Tae Eul probably saw through her when she freed Luna to take care of her father while she embarked on a "do or die" adventure to help Lee Gon achieve justice.

I am happy that Luna also became a law enforcer and that Seo Ryung's mom raised her to be a good daughter. Why did Prime Minister turn out bad? Ah, the old adage that parents may do their best to give the best to their children, yet evil children will always turn evil because they were born that way. I'm not sure. But I am glad Luna and Hyeong Min look like they have a future together. At least in the parallel universe, Shinjae's dream to be with Tae-Eul became a reality. Yay!

I love the way that the writers salvaged what seemed to be a mind-boggling storyline in the first few episodes. It was confusing at first. But the final episode laid out everything beautifully.

Everyone got their dose of happy endings, and who am I to disagree?

Wait, aren't we gonna see more of Jang-mi?

Photo credits:

https://www.hellokpop.com/featured/the-king-eternal-monarch-episode-16-recap/

https://www.netflix.com/title/81260283

https://www.soompi.com/article/1406447wpp/the-king-eternal-monarch-ends-on-solid-ratings-for-finale

https://data.ibtimes.sg

https://goggler.my/7-questions-from-the-king-eternal-monarch-that-still-need-answering/

What Happens if Elsa Face Off with Moana?

2020-05-31T11:58:00.004+08:00

I wrote this during one of those really long commute sometime last December. When you travel for more than 4 hours daily you gotta find something creative to do. Otherwise, you may end up murdering your co-commuters out of boredom.

Disclaimer: This blog is not meant to harm anyone from Disney nor discredit any of its wholesome movie characters. This blog is not meant to be read by anyone under 13 either. Parental guidance is advised.

--------

In the vast sitting room of Arandelle, Elsa is seen contemplating.

Elsa: [talking to herself] What do I do now that Frozen 2 got that low rating in IMDB? What the flackers do these people want from us? I mean hello, it's not easy to beat the hell out of those Ahtohallan spirits. Come on, people!

[Loud knock at the door]

Guard: [clears throat] Your Majesty, a girl named Moana from the Island of Motunui, is here to see you.

Elsa: [thinks out loud] Who the fook is Moana?

Guard: [startled] I'm sorry, Your Majesty? I have no idea either who Moana is. Are you free to see her?

Elsa: [regained her composure and spoke sweetly as she's expected to] Oh please let her in!

[Moana enters, bowing to Queen Elsa]

Your highness, I am here to seek your help.

Elsa: Moana! I so Googled you and I found out that you have the power to talk to the waters. Why! We have so much in common! Come here! Sit down!

Moana: I am not here to chat with you. I am here to talk to you about my island.

Elsa: Excuse me! Why are we so bitchy already? What do you want?

Moana: Leave my island alone! We read your tweet and you're planning to freeze the Polynesian Islands! Is that because your movie flopped?!

Elsa: [now totally upset] Wait, what?! WTF! Frozen 2 is not a flop! Some people are just being...

Moana: [cutting Elsa off] You haven't been reading what people are writing on Reddit!

Elsa: People on Reddit are morons! Pretentious cowards hiding under pseudonyms! Their ratings don't count!

Moana: Just admit it, your movie flopped and you're not going to freeze the Polynesian islands!

Elsa: [laughs her brains out] Oh is that what you're thinking? Are you so obsessed with the first movie that you're stalking me online, even getting the help of the dark web to ruin my reputation?

Moana: [exasperated] You crazy bitch with your crazy eyes! Please! Get a life! I am here to talk to you nicely and here you are acting like a psycho!

Elsa: [being bipolar is difficult, she couldn't decide to be nice or to freeze Moana right there and then] Ok, Moana, let's start all over again. What can I do for you?

Moana: [being passive-aggressive isn't her thing so she went on a full beast mode] I am here to wage a war if you continue your plans of freezing my island.

Elsa: Hello. Haven't you been reading social media etiquette? You're not supposed to take everything seriously!

Moana: Etiquette my friggin ass! You aren't supposed to post stuff that harms the well being of islanders!

Elsa: Hahhaha! Do you guys have Twitter? Like seriously? Are you following me? No? Or are you just stalking me? Come on now! That's just a joke!

Moana: Joke or not, you're not supposed to post that!

Elsa: OK. Fine! Where's Maui?

Moana: Why do you need Maui?

Elsa: So I could freeze you both!

Moana: [throws her spear to the nearby sofa] The next thing that spear will hit is your head.

Elsa: Lemme just freeze that spear now!

[Maui suddenly appeared out of nowhere]

Maui: [acting cool and all] OK, What are you two bitches up to?

Moana: Elsa is going to freeze our island!

Maui: For real? Hey Elsa, nice to meet you! Love your DP, btw. So cool!

Elsa: Hey! Look what we have here! Another stalker!

Maui: Take back what you said or I will send tidal waves to Arendelle!

Elsa: [dials her phone] Anna? Anna! Please bring my meds here! There are two psychos here threatening my life!

Maui and Moana poised themselves for a battle when they heard a loud crash.

[Anna came in with Elsa's prescription meds on her hand, iPad on the other, with Sven in tow who is obviously watching something on his iPad]

[her eyes widened when she saw Moana and Maui]

Anna: Daebak! Omo! Omo! Is that you Moana and Maui?! Daebak!

[she tried to hide her excitement when she saw her sister's crazy eyes]

Anna: Sorry sister, I was watching Crash Landing on YouTube and I couldn't get here in time so I asked Sven to bring the meds here instead but he too is hooked on CLY.

Elsa: [totally exasperated and glared at Anna and Sven. shifted her icy glare on Maui and Moana] OK, That's it! You two get out of my palace!

Moana and Maui: But we're not done with you!

Elsa: You either leave now or am going to tie you both and make you watch that CLY drama or whatever those two fools are watching until your eyes bleed!

Moana and Maui: Is it a good KPop drama?

Anna and Sven: Yessssssssss! We're hooked! Y'all gonna love Captain Ri!

Moana and Maui: You have popcorn and soda?

Anna: We also have kimchi!

Moana and Maui: Yay! Let's go!

Elsa: Wait! You bitches aren't leaving me just like that!

Moana, Maui, Anna, and Sven: Oh, yes we can!

Elsa: [really furious] You leave me here, hell will freeze over!

Anna: Why don't you just follow Hyun Bin on Twitter while we watch? Find @withhyunbin! Ta ta, sister!

Elsa: [already busily searching for Hyun Bin on Twitter and when she finds it gleefully screamed and continued to browse through his tweets, forgetting about Moana, the Polynesian Island, Maui, and her KDrama diehard sister, Anna]

We will continue next time.

A Haiku for Mothers

2020-05-10T12:30:00.001+08:00

#happymothersday

Summer Haiku

2020-05-05T20:09:00.000+08:00

Summer I waited
Salty air, smell of the sea

image source: https://www.rawpixel.com/

Turn on the AC

©deity05032020

Sonnet to Covid

2020-05-05T20:07:00.000+08:00

Covid, when are you ever going away
We yearn to live another day
Free of worry, free of anxiety
Living free in a peaceful society
We want to see our loved ones so dear
Without the sickness or needless fear
We want to travel and see the world
We do our share to flatten the curve
The lessons we've learned well, so let us be
All these times locked up we've changed, you see

We know now that honey is no value
If you're both stuck at home like a glue
Nothing to eat, soul and body both hungry
Watching news all day that makes us angry
You have brought so much to our lives
Lessons, values, realities aligned
To die alone in a lonely room we may resign
The rich and the poor both not immune
To news of vaccine, we all stay tuned
Now more than ever the future we can't tell
So, covid if you could read this, just go to hell 😞

©deity05012020

Winning the Battle Even Before the Battle Starts

2017-08-28T15:39:00.000+08:00

I decided to write down the ordeal I went through for the last three months that I may remember in the future how bravely I won a battle even before the battle started.

It all started with heavy bleeding back in December 2011. Since then, I would bleed excessively (more than 10 days) that it became normal to consume at least 30 to 40 pads monthly. I would even joke around that Modess should give me a share in their company.

When I first decided to see an OB a year ago due to the incessant prodding of a coworker (bless her thoughtful heart), I was told that it's just part of the pre-menopausal syndrome or am just stressed at work. I was given iron supplements and that was it. And I was told to relax, chill, take a vacation, etc. Yeah, right.

The annual executive check up didn't show anything alarming either. I thought I was OK.

However, last May, the heavy bleeding came with abdominal pain with a massive headache to boot. I cannot concentrate at work. I have become more irritable than ever. I would only sleep for about 3 hours every day. I was agitated and started to lose focus.

I got scared. Very scared. And I told no one.

For some time, I got used to the headache that I would dismiss it as "too-much-work-too-much-stress-condition" or something like that. Little did I know that constant health negligence could have resulted in the big C had I not done anything about it.

To cut the story short, I went to see another OB, and another OB, and had a series of tests and procedures.

I have been in and out of the hospital for the last three months. It was exhausting - mentally, emotionally, physically and not to mention, financially.

But when faced with the ultimate choice between having my reproductive organ removed or suffer the consequences of going through more extensive procedures every three months to manage the condition, I decided to have a TAHBSO instead. The bad cells are on its early stage and removal of the entire reproductive organ will ensure that C is not going to crawl its way into my system.

But before the procedure...

I cannot count the number of times I cried over the last three months wondering what stage my cancer is. Will I die next month? Will this pain ever end? And so on and so forth. It was exasperating. While some people thought I was having a grand vacation, little did anyone know that I go through each day wondering what the doctors will find out this time. Or how many days, months, or year I have left in this world. I was flooded with so much negativity I hated myself.

Worse, the challenge came with staying positive to avoid agitating the family. I have to put up a brave face. I had to be strong. Not for my sake, but for their sake. It wasn't so easy. Like hello. I was ready to break down any minute.

But the battle is over.

I may not be able to reproduce another mini deity anymore, but hey, this means I get to enjoy being with family and friends for a long long long time.

Ladies, if you notice that something is wrong with your body, be it insignificant or trivial, go see a doctor right away. Insist on having tests. Talk to doctors. Get more opinion. The more the merrier. As I've said before, if you don't take care of yourself, no one else will do that for you.

As Justin Bieber once said, "Love yourself".

TeenAge Rebels: The Reunion

2015-12-27T13:34:00.000+08:00

There's a room where the light won't find you

Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down

When they do, I'll be right behind you

So glad we've almost made it

~ Tears for Fears

After almost three decades, our 80s barkadas - Sheila, Jinky, Mike, Paul and cousin Tess got together last night. Missing were Joey, Jasper, Ronald, Rommel, Edmund, Cristy, Rene, and Bette.

We're party buddies back in the 80s, back when we all could think about was to find parties to crash and dance our hearts out until the wee hours.

We lived and breathed dancing back then. Any song by Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, Lotus Eaters, Simple Minds, or Madonna (!) among others, would make us want us to crash another party. It was our addiction. To get to a party (doesn't matter if we know the celebrant or not) was like getting 1,000 likes on Facebook these days. That's how shallow we were.

We all had so much fun reminiscing how we mastered the art of jumping fences to elude strict parents. I know. Shameful. But. Nope. We were never into drugs or sex or anything really offensive. All we wanted was really to dance and dance some more.

We never had cellphones or tablets or laptops; we communicated by whistle. When one hears that special whistle, it means P-A-R-T-Y and you have like 5 minutes to dress up and sneak out of the house!

It was great seeing them all after a long long time. We shared stories on our struggles, challenges, triumphs, family, kids, education, business venture, etc. We chatted like grown ups and giggled like youngsters.

And we all agreed that whatever fun we had back in the 80s, it will always be something we will all look back to with fondness and smile.

So we glad we made it.

P.S.

Thanks Mike and Armi for hosting the dinner.

Sad To Belong To Someone

2015-12-17T20:39:00.001+08:00

So I'll live my life in a dream world,

For the rest of my days.

Just you and me walking hand in hand,

Is a wishful memory...

Oh, I guess it's all that it will ever be...

~ England Dan & John Ford

You ever liked someone who’s already taken (married, engaged, committed, etc.)? And you so like this person, you can only admire him from the distance, because he can never know that you like him.

Have you ever liked someone so much you're dying to send him a message to say hello or just ask how his day is going, but you can't, because you just can't?

Have you ever liked someone so so much that his mere hug meant the world to you?

Ang OA ko. Promise. At Frencheska Far ang peg ko according to Dani Hernandez author of Ang Maglandi Ay Di Biro. Promise, mahal ko na si Dani. Sobrang relate ako sa book niya.

I am too old to have crushes, but as one of my friends pointed out, it’s never too late to blush, gush or even have crushes... that as long as we have feelings we will always admire or crush on someone.

And who knows this admiration might blossom into something real, tangible, or forever. Sigh.

But in my case, there's no way this is going anywhere. This crush lives on the other side of the planet and is very taken.

So what do I do?

I really have no idea. I guess, I will just sit here in my little corner of the universe and hope to the stars that this infatuation dies out soon.

I am too old for heartaches.

Pero babalik daw sha ulet.

Anubayan!

#MeForever #UmasaTayo #MeHimala

The 5 Truths About The Awesome Jay

2015-11-19T17:51:00.002+08:00

Jay P, my awesome-st writer who has been with us for three years and more left the company effective yesterday to pursue another career path. We miss him tremendously today. Like it's not a regular work day without his awesome presence.

And why is Jay so awesome? What makes him awesome?

#1 He Is Mr. Congeniality of the Universe

It doesn't matter whether you belong to Content Team or not. He's just that friendly, he hangs out with everybody, especially when one has food.

#2 He Is The Ultimate Eye Candy

I once told the team that I need to hire an eye candy to inspire me more. He volunteered himself. I was left with no other option. I was cornered.

#3 He Has Wits All Over the Wall

Only Jay can come up with come back lines that would make you question your sanity. Yep, that's him.

#4 He's Cool As Cool Can Be

Despite being constantly picked on for his brain-damaging wit, Jay remains cool and awesome. And that's why we love him a lot.

#5 He Is Best Friends To Great Cooks

Have I already mentioned that he's best friends with anyone who has food to spare? He's tight with the great cooks in the office. He sure does know how to pick his allies.

Kidding aside, I will miss Jay.

He was a fresh grad when he joined the company. It was like I gave birth to his career. I am so proud of what he has become. He has the ambition, the drive and the right wit to get where he wanna be. I will always be honored to have worked with him.

*Sob*

Eight Things I've Learned As an Adult

2015-04-14T21:32:00.001+08:00

To commemorate their birthdays, some would write the number of things they’ve learned according to their age. I am not going to do that. You seriously want me to come up with more than 40 something stuff?

Let’s just stick to the eight most important things I’ve learned as an adult. It’s more than eight, but in my book, they are the bestest things. Bear with me.

1. My Parents Rock. No. They Are My Rock.

Sure, there was a time in our lives when we wish our parents would just leave us alone or disappear in the middle of the night, stuff like that. We were all teenagers once. Hello.

I got older and went through several ups and downs; it’s when I learned that there are only TWO people who will never ever desert me no matter what – MY PARENTS.

We may have our share of arguments, fights, misunderstandings and such, but at the end of the day, my parents support me unconditionally. And I have to include my wonderful siblings. They are so throwing tantrums, I forgot to mention them. Doh.

I love them all to the moon and back!

2. My Bestest Accomplishment - My Son

We all go through life wondering what we have accomplished, forgetting the essentials.

I used to think that I would be a failure as a single mom. As it turns out, my son brought out the best in me. Raising him was the greatest feat I have ever done in my whole life. He may not be the awesomest son one could ever hope for, to me, he’s the best thing that ever happened.

Because of him, I’ve learned that in order not to get disappointed, I should never expect anything. Nothing at all.

When are you going to buy me a branded purse?

Mom, you take the public commute. The branded purse would look like a knock-off.

Bitch has a point.

3. The More the Merrier. Not True. Few Friends Matter.

When I was younger, I love having lots of friends, thinking that the more friends one has, the better.

No. Not true at all.

As you grow older, you will realize that you don’t really need lots of friends. You need QUALITY friends who will be there no matter what. Sure, these few selected friends can be judgmental bitches, but hey, they will never abandon you in times of trouble.

That’s good enough to know.

4. What Other People Say Don’t Count

Live life as you wish. The others can screw themselves. They don’t know what you go through each day. They can judge you for as long as they want;what matters is that you do whatever you want, and be happy about it.

Life is too short to worry about what others will say. Do what you want, be who you are, and the world can fuck itself for all you care.

5. Material Things Don’t Really Count

We spend so much time working. Sweating it out literally and figuratively, day in and day out, to make both ends meet. We always try to give the best to our family; buying them stuff we thought would make them happy, not really understanding that material things fade.

What our family needs is quality time.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s just a simple bonding at home, or an occasional movie and dinner now and then. The material things lose its value eventually, but the time we give to our loved ones, they will always treasure.

6. Love is Not the Be All and End All of Life

I used to love the idea of being in love. I was a hopeless romantic. I think I still am.

Ehh.

I can now look back at the past loves and laugh about it and wonder, the hell did I fall in love with that jerk. Those kinds of things.

I’ve learned that while having someone to love and be loved back is great, being alone isn’t so bad after all. Life isn’t just about boyfriend or girlfriend. There’s more to life if we just open our eyes and set our priorities right.

7. Action Movies Can Get Boring

I think it goes with aging. I used to love gory action movies. Now, am just bored to death. Hands and legs being sawn off. Boring. Death defying stunts. Horror movies. Boring. Boring. Boring. I’ve learned that as priorities change when we get older, and so do our interests.

I used to hate James Bond. Sean Connery is old and I hate his British accent.

Now, heck, I’m looking for a British editor! And I want to marry Daniel Craig!

8. Kids Are The Best

Being an ESL teacher for more than five years in Korea taught me the value of loving kids other than my own. I used to hate kids. Seriously. To me, they are annoying little creatures created to torment me.

Now, that I deal with adults daily, I’ve learned to appreciate children as better co-workers.

They throw tantrums, which is understandable because they are children. They change their minds as often as the wind blows, because that's what kids do! They play favorites, because children are entitled to have favorites. If anything, children don’t do positive scripting. They don't have to. They don't need to.

I hate your dress. You look silly, teacher Mj. (Don't you just love the kids' honesty?)

Aw, you look fabulous yourself. (Good gad, where the hell is her fashion sense?!!! - Adult problems)

Hashtag Separation Anxiety

2015-03-23T13:35:00.000+08:00

"But I remember those simple things
I remember 'til I cry..."

I haven't written anything for a long, long time.

The last entry here was about my son graduating from college. Since then, I've gone through the 9 cycles of depression, stress and pressure; I barely have time to comb my hair, let alone blog and update any of my social media account on a regular basis.

I found one good reason to blog this weekend. I miss a dear colleague - our Marketing Director.

He's gone for good. That left me devastated (as you all probably have guessed by now that I have this separation anxiety thingy. Which makes me think that I might have been separated and exiled from my loved ones during my first life).

Anyhow, I was so sad I would cry myself to sleep since we had this little farewell party for him. Maybe I was crying for a different reason. But anyway, I find his leaving a really good excuse to cry. He and I, we were never close, but I must admit that there were several instances he saved me from my self-destruction weapon: tactlessness.

Among the people I've worked with, I found him to be free of any pretension, as he knows anyway that I could see past through him when he's trying to be civil or not, nice or evil, etc. Some would say he's a pretentious jerk; I thought otherwise. Maybe he just doesn't like it when people hate him, or think he's not cool. You know, Americans. They gotta be cool always.

I kind of miss taunting and annoying him every chance I get.

Hold my hand and I will have all blogs you need written asap.
Go away, Mj.

And his childish bickerings whenever I let him.

You're such a drama queen, Mj.
And you're the king!
Whatever!

So we used to hate each other on a daily basis; there's no knowing when WWWIII would erupt in the office. But as time went by, he started to just let go of his prejudices against my Korean upbringing. (You're North Korean. Are you sure you're not adopted?).

One of the things that I miss the most is his dry sense of humor. I am not sure if he really is an American. He is actually more British in the humor department.

Hi, I sent you an email. Could you please check it?
You're an email courier, do you know that?

If you insist on having those 200 pages of content written in one week, I am going to jump off this building!!!
Fine.

Now, who wouldn't miss such an adorable person like that?

A Single Mom's Pride

2014-05-17T22:07:00.000+08:00

Earlier, as I watch my son light the Candle of Hope during their baccalaureate mass, I can't help but feel this overwhelming sense of pride. We've definitely come a long long way.

I used to think that I wouldn't make it. That being a single parent will be a challenge I might not fulfill. That I might fail my son and myself for that matter. There were just too many hurdles. But along the way, through the hardships and struggles, I am lucky to have found a really awesome support system --parents, family and friends -- who helped in one way or another. And I can't thank them enough.

Being a single parent is not for the faint of heart; it's not for the weaklings or quitters. There's a ton of responsibility that goes with raising a child alone. It requires strength, courage, a lot of tears and most of all, determination. The fortitude to give him a good life.

I know my son had his share of struggles, too. And I can only hope that the love, support and guidance my parents and I give him fill in whatever void he may have now and then. Despite the hardships, his effort to obtain a degree is admirable. He made us really proud.

As I listened to the Homily, I was reminded of this quote from Farrah Fawcett: My number one goal is to love, support and be there for my son.

In two days, the fulfillment of our dreams will be a reality. My parents and I will watch him with pride (and perhaps a tear or two) as he march on stage and receive his diploma. The moment will be priceless... We've gone a long way. Yes, true. But this is not the end. I won't stop loving, supporting and being there for him.

Congratulations, son!

Ghost the Musical I'm In Love

2014-05-12T16:07:00.000+08:00

Lonely rivers flow
To the sea, to the sea
To the open arms of the sea...

Saw Ghost the Musical last Friday, May 9th at RCBC Tower. What fantastic play. What an awesome cast.

Cris Villonco as Molly, is divine. She's so convincing she made me cry, too. Hans Eckstein as Carl is also good. He's uber nice offstage. Oda Mae, the charlatan medium, as always, was very amusing to watch. Very much like Whoopi Goldberg, who stole the thunder from Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in the original movie, Ima Castro brought the house down. And to top it all, when we asked her to pose with us, Ima sincerely asked if we enjoyed the show. I'm a fan.

I already love Christian Bautista in The Kitchen Musical, but love him even more as Sam Wheat. He's so cute, I wanted to take him home and take care of him. Like. Really. I think I sort of blushed when I gestured him to stop (because we want to pose with him) and he pretended to fall on the floor. Sigh. LOL. NOT. Embarassing. Really. Jeez. How silly can I get?

The production design is minimalist, yet impressive. Love how the play focused on the emotion. No moment was ever-boring. Totally enjoyed the whole show. And enjoyed much more the photo-op with the lead stars afterward.

Congratulations, guys! Great job!

Project MJ - Secret Life Revealed

2014-04-12T11:50:00.000+08:00

This week has been full of surprises. And I couldn't thank enough the wonderful people who gone the extra mile to surprise me on my __th birthday (age is a fill-in-the-blank thingy).

1. My son gifted me with a favorite-- rocky road cake-- for the first time ever. From his pocket. From his first earning. Made me so damn proud. So grown up and generous and all.

2. Got wonderful wishes, greetings, and gifts from family, friends, and co-workers (past and present). Wines, roses, perfume and fashion accessories. You guys know me so well. Even the scroog-iest person I know was generous enough to give me a really cool gift. Thank you!

3. And the bestest gift I got this year is the surprise birthday party from my Truelogic Family.

Complete with 18 roses from the guys in the office. I nearly cried at this point because I never had a formal debut party. Years ago, before iPhone was invented, I celebrated my 18th birthday in a Billy Idol Slam Dance/New Wave themed party shared with a church friend.

My former eldest son in the office, Mike, joined in and so did Ed, my ex-boss. The surprise party would have been more authentic had I not blown up my son's supposed participation. He didn't join anyway. Said he was too shy. Truth be told, he hates parties. I dunno. Don't ask me.

The surprise didn't stop there.

The writers and editors, HR, and some of the OPs people prepared a mini-film.

The video, a hilarious rendition of what my life "used to be", cracked me up so much/moved me to pieces. These are the people that I drive to wits end every single day, and they even had time to convince the big boss to be silly? How cool is that.

The celebration was capped with beers, Mojitos, chips and refills of nonstop laughing with the awesomest people from work.

To Mafe, who wrote a fabulous blog about me and to everyone else who made my birthday this year truly memorable, thank you ever so much. You have no idea how happy you guys made me. *Sniff*

May God bless you always that you continue to be a blessing to others.

Of Rats and Women

2014-03-31T15:05:00.000+08:00

There are rats in my ceiling
Playing, shrieking, tormenting
There are women in my wall
Praising, sharing, blabbering
Can't stand listenin' to them all
Should I catch them, roast them
Or just squeeze them by the ball?

If only these rats were as talented as these:

Summer Is Definitely Here

2014-03-31T12:58:00.003+08:00

The scorching heat tells us Filipinos that summer is definitely here.

For the beach bums, it's time to prep the abs, get bikini wax, new swimming outfit, planning the vacation getaway, etc...

For workaholics like me, it means early sunrise, which translates to you-gotta-wake-up-and-commute-now-before-it-gets-too-hot-outside and you-can't-wear-those-lil-black-dress-lest-you-want-to-have-a-series-of-hot-flushes. The choices I have.

There might be some plans coming along. And hopefully, no spoiler to ruin them. You know those people. It's like, other people are not meant to have a good time. It's like about them all the time.

Oh well.

On another note, I should be dieting soon. Lest I want to be like one of those blue-whale shark (butanding), sure. I need to eat less. And when I say less, one slice of cake and pizza a day should suffice. Sigh.

This is my dream spot this summer. Wish I could go. Am sure my folks and son would love it there.

Where is yours?

Only Awesome Things Can Happen To You When You're Always Grateful

2014-02-20T20:25:00.000+08:00

I am thankful …

The laughters that I have cried-

For they always pour; can’t ever hide.

The tears that I allow-

For they always flow; free of sorrow.

The blessings that I have –

For they always cleanse; they came with love.

The sunshine that I hug –

For they always burst; they warm like fog.

The triumphs that I gain-

For they always scar; can’t ever feign.

The hurdles that I fought-

For they challenge; made me taut.

All these and more, I am grateful;

Somehow, the days made me half whole…

Photo from: http://www.caramelpotatoes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Grateful-Heart-wm.jpg

Trouble App in the Palace (Fairy Tales Part III)

2014-02-18T20:42:00.001+08:00

Fact: Snow White hates Apple.
Fact: Cinderella loves Pumpkins.
Fact: Snow White is a very competitive skank.
Fact: Cinderella is just one plain nasty psycho.

ACT 4, SCENE 1

One lazy humid afternoon, in the purple-ish den of the White's palace, Snowee and friend Cindee are busy browsing Gadget Geek Mag.

Cindee: So yesterday I bought iPhone 9S and I'm like, gawd, is this cheap or what?

Snowee: [In complete shock] You bought iPhone 9S?!!! I just barely learned how to use the stalker app in my 4G and there's 9S already?

Cindee: Hello. Where have you been?

Snowee: Excuse me. I gotta call Dad!

Cindee: You can use my phone.

Snowee: No. Thank you. I have my own phone.

Cindee: Fine.[Slightly raises her eyebrow at Snow's sudden change of demeanor, whispers to self] I am not sure I'm liking the way Snow glances over. It's like she's possessed. She's got this crazy psycho Linda Blair's eyes. Uh-oh. I have to go.

[Cindee tiptoes out of the door, but Snowee catches her.]

Snowee: Cindee! Where are you going? I thought we're hanging out?!!

Cindee: Home. I need to feed my pet dragons! Yay!

Snowee: Would you like to join us for dinner tomorrow?

Cindee: Yeah. Sure. [Smiling creepily as she enjoys this monologue in her head: What the hell? One moment she was this close to murdering me for having an iPhone 10, which is really not my fault that her dad is such a miser. Now she's all about dinner dinner? Hmm...]

Snowee: [Smiles broadly inadvertently showing her purple-ish gums] Guess who's coming for dinner?

Cindee: [I know it. Something is off] Ehrmm... Prince Charles?

Snowee: Helloooo! He's engaged!

Cindee: Ehrrmm... President Obama?

Snowee: Helloooo!!! And talk about change the whole night?! Nope! Nope!

Cindee: Okay, tell me. Who?!

Snowee: Steve!

Cindee: Steve Perry?!!!

Snowee: Steve Perry who?

Cindee: Never mind. Steve who?

Snowee: [Stutters] Steve...you know... th-th...the CEO of... you... know... the creator of you know... uhhhh-Apple...?

Cindee: [Laughs her booger out] Ho ho ho ho ! Steve Jobs! Girl, you gotta be kidding me! All right. If you so require my presence tomorrow then I shall be here.

[Cindee glides gaily out of the scene.]

Snowee: [Furiously talks to herself, imitating Cindee's squeaky voice] If you so require my presence tomorrow. B*tch. B*tch. B*tch. She didn't even flinch? She wasn't impressed at all? Who invites Steve over for a casual dinner? Doh?!! Who the b*tch she thinks she is?

Snowee stomps crazily out of the scene...

To be continued...

2011© mj

This blog was created 3 years ago. First posted in Multiply. So much has happened since then.

All I Really Need to Know I Learned While Growing Up

2014-02-05T14:58:00.001+08:00

Live a balanced life - learn some
and think some and draw and
paint and sing and dance and

play and work every day some.

~Robert Fulghum

In a few months from now I will be another year older... but wiser. So far, here are some of the things I learned:

1. You can't please everyone.

Of course. You were NOT born to please anyone in the first place. Those things your parents said when you were young, like, you have to be nice and sweet when the relatives come over? Those are just for the sake of having good manners (so that parents wouldn't look bad).

You don't really have to be nice all the time. You don't really have to agree with everyone. You are free to stand up and say NO or smack people on the head if they deserve it.

Baby Denise has so much wisdom.

The only person you should please is your boss, who pays your salary. Not up to pleasing the boss? Leave. Find another job. Chances are, with the new job, you still need to please the new boss. Well, you can always leave again. And again. And again. Yeah. Keep doing that until you realize it's better to be your own boss. But then again when you're the boss, you have to please the clients...You see, it's a vicious cycle my friend.

2. Never expect anything in return.

You help. Good. Happy for you. Good karma and blessings to pour your way everyday. But expecting people to do the same and feeling disappointed if they don't? Really? It's that how you want it? Suck it up. You helped. Period. If they pay you back in return, good for them, good for you. If not, charge it to experience. At least, good karma and blessings will still pour your way everyday.

3. Regret always comes in the end.

You done things. You decided to. No one forced you. And now you're regretting everything? Really? What for? Grow up. Suck it up. That's life.

The choice was yours and yours alone. Did anyone point a .45 to your head? Chances are, you did those things because you want to. What's the whole point of pointing fingers, blaming others, regretting what could've been, should've been, would've been...?

4. Don't expect too much from people.

This is like #2, but I want to make a point here, so listen. You are bound to disappoint yourself if you expect too much from others. People screw up. It's their nature. Our nature. We're humans. We're weak. We're not gods and goddesses from Mt. Olympus. (Hey, even gods are weak. Look at Zeus! He has kids with different mortals).

Get over it. Forgive. Forget. Move on.

5. Life is a stage and we're all actors.

Shakespeare forgot to mention that other than being actors, we're also the choreographer, director and scriptwriter of our lives. We don't like the script, we rewrite. We don't like the way things are going, we change plot. It's as simple as like that. You direct your life. Not other people. Stop the blame. Stop the hating. Sure, the next girl sitting beside you has a really bad hair. You can always switch seats or you can look the other way. You have choices. You can also push her out of the bus if you want. Life is what we make it. It's all about making choices.

Aren't babies the luckiest creatures on earth?

They don't know anything about choices...

Sigh. Why did we ever grow up and get old?

The Year That Was...

2014-01-03T18:32:00.003+08:00

So, this is Christmas

And what have you done?

Another year over

And a new one just begun

~ John Lennon

A lot of people on FB and Instagram have this picture collage of their most memorable moments of 2013. I couldn't make any. I have lots of photos taken, sure, but there is so much that I don't know how to put them all together.

The photo's not awesome, but the write-up is good. I think.

Other than pictures, I have in my head a compilation of everything great that happened in 2013. I am not going to bore you with the details, just know that 2013 has been awesome.

OK. Fine, here they are:

January: What did I do in January? I can't remember!

February: I can't remember again!

March: I was featured in Hotjobs. Centerfold, baby!

With pretty pressies from friends

April: Oh my birthday! I didn't do anything fab! We had this company contest and I didn't win. Oh well...

May: Summer is almost over and I haven't seen the ocean for some time and was planning to go, but work got in the way.

June: I didn't get married. And some people that I really like left the company. Sad.

July: My team is finally back in one shift. We were split into day and evening shifts in August 2012. The horror of commuting home at 2 am! OMG! So happy! Woot! Woot!

August: Son got sick. Almost dengue, but thank God he got better. I spent 4 days in the hospital with him. Scariest days of my life.

September: Went by so fast, I didn't even notice.

The Truelogic Awesome Peeps

October: Company outing and Halloween party, Mamu's birthday, and the visit to Angela!

November: What did I do last November? November rain is what happened. Yolanda. Devastated lives. Our relatives including. Good thing that nothing really bad happened to my mom's siblings and their families. God is good!

December: Got awarded with a fab set of purse and wallet and a trophy that says I'm a Game Changer. How cool is that? Then, Papu's birthday celebration and the Hobbit movie. Met up with good college friends and their loved ones. And the holidays came and went just like that.

Here with Denis Ayeng (One of my mentors! Yay)

I have no new year's resolution. I resolved years ago not to make one because I always end up not following them anyway. A complete waste of time if I may say. Writing your new year's resolution doesn't happen overnight. Hello. It takes time and effort and will power.

I am not good with will power. In fact, I don't have one. I'm a spontaneous person.

My team in Oyster Bar. 12.20.2013 with our CEO

I will continue my fairy tale saga and sell the plot to SNL or whoever is interested. Who knows, I might even find someone filthy rich to marry me.

We don't know what the future holds.

Mandela, Walker, Et. Al

2013-12-06T19:55:00.002+08:00

“Your time may come. Do not be too sad, Sam. You cannot be always torn in two. You will have to be one and whole, for many years. You have so much to enjoy and to be, and to do.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Paul Walker passed away too soon last November 23. Last night, December 5th, Mr. Mandela, the champion of anti-apartheid in Africa met his Maker.

I'm sad. Really sad.

And recently I got papers from my esteemed Rockstar writers that they are quitting.

I'm sad. Really sad.

What's with the leaving? I understand, but I don't understand. Good people die young. Good employees go. I hate to see them leave, but I have no choice but to move on. Life is really like that.

People come. People go. And one day, we will all go.

I'm sad. Really sad.

Catching Fire: The Mocking Games

2013-11-25T19:56:00.000+08:00

Well, well, well... it seems that the whole world is talking about Catching Fire. Who wouldn't? Rolling stones says it's the best November opening. Saw the movie last Saturday with my folks. We all loved it! Sorta. Kinda. Just too long. 3 hours? You kiddin' me? My butt hurt for sitting there for that long, but seriously, it's worth it.

Love Katniss, her kakikayan, her Mocking Jay gown (now I know what I'm gonna be next year for our Halloween party!), and her braid! Love her love her! Just didn't like that she had to kiss both boys. I mean, come on. Make up your mind! Who do you really wanna be with? Gale or Peeta? I like Gale! He's hot like his Thor brodah - Chris. Peeta reminds me of this geek from Alias before? Marshall? And he 's too short for Katniss I guess.

I also miss the fabulousness of Cinna. Not much exposure in this film. Worse, he died. Like hello! You don't kill Lenny Kravitz! He's the god of hotness! What were those people thinkin'? Why don't they kill the anchorman with his super shiny white teeth instead? Love him in the Devil Wears Prada, but not in this film. Something in his character is missing. I dunno. He sounds more interesting in the book. I guess, this is why books are always better than movies? I dunno. I think... except Twilight and Lord of the Rings. Cause really, the books were uber boring. But the movie versions are way way exciting! Don't your dare judge or mock me!!!

Didn't like the game portion either. Really? Bring back the old old victors? And they are either senile or catatonic? Not an ounce of hotness or cuteness on any of them, not even that Finnick boy. He's so self-conscious, I couldn't tell whether he's smiling or showing off his nice set of teeth. Looks like he's mocking Katniss with his smile. I really dunno. I should given him more credits. It's just that, I love President Snow more.

Anyway, I'm already looking forward, eagerly, if I may say, to the last book. Wonder how long it's gonna be this time.

Mockingjay photo from http://www.deviantart.com/art/Katniss-Everdeen-Mockingjay-Dress-393743648

Typhoon Haiyan and Inflamed Ear Vessel

2013-11-14T13:20:00.002+08:00

You all probably heard by now what happened to the provinces south of the Philippines. I have stopped reading the paper, watching the news, and following feeds in Twitter concerning those who have been devastated by Haiyan (named Yolanda locally).

My heart breaks every time I see posts in Facebook and Twitter asking friends to help find missing relatives. I couldn't imagine what would I do if I were in their shoes. The thought of not knowing how my family fared in such a calamity is already nerve-wracking. I thank God that we didn't have to go through that.

Help from all over the world is pouring in. Bless this generous people. I hope our government officials won't use those help for their own need. Hello! Don't you dare touch those money! Shame on you, bitches! You should be ashamed of yourselves. Makes me think that if I were Janet Napoles, I'll offer a plea bargain: I will donate 10 billion to the victims, provided I walk scot-free. But we all know she won't do that. She's just not that smart. If she were smart, would she be caught?

Anyway, other than the disconcerting news about the wrath of Haiyan, my ear has been bothering me for some time that I decided to see the doctor yesterday. Apparently, that strange noise I am hearing is not the voices of the dark side, but an inflamed vessel in my right ear. This is also causing me to get dizzy now and then. I was hoping the doctor would tell me that I am having those symptoms of schizophrenia. I dunno really the connection, but according to the doctor it is what it is it is, so I believe her with my life.

Had to take meds again. I hate meds. But what can I do? I can't afford to get sick. Mum said I am lucky I am able to see a doctor and buy meds, unlike those people in the south who don't even have clean water to drink.

I am going to stop whining now. Thank you for listening.

Dia de Muertos

2013-11-03T12:38:00.000+08:00

Or Day of the Dead, All Hallows' Eve or Halloween is one of the biggest holidays here in the Philippines (and in some parts of the globe). Other than Christmas Day, from October 31 to November 2, Filipinos prepare (a lot!) to honor their departed loved ones.

Our office had a little Halloween party last October 31st. I said little because it was not as extravagant as it was last year. Considering the short span of time to prepare, HR peeps pulled it off. I volunteered to be one of the judges.When asked why I wanted to be a judge, I couldn't admit that I have already told everyone that I'm a judge and I've accepted bribes, right?

As always, the creativity of Truelogic members is amazing. Look at these photos!

Ops Night Shit - Plants Vs. Zombies theme. Had there been more time to prepare, I'm sure they would've done better.

Elmo is a friggin perve and here's the proof!

Ops Day Shift won second place.

Even the OJTs had a lot of fun!

The boss attempted a selfie with me. Looks like he loved the kitty cat ears Ciara lent us.

More photos in FJ's album.

I think people took a bunch of photos during the party. Everywhere I go, there are groups taking photos. Never a shortage of photos. I am sure the Halloween party is just one excuse to take photos of themselves in fancy costumes. Just my theory. You can always prove me wrong.

The following day, we visited my daughter's grave. She passed away on All Hallow's Eve 16 years ago. Sucks huh? You left her all smiling and giggling that morning. Then in the afternoon, you find yourself holding her tiny hand in the ICU while she drew her last breath.

They say time heals all wounds but this one is definitely not healing at all. Never.

We brought her pretty flowers and had a picnic. The nieces and nephews ran around. There were so many people in the cemetery, with some even playing loud music, probably enticing the dead to wake up.

It was all good. But Hallowen will always be a sad sad day for me no matter what...