Eat, Love, Be Happy

Goodbye, and thank you, 2011!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 13:57:00 +0000

Dear 2011,

Like the past few years, you’ve also put me on a roller-coaster ride. But I appreciate that you’ve given me more ups than downs. Thank you for teaching me a lot of things—from being strong to being happy. I will be forever grateful for all the opportunities, lessons, and achievements you’ve shared with me.

If I were to give words that I can associate with you, they’ll be: love, happiness, loss, strength, hope, growth.

Love - Thank you for giving me all forms of love. Love for family, for God, for friends, for someone I consider my lifetime partner, and for myself. This year, I learned to really love myself, to accept my flaws, and to build up my strengths. All these lead to…

Happiness - You were the sweetest year so far. With you, I discovered how to be truly happy. You’ve opened my eyes to all the simple joys Life has to offer. You gave me so much joy and happiness that even there’s so many awful things in life, I can still choose to be happy. But, of course, you’ve kept me in reality by giving me…

Loss - There are many, different, little losses I’ve experienced this year; but nothing will ever amount to losing my dear grandmother, our Lola Inda. It’s the hardest thing to accept—the loss of a loved one. I was about to doubt my faith in you when you taught me about…

Strength - The most important thing you’ve taught me is that I am not weak but strong. Stronger than I can imagine my self to be. Strong enough to fight for my self, for my family, and for my loved ones. Strong enough to survive this year. And strong enough to face the coming year. With this, I regained…

Hope - Something I thought I’ve lost since Life sucker punched me. But you were very persistent to let me have Hope again; and for that, I am grateful. I guess, this was the final element towards my…

Growth - You didn’t just made me grow old, you’ve also made me grow. You’ve developed my maturity more than 2010 and the rest did. You’ve also given me spiritual growth to understand and make sense of many different weird and twisted stuff Life continues to throw at me and tempt me with. But, hey, don’t you laugh at me, for I will be forever 21! Haha! :P

Lastly, I want to thank you for all the wonderful people I met, gained back, and was simply lucky enough to have.

To the UP EnggLib staffs—Ate Elvie, Kuya Arnel, Kuya Bal, Kuya Emar, Brian, Tonet, Ate Senia, Ate Rlynne, Ate Eloi, Ate Fresca, Kuya Ferdie, Kuya Hanzel, Ate Glenda, Ella, Bianca Rei, Kuya Ronnie, Ate Dette, Ate Reyna, Ate Lea, Bianca, Ate Maggie, Ate Ces, Ate Bunny, Norie, Jem, Dan, and especially to Ma’am Sharon—for the opportunity to work with you; for teaching me many things about our profession and about life, as well; for inspiring me, challenging me, and believing in me; and lastly, for encouraging me to finish my degree.

To the UP SLIS faculty and staffs—Ate Gia, Ma’am Kate, and Dean Igor—for helping me and for approving my appeal for re-admission. :D Ma’am Vyva, Ma’am Iyra, Ma’am Rhea, Ma’am Grace, Ma’am Tinao, and Ma’am Arlante—for sharing with me and my other classmates valuable lessons and knowledge that will not only help us in our future profession but in life too. Ate Josie, Ate Rhina, and Ate Shelly—for your patience to us (students) especially during registration. Hehe. Kuya Mike and Mang Fred—for sharing with me different stories. :)

To the LISSA family—Dzek, Ivy, Krizka, Mico, Cliff, Kaye, Mariel, and the rest!! (sorry na, ang dami nyo e :p)—for welcoming me back. My batchmates—Marj, Jen, Hazel, Stoi, Dan, Chad, Wee, Lau, Del, Rex, Nico—for keeping the friendship; for the shared time, moments, stories, and laughters; and for giving me hope: like you guys, gagraduate din ako! Haha!

To my OBB/Xen family—lahat na kayo! Alam nyo naman kung sinu-sino kayo! Hehe. Pero sige na nga, may special mention. Niel, Ka, Bevs, Che, Rina, Pip, Sam, and Restty—for sticking with me through thick (alam ko na sasabihin nyo) and thin; for the shared time, moments, stories, and laughters; for being my second family; and for a friendship that can last a lifetime.

To my relatives, especially to Mama Connie, Kuya Buck, and Ate Tin—for making sure that we’re always okay; for being a second mom and siblings to me and my sisters; for the security that no matter what happens, no matter how far our parents are from us, we still have the three of you to run to. No words will ever describe how grateful we are for having you as our relatives and family.

To the Dorado family—Tita Lina, Tito Tony, and Aldrin—for being so nice to me and for letting me be a part of your family since 2008 to (let’s hope) forever. :)

To Dan, the love of my life, for everything. For the love, loyalty, trust, care, time, effort, patience, laughter, and yes, even tears. For being with me for more than three years. For everything I can’t write here because there’s just too much baka abutin pa ako ng 2013. Hehe. But seriously, thank you so much for coming into my life. I love you and I will always do no matter what life leads us to. Just don’t forget that, okay? No matter what. Always. :)

To my family—my sisters: Doy, Cym, and Yang—because of you, I know that I will never be alone. To my Dad, for everything he’d done since I was born; for accompanying me to every hospital visit when I was a kid; for teaching me life lessons; for being a father even though he has to live far from us; and for loving us like we’re the only reason why he’s living. To my Mom, for being the bravest, strongest, and best mother in the world; for giving us everything we need; for letting us enjoy our lives; for inspiring us to be better; and for never leaving us.

To God, to the Lord, and to whatever name we call our Maker—for giving us Life, the best gift any person can ever have.

Again, goodbye, and thank you, 2011! :)

Forever grateful,

Jean

Last Week in Bullets

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 16:17:00 +0000

Had a Harry Potter (movie) marathon with my sisters

Went to GMA to visit their archive

Studied, studied, and studied

Read, read, and read

Shopped for groceries on a Wednesday and forgot to bring my SM green bags

Discovered and tried Gong Cha and O My Yogurt at SkyGarden

Learned new things about Photography through Sir Nap in our 131 class

Discovered awesome apps for Google Chrome which will (hopefully) help improve my productivity

Had a LOT of sleep

Failed to correct my body clock :(

Watched the last Harry Potter movie: The Deathly Hallows Part 2

Shopped for new bag and clothes

Spent a lot of moolah on food and shopping :|

Had a bloody brilliant weekend! :D

Just another FriDate

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 05:43:00 +0000

Despite the rain last night, Dan and I had our FriDate at SM North. We had dinner at Yellow Cab and watched Transformers 3.

I know, I have another post with this title before. So lemme tell you what this is. :)

Since I got back to school and he started teaching (as a part-time job), everyday became very busy for both of us. So we decided to have FriDates. Friday+Date=FriDate. :D Pauso lang. Hehe. :P We will only have a date during Fridays, be it a simple dinner or a movie.

Yes, we still see each other on other days. But it really depends on our schedule, the weather, and mood. Haha! And mostly, we just spend ONLY an hour together. :(

BTW, this has an exception. Those are holidays on weekdays and special days: birthday, anniversary, i-miss-you-already-can’t-wait-for-friday day. Hahaha! :P

Game of Thrones

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 12:39:00 +0000

Just finished watching Game of Thrones which I started last night. I can’t believe it took me a long time to see this. Or maybe because I was a bit hesitant, hearing that this is a gory series and it is. But man, this is awesome! At first I can’t stand its goriness but the story kept me hooked. My favorite characters were Arya, Jon, and Daenerys. And now, I can’t wait to see the next season!

BTW, it was based on a booked written by George R.R. Martin. Hmm, I want to read that too!

Trivia: Each episode title sequence is subtly different, as it shows the kingdoms of the world that are featured in that particular episode. -IMDb

Today's breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 12:36:00 +0000

Today I had a real breakfast. I love cooking, I love food, and I love breakfast. When I was a bum (haha!), I used to cook/prepare breakfast everyday. Unfortunately, when I started working, it became very hard for me to cook or even eat breakfast. :(

So today, due to work suspension, I was able to cook again. Yey! :D

That’s Maling, fried garlic rice, and (my bad, a little burnt) sunny-side-up egg. :)

How about you guys, what was your breakfast for today?

It's just a dream

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 02:00:00 +0000

I woke up early (early for a holiday :P) because of my dream. I dreamed that I was in an old house, though it doesn’t look old, but in my dreams I feel like it’s old…weird…so I was planning to rearrange some furniture in there (but the house wasn’t mine), I was alone, when I saw a snake, cobra to be specific, fell from the cracked ceiling. My instinct told me to go outside so I did. But the snake was so fast it found its way to the door and was trying to push the door open. Man, that’s too strong for a snake, right? Anyway, there’s no way I could lock the door from the outside so I’m just pushing it against the snake. Yeah, the door is weird too. But then the snake found a small opening on the corner of the door and it got out. I dunno why I didn’t ran away. The snake’s gonna bite me when I woke up and never went back to sleep. Sheesh.

I don’t normally have this kind of dream. Usually I dream about usual stuff, no too-weird-i-think-it-is-trying-to-send-me-a-message dream. By the way, I’m not so superstitious and all but I’m curious. :P So I searched for dream symbols/meanings. And I found these…

House
To see a house in your dream, represents your own soul and self. Specific rooms in the house indicate a specific aspect of your psyche. In general, the attic represents your intellect, the basement represents the unconscious, etc. If the house is empty (I’m alone but it has furniture, is that empty?), then it indicates feelings of insecurity. If the house is shifting, then it suggests that you are going through some personal changes and changing your belief system. To dream that a house has no walls, represents a lack of privacy. You feel that everyone is looking over your shoulder or up in your business. If you live with others in your walking life, but dream that you are living alone, suggests that you need to take new steps toward independence. You need to accept responsibilities and be more self-reliant. (Oh, but I can’t leave my sisters on their own yet) If you are locked out of the house, then it represents rejection and insecurity. You feel you are being left behind.
To dream that you are cleaning your house, signifies your need to clear out your thoughts and get rid of old ways. You are seeking self-improvement. To see a new house in your dream, indicates that you are entering into a new phase or new area in your life. You are becoming more emotionally mature. If you are locked out of the house, then it represents rejection and insecurity. You feel you are being left behind.
To see an old, run-down house in your dream, represents your old beliefs, attitudes and how you used to think or feel. (But it’s not that old-looking…) A situation in your current life may be bringing about those same old attitudes and feelings. Alternatively, the old house may symbolize your need to update you mode of thinking. To dream that your house is damaged, indicates your waking concerns about the condition of your house. (The house in my dream wasn’t mine)

Living Room
To dream that you are in the living room, represents the image that you portray to others and the way which you go about your life. It is representative of your basic beliefs about yourself and who you are. Alternatively, the living room is indicative of your freedom and space. The living room is a symbolic boundary between your personal self and your public self. Objects that do not belong in the living room denote the various aspects of your life that are invading your personal space. (Uhm, can we say that the cobra doesn’t belong in the living room?)

Furniture
To see furniture in your dream, represents how you feel about yourself and your family. It refers to your relationships with others and how they fit into your life.
To dream that you are moving furniture, indicates that you are going out of your way to please others. (What if I’m just planning to move them and I wasn’t able to move them?) Also, you may be changing your ways and trying to reevaluate your relationships/attitudes. Consider how easy or how difficult it is to move the furniture as they may indicate the level of burden or responsibility you are feeling.
To see old or worn furniture in your dream, symbolizes outdated attitudes, former relationships, and/or old ways of thinking.

Cobra
To see a cobra in your dream, represents creation and creative energies. Some situation or relationship has you hypnotized.
*Please see also Snake. (Oh, I wish I didn’t…look…)

Snake
To see a snake or be bitten by one in your dream, signifies hidden fears and worries that are threatening you. (Ok…) Your dream may be alerting you to something in your waking life that you are not aware of or that has not yet surfaced. (Hmm…) Alternatively, the snake may be seen as phallic and thus symbolize temptation, dangerous and forbidden sexuality. In particular, to see a snake on your bed, suggests that you are feeling sexually overpowered or sexually threatened. You may be inexperienced, nervous or just unable to keep up. (HUH???) If you are afraid of the snake, then it signifies your fears of sex, intimacy or commitment. The snake may also refer to a person around you who is callous, ruthless, and can’t be trusted. As a positive symbol, snakes represent healing, transformation, knowledge and wisdom. It is indicative of self-renewal and positive change. (Can I just stick to the positive meaning?)
-dreammoods.com

A snake ready to strike means treachery from one you least expected; killing it means victory over enemies. -petrix.com Oh, this one’s scary…

I found these interpretations a bit funny and scary. All in all, it’s so confusing. So was it trying to warn me or just trying to tell me I’m doing a good job? Or both? Or neither? Meh. Dreams are weird and complicated. But then again, they’re just dreams, right?

This is it!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:26:00 +0000

I’m back! :)

May 21st

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 21 May 2011 03:23:00 +0000

It’s nice to be home for the weekend, especially on a rainy day. :) Been away from home every weekend since April.

FriDate

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 May 2011 15:26:00 +0000

So I was sad and frustrated about work...and not feeling so good today...and then there's Dan, who was so great, he invited me to have dinner at Chocolate Kiss just so I can have one good thing for today. I'm one lucky girl. :)

He knows me well. He knows what (besides himself) can take away the frown in my face...FOOD, nice and yummy food! Hee. Wait, this is not stress eating! I try VERY HARD to stop doing that. Swear! :D

Here's what we had for dinner tonight:

Too bad they don't have Devil's Food Cake. :( But because we both have a thing for anything CHEESE, this is what we ordered for dessert. :)

Dan and I love to chat...or I love to talk while he was playing with his PSP. Anyway, we talked about money. About or salary, expenses, and savings (if there is any, LOL). I told him about some book I read which, I guess, is trying to convince me more to convert to another belief than to REALLY learn how to effectively save money. Then, we talked about credit cards, implusive buying, and debts (small ones, mostly just to one another, hehe). And then, we paid our bill and got out because it's getting crowded inside the resto and there are people lining up outside. Sorry, so tired to make long kwento. :|

I love you, Dan! Thanks for comforting me and just by being with me. Cheese! <3 Also, thank you so much for letting me take a picture of your food first before eating it. Hee. :*

How I Met Your Mother Season-ender Episode: Challenge Accepted

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 May 2011 15:08:00 +0000

I love How I Met Your Mother/HIMYM and I just watched their season ender. :)

NOTE: This post has spoilers! :P

I just feel the need to share my favorite scenes here. Hee.

Robin: Ted really did love Zoey for a minute there… didn’t he?
Barney: Yeah, he did. And she loved him too, didn’t she?
Robin: Yeah, she did.

For a moment there, I thought they're gonna get back together.

QQ: "The future is scary but you can't just run back to the past because it's familiar. Yes it's tempting but it's a mistake." -Robin and Barney

Ted got me there. LOL

Here goes the SPOILERS!

SPOILER NO. 1

Lily's pregnant! Yay! I SO love Lily and Marshall and their sweet-funny relationship and I'm glad they'll be having a baby, FINALLY!

SPOILER NO. 2

Remember the wedding Ted will attend where he will meet "The Mother"?

This is IT!!! Barney's getting married! Double Yay! Oh God, I love Barney's awesome-ness! So much for spoilers, watch the episode if you wanna get a hint of Barney's future wife. Hee :)

Man, this season ender is legen, wait for it, dary. LEGENDARY! :D Can't wait for their next season!!!

Go watch it NOW! :)

HK Candies

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:53:00 +0000

Hong Kong treats from Bianca. Not in the picture: 1 champoy (kinain ko na) and 1 big chocolate gold coin (kinain na ni Dan). Hee :P

First time ko kumain ng champoy. LOL. Sabi kasi nila hindi masarap kaya never kong tinikman. But I like this one 'coz it has candy so it's sweet+sour+salty. :)

My lola needs your prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 13:57:00 +0000

Meet my grandmother, or lola in Filipino. Her name is Felisa and we call her Lola Inda. Inda is a Kapampangan term for mother. She just turned 78 this last Valentine's Day. And now, she is suffering the most painful moment in her life.

I wasn't able to attend her last birthday because I have work on that day. But my sisters told me that she was still okay back then. And now I feel really bad for not being there. What we didn't know was that a day or so after that, she got sick and rushed to the hospital. Eventually, she was transferred here in Quezon City at the Philippine Heart Center. She was diagnosed of having Pneumonia and Bronchial Asthma, aside from that, she is also a Diabetic which worsens her health.

I wasn't aware that she's sick until my aunt told me, and at that time, she's been confined for two weeks already. I understand why they didn't told us right away. They don't want to worry us, perhaps they plan to tell us when she's in a better condition. After learning about that, I went to visit her right after my work. She's okay; not okay-okay, but not that bad-bad either. When I got there, she was in a private room but they told me that she stayed in the ICU for five days before that.

From then on, I visit her everyday and there were nights that I sleep at the hospital. At that time, she's in a recovery phase but I can still tell that she's getting tired of all the medications and of being bedridden. But she's not resisting to take medications and other tests, except at night. She's hard to handle at night that there should be someone awake to attend to her needs besides the nurse on duty. She screams when she's in pain, she refuses to take meds, and other stuff which are not really hard to attend to. But seeing her in pain, that is hardest. Not being able to do anything to take all those pain away from her is heartbreaking. But when she finally regained her appetite, when she laughs and talks, that gave us hope that she'll be okay in no time.

Actually, she was about to be discharged on March 5th but one of her doctor did not approved of it. He said that she still hasn't fully recovered yet and taking her out of the hospital will make her condition worse. So we stayed there for another day. But then, things got worse. Last Monday morning, March 7th, she's coughing so bad and was transferred again to the ICU. The doctors said that there's water in her lungs and also she has a lot of phlegm.

As of now, she's been hospitalized for almost a month. Another week in the ICU and not feeling any better. She's getting weaker which makes us so sad. Two days ago, the doctor's said that her kidneys are failing and she's not responding to her meds that they need to prescribe stronger ones. A lot of our relatives are visiting her now, including her still-living siblings. We don't know what is God's plan for her but we're not losing hope that she'll recover even if it's only a miracle we're hoping for.

I won't ask for donations and stuff, what I will ask you for is a prayer. Please include her in your prayers. Even if you don't know her that much; even if you're not related to her; pray for her because she is your kind, she's also a child of God. Please do it for her. Please help her. She is kind.

She is cool. :)

My First Job, Ever!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 04:44:00 +0000

Hooray to my first job ever! :D What you don't know is that I was job-hunting last month. I'm not blogging about it because I don't want to jinx those pending applications. I'm not really that superstitious and all but I just don't want to count the eggs before they hatch. Yeah, whatever. :P

Job Hunting Experience

Yes, I've done all those stuff--submitting resumes, attending interviews, waiting for long hours, and going back to step one. It was hard and tiring, some are patience-consuming. First, I applied online to four call center companies. I chose call center because as of now, I don't have that much qualifications for other job. I know I said many times that I will never work as a call center agent because of many reasons I have. But well, we have to make choices and never waste an opportunity.

A day after I applied online, I received a call from those four companies and I was immediately set up for interview appointments. I canceled one appointment because it has conflict on my schedule and I'm actually not that interested in Makati area, especially if I'll be on a call center. The next one, I was declined because they were after the ones with call center experience already. The third one, I passed their series of test and was scheduled for a series of interviews. On the third final interview, I wasn't able to come because I was really sick. The last one was good, I passed their series of initial interviews. Supposedly there was a training but I passed the evaluation and was recommended for direct hiring immediately. Unfortunately, the only open account that time was for technical representatives and I don't qualify for that position because that also needs past experience. They told me to wait for a call when they got another account where I can fit, and not to worry because it doesn't mean that I fail and they won't call me again.

I learned a lot on my job hunting experience. The most important thing I learned is that I can extend my patience. I get to meet different people while waiting for my name to be called by the interviewer. I also experienced rush hour at the MRT station for the first time. Also, I think I improved on my communication skills because of those many interviews. Hee. And while on the process of applying for a job at a call center, I realized that I really really don't want that kind of job. It's like working abroad minus going abroad. I mean, yes, you work here in the Philippines but your clients are foreigners, your company is owned by foreigners, and your work schedule is based on their time. Yes, you may earn a lot more compared to other Filipinos who work here with a different job, but in the long run you are actually trading your health in exchange for a higher salary.

While waiting for a call from that company (where I was recommended for direct hiring), I was notified that UP College of Engineering Library II (EnggLib2) is hiring for two positions, one is for Information Specialist and the other one is for Information Assistant. At first, I was a bit hesitant because I'm not yet a college graduate and also because Dan is working there and that may be an issue. But after thinking about it a hundred times, I grabbed the opportunity.

I submitted my resume personally. They called me for an interview. Signed some papers. And waited for a call regarding my application status. By the way, Bianca, my orgmate, applied there too for the Information Specialist position.

And after two weeks of waiting, we both got hired! Yey! Then, I received another call for a meeting with the boss, which was actually for initial orientation. She told me everything about the job and that I will not be based at EnggLib2 but at EnggLib1 because, of course, Dan and I shouldn't be on the same office. At first I was a bit dismayed because I really prefer EnggLib2. Not that I think EnggLib1 isn't good, I haven't seen it yet in the first place. I just really admire the former. But I understand the reason behind it and I'm not really in the position to choose where I'll be assigned. So yeah, congratulations to me for landing a job! No sarcasm, seriously. :)

First Day At Work

I started my first day at work on August 5th. New environment, new acquaintances, new experience. I was nervous, of course, but they were really friendly and helpful that I didn't have a hard time on my first day, except for familiarizing myself with the work procedures.

I was assigned at the Reserve Section of the library and at the Cataloging Section. So 60% of my week goes to Users' Services and 40% goes to Technicals Services. Basically, I lend, cover, label, and shelve books; that's not just what a librarian does but that's what I do because I'm not yet a licensed librarian. Yes, mind you, we do have a licensure exam too. :P

I like this job because it would help me a lot with regards to the degree I'm taking. And of course, because I can finally earn and save up money to help my mom and for my plans of continuing my education.

16 Days To Go

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:43:00 +0000

August, why are you so early this year? You know I'm not (financially, emotionally, and LOL, psychologically) ready yet. Oh well, but I still have to face you, I know that. August, you are my month as my birthday and our anniversary are with you.

OH MY GOD! I'm turning 20 in 16 days! >.<

So I was with Dan this morning, we had breakfast at McDo. I was ranting to him about my incoming birthday and how I still don't want to be 20. Then we had this funny conversation...

Me: Ok lang sakin kahit pagsabayin na lang natin yung celebration ng birthday ko at ng anniversary natin. :) Pati kahit isang gift lang. Hehe :D

Him: Bakit kasi hindi mo pa ako sinagot nung birthday mo e? Bakit kinabukasan pa? Haha!

Me: Sorry na. Pasalamat ka nga sinagot na kita nun e! Baka hindi pa naging tayo. LOL

And then he hugged me. :) I'm so blessed to have him.

But I'm still worried about my birthday. Everyone's reminding me how near it is, even my neighbors. And I just realized that it's unfair that I'm the only one anxious about it, you should too! :P Maybe now you're thinking of what gift to give me, huh? Well, my friends, let me help you. TaDa! Here's my wish list! ;)

(Book) Life on the refrigerator door / Alice Kuipers

(Book) It's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be / Paul Arden

Secret Wish by Anna Sui

Wacom Bamboo Pen Tablet

Note: I might still update this list anytime before my birthday. Hee.

*images found on Web using Google Images

Power Mac Center's Photography Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:42:00 +0000

Photography and Aperture 3 Workshop
Led by Gunther Deichmann, an Australian Photographer
and Apple Certified Pro Trainer for Aperture
Presented by Power Mac Center
in partnership with UP College of Engineering Library II
and UP Future Librarians and Information Professionals of the Philippines (FLIPP)
Held at TLC, UP COE Library II on July 26, 2010

Despite my hesitation to attend this event due to P-Noy's State of the Nation Address (SONA), I still signed up for it because I don't have anything to do on that day and it was a free workshop. Note: I live near Sandigan and during SONAs, I'm (sort of) stuck here in our place because of the expected heavy traffic and closed roads. Going back, it wasn't my first time attending a Photography workshop. The student organization I am in used to have such event but of course we were usually outside the venue/room. Ergo, this was my first time to join as a participant. Fortunately, I arrived at the venue on time but unfortunately, I wasn't able to have lunch because I left the house too early. :(

The workshop was amazing as was Mr. Gunther Deichmann or Mr. G.D. He is a great photographer and I love his pictures which were mostly about colors. Mr. G.D. conducted the workshop with full enthusiasm despite a quite timid audience. I like that he pointed out that capturing a very good photo does not depend on the tool or the camera used, it depends on the one taking it. After discussing Photography we were given 45 minutes to roam around the campus to take some shots. Forty-five minutes is not much of time especially because there's only a few interesting views and subjects around the venue. It was really a bit of a challenge that one has to be really creative to have good pictures. Regardless of the time limit, I still chose to go to the Sunken Garden, took some photos there and walked back to the venue and took another photos on the way.

Some of the photos I took for the contest and while waiting for the announcement of the winners:

For the contest, we were asked to pick only three entries. I had a really hard time choosing three pictures because I actually like four or five of them best. I'm a bit hesitant because some of them has low quality even though I find them really interesting. But then, Mr. G.D. assured us that he won't judge based on the sharpness and whatnot of the picture because we used different cameras. By the way, I used a point-and-shoot camera, a Casio Exilim (EX-Z77).

I guess I can say that we were all excited to hear who win because there were really great prizes. Third place winner will get a shirt from Power Mac Center, second place winner will get a three-in-one speaker, alarm clock, and radio(?), and the first place winner will get an iPod shuffle. Who doesn't want that?

Mr. G.D. was happy that there are lots of good shots that he gave a special award to a photo of a cat that was in an emo-like pose (to bad I don't have a copy). I tell you, that cat was really cute! Hee. :) For the third place, *drum roll* I won! Yey! I got a shirt! :D And then for the second place, I'm really surprised that another photo of mine was a candidate for winning. There were actually three and Mr. G.D. was having a hard time picking a winner that he suggested that the audience should decide which picture is their favorite. I didn't win. :( Haha, I'm just sad because I really want that cool speaker thing! :P And for the first place, Kimmy nailed it with all of her entries. Wow, she got a free iPod shuffle!

These are my entries for the contest:

It didn't win. And yes, I had a feeling that it really won't because it's a typical shot. But this was my first successful shot of a subject like this. :)

This was the candidate for second place. I just love everything about this picture. Thanks Dan for giving me this lovely cupcake! :)

This was my winning photo on third place. This is a candid shot of a girl I don't even know. I know, it's not the best quality that's why I almost didn't include it in my entries but I just love this shot.

Overall, everyone seemed that they enjoyed the workshop. It was a fun and productive day for all of us. I would like to thank Power Mac Center for hosting this event for free and Mr. G.D. for sharing with us his knowledge on Photography and inspiring us to develop our photography skill.

As for the co-presenter, UP FLIPP, I wish they prepared a bit more for the event especially the emcees. First, there should be no invocation included in the program as UP is a nonsectarian university. Also, as much as possible, speaking in TagLish should be avoided. No offense or anything to you guys but I think you can do better than that. :)

Winning on this contest is huge for me. Actually, it was my first time joining a Photography contest as I'm not really confident in my skills. I take photographs just for fun and also because it is therapeutic for me. So being appreciated that much gives me a boost of confidence. I browsed through Mr. G.D.'s online portfolio and it is so humbling that he likes my pictures. :)

My nth attempt to blog

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:40:00 +0000

Finally, after staring for about half an hour on my laptop's screen, I wrote something to start this post.

Sometimes it's really hard to put up in words how you feel because you just can't find a word to describe it. I feel it most of the time, like I do now. It's when there's a lot going on inside your head that all you can do is stare. But you have to give it a try; to write something; to find the right words your mind has been screaming; to let it all out.

So here, I am, trying.

My last post was about me prioritizing. It was about me going back to school. It was the happy, excited, and determined me. But then I lost it; all of it. I was happy, excited, and determined. I really did want to go back to school. But a thing happened that made me change my mind.

About two weeks ago, I had a conversation with my mom. It was a serious one. She's working abroad and she's the only one supporting us financially. She told me that she might lose her work anytime now because the economy there is not really that good unlike before. I'm happy and worried at the same time. Happy because that means she'll be coming back home and we will be together again. Worried because who's going to support us now? The economy here is not that good either. And mom's getting older now. And I'm still not done with college. Also, I have three sisters.

It's a lot of pressure and frustration thinking about it. After a week, I decided to change priorities. My mom, however, is not forcing me to work nor asking me to forget about going back to school. She wants the best for me. But I am the eldest among my siblings and I do have a lot of responsibilities. In the first place, I should have been working now if only I finished schooling in time.

I want to finish college, maybe now is not my time. Besides, it's never too late to learn and go to school. For now, I want to find a job and work to help my mom. She's been working all her life and she's been doing it alone. It's about time I help her.

My mom doesn't know about my decision yet. But I am going to tell her soon. I already applied for a job and hopefully they'll hire me. I'm not sure if I made the "right" choice but I'm certain that it's not wrong either.

There, I feel better now.

Prioritizing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 16:37:00 +0000

I badly want to have a job or any source of income right now. I've been searching for two months now and I still don't get any. Not because I fail at applications but because I did not apply for anything at all! That sounds lame but yeah, seriously, I don't even submit a resume anywhere. The thing is even though I really want a job, I have to restrain myself from getting it just for now.

Since last month, I need to ask myself first, "Is it really what I need right now?", every time I think about it. I mean, I stopped schooling because of lots of things running in my mind which took every inch of focus I have on my studies. And that's the problem, I stopped not because I can't afford to study, more so not to get a job; but to find a solution to my lack of focus and to go back to college as soon as possible. Having a job will not solve that, though it may take away my frustrations for a while. However, it doesn't guarantees that I'll be able to somehow find my way back to schooling.

Prioritizing is not easy for me. I once tried seeing my destiny (or whatever) through Rune Cards during an org activity two/three years ago. It's not a tarot card that shows you your specific future; rather, it is more like a guide in life. It works this way: you'll pick three cards and those cards will represent your past, present, and future. I can't remember anymore what are the cards I've picked before. What I remember is that it is spot-on right! I don't really believe on stuff like that but I guess it worked in a way I cannot explain but real. So according to the cards, my past says something like I've had fair amount of accomplishments; my present says I want to do lots of different things; and my future tells me that I'll have a problem which way to go first. See, there's no denying it and it's not just Barnum Effect. It actually explains a lot about where I am right now in life. However, I regret that I did not heed the warnings and now I am at my worst.

So much for the drama! Anyway, I've decided to go back to school already because I understand now why such things happened and that I am ready to face life again more than ever. ;) For that to happen, I need to settle my ineligibility so that I can enroll again for the next sem which means I need to forget about working for the meantime. This is me, picking one road and focusing on that one until I get to the end of it. Or maybe I'll get a part-time job once I got back to school. Haha! :P

Thoughts on Marriage

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:36:00 +0000

Most girls dream of being married someday. Of course, I also do. It's one of those childhood dreams that I have. I want to be married to a man I love and who truly loves me. I want it to be elegant and the best it could possibly be. I want it to be like in a fairy tale or like in the movies and all those real-life weddings I've seen as a flower girl and as a bridesmaid. I want it to be just like what I've been dreaming ever since.

No, I am not writing this because I'm getting married. I was reading my friends' updates on Facebook and I saw someone's photo album entitled "Our Wedding", I thought it's her wedding and viewed the album. To my surprise, I saw her cousin--my ex, and it struck me, oh, it's him, it's their wedding. I laughed at first because it seems like a joke. I mean, come on, they're only 18 years old, I don't even think they're mature enough to get married. And then I noticed the girl, she's pregnant, that explains. Oh well, it's not new nowadays, the teenage pregnancy rate here in the Philippines is skyrocketing. BTW, I'm not bitter about them getting married and all. I'm actually glad that I'm not in that position. :)

Going back to my idea of a wedding, I want it to be on the right time. You know, when I'm financially and emotionally ready. Hee. Of course, I don't want my parents nor my future husband's parents to shoulder all the expenses. And I'm still young for a more serious and married life. Most of all, I don't want to be married just because I got pregnant. That's just complicated and I don't want to complicate my life more than it is now. :P

iBlog6

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 16:33:00 +0000

Blogging is one of my hobbies. I blog in two different sites before, in my private Multiply account (where only my friends can read it) and in my Blogspot entitled Palacio (which I think, has at most five subscribers, LOL). I usually blog to rant, share my experiences, and rant. :P Now, I abandoned those two sites and made this one. And I hope that this will be different and won't make me abandon it too. Yeah, that's why I attended a blogging summit. Hee. ;)

Yesterday, Dan and I attended the second day of iBlog6 in UP. It was our first time to attend a blogging event. I've known this event since last year but I wasn't able to attend the iBlog5 because of conflict in my schedule. So this year, I made sure that I'll be able to attend it.

Us at the hallway

My stuff

So as a first-timer on bloggers' events, let me share with you the things I've learned on iBlog6:

SEO yields traffic and traffic is equal to money in Ads.
Don't go to the dentist, you'll get high. Or do if you want to get high. (c/o David After Dentist) LOL Just Kidding! :D
Everyone is sexy enough to be a video blogger.
Good photography does not only depend on the camera but also on the photographer.
You just don't blog to earn money in Ads, you blog to satisfy your readers. :)
Blog is the new emerging trend in disseminating reliable and accurate information. And it can be a very powerful tool.
Baler, the movie, was not shot at Baler. What?! LOL

Overall, we both enjoyed the event. Hannah Villais provided a good start for the whole program. Also, I love the talk on Political, Online Commentary and Social Media by Marck Ronald Rimorin. But I think the highlight of the event was taken by Mr. Joseph Gonzales filling the whole theater with laughter and making the most of us wanna go to Baler. :D And oh, I drooled seeing Mr. Juned Sonido's camera collection! Hee.

Below are some of the photos of the event I took.

Watching David after Dentist

Mr. Juned Sonido on Photoblogging

Performance by UP Concert Chorus

Nails, Colors, and Sisters

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Yesterday afternoon, even books and the Internet bore me. My blue nail polish hasn't worn off yet but still, I decided to remove it and replace it with a new color. Fact: It takes at least 2 hours for me to finish cleaning and coloring my nails. Hee. I put on a Marquise polish but wasn't really satisfied. I took a photo to convince myself that it's okay but I'm not really good at convincing myself so I removed it afterwards and put on a clear nail polish instead. :P

Then I remembered watching a video tutorial on gradient nails so I tried doing it on my sister--Doy. It's really frustrating especially if it's your first time to do it. Plus my sister's nails are short and rounded so yeah, good luck to me. Haha! I messed up a nail or two but the rest are pretty I'm so proud of myself! LOL

And then my other sister--Cym--wants the same on her nails but I got lazy already and said no to her. Bad Ate. Hee. So Doy designed Cym's nails with I-don't-know-what. But she liked it anyway. :P

See, having sisters or being all-girls in a family has perks too. You can get free mani and pedi! Teehee ;)

There, let me just show you some of my nail polish collection. :D

Thursday Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:32:00 +0000

Dan and I had dinner at our favorite restaurant last night. Dinners are our way of catching up on each other ever since he started working. That night, I can't believe that we talked mostly about gossips. Gossips about politicians, celebrities, and some of our acquaintances. Haha! Which makes me thinks, did I made him a gossip boy or is he really like that? Kidding! :P

After eating and chatting, we went to Landmark 'coz I need to buy a nail hardener and a glitter coat polish. But my eyes caught this pretty glittery black nail polish so I bought it too! Teehee.

Then we thought of watching a movie, or playing at Timezone, or having coffee...coffee wins! :D We continued gossiping, er, talking at SB.