Wednesday, December 26

Left overs and papers

Stayed home whole day yesterday and feasted on all our left overs. I looked at the mirror and seemingly true I gained few lbs and they were stuck somewhere in my tummy and in my arms! How can I fit in my MOH dress now? But what is extra pounds versus my happy tummy? Right?

I was about to go out with friends last night but decided to tuck myself at home and continue my dvd marathon and to be a real couch potato. I did not even touch my laundry. We delivered some to the laundry shop...but there were those that need my personal touch...and I am so tamad! All I'm doing is eating...eating...sleeping...sleeping...and munching on anything edible.

I miss starbucks coffee bigla...and sayang di parin ako nakapunta sa Ayala Triange..I saw Tim Yap's pic he posted in Instagram and parang it is really beautiful there.
***
Finally I'm able to watch these movies over this holiday break.





Downloaded and started reading these books, I promise myself to finished 1 or 2 books every month.





and whenever I am at work and have time to read...I'm into this:


Tuesday, December 25

Framed.



Thank you so much Neil for this painting. I know how much effort and time given to accomplish this great art.

May kasama na yung apples and ....watermelon? oopss...platito pala!


Keep sharing your talents and making us happy.

God Bless you more and may all your dreams come true.

I love you my friend!


Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Children all over the world are the happiest this season! Opening their gifts, going around to meet their god-parents, eating left overs and of course petty fights with their siblings whoever got the best gifts. 

Envy.

When I'll have my own family, I will really impose Christmas traditions. 

1. We will all dress our best to attend Christmas Eve Service.
2. If we are still living in Metro Manila and there still is Ayala Triangle- we will all go there (anytime of December) and will enjoy the lights, music and flair of the holidays.
3. I want to have a big tree and that "sad white christmas light";
4. If my children do not have their own money yet- I'll give them budget to buys gifts for everyone including manang- our helper. One little way of showing how much they appreciate each and everyone of us in the house.
5. I would love to have our Noche Buena- all of us!

I want to have a happy home for Christmas! And would want to be with my family every season of the year.

Fact: I do not have ninong or ninang.

But that is okey.

Christmas is not about me. 

Christmas is about Jesus and who He is to us.

To be happy for what we have, what we do not have and to always have a grateful heart.
***

Yesterday, i turned 30. 

Thank you for the gift of technology where greetings are made possible all over the globe. Thank you for the FB messages, SMS and calls. I feel loved.

So this is it! Belated Happy Birthday to me! =)

And more celebrations to come.
***







Saturday, December 22

My love for siomai and life

Then we survived December 21.

Hurray! Haha! Crazy people...but then again, I had siomai and sago't gulaman the other day. Just in case. =)

***
Dec. 16.
We had our company party at Sofitel...and it was a "standing room only" party. Pity the girls on heels and salute everyone for a genius idea of doing it on the floor.


For this event, i did not get a new dress. just wore my trusted little black dress bought years back from Forever 21; Pedro clutch with my slippers inside, I do not bring any make up or whatever for retouch...i made sure to have my tsinelas. =)



and I am just glad to see Pam and Gary. Pam is on her 5th month now.


and on this night, Lola mode. Went home right after the party.

***
Despite the holiday rush...reading books give me my balance.

Just recently finished The Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami. And i fell in love with the author and would love to read more of his works. As if I am connected to the unnamed protagonist and would be willing to go with him to finish his adventures. Did I say that we have the same birthday and share some life dilemmas? I was happy when he quit smoking, I felt better when along his journey he is at peace, I am concerned when he seem can't decide which is which. I love the fact that he can cook, he drinks, he reads, he is normal...not just someone's ideal hero.

And really there will always be reasons why things happen. Just like when I do not have "neighbor" at work. I have more time to read and sometimes browse the net. But I also miss talking to someone. Haha! My shift starts at 2:00 AM and will log out at about 11:30 AM...long day...and it will be a relief to sometimes share what's on my mind to someone. =) I would sometimes send wintxt to my agents...just any random thoughts...and they do not understand...haha!

Btw, this is just so important not to share.

Just few days ago I finally able to open my Stock Market account and very much excited to learn more and share my experience with you. I am not into trading...not yet. I'm investing. And just glad I started now. It has been a long delay. Too much procrastination on my end.

And now I will do things afraid.

Yes, we have to do things afraid.

I got my account from Citiseconline.

And I'm on my baby steps in stock market. The more I read and when things are getting more alien as ever...I know I am on the right track.

I just had my password changed on my online account...and there...I'm on the start of this new endeavor. I'd been wanting to invest here ever since and my wish and will do my best to get addicted to it.

It maybe alien and the name is really intimidating...but stock market is for all.

I've read this book by Bo Sanchez, My Maid Invests in Stock Market...And Why You Should, Too! Very inspiring.

I'm about to buy my first share of the market!

But as of this hour: Market Closed.
***
And 12th day of work tomorrow, I am looking forward for days of holiday off. To recharge and replenish my tired cells.

***

I will continue planting.




Tuesday, December 11

Over the weekend



Double jeopardy for our country, the devastating Pablo and the heart breaking KO of Manny Pacquiao. Sad.

According to Mahatma Gandhi, man falls from the pursuit of the ideal of plan living and high thinking the moment he wants to multiply his daily wants. Man's happiness really lies in contentment.

I am no expert and will not blabber anything about Manny's loss. We need not to justify anything. Learn from it, accept and move on. He is young, there's so much in store for him, the world is his play ground, he can do anything he wants. Honestly, I am really bothered for the effect of that last punch, I am praying that there will be no complications on his health.
***
Last Saturday, I went to Divisoria, oh boi, human traffic. But I did enjoy. I feel so Pinoy! Haha! Babaw ko no? Whenever I hear some jeepney drivers shouting...Avenida...Avenida! I get excited! Haha! I don't know why...kase siguro I've never to Avenida...and sikat syang daan sa Manila and naririnig ko sa kanta and I picture Avenida as part of the Old Manila- streets with kalesa and street vendors selling siopao and payong. Sometimes, I have this wishful thinking that I was born when movies were still in black and white, where your pictures are taken using a very huge camera? The one I saw in an old magazine, the size of an aparador! Where you are required to have your dress in almirol? And your hair is permanently permed. Aww...how cute...and you will have your afternoon tea beside that huge window in your old capiz house...of course, minus the contrabidang mestizo. Just all those gorgeous men of the 50's and the glamour of the old days.

***
Then came Sunday.

I met up with my great friends Cha and Joiz to give a bridal shower for our soon-to-be bride Epeng. It was small and intimate. Do you know the feeling of straight connection? We were right transported back to our younger years and kulang ang oras sa sobrang daming kwento. And we never stopped laughing...how dearly I love them! Super!

Mas masarap i-share ang video at tanduay ice to someone really important and I would rather have four quarters than 100 pennies.



Now I remember how we used to day dream of living at the same village, barbecue parties...and beers for our husbands.

TO Joiz- happy bday to us. I am happy for you and the blossoming love life. 
TO Cha- enjoy your US tour, aww...White Christmas for you. I am very happy...and maybe this is it! You need this  vacation...have a good time with Jake and Uncle Sam
To Epeng- this is it! I am honored to be the Maid of Honor, akalain mo yun? Best way to cap this year.

How I wish ate chana and tin are with us in this special occasion.

Cheers for our happiness, success...and soon "mini us" to bring in our reunions!











Thursday, December 6

Anawangin 2012

Then I'm off to something beautiful.

When our team decided to go for a teambuilding I am bit apprehended to join since they have decided to go to Anawangin. I was thinking...beach again? But the curiosity in me won over my laziness! And dear, Anawangin has its own beauty.

The seclusion, isolation and the fact that we went there Sunday added beauty to the place and it became our playground for 2 days and because I am with great company made this escape even better.

Ready to enjoy the water! At Capones Island.
We left Manila as early as 2:00AM and reached San Antonio, Zambales after of an almost 3 hour drive. Everything is smooth and easy, we paid for our tour and they've provided everything for us. Driver, van, boat transfers, cook, food, water...everything! We just enjoyed and once again brought back the inner child in all of us.

The wooden bridge connecting the beach and the campsite.
At about 7:00AM we reached our first destination, the tour organizer gave us a side trip to Capones Island Light House. It is really amazing to see hidden beauties in a seemed to be hopeless place. It's like once again I am transported to one of the beautiful island in Palawan. But the light house is different, it has its own story to tell, I know for sure decades ago, there was a love story in that place, someone met someone, they fell inlove...gave in..and escape to the idea of being in love. They broke up...and found another love...succumb to it and they enjoyed a great love story.
The Lighthouse. Century Old.
by Ads Enciso
Grand entrance to the lighthouse.
I love the ruins...because once in every corner of this place something important happened, we are now just a witness of how something as beautiful as this will come to an end, only memories will remain, our imaginations will work their magic to relive the stories that once was really there.

The windows, roofs, walls, stairs...all rustic, dilapidated just added the to the beauty and majesty of this place.

Rustic stairs...

Walls..
I don't know but I still can imagine one Crisostomo Ibarra chasing a woman in her Maria Clara...just so great and beautiful!

After that little sidetrip, we went to Capones island.  There were groups of teenagers enjoying the beach. They've also had their tent up and maybe had spent the night there.

At Capones Island.
Since we're all hungry and are really excited to see where we really are going we did not stay long and off we sailed to Anawangin!

And there...our adventures begin!

What made this place really special are the pine trees. They were aligned as if someone planted them. Nature really has its own amazing wisdom. Under them we pitched our tents and made the moon as our light when the night was really dark. You know the feeling when you are under the moon? It is just directly above you? The feeling is amazing. It is like waiting for your own Edward...and you will hear the song A Thousand Years...haha! Close to that!



Anawangin Beach
We are out in the woods with no electricity, no signal, just the company of each other...and became competitive over these pang- olympic games!




Early in the morning the following day since there's nothing much to do at the camp site we obliged to go to a 15 min trek to see their little falls. Not much of a sight.


Years from now Anawangin will no longer be the Anawangin we used to know today. I pray that we become good stewards of this God's gift; I also pray that we maintain the seclusion and quietness of the place...

If you are planning to go there for a retreat to recharge and simply be with the nature...go on weekdays, trust me you will appreaciate the silence, the wonder and greatness of God's creations. I'd been to many islands and beaches of the Philippines and the only way you will enjoy Anawangin is when you succumb to its silence. Do not expect more, do not think, just let go and relax.

More pictures for my memory years from today:











Until My Next Trip!

Saturday, December 1

1st of December

Sorry, I've neglected you for weeks!

Happy December 1st!

My birth month...will be turning 30, 23 days from today. I don't want to look 30 but wants to feel 30.
***
I got a new work place! Our account just migrated to QC and now we're braving EDSA everyday and have learned to appreciate MRT even more!

More stories to share soon...

Sometimes, there are things you want to tell but you just can't because you simply cannot.

Even though you know there is something...but really there is nothing.

Tomorrow, I will be going with the team to Anawangin in Zambales. Start of my month long birthday celebration.

There are a lot of things to look forward to this month...and I am just excited to accomplish them all.

I am so looking forward for the parties, events and gimmicks!

Let's claim for the happiest December to date.