In Full Bloom

2012-01-26T00:59:00.002+08:00

(me and my 4th mug of coffee)

Not really fond of coffee... but this week must be an exception. It's my exam week already and I must admit that I'm not ready. Haven't done any preparation for these past few days because, aside from mom was here, we moved into a new apartment, bigger than our old pad. We were busy moving our things from one place to another. Good thing BF were here to help mom buy stuff and for helping us carry heavy stuff!

I'll post pics soon...

I'm 24!!!!

2012-01-13T09:38:00.007+08:00

Last week was my 24th birthday and celebrating it with friends and with the love my life made my big day really perfect.

On the 7th, my friends in school were supposed to surprise me with flowers but, sorry for being honest friends, I was not surprised at all! I was already expecting that they would give me something because it was sort of became our tradition that if someone celebrates his or her birthday, we must give something to him or her. Eversince this started, we give the birthday celebrant a cake and flowers (if the celebrant is a girl) but since I'm not really fond of cakes, I kind of brief them the day before that that instead of cake, they give me something that I can use, something functional. And since just a month before that, I had problems with my urination and my doctor told me that I had UTI and that I must drink water always but I cannot do that because I always forget to drink water, I told them to give me a water bottle or container instead so I can bring and drink water anywhere I go. But before that, they only gave me a bouquet of beautiful red roses. Another reason why I wasn't surprised because on my birthday, I had classes and since it was my birthday, I didn't go to my 1st class because I was super late. When I sneaked a look at them, I saw the flowers and that's why..... :) But seriously, I appreciated their thoughtfulness and I am really happy having them as friends.....

(L-R) Brownie sticks (from Marian) and flowers from friends, friends at the college of law department

After my class, bf and I had a double dinner date with a friend from college, Chingkay, and her bf, Franz. We went to this beautiful bar and restaurant called Mr. A. It is situated on top of a hill which gives it a nice view of the city and the nearby islands. We ordered separately because we kind of have different religion and Chingkay and Franz have so many restrictions when it comes to their diet. They are prohibited from eating pork and seafoods, which are, unfortunately, our favorites. So they ordered Sizzling Bangus ang Spicy Chicken Wings. As for us, we ordered, Sizzling Blue Marlin, Gambas, and Chopsuey. I'm not really a fan of blue marlins because in two occassions that I had dinner in a restaurant and I ordered Blue Marlins, I didn't like its taste. But when I had Sizzling Blue Marlin of Mr. A, it was different. The taste of butter prevails the taste of the fish and I love it. But my favorite was Gambas. It was sweet and spicy. Just perfect.

On the 9th, since I was not able to celebrate with my friends on the day of my birthday because of the long pre-arranged double date, I decided to treat them in a spanish restaurant in Guadalupe, Aranos Restaurant. The foods there are all slow cooked so it would be much much better if you call them and order as early as possible than going there and have your order then and there because that will take you at most 2 hours to wait before you can pig out your food. So I called them for reservation and thanks to BF for helping me with it and with the food selection. We ordered Paella, Chili con Carne, Gambas Al Aljillo, and Callos. Everything was Spanish. From its interiors to food. They said that their specialty is Callos but I'm not really a fan of ox tripes. My favorite was the Paella. It has clamshells, chicken and vegetables on it. The rice was also cooked to perfection. Mere looking at our paella photos makes me want to go there again and again and again just to eat paella... Hahahaha! And HEY!!!! They gave me a tumber (880mL). YEHEY!

Paella

It was also a bit tad sad because my family wasn't here with me. Good thing I have friends and BF whose always ready to fill my heart with unlimited smiles, laughter and happiness. I love them and will never trade them for anything in this whole wide world! All in all, I had a blast!!!

Doing What I Want VS Doing What I Love

2011-10-24T21:33:00.005+08:00

Every now and then, we are always confronted with situations where we need to choose one out of a million choices; where no matter how we want to choose all the great things that life could give us, but we only need to choose one.

I am in that state right now.

I am in this certain position in my life where I need to choose between doing what I want to do and what I love to do. As far as I could remember I have been in this dilemma for hundreds of years now. I remember a friend told me that I should follow what my heart desires, what I love to do. I remember I said Yes! But still I’m here again.

I don’t know what to do anymore. All I know is that I like making other people happy. I like being praised because I did what they want me to. I want to be recognized because I chose to be like them….

But I am not Happy!

Ever since I was a wee kid, I speak with confidence, with class, with form, with principles and I do not give in to other people’s opinion without giving mine. I have always been frank, outspoken and I argue all the time. Every person I encounter tells me that from the way I speak, they can tell that I do have a strong personality and that I do pay attention to the physical world rather than the intuition. I am interested with facts and data with low or no stain of ambiguity. They say I must become a lawyer because that’s where I fit! Nonetheless, it was never in my plan to be one.

Then I went to science high school. I learned the beauty of science. I love chemistry. I took food technology in college because that’s what I love to do for the rest of my life. No! I never really thought of becoming a food technologist or food scientist. All I dreamed to be is to become a scientist. When I was a kid, I fantasized myself wearing a pure white long lab gown, mixing colorful chemicals, creating different products. Since I love both food and chemistry, I chose food technology.

Friends from college witnessed how I love becoming a certified food technologist. I love it and it has always been my dream to work in a food industry or establish my own food business. That was always the plan. I had it all planned out.

Then I was diagnosed with cancer.

My family blamed my job for it. No matter how I tried to convince them that it’s not my job but how I abused my health, still they don’t want me to pursue my dream. They wanted me to take up Law instead.

And so I enrolled to law school.

I scrapped my dream of becoming successful in food science and took up law. The dumbest part of it all was that I decided to forget everything about food technology and whenever my law professors, or friends ask me about food, I don’t want to answer them for I do not want to miss that part of me. I bottled up that part of myself and packed it away, the thing I was so passionate about.

In the course of my law life, I succeeded in learning to love it not because I started to love the life of a lawyer but because I found very good friends. I stayed because of them and because bf love seeing me becoming a lawyer.

Then this day came. I found out that I failed in my Labor Law subject. I am kind of depressed because I don’t want to disappoint the people who want me to become a lawyer but felt sort of wonderful at the same time because it is somehow an eye opener to me that lawyering is not really my line.

I don’t know what to do now. I don't know what to do about it. Guess I have more weighing to do this time; making my family happy at one hand and pursuing my dream on the other hand. *sigh*

OR I'll just mop over my failure for a month or more wishing that lady luck will be on my side anytime soon.

Wish me luck guys. I wish I'll choose the right path for me this time.

I am HAPPY.... :)

2011-08-24T07:56:00.004+08:00

YES!!!! I am happy..... for no reason at all.... ^_^

:)

2011-08-13T16:30:00.003+08:00

There must be something in my uni's library when everytime I go there to study, I really can't stop myself from taking snapshots of myself.... I KNOW! I'm crazy right? But this is what I do everytime I get tired reading.... :)

I don't know if you can see the transition in my photos.... MY HAIR IS GETTING LONGER!!!! yehey....

The Little Things I am Thankful For

2011-06-06T13:01:00.016+08:00

Summer has finally ended and mine concluded with lots of things to be grateful for.... Though my summer was not like how others usually spend it, it was extraordinary and pleasant... God did nothing but blessed me with so many things.

Below are some of the best parts of my summer which made it worth recollecting.... :)

1. English Classes

Before enrolling to law school, the uni's registrars told me that I lacked 3 units of English subject to be qualified and permitted to enroll. Since I didn't want to wait any longer and I really wanted to study again, I asked them to just let me take it during the summer term after my first year and allow me to enroll first without knowing that this is actually what most law students, who have the same situation as mine, do. And so I did enroll myself to two English classes last summer. You may be wondering why two when I only lack 3 units of English which is equivalent to one English subject only. Since it has been my dream to be a public speaker and I know I'm not really good at it, I decided to take speech class too!

So, instead of enjoying the beaches last summer like what my friends did, I spent my summer composing speeches and essays. What made it a great summer experience was that in my two classes, I've had gained lots of friends, most especially in my speech class where most of my classmates were undergrads...

2. Met mom's friends from high school

Mom decided to tag us along to her high school batch reunion and I was really really happy to have met some of her old closest friends and know how it was like in their good 'ol days. It's funny how the oldies reminisce their teenage years... I was really laughing hard when the men were starting to tease others like who had a crush on who and who dated who.... But what I can never forget about that reunion was the time when they had their election. I couldn't stop myself laughing when they started voting as to who will be the sergeant at arms... I was like, "HUH???? are you serious??! What is this?!" and then they carried on voting their Batch President, Batch VP, secretary, treasurer, Public Information Officer, muse and prince charming.... HAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!! Just like how a HS class election is done....

JUMP SHOT with sister and nieces....

3. New addition to our family

Meet Ying and Yang also known as Rabbit and Robot or Bugs and Bunny... I really can't tell what exactly their names are because people name them differently... My nephew, Duwey, call them Ying and Yang, my cousin call them Rabbit and Robot, and mom's employees call them Bugs and Bunny.... Well, I call them Rabbit.... ^_^ Aren't they cute????

4. ENROLLED!!!!

Yehey!!!! Finally... I'm enrolled!!!! Thanks to my classmates Mary Ann and Reich for processing my enrolment. I wanted to spend the last three weeks of my summer with my family in the province and so they offered to help me with my enrolment requirements... THANK YOU SO MUCH ATE M and Reich!!! I'm so grateful to have true friends like you guys....

Here is my university admission slip to next school year!

And now I'm super excited to see you guys soon!!!!! :)

5. MORE LOVE.... <3

Well... There will never be a great summer if not because of this man :) He went to see me in Cebu last April and although we were together only for a very short range of time, he made my summer super dooper great big time!!!! THANK YOU, mylove.....

My Inspiration

2011-05-30T16:18:00.006+08:00

A friend posted a photo of her, showing off her mood board, in Facebook. And I, as someone who becomes sentimental at times and someone whom my sister sometimes called OA, got jealous and thinking that I also want to have one!!! Mood board, according to wikipedia, is a type of poster design that may consist of images, text, and samples of objects in a composition of the choice of the mood board creator. It is used by designers to help them get a good idea of what their clients are looking for. And since I'm not a designer, I won't make it! But, I'll make an inspiration/al board instead.

So what is an inspiration board? Well, it's anything you want it to be! Basically, it is a photo collage that inspires you, encourages you to accomplish your goals, makes you happy and laugh! I've had one during my college days and I used to post it on my wall beside my dorm bed. As you can see in the photo below, I actually didn't put too many photos in it but I posted lots of encouraging quotes instead. I wonder where this board could be now?

If I'll make another inspiration board now, it'll look like this!

It has the photos of the things that I wanna do, the things that I wanna achieve in life, and those people who inspires me to bring all these to a successful conclusion.

So if you'll have an inspiration board, what will you put there?

Shadow Shot Sunday #1

2011-05-28T22:07:00.005+08:00

SUNDAY!!!! And it's time for Shadow Shots!!! :)

Here are my entries:

Friends - using my scarf to shade themselves from the sun... :)

My friends, Kent and Ken, relaxing on the beach after an hour of hiking....

Visit Hey Harriet for Instructions...

Colourful Friday Entry #1 (Sunset)

2011-05-27T19:49:00.004+08:00

After months of being dormant, I have decided to join a meme... I'm doing this just to keep my blog updated... And of all memes I have searched in the net, I kind of find this one interesting. The Colourful Friday hosted by Robyn G of Daisy Quilts. For instructions, click the link please!

Today's theme is SUNSET! And here are my entries:

These photos were actually taken during my college days. I was having a community building activity with the student council officers of the uni where I graduated from. I really find this sunset lovely!

While looking at these photos, it made me ask myself why sunsets are often associated with romance or love? Like I always hear from people that it is the best time to hold a wedding, it is the best occasion for a guy to propose to his girl, and it is the best chance to kiss the person you love so much.... Like duh..... I really don't believe any of these. Any time will do as long as you're with person you love most. But seriously I find this sunset adorable. And so my friends really grabbed the chance to be kissed under the sunset.

FYI: they were not really kissing... They were only feigning just to add a romantic ambience....

If you wanna join, visit Daisy Quilts.

new header!!!

2011-05-27T10:06:00.002+08:00

Finally! After 48 years, I've decided to change my header.... as you can see, it has photos of my self, friends, BF and family... these are actually the people I love so much. Without them, I don't know where I'd be right now.... So, from now on, I'll be talking about them, about the things the we do together, our interests, hobbies, etc.

So to start off, my first year in law school has finally ended! Yehey! My second semester went well but it was not as good as the first semester though... The subjects were more difficult than those I had in the first semester... There was more pressure, more "evil" law professors, higher passing grade... Everything in second semester was intensified.... But hey! I survived it.... Now I'm starting to believe that I really am an intelligent person.... (LOL)... Kidding aside, I know I did well enough to pass all my subjects! Although they were not really really high but they were enough to make me qualify to second year... so so so, now I'm still on vacation until June 12.... Classes starts at June 13 and I'm looking forward to more more difficult subjects, more more "evil" professors and more more enigmatic exam questions....

YAY! That's scary but good??? I guess... So... for next school year, be kind to me please... :)

....to my loverboy

2011-04-08T19:11:00.007+08:00

I haven't done any updating on this blog again.... and BF told me that he has been reading my blog lately. So I dedicate this blog entry to him... just to surprise him the next time he plans to view my page again... ^_^

So... TO my Henry, SURPRISE!!! :) I know this ain't enough to show you how I feel. But I want to let the whole wide world know by way of this blog entry that I do love you so much. I know that we've been through a lot together and most of it was my fault but you still love me despite that! Thank you.

I love you like how we need food, water and air; I need you in my life. I really really do. Living is worthless if you're not with me.

I love you like how Ray love Evangeline (I'm talking 'bout The Princess and The Frog, a Disney Movie. I know you haven't watched that yet but I recommend you watch it.) My dream will never be complete without you in it. I promise to do whatever it takes to make your dream, my dream, our dreams come true.

I love you like how the sun rises and sets; whatever happens, it happens.... No one and nothing can stop me from loving you. It happens naturally.

So, please stop telling me that I don't deserve you or something like that because you were like this and that, what happened in the past is the past. So let's not dwell on it too much, ok?! Honestly, I don't mind. What matters to me now is the present and our future. Stop telling me that I must look for someone much better than you because I don't think there is other guy out there who is much much better than you. OK?!

I guess that's all! :)

I love you so much mylove.... I'll see you SOON!!! :)

Mistakes Happen

2011-02-24T17:02:00.007+08:00

I drew this while watching I LOVE YOU, MAN

In my whole life, I’ve never really given it much thought… But these past few days, different questions were incessantly coming into my mind. Life has never been this bumpy and it came to a point where I didn’t know what to do, where to go, and what to think anymore… In short, I felt like crap!

The world is indeed imperfect. No one is infallible and nothing can be perfect while living on it and I can’t understand why most people don’t grasp that. While living, all people (that means no exception) have this potentiality of making mistakes or imperfections. Mistakes are often equaled with wrong, contrary to goodness, morals, law, decency or excellence. And when we commit mistakes, more often than not, aside from feeling bad, angry and frustrated, we are chastised for not thinking things through, and people will label us as someone who is unfit to this world or society and thus should be despised! Mistakes yield to admonishments. Don’t get me wrong here. I understand why there are people like this. We live in an achievement and success-oriented world, and while growing up, we are being reminded by our elders that whenever we do anything, we must do it right! Our parent, teachers, coaches, friends and family helped us embrace this pattern in life and with this we become perfectionists and scorn mistakes. Mistakes are now bad and should now be avoided.

Now, the reality is that, just like a coin, making mistakes also has two sides. Contrary to popular belief, it could not be bad at all times! Every mistake holds a lesson and there are those people who actually learned from their own actual mistakes. It does not matter anymore how cruel the mistake was but there are those people who learn from them by being accountable for the consequences. It’s just too sad and depressing that we are living in a world where we are judged by the mistakes and imperfections we did and not by the potentials, learning and lessons we got out of them and the person we have become from committing them. It’s really sad that there are also those people who discriminate others just because they have committed something bad in their past. Just like everything else in this world, people change too! We just have to give them a chance… A chance to learn from their mistakes, a chance to grow up and become a better person and a chance to show off what they can do about it and to show off how they improved as a person….

As for me, I’ll never get tired of giving chances to other people. As long as this world remains imperfect, then I’ll never stop giving second, third, fourth, fifth, nth chances! Why? Because I do make mistakes a lot of time and I often make same mistakes all over again. And I deserve a second chance no matter what the circumstances are.

random babbling....

2011-02-03T21:57:00.003+08:00

It's now February and I haven't been updating this page anymore. I've been so busy in Law school, reading so many cases and picture-free books, and I could hardly find a free time to write my thoughts in here. So, I apologize for that, most especially to my new followers.... ^_^ I've been MIA for almost 2 months and when I opened this account again, I was taken aback by the fact that I have new followers! hmmmm..... I wondered why... I'm afraid that you might get disappointed. My life isn't that interesting, you know.... ^_^ But I'm happy! really.... So to those who follow my blog, I thank you so much! You give me reason to write more.... :)

_______________________________

So, where to begin????

The world hasn't been easy to me these days.

First, it's school days again, bf had to leave me for school *coz the uni where he studies is miles miles miles away.. :(* and now, we had to bear with the difficulties that this "physical separation" could offer!

Dealing with the Long Distance Relationship is really hard! The ugly truth is that no one even bothers to recognize how hard it is and instead of giving me some advices on how to make this work, people would tell me that it's difficult (I already know that!), that I'll end up getting hurt, and, worse, that I deserve someone much better who'll hug and kiss me whenever I need them... I can't understand why a lot of people think it's absurd.....

Yes! True, it is, that LDR is hard, but as what bf had told me, happiness is a struggle... In happiness, there is no hard-and-fast rule. The world itself is imperfect, and its unfallibility is unceasing... Of course, problems, complications, brainteaser issues, arguments, or whatever you call it, would surely arise in the course of the relationship for a plethora of reasons. But if you know that you're really happy and if you really treasure the love you have with your significant other, then you really have to endure its every twist and turn, most especially the times of missing him so much, the never-ending "what ifs", those moments when you had to think and guess what he's been doing at that moment and OTHERS (it'll take me years to enumerate them all!). It needs a lot of SACRIFICE and EFFORT indeed and, for me, these what make our long distance relationship amazing! Though hard, these are the advantages of being miles apart from my loved one because the sacrifice and effort that we'd put forth for the relationship will be an incredible synergist for the growth for both of us *i'll reserve this matter for another entry!*

2nd, I'm not, in truth, being productive since 2011 started... As we all know, and as what I've been stressing in my previous posts, law school is a READING school.... and in law, reading is not really as fun as reading novels... So, to not stop myself from studying, my reading momentum should not be stopped too! That is why, even in between semesters, I always bring notes with me so that I can read wherever I go. And guess what? Last christmas break, I went home with so many notes, but I didn't have the chance to read even a single page of them. And now... I couldn't get back to my old study habit.... :( One month had already passed but I feel like I still have a vacation hangover.... :(

3rd, just had my midterm exams last week... And, damn! They were so hard! The passing grade was so high and I'd be very happy if I at least get 50 per cent of the total score....

Ow well, I guess that's all for now.... I'm actually studying! :) I'll get back as soon as I'm done with my reading assignments....

CIAO!!! and ei! I almost forgot.... The chinese are celebrating their new year today!!!

KUNG HEI FAT CHOI!!!

2010-12-23T21:02:00.006+08:00

Hello everyone! I just want you all know that I'm still alive! It's not that I have been very busy coz in fact I'm not! It's just that its hard for me to enter to the cyberworld as I still don't have internet connection at my apartment. But anyways, I'm back in my hometown that's why I'm here again...

2010 is going to end soon and mine ends with so much blessings. First off, I survived my 1st semester in law school; no failing grade, no INCs. I'm struggling now in my 2nd semester but still grateful for what I have done these past few months. I've been studying real hard and I know I did well in my studies....

1st Day of our 2nd semester, S.Y. 2010 - 2011

Second, I have been blessed to have so many great friends and classmates; without them, I could have never survived the demands in my law school life! Even if we did bad in our oral recitations during class, one good laugh with friends with great foods would ease our depressions and I thank them for that, and I thank God for them....

During our Christmas Party

Third, I have been blessed with a family that loves me so much!

Lastly, but surely not the least, I have been blessed with a great man, my boyfriend.

Heavenly Father, Thank YOU!!!

How's your 2010?

2010-10-09T20:29:00.006+08:00

Yikes!!! What year is it really? It feels like a decade already had passed since my last post... :( Im sorry for my lack of updates guys.... I've been really busy with my exams. Finals are gonna be this monday and seriously? I'm not yet ready to take my final exams.... I still have sooooo many chapters to read... Gosh!

Anyhoo..... Thanks Sassy Scribbles, Mia R and one Anonymous for answering my questions. It was fun reading your views by the way....

As for me, guess it depends on how your break-up went.... I only had 2 exes and as for the first, we're friends... we exchange text messages but not really often... As for the last, the 2nd, our break up didn't went well... It was something that most girls wouldn't want to have in their memory box... Well, he cheated on me. And the sad thing was that, his others girls happened to be my friends... And some of my friends tried to tell me this, actually they told me about it, but I never believed them.... Yikes, now I realized I was really like crazy!!!!!! And everytime I caught him cheating, he would always tell me that he was confused.... Confused about what?! About who to choose... the other woman? or me?

The first time he cheated on me, I only knew that that he was having an affair with a friend #1 6 months after their break up... I was so blind... :( The second time was when a friend told me that he was trying to court friend #2, who was very very close to my heart, and since she knew that he was such a womanizer and how he treated girls as a commodity, she rejected him.... And the last one, when I finally decided to break up with him, the other girl became my friend through Friendster (when Friendster was still the IT factor). She was really nice. She was asking me lots of things about my boyfriend without knowing that they were together already....

So I guess that also answers the 3rd question ayt?

About the wedding.... I'm not so sure yet.... As I've said, it depends on how your break up went... So if you broke up with mutual terms, and still friends even after the break up, of course I will invite him. I just hope the emcee or the coordinator of the wedding party will not choose him to give a message for me... I'm afraid he might say, "Remember the time when we planned our own wedding?!" That will surely upset my husband-to-be! ^_^

So I guess that's all! I know it was tragic! But still thankful because hadn't it been that way, I'll never be as strong as I am now.... ^_^

In another note, the other reason why I haven't posted updates lately because I just transferred to a new apartment... And it means that I need to apply for another internet connection, and obviously, I haven't done that part yet... So as for now, my classmate had to let me borrow his mobile broadband for he knows that I can't live without internet. I wanted to post some pictures of my new apartment now but the situation is not letting me.... I STILL NEED TO STUDY!!!!!! grrrrr..... I hate studying for exams, especially finals! It's just too stressful knowing that most teaching lawyers are going to ask questions from the first chapters of the book up to the end! Ow well.... But I can never end this post without posting any photo here... So I'll post these few photos of me CAMWHORING while studying....

Wish me luck guys!!!! Help me pray that I pass all my subjects this sem... ^_^

Wanted: BOYFRIEND?????

2010-09-13T15:14:00.007+08:00

Photo taken here

Last week I posted something in my facebook which really startled my sisters.... I said in my status message that I didn't want to study anymore! It was somehow true coz I was really exhausted from all the reading assignments, case laws, and others.... but that wasn't really serious. Of course, I love studying... and I love laws. But these sisters of mine gave really funny comments... at first, I was kinda encouraged because they were all serious and all in giving me advices.... but at the end of those arguments among them, they were recommending me to find a boyfriend just to inspire me in studying... and, my sister said, a boyfriend is a good deviation from my law books and cases....

I didn't know what to say... I was just laughing and laughing and laughing so hard... A boyfriend????!!!!!

It's been four years now since I haven't had one.... Yes! Four years.... I know it's a long time already... But I don't think it's a good reason for me to search one... besides, I still don't think it's decent for girls to search for a man for them and make the first moves.... No offense to anyone but seriously, I kinda don't like girls who conspicuously flirting with other guys. As someone who was raised in a very conservative country, with very conservative values, and family, I believe in waiting and let God do it .... Besides there's no reason for me to hurry, right?! I'm young, and I'm still enjoying and will always be loving my single life.... ^_^

So.. to my sisters (I know there's no way for them to read this because they're all busy to have a blog. I don't even know if they knew that such thing exists.... but I've been telling this to them everytime they bug me about it^_^): I'll be ready when I'm ready.... I'm open to that but It's just that I haven't met the right guy for me yet.... (How's that?! or Am I just being picky?)

It will come.... SOON! and you guys (in this blogosphere) will be the first one to know... ^_^

And speaking of boyfriends or girlfriends, former or present..... Last week, I found this radio station by chance while I was scanning my player. I heard 3 DJs arguing about something and they're arguments were really funny. I couldn't stop laughing everytime I hear them saying their stands about the topic. I'm not so sure if they're serious or what! But, hell yeah, I learned something from them. I'm loving them and I'm gonna listen to this station every now and then (if I still have time! Coz I'll be doing lots of reading starting tonight. Pre-final exam week is fast approaching).

I wanna write my stand here about the topic but not before I know yours guys. I need to know yours first..... So, if you were asked:

Should you be friends with your ex?! Why? And why not?!

Should you invite your ex to your wedding? Why? And why not?!

What was the worst thing your ex did to you?

What will be your answers? I wanna know... :))

Life is beautiful....

2010-09-03T23:10:00.005+08:00

Photo taken here

The moment I feared has now arrived... And this include the ~~distribution of our blue books (exam booklets), the distribution of our midterm grades, and my post-chemo check-up~~ . I wasn't really able to study well due to my anticipation that I may have failed the exam and that I could have done better.... The worst thing was that when I received my criminal law exam, my score was too low from the average and I didn't know if I was going to feel sad because I still had to go through another set of post-chemo check-up the next day and I was scared, real scared that the mere thought of the CT scan would make me shiver and dizzy. The feeling of sadness and fear were like contesting inside me to the point that I didn't know what to feel anymore. I was numb. It made me numb.

But what I didn't like most were the pronouncements which were made by my classmates after receiving their exams. They were saying like... "Who wants to get drunk?!" or "Let's smoke!" and worse, the self-pitying.... Now, don't get me wrong here. I understand them... I know it hurts to know that even though we did our best, still, it was not the best for our professors. I was hurt too! But it never dawned on me to feel sorry much for I failed and to broadcast it in the whole world! And whenever I comfort them, or say, "Getting drunk is not the answer. You can't turn back the time and pass it by smoking and drinking. Just get some rest and relax coz I know we were good. Let's do better next time." they pushed me away saying, "You don't know how it feels because you passed!" or "You go to sleep!" I was like...... HUH?! I failed too but I don't mind it at all.....

For I know there is so much more to life than this!

I don't know where I got this but everytime I'm in a sad sad situation like this, I always find a reason to to be happy or to smile the least... ^_^ Its not just I totally didn't mind it, I'm just thankful that I'm still living here on earth and experience its beauty despite my failure! What I was praying during this time was my post-chemo check-up... I haven't been living healthy this past few months cause living away from home, with no one to cook for you, makes it so hard for me to find healthy foods like home-cooked with less preservatives and enhancers. Not to mention that sleepless nights are really really a must in law school! This is the reason why I didn't want to push through my check-up! But mom was here in my apartment, and she really convinced me to do it. And so I did! Everytime I went through a set of test, I always pray to God that they won't find anything in me that would make them think that my cancer is back. I've been there already and I know how it feels but without forgetting that He is the one who knows the best for us! We may have plans, dreams and we may pray for our heart's desires but it is always He who has the final say about our life... And so I prayed..... "You know my heart's desires Lord... You know how I don't want cancer to be back but its always you who knows what is best for me... May your will be done, Lord. Give me strength and courage to face and accept whatever the results may be.... If its from You then I'm always willing to accept it." It's funny though how God comforts me when he knows I'm nervous. Like just right before my CT scan, God knows how I hate CT scans.... Contrast fluids are just too painful for me... And so while drinking a one-and-a-half liter of water (a protocol to clean my intestines and to make my stomach, bladder and intestines distended with fluid), there was this nurse who sat beside me. I was already in my gown, with no bra already, and he was talking to me as if we were already friends since time immemorial... While waiting for me to finish the water, we were laughing talking about our frustrations, me going to law school because my family wants me to, and he wanting to go to a med school but his family doesn't want him to... and when we started the scan and when they were about to inject the contrast fluid, I kept on telling them a lot of excuses not to continue it; because I needed to pee, and I couldn't hold it any longer, and I'm scared, I couldn't do it... This nurse was with me holding my hands saying, "Please miss.... I know you can do it. If you'll stop it, we need start again. I don't think the radiation is good for you. So please, hold it... Don't be scared. I'm here." I was like shocked when he told me that... And so I said, "Yes... Let's continue. Just hurry." And I was amazed when I didn't feel any pain when the intravenous fluid went into my system... It felt hot though but not painful... God is really great... He doesn't fail to surprise me....

Like my exams, I was scared to get the results of my lab tests and CT scan... I didn't know what to expect and what to do whenever the big C comes again... And so I prayed again, "Your will be done Lord!".... And guess what?!!!!

I'm good!!!! Not even a single swollen lymph node was spotted in my CT scan... my scans were all stable.... Wow! I'm so grateful and I always thank God for giving me so much of what I've wanted and needed although I know I don't deserve them all.... There were some irregularities in my blood tests though but these are negligible... Like my cholesterol level... It's higher than the maximum level but my brother said that it's good. Coz what made it high was my HDL (High Density Lipoprotein), the good cholesterol, and not LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein), the bad cholesterol... My LDL is still within the normal range but HDL is higher than the maximum which is, according to my brother who is a doctor, GOOD! The reckoning point here whether cancer is here or not is my LDH (Lactate dehydrogenase) level. It's a blood enzyme but it's irregularity doesn't necessarily mean that I have cancer. It could mean many things... But if it's higher than normal then it means there must be something wrong in me, which may include cancer, and that I needed to go through more tests than usual.... but my LDH are normal!

YEHEY!!!! Thank You Lord!

Here are the marks of the needle shots I had for my blood tests (right) and CT scan IV (left):

And before I forget, I told you that my mom was here.... She was with me during these check-up thing and we went shopping the day before she went home... We went to the National Bookstore to buy novels (because my mom loves reading novels) and I've always wanted to buy a filecase to compile my law cases... I didn't know why this file case... I don't even liked its look! But when I was starting to arrange my papers I found this three little words imprinted on it... I wonder why this small and why these words... Maybe the manufacturers wanted to encourage students to not be depressed when they fail the exams.... :)

Life is beautiful indeed!!!!

Avere un finne settimana piacevole!

(Have a nice weekend!)

I need Major Major money... ^_^

2010-08-31T15:22:00.008+08:00

As I promised in my previous post, here are the drawings that I did out of boredom last saturday....

The products of my boredom ^_^

Aren't they cute??? I'm not really good at it, I'm still learning. :))

--==--

Photo taken here

This morning, I went to my oncologist's clinic to get my lab test request for another set of my post-chemo checkup.... And after that, I went to a mall nearby and spent hours there to kill some time, since it was still early to go to school...

Like most people, when I realized that there was this huge sale going on in every store in the mall, I had the dollar (Philippine peso) signs in my eyes! Less here and less there! from 25% to 75%. I was already choosing clothes in a store with a very very eye-catching clothing rack when I figured that I don't have enough money to buy the stuff I wanted to buy.... I brought some money with me, but if I used it, I would sacrifice my meals and fast the whole week! I can't do that coz I'm such a food freak! I need money to buy food!!!! Argh! This is what I call effect of POVERTY! I hate having no extra money in times like this.... :(

I was wondering if there's a job out there that offers a good pay but lets me stay home, watch tv, go out/ dine-out with friends anytime and study the whole day! Is there such job like this? If you have any idea, let me know!... or should I contact my mom and dad instead??? (My alter ego: Nooooooo!!!! You don't wanna do that! Your dad will surely ask you why you asked and what for? And if you're going to tell them the truth, you'll surely die! If you lie like a school project or something like that.... hmmmmm *thinking*.... you don't wanna do that, do you?)

I'm just talking to myself......

Ow well.... I think I'll just save money from my school allowance for shopping next time... :)

rough week!

2010-08-28T15:09:00.010+08:00

This past few days have been a living hell for me.... 1st, my laptop was suddenly loaded with lots of viruses. I really can't remember how it happened, maybe I clicked on something and then suddenly this security tool thing was installed in my laptop and it kept on popping in whenever I use it. I was so desperate and insane when the virus didn't allow me to open anything that I almost gave up and never wanted to see my laptop again. My brother had to reformat it just to bring me back to sanity. And thanked God! All is fine again....

2nd, I almost forgot that my professor in criminal law announced to us week before the midterm exam week that she'll be giving us a very long exam aside from the exam we had last week. And knowing that we're gonna have a make-up class this saturday (that was this morning), I was thinking that maybe she'll give the exam today. And since I couldn't use my laptop then because my brother told me not to use it until a good antivirus is installed, I did a lot of reading.... A LOT of reading that I almost forgot my meals! I was cramming, by the way, and I feel so useless because I couldn't seem to absorb the things I've read... and since, I was so desperate and I really didn't like to see my bed as I tend to laze everytime I see it, I decided to study at the law library instead, which was the reason of the predicament I was in yesterday.

So.... 3rd, I was studying there yesterday and I know that it regularly closes at 8 pm. At 5 in the afternoon yesterday, nature called and the library restroom was locked so I had to go to the restroom of the lower floor. Since it was still 5 pm, I've decided to go out for awhile and buy some food coz I was really really hungry to death! I was eating, looking at some people, like me, who were eating alone and wondering what were they thinking about. I was actually wondering if they knew all along that what I was thinking about was them! hahahaha! CRAZY! And I was watching lovers outside the food chain holding hands while walking.... (I was wondering too as to when can I have someone to hold hands with?!) hahahaha!

It was almost 6 when I went back to the library and I was completely agitated when I saw not even a single person inside, the door was locked and all lights were turned off! It made me antsy because I left all my stuff, books and photocopies of study notes, there believing that I will soon get it after I had my snacks! As I checked the bulletin as to any announcement, I read it there that it closes at 5 pm this week.... Gah!!!! (Talking about not reading the bulletin board huh? I couldn't blame them for my ignorance because an announcement was posted!) I was really upset and more upset when the guard told me that they didn't have the door key of the library. And since I couldn't do anything about it, I just went home with nothing to study about....

So last night, I had insomnia thinking about my books and the exam the next day....

But despite all these stuff, I'm still blessed. Because this morning, I was able to get my stuff, and there was no exam! YEHEY!!!!!! but the teacher was giving us a lecture that would make us fall asleep all morning! So, as I didn't want to sleep (coz I didn't want to get scolded by the teacher), and I didn't want to listen either (because it would make me feel more sleepy), I was drawing the whole lecture period! And it was funny because I didn't know that I have a skill in drawing not until this morning!

My drawings are funny though because my classmates couldn't identify them if they are male or female.... Hmmm... I think I need to practice this more! hahahaha! And yes! I found a new interest.... drawing!

I've wanted to show you my drawings but I still have problems with installing the drivers with my laptop.... But I'm gonna show it to you as soon as I resolve this.... Can't wait to share it here coz they're really funny!!!!

Que tengas un buen fin de semaña!

(Have a happy weekend!)

Photo taken here.

Productivity Day 1

2010-08-23T23:27:00.013+08:00

This morning, I realized that sleeping, facebooking, eating and sleeping again all day are the least things I wanna do in this life! I was really bored knowing that I don't need to study because I won't be having classes for 7 days and there's nothing to read yet since it was just last week when I had my midterms and professors didn't give us any reading assignment yet... (well, except for criminal law!) And since I was so desperate to be productive this day, I cleaned my very messy room instead. When I say it's messy, I mean IT!!!

See? I told yah! It's really messy... I am a mess!!! (^_^)I only have a very small room! Well, it isn't really a whole room since I share this room with my brother. And to give us privacy, my mom decided to put a divider between us! So, its more comfortable for me to say "my-side-of-the-room" than claiming the whole room for myself.

To be honest? I haven't cleaned this room for almost a week! Not that I usually do it, but I just didn't have time to clean my side.... I was too taken up with my studies that I almost forgot to clean it! At long last!!!! Something imaginary finally ordered me to clean. Now, I wonder how on earth did I survive this mess!

So yeah, I did a lot of decluttering. So here's the outcome!

I know it's still a mess! But I already did my best and tried my hardest to make it as clean as possible. I've wanted to re-arrange my stuff but rejiggering is impossible for a very small side of the room like mine!

It's 12:29 AM here.... I better sleep now. I'm planning to jog tom so I need to be awake as early as 6! Goodnight! and Have a nice day for those who are in the other side of the globe!!!!

How productive were you today?

Let's CELEBRATE!!!!

2010-08-22T21:51:00.006+08:00

Finally! Coz exam week is OVER! (It actually ended last Friday) But I'm still exhausted! After a week of sleepless nights, I was supposed to convalesce and sleep all day but I went to my classmate's house last night to attend an after-exam house party instead. It was great indeed! The food, the karaoke, the poker, the karaoke, the heart-attack card game....... did I mention karaoke already??? (^_^) ow well... I just missed karaoke-ing. And it was soooooo good to get hold of a microphone again and sing my lungs out as if there's no one listening... (~~Thanked God nothing bad happened to their mirrors and glasses~~).

But, on a different note, what I believed to be an until-12-midnight party became an all-night party. I guess overnight would be an appropriate term! I was having too much fun to the point that i lost all track of time and I just realized that it was already 4 am?! WHAAAAAATTTT!!!!!!!

And so, I failed in my first night of making-up-for-those-sleepless-nights plan!

But hey!!!! the positive side is..... I don't have class this whole week! There's a Sports Festival going on now in the uni and I already dispensed with my sportive side since college! and so, I have the whole week and study a bit and SLEEP MORE!!!!!! Yahoo!!!!!

It's already 10:35 PM here and I guess I need to sleep now... Night guys! Wish me luck!

2010-08-14T22:21:00.004+08:00

Ola!

I'm so sorry for being so selfish this past few months guys. I know, I haven't been communing with you lately. That's because I've been busy... Yeah! Not to mention that I didn't have an internet connection since February this year! Imagine that?! A supposedly internet-addict living a life with no internet at all. Ironic, ayt? There were times that I got connected with the cyber world but I really didn't have much time to blog because I was working in a food company and I was really busy.... I worked from Mondays to Saturdays, 8 in the morning till 5 in the afternoon. And sometimes, it would take me till 10 in the evening to finish my job. And the next day, I would wake up early again and start working at 8 am! wow! talking bout stress! Yes! I was really stressed but I really didn't mind it because I loved my job and the people I worked with..... (Now, i miss them!) But I miss you more!!!!!

But I stopped working there.... My job was really not that, let's just say, healthful! I was a research analyst and the laboratory was my second home. So everyday, I would deal different chemicals. Considering my health condition, it was not really good to me.

And now, I'm a Law student. (Haha!)

Some of my friends were floored when I told them about this for the first time. I really didn't know what I was doing in a Law school. Lawyer?! It's just something my mom wants me to be.... I never really thought of becoming a lawyer. But now? After weeks of struggle, I finally think I've got the hang of it! :) I'm loving it, my classmates, my studies, and all! As a matter of fact, I'll be having my midterm exam next week, and too bad for me coz I have only read, I guess, few pages of my books yet.

So..... till next time guys! I still need to study.... But one thing for sure, I'll be visiting my blog everyday again (YES!) Coz after months of waiting, I finally have internet connection here in my apartment!

22 more days to go before...

2009-11-09T13:21:00.008+08:00

DECEMBER, the month of celebrations!!!!

Last night, I marked the key dates on my calendar starting November to January next year only to put notes on every date. It wasn't really that surprising that there will be lots of parties starting this week. As a matter of fact, I did a tad of countdown for each occasion that is going to happen. The result is this: (I posted it on my facebook account as my status message)

3 days until PAPA and ATE GING2's BDAY
5 days until ATE NDAY's BDAY
11 days until MAMA and SHEA's BDAY
40 days until JACOB's BDAY
45 days until CHRISTMAS
50 days until ATE MIE2's WEDDING
54 days until NEW YEAR
60 days until MAH BIRTHDAY!!!! fireworks
68 days until ATE CHE2's BDAY!!!

Wow! And then I fell silent... I wasn't thinking about the fun and the get-together with my family. What I was imagining about was the food that I'm going to eat on every party, the amount of calorie that my body will absorb and the weight that I will probably gain.

I actually don't mind. But I just hope I won't gain much and be like this:

Ont une semaine heureuse!

(Have a Happy Week!)

Congratz Melissa!!!!

2009-11-07T11:51:00.004+08:00

On your 100th blog post!

This lovely lady celebrates her Happy 100th blog post by giving these great giveaways to her followers:

a Blair Waldorf inspired headband...
a Bib necklace and
a neutral pallet eye make-up kit (Imma get this! lol)

If you want to join, visit Melissa's blog (Lovely little life) and follow the instructions.... Good luck and have fun guys!

Cancer is Life and Life is Great. Therefore, Cancer = Great

2009-11-06T14:13:00.004+08:00

photo from Life In India

These past few days, my friends have been asking me what life is like when you are diagnosed with cancer. It somehow made me think what appropriate words should I use to answer them for I do not want them to pity me or, worse, be scared about it and limit their options in life. Thinking, I asked my self, why not tell them the truth, the learnings I have gained from the experience, instead of telling them the negative physical effects it caused me?

Many people equate cancer with death which is wrong. Cancer is not about death. It is about life! Yes! A lot of people already have died from it, but it is not a reason enough to treat cancer as a death sentence.

For me, I treat my illness as a blessing... because it taught me how precious life is! It has truly opened me to many life possibilities. To tell you the truth, even when my illness compromised my ability to function, I still enjoyed and celebrated life which was sooooooo great! Most importantly, it made me know more about God and experience His greatness.

It is a miracle that I defeated cancer. And I won't stop praising God for it, for all the blessings He bestowed on me. He gave me a great life and I'm savoring each and every thing of it.

For people who have completely lost hope in life, cheer up! Life is great, if you just let it be. As the old cliche goes, life is what you make it. So make it good!

Have a Great Life!!!

I admire...

2009-11-05T09:28:00.008+08:00

Dolly Parton

Yes! The American singer-songwriter dolly, the author dolly, the multi-instrumentalist dolly and the actress dolly.

Dolly Parton was born in Tennessee. She was born into a very poor family but this doesn't stop her from reaching her dreams. She started performing when she was still a wee child. At age nine, she was appearing on radio stations. At 13, she then started recording. And now? She's the Queen of Country Music.

It's not really her achievements that made me admire her, nor her splashy dress sense, not even her voluptuous figure. What I like about dolly is that in spite of how successful she is now, she still returns to her roots. She never forgets the place where she came from. Dolly is a philanthropist. She loves mankind and promotes the good of the others. She is a co-owner of Dollywood company and owns the theme park Dollywood which actually provides lots of jobs to thousands of Tennessee people. The profit she gained from this park goes to her Dollywood Foundation. It is an organization that aims to distribute a free book every month to the Tennessee children from the moment they were born until they reach five. How very generous of her to do such charity.

It has always been my aspiration to help the needy and to feed the less fortunate. As a matter of fact, not even one of my circle of friends and family know about this, I have always wanted to celebrate my birthday with orphanage kids and street children. I like to teach them the ABCs and tell them stories that they've never heard before. In my difficult times battling cancer, I had met children and people with different types of cancer. And every time I talk to them and to their mothers they usually tell me that they were not sure if they were able to continue the treatment because of their lack of finances. I really really feel sorry for this people. Cancer is a curable disease and if only they have the money, they will be cured and do the things that they want in their lives! Knowing this, I also want to put up a funding program for cancer patients most especially to children. But as for the moment, these are still my aspirations, for I don't have money yet.

But just few minutes before I opened my laptop and write this entry, I have realized that money is not really necessary in helping others. I can even help others now by just sharing and comforting. It is actually not just a matter of donating money, but it is somewhat like sharing your life to others. Letting them feel that they are not alone and you're always there for them whatever the nature of the problem you think they have. Letting them feel that they are understood and most importantly, LOVED.

And also, in lending a hand, you are not just helping others, but you are also helping yourself. If you give regardless of the reward, you will certainly receive the same thing in return. If you have helped someone and find it a very fulfilling experience then you'll understand what I mean.

These are my photos in some feeding programs I had in college.... I also had one feeding program in my senior year that my friends and I organized for our community nutrition but I can't find the photos in my files:

Who is your most admired celebrity? And why?

...updates...

2009-11-04T17:00:00.008+08:00

Woah! One month and a half has already passed since my last entry. I really am sorry to my followers for not posting anything here. I just thought that I needed to take a long hiatus from blogging.

Anyways, to keep you updated, it has been 3 months since my last chemotherapy. (Hmmm... Did I already tell you about this?!) Hope not yet! And after my post-chemo check up, my oncologist confirmed that my cancer has finally gone but she advised me to take extra extra care with my health because the type of cancer that I have tends to recur if I don't do any change with my lifestyle.

Just want to ask....

How many months should a cancer survivor stays at home and rest before she goes out and travel???

I hope two months are enough for recuperation. Last month, I had been traveling to Cagayan de Oro (that's at most 5 hours land travel from where I live). I was called up for a job offer and I took it, though I still had to go through their very very long employment process. The reason why I asked because after the first time I went their last month, a lymph node in my neck was again swelling. And since I was having a runny nose and coughing so hard, I thought that the infection might caused it. I actually asked my doctor as to how many days a normal lymph node swells and she told me, at most 2 weeks. If my lymph nodes won't stop swelling beyond that she then told me to go to her (that's in Cebu, a one night sea travel) to have it checked. And I really really thanked God that it disappeared after a week. And now, I have it again, same site. I have been searching for reasons that might have caused it but I can't find any. I hope wisdom tooth swell lymph nodes up because mine is still springing up and it hurts!

Gaaaah! Enough with my anxiety.... It's not healthy...

Anyways, last month, after I took the company exam, I finally got reunited with my girlfriends after 2 years! I was really happy that nothing much had changed. I mean, they are still the girlfriends I knew before. It just made me sad that 2 of my girlfriends didn't make it to our bonding night because they had work. Gah! Seemed like it was just yesterday when we had crushes, talk about boys incessantly as if there's no tomorrow, share assignments, play like we were still kids and the like. Now, we are very much concerned of our future. Before, we skipped classes if we wanted to. But now???? A day absence at work would be a day of no pay. And no matter how hard we tried to convince them to take a little break at work and bond with us, they just could not! Now, I missed my girlfriends. Because every time I'm with them, I feel a sense of belonging. Nah really! I'm really happy to have them in my life.

Here are our photos 2 years ago and a month ago.... (SPOT THE DIFFERENCE...)

PS. I just want to thank all of you guys for your love, concern and prayers for my recuperation. I would never survive it if not because of your support. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

What is it with Filipinos and Korean songs lately?

2009-09-23T13:47:00.004+08:00

I know I'm not the only person who has noticed it. As innately musically inclined person, I love watching music channels most especially hitcharts and daily top ten! There is no day in my life that I won't be tuning on music channels. However, this past few days, or should I say months, Filipinos choice of songs worries me. Really! Korean songs are now everywhere!!!! From local radio stations to national music channels. Since Nobody, Nobody But You of WonderGirls topped daily top tens for almost two to three months, korean groups speedily showed up! And guess what?! Like the WonderGirls, they swept all number ones of daily/weekly top tens. And not only they invaded the hitcharts, iPods and music players of some people I know are loaded with Korean songs. Now, what is it with Filipinos and Korean songs lately? I mean, duh.... We can't even understand what they're singing about!

To those Filipinos who are really passionate about korean songs, I don't intend to scrap or hurt your feelings. I just can't understand how can someone likes something, which he can't comprehend, so much. Is it because of they're lyrics? Gaaaaah! I am hundred percent sure/ that my friends can't speak korean language, how much more understand it? Yet, they keep on filling their music players with korean songs! Is it because of the melody??? I am also fairly sure that there are lots of songs that are more pleasant to human's ears than Korean songs. Is it because they're cute??? I tell yah, they're not!

Posting this doesn't mean that I hate Korean songs. As a matter of fact, I also have few (2-3) Korean songs in my music player and to tell you honestly, I also grooved to the tune of Nobody, Nobody but You when I first heard it. I even downloaded its video just to learn its correct movements and up until now, I can still dance to it. I admit korean songs are nice, cool and danceable but not nice, cool and danceable enough to obsess over.

The question really befuddled me. So, if you happen to like korean songs so much, please enlighten my mind..... :))

Here are some videos of korean songs that are now the number one in most of the local hitcharts:

Nobody, Nobody But You

Fire

Sorry, Sorry

I Don't Care

It's You

So good to be back!

2009-07-31T22:15:00.002+08:00

IM BACK!!!!

Yes, I'm back! But first of all, I'd like to apologize to you guys, who have been following my blog, for not updating you with anything. It's just that, I realized that I have been writing senseless stuff here in my blog... I don't intend to stop blogging... I just want to change my standards of choosing topics to write about...

So......... I'm back!

You may be wondering why I keep on saying I'm back.... I'm just happy that I am..... back!

It's already a month since I made my last post... I miss blogging so much!!!! I MISS YOU guys!!!

So, tell me!!!

How have you been?

My Weekend Update #1

2009-06-15T18:06:00.003+08:00

I was supposed to make this post yesterday but my internet connection sucked! I know this post is already late but its BETTER LATE than NEVER!

Kym's blog post My Weekend in Pictures inspired me to create a new section of my blog where I'll be posting pictures of my weekend here every week... Since I love taking photos of anyone/anything and I'm not really good with words, I'll just post some snapshots of some great events of my life instead of writing about it (albeit I'll also be posting captions or few information about the photo).

To Kym: Hope you don't mind me borrowing your idea...

Anyone can play... Just post some pictures of your weekend and then return here to leave a comment with your link so that I (and other bloggers) can go to your site and see your wonderful photos. (I promise to also leave a comment on your blog). I just hope I can do this on a regular basis for I am known for my Ningas Cogon mentality...

"Ningas cogon a Filipino idiomatic expression which literally means “grass flash fire”, referring to cogon grass that when set afire blaze furiously only to die down quickly. It is also a term used to refer to a Filipino trait characterized by "starting out projects with full vigor and interest only to abruptly die down, leaving things unfinished."

Anyways, here is my first Weekend Update....

Family Gathering 1- was so unplanned! Last Friday, my sister S had finally realized that her freezer was already fully loaded with sea foods (most especially crabs) which were given by her husband’s patients and co-doctors... The only way she thought of disposing them all is to have a small family gathering since all of us loves sea foods so much! So she called everyone up and invited them for lunch at my other sister's (L) house... Though her original plan was only lunch, the gathering actually extended till dinner because everyone was so busy chatting, and I, along with my nieces and nephew, didn't want to go home early, until we unknowingly lost track of time.... We ended up going home late...

One shocking news: it happened a day after my chemo. I usually lose my appetite days after chemotherapy. Even the thought of food makes me throw up... But last friday was different. Nothing was actually changed: was dizzy, felt sick, metallic taste on my mouth… But I somehow managed to eat well and more! My siblings couldn’t seem to hold their curiosity and eventually, they asked me as to why my appetite wasn’t lost! I just answered them I don’t know coz I really didn’t know. I just ate and ate and ate until I forgot that I was supposed to be in bed now and feel like I was to throw up anytime! But after that gathering, I went back to my old procedure…. Sleep-upchuck-eat-upchuck-sleep…. But I’m ok now.

♥ My first photo with no wig or scarf covering my head...

Make-up Lessons with my Sisters – My sister S loves making up. Even when she’s only going to visit her neighbors, she doesn’t forget to put make up on her face. For her, what you look on the outside is what you are inside and putting enough, attractive make-up is like showing that you care and love yourself. In the family, my sister M and I are the only ones who don’t know how to put make-up up to now; so, she decided to give us some kind of make-up lessons. Well, I know how but not really as good as she is. I started loving cosmetics way back in my later years in college but I honestly didn’t have the knowledge of its proper application. I frankly did not know that there’s a procedure of applying make-up. I just put powder, light eyeshadow, blush and----pfft! I’m done! But not anymore! Last Saturday, S taught us how and I love my looks after she put make-up on my face! Now, I love making up and I can’t wait to have my own set of make-up…

Family Gathering 2- Sunday! Unlike last Friday, this second part of our family gathering was already planned and was more of grilled pork and fish, videoke (sing-along), beer and wine! Since as much as possible, I need to keep my hands off of anything grilled (though my doctor didn’t forbid me from eating such), my sister cooked something not-grilled for me. (Yehey!) I had so much fun that day! There was a videoke and God knows how I love to sing…. After months of no-microphone, I had finally put my voice into a performance level again!

Now, it’s your turn to tell us about your weekend…. Go shoot some great pictures and share your weekend stories!!!!

Reply to comments on my last post....

2009-06-09T17:58:00.009+08:00

(photo of me, taken just before I made this post.)

@locuasia: Thank you so much... You're so kind. We have lots of herbal remedy stores here in the Phil, but I'm not so sure if we have them here in our province... I'll let you know if I can't find one here... Thank You again!

@Kym: I used to do that too; when I still had full control over internet. Now that I'm living in my sister's house, my brother in law regularly shuts our internet connection off at midnight.

@Ali: Yes! Tea has caffeine but only in minimal amount. Some tea substitutes (e.g. herb tea) don't have caffeine at all.

@Days and Night: Yay! Thanks for following... I always drink milk before sleeping, but it's no use! I still can't sleep... About lipton camomile tea, SURE! I'll definitely try it.....

I'm in Cebu right now... I'm scheduled for another round of chemotherapy tomorrow... It'll be my 13th session. My doctor wanted me to complete the 8 cycle (16 sessions) of chemotherapy instead of having it in 6 cycles (12 sessions) because, as what she had told me this morning, she wants to extinguish all cancer cells.... so that there'll be no way for them to dwell and crazily build up in my body again! I can't seem stomach another set of chemotherapy... NO NO NO!

Need to rest now... I have to be fully charged for a very distressing tomorrow.... Wish me luck guys!

Happy Saturday!!!!

2009-06-06T11:54:00.004+08:00

Hi guys! It's saturday and for most of you, it is the perfect day to relax and unwind from a stressful daily life. But for the few who has been confined for some health reasons, it is just one normal day... Everyday is like saturday for us, only we can't go out and go to saturday parties....

So what are your plans for the day ahead?

♥Yesterday was great! We spent most of the World Environment Day cleaning up around the house. After that, we pigged out on lasagna, pizza and tropicoolers that we ordered from greenwich! Yummy! I also gave my niece a classroom-liked lecture about environmental science.

♥ After posting this, I need to get back to sleep.... I've been having trouble falling asleep lately. My insomnia's here again.... And I'm honestly soooooooooo tired of it! Some friends told me that a good tea can help me fall asleep fast... I don't really drink tea but I'm already so desperate for good and restful sleep...

Anyone know some sleeping tea?

New Hobby: Learning Spanish Language.... :)

2009-06-04T20:59:00.010+08:00

♥Last week, I asked for some new hobby suggestions and all answered me that reading would be a great hobby! But I have been reading a lot already so I thought of something else... something new! I was thinking that if I'm going to take up a new hobby, it must have something to do with learning like new sports, new musical instrument, new language, etc! And thanks to remember moments for the perfect suggestion.

To be able to speak lots of language is something I've always wanted to do. It stems from an uncommon spanish conversation of my mom and my sister. Listening to them talking fluently in a language that I can't understand made me want to learn a new language too! Yes! I already have a new hobby.... and its learning the Spanish language. I was cruising around blogosphere when I read remember moments' blog post te amo tuesday AKA Spanish Lesson. It was fantastic! It was like having a Spanish tutor at home. Big THANKS again remember moments.... I like the Spanish swear words... I actually don't curse or use any of the thousand swear words that our dialect has, but I can use these Spanish swear words instead. Anyways, no one can understand them here... (I hope so!)

♥We're having dreadful weather these days, not to mention troubling! This morning, the weather was really hot! I couldn't even turn my room's airconditioner off because if I did that, I'd surely look like a newly hatched chick, soaked with sweat! I thought it would be like this the whole day... But this afternoon, it suddenly rained like crazy and wind was blowing at great speed. It didn't last long though... After 30 minutes, it got sunny again! I hate this weather. It's just very unhealthy, not to mention this weather pattern triggers health problems.. Puuhhhliz! We don't need another health problem...

♥Tomorrow is World Environment Day! So, what are you going to do to celebrate it?

I'm In Need of A New Hobby....

2009-06-01T18:35:00.009+08:00

The photo says it all...

Thing is, ever since I was confined, I have been pretty bored with my life and I have never done anything to make it better except watching TV all day while surfing the net.... Now, I feel the itch that I gotta do something new, something productive!

Any suggestions?

Because of YOU, iCANCERvive this!

2009-05-26T22:36:00.006+08:00

Yehey! I finally had my blogger account opened... My internet lag a lot recently and I have no idea why. Maybe it's a sign for me to get a better internet provider, upgrade internet/ get a modem with more power or....

get a new computer!

Anyhoo, I'm back.... now HAPPY! I just read the comments of my previous post... and they definitely made my day!

To Kym, LoneWolf, jpvill, another blogger: I do THANK YOU with all my heart for your thoughtful comments, encouragement, and help! You really opened my eyes which left me reading what you wrote over and over again... Thank you also for your prayers... Your prayers have truly sustained me. To LoneWolf and jpvill, I am really really touched by what you wrote that you guys won't forgive me if I let cancer beat me! It really made me think long and hard... Don't worry guys... For you, my family, friends and those significant people whom I love and love me so much, I won't let cancer live my life! And I won't let cancer put an end to my life... Because of you, I know iCANCERvive this! and THANK YOU!

I have Cancer and It's all my FAULT! :(

2009-05-19T17:23:00.006+08:00

Mom scolded me... Just had my nth blood test, and the results were not really really good. My RBC, WBC and HgB were all below the normal range... It made my mom so upset... She scolded me because she thought I wasn't taking my vitamins and meds regularly and that I wasn't eating well... And she also blamed me for all the mess that has happened to the family business... She also told me that my being picky about food was the reason why my RBC, WBC and HgB aren't normal! Granulokine and recormon shots are very very expensive and if my RBC, WBC and Hgb keep on dropping, I may need lots of granulokine and recormon; hence, we need lots of money to boost my RBC, WBC and Hgb.... and we don't have the money.....

I feel so depressed for almost a week now... I don't want to feel sad, but I can't help it! My parents blame me for all their financial obligations... I txtd my dad and sister telling them that I don't want to complete my treatment. I want to end it now! After all, this is all I really want to do... I never liked the therapy...

I'm sorry guys for telling you all this stuff... I'm just sad over the fact that I am worthless and I'm a burden to my family... I didn't want this... I never asked for this... But how come I feel like it's all my fault?!

Dude, where's my muse?!

2009-05-14T17:52:00.009+08:00

Unfortunately, life has become horrendously dull so I haven't posted anything as of late! I'm still under solitary confinement here in my sister's house and I can't find anything exceptional to blog about! I lost my muse again-- same thing happened to me the last time I stayed here-- and I awfully can't find another.... I've missed lots of Raven's Wordzzle Challenges as well as several Looking at the Sky on Friday and Shadow Shot Sunday. What is it about this house that makes my muse leave?!

Update on my health condition: I had my 11th chemo session last friday (May 8) -- hopefully my second to the last session! My doctor didn't mention anything about the extension of my treatment and my record in the onco unit still says that I'm through after May sessions, but my doctor did mention it, months ago though... So, I still don't know when I can finally say "I SURVIVED!" Had three shots of granulokine for my WBC! I do hope these are enough to increase my WBC count....

Ow! I'd like to take this opportunity to thank these two very cute stuffed animals, my new companions in my solitary life!

Ducky, who's always on the shelf watching over me while I sleep...

and...

Patch! I just can't sleep without him beside me...

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-09T21:34:00.006+08:00

I'm not really feeling well today for one significant reason... It's mother's day but I didn't get to spend this day with my mom!

I' m still trapped here at my sister's house for 2 days now... And I am not allowed to go out even for a single minute... (talking bout real reverse isolation!) There's an epidemic going around the house and I need to stay away from anyone who are currently staying in there. I don't want to catch any infection anymore! Not again, not now, and not ever!

So, I'm here lurking inside the house whole day with my sister, nieces, and bro-in-law, while my other sisters, with kids and in-laws are having a big-time party for my mom!

Need to rest now! For every mother out there, I wish you a Happy Mother's Day! I salute you...

My first blog award ever!!!

2009-05-05T19:23:00.005+08:00

The logo may look obsolete but hey!!!! It has been passed on to one person to another and I am so glad that I was chosen.... This is my first blogging award and a big thank you to Mygoodriddance. I'm deeply, deeply honored to have been considered for this award. I really appreciate it!

The rules are you have to list your 7 favorite things (I wonder what my fave things are?!) and you have to pass this award to other 7 beautiful people.

Now, my 7 favorite things are:

1. Internet. I can't live without it. I surf the net almost every hour. It has been my stress releaser since college years!

2. Carbonara. Yummy!

3. My family... So blessed to have a one-big-perfect family!

4. Blog - my new addiction!

5. Music (any style/genre) - food of love and food for the soul!!!

6. Christmas - tasty foods (yumyum!) and gifts!!!!!!

7. Taking pictures of myself, people I love, and places that appeal to me...

As for the fun part, I now give this award to these 7 beautiful bloggers: (drum roll)

1. Shokoofeh - A New Simple Something!

2. Kle - Accidentally, kle

3. Someday I'll get there

4. Crazy Working Mom

5. Hey Harriet

6. Kim - my side of the story

7. Supergirl - If you can, COLOR ME HAPPY!

I love your blogs and by all odds, you should have this! You guys deserve it!

My 4-day Confinement in the Hospital

2009-05-04T16:53:00.007+08:00

Caution: This entry contains dreadful photos. So, if you are squeamish sort or if you have an abnormal and persistent fear of sharp or pointed objects (aichmophobia) and pain (Agliophobia) then please do not read any further!

As I have already mentioned in my previous post Home Is No Home To Me Without Mah Folks, my back was aching like crazy and that I was afraid this might be a symptom of an infection. I was right!

I was confined in the hospital for 4 days due to a severe infection. It started with a fever. When my body temperature reached 40.0C, my sister rushed me to the hospital. I was already shaking hard and greatly weak! I don't really know the exact term of the infection... but my brother-in-law, who happens to be a doctor, told me that it had something to do with my digestive system... Maybe I had eaten something dirty or food that wasn't cooked well. And that my immune system wasn't working anymore because my white blood cell (WBC) count had gone down to 300 (normal is 4,500-10,000). I was given shots of granulokine for my WBC and antibiotic, Tazocin... It's an oil-based antibiotic so it was really really painful when it was being injected into my veins. Whew! I needed to massage my hand to ease the pain. But it wouldn't be that painful if my portacath was used. But we can't use my portacath in any of the hospitals here in the city because they don't have it here and that I'm afraid they don't know how to use it. Only my onco nurses in Cebu are allowed to touch it and no one else... So, I had IV instead... and guess what?! because infusion of Tazocin was like a hell of a lot of pain, my veins were irritated and were swelling.. My brother said it was Phlebitis... So they needed to transfer the IV to my other hand...

Last shots of Tazocin:

IV had to be transferred to my right hand because my left arm had phlebitis.

Aloran Escapade

2009-05-04T09:20:00.012+08:00

Photo taken by me!!! At Tita jing's house...

Hi world! And hello to blogosphere! I'm back and thank God I'm still alive! Yeah....

Anyways, so many things happened last last week but I wasn't able to blog about it because I wasn't really feeling well. Aside from my back was really aching like crazy, I caught infection from I-don't-know-exactly-where-and-who which eventually led me to a 4-day confinement in the hospital under reverse isolation (AGAIN!!!!).

But I will tell you about this later...

First things first!

Last, last Sunday (April 26) was when my sister celebrated her birthday. Whole family went to her new place, which was 45 minutes to 1 hour drive from Ozamiz. When we were there, we ate, we watched tv, we chitchatted, and we played while the grown-ups stayed at the dining table to chat.

What really amazed me was the foot massage walk at the back of Ate's house. It was really a very nice idea to have it built in her house coz she's a leg and foot massage freak! I tell yah! I tried walking on it hoping that my back pain will disappear (I shoud've had back massage instead!). But it didn't... After the massage, we jaunt around Aloran with Tita Jing and her husband (they're so nice!). I wish I had a picture taken with them.

The place was really nice! Very suburban. But we didn't stop there! We also jaunt around the rural area of Aloran and eventually stayed at Tita Jing's house for few hours. The place really wowed me! We drove through a very steep curvy embarkment which was really scary-a real risk for us! One mistake of the driver---bang!---and we should be dead by now! (But thank God Tito is an experienced driver!)... whew! But it's worth it! Nevermind the jeopardy.... What matters most was that it was super dooper fun and that I get to breath in very very fresh air which was, I think, impossible here in my abode (considering that our corn milling and house are side by side. If you could only imagine the dust and all!). And ow! I almost forgot it! We also passed over a submarine bridge. You know why it is called submarine?! Because it is a submerged bridge. So.... During rainy days, small trucks or motorcycles would really really have a hard time passing through it due to the overflowing river!

When we were at Tita Jing's house, I couldn't believe that it was really their house... their residential house... It's more like a resthouse.... And it's beautiful! The house overlooking the forest and river is really an awe-inspiring sight! WOW!!! We took lots of photos.. Of course! The girls (my 2 sisters and Tita Jing) were chatting upstairs while the boys (my brother budoi, and the Regalado boys) were playing billiards downstairs. As we KIDS (yup kids! hehe.. I still belong to the kids level because of my petite stature!), rove around the place to photoshoot! (family of VAIN people)...

And so here are our photos:

The Regalado and Gelcas Family...

The Foot Massage Walk! (I thought it wasn't painful but hell!!! It was painful!)

Kids just wanna have fun!

Siblings!!!

The Forest...

Tita Jing's House...

At the terrace

Smoke in the Forest...

Me! Me! Me!

Way to the river?!

At the hanging bridge... So freakin' scared... The bridge was really waggling when this photo was taken....

With my niece Laiza...

Dyosa* sa Tabing-ilog!!!

Sisters...

Sky... Love the silhouette of the tree leaves, branches... Whatever!

*Goddess...

Biko for Merienda...

2009-04-29T16:48:00.007+08:00

I so love it when my sister's here... She's here because someone needs to take charge of the family's business while my folks are miles miles away and I don't think my brother and I have what it takes to be businessmen-for-4-days. Gosh! Managing the entire business is a lot of hardwork! And I don't think we have that. It is such a joy to have my sister back here because aside from the fact that I do miss her so much, she also has mountains of recipes to cook not just for meals but also for merienda*.

As for today's merienda, she cooked BIKO, a sticky rice cake topped with latik (coconut milk curd). Yummy! I haven't eaten biko for, I think, years already! And it's just so good to fill my stomach with what I've been craving for months now.

Thanks to you, ATE!!!! For making me busog** today!

For the recipe, just click anywhere on the image... ^_^

*Spanish word that refers to a light meal usually taken in between lunch and dinner.

** (Tagalog word) Filled with satisfaction with food or drink.

Home is no home to me without mah folks!

2009-04-28T11:16:00.004+08:00

I miss them so much! That's exactly what I'm feeling right now...

Mom and dad went to Manila yesterday to attend sister's oath-taking ceremony. Yes! You heard it right... They left yesterday... but it feels like it's years already! It's so different when they're not at home: no mom who'll persistently knock on our rooms' door 'til we're awake and eat breakfast, no dad who'll call us whenever meals are served, no mom who'll scold us whenever we don't like the food, no dad who'll throw comical tag lines during mealtimes...

Last night, I cried a bit when I saw the fresh milk boxes inside our fridge. My dad really loaded it with lots of fresh milk before they left just to make sure that I'll be drinking milk everyday and that it won't scarce for the range of time they're not here! And so I ate my cereals before I slept... and I had decided to drink milk everyday regardless of my being lactose intolerant.

Also, my back has been aching for days now... I'm hoping that this is just another side effect of chemotherapy and not a symptom of another infection... because the last time I had a severe muscle pain was when I was diagnosed with Yeast Infection. I definitely need someone to take care of me... In other words, I badly need my mom! She's the only one who knew what to do whenever I'm in such predicament!

I really miss them and I need them NOW!!!

After Therapy...

2009-04-23T17:22:00.005+08:00

Ow! Just got back from my chemotherapy ... And I sooooooo thank God that I didn't feel like I was going to barf everything inside my stomach, every second of mah day.... Though there were times that I needed to chuck but not as frequent as I used to...

There's not much to tell I guess... I just feel good ... This is my second time not to feel dizzy or weak after a chemotherapy... The first one was last last week's...

By the way, the nurses in onco unit told me that yesterday was my third to the last session. I am not so sure about this coz as far as I know, my doctor told me that there's going to be two months extension. Well, I think my doctor forgot to give them instructions or updates about my treatment...

So, 3 months more and I'm through with this... Wee!!! I know iCANCERvive this. And thanks to my family and friends... I wouldn't be here blogging if not because of your prayers...

I just miss my hair so much...

Shadow Shot Sunday 3

2009-04-19T21:52:00.004+08:00

It's sunday and it's time for shadow shots!!!

For more info, just click the badge... And if you want to join the fun, don't forget to visit Harriet's site. Thank You!

Marvilla Beach, Opol, Mis. Oriental, Phil

Wordzzle Challenge...

2009-04-18T18:51:00.009+08:00

FUN! FUN! FUN! For more info, please click the badge... And visit Raven's Nest to see other participant's wordzzles...

Thanks Raven for this amazing challenge..... ^_^

These are my wordzzle offerings for this week...

10-WORD CHALLENGE
Childhood bestfriends bumped into each other, after years of lost contact, in Bureau of Internal Revenue Building after filing their income taxes. They chitchatted until they realized that their stomach were already grumbling because it was past lunch time already. They ate lunch together in Dutch Treat Restaurant beside Tigers Hall where there was an Art Festival going on. They chose the table under the flowering plumtree, the only shady side, outside the restaurant. When the waiter neared them, they ordered their favorite chicken noodle soup. Since these two friends haven't heard from each other for 12 years then, they talked about lots of things, mostly were about their childhood years... They talked about playing jump rope before like bats in the belfry, acting grown-ups by wearing their mom's fancy diamond earrings and reading Prefix Fashion Magazines. Reminiscing those years made them laugh so loud with no consideration to the people near them. True friends are indeed together forever. They maybe apart in distance but never in heart....

MINI CHALLENGE
Mr. Manzano, the author of the very popular children book today entitled THE COW JUMPED OVER THE MOON, received a wench-shaped trophy from Philippine Book Club, in Boombastic Book Club Award held last week at Organic Tea Gardens, for being a true paragon of virtue.

A CAT serial killer...

2009-04-18T13:07:00.005+08:00

The entry

4th Epic Fail: An Accidental Crime. First day sa supercon. Lunch time came. On our way out of old NIP I saw the cat I almost killed last Tuesday. Now everyone knows I hate cats. It's an unexplainable feeling towards them. Like some internal hatred. Hindi ko talaga alam kung bakit pero anumang pagpipigil sa sarili ay hindi sapat upang mapangibabawan ang panggigil ko sa mga pusa. I pulled it on its tail and threw it. Then like some pro wrestler I jumped on it and my feet landed on it's torso. Slam! Felt good! But the cat didn't die, well not yet. It ran for it's life and just as I was about to catch up on it somebody yelled: "Pwede bang pabayaan mo yung pusa?!". It was instant and involuntary. I stopped on my tracks. Nobody ever stopped me when assaulting cats. Well I guess there's always a first time for everything. The cat got away. Or at least that's what i thought. So we went to lunch Mel, Jayson, Tracy and me. After lunch, balik na sa kung anumang naiwang gawain. Then Tracy and Mel told me " Hui Jc napatay mo yung pusa". Hours later, habang abala sa XRD, a guy came in. Tanong niya: "Sinong pumatay dun sa pusa?" Bang! Dat was me boi. Guilty as charged.

I didn't see it die pero sabi ni Myles it coughed up blood or at least something like that daw. Didn't realize I gave it a fatal hit. This isn't the first time I've killed a cat but this time it's different. It didn't occur to me back then that the cat had a leash. So I think somebody owns it. Well it's very well loved in NIP from what I heard and I just ended it's life. So there you go I'm sorry. And I wont be striking another one for maybe about a month. It feels good when your beating it(a cat) up but you suddenly feel something strange when it turns off permanently. That's how I feel right now. And maybe for the next days. Dang, am I a cat serial killer?

A friend of mine shared this blog ... and it really disturbed me.... For the whole day, all I think about is this! I personally hate not only cats but I think all animals but never in a million years I attempted killing them.... And it is such a known fact that serial killers start it by killing small animals first! Ow my....

And to think he's studying in a top university and he gets premium education, he shouldn't be doing such imbecilic moves.... Uncivilized...

Seriously?! He really needs help... from an expert in mental health maybe or a counseling....

Looking at the Sky on Friday 3

2009-04-17T11:05:00.006+08:00

To join the fun, please click the badge....

Photos taken in Alexandra's Resort, Clarin, Lupagan

I see the Moon......

The Moon sees me...

God bless the Moon...

And God bless me...

-A Nursery Rhyme

Late Easter Post

2009-04-14T16:26:00.000+08:00

I missed this so much! Haven't posted here in a while because I am not entirely lucid these days.. I was thinking that maybe the therapy last week had killed some of my brain cells and was responsible for my being lost for words. Or maybe, staying at my sister's house made my muse vamoosed. I don't know what to say! Everytime I start creating a new post, words bit by bit evaporate.

Anyways, I am here now, sitting with my laptop on my lap, trying so hard to find something to babble about. I'm still here in my sister's house for, I think, five days now. I'm starting to miss home so much! And I feel my parents missed me also. They actually came here to visit and gave me food! But at the same time, I like it here because aside from a fridge full-loaded with lots of food, I also get to play with my pretty niece, Elle Shea...

Here are our photos larking inside our room while waiting for sleep to befall us...

----------oOo----------

Last easter sunday, we had a thanksgiving party for my sister who just passed the Philippine Bar Exam and my brother who just graduated Cum Laude in MSU-IIT. There were so many visitors and..... gatecrashers but it was fantastic! It was more than just a party! It was like a fiesta! Close and distant relatives from both sides of my mom and dad were there and few from the side of my mom's first husband. There was miscellanea of foods and drinks like roasted whole pork and beef... but I didn't get to eat well because I'm on a vegetable diet and there was no vegetable dish prepared.... Not even chopsuey...

Here are random photos taken during the party...

with Elle Shea again...

with my sister Shiela.. (opppsss!!! She had a baby girl this morning via C-section.)

One of the five cakes...

with my nieces and nephew, sister Nellie and bro-in-law, Vice Mayor Cho

with nieces, nephew and Emmylita (Elle Shea's Nanny)

with sisters and niece Laiza...

with my siblings...

with mom, siblings and partners...

pool...

with my dad...

Shadow Shot Sunday 2

2009-04-12T12:05:00.000+08:00

Hukad sa Golden Cowrie, Ayala, Cebu.

For more info, pls click the badge...

Looking at the Sky on Friday 2

2009-04-11T14:34:00.001+08:00

Bukagan Hill of Ozamiz City

To join pls click the badge....

I am Ninoy -The Filipino Youth...

2009-04-09T11:47:00.000+08:00

For today's meme express, I'd like to share this video, I AM NINOY - a campaign calling all the Filipino Youth from all walks of life to a vocation of personal heroism...

There is a NINOY in all of us! BRING OUT THE NINOY IN YOU!!!!

Guess what I have been missing?

2009-04-08T21:51:00.000+08:00

Pick-a-prompt #24 in Meme Express... And I picked School, because there are lots of things in school that I do miss alot!

I miss Agriculture Student Council's office...
I miss Microbiology Laboratory...
I miss Proximate Analysis Laboratory...
I miss Food technology Center...
I miss studying, but most of the time, daydreaming in XU library Annex...
I miss doing overdue lab reports...
I miss cramming few hours before exams...
I miss studying in coffee shops, Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds...
I miss Dormitorio de Sta. Philippina...
I miss general assemblies...
I miss Xavier Days...
I miss dancing, cheerdancing...
I miss Sir Dean...
I miss my dormmates...
I miss going to LimKetkai Mall, and drinking sessions with friends even during major exams...
I miss Sugar n' Spice, where I ate Brunch (Breakfast and Lunch) almost everyday...
I miss my College of Agriculture's Professors...
I miss going to SM Mall even after having classes at Manresa Farm...
I miss Manresa Farm...
I miss feeding the animals in Manresa Farm...
I miss wash days... (Wednesdays)
I miss my Friends...
I miss going home late...
I miss sleepover at Shela's house...
I miss freshmen days...
I miss Manresa days...
I miss Rodeo sa Ateneo...
I miss reports...
I miss the pressure...
I miss sleepless nights...

*sigh*

I miss everything in School... :'c

2 Days of Absence

2009-04-08T14:36:00.000+08:00

I wasn't able to write something, post entries for my memes or even visit my blog because I was out for my medication. I was in Cebu for 2 days and wow! It seems like a week already! So many blogs that I haven't read and I feel the need to read them all today because I don't want to miss a single post from the bloggers I follow... (so many nice blogs!)....

Anyway, back to my Cebu days, a friend of mine named Aprill, my former co-worker in Problends, was also in Cebu for their church's youth convention. Since we're in the same place already, we didn't let this opportunity to meet pass by. And so, after few hours of waiting, we finally met at Westpoint Inn, where we (my mom and my younger bro) stayed for a night. Here's a photo of us:

From left to right: Budoi (my brother), Rocky (new friend), Aprille, Me, Mom, and Kuya Karl. Aprill told me so many things, new things in Problends. And it made me miss everyone in Problends so much! Grrrr...

And we went to Ayala and had dinner at Hukad sa Golden Cowrie! The foods in Hukad were really delicious. It felt like I was still at home eating dinner because the foods in Golden Cowrie/ Hukad were all Filipino dishes and home-cooked! I didn't miss home that much because of Golden Cowrie but what I really really missed is this: Blogging!

And here's a photo of Ayala at night:

Lovely, isn't it?

Shadow Shot Sunday 1

2009-04-05T16:58:00.000+08:00

While browsing through the blogospshere, I stumbled upon someone's blog who happen to be a member of shadow shot sunday! Her shots were really stunning and pleasing to the eyes and heart. Because of that I instantly fell in love with shadow shots! Now that I have a new camera, although it's not the very expensive DSLR, I want to have a go to photography!

For more info, please click the badge.

at the balcony.... and guess what? I forgot to wipe the bench... Look! It's so dusty! Ew!

Grace in Small Things 4:365

2009-04-05T11:46:00.000+08:00

1. My brother is finally here after months of not coming home.

2. SHOCKING news! For the first time, my CBC results were not as bad as it used to be. Yahoo!!!! See what eggs can do?! LOL. I'm just happy.... because my CBC count is rising to the normal range...

3. After hours of arguing with sisters and mom as to where the thanksgiving party should be held, we finally agreed on one thing! And that is to move the date of the party earlier than the original plan. From easter sunday to black saturday!

4. I finally participated in Raven's Wordzzle challenge!

5. I am so glad that I have a Plurk account. It's a good way to communicate with friends and bug them persistently. LOL!

Raven's Wordzzle Challenge Entry 1

2009-04-04T23:05:00.000+08:00

Yes! I am now officially participating in Wordzzle challenge. But I'm so sad that I wasn't able to finish my Wordzzle mini challenge and mega challenge entries. I'm having trouble organizing my ideas lately. The thought of leaving for Cebu tomorrow really makes me brainsick!

If you want to join the fun, click here!

This is my first entry for Raven's Wordzzle Challenge, so I am sorry if this isn't as good as what the others came up with. I'm honestly not good at this! ^_^

Anyways...

The words for this week's ten word challenge were: apoplexy, doctor, hummingbird, shallow end of the pool, brigadier general, mustard, greed, parallelogram, slumber party, casual

Here it is:

Brigadier General Smith wasn't already in his casual attire when he woke up at a very familiar place after days of nescience. It took him few minutes to interiorize what happened and why he was at a Hospital's private room. All he could remember was that he was at the pool area, eating his favorite dish, poached fish with mustard sauce while his daughter was having a slumber party inside the house. To end his puzzlement, he called the approaching nurse and told her to call his doctor.
Doctor O'conell came in with a huge grin in his gorgeous face.

O'conell: Hi! How are you feeling today? (Browsing through some pages at the chart he brought in)
Smith: Nonplussed?
O'conell: I understand! Now, listen. I'm going to be honest and straightforward. You were found unconscious near the shallow end of the pool.
Smith: (dumbstruck) What? How did that happen?
O'conell: You had apoplexy.
Smith: A-a-a-p... What doc?
O'conell: A-po-ple-xy. Commonly known as stroke. But yours is only mild. You were physically awake at times and gibbering.
Smith: About what?
O'conell: Well, according to the nurse, you were talking incessantly about a giant hummingbird coming in through your door and attacking you. You were also frantically pontificating about philantrophy as a form of greed.... and... (making a soft laughing sound) you and the nurse were also arguing sometimes about you not taking your medicines because you thought they weren't medicines but some kind of parallelogram-shaped cotton velum.
Smith: I really said all these stuff? How come I can't remember anything?
Doctor: It's ok. You had a mild stroke. Some of your right and left brain tissues were affected which resulted to vision problems, behavioral change and memory loss. But don't worry, you're ok now.
Smith: Wow! It seems so hard to believe it.
Doctor: Yeah, so you better rest now. Just call the nurse if you need anything or even feel something different ok?
Smith nodded.

Grace in Small Things 3:365

2009-04-04T10:08:00.000+08:00

1. The Philippine Bar Exam 2008 results were released and I'm extremely happy because out of 6364 bar takers, my sister is one of the 1310 who passed the EXAM! wow!

2. My sister passed the bar exam!

3. My sister passed the bar exam!

4. My sister passed the bar exam!

5. My sister passed the bar exam!

Looking at the Sky on Friday

2009-04-03T13:36:00.000+08:00

I have joined Looking at the Sky on Friday meme at Crazy Working Mom. It's really fun. All you need to do is to have a photo that features the sky and post it in your blog every Friday. For more info, just click the image above.

I chose the photos which my friends and I took last last year! This was actually one of our cheerdance practices and one of my last days in cheerdancing!

Geez, I hate this feeling. Looking at these photos makes me feel nostalgic! And I don't like it...

I miss my friends and I miss cheerdancing so much! :'(

If you're interested in joining this awesome and fun meme, just click the badge at the top of this post and join us!!!!

Have a Happy FRIDAY!!!!

Worries...

2009-04-02T21:15:00.000+08:00

I just joined a meme from Meme Express. And it's funny that, for my first day or entry, today's topic is about worry because right now, there are lots of things I am worried about.

First off, I am worried about my daily routine. It's not healthy anymore! Ever since my isolation days started, I've been spending too much of my day on the internet-facebook, blogging, reading through blogs, sometimes playing online games and the like! There was a time when I finally thought about getting a life outside the internet. But what?! I am under reverse isolation. I am stuck here in my room, I can't go to public places. I can't even go out! I was thinking about reading all the books here in my room, but I suddenly realized that I have read these books already-cover to cover. I can't find anything else to do. And so I resort to the internet, where I can read new articles and updates.

Second, I am worried about how long I can cling to life. I know that the type of illness I have is curable. But I am not so sure if I can endure the treatment process and its side effects. It's hard! Really hard. It takes a lot of courage to complete the whole treatment. And I don't know if I have it! We don't know what will happen in the near future. And that's another thing I am worried about...

And lastly, if God permits it, I don't know what to do with my life after my treatment. I actually have four choices; find a job, proceed to a masteral degree, study in med school, and stay here in my happy place and help mom and dad in their business. But this doesn't bother me much! My treatment will end four months from now; meaning I still have four months to think about it!

So, these are my worries, for now.

------------------------------------------------------------

Worries... Worrying is really a common problem to people. Some people would say that you're not even human if you don't worry. But people should also know when it is healthy and when it is not! Worrying can be productive if you do something about it, work on it! It's like having an action plan which basically helps you solve your problems. But if you dwell on your problems too much without doing something helpful or spending your day on your couch, doing nothing but worry incessantly then its not healthy anymore!

The point?! Living healthy is not really living a worry-free life! No matter how we avoid problems, we always meet it along the way. Living healthy is about doing something. Its actually ACTION that eliminates worry.

So.... worriers?! Let's stop worrying now and and start living! If you have lemon, make lemonade.... which actually means that if you have problems, turn them into opportunities! GO! and have a Happy Life!!!!!

Grace in Small Things 2:365

2009-04-02T20:10:00.000+08:00

1. I have joined some memes just to keep me busy everyday.

2. I got my camera back! My brother borrowed it for his graduation.... Here he is....

3. My brother graduated with flying colors(hehe)... Cum laude... ^_^

4. Someone from PLDT came here to fix our internet connection.

5. I found nice blogs to follow...

Grace in Small Thing 1:365

2009-04-02T13:06:00.000+08:00

I wasn't able to post this yesterday due to an interrupted internet connection. (Gosh! The thunderstorm undoubtedly did this.) And I don't want to go back to not posting again!! Yesterday was my first day as a GiST member so I feel obligated to write about it.

Five awfully simple things I am grateful for:

1. At midnight, thunderstorm hit the city. It was actually unexpected. All of a sudden, there was a heavy rain along with thunders and lightnings. I was really scared to death yet I was still thankful because, it only lasted for few hours and none of us was hurt!

2. When I woke up, there was no internet connection. So instead of being pissed off, I turned the TV on and tuned in to ETC! I was happy because I was able to watch the last episode of the Bachelor! (I knew that Andy would choose Tessa!)

3. I convinced my sister to call whoever was responsible for the impairment of our telephone line and internet connection. After hours of holding myself back from being barbarous (nyahahaha! because i honestly can't live without internet connection!), the people from PLDT (Philippine Long Distance Telephone) was able to fix it. (Thank God!)

4. I now have a plurk account!

5. Recormon was properly administered. No pain, no bruise/hematoma!

Life after Death questions...

2009-03-31T14:46:00.000+08:00

Photo: random shots (not really a good photographer). Salun tabu, Opol, Misamis Oriental.
The film Passengers, which starred by Anne Hathaway and Patrick Wilson, really made me question if there is really life after death. I do believe in God and definitely, I do believe in heaven. But I don't know if there is really life after death. All I know is that one day, God will come again, which we, Catholics, call God's second coming, for the judgment day. It's actually one of the thousands of Filipino Catholic beliefs that when we die, we only have 40 days to wander here on Earth. And the last day will be our "judgment day". But I don't believe in this because the bible never mentioned about several judgment daysssss. There will only be one Day of the Lord, which is the Last judgment, wherein even dead people will be raised to be judged.

So... if dead people will live again for their judgment, what will happen to us after death and before judgment? In case a person died last year, 2008, and the Last judgment will happen.... hmmmmm.... (lemme think!) 2059 ( I just want to clarify that I am not prophesying! I am not saying that 2059 is really the judgment day. I am just using these digits for my example.)--- what will happen to him between 2008 and 2059? I believe that we humans have spirits. As what the bible tells us, when we die, only our bodies are dead but our spirits are alive. I know what will happen to our bodies by then. Our bodies will turn into ashes. But my question is, what will happen to our spirits if the Last Judgment will happen, if not today or tomorrow (coz I relly don't know when), years, years from now?!

So, there must be Life after Death!

But if it really exists, what will it be like? Will there be an earth also? Will there be jobs for us? Are we going to live as if we're alive?! *Gosh! I think I am asking idiotic, crazy questions here.... But seriously, I wanna know where we will go after we die.

Wordzzle from ravensviews.blogspot.com

2009-03-18T14:25:00.000+08:00

While looking for some entries to read in my blogs of note (dashboard), I am so glad that I randomly stumbled upon this blog. Aside from her stunning posts, she has this game Wordzzle that doesn't only enhance your vocabulary but also help you exercise your writing muscles! I love it. Not to mention, it can advance your creativity to produce a very well-read coherent paragraph using the words that Raven (the generator) made up.

Reading some of her paragraphs, I am really impressed by her creativeness to think that most of them were done on the spot! I mean, for someone who is so frustrated to be a writer would really, really want to write something like hers. Also, she has this huge lexicon of "out-of-this-world" terms! It is really one good way of enhancing my vocabulary. Perhaps I could give it a try while I am still under isolation. But I can possibly start next week, after my therapy.

Weirdest Dream, So far...

2009-03-14T22:21:00.000+08:00

I've been dreaming weird things these days. Eversince these dreams started calling in everytime I sleep, I painstakingly analyze what these dreams all about. I know... People think that believing in dreams have meaning is so infantile, for some its idiotic, but i strongly believe that our dreams are the power of our subconscious minds. They are what our subconscious minds trying to tell us for days, for weeks and for years maybe yet end up being neglected. I know its crazy but I wanna know what are these all about. I wanna know what's happening inside the other part of my mind, where I have no conscious awareness of.

I really don't know when exactly it started. My dreams have different settings, different stories but one thing for sure, they have one similarity. All of them contain water in the form of sea, ocean, or beach. I remember dreaming my self riding a boat, passing through an "ocean cyclone". Another was that I was on a boat that accidentally overturn for unknown reasons. And in another dream, I remember I was in a beach full of snakes, deadly snakes! And I had to pass through it since the bus that I was riding that time was on the other side of the beach. What I did was that I was hopping from one cottage to another. Not only once but many times I slipped but I hurriedly swam to the cottages. Well, I really can't remember the details of these dreams since I've had dreamt of them maybe days ago. But what I can remember totally is my dream last night.

My dream started in a place which I actually don't know where, since, as far as I can remember, I haven't been there physically. I was with my mom. We were bringing luggages but honestly, I really did not know where we were going. We were waiting for a bus but unfortunately not even a single shadow of a bus showed up. So my mom decided to walk a few miles. And so we walked bringing those huge luggages though I really didn't like the idea of walking. We were entering a dark area. It wasn't really a tunnel but it looks like one. There were flowers and tress on the side. I was so scared because, aside from the fact that it was so dark, there were two men walking behind us. I felt nervous though they never did anything threatening. And finally, we reached the end of the tunnel unharmed. As what I have said, it wasn't really a tunnel but there was light again! While walking, there was a bus passing. My mom and her friend (though i really didn't know why she was there) ran, followed the bus, stopping it! I followed them but I was so slow and I couldn't catch up with them. And so they succesfully stopped the bus. They entered the bus without even noticing that I was still running towards them. I stopped running when I finally realized that they left me. Another bus was coming and so I decided to take a ride. When I was in the bus, I didn't know where to go. Honest! I felt so stupid, dumbfounded, I couldn't even know where to go. Not even a single place entered my mind! I stopped the bus and and went outside thinking where to go. My sister, with her husband, found me. I wanna go with them to wherever they were going but my sister wouldn't allow me. They then left me and then, I walked.

I don't know how but I then found myself in a beach with family and friends. I don't know if they were really my family and friends, I don't know if I know them. I had not seen their faces. All I know was that I was with them. We were looking for someone who could drive a boat to home, finally! And a man volunteered. We were on our way to the beach. It was an abandoned beach. The walls were ruined, there were no people. While walking, I accidentally stepped on (guess what!) a shit! Lucky huh?! Yup! And so we were in a boat that didn't look like a boat. I didn't know what it was! It didn't even look like a canoe. It was no boat to me. But it was a boat in my dream.

Anyway, we were finally on the boat. I didn't know why but all of them were on the other side of the boat and I was the only one in the other side. Even if that side was obviously much much heavier, the boat was slowly sinking in my side. Hmmmm?!!!!! As the boat slowly sank, I knew that the boat would overturn and then would go back to its original position. (I DON'T KNOW WHY!) I didn't want to be left and drowned, I held the boat so tight but my hand slipped because I was so heavy. Again, I didn't know how it happened, the whole top half of my body submerged in the water yet I could still breath. Wow....

---THE END---

That was my dream. I know, its really complicated. Dreams are really complicated in nature! Mine are like this that's why i was thinking that this could mean something. I just don't know what it is! Right now, I'm still researching. If I find progress in my research, I'll let you know....

Xiao!

In Full Bloom

I'm 24!!!!

Doing What I Want VS Doing What I Love

I am HAPPY.... :)

:)

The Little Things I am Thankful For

My Inspiration

Shadow Shot Sunday #1

Colourful Friday Entry #1 (Sunset)

new header!!!

....to my loverboy

Mistakes Happen

random babbling....

Wanted: BOYFRIEND?????

Life is beautiful....

I need Major Major money... ^_^

rough week!

Productivity Day 1

Let's CELEBRATE!!!!

22 more days to go before...

3 days until PAPA and ATE GING2's BDAY5 days until ATE NDAY's BDAY11 days until MAMA and SHEA's BDAY40 days until JACOB's BDAY45 days until CHRISTMAS50 days until ATE MIE2's WEDDING54 days until NEW YEAR60 days until MAH BIRTHDAY!!!! *fireworks*68 days until ATE CHE2's BDAY!!!

Congratz Melissa!!!!

Cancer is Life and Life is Great. Therefore, Cancer = Great

I admire...

...updates...

What is it with Filipinos and Korean songs lately?

So good to be back!

My Weekend Update #1

Reply to comments on my last post....

Happy Saturday!!!!

New Hobby: Learning Spanish Language.... :)

I'm In Need of A New Hobby....

Because of YOU, iCANCERvive this!

I have Cancer and It's all my FAULT! :(

Dude, where's my muse?!

Happy Mother's Day!

My first blog award ever!!!

My 4-day Confinement in the Hospital

Aloran Escapade

Biko for Merienda...

Home is no home to me without mah folks!

After Therapy...

Shadow Shot Sunday 3

Wordzzle Challenge...

A CAT serial killer...

Looking at the Sky on Friday 3

Late Easter Post

Shadow Shot Sunday 2

Looking at the Sky on Friday 2

I am Ninoy -The Filipino Youth...

Guess what I have been missing?

2 Days of Absence

Shadow Shot Sunday 1

Grace in Small Things 4:365

Raven's Wordzzle Challenge Entry 1

Grace in Small Things 3:365

Looking at the Sky on Friday

Worries...

Grace in Small Things 2:365

Grace in Small Thing 1:365

Life after Death questions...

Wordzzle from ravensviews.blogspot.com

Weirdest Dream, So far...

3 days until PAPA and ATE GING2's BDAY
5 days until ATE NDAY's BDAY
11 days until MAMA and SHEA's BDAY
40 days until JACOB's BDAY
45 days until CHRISTMAS
50 days until ATE MIE2's WEDDING
54 days until NEW YEAR
60 days until MAH BIRTHDAY!!!! fireworks
68 days until ATE CHE2's BDAY!!!