EXtrang gulong

singapore day 2

2007-11-15T23:02:00.000+08:00

singapore day 1

2007-11-11T20:56:00.000+08:00

changi airport budget terminal

hello from singapore

2007-11-03T22:52:00.000+08:00

i'm currently on leave from all my editing duties to have some time for friends and self. my first stop is singapore. just wanna share with you my unique experience in the lion city. more photos to come. patikim pa lang 'to. enjoy!

3 na si burutoy!

2007-10-25T21:48:00.001+08:00

the little boy is now 3. he's grown so fast. he's adorable.

he's makulit. he's sweet. he's brilliant. he's a little devil.

happy bday, my dear dimitri . . . mimi loves ya!

reunion

2007-10-21T13:03:00.000+08:00

it has been years since i last saw these two people. it was so nice spending an afternoon with them. meet noe and katsoot.

suka pinakurat

2007-10-12T16:55:00.000+08:00

presenting the best suka in town . . . the pride of iligan city

armel's masterpieces

2007-10-02T22:47:00.000+08:00

here are beautiful pics taken by armel. beautiful kasi beautiful ang mga models:)

an afternoon at the park

2007-10-02T22:22:00.000+08:00

welcome to the washington sycip park in makati. it's just across SEDCCO bldg where my office is. it's a nice place to relax and be with friends.

tsoko.nut batirol

2007-09-30T09:44:00.000+08:00

tsoko.nut batirol at the 2f of sm makati is our (armel, gil, and i) favorite eating spot. the fud is good and the place is quiet.

gil's bday

2007-09-30T09:32:00.000+08:00

yesterday was gil's bday. fortunately for armel and i, we were able to spend time with our friend on his bday. medyo puno kasi sched nya. buti na lang at may nagback out:) thanks to armel for the beautiful photos.

gil's bday at the renaissance hotel

2007-09-30T09:22:00.000+08:00

gil and i celebrated his bday in advance last september 22. his actual bday is september 29. we had dinner at renaissance hotel after we watched elliott yamin's show at the glorietta. happy bday, gil.

nostalgia

2007-09-28T15:55:00.000+08:00

medyo nostalgic ako these past two days. naaalala ko lang ang meeting ko with marat safin sa thailand open last year. september 27 ko siya unang nakita. tapos the following day, napanood ko naman ang doubles match niya. unfortunately, wala ako ngayon sa bangkok for the thailand open at wala din si marat.

di pa rin ako makapaniwala na exactly a year ago, di ko mawari ang sobrang kasiyahan ko nong finally makita ko siya. nagtatatalon ako sa hotel bed ko pag-uwi ko non. yong picture ko na lang with him ang makakadescribe ng aking naramdaman at that time. sana maulit yon. at sana sa grand slam na:)

reflection

2007-09-18T22:04:00.000+08:00

something i've been thinking about since last night. from grey's anatomy:

" the ones who suffer the most are those who don't know what they want."

sad to say but i'm no longer sure of what i really want. i don't wanna suffer anymore, any longer. i need to know. but how?

T2T 2007

2007-09-04T07:50:00.000+08:00

here are pictures from last saturday's tribute to teacher's (t2t) 2007 at the araneta coliseum. t2t is an annual gathering which my company holds to honor dedicated and extraordinary educators who have made a difference in their field.

i'm gonna miss thailand open 2007

2007-08-30T18:40:00.000+08:00

damn i'm gonna miss the thailand open in bangkok next month! although marat will not be there (which is a good thing kasi it lessens the pain), still i'll be passing up the opportunity to see some great players including these guys. sayang pagkakataon ko na sana. i really want to meet novak before he becomes the next roger federer.

photos taken from http://www.atptennis.com/

better save up for next year. malay mo, grand slam na pala mapapanood ko. yahoo!

a love story

2007-08-19T11:06:00.000+08:00

kahit sobrang lakas ng ulan dahil bumabagyo, tumuloy pa rin kami nina noel at jeff manood ng "a love story." excited kasi ako mapanood ang movie para matigil na rin ang paghula kung sino talaga ang querida!

mali ang hula ko at di ko nagustuhan ang movie. consolation na lang siguro na napaiyak ako sa isang scene sa movie.

bakit di ko gusto ang movie? sa tingin ko mas maaappreciate ko ang story kung linear na lang ang presentation. nakakalito ang flashback. sabi nga ni noel, maganda sana ang material, kinulang lang sa execution. imbes na manood ako para magrelax at siguro makarelate sa movie, ang nangyari tuloy nastress ako sa tagal ng revelation. nabore ako sa first 20 minutes ng movie. for me, mas maganda sana kung nag-umpisa ang movie nong nameet ni aga si maricel.

hindi ko rin nagustuhan ang treatment ng topic. siguro sa ilan, natural na ang mga illicit affairs. pero naniniwala ako na ang karamihan hindi pa rin carry ito. iilan lang ang asawang handang harapin ang querida at magtatanong ng, "tell me what your life's like?" at iilan lang din ang queridang handang magkwento ng buhay niya sa tunay na asawa.

ewan pero mataas kasi ang expectations ko sa movie dahil star cinema siya. sad lang at hindi nameet ng movie ang mga expectations ko. well, kanya-kanya naman yan. may mga friends naman ako na nagustuhan ang movie. bahala na kayo.

open letter to marat safin

2007-08-09T11:44:00.001+08:00

dear marat,

i know how frustrated you are right now. it has been a very tough climb for you. but believe me when i say that it's doubly frustrating for me (and for all your fans throughout the world) to see you go through such an ordeal. but it's part of the game, right?

no matter the hurts and the frustrations, i still believe in my heart that you can pull this through. you have the heart of a champion, and you have proven to the world that you are one great champion. you just have to believe, marat! believe in yourself. believe in your game.

it will take time, i know. but i see your determination and efforts. all these, for sure, will not be put to waste. in time, everything will just fall into place. hang on there.

april

mabuhay team pilipinas

2007-08-04T14:11:00.000+08:00

congratulations to smc-team pilipinas for a job well done in the 2007 fiba asia championship. hindi man natin nakuha ang olympic spot, napatunayan naman natin na tayo'y magaling! see you sa 2009 at sa 2012.

photo taken from: www.fiba.com

super relaxing saturday

2007-07-29T21:50:00.000+08:00

i had a super relaxing day last saturday. the outgoing 5s members, me included, were treated to a half day of water therapy at the ace water spa in qc. it was my first time there and my first time to wear a two-piece! i tried almost everything, but my favorite would have to be the hot herbal pool. i tried both the mint (36 degrees) and the jasmine (38 degrees) pools.

after ace, we had our lunch at gerry's grill in tomas morato. i was so full that i had to go to the rest room to breathe. i ordered quite a lot but ended up eating so little. the experience was fun. at least, i was able to squeeze in some relaxation time in my crazy schedule. what a breather.

on bravery

2007-07-25T07:54:00.000+08:00

a beautiful text message forwarded to me by a friend:

"superman isn't brave. you can't be brave if you are indestructible. it's everyday people like me and you who are brave, we who know that we can easily be defeated but still continue forward. that's true bravery."

aja, abril. you can do it! you're one brave girl.

pag-ibig

2007-07-17T15:25:00.000+08:00

kung tutuusin, dapat nga hindi na ako nagpapadala sa pag-ibig. sa dami ng sakit na inabot ko, dapat lang tumalikod na ako. pero hindi. kinikilig pa rin ako sa tuwing may taong nagpapatibok ng puso ko. nagmamalasakit pa rin ako sa taong may puwang dito. umaasa pa rin ako na isang araw may magmamahal sa akin. bakit nga ba hindi ko kayang tumalikod sa pag-ibig? siguro dahil naniniwala pa rin ako sa kapangyarihan nito.

the best of me

2007-07-16T15:04:00.000+08:00

So many years gone, still I remember

How did I ever let my heart believe

in one who never gave enough to me

And so many years gone, love that was so wrong

I can't forget the way it used to be

and how you changed the taste of love for me

You were my one more chance

I never thought I'd find

you were the one romance

I've always known in my mind

No one will ever touch me more

and I only hope that in return

I might have saved the best of me for you

And we'll have no ending if we can hold on

and I think I've come this far because of you

could be no other love but ours will do

You were my one more chance

I never thought I'd find

you were the one romance

I've always known in my mind

No one will ever touch me more

and I only hope that in return

I might have saved the best of me for you

No one will ever touch me more

and I only hope that in return

No matter how much we have to learn

I saved the best of me for you

closer to home

2007-07-10T08:12:00.000+08:00

finally, a flight so close to home. last sunday, july 8, air philippines commenced its newest domestic route, manila to ozamis. this is excellent news for me because ozamis is just a 15-minute ferry ride from lanao. this would mean that it will only take me an hour or so to get to the ozamis airport from home (30 minutes from home to the mukas ferry port, 15 minutes ferry ride from mukas to ozamis, and another couple of minutes from the ozamis ferry port to the new airport). such a relief considering that i travel for almost a day via the manila-cagayan de oro route!

air philippines flies from manila to ozamis every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday at 10 am. the plane arrives ozamis at 11:20 am. return flight to manila is at 12:00 in the afternoon, arriving manila at 1:20 pm. i'm already so excited to go home. thanks, air philippines!

inside the actor's studio

2007-07-02T17:07:00.000+08:00

inspired by superbianca's blog entry, i thought of posting my version of inside the actor's studio:

1. what is your favorite word? TRAVEL
2. what is your least favorite word? STRESS
3. what turns you on? INTELLIGENCE
4. what turns you off? INSENSITIVITY
5. what sound or noise do you love? SOUND OF THE WAVES
6. what sound or noise do you hate? STUPID ARGUMENT
7. what is your favorite curse word? "PUNYETA"
8. what profession other than your own would you like to attempt? TENNIS PLAYER
9. what profession would you not like to do? PRESIDENT
10. if heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? "I'VE FORGIVEN YOU."

missing you

2007-06-28T22:12:00.000+08:00

and because i'm missing someone, i thought of posting this cute quote which i came across in the net.

“Missing someone gets easier every day. Because, even though it is one day further from the last time you saw each other, it is one day closer to the next time you will.” ~ sanitz

new hair, no life (i hope)

2007-06-24T18:41:00.000+08:00

after a very disappointing haircut three weeks ago, i decided to have another haircut. thank God, the second one turned out okay. actually, it turned out super okay. i love my new hair. i hope this is a good sign of a new and more interesting life (sana talaga!).

my life so far

2007-06-18T17:35:00.000+08:00

pressure at work and personal struggles are at their peak now. i'm tired, not so much physically, but more emotionally. my acid level has sky-rocketed, and i'm not quite sure how long i can take this. i've already cried thrice this month with no particular reason at all. all i know now is that i'm dead tired and i'm not well.

i long for september when i will finally detach myself from corporate duties and fly away to a place far and worry-free. i have several options in mind but i haven't decided yet. i would love to come home to the warm embrace of my family in the province. they will definitely soothe the pain and burden i'm feeling now. i also want to escape to a foreign land and meet total strangers. who knows i might bump into mr. right. i'm excited to rest on a hammock and turn the pages of books piled up in my room waiting for me to read them. i crave to feel the caress of the wind while i rest on a rocking chair in a seaside veranda. i love to see the sun set and to wake up to its first ray. i want to feel the sand on my feet, the warmth of the morning sun, and the soft cover of my parents' bed. i want to taste my mother's homemade breakfast. i want to hug my dogs. i wanna breathe and live life the way it should be. God, i'm missing out on a lot of wonderful things in life.

marupok

2007-06-09T23:06:00.000+08:00

"babae lang ako, marupok."

- a line from the movie "Paano Kita Iibigan"

french open

2007-05-30T20:33:00.000+08:00

it's roland garros once again, the second grand slam of the year. and what better way to welcome this important clay event than to feature one of the best dirt ballers in tennis history: rafael nadal. rafa is doing the roland garros blog again this year. it's his second year now, and he's doing a pretty good job. vamos rafa!

photo taken from www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com

my american idols

2007-05-23T22:51:00.000+08:00

these are my american idols: elliott yamin, constantine maroulis, and blake lewis. i've already seen constantine in the flesh when he visited the philippines in 2005 (i think). i hope to see elliott and blake in person one of these days:)

all photos taken from www.americanidol.com

sister act

2007-05-22T15:09:00.000+08:00

the demaluan sisters (from left to right): marie joy(yoy), april love (lalab), and may caroline (kai)

pamilya zaragoza

2007-05-18T17:33:00.000+08:00

this is my family. i miss being around them. i can no longer remember the last time we all spent a special occasion together. i look forward to being around them once more. sana soon.

bumoto po ako

2007-05-15T14:40:00.000+08:00

masaya ako sa naging desisyon kong bumoto kahapon kahit sobrang init. buti na lang at nahanap ko ang aking pangalan sa listahan ng mga botante ng 1157-A. sila ang mga binoto ko:

1. joker arroyo
2. noynoy aquino
3. chiz escudero
4. ping lacson
5. manny villar
6. alan peter cayetano
7. antonio trillanes iv
8. migz zubiri
9. jess paredes
10. adrian sison
11. martin bautista
12. sonia roco

mabuhay ang mga bumoto! may karapatan na tayong magreklamo.

kabaliwan

2007-05-10T08:02:00.000+08:00

naranasan mo na bang mabaliw sa kaiisip sa kanya?
ako malapit na malapit na.
ang hirap palang huminga kapag utak mo'y nakasara
walang ibang laman kundi sya.

gusto kong iuntog ang ulo ko.
gusto kong tuluyan na 'tong lumaya
sa pang-aaliping nakakapanghina.
ngunit pano ba unang-una?

pagod na pagod na ako
sana matapos na lang ng hindi ko namamalayan
ayokong mabaliw
pakiusap ayoko na.

foods from home

2007-05-09T08:01:00.000+08:00

last night, i suddenly craved for foods i surely miss because i can only feast on them when i’m home. by home i mean my provincial home. i love to eat but unfortunately, some of my favorites are foods from home like these ones:

lechon bisaya – how i miss the crispy balat which is even yummier when dipped in sukang bisaya and the rib part, too
steamed shrimp – i can eat a kawali of this. perfect when eaten with uyap or bagoong alamang and kalamansi
sinugbang isda (grilled fish) – super delicious when matched with sukang bisaya
mama’s beef steak – nobody does it like mama. i already know the secret to it but unfortunately i kinda forgot (shame on me!)
humba (bisaya style) – there’s nothing quite like humbang bisaya
inun-unang tulingan (paksiw na tuna) – those put in big biscuit cans (especially those from siquijor) are the best
lechon paksiw – i don’t know but I think it has something to do with the vinegar that makes this different from its tagalong counterpart
chicharon with bagoong alamang – perfect! cholesterol overload but who cares it’s still a delight
kinilaw - be it shrimp or fish kinilaw. oh so, so yummy
marang - this looks like durian without the spikes. it's quite difficult to find this here in manila and not to mention, super expensive

take me home now, please!

forgiveness

2007-05-08T08:21:00.000+08:00

they say that time heals all wounds. in my case, it actually did. it’s amazing how time erased all the hurts my heart had kept all these years for one person who once mattered so much to me. it has been five very long years since he walked away and broke me. the damage he left was so devastating that forgiveness never figured in my plan. but one day, it came naturally just like a leaf which peacefully and quietly found its way to the ground.

it felt so good. i felt so peaceful and happy. i have so much to be thankful for because of the relationship. i learned so many things: unconditional love, selflessness, healing, moving on, and most especially, forgiveness. he will always be someone in my life; he will always be a part of me. but it’s time for me to finally move on now.

punta na sa fontana

2007-05-07T07:59:00.000+08:00

we did go to fontana last saturday for our company outing. what can i say, it was fun and memorable. the breakfast was good: Jollibee pancake sandwich and hot chocolate. the bus ride was a little slow but fun. our bus (bus 2) was 30 minutes late because the driver unfortunately hit the kisame of the clark entrance post and some explaining had to be done.the place was cool and spacious. i should say the huge trees were my favorite. the pools and the artificial waves were a letdown. i kinda expected more. the games were fun that i played all three of them. funny but the obstacle race was the best for me. i never thought i could run that fast, huh. my team, the yellow team, was second overall. not bad. picture-taking was a must because the place was just so perfect for photo shoots. speaking of photos, i will share some here. you can check out the others in my flicker photos. enjoy!

happy kinda sad

2007-04-30T12:25:00.000+08:00

i've been a little down lately. for one, i'm physically tired from all the work i have, both in the office and at home (sideline). i'm not really used to working at home because i go by my no-work-at-home rule. i was forced to bend it a little because of a plan. in short, i have to work extra to earn extra and fulfill my plan. happy kinda sad. i'm happy because i'm earning extra money, but i'm sad because i'm exhausted.

then, my friend who's working in bangkok told me in her e-mail that she's coming back to manila, i guess, for good. she has been my constant companion in my two trips there. my future bangkok trips, i'm sure, will no longer be the same. happy kinda sad. i'm happy because we'll get to see each other more often now, but i'm sad because she will no longer be there in bangkok when i visit the next time around.

wit, my very sweet thai friend, is leaving tomorrow for his military duty. he'll be stationed in a navy outpost outside of bangkok for six months, which means i won't be able to hear from him for six months. happy kinda sad. i'm happy because he's doing something for his country, but i'm sad because six months is quite long to not hear from him. o well, country first before anything and anyone else.

cheers to paradorn and natalie

2007-04-25T14:35:00.000+08:00

thai tennis star paradorn srichaphan and 2005 miss universe natalie glebova announced their engagement yesterday at a bangkok hotel. they plan to marry november or december this year. natalie is a very pretty girl. i think i saw her at the thailand open last year. paradorn was there of course. cheers to the power couple!

(photo taken from www.bangkokpost.net)

dimitri and mimi

2007-04-24T20:50:00.000+08:00

dimitri a.k.a. burutoy poses with his pretty mimi:)

my new laptop

2007-04-23T20:21:00.000+08:00

after several weeks of mental torture, i finally decided to buy a laptop. last saturday, accompanied by my ever-dependable friends armel and gil, i bought a twinhead efio at asianic-park square. armel was very nice to take care of business as i am a techie ignorant. he actually did everything from installing the os to figuring out my wifi connection. hay naku, imagine how things would have been if he and gil weren't there. there are also other people to thank. thanks to my parents for their support and financial assistance; ever, our go-to IT guy; reynan from asianic who was so helpful; armel's friend who was kind enough to help even though he doesn't know me; and kuya bennie who offered to install the os but actually failed to. salamat sa inyong lahat.

i'm still learning . . . i know it will definitely take time, but one thing's for sure: i'm definitely having a blast!

out of my door

2007-04-20T13:00:00.000+08:00

here's another poem i made years ago which i found hidden in one corner of my cabinet. it's unfortunate that i could not remember the exact date i wrote it. o well . . .

love has walked out of my door again
my heart is bleeding
he walked away
i chose to stay

love has walked out of my door again
my body is bruised
my hands, outstretched, cry
pain stares at me with no mercy
destroying my soul, yet again

love has walked out of my door again
cold smiles envelop my lips
something in me, deeper in me
aches for touches i never felt
i'm longing, i'm in despair

untitled circa 2000

2007-04-17T08:04:00.000+08:00

i went through my old stuff last night to look for my transcript. unfortunately, i did not find it. instead, i found quite a lot of things which reminded me of the past. one of the things i found was this poem i wrote some five or six years ago (i think).

untitled (circa 2000)

kung sa tingin mo nasasaktan ka
pano pa kaya ako
ilang ulit mo bang ipinadama
na wala ng pag-asa

lumalalim na ang gabi
bukas pa ang mga mata
pinapagod ang mga paa
sa paghihintay sa 'yo

darating ka ba
tinig mo ba'y maririnig
haplos mo ba'y madarama
o dili kaya hapdi at sakit

habang sinasabayan ang pag-inog ng mundo
habang nakikita kong nag-aagaw ang buwan at araw
bumibilis ang pintig ng puso
hindi mawari kung sa pagsikat ba ng araw
ay ikaw pa rin ang masisilayan

kung sa tingin mo nasasaktan ka
pano pa kaya ako

reflection

2007-04-14T11:22:00.000+08:00

last night, i went to my cousin ate bong's wake. ate bong died of breast cancer last monday, the day before my birthday. it's unfortunate that i didn't really get the chance to know her better when she was still alive. i only got to meet her a couple of times because i stayed with them briefly when i enrolled at up. i distinctly remember how she and her sisters were so nice to me during my stay. they made sure that i get everything i need.

i was happy to see members of her family during the wake. it has been a decade since i last saw them, except for ate devi and her husband kuya eboy, who i see and exchange text messages with regularly. i'm closest to the couple because they were among those who helped me through my first year in college.

i realized one important thing after i went home from the wake: that life is indeed to short to just waste it on foolish things. ate bong was very lucky to have lived a full life before she died. she was able to do the things that mattered to her. she made the most out of the greatest gift God has given her, her life. she made everyone close to her feel her love and affection. she wasted no time in spreading her love to people around her. i felt that love last night. the tears and the laughters were testimonies of how she touched the lives of the people who were inside the chapel.

to ate bong, i bid you temporary good-bye. i wish you a good and safe journey back to our dear Creator. thank you for everything.

jollibee mango caramel sundae

2007-04-12T17:19:00.000+08:00

i couldn't stop. i think i'm hooked. i'm addicted to mango caramel sundae of jollibee. i know some of you would tell me, "luma na yan ah," just like one of my friends told me yesterday. that's the thing! it's such a tragedy that i only knew of this heavenly thing last week. thanks to my officemate den who told me that it's her husband's favorite. thanks to you, too, john.

i actually capped my 28th birthday with one order of mango caramel sundae. i bought one in glorietta and ate it on my way home. grabe, i can't even describe how delicious it is. why not try it yourself? i'm telling you . . .

happy birthday to me!

2007-04-10T15:37:00.000+08:00

it's my 28th birthday today. i'm very happy that many people remembered my special day. it's nice to know that a lot of people thought about me today. their greetings warm my heart. they mean a lot.

my birthday is my favorite day of the year. i always make a conscious effort to make it a special day. i try to start it right and end it right as well. as much as possible, i make it a happy day because it should be. it's my way of thanking the Lord for giving me life and for making me experience it. not everyone is as lucky as i am, so there's no reason not to be happy and thankful.

i hope to celebrate many more birthdays. i hope to celebrate it with my loved ones and friends, and maybe soon, partner. who knows? only God knows.

davis cup 2007 update

2007-04-09T13:56:00.000+08:00

russia is into the davis cup semifinals once again. thanks to the hero, marat safin, who overcame a very tough fifth rubber against paul henri mathieu of france.

the philippines also won against new zealand, 4-1, in the asia/oceania group II 2nd round tie. i'm so looking forward to seeing the philippine team play in the elite group 1 tie. good luck.

thailand open 2007

2007-04-07T09:39:00.000+08:00

rafa is playing in the thailand open! this is definitely something to look forward to this september. it would be great to see him in person. andy roddick will also be there. i hope marat and novak will also play.

i've been planning my vacation since the start of the year, but there isn't any concrete plan as of now. rafa's confirmation is a very good development. i will have to start checking my schedule again. i still can't decide at the moment what route to take since i'm planning to visit my cousins in singapore. let's just see.

my birthday wish

2007-04-04T16:44:00.000+08:00

i'll be celebrating my birthday next week, and i'm excited to be turning 28. there are so much to be thankful for.

i'm just glad to be alive and blessed. my birthday wish? i wish that i'd be able to continue to do the things i love and to discover more of life.

cheers to the new lawyers!

2007-04-04T09:06:00.000+08:00

i would like to congratulate the following people for their courage to go through four years of law school, for successfully shaking off the nerves and finishing the bar exam, and most of all, for bearing the long wait to finally realize that they made it and can now call themselves LAWYERS. Well done, guys, and GOOD LUCK!

28. ACOYMO, Mark C.
452. CODILLA, Philip Brian B.
903. JAMERO, Cynthia Y.
992. LIM, Ma. Ludmila P.
998. LIM, II, Kirin DP.
1553. SALO, Noel A. (i'm so proud of you, bai!)

prince novak

2007-04-02T13:30:00.000+08:00

although i only have 3 hours of sleep, it didn't stop me from celebrating novak's victory in the sony ericsson open. the match started at midnight and ended at around 3 in the morning. as expected, novak was impressive with his almost flawless dropshots, outstanding returns, and intelligent plays. i knew that he'll gonna be a big shot from the moment i saw him play french open last year. way to go, novak. if marat is my king, then you are now my prince:)

the alchemist

2007-03-31T11:59:00.000+08:00

favorite book ko ang the alchemist ni paulo coelho. story siya ni Santiago, isang Andalusian shepherd na naglakbay from Spain to North Africa para hanapin ang isang treasure na hindi nya alam kung ano talaga. sa kanyang paglalakbay, natutunan niya ang maraming bagay na importante sa buhay.

binabasa ko ang book kapag nalulungkot ako o di kaya nawawalan ng pag-asa. share ko ang mga favorite lines ko sa book.

"it's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting . . ."
"it's the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary; only wise men are able to understand them."
". . . that people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of."
"you must always know what it is that you want."
". . . making a decision was only the beginning of things. when someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision."
"people need not fear the unknown if they are capabble of achieving what they need and want."
"because, wherever your heart is, that is where you'll find your treasure."

kung may pera at time kayo, i recommend na bilhin at basahin nyo siya.

kai

2007-03-30T17:07:00.000+08:00

i had a pretty long phone conversation with my younger sister kai last night. i called up to ask about her final exam in math because she was quite worried that she'll fail. i decided to check on her and her love life as well. she just broke up with her boyfriend last monday, and i was curious how everything went. the last time we talked, i advised her to go slow on the relationship and to concentrate more on her studies. i'm glad that she took my advice because my parents are starting to worry that she might take the wrong turn. i'm happy that i get to talk to her about things like this one, and i'm even happier because she opens up to me. i just wanted to make her feel that she has an ate she can talk to. it's really nice to go through life knowing that there are people who are there for you. i hope everything works for her. i know she's a good girl.

the next big thing

2007-03-28T11:48:00.000+08:00

i was kinda disappointed at Marat's early exit in the sony ericsson open. i was hoping pa naman that he'll make it through to the quarterfinals at least. he said in his web site that it was because of the windy conditions that's why he lost. i just hope he'll get his game back before he plays davis cup next month and before the clay season begins. good luck, marat.

aside from marat, i also root for novak djokovic, the young and talented serbian who is showing the tennis world that he's in to win. he is really good, very promising. i think he will be the next big thing in tennis if he continues to play well. i like his game--good serve, big forehand, beautiful backhand, and impressive shot selection. he seems very determined; you can sense the passion in his game. he's young and he wants to win. he was just awarded most improved player of 2006, and he's into the quarterfinals of the sony ericsson open. i hope he'll win the tournament, now that roger is out. best of luck to you, novak.

a pleasant surprise from igat

2007-03-22T18:07:00.000+08:00

i woke up this morning to the sound of my ringing phone. it was noe on the other line. despite her suffering from dry cough, i was still able to recognize gat's voice (we call each other "gat" short for "igat"). of course, i was happy to hear from her after so long. she's finally taking a break from work in taiwan and will be spending a month-long vacation this september. we will definitely see each other here in manila before she flies to our beautiful town of Tubod.

the kumustahan lasted for about 20 minutes. she talked about her recent breakup, and i told her about mine, too. although technically, it wasn't really a breakup breakup. i'm sure you know what i mean.

she's still my good old friend noe. i really miss her. she's one of a kind. i'm so excited to see and hug her in a few months' time. i'm pretty sure we'll have a nice time catching up on the two years that we haven't seen each other. looking forward to the chika, friend.

i wanna find my way back . . .

2007-03-20T12:04:00.000+08:00

i can't stop singing this song from the movie music and lyrics, so i decided to post it here.

Way Back Into Love
(Hugh Grant and Haley Bennett)

I’ve been living with a shadow overhead
I’ve been sleeping with a cloud above my bed
I’ve been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past, I just can’t seem to move on
I’ve been hiding all my hopes and dreams away
Just in case I ever need em again someday
I’ve been setting aside time
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind

Chorus:
All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can’t make it through without a way back into love
Oh oh oh

I’ve been watching but the stars refuse to shine
I’ve been searching but I just don’t see the signs
I know that it’s out there
There’s got to be something for my soul somewhere

I’ve been looking for someone to shed some light
Not just somebody just to get me through the night
I could use some direction
And I’m open to your suggestions

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can’t make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart again
I guess I’m hoping you’ll be there for me in the end

There are moments when I don’t know if it’s real
Or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspiration
Not just another negotiation

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can’t make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart to you
I’m hoping you’ll show me what to do
And if you help me to start again
You know that I’ll be there for you in the end

ang puso ko ngayon

2007-03-19T17:14:00.000+08:00

"destruction isn't always as noisy as bombs exploding. sometimes the ultimate catastrophes are as quiet as a feather falling on the floor of a Zen monastery. no one else can really hear your heart breaking except you."

- from The Sound of One Heart Breaking by Karen Kunawicz

college buddies

2007-03-17T11:33:00.000+08:00

lingaw kaayo ko gabii kay nagkita na pud mi sa akong mga college buddies: noel, gerome, ug jeff. nameet pud nako ako friend si paul. mao jud ni sila ako mga friends sa college labi na si noel nga sige nako kuyug kay classmate man pud mi.

una, nagdinner mi sa chef d' angelo sa greenbelt 1.nanglibre man si noel kay sweldo niya. as usual, late sila tanan. si noel ang pinakauna miabot sa mga late. tapos si gerome. dayon si jeff. si paul mga 9 na, pero wa man ko kabalo nga kuyug diay sya.

pagkahuman sa chef, naghike-hike mi sa greenbelt 3. mura sad mig mao. mibalhin mi sa teriyaki boy sa greenbelt 1 pag-abot ni paul. si jeff na pud nanglibre. milakaw si gerome ug una kay naa pa man sya work (sa sykes).

nabuntagan mi sa bed space sa greenbelt 3. nangchicks man sila. miapil na lang sad ko. enjoy kaayo kay nindot man gud sila kauban. puro kwartahan kuno. cge rag kwenta sa ila kwarta kung sakto pambayad. may unta mautro. pero murag ako na jud ang manlibre sa sunod . . .

puso nga naman

2007-03-16T16:15:00.000+08:00

this was sent to me by a friend (thanks bru).

"in a normal person, the heart beats 70 times a minute; 100, 800 times a day; 40 million times a year! during a single day, a ventricle pumps about 11, 000 quarts or 265 million quarts in a lifetime.

relevance?

ang sipag ng heart pero TANGA naman!"

hay puso ko, bakit ang tanga mo?

hottest men on earth

2007-03-15T15:32:00.000+08:00

the following are the hottest men on earth according to me:

marat safin - excellent sense of humor, beautiful double-handed backhand (one of the best if not the best in tennis), to-die-for accent (speaks russian, english, and spanish fluently), and unparalleled intelligence inside and outside the tennis court
johnny depp - 21 jumpstreet, gorgeous eyes, super acting ability, good movies, and the "it" factor (he's just plain handsome)
jude law - yummy pouting lips, such attractive eyes, and the honey-come-cheat-with-me looks (you'll never mind going to hell after)
collin farrell - bad boy personified (don't you wanna be the girl in his sex video?)
orlando bloom - killer smile and sexy curls
josh hartnett - super nice body and super sexy eyes (love the voice, too)
ryan philippe - lip-smacking lips and superb acting talent
leonardo dicaprio - i just love when he acts his heart out. you sexy you
dmitry tursunov - exceptional sense of humor, great curls, oozing sex appeal (what a guy!)
novak djokovic - young, hungry, determined, and brilliant (watch out rafa)

tikman ang langit

2007-03-14T15:59:00.000+08:00

i finally have my own copy of tikman ang langit:an anthology on the eraserheads. i spent Saturday night and early Sunday morning reading it. it was mixed emotions. i was able to relate to the articles because i was once an eheads fan. i felt happy reminiscing the "glory" days, and sad, at the same time, knowing that those days will never happen again.

i started listening to the band when i was still in high school. i remember asking my kuya to tell his friend to buy me a cassette tape of "cutterpillow" (since it was my favorite of all the eheads album). the tape was one of my most treasured possessions when i was young. the first movie i saw when i visited manila for the first time (as a world youth day delegate) was pare ko. i just felt that i had to watch it. when i went to college at up diliman, i took all the chances i had to see them perform live. i only had two violations at the kalayaan dormitory. both were eheads concerts. i didn't mind of course even if it meant losing my chance of getting admitted to molave residence hall (where the eheads stayed while they were in up). i felt sorry for myself, of course, but kamia wasn't that bad at all.

as an eheads fan, there's always this longing that, one day, the four UP guys i once admired so much will again come together as THE eraserheads and perform their farewell concert to their millions of fans (who i'm very sure miss them so much).

my love affair with marat safin

2007-03-13T17:46:00.000+08:00

he's one hell of a guy. he's brilliant, funny, sexy, and handsome. he is marat safin. i first heard of his name seven years ago when he successfully demolished the great Pete Sampras in the 2000 US Open. he was 20 then. very young, very promising. it was unfortunate that i wasn't able to follow his career at that time.

the next time i heard of him, i never turned my back on him. i took him seriously and officially became a marat safin fanatic. i would watch every single game i can catch, even if it means waking up 3 in the morning.

they call him bad boy of tennis because of his volatile temper. i don't mind. without his signature racket-smashing acts, talk-to-my-frustrated-self episodes, hit-my-legs-with-a-racket moves, strip-my-pants-off and kiss-the-umpire performances, tennis would never be as exciting and fun as it is now.

marat is marat. he is exactly the way he is. nothing more and nothing less. meeting him made me love and appreciate him more. i guess, i will be forever a marat fanatic. i just love this guy.

san na nga bang barkada?

2007-03-12T12:30:00.000+08:00

i checked my friendster account yesterday after more than a month of absence. i was kinda nostalgic as a browsed through some photos of my high school barkada. i saw a picture of jackie and her husband in her account. they got married last january. a picture of victoria and noe together in taiwan (both are working there) reminded me of how much i miss my friends.

there were seven of us girls in the group: elena, gold, jackie, joan, victoria, noe, and myself. four have already gotten married. i think it was joan who took the marital plunge way ahead of everyone. victoria, gold, and recently, jackie followed suit. looking back, i can't help but laugh when i remember one very interesting conversation we had about marriage. we were asking ourselves that afternoon, at school, who among us will marry first and have kids. it was unanimous; everyone in the group thought i'd be the first. apparently, they were wrong. with the way things are going, i might be the last one to say "i do." i lost contact with joan. i haven't seen gold in years, although, i am aware that she already has a baby girl. she never fails to text me on my birthday. victoria has a baby boy, and i am one of the ninangs. elena, noe, and i text and e-mail each other once in a while.

i wish we'll get to see each other again soon. i'd love for us to sit down and talk about the good old days. sana. . .

my favorite city

2007-03-09T18:07:00.000+08:00

i have only been to bangkok twice, but i have fallen in love with it even on my first visit. bangkok means city of angels. indeed, it is. people are so warm and friendly. the place is heavenly.

i love coming back to bangkok. i enjoy the food, the "attractions," the culture, the taxis, and almost everything about it. i have never seen so many farangs (foreigners) in my life. only in bangkok.

i miss bangkok. i'll definitely go back this year. probably in september. i wanna see and experience more. i wanna go to chiang mai, too. most of all, i'm excited to see my friends again. wish i had wings that'll take me there. . .

i'll tell you more about my bangkok trips in future posts:)

unforgettable 2006

2007-03-08T07:59:00.000+08:00

2006 will definitely go down history as one of the most memorable years of my life, all because of one very unforgettable experience. meeting marat safin was a super dream come true for me. twice i've attempted to see him play, and fortunately, i got lucky the second time. i went to bangkok in 2005 hoping that i'd see him in the thailand open. he got injured in july, and never got to play for the rest of the year (thailand open is held every last week of september).

last year, despite coup, i packed my bag and headed to bangkok. i brought with me enough courage to fight fear of getting killed and super high hopes that i would finally meet my favorite tennis player.

i finally did. not just once, but twice. thanks to my newfound friends evelyn and her husband jimmy (who took the picture) and our thai friend kae. thanks guys. i really appreciate your kindness. indeed, dreams can come true if you really make it happen. [with me in the picture are kae (in purple) and evelyn (in white). miss you ladies.]

hello desperation

2007-03-06T16:14:00.000+08:00

i'm getting more and more depressed as days go by. i feel like being trapped, and i can't seem to find a way out. i want to do things, but i keep on postponing plans. i want to go some place else where i can be alone and think. this place, i think, would be perfect.

congratulations to me!

2007-03-05T15:29:00.000+08:00

finally, after so long, i was able to gather enough courage to put up my own blog. i've always dreamed of having one, but it was only after a few heartaches that i decided to do this and let loose of suppressed emotions. i hope this will not be the first and the last. i also hope that my crazy schedule will not prevent me from writing about some of my thoughts and desperations. congratulations to me.