Year ender post

Saw this one post on one of my blog-hopping times... So sorry to forgot the owner of this post. Hope you don't mind!

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
Got married! Twice!

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I belive in that saying "live life to the fullest" =)


3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yep yep! My inay anik to a beautiful baby girl Alexi and my kumareng Jude to a beautiful baby boy DJ!


4. Did anyone close to you die?
My paternal grandma =(


5. What countries did you visit?
Philippines, Thailand


6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
debt free and a baby


7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Our church wedding, September 1, 2007

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
my youngest sister's graduation *1 year pa!*

9. What was your biggest failure?
secret...

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
monthly yes...

11. What was the best thing you bought?
dunno!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?


13. Whose behaviour appalled you and made you depressed?


14. Where did most of your money go?
remittance, bill payment, wedding


15 What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Our wedding!


16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
Your Guardian Angel

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier
ii. thinner or fatter? fatter, i think
iii. richer or poorer? poorer hehehe

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
manage my earnings well

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
spending money on worthless things

20. How will you be welcoming the New Year?
a glass of wine in my hand, my adorable husband kissing me and friends around me

22. Did you fall in love in 2007?
24/7

23. How many one-night stands?
ay!

24. What was your favourite TV program?
Grey’s Anatomy, heroes, simpson, Miami Ink, Travel and Living

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
nope

26. What was the best book you read?
Notes from my Travels and

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?


28. What did you want and get?
My dad's presence at my wedding and fuss free wedding

29. What did you want and not get?
I feel blessed that I can't think of any

30. Favorite film of this year?


31. What did you do on your birthday?
Dinner with my two families!

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
straighten up that one thing i've been wanting to change

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
nasa nagdadala lang yan!

34. What kept you sane?
My family and my husband *yiha*

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Angelina Jolie

36. WHo is your real-person crush?
Palibutan ako ng anaps eh hehehe

37. What political issue stirred you the most?
meron pa bang tatalo sa pinas?

38. Who did you miss?
my family

38. Who was the best new person you met?
vinh and kaoutar

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
no regrets!

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
my bridal march song

Reservation Road

We were suppose to watch "National Treasure" but end up watching "Reservation Road". Sadness ever! Literally tulo ang luha ko. Anyway, ffg read the book already long time ago and surprisingly I haven't. So now, this book will be next on my list. Panoorin nyo, kaiyak talaga.

src: yahoo
"A tale of anger, revenge, and great courage, the film follows two fathers as their families and lives converge. On a warm September evening, college professor Ethan Learner, his wife Grace, and their daughter Emma are attending a recital. Their 10-year-old son Josh is playing cello--beautifully, as usual. His younger sister looks up to him, and his parents are proud of their son. On the way home, they all stop at a gas station on Reservation Road. There, in one terrible instant, he is taken from them forever. On a warm September evening, law associate Dwight Arno and his 11-year-old son Lucas are attending a baseball game. Their favorite team, the Red Sox, is playing--and, hopefully, heading for the World Series. Dwight cherishes his time spent with Lucas. Driving his son back to his ex-wife, Lucas' mother Ruth Wheldon, Dwight heads towards his fateful encounter at Reservation Road. The accident happens so fast that Lucas is all but unaware, while Ethan--the only witness--is all too aware, as a panicked Dwight speeds away. The police are called, and an investigation begins. Haunted by the tragedy, both fathers react in unexpected ways, as do Grace and Emma. As a reckoning looms, the two fathers are forced to make the hardest choices of their lives. "

Last Sunday, I forgot my book "Cross" by James Patterson at the church. So much hoping to get it back on Sunday :( I haven't finish the book yet...

At lunch time, I was so happy to get hold of the trilogy of Phil Pullman's Dark Materials. All three of them for only $5 each! Weeee. So happy. Btw, book 1 of this was the Golden Compass the movie.

"I wonder if I'll ever get a closure."
"There's no closure. Only acceptance and resignation."

New Year's Eve 2007

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Well, for our new year's eve, we spent it at a friend's place in Spottiswood. For today's event, we didn't spent time on cooking or preparing anything. We just brought a bottle of white and paid our share hehehe. Mas ok pala yung ganon hihihi.

There were only 9 of us but it still was fun. We start with the appetizer then with the main course of roasted chicken, baked potato *which was really good*, ham, salad and of course cheese. French party couldn't survive without a cheese and wine I guess hehehe. There were lots of good wines. Few that I liked was the sparkling wine that Richard and Fione brought. I'm not much of a fan of champagne so I guess that's the reason why I didn't like the Moet. The last bottle we consume was the Muscat. It was too sweet *like a lychee* for my liking but it complements the lemon cake desert. The countdown was fun. And I think I'd rather be at home with friends doing the countdown, than outside worrying about how I could go home later. I was at Esplanade last year and we went home at 4 or 5 in the morning waiting for the early bus. It was a good night :) Thanks so much Celine and Preman for that wonderful food and being the good host. Muah!

Before it all ends here, they said that it was a french tradition that whoever gets the small ceramic thing in their dessert, he/she'll get to be the king/queen of the night. And ffg got the small sheep from his dessert so he was our king for the entire night.

We miss you Vinh, Kaoutar, Kenny, Bonnie, Aaron and Nadia :(   

3rd Sat of Dec

I was able to accomplished one page for today for our wedding album. Hirap pala magisip ng design for the pages. I can't call it scrapbooking because I felt like it was far from the beauty of what the real scrapbookers do :) More of a scrap if I may say so.

We went out nearly night time after the big baby's nap time. Went to Dhoby Gaut and watched "The Golden Compass". It was alright. Actually, I was planning to buy the trilogy book as some terms made no sense to me in the movie as they were'nt explained elaborately. Well, the truth is my comprehension is better in reading than watching it :). It's much better though if I've watched it and read it as it will give justification to where my imagination brought me. I like the part where in the parallel world, human souls take the form of animal companions called daemons. And maybe this is why critics were asking people not to patronize the movie. In my own opinion, they were just making the viewers more curious and end up watching it than not. That part of the story is the imagination of the writer and it's good. As it makes you venture out of the ordinary and usual stories. My take is DaVinci code movie is much worse than this one as this movie didn't mention anything blasphemous. Well, that's my take. And i think, if you're going to watch it with your kids, the important thing is, my guess as I don't have any kid of my own yet, to tell them apart which one should be taken in real life and which one should be left like one of the stories in the children's books they've read. In this world, I believe that every writer have the right to think of thousand ways to make each of their masterpiece different from the other and make it "interesting" for others to read. And I believe that we were born to have our own autonomy to deem what is right from wrong and what is real from fabrication. And no movie or book or person can make us change from what we've grown to believe in. =)

After the movie, I read my messages. I was so thrilled to received one from Itay Buru saying Inay Anik already gave birth! Yipee. We went to spotlight and bought the album for the pages i was doing hehehe.

We went to Que Pasa in somerset afterwards. It's been a long time since we last set foot here. On our way there, I was drooling on the thought of my favorite dish from their menu, beef stew with crunchy bread! And we were so devastated to know that beef stew have been off their list for two months now. So sad! =( When I asked why the girl why, she doesn't have any idea =( But we still did stay. Good thing pizza margherita's still on the menu. And it was the first time *i think*, i ordered chicken wings in Que Pasa. I was used to having it at the nearby ICB hehehe and gulped it down with a bottle of beer and not with a glass of wine. I had red and ffg had white. While finishing it all up, we still can't believe what happened to Mr. Beef stew. *sigh*

We reached home past midnight. I slept around 4 in the morning after I was done with the page I did for little Alexi.

pahabol: Mami s gave me this pretty pretty layout she did for me. Emote ako :( Miss ko tuloy lalo family ko hehe pero at least I have something that will remind me we had a lot of those good times and this is one of them. Tenchu po sobra mareng mami s! Tenchu din inaanak andi for the gift :) Sa christmas pa namin open hihihi.

Music and Me

You know how music affects your life that sometimes it doesn't help at all when you're feeling low and downright miserable hearing these melo-dramatic love songs? Makes you more insane isn't it? I guess this is one of the many reasons why music evolve from mellow and rock to many different genres like rnb, alternative, alternative rock, etc. Anyway, I just thought about this. I am not feeling miserable at the moment but upon hearing this one song, it almost made me cry for no reason. :( Yes, I've listened to it many times, cried with it but everytime I listen to it, it made me really sad. And believe me, at first it had nothing to do with the lyrics but as minutes passed by, word for word it's coming back to me now. It brought me back to that pain, to that sadness and to that longingness that I don't want to ever feel again but things like these are inevitable in life. Then I thought of some of my friends who are struggling to get out of it now. And this is me confessing. When I'm there listening and talking like everything will be alright and there were bigger things in life to think about than this, I wasn't trying to make it not a big deal and make you feel like it was just a small thing. It is a big thing! And believe me, you're far stronger than I was. You're much better holding it all. And when I talk and act like I'm as strong as a steel, I was only trying to be so you could lean on me. When I said, I've been there so you gotta listen to me, I dont mean it's so easy to get out just because I found my way out. People experience pain on different degree. So what one went through will always be different from another. current mood: sentimental

5 THINGS TAG

I've been tagged by Inay

5 things found in my bag
- phones, keys
- wallet
- kikay kit, perfume
- small notebook and pen
- book

5 things found in my wallet
- atm card
- old receipts
- band-aid
- access card, ic card
- ezlink

5 things found in my room
- photos
- books
- important documents
- makeup kit and jewelries
- scrapbooking materials

5 things i’ve always wanted to do
- do charity works
- travel
- tattoo
- write my own book
- taekwondo or kapoiera *dunno the spelling hehehe search ko pa*

5 things i’m currently into
- blogging
- scrapbooking (wedding photos)
- reading
- yoga


5 people to tag for this
- joey
- mami s
- mami lily
- abby
- novyta

On MC

I called in sick at work today. I spent almost the whole day sleeping to make the pain go away. I was feeling ok when I woke up and ate my late lunch so as not to trigger my ulcer that could also trigger my dysmynorrhea. I just watched movie on HBO and couldn't even do one page of our wedding album. I gained a bit of strength at around 6pm so I decided to clean the room a bit and started finishing 3 pages of our album. Took a bath and soon as I finished, ffg came home from work. Time really was fast when you're just staying at home. Sleeping alone could eat up your whole day. Well at least, I've managed to finished 3 pages. Few more to go! Hope it will all be ready before the new year comes :)

Reverie of the Big House

I had a dream again of that same house for number of times. I don't know why but my guess was maybe most of my childhood's happy moments was at that house. The only thing I looked forward to whenever school vacation is close by. My Nanay's big house in bulacan. Whole clan was complete by then. Inang and Apo was still with us. We celebrate christmas or new year at that same house. Crossing over the small wall separating my Nanay's house to Inang's will only take a minute. I always see Inang with a big smile whenever she sees us. Dancing in a "lola" sweet kind of way. Talking in kapampangan as if we understood everything she was saying though we've learned to understand a few words or sentences.

I remember the new year's weve spent with our clan. It was a big family then. All cousins busy getting their hands on the sumptous food for the occassion. Chatting, laughing and just hanging out at the veranda or tagging along with my kuya boy whenever he goes out with his barkada. Enjoying the loud cracking of the fireworks that my tatay (uncle) deliberately spent his money on. Though I stayed inside because of my asthma, it was still a big celebration for us. Where food was shared after midnight. Laughter filled the house.

But that was years ago. Things happen along the way and before we know it, those times will only remain in our memories. And now these memories are part of most of my reveries. Im not complaning because it made me look back to the times that even once in my life, I had pure fun with my family.

ROCK n' SHOOT: Pinoycsers meets Philmusicsg

Actually, this isn't the first time pinoys in singapore demonstrates their talent and camaraderie. I've been an avid fan of these pinoy bands since GasHaus time. I was there at the BF1 and BF2. I'm amazed how these kababayans of mine took the time out of their busy schedule to do practice without getting anything in return. Well, maybe getting known by half of the community is one thing. But I don't think fame was their ultimate goal to waste their "rest time" plucking the guitar or beating the drum or playing the keyboards or shouting/singing a few songs just to be able to entertain hundreds of pinoys, where some, admit it or not, will do the best they can to say their not-so-good remarks. The way I see it, even if I want to be famous that bad, I won't be throwing most of my precious time not earning any single cent. I guess it's what most "real" artists called passion. And if I may say, saludo talaga ako sa inyo. Sana lang walang lumaki ang ulo. Rock and Shoot was held last saturday at The Arena in Clarke Quay. I was so proud of my friend Ulrik's success in organizing the event. I was also proud seeing my kumareng A on stage doing the introduction of the models. Hindi halatang kabado. Cuz, Ami and I just helped in the registration =) Di naman pala kelangan mag-mini skirt and backless para makarami ng sales eh hihihi. Syempre pa, proud ako of my friends who played on stage - the After Six. I never thought just handling the registration could be that exhausting. Ulrik treat us lunch and dinner. Helping him in this event wasn't that difficult. It's just so nice to see someone you've helped when they appreciate every single little things you've done. Shempre with or without the libre, we would always give you our support =)

Pinoycsers is a group of noypis photography enthusiasts in singapore.
Philmusigsg is a group of noypis music buff.

This joined event is really something. Asteegg!

Bands who played at the event:
Popoy, Toxic Inuendo, Cajooters, After6, Hybrid Kamote, Quiverpool, Mr Brosnan?, Tone Dev, Kernel Panic, Pop Machine, Transient Attack

And to the wonderful talented photographers of pinoycsers, astegg kayo :)

The Innocent Man by John Grisham

I love reading Grisham's for the fact that I get to know and understand few things about law. I wasn't that into watching news so I guess, what others already know may come as a new thing to me. After reading almost all of his books and surfing the net with book reviews about him, I realize that it's not fair giving him a review in my blog. I'm not a writer so I don't know what's good and what's to avoid. So this piece won't be focusing on review about the book. I think it will be more beneficial for others if I somehow convey what I've learned in reading the book. Pardon my post if it comes as an old news to you. Who knows, there may be others like me, right? So here's the tidbits.

1. I learned that there's a disease for excessive mood disorder or too much depression called Bipolar disease.

source: wikipedia
Bipolar disorder is not a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated mood, clinically referred to as mania. Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience depressive episodes or symptoms, or mixed episodes which present with features of both mania and depression. These episodes are normally separated by periods of normal mood, but in some patients, depression and mania may rapidly alternate, known as rapid cycling. The disorder has been subdivided into bipolar I, bipolar II and cyclothymia based on the the type and severity of mood episodes experienced.


2. I learned that this kind of things really happen in the execution.
August 11, 1995, a bizaare execution took place. Robert Brecheen, a forty-year old white male, barely made it to the death chamber. The day before, he swallowed a handful of painkillers that he had somehow smuggled in and stockpiled. His suicide was to be his final effort at telling the state to go to hell, but the state prevailed. Breechen was found unconscious by the guards and rushed to the hospital, where his stomach was pumped and he was stabilized enough to get hauled back to H Unit for a proper killing.


3. I learned that the famous line "you have the right to remain silent" that we always hear in the movies had an actual history back in the 60's. "Miranda Rights" was from the most famous case, "Miranda vs Arizon wherein the Supreme Court imposed procedural safeguards to protect the rights of the accused. It was decided in 1966 an became instantly famous.

4. I learned that not everybody in the prison especially in the death row are all bad people. There are few who are innocent. And that being in prison is harder than it is in the outside world. It makes me value my life even more.

I am blessed

I haven't read half of the book and it already made me realize how lucky I am to have all the material things around me and I really feel blessed. I realized how some things that I just took for granted were a luxury to some. I've become so obsessed looking at the magazines wondering why some girls are so perfect and I realized how many millions are out there trying to survive without set of hands or a lower body or one eye and yet they never put it on top of their list hating their life. I felt ashamed how at times I'm weak and very immature. Jolie's book have helped me acknowledge a few wrongs in my life and I hope I'll remain thankful and never forget the things I've read and never complain again about anything. I thank God that even my family weren't with me, I know they are safe. They have food, shelter, tv and water. There are a lot of blessings in my life that I never had the time to look at to be thankful for because I was busy counting the things I don't have and lost. I felt really bad that I don't have any means of helping those who need one. I don't have the money, the time or any resources. I am here in the comfort of my home. I hope the little help that I could give to some will be a start. It's not much but it could be a start. But I hope the time will come that I will be able to help and make use of my existence. I have the urge to help but only time will tell. At the moment, I don't feel any remorse with anyone. I felt ashamed that there are people I've let go just because of my immaturity. I felt sorry for those I continue to hold on to trying to shove to them what I believe in when I alone wasn't perfect enough. I hope there's still time for me. I'm 31 and though I now regret a few things in my life I know that there's still a lot of years ahead of me to make things right if possible. As I was writing this piece, CNN is showing the Genocide Trial and the pain of those survivors left from the hands of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. An old man was vividly telling the reporter what they've been through. He was crying and really in pain remembering those times. Kaiyak :( From Jolie's book: "The youngest amputee I met was a little one-year-old girl. She was three months old when they cut off her arm and raped her mother" The church genocide, "During a crisis, thousands of people hid from the rebels by packing into a church - thinking it would be the only safe place - a house of God. The rebels found them hiding there and threw in grenades. Then they walked over all the dead bodies, stabbing them to make sure they were dead." "I was about to throw ice out of my glass and he stopped me. Ice is very expensive here. You should give it back to the kitchen." I hope when I finished reading the book and go through reading another book, I won't completely forget this. The desire in me to help these people, to be thankful for what I have now in my life and never complain again about anything and continue to pray for these people that someday they will find a day where they will wake up finding themselves in a bed with pillows and airconditioned room and taking a bath with a hot shower and drinking a hot cup of milo. Or just pray to God to give me something that's been missing in my life that they have - the courage to stand amidst of crisis. They are to me, the real heroes.

Hmmmm

im furtively contemplating whether i should do it again or not. it's been three years with the first one, ten months with the second. if i do it again for the third time, will i even be satisfied and will promised myself that it will be the last time? what others may think of me is the last thing on my mind. i just thought that if i do it, will it be the same as the first two when i did it? no uncertainties of any kind? though i am aware of the consequences of my actions, there's not a single day that i regretted my doings. so, the question that's been bugging me that i don't have the guts to ask any of my friends, should i do it or not? when is too much counted as way over the limit?

Looking back

My thoughts brought me back to my college days as I gaze upon the students in front of me at the bus. It was, for me, one of the memorable times in my life. Unlike others, I don't have the brains to get a full scholarship or a silver spoon in my mouth in order for me to finish my college. But, I was lucky enough to be admitted in the Ozanam Grantee - an organization for student assistants where students worked for at least 40 hours a week in the school while maintaining a passable grade. My university days were monotonous. From Monday to Friday, starting at 6.30 in the morning and going home at 10 in the evening, I juggle my work and classes. As soon as I got home, rest was done only after I've done my assignments or projects. Sleep was a luxury for me that time. On saturdays, I still go to school to work half day and spend the afternoon for my laboratory classes which was really impossible to do on the weekdays. Sundays were usually meant for the org's events like sports activities, charitable activities, induction, etc. It was tiring but I guess the adrenaline of juggling everything was what pushed me to finish that responsibility. Though it sounds like boring as hell and no fun at all, it has its own perks that I did enjoy for 5 years that I was a grantee. Like being the first one to choose a good schedule, and enroll without the hassle of queuing and rubbing elbows with thousands of regular students. There's also a chance of getting the good side of most of my professors since I almost see them my entire university life. But of course, there are professors who just hate us and doesn't have the sympathy on what we do. A chance to have a peek of most of your grades is also one of the perks though it was always done discreetly. And the best of all is doing the charity works. The chance to do "apostolate" where all grantees will visit one place (juvenile delinquency, old people, squatters area, etc) and distribute the goods donated by the grantees from their measly allowance was one experience I couldn't forget. It's a chance for poor to help the poor. We were taught not to limit ourselves on helping others just because we don't have enough money. Every month, at least one saturday, we spend our whole day playing with the kids, chatting with the parents of how they live their life and at the same time giving hope to those who needs one. We were the perfect model for them for we know what it's like to live having one meal a day, what it feels like to hear your stomach growling, to have only few pesos in our pocket, to know the difficulty of coming from a broken family, to have a piece of apple as a luxury and experienced what it's like to have their electricity cut by the meralco for not paying the bill. But everytime we were there, you would never see a soul without a smile on their face. It's not because of the food we bring but because of the hope they see in us inspite of every trial that's sited on our shoulders. I've learned a lot from them. I've learned many things that even the best school couldn't teach me. I've learned that one man's quandary could be another's strength. Their only reason for living is their family. Their only bliss and dream is to have enough food for everybody. Maybe it's not bad to go back a few paces so I could learn to accept the things I cannot do and be thankful for the things that I have knowing how many millions out there who doesn't have.

HP and the Deathly Hallows

Finally, I've managed to finish the seventh and last book of Harry Potter, and yes I know it's a bit late to finish the book. Rowling had managed to end all of Harry Potter's agony deliberately without trying to squeezed in side stories just to finish the book. A very good ending, I must say. Each chapter were carefully laid out and i love the chapters that had some connections in the past books. And of course, what's not to love in the way every scene was vividly described making you feel like you're part of the story. Reading the book resembles the idea of the pensieve minus the visuals. This, of course, was my personal evaluation of the book. I love reading it and I love not getting bored on each chapter. =)

Notes from my travels

I've always admired Angelina Jolie for all the charity works she'd been doing and how she'd shown to the world how only one person can have that power to make a difference. Of course, I couldn't just wish to be like her because that would be too far-fetched from the reality of where I am now. I just wish that I could have that attitude to do goodness to others. That's why I was so glad to see that Angelina have a book about her travels. And as soon as I finish reading the Innocent Man, I'll start hunting for her book :) Btw, Angelina Jolie is the Goodwill Ambassador for the UN. Idol!

Music and Me

you have to admit that music was created to speak what your heart wanted to say to the world. may it be about different levels of pain you're having or the happiness you're reeling in. millions of songs were created to either make you sulk even more to your world of loneliness or tell the whole world the amount of ecstacy youre feeling. isn't it great how one can collate words and put them into one meaningful song with a melody that helped you express your feeling? isnt it ironic how many songs speak of that feelings and yet it looks to you that it isn't enough to fully and vividly describe what you're going through? and then you pick up that piece of blank sheet and pen and started scribbling what you thought would most depict the road you're travelling to. funny how most of us stumble upon the same pain and rapture and yet it feels different. it makes us feel that what were going through right now is nothing compared to what others have gone through. most of that times, it felt like ours is the worst and no one can fathom the reasoning we have at the moment. i guess this is what music could do to me. put meaning into something even if it doesn't have any. or what "not much load" at work means.

One's assessment

i've reached a quarter of my life 

and i thought of what have happened in the past 

the things ive done, 

the things i didn't do 

the dreams and achievements 

and the endless quandaries 

what have i become in all those years? 

have i done things that could make Him proud of me? 

did i make my mom proud? 

did my family felt the warmth of my love for them? 

have i failed to show my love for the people around me? 

in all those years, each time i looked back 

i saw things that i failed to be a better person 

things that at times deprives me of my willingness to go on 

things that i blame others for not understanding me 

when all sides of it is really wrong 

things that made me lost a lot because i let them happen 

and yet there were things too, that made me stronger 

things that i always looked forward to each day of my life 

things that at times make me proud of what ive become 

things that made me greatful for what others have done to me 

those precious little things that make me see the goodness of life 

maybe life isn't just how you make it to be 

it's already designed the way He wanted it to be 

it's up to you how you would play your part 

and how you would live things the way it's all laid up

Jeffrey

I'm so fond of reading novels but I have this thing for reading almost all of the titles from the same author. It's really rare that I will get one from the shelf with no idea of who the author is, unless, of course, it will be on the best seller aisle. So, when we move in to our new place, I had the chance to assess all of the books that I have at home and realize that there were some that I haven't read yet and forgot that I bought it on one of the book sales I always go to. And one of them was Jeffrey Archer's "A Twist in the Tale". I didn't know he was good too so when I saw in Carrefour that they were having a book sale and saw another Archer's, I immediately grab it. And I really like the way he vividly describe each event in the story and you'll feel like you're part of it. I'm reading now the "False Impression". It's really good. I don't know if being in Serangoon now is a good thing because I've finally got myself back into reading. On my list of books to buy/read... 1. John Grisham's The Innocent Man 2. John Grisham's Playing for Pizza 3. Harry Potter's last book *though I've bought it months ago, haven't got the time to read it yet* 4. James Patterson's Cross

The Ceremony

We arrived 30 minutes earlier before the mass. I was told to stay in the car so no one will see me yet. I was getting nervous and very much high in anticipation. I thanked the Lord for He have helped us fulfill the only wish I couldn't let go - to have our closest friends be with us in the church. When everyone was inside, I was left outside thinking if everything back in the reception is ok. If we didn't left anything out that's too important. I know that there are a lot of things that didn't go as planned but there were no regrets or resentments for that matter in my heart. He showed me that the significance of the event is not just about the material things. When the door started to open, I see a glimpse of what my future would be. And at a pace of taking one step at a time, walking towards the altar, I see nothing but the sparkle of the soft light at the altar and the smile of the people i love looking at me with much happiness in their hearts. Halfway through, I saw my parents waiting for me. Just like how they've been with me through all the events in my life. Ready to give up their first-born child. But what God made me really see that time was the person on the other end side of the church. The person who can't looked at me, busy trying to hold up his tears. The person I've shared unforgettable moments with for nine years. The person I was about to spend the rest of my life with... more kodak moments

A year of preparation

We started booking for the church in July 2006 and started scouting for possible suppliers in september. The wedding date that was suppose to be august 25 became september 1. We managed to book the church, reception venue, caterer and coordinator at this early stage. I was really excited and started collating the flyers I got from the wedding expo when we went home for a short vacation in manila. We initially wanted to have a budget wedding where guests will enjoy themselves and remember the wedding as fun yet elegant affair. I never liked games that abashed the singles whenever I attend a wedding and I initially want this out of the program. I want our program to be just meant for dinner and dance without the tiring traditional cake cutting and toasting. I don't want any of our family to talk in front to make us cry. We want it to be purely fun in the reception. Emotional scenes should be left in the ceremony only as this is where the solemnity of the event truly lies. I started doing the save-the-date cards with a wishful thinking that it would help us save a big part of our wedding. Little things that I wanted to add in that small card that went unnoticed by others had amass a huge amount in our budget. So the idea of doing the invitation by myself was rejected by Rommel. Still, the year of preparation have given us enough time to prepare financially and mentally for what we're about to face.

Civil Wedding

In Singapore, church wedding is very very rare to happen. Aside from the fact that there's not much catholic here, it is also really expensive to do the church wedding. Though they have one option which is the civil wedding or ROM (Registry of Marriage). We agreed to have one only for the purpose of getting the marriage certificate in preparation for our church wedding since we don't want any hassle of applying one in manila. So on the 25th of January, year 2007, we took a cab, half an hour late, and went inside the Registry of Marriage, and was out 15 minutes later. Ceremony was only 10 minutes, the other 5 was for I don't know what. It was still fun. We had dinner with friends after the ceremony and things happen really fast. =) Here are the Kodak Moments

Much awaited proposal

After numbers of countries we've travelled together, friends who got married, had kids, and 8 years later, we finally decided that it's now time to take our relationship into the next level. Though for us, this is still a big step, some doesn't have that much enthusiasm as we do. For some, they feel like it's a project way overdue and doesn't feel like celebrating it. Some, especially our families, still share the same excitement. Still, we took things at its slowest pace to fully appreciate the taste of the ecstacy it will bring. It was January in 2005 that we decided to choose the date for the big day. Proposal came only in December of the same year. I was busy preparing my things at their place when he asked me to go with him at the rooftop of their home. The moment we got there, I instantly asked him to go back to the room since it was the middle of the afternoon and it was really humid. No idea, really, that I have ruined part of his plan. When we got to the room, he pointed a box on top of the pillow and asked me to open it. For years, whenever I see a box I always felt agitated, thinking that it contains the ring that i've been waiting for. But that box, never made me feel that way. Maybe because I was expecting a candle lit dinner and a romantic ambiance and not in his sister's room in the middle of the afternoon. I opened it and looked at the ring twice and asked him a couple of times if he's serious. He asked me to marry him and of course, I said yes with eyes full of tears and heart filled with gladness. Few months after, I asked him if he could do the proposal in a romantic way thinking that it will be the best story I could tell to my children and grand-children. He took back the ring and didn't say a word. I'm really a pain his ass :P August of 2006, he surprised me with a cable car dinner in sentosa and did the proposal again for the second time. And I realize, though it's romantic, the impact of the surprise is more on the first time. Well, at least now, I have two stories of the proposal to tell my grandchildren :) Btw, he told me that he didn't do the proposal over a romantic dinner because he knows that it's what my expectation is and the element of surprise won't be there. And yeah, he's totally right. =)

The story of us

I have once lived in my fairytale fantasy of finding my own prince charming. One who will take me out of my solitude. One who's so perfect in the way he talk and the way he smile, who's so blessed with all the richness of the world and intelligence that could make me learn a lot of things and of course, a prince wouldn't be a prince if he's not good-looking. But as I grew up, I realize that none of the qualities i was looking for could be found in one person only. I've been in relationships but none of it made me look forward to spending my lifetime with them. I guess, back then, I was still looking for my prince charming. Until I started working for a company I had no idea how my resume managed to land in the HR's desk. I noticed him on my first week and just became friends with him only after few months. We became close only after exchanging lyrics of songs through internal email and chatting in AOL and number of times we went out for a friday gimik with our other friends. Almost everyday, I was always looking forward coming in the office, always expecting him to touch my cheeks which he always does whenever he pass by on my cube. He was sweet and thoughtful giving me chocolait and crackers which he knows were my favorite, lending me his own jacket, and greeting me good morning through email everyday. We became closer and closer though back then we're still trying to be as discreet as possible, afraid of the office tsismis and of course the office regulations. But after all the struggles we've been through, we only became official in January of 1999. We were both offered a job in Singapore a year after and from then on, we continue our lives together. And I figured out, that finding your own prince charming isn't just about the looks or the intelligence or the palace he lives in. Your prince charming is that someone who could give you "kilig" moments, whom you could talk to and listens to you, who could give you strength when youre weak, who could be your only friend when everyone turns their back on you, who could have that patience when you're throwing tantrums, who encourage you everytime you're confidence is at its lowest and who could make you feel like a princess and the fairest of them all even if your own reflection doesnt think so. And I was glad and thankful to God, for I have found my own prince charming. :)

Marge Simpson

I like this! I think first time I see Marge Simpson in a really skimpy dress and it look so good on her. I just saw it from chuvaness blogsite. Hope you don't mind, girl.