Moments

Seeing things like this and capturing its splendor is definitely a moment where you find yourself in awe at the marvel of God's power and wisdom.

Reality Bites...and It Hurts!

I just had an affirmation of how harsh and unfair the world can be.
Right in my face, I realized that there are people in this world who can never play a fair game. I've always known this. I'm sure a lot of people have but never in my life has it been rubbed in face, not until today.

I've always believed in justice. That I get what I deserve. What I do is reciprocated by the exact same weight of what I've done. I always believed that this is how things should work. That was the beauty of life for me. You dont get everything. You just get what you deserve.

Unfortunately, I was wrong. Some people can get more than what they deserve and get away with it with a smirk on their faces.

He didn't deserve it. It was unfair. Not to me but to the rest of his supposed equals who never got the chance to play favorite. And what did he do to deserve it? Nothing. He didnt even make an effort.

Not for anything else...

Witnessing injustice can be quite harsh to someone who has always thought that there is always justice and goodness in each and every person's heart. Who am I kidding to actually believe in this kind of "fairy tale" belief?

In the end though, despite all the rants, there is only one way to deal with such an experience.

Deal with it.
Learn from it.

I definitely learned a very very important life lesson today.

Not everyone can be fair.

But I can be. I am. And I will always be.

Quickie

Im so tired.

Pagod na pagod ako. Latang lata pa.
Kung may choice lang ako, ayaw ko ng magtrabaho.

I just want to stay at home all day.
Sleep.
Eat.
Surf the net.
Eat.
Blog.

Hay.

Hi Five Video (Tribute to the High Five...commonly known to Pinoys as "Appear!"

A Short but Fun Weekend Getaway

Jenny, Eggy, Miguel, Rico and I met up my hometown at Sto. Tomas, Batangas last Saturday. Initial plan was to visit the Parish Office of Sto Tomas to inquire about how we can reserve a date for our wedding this year (which will hopefully push through either by October or December). With no other plans and not much cash as well, we set off early in the morning so we could evetually come home early as well (sure sign of old age, hehe).

We were so worried that traffic was going to be horrible based on our experience last Dec 30, 2007. Luckily, the roads were clear and the weather was fine so our trip was just a breeze.

Our first stop was definitely the church since it was closed during our last visit. It was timely that there was an ongoing wedding so we had an easier time imagining how our (Miguel and I) wedding would look like. The church had beautiful chandeliers and a magnificent altar yet it didnt seem too grand, thus it looked and felt perfect to me. Another plus factor is the fact that this was the same church where I was baptized, I had my First Communion and Confirmation. Having our wedding there just made perfect sense.



After several pictures later, we headed off to Rose and Grace Restaurant. Any tourist who finds himself in Sto Tomas must never leave without having eaten in this restaurant. It serves the most sumptuous Bulalo and other Batangas specialties like the "tulingan". Look at our pictures, its very obvious that we ate to our heart's content!



We still had so much time left after lunch that we decided to head off to Talisay, Rico's hometown and my childhood hometown as well. He said he had Batangas brewed coffee prepared for us so who were we to say no to another treat. We drank and drank and drank coffee and after all the caffeine rush, headed off to nearby Taal Lake for a little site seeing and more picture taking, of course!









At the end of the day, everyone may have been tired but we were all just soo happy, content and mentally recharged as well.

Walking the Dawgs!

Fun Fun day with our babies!

Welcome 2008!

Glitter Graphics

Princess Hours OST - A Dancing Teddy

A tribute to my all-time favorite Koreanovela

December 25, 2007

An Inspiration...

http://202.91.162.20/whynotforum/

Apat na araw na lang, Pasko na!

Puto bumbong is a much anticipated treat for every Pinoy once the Ber-months begin. Kasama ang niyog at muscovado sugar, omg, heaven talaga! Kung pwede lang araw-arawin, why not!

Usong uso na talaga ang mga kumukutitap na Christmas lanterns ng Pinas pero para sa akin, nothing beats the classic! We still use these lanterns up to this very moment and wala ng mas Pinoy pa dito!

Hindi pwedeng mawala ang Noche Buena! This is the highlight for each and every Pinoy sa pagdating ng Dec 24! Queso de Bola, Hamonado at maraming pang iba! This is why I love Christmas!

Kung walang Queso de Bola, HINDI PASKO!

Manila Sucks...Not!

Sa wakas, nakahanap din ako ng oras para makapamasyal, sa internet. Syempre, love your own, kaya ang una ko parating binibisita, ang aking one and only Sisidlan. =)

At sa wakas (ulit), may bumisita ulit dito pagkatapos ng napakahabang panahon. Iniisip ko na lang, siguro lahat ng tao, katulad ko mag-isip, "love your own", kaya sarili lang nilang blog ang tinitingnan nila. Hehe. Pero napaisip ko...dahil nga sa madalas ay kwento ukol sa sarili lamang ang aking naisusulat dito, talaga namang walang magkakainterest na bumisita rito. Maliban na lang kung meron akong tagahanga...o di kaya'y isang kakilala na walang magawa. Hehe.

Sabi ng aking kaibigan sa aking CBOX, "Manila is one hello hole".
Sa aking pananaw, mukang panlabas lamang na kaanyuhan ng Maynila ang kanyang nakikita. Hindi ko siya masisisi. Asahan mong tatambad sa iyo kung ikaw ay nasa Maynila ang masisikip na mga daan kahit saang sulok ka pa magpunta. Nakakalat ang mga bata't pulubi sa daan. Tambak na ang mga basura, masangsang pa ang amoy. Naglipana din ang mga mandurukot at masasamang loob. Lahat yan asahan mong makita at maranasan sa Maynila.

Pero ang hindi nakikita ng ilan, may puso ang Maynila. Dahil kasabay ng mabilis na pagdaloy ng samu't saring mga tao sa daan, may isang taong may ginagawang makabuluhan.

Marahil isang pintor sa loob ng kanyang maliit na apartment ang matiyagang binubuo ang kanyang maestra. Siguro, may isang masigasig na estudyante ang nag-aaral upang makamit ang pangarap na medalya. Hindi rin malayong may isang magulang ang kumakayod ng walong oras upang makapag-uwi ng makakain at maipangtutustos sa kanyang pamilya. Mayroon ding isang lalaki ang matiyagang dumadalaw sa isang dalaga upang bihagin ang puso nito. Malamang may isang nanay din ang nagmamadaling mailuto ang hapunan upang sa pagdating ng buong pamilya't sabay sabay na makapagsalo-salo.

Naniniwala ako na habang may ganitong mga eksena sa bawat buhay ng isang Manileño, isa pa ring magandang lugar ang Maynila. Panget man sa unang tingin, ngunit kung tunay mo itong kilala, hindi mo kailanman ipagpapalit sa ano mang mas maganda o mas maunlad na siyudad.


To Mako: Alam kong dito tayo lubusang nagkakaiba na pananaw ngunit bilang kaibigan, alam ko ring lubusan mo akong naiintindihan!

Mabuhay ka sapagkat muli mong napukaw ang aking isipin at kiniliti ang aking diwa. Salamat.

Trabaho

I hate work.

I hate work so much that to think about it makes my head ache. Makes me feel like blah.

Ang malaking katanungan ngayon ay eto...ako lang ba ang taong ganito ang nararamdaman? A big chunk of the world's population (a really big chunk!) is part of the working force. Assuming that I'm not as unique as I once thought I was, then a big chunk of the big big big chunk must also feel like me. If that's the case, then the world must really really be a sad place to be in right now. It seems that most of the people are living in a box that's just not made for most of the people to fit into.

I feel bad. So much for an epiphany.

Stressed Out, Disappointed

Ibang klase talaga ang pwedeng mangyari sa tao kapag na-stress na ito.
I have definitely proven it several times already for the past few months pero talaga namang lalo ko itong nakita sa isang engkwentro kagabi sa opisina.

Hindi na kailangan pang bumanggit ng mga pangalan. Hindi na rin siguro kailangan pang i-kwento ang mga pangyayari. Ang mahalaga ay mailabas lamang ang aking nararamdaman ukol dito.

Una sa lahat, walang karapatan ang sino mang ipamukha sa isang tao na animo'y wala siyang ginagawa't tinatrabaho. Alam ng lahat ng tao kung gaano kalaki ang aking pagod at paghihirap upang masigurong ang lahat ay natutulungan, ang lahat ay naaasikaso. Panghihimasok ang ginagawa ng isang tao kung pati oras ng pag-uwi ay paghahanapan ka pa rin ng trabahong dapat ay siya na ang namamahala.

Pangalawa, kung hindi mo kaya ang trabaho mo, umalis ka na diyan. Pantay pantay lang tayo ng ginagawa. Huwag na huwag mong ipapamukha na mas marami kang ginagawa kaysa sa kaninuman. Lamang ka lang sa paggawa mo ng mga reports at pagharap sa boss. Pero believe me, it doesnt prove that you do more. Lahat ng tao ay ayaw ng makipagusap sayo dahil sa ugali mo. Kung alam mo lang.


Kaya kung magsulat buong araw tungkol sa iyo. Ganyan ako kagalit. Pero ayaw ko ng sayangin pa ang aking pagod at oras para lang sa iyo.

Hindi man ako ang makapagsabi sa iyo ng mga bagay na ito...alam kung sa takdang panahon ay isasampal din sa iyo ang mga maling ginagawa mo sa aming lahat. Hindi lamang ako ang iyong biktima, tandaan mo yan.

Kasal

Sa loob ng dalawang linggo, dalawang kasal ng kaibigan ang aking nadaluhan.
Sadyang ang buwan ng Disyembre ang paboritong buwan ng mga magsing-irog upang idaos ang kanilang pag-iisang dibdib. Hindi lamang dahil sa lamig at aliwalas ng panahon kundi't lalo na dahil sa ito rin ang buwang tila lahat ng tao ay may pera.

Sadyang hindi biro ang pagpapakasal. Isa akong patunay sapagkat halos magdadalawang taon na rin ng ako ay yayaing magpakasal ng aking kasintahan. Ngayon pa lamang kami nakakapagsimulang mag-ipon sapagkat sadyang napakahirap ng buhay. Maraming mga gastusing di inaasahan ang bigla na lamang sumusulpot.

Isa lang ang aking ipinagdadasal ngayon. Sana ay tuluyan na naming maipon ang aming kinakailangan upang matupad ang minimithing pagpapakasal. Excited na talaga kaming dalawa, sa totoo lang.


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Here are some of my thoughts on weddings:

1. Nothing can beat how food can leave the best impression on people attending weddings.

This I have proven after attending Jopet's wedding which was catered by Barci. Its a conference/convention center where Jopet and his wife had their reception. Lechon was a highlight. Its been a while since I last attended a wedding that had lechon. Basta Pinoy, di pwede mawalan ng lechon.

The Texas Ribs was also a winner. So was the Seafood Ala Pobre and even their dessert, oh heaven, Mango Tapioca! If these people can cater a wedding in Batangas, expect them to be my caterer.

2. Weddings must always be personalized.

When I say personalized, I mean, the wedding should obviously show what the "couple" is all about. And that was what Tintoy and Peewee had on their wedding last night. I've attended hundreds of weddings already but it was my first time to witness such an event wherein everything about the couple could be felt. From their table names (titles of their favorite movies) to their presentation (the brother of the bride is a bartender and so he was the one who prepared the couple's drink - take note, a performance like no other with the twirling of the bottles and the shakers pa!), everything was truly well thought of by the couple.

3. Location definitely counts.

When planning the location of the church and reception venue, the location must definitely be considered, most especially the traffic condition. Need I say more/

4. Never be late.

We were late last night (take a big guess on why...clue...see item # 3). Its really a no no even if you're only a guest. Although the bride and groom barely noticed, everyone else did.

On Substance

Gusto kong maging mas makabuluhan ang aking pagsusulat.
Hindi lang basta kwento at ritrato.
Hindi gusto ng tao ang makarinig ng kwento't pananaw na nauukol lamang sa kanyang sarili.

Nakakasawa.
Pathetic.

Gagawin ako ang aking makakaya upang makapaghatid ng mas may saysay na panulat. Mga imahe na mas makabuluhan.

Sayang naman ang pagkakataon.
Sayang na sayang.

Hindi lahat ng tao ay nabibigyan ng pagkakataong makagawa ng bagay na may halaga. Gusto kong gamitin ang naibigay sa aking oras at pagkakataon.

Ang Simula ng Bagong Kabanata

Humanda kayong lahat sa aking pagbabalik.

I am now empowered. I have been given the freedom to be online til my eyes pop out.

I love you DSL!!!!

A New Member of the Family

Its been 4 months now. Ganun pa lang ang pakiramdam. May dagdag na kinang ang buhay simula ng dumating siya sa amin. Parating masaya. Minsan pasaway pero at the end of the day, mapapangiti ka pa rin.

Meet my baby brother Pompom...

Tamad Magsulat

Ako yan kasama si Jen at Eggy.

Bday ni Miguel yan.

Bigla lang akong nagandahan sa picture.

Ewan kung baket.

Mga katrabaho.

Yan ang ginagawa namin after a long and stressful day. I dont know if that comes out naturally or epekto ng stress.

Either way, it looks funny.

BDO-EPCI Migration Pep Talk.

We were so happy then...

How I wish they've been honest with the load of work.

Screw the merger.

Highschool friends...

Thats us now. Ang gaganda namin.

I miss them a lot.

Pagod

Matagal tagal din akong hindi nakapagsulat. Kulang sa oras, salat sa panahon. Ganyan ang buhay ko ngayon. Hindi ko inakalang aabot ako sa punto na kulang parati ang oras para sa trabaho. Nakakapagod. Nung una naaaliw pa ako pero nakakapagod pala.