10 Year Gap Letter (after 10 years)

Almost 11 years ago, I posted a letter to myself in this blog.

Honestly, I know that I posted it but didn't realize it has been (more than) 10 years since I posted it. It was only by chance that I decided to backtrack the post. Realizing it has been 10 years, I would like to take this opportunity to "reply" to my letter and post another one for my 33/34 year old self - hopefully I am still using this blog site 10 years from now.

Of course, the song that inspired these entries.

  

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To the me, ten years ago...

Dear Bea (22/23),

I don't know how to say this - We are content with what we have right now. But the happiness that we have been yearning for, we are not there yet my dear.

We haven't found our Oishi or Zukki, but we are married and we have a beautiful and amazing daughter.

We are have our small accomplishments, yet, we continue to "reach for a dream."

We haven't travelled to Japan nor Europe, but we will be moving to a different country with our family.

We will be meeting more people along the way, but our high school friends, will still be there to listen to us - specially Angeli and Lian.

Do you remember Edelyn? We will rekindle the friendship we have and she will play a major role in our future relationship. She will be our confidant and support. I warn you though, she will challenge us and make us question decisions in life, but this is for us to realize what you really want to happen in our life.

Remember our frustration in helping people in healthcare? We will have that opportunity but it's not how we thought it would be. This is definitely one of the highlights when we hit our 30s.

We will enter an intimate relationship and this will test us. There will be ups and downs like any relationship, and we will eventually make a family with him. But here me out, married life is not what we think it is.

The next few years will be a roller coaster for us and there are major life events that will change our perception of adulthood and life. The world will change due to a pandemic and we will make life decisions that will greatly affect our future. In jest, our life will revolve around our family, specifically our daughter.

The future is far from what we thought it would be.

We keep on going back to basics because we keep on getting lost. But don't fret, we always bounce back. We learn to appreciate smaller things and we are more humbled by events around us. We continue to believe in our abilities and skills, but we also learn how to celebrate in silence.

I don't want to dishearten you. The next years are still learning experiences for us. Stay strong, I can assure you, it will pass. You will see it through, hang in there, CHANGES are inevitable - just give yourself time to digest it all.

Stay true to yourself and before I forget, MUSIC will always be your salvation. You will hear more artists and they will also be your inspirations. LOVE YOURSELF my dear Beatriz.

That is all for now.

-Beatriz (33)

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To the me, ten years from now...

My dear Beatriz (43/44),

I learned that happiness has different levels, are we happy and content? Or are we finally happy like what we have been yearning for?

Are we still crying for the same reasons? Or are we crying tears of joy?

How far have we travelled? How many destinations have we visited? I hope we have reached the balance of home and travel we have been looking forward too?

How is Bergette? I hope we have prepared and guided her well for her future.

Are we able to protect those we value? Are we stronger and more cable?

I continue to quote some of the questions from the song:

" Are you happy right now? 

 Or in loneliness

Are you crying?... 

Who do you like now?

Or maybe it hasn't changed

You still like that person?..."

Are CHANGES still difficult for us?

Are we still ourselves?

I hope when I look back on this post, I can say "Finally!"

Till we meet again.

Beatriz (33/34)

"Someone got my back" moment

Having someone defend you during your darkest times. The feeling is overwhelming. It not only pertains to Zhang ZheHan (yes, I recently became a fan. I'll post about that some other time.) but the general idea of knowing that there are still those who believe and defend you when everything seems to be against all odds.

Recently, I had my share of the "someone got my back" moment. It is an update about my friendship with Iala. As I have mentioned before, she is my classmate in a Caregiving course I enrolled in last year. Currently, we are to submit requirements and pay for our assessment. The budget was tight recently, and I mentioned that I might delay my evaluation because of the constraint. Without hesitation, she offered to lend me money on the spot. It would not usually bother me since it's a friendly gesture, and I also help my friends when I have the means. But you see, Iala and I have only been friends for less than a month - you may even call it acquaintance.

Her willingness to help me even though we haven't known each other for a long time surprises me.

Iala never ceases to amaze me. She exudes a feeling of trust in me that I have never felt with anyone before. Maybe, I am just used to being the helper and feel uneasiness when someone offers me help. When I think about it, the only one who helps in my times of need is my sister. And of course, that is different since we are blood-related.

I cannot stress how much Iala has made an impact on me in just a few weeks.

Honestly, I feel happy about this type of friendship between us. But I will not deny that I am afraid that these might all be pretenses.

Deep in me, I long for this kind of friendship, but I am afraid of losing it. These might be the reasons why I feel I must tread lightly in this friendship.

Oh, what does the future hold for us, my friend?

A new friendship... hopefully a strong one.

An update on my previous post. The surreal feeling is gone, but the curiosity in knowing more about Iala is still present.

My correspondence with her since the last time we met is mostly about our class. A few nights ago, we had an opportunity to have a more personal chat.

I found out that we had quite a list of things in common. I won't be putting it here in detail for privacy. Overall, we were surprised about our similarities.

For some reason, meeting a new friend for me feels refreshing. I am not sure if it's the pandemic or it's meeting Iala herself. At the moment, the connection feels genuine and comforting. Of course, friendship is still starting, but I like the feeling when I talk to her.

Hopefully, this friendship will be a strong one.

Salud!

Sunday felt different, like a dream

Events from last Sunday felt surreal for me.

We had our long-delayed face-to-face schedule for the Caregiver Course we enrolled in. It was a wet and cold morning. We had to go to the training center early because we had to be tested for COVID-19 before entering the classroom. It was our first time to personally meet our classmates. We felt awkward meeting everyone for the first time, so no one was chatting nor talking with anybody.

Inside our assigned classroom, there were only seven of us while the other students were in another room. The trainer took attendance and, I was the last one to be called. When I said my name, my seatmate immediately turned to look at me with enthusiasm. I can sense her smile under the facemask. She waved at me, and I waved back. I didn't think much about it.

We then moved to another room to start the training and demo. During our online classes from a few months back, I noticed that one of our trainers looked like a family friend. This trainer was our first teacher for the face-to-face. Since it was our first time meeting everyone, we were all quiet and tense. The trainer sensed it, and he assured as to ease up and enjoy learning. Eventually, we were already laughing the chatting with our classmates. We later had to find a partner to practice the skills that were taught to us. The seatmate I mentioned earlier and I have been side by side the whole time, so we decided to be partners. After a while, the trainer gave us tips and suggestions based on his experience. I really felt he was our family friend who was giving us the lesson, so there was a sense of trust and security - rare during the pandemic.

As I mentioned earlier, we partnered off to practice the new skills we learned. My partner's name is Iala, and she became my first friend in the group. For the duration of the face-to-face class, we were together. When the class ended, we decided to go home together via train.

As we walked towards the train station, Iala told me that she was actually looking forward to meeting me. This was a surprise for me. I asked her why. Her interest in meeting me started when I mentioned I was a Psychology graduate. She said that she was thinking of getting units in Psychology because she liked the principles and theories in the field. She continued her narrative and told me that she was praying that we would be in the same group for the face-to-face class. She admitted to looking for my name first on the list before her name, and she was ecstatic to find out we were groupmates. This explains why she looked enthusiastic when she found out that I was her seatmate. She mentioned how I sounded interesting during our online class and how nice and approachable I was in person.

This caught me off-guard in a big way. First of all, I have never met anyone who was genuinely looking forward to meeting me. I guess it was always me who was looking forward to meeting someone. Second, most of the people I know described me as intimidating when they first met me. As for Iala, she said I was "nice and approachable," this was only the first time we met. Third, I felt that she was genuinely listening to everything I was saying. This was because I was helping her with the skills training, but overall, she seems to be attentive in everything I say and do.

I do not want to be full of myself, but this is what it will sound like right now. For the past few years, I have never been treated this way. Iala did not question nor doubt anything I said. I was used to always "prioritizing" other people, like gesturing them to go ahead or letting them choose a seat before me. I even do this with my sister. But with Iala, it was different. She was the one who always gestured for me to go forward, to let me find my seat first, and to let me decide on small details - it may sound minuscule. But for some reason, I felt different around her. I seemed someone that was attended to. I know it sounds ridiculous, but honestly speaking, this was what I felt.

The train finally arrived at my station, and I had to say my farewell. Even after we departed, I still felt in a daze. As I walked home, I continued to ponder what had just happened on our way home. Our walk from the training center to the train station was about 15 to 30 minutes. But in that short time, I felt I was floating, entranced, and fleeting.

Days have passed, and yet here I am, immersed in the experience.

I would definitely like to share more about this in the future. But I would not know if there will be another chance - or will the next time be more personal that I won't share it in full detail but mention it in passing?

Only time can tell.

I am not sure if it is the pandemic. But this specific interaction felt strange and yet has a tinge of warmth.

I am a Catholic: Influence, Upbringing and Learning

Being a Catholic has greatly influenced my upbringing both in a positive and a negative way. 

A little background: I grew up in a strict Catholic family. We have traditions and “obligations” rooted in the Catholic faith that has been passed down from generations to generations. My sister and I studied in an all-girls Catholic school for 14 years.

It is because of my Catholic upbringing that I learned the importance (and sometimes my dependence) of (in) prayers, in triumph and thanksgiving, in defeat and desperation, in decision-making and uncertainty.

Chapels have been my sanctuary for years whenever I feel overwhelmed or when I feel something unnerving is about to happen. I cannot count how many times I have bawled my eyes out at our high school chapel. When I was already working, I would still visit our high school chapel even though it was on the opposite direction from my workplace.

I have owned a necklace with a crucifix ever since my junior year in high school, though the crucifix changes over the years because I sometimes end up giving my crucifix to people who I think “needs it’s guidance and protection.” more than me. I know how weird this sounds, but in my case, a crucifix helps me feel “more grounded” is situations that make me anxious.

Growing up, I have been taught (specially by the nuns) to pity those who are less fortunate than me. I would volunteer in outreach programs (I still do, but my demeanor is somewhat different now) and give alms to the poor.

Later on will I realize how these teachings I learned would be twisted and turned against me, specially by my own family. I was called weak, gullible, and “detached” from the cruelties of reality just because I was showing basic human decency. I am having second thoughts sharing about this part as this is still raw and fresh, maybe some other time?

To continue, the family tradition that I used to respect and follow has become a source of conflict between me, the brother of my grandfather and my uncles and aunts. It has become a “mini competition and a show of money” rather than a sincere devotion to the faith.

For most of my educational years, I followed the teachings of the Catholic Church by the book. I was so proud of that, to the point I have become arrogant and closed-minded about the issues against the church. The ones who taught me to be open-minded were my high school friends. They too had a Catholic upbringing but the way they discussed and talked about the flaws of the Catholic Church made me better understand my faith.

Unfortunately, when I went to college and after I graduated, somewhere along the line, I got lost again. 

I was sure about my faith and my belief, then someone criticized my way of praying being too short or being lazy. Suddenly I changed the manner of how I prayed, I then heard myself ask too much, that I would sound utterly selfish.

I was involved in church organizations that I thought, during that time, would help me in my spiritual journey. Boy was I wrong. My understanding of the Catholic faith was having an open-mind and an open heart in understanding people’s life, views, opinions and situations in life. When I joined these organizations, I was boxed in certain biases that went against my understanding of my faith. People around had the same so- Called bias and I, succumbing to social pressure, followed their belief, their norm, their views. In the long run, it became a source of internal conflict within me.

I was devoured by my pride believing I was in the right “stand”. I was a hypocrite.

Then I had my own family, I gave birth, and it took another four years after that to “rediscover” my faith once more.

For the past 30 years of my existence, I based my decisions, my views and my morals on how I was raised in a Catholic environment. Only to realize that the very same environment would be my downfall.

At the moment, I would say that I am still in the “initial” stage of my rediscovering my faith. I don’t know if it’s the pandemic or just the desperation, or maybe both? But I feel the lack of dedication and sincerity in my prayers - it’s unnerving and frustrating.

My learnings from all this, despite having a strong influence and upbringing based on the Catholic faith:

• I can still get lost and become a hypocrite.
• That understanding faith and belief, is a constant journey of rediscovery.
• Vigilance and critical thinking should be practiced when deciding once views and stands.

At the end of the day, basic human decency, open-mindedness, understanding, and unconditional love is the core of being a Catholic.

between me and kagi

*note: kagi and i have been friends since high school. recently, she closed/ deleted most of her social media accounts except twitter. as for her blog, she still has it because she said that's one thing she can't let go. (^_~)

anyways, this letter is for her. why do it as a post on my blog? because she said she finds my informality, lack of technique and rawness very entertaining. (>_<) also, it's because this is our only way of communicating to each other recently. in short, it's a way to get her attention.

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to my friend kagi,

how are you? i can't remember when was the last time we had a decent conversation. anyways, i saw the your post/entry before you deleted most of your social media accounts. i now understand why you were so mad at "them" and you decided to just detach yourself from such social media sites. yes, it can be saddening, the medium that was intentionally created to reach out and make friends is the very same medium that is used to promote negativity and remorse. i salute you for having that strong will to detach yourself from such rubbish and insensitive actions. the words they used were harsh and i myself felt offended, even though i was not part of the discussion. i am proud of you because you just stayed away from the mess and walked away from such hostility.

i hope i can do the same, but like what you said in your post,

"how you handle it depends on how well you know yourself. if you know that it will cause you more harm and negative emotions, then why should you endure it? life has too much to offer, why focus on this lone hostility against you?"

i admit that i do not know myself too well. you know what i am talking about right? you know how much i hold on to the people whom i trust. you know how important it is for me to have that "company" so as to prevent some "events" from happening. though i rarely post in my social media accounts as compared before, the total detachment that you did was just admirable. i still check mine every evening (for some announcements or post from real friends) and i admit that sometimes i feel that "emotion" you were referring to in your post.

anyways, i hope you can teach me how you did it. hehehehe.

take care my dear friend. till next time.

beatriz

ps. email me once you have read this. i know you have a lot of comments in store for me after scrutinizing my post. :p

CLP 2013 Batch 2 Chronicles: solace

find solace in the people whom you trust and love the most.

find solace in the most unexpected places, people and things.

i have been having personal struggles and i did not know how to address them,

so kept my silence.

i would cry it out, feel better, and then later, it would return.

then, a friend from SFC had a request.

there was nothing new about the request.

i was used to these kind of requests.

the most interesting thing about the request is the timing.

before, i used to believe in coincidence.

but since i started to be part of SFC,

this belief changed.

i now believe that things happen for a reason.

yes, it is painful and hard to accept, but it happens for a reason.

it's difficult to see the light at the end of the dark tunnel, still, it happens for a reason.

anyways, so the timing of the request of my friend was impeccable.

he asked for a dance routine for a song.

i was familiar with the song, so i thought it wasn't a biggie.

then it hit me.

as i was listening to the song, i felt that jolt in my heart.

ideas, visions and animated images filled my head.

i felt goosebumps that i haven't felt for a long time.

this was it!

i knew this was a message from God and his messenger was my friend.

He knew the perfect timing.

He knew how to awaken my senses.

"Here I am helplessly crying in your presence but you never questioned why. with open arms You welcomed me. I find solace in Your embrace."

My Lord, thank you for the people whom you have sent to send you message of concern and love for me.

I thank you for the gift of music, gift of movement and most of all the gift of talent.

I am not the best dancer in the world, but when I dance in your honor, I know that I am blessed with your graces.

Thank you for the people who reminded me of your love.

Thank you for the people who caught me when I was falling.

Thank you for the people who gave time and concern for your lost servant.

Thank you Lord for your grace and love.

Amen.

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special mention: thank you Harris Alas. :)

ate jen's surprise birthday celebration

we had a surprise birthday celebration for ate jen last june 7!

her birthday is june 15, unfortunately, she is at the province during her birthday,

so we decided to give her a surprise party a week before her birthday!

surprisingly, her guests last year, were the same people who attended this year with a few additions. (^_^)

here are the pictures.

in addition, since all of the attendees were music ministry members,

our entertainment that night were each other (^_^)

we sang our heart out to different songs that would randomly come to mind.

it was really a fun night and ate jen was really happy for the surprise celebration (^_^)

advance happy birthday ate jen!

we love you!

i serve for God

thank you Lord for all the opportunities that you have given me to share my talent in dancing and to serve you!

i know that statement/declaration is not enough to say how blessed and thankful i am for the talent, opportunity and graces that God has give me.

the first off the list was during our cluster sportsfest.

i was able to dance once again with my idols, mimi and che.

though short, i really appreciate this opportunity because they have been quite busy recently so i was really thankful for that moment!

second, i was given an opportunity to be part of the production team during the CFC West B Cana weekend.

in addition to that, i was the assigned photographer for the event!

but that blessing and opportunity did not end there,

i also had the chance to perform a jazz number during the event.

i was truly blessed and i am thankful for the opportunity that was given to me.

i would like to take this opportunity to thank ate Gracelyn Romero for giving me this opportunity.

thank you for the friendship that has started and the bonds that have strengthened because of these events and opportunities that i have been part of.

my service to God will definitely not end here.

the service continues and i shall do my best to accept the services that i am called to be part of.

to share my time, my talent and my treasure,

all for God and his people!

amen!

amusing

i am the type of person who is easily amused. (^_^)

one example is this picture.

my colleague and i went out for lunch at this famous fastfood place.

our reference numbers amused me. (^_^)

reunion!

jenette came back from her training from the Philippine Coast Guard.

my original household in sfc. (^_^)

jogging

yesterday, a handful of us from sfc went to IP Diliman for a 6.6 km jog around the academic oval. (^_^) after that, we ate ice cream at a waiting shed along the elliptical road. that's something you don't do everyday (^_^) pictures here!

pictures

pictures, pictures and tons of pictures!

thats what i can give.

there have been so many things i should have blogged but failed to do so.

to tell you all the truth,

i have forgotten what are the things i would like to post.

well, i decided to start all of the catch up with pictures!

first, the holy week.

second, summer vacation 2013 at candon, ilocos sur and baguio city.

third, our my saturday, april 6, 2013.

• 3K FunD Run in support or our church
• family breakfast

special photo!
 (^_^)

artists: respect

respect goes a long way.

this is an entry worth sharing. this is from my comic book artist friend, Gilbert Monsanto.

ARTISTS, one and all.

10 years gap letter

this entry was inspired by an entry by my friend, Mimi. also, influenced by the song title [letter song] enjoy!


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to the me, ten years ago...

hi Bea (12),

this is rather awkward and you might not believe it,  or maybe you will. this letter is from you ten years in the future. i do not mean to change your future, i merely want to tell you that life will definitely be a roller coaster for you in the coming ten years.

i'm sure you would like to know the details of the coming ten years, i'm sorry to disappoint you but i wont be giving specific details. all i can give you are advise.

cherish your friendship with your high school friends. believe me, when you look back from here i am now, they are the ones who will open your mind to a lot of views in this world. we are still friends until now, i believe that already says a lot. (^_^)

high school is the most dramatic part of your life. i believe you are still in first year high school right? you still have three more years to go and it will experience a lot of struggles and happy moments in high school. a warning though, this is one of the "darkest" part of your life. emphasis on struggle. if i was asked  if i wanted to change my life in high school, i would have mixed emotions. though it as gloomy, there were people i met in the later future that really meant a lot to me. just be strong, when you feel that there is no hope? look back on this letter. you will ask more questions and will still be impatient, but i tell you, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

college will just be a breeze as compared to high school. though there will be complications, so another warning there. i would like to take this opportunity to ask you a favor. you will meet a person who you will cherish a lot. here name is Tessa. she will make you laugh, she will make you cry, she will hug you, she will understand you, she will be your strength and your weakness. please, treasure her because you will be going through a lot together. if i had one regret, it was that i did not cherish her enough. this is why i am taking this opportunity to remind you to cherish her. she can be selfish at some point but believe me, she is the person ho understands you the most. the complication i mentioned earlier? she will be your adviser and you will be supporting her in a lot of ways too. also, you two are a "good combination" that will mean a lot by the time you graduate college. (^_~)

there will be a time that you will not know what you would want to do with your life. my advise? go with the flow. there are struggles but hey, i'm content with where i am right now. (^_^)

people and friends will be a big part of your journey in life. you ill have a small group of friends but they will be the ones who you can really rely on. changes are inevitable to just go with the flow. it can be frustrating at times but just going with the flow will work. (^_^)

imagination, emotions, feelings and dance are both your strength and your weakness. there are times you will use them well and there will be times that they can ruin you.

don't be to hard on yourself. everything will fall into place. learn to love yourself more and appreciate the small details in life. smile, it brings out a lot out of you and it attracts the good people around you. (^_^)

i believe, that's all i can remember to say for now. i'm sure you have a lot of questions, unfortunately i can't answer them directly.

have faith and believe in God.

oh, before i forget. if you feel blocked in any task, my advice is to go back to basics. (^_^)

enjoy! chiao~

-beatriz carino (22)

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to the me, ten years after...

hi beatriz (32),

how are you? i wonder if you were able to meet your "oishi" or be friends with zukki? or even more? (^_~)

i have so many questions for you! were you able to reach your dream? were you able to go to japan? europe?

i'll quote some of the translated of the lyrics from the song [letter song] of some of the questions in my head right now.

" Are you happy right now? 

 Or in loneliness

Are you crying?... 

Who do you like now?

Or maybe it hasn't changed

You still like that person?..."

sorry for being sappy but it's true. i really wonder what what you are doing now and are you contented with life? people have been a great part of your life. how are you and your friends? or have you gone your separate ways?

so many questions! sorry about that. i really hope you are happy in where you are now. i love you. (^_^)

-beatriz (22)

sfc icon 2013: witness

hi everyone! (^_^) how are you? the last time i posted an entry, i mentioned something about dance practice.  well, the dance practice was for the opening night for the annual SFC ICON. (^_^) the theme for this year is "witness". this is in relation to the CFC theme this year, "obey and witness." anyways, it was mentioned in one of the talks that one cannot truly witness, if one does not obey.

to make it more concrete, in my case as one of the many performers, i had to obey the choreographer to be able to witness and be part of the performance. i saw the differences in people and those who really have the talent. i met people who were humble and they are willing to reach out to those who have difficulty getting the steps, at the same time, i met people who were too proud and were nagging and "selfish." despite this, we all had to obey to be part of the whole performance.

to be able to be a witness to the greatness of God, i have to learn to obey to his will and plans for me. this is easier said than done. as humans who are given the free will, we have plans for the future that we plan to accomplish. obeying God's plans may be difficult but it may mean going against hat we plan for ourselves. obeying means accepting, accepting what God has planned for us even if this is very challenging and difficult to achieve. obeying needs trust, strength and courage. we don't know what the future has for us, we are left to trust to whatever the God decides to plan for us. we need strength and courage to live out the plans of God, we have to admit, it's a battlefield in this world. we experience challenges and oppression that are just too painful to bear, but in the end we still rise up and face this journey we call life. (^_^) obeying means surrender. we surrender everything to God, whatever our plans are, whatever we face, whatever we do, we all surrender it to God. the smiles, the tears, the ups, the downs, the success, the failures, everything, we surrender it all to God. what do we get in all of this?

we become a witness.

we become a witness to how God can greatly influence our lives. we become living witnesses that despite the cruelties of this world, we can live day by day with hope and positive disposition. we know that at the end of the day, however shitty the day is, we still look forward to the gift of life we receive upon waking up the next day. (^_^) is that all that is to being a witness?

of course not!

being a witness also involves the people you interact with. the people you make memories with, the people who influence you, the little girl you teach in catechism, the kids who wait for you in the classroom for you to teach them, the stranger who smiled at you as you two were passing by each other, the cashier who gave you your change when you bought food, the guard who greeted you as you entered the building, the demanding boss, the strict mentor, everyone! every person that becomes a part of your life has involvement in you being a witness. how you talk to them, how you treat them, how you think of them, these are manifestations on how far you have witnessed as God's servant and how you share being a witness a living witness to God's love.

in my case, despite the clash in ideas and personalities during the dance practice for the SFC ICON, the choreographers were patient, strict and professional. they had every good intention even if they can be very harsh in their criticisms. as performers with different levels, experience  in dancing, from different chapters and clusters, we shared our knowledge and experience. we learn from each other and we form new connections and friendship. we learn how to deal with different people, we learn to spread and share the love of God that is within us.

lastly, prayers. there is nothing impossible in prayers. say prayers of thanksgiving, prayers of sorrow, prayers of happiness, prayers of doubt, prayers for family and friends, prayers for the sick, prayers for the dearly departed. you will never go wrong with prayers. prayer time is the time for reflection, your alone time with God, you one-on-one date with God.

in this SFC ICON 2013, i obeyed, i witnessed and i became an involved witness to God's greatness. (^_^)
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ps. here are the pictures from the conference. majority of the pictures are from my household head, jen ocbena. others are from my friends. (^_^)

theory

i know it's long due and it has passed but i just really had to share it.

this is a theory from my friend/officemate, rizell.

there have been fuss, rumors and jokes about the end of the world on dec 21, 2012 (12/21/12)

as this is the end of the mayan calendar.

being one of the ancient civilizations that believed to be advance in their time,

it is said that they predicted the "end of the world," 12/21/12.

now, this is where the theory of my friend comes in.

the mayans lived in south america.

since they were the ones who "predicted" the end of the world based fro their calendar,

doesn't that mean that it supposed to be december 21 on their calendar?

meaning dec 22 in the eastern part of the world?

it sounds like a joke... well, we later on passed it as a joke. (^_^)

in the end, the mayan calendar simply has a new cycle.

it's like the end of 2012 and the start of 2013.

a new year, a new cycle begins.

(^_^)

no idea if this entry even makes sense,

but hey,

"c'est la vie!"

parties

hi everyone! it's past 1am and here i am trying to keep myself awake.

when the christmas season comes, with this are christmas parties!

i believe, as of today, i have attended 4 christmas parties.

danced/performed in 2 of them,

wore a costume for 2 parties (on the same night),

sang at 3 parties,

had a few alcoholic drinks in one of the parties.

all of them i really enjoyed! (^_^)

i believe i have one more planned christmas party to attend to.

just for the record, the family christmas dinner is totally different from the christmas parties,

the christmas parties i was referring to are the ones with my friends and officemates. (^_^)

i believe thats all for tonight. (^_^)

pictures? still have to upload them on my free time. (^_^)

update

hi everyone! been a very loooooonng time since i last updated. though, mind you, a lot of events has happened that i can be sure of. (^_^) the pictures are all stacking up in my laptop. unfortunately, i do not have the internet connection to upload them all. maybe i'll pust a post and a link for all my pics since i last updated. (^_^) anyways, right now i am using the desktop of my dad. let me remember what i have been doing since my last update... hmmm.

/looks at facebook, twitter and her mobile phone.

well... it's been a year since i offcially became a member of Singles for Christ. (^_^) me and my batchmates sponsored the food for our Christian Life program. it was our way of giving forward or giving back, however way you look at it. i would say a lot has changed since last year and i hope the change still continues for the better. (^_^)

i have attended a wedding for a cute couple who are also our fellow SFC members. we were the ones who sang for the wedding. i would admit that it was a bit of a disaster but we were all just very happy for them. (^_^) we will be singing in another wedding this monday for another couple from SFC. i hope our singing is better this time around. (^_~)

a bunch of us also performed at the Saterdotal anniversary of our parish priest. aiza and i were the ones who chose the music. bjoy and i did the choreography and i also did the editing for the songs. it was fun but there were a few misunderstandings and bad blood bad the way. thankfully, we were able to overcome this and we were all in good terms after the performance. (^_^)

oh! i went to hong kong last weekend with my officemates. it was an all-expense paid trip by our boss. we went to disneyland and had dinner at the Peak. it was my first time to go to hong kong so i was very excited. i had fun but i wish i had more time to walk around though. (^_^) as i said earlier, pictures will be uploaded as soon as i have enough time and the right internet connection. sorry! m(_ _)m

oh by the way, the first few things i looked for when i was in hk? FANTA! hahahaha! and yes, i did find it. unfortunately, i could not bring it here in the philippines because it was not allowed on the plane. (^_^)

christmas is just around the corner. (^_^) been taking pictures of "christmassy" thingies these past weeks. i hope i get the chance to post them in the near future. and i mean NEAR! (^_^)

i'm very sure i'm missing other details of what i have been doing recently but i really hope i could share them here. (^_^)

chiao~

another super update

hi everyone! it's been really hard for me to update my blog recently due to work and limited internet access. there have been a lot that has been happening lately, and to tell you all the truth, i can't even remember some of them. i do have pictures so... i'll just tell you all about these pictures are. (^_^) we will start with the albums.

1st SFC Big West Conference

we are all proud to say that we are the pioneer members who attended the conference. (^_^) the venue as at my alma mater, Miriam College. There were 3 talks, praise fest, mass and dances. i also bought shirts, but no pictures yet of the shirts. you will all see them in my future pictures. (^_~)

next, the birthday celebration of Rex, our manager, and also the quarter celebration of our company since we reached our quota for this quarter. yosh! it was all a treat from our boss, James. thank you! (^_^) the pictures will tell it all.

next, pictures i have "edited"

there has been an on going campaign to lessen the garbage and plastic usage around the world. it's now advised to bring your own bag for groceries and stuff, or they use paper bags. one particular establishment took it a notch higher. the design of their paper bag is a copy of a painting by a filipino painter. really awesome! i couldn't throw the paper bag because it was eye-candy for me. i kept it for myself. (^_~)

second picture? it involves cold treats! korean ice cream, because my friend at office wanted to try it for the first time. the second treat? earl grey ice cream! no kidding (^_^) best only when served cold though. if it melts, it's not that enjoyable anymore. then again, that's just me. it was the first time a tested this flavor in an ice cream. i mean, i drink earl grey tea, but ice cream? i just had to try. (^_^)

you have all heard of the sandwich shop Subway right? well... i only at there recently and i realized ho much i as missing! hehehe! the sandwich as just great. i would definitely buy there at least once a week. (^_^) i am so behind with a lot of stuff so don't be surprised hen you see "first time" in my entries. (^_^)

rarely do i go to Starbucks because i have this notion that drinks and food are overpriced there. but i do admit that there is that rare moment that you think you just really deserve it after busy days and stressful tasks. (^_^) choco-glazed donut and strawberry and cream frappe. (^_^)

our team leader treated us to frozen margarita and snacks is celebration of those e have hired for the client company, kampai! (^_^) yes, another first time for me. (^_^)

and lastly, friday was a holiday here. but i went to work for half day. i jut had to take a picture of myself. i don't know why, i just had a feeling i had to. (^_~)

there are so many things i missed telling in this entry, but as i said earlier, i can't remember the other events anymore. please forgive me. m (_ _) m

chao~