C'est l'histoire de ma vie. . .

Vote Earth!

2009-03-26T10:19:00.004+08:00

2009 marks the World's First Global Election, between Earth and Global Warming. People of all ages, nationalities, race and background cast their votes through their light switch - switching off the lights is a vote for Earth or leaving them on for Global Warming.

The Global aim of Earth Hour is to reach the target of one billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. The meeting determines official government policies to take action against global warming, to replace the Kyoto Protocol.

Let us unite with the rest of the world to vote for Earth against Global Warming! This our call to stand up and protect the future of our planet... and we have to help to make it happen!

We all have to vote and every single vote counts!

Save Energy! Save Earth!

. L . O . V . E .

2009-03-10T07:47:00.004+08:00

I've read a site in the internet explaining on "How to show love to another person".

It explains...

Fall but do not stumble, be constant but not too persistent, share and never be unfair. Understand and try not to demand, hurt but keep the pain. Love is like a knife. It can stab the heart or it can carve wonderful images into the soul that always last for a lifetime.

Love is supposed to be the most wonderful feeling. It should inspire you and give you joy and strength. Sometimes the things that give you joy can also hurt you in the end. Loving people means giving them freedom that they choose to be and where they choose to be. Loving someone means giving them the freedom to find their way.

Love is a painful risk to take but the risk must be taken no matter how scary or painful, for only then you'll experience the fullness of humanity and that is love. Only love can hurt your heart, fill you with desire or tear you apart. Only love can make you cry and only love knows why. If you are not ready to cry, if you're not ready to take the risk, or feel the pain, then you're not ready to fall in love. There was a time in our lives when we became afraid to fall in love because every time we do, we get hurt. Then I figured that's why it's called falling in love. When you decide to love, allow it to grow. When you promise to love, refuse to let it die.

You love a person when you're with the person that can do no wrong. That you love each other through thick and thin, and you want to take it to the next level and be one with each other. You're bound on it and make you feel like time has stood still.

- - -

But for me, love is so unfair. We have given if not our best but our all, but just the same it is still not enough. There are things that only keep us holding on... but oftentimes we thought of just letting go. It hurts, but we must. We must for there are no other options, no other way and no more chances of things being ok.

My Favorite Inspirational Quotes

2009-03-04T08:35:00.008+08:00

Below are some of my favorite quotes that truly inspired me and I hope you will be too...

Adolph Hitler : "If you win you need not explain, but if you lose you should not be there to explain."
Alen Strike: "Don't compare yourself with anyone in this world. If you do so, you are insulting yourself."
Mother Teresa: " If we cannot love the person whom we see, how can we love God whom we cannot see?"
Bonnie Blair: "Winning doesn't always mean being first, winning means you're better than you've done before."
Thomas Edison: "I will not say I failed 1000 times, I will say that I discovered there are 1000 ways that can cause failure."
Leo Tolstoy: "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."
Bill Gates: "If you born poor it's not your mistake, but if you die poor it's your mistake."
Einstein: "If someone feels that they had never made a mistake in their life, then it means they had never tried a new thing in their life."
Mother Teresa: "If you start judging people you will be having no time to love them."
William Shakespeare: "Three sentences for getting SUCCESS: a) know more than other, b) work more than other and c) expect less than other."
Leo Buscaglia: "The hardest battle you are ever going to have to fight is the battle to be just you."
Ben Franklin: "That which hurts, also instructs."
Chinese Proverb: "Tell me, I'll forget. Show me, I'll remember. But involve me and I'll understand."
James Baldwin: "Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced."
Jesse Jackson: "Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up."
Jonathan Winters: "If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it."
Joseph Addison: "There is nothing we receive with so much reluctance as advice."
Ambrose Bierce: "Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret."
Oscar Wilde: "True friends stab you in the front."
Unknown: "When you spend your life worrying about how other people feel, you lose track of how you feel."
Plato: "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle."
Les Brown: "Shoot for the moon, even if you miss it you will land among the stars."
Hervey Allen: "The only time you really live fully is from thirty to sixty. The young are slaves to dreams; the old are servants of regrets. Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits."
Heartland Advisor: "It takes a real storm in the average person's life to make him realize how much worrying he has done over the squalls."
Moliere: "If you suppress grief too much it can well redouble."
Carlos Castenada: "We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same."
Jonathan Swift: "Ambition often puts men upon doing the meanest offices; so climbing is performed in the same posture with creeping."
Charles Noble: "You must have long range goals to keep you from being frustrated by short-range failures."
Nellie Hershey Smith: "The next best thing to winning is losing. At least you've been in the race."

Conversation with a Friend

2009-02-20T12:43:00.003+08:00

Sometimes, we really have to sit with a friend and have a good conversation to at least bring out a little of ourselves. The words we may hear from them may sometimes hurt us but in the end, we learned.

20 February 2009

[09:22] annvernille: WE are blessed.

[09:22] annvernille: lahat ng virgo na kilala ko, ganun, they're already successful and yet they think they are not good enough.

[09:36] annvernille: subok na matatag, subok na matibay.. pang commercial talaga!

[09:43] annvernille: oo masakit kung iiwan mo na sya

[09:43] annvernille: pero mas masakit kung iiwan ka na nya para sa family nya.

[09:45] annvernille: kung maaagapan na ng maaga, why not kesa naman sa maghintay ka pang masaktan talaga.

[09:48] annvernille: alam mo mards, sometimes we need to be smart.

[09:52] annvernille: sometimes, men doesn't have to know what women feel, hindi naman sya nagtatanong eh.

[09:55] annvernille: hindi ako naniniwala na ang puso hindi matuturuan.. you could if you are willing to open your heart.

[10:00] annvernille: loyalty is there.. love can come last.

. . . Life's Seasons . . .

2009-01-21T13:42:00.004+08:00

If you give up when it is winter,
you will surely miss the promise of spring,
the beauty of summer and the fulfillment of fall.

Do not let the pain of one season destroy the joys of all the rest.

Do not just judge life by one difficult season
but instead persevere through the difficult patches...

And better ones are sure to come,
sooner than later.

En Français. . .

2008-11-12T08:39:00.015+08:00

I have nothing to do last night so I decided to go over our mini library and read some of my college books. I was surprised to find our scripts, inserted in one of my books, during our dramatizations in our French class.

Being a Foreign Service student, one should need to take a language class like Nihongo, French, Spanish or Mandarin. I remember, it is a must for us to take Nihongo lessons during our first year (two semesters) and on my 2nd and 3rd year of college (four semesters), we have to choose between Spanish and French on what language to take.

Senior students, at that time, frightened us that French is a hard-to-learn language and many of their classmates either dropped or failed the subject not to mention the strict professors. But reality caught up on me. Due to (could be) same reasons like mine, many students enrolled in Spanish and I was a late enrollee so, I was left without any option but to take French.

But opposite to what others said, when classes began, I learned to love the language. Yes, it is indeed tough but very challenging… and by the way, my professors were so great! They were just strict because they wanted us to really master the language.

Below is a copy of one of our scripts…

Ian Kenneth as PAPA

Maria Paz as MAMAN

Lorna as JULIENNE

Carmina Anne as ANNE

MAMAN: Je viens d'avoir notre courier, mon cher!

PAPA: Ah, bon. Qu’est ce qu’il y a?
MAMAN: L’aller vien d’arriver, aussi.
PAPA: Bon! Je n’attend pas dire les enfants. Nous leurs dirons au cours de petite dejeuner.
MAMAN: Bien!
----------
MAMAN: Ah, vous y avez filles. (Ah, voile filles). Bonjour!
ANNE et JULIENNE: Bonjour Maman, Papa!
JULIENNE: Qu’est ce qu’il y a? Vous avez souriez…
PAPA: Bien, nous avons une surprise pour vous.
ANNE: Vraiment? Qu’est-ce que c’est?
MAMAN: Nous allons déménager à Baguio!
ANNE: Quel???
JULIENNE: Pourquoi?
PAPA: Bien, vos grandparents partiront pour Canada le moin prochain. Ils ont decide nous donner leur maison. Ils y resteront avec tat ante Petunia.
ANNE: Mon Dieu! Baguio! C’est formidable!
JULIENNE: Oh là là! Je ne crois pas, j’habiterai à Baguio finalement. C’est bonne nouvelle Maman, Papa!
ANNE: C’est vrai? Mon Dieu!
JULIENNE: Ce sera permanent?
MAMAN: Oui, ma chère!
PAPA: Je suis heureux, vous êtes contentes.
ANNE: Allors, Quand nous partirons?
PAPA: Ce Vendredi.
JULIENNE: Mais, attendez, nos études?
MAMAN: Avez-vous pensé déjà aux?
JULIENNE: Oui, maman… j’y ai déjà pensé? Je crois j’allerai à UP Baguio
ANNE: Formidable! J’ai envie de changer mon mode de vie.
(ALL LOL!)
----------
JULIENNE: Alors, il me faudra beaucoup de pullover.
ANNE: Bien sûr… moi aussi. Mais, je souhaite, ils ont beaucoup de magasin agréables.
MAMAN: Bien sûr, ma chère.
JULIENNE: Mais Maman, qu’est-ce que vous deviendrez? Vous travaillez?
MAMAN: Ah, c’est bien, ma chère. Je reprendrai le ferme de fleur de ta grandmère.
ANNE: Et Papa?
PAPA: Je serai avec LandBank.
ANNE: Ah, bon! Uh, Maman, Papa.. je crois il nous faudra notre permis de conduire, quand nous y arrivons.
JULIENNE: Et nos voitures…
MAMA et PAPA: Hmmm…
PAPA: Bien, mais vous aurez partager avec un voiture.
JULIENNE et ANNE: C’est bien. Bravo!!!
MAMAN: Mais vous avez nous promette ce vous ralentisserez aux carre fours! Et ne voulez pas trop vite.
JULIENNE et ANNE: Bien sûr! Non, problem!
PAPA: Je suis sertain, nous nous amuserez bien et nous aurons la vie bonne.
MAMAN: Vous aimerez la place mes chères. C’est très ravisante… Avec beaucoup de belles fleurs.
PAPA: Au fait, l’avion part à dix heures. Il faudrait que nous nous levions à cinq heures du matin.
ANNE: Après ça?
MAMAN: Vos grandparents passerent nous prendre à l’aeroport.
ANNE: Combien y a-t-il d’ici à Baguio?
MAMAN: a 200km. environ.
ANNE: D’accord. J’aime bien voyager.

In the Presence of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham with Dean Merill

2008-10-24T14:56:00.005+08:00

I was inspired by an officemate to read the book, IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES by Gracia Burnham with Dean Merill, which he also borrowed from a common friend. I loved reading it so I bought one for my collection.

The book tells the story of American Missionaries, Martin and Gracia Burnham, who were kidnapped by the terrorist group, Abu Sayyaf. While having their romantic anniversary getaway at Dos Palmas Resort in May 2001, they were seized and spent a year of their lives on the run, fighting to survive in the Philippine jungles.

The book is a chronicle of the improbable suffering of the hostages; hunger, privation of comfort, day-long marches and gun battles amidst heat, cold and exhaustion, not to mention the grisly tales of murder, terror and forced marriages between captors and captives.

There are also surprising events in the book that narrates the relationships developed between terrorists and the hostages. Their conversations were often friendly and at times, the captives realized that they were all on the same side avoiding a deadly confrontation with the soldiers who were tracking them.

The event also became a time of recollection and soul-searching; when true faith in God was tested especially when hope turned to despair. But always in the end, above all, God is gracious and merciful.

I highly recommend the book, In the Presence of My Enemies, to those who seeks encouragement and inspiration.

. . . God's Gift . . .

2008-10-23T11:10:00.011+08:00

I haven’t noticed, just now, that I don’t have any post published introducing my baby to the blogging world. So, now I proudly present my little angel, Stephanie Lorraine. I conceived her when I was working in Hsinchu, Taiwan (2006) but I flew her to the Philippines when I was on my 5th month of pregnancy.

Lorraine was born at the University of Sto. Tomas Hospital at 8:05am of December 2, 2006 and weighed 7.28lbs. Her pediatricians nicknamed her “Pinky” and “Baby Ganda” because of her pinkish skin and beautiful face. Of course, mama is very proud of her.
I remember one time, Lorraine was about 8 months old, when we went to SM North Edsa to buy some of her stuffs at the Children’s Section when a man came to us and asked if I am interested to let Lorraine join their contest – SM Next Baby Model. We didn’t join the contest; first, because she’s below the age requirement of at least a year old and second, I’m not yet prepared to be a stage mother. He instead gave me a leaflet of the contest. I read the criteria for judging as follows: 15% physical built, 15% skin complexion, 30% projection and 40% overall appearance. I wonder, if we joined the contest, could Lorraine possibly won the competition?

The Gift of Love and Life

2008-10-20T14:45:00.004+08:00

Having a child is definitely the most important event in one’s life. Moreover, children are the special treasure that enrich our lives, give us happiness and make everything worthwhile.

After so many years of yearning for a baby, Kuya Eli (my officemate) and Doc Anna believed their prayers were finally answered. The good news came Sunday morning, and the couple felt elated.

@ Kuya Eli & Doc Anna: The beautiful miracle of love and life has come to you now. May his/her/their coming bring happiness and joy to your family. Félicitations!

“Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense everything that comes from love is a miracle.”

- Marie Lloyd

An Invitation from Canada

2008-10-17T13:07:00.008+08:00

FRONT INSIDE

I got an invitation (all the way from Ontario, Canada) from my childhood friend, Ann Vernille, who will be having her Baby Shower on October 25 @ 6pm. Bad thing… I haven’t saved enough money for airfares. Well, there will always be next time or I’ll just patiently wait for Twinkle and Baby Miaka to visit us here in the Philippines -- hopefully soon!

@ Twinkle: Mare, I’m very very sorry. I won’t be there personally but my love and prayers will always be with you and Miaka.

@ Miaka: Baby, we’re very excited of your arrival! Soon Little Lorraine will have a baby sister in you. I know you will grow up to be a beautiful woman and have eyes and dimples like your mother. You came to us as a blessing from God and to be your mama's inspiration. And now, even though you’re still there inside your mama’s womb, I knew that you also feel what she feels. Just be strong because you’re the only one who’s keeping her very strong. Ninang loves you so much! See you soon! Hugs and kisses!

You call me - "Curacha"

2008-10-16T11:39:00.012+08:00

One day, you might come across with this horrible-looking and scary creature served in your dinner table. It is locally called, “Curacha”, a strange-looking crustacean endemic ONLY in the waters of Zamboanga Peninsula and Sulu that seems to be like a hybrid between a large sea crab and a spiny lobster. Sometimes it is also called “Cucuracha”, literally “cockroach” in Chavacano.
My first encounter with this sea creature was when a mayor in Basilan gave me these, alive and fresh, as pasalubong. I am very hesitant (at first) to touch the curacha, feared that it might sting and poison me to death. My baby even shouted in a gruesome tone, “Mama… ipis! ipis! Yucks!” But true to the saying, “beauty lies within”… the curacha is very meaty in the inside and when cooked in garlic and chili sauce, is very delicious and will make a finger-licking feast. It can also be steamed or cooked with coconut milk. It is best to cook it minimally to preserve its unique exotic taste.

. . . My Unmasked Friends . . .

2008-10-09T10:34:00.013+08:00

Before, Masskara Festival was just like any other festival to me… it will come and it will go. But everything changed since I worked in the Department of Tourism - Southern Tagalog Tourism Council (DOT-STTC) about 4 years ago.

I was assigned by my boss to be one of the event coordinators of “Masskara at Market! Market!” held on October 23-24, 2004. Market! Market!, a mall developed and managed by Ayala Land, Inc. located at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, is newly opened at that time. Our office together with Market! Market! redefined mall entertainment when we successfully brought the Masskara Festival to the metro exhibiting the colorful masks and featuring the actual winning dance troupe, Brgy. Villamonte together with their choreographer, Mr. Panoy Cabalcar performed right in the activity center.
Brgy. Villamonte Masskara Dance Troupe won 1st place both in the open and barangay categories of the 25th Masskara Festival with five minor awards, barangay category – best in mask, best in costume, best in concept and in the open category – best in costume and best in choreography. They were also the champion of the 2003 Masskara Festival and got 4 out of 4 minor awards. They have represented the Philippines in the 2004 Shanghai Tourism Festival with 15 other countries participating and watched by more than 200 million people in China. In fact, they gave me a memorabilia pin of that said festival.

Now, every time October comes in I would always reminisce the times I had with them. I remember giving them the wake-up call at Atrium Hotel, joining them at meals and watching them every rehearsal and on their actual performance on stage. Though, we’d only been for quite some time; I did enjoy getting to know them. I will forever treasure the friendship we have.

To my friends: Nahidlaw na ko sa inyo! Tani makabisita ko dira sa Villamonte! Bati ko ma-entra kamo sini nga Masskara Festival. Goodluck! Matan-aw na lang ko sa inyo sa tv! (I miss you all! I hope I could visit you there in Villamonte. I heard your group is joining again this year’s festival. Goodluck! I’ll be watching you on tv!)

29th Masskara Festival & 70th Charter Day Anniversary of Bacolod City

2008-10-07T09:41:00.007+08:00

For us Negrenses, the most awaited month is October because of the celebration of the Philippines’ most colorful Masskara Festival held in Bacolod City. “Masskara” is a portmanteau of the words, mass meaning many or crowd and cara meaning face. The festival’s symbolic feature is the colorful smiling mask worn by the dancers. Thus, Bacolod City bears the nickname, “City of Smiles”.

The Masskara Festival started in 1980 when Negros Occidental is in the time of tragedy and economic crisis; April 22 of that year, Don Juan, a vessel carrying many Negrenses, collided with the tanker Tacloban City and sank, also the sugar industry continued to slump (sugar cane as the province’s primary agricultural crop). The festival is a declaration of survival of the Negrenses that no matter how tough and bad the times were, they are going to live on and in the end, triumph. The people live up to the Masskara tagline, “Sige Lang, Sige Na.. Bacolod Bato Kita!” (It’s ok, it’s alright. Bacolod, fight on!)
On October 1, 2008, Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo officially opened the 19-day celebration of the 29th Masskara Festival with the theme, “Bacolod, City of the World” at the Bacolod City Public Plaza. This is a very historical event since it is the first time that a Philippine president graced the opening ceremonies.

Other events to look forward to are: Street dancing competition on October 16-18, the Electric Masskara along Lacson Street on October 17-19 and Search for Masskara Queen - Coronation Night on October 18.

The 29th Masskara Festival will be celebrated this year together with the 70th Charter Day Anniversary on October 19, 2008 when Bacolod was established as a city. An expected giant street party keeps vigil on October 18 which will be simultaneously held at Araneta and Lacson Streets as countdown starts 70 seconds to midnight and at 12mn the people sings happy birthday to Bacolod.

... 26th Anniversary of Facial Care Centre ...

2008-09-23T09:03:00.008+08:00

Last week, I received an invitation from Facial Care Center in celebration of their 26th Anniversary on October 9 and 10, 2008 (Branches located in Makati, Ortigas, Tomas Morato, Shaw, Alabang, Binondo, Congressional, Pampanga and Cebu). Clients may avail of Buy 1 Take 1 packages, free treatments and more!

TRUE BEAUTY SHINES WITH AGE.

Angel Jacob. Agot Isidro-Sandejas. Donna Cruz-Larrazabal. Claudine Trillo-Webb. Hindy Weber-Tantoco. All remarkably beautiful.

Facial Care Centre respects true beauty. For 26 years, they still continue to provide women with the most modern, non-surgical procedures to help them enhance what they were already born with. So true beauty stands out even more with age.

4 Stages of Life ~ Les quatre étapes de la vie

2008-07-11T11:02:00.007+08:00

. . . Time Machine . . . [machine de temps]

2008-07-10T08:47:00.007+08:00

Usually, there comes a time in one's life where we realized all our faults. You might have hurt someone, someone might have hurt you, you may have lost a loved one.. but all in all, we regret. Wouldn't you wish right now that you have a time machine?! I mean, how amazing would that be.. Pick a time and date and SHAM! your there!

. . . Quarter Life . . . La vie quarte . . .

2008-07-09T07:50:00.020+08:00

When I was still in school, I always wondered what it would be like in the real world with real problems. As a student, my problems revolved around studying and earning a degree. Of course, there would always be those occasional friendship squabbles to spice up student-life.

Life then was so easy.

After graduation from college, reality was staring me right smack in the face. Gone were the laid back days of being a student. Gone were the days when the major problems I had were finishing my thesis and making up with a friend.

After college, I was on my own.. testing the waters of the world.

It was a big challenge. You can never be too sure of what is in store for you. You can never tell whether or not the future will be bright -- or whether you'll grope around in the dark.

I saw myself facing responsibilities. I saw myself facing uncertainties. For probably the first time in my life, my "no guts, no glory" disposition vanished into thin air.

It was a slow, agonizing climb, but I learned along the way.

I learned that the older you get, the less friends you'll have. You can never keep all the people you have made friends with while you were growing up. Eventually, you will drift apart and live your own lives. But what you have shared with them has taught you lessons you can take along on your journey.

I learned that no matter what stupid decisions you have made, your family will always welcome you with their loving arms. They will stand by you and let you take your steps on your own, letting you know they're just behind you in case you stumble and fall along the way.

I learned that the job you have right now may not be the job you wanted in the first place, but it could be the job that really makes you happy. Sometimes, we choose the job not for its monetary compensations but more for our own development as a complete individual.

I learned that falling in love does not always equal a happy-ever-after ending. Some may be lucky to live their fairy tales with prince charming ready to sweep them off their feet. Some may shed buckets of tears and get bruised to the bone and lose the love of their life.

I learned that getting hurt doesn't mean closing my door to love. It will always take time to heal and courage to open myself up to someone again. But the experience of falling in love is worth all the tears and the Band-Aids available at the pharmacy.

I learned about trust and betrayal. It is very hard to earn someone's trust and we can lose that trust with just one wrong move we make.

I learned about faith and hope. Sometimes, it is not enough to believe we can make it. We have to have faith to be able to make it through life. And every single day that comes is a breath of hope that today will be better and more meaningful.

I learned that life, with all its twists and turns, is a wonderful journey. Sometimes we are on top of the world. Sometimes we find ourselves lost in the woods.

But each step of the journey, we learn. We take along whatever lessons we get from our experiences. We take along the bonds we have built, the bridges we have crossed, and the mountains we have climbed. Each step of the journey, we become stronger, better and more fulfilled individuals.

I may have lived a quarter of my life already, but I know I still have a lot to learn. I still have to discover more about myself and the world I live in. I still have yet to reach my peak as a person.

It may be a long and tiresome journey, but life has taught me well.

...Favoris Anciens... Old-Time-Favorites

2008-05-20T14:38:00.006+08:00

Join me as we reminisce and celebrate our old favorites and now nonexistent treats that used to delight our palates. . .

Cheezels and Chickadees. The little thingies covered with bright orange cheese and the chicken-y smelling balls aren't exactly the best junk food you had ever tasted. But these two treats gave you something to look forward to after your classes in grade school - the little toys inside. Most memorable to me were the colorful slimy sticky pop-up toys. My brother and I drove mom crazy when we made a game of throwing them up the bedroom ceiling to make them stick (and they did!).

Arnott's Tim Tam. Tim Tams are a gift from heaven. If you've never tried one, you owe your taste buds a major explanation. These are wonderful chocolate-filled, chocolate-covered rectangular biscuits. Too freaking sweet, you may be thinking. Wrong. They're creamy, they're perfect - just the right amount of chocolate. And they're no longer available.

Horlicks. Horlicks is a popular chocolate drink in Hong Kong. They used to sell the candy version here, which was very, very similar to Ovalteenies. These red and white packets were found near the counters of your favorite supermarkets, where your Chupa Chups and Strepsils now are.

Carol Anne's Cheese Potato Chips. Not much can be said about the packaging since these chips used to come in the transparent plastic bags now seen protecting your common chicharon and dilis. But the potato chips inside were fantastic. Perfectly crisp and flavorful, these chips tasted real, not like tha factory-produced starch we are now being swamped with.

Selecta's Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Sandwich. Good vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two Mickey Mouse-shaped chewy chocolate cookies. This was so good.. I used to eat five a day.

Magnolia's Ice Cream Sandwich. Magnolia's ice cream sandwich used wafers instead of your usual cookie, which made for a light and creamy treat.

Cigarette Gum. Paper-covered rolls of gum in pretend cigarette cartons. This was perfect for freaking our yayas out. "I-susumbong kita sa mami mo!" my yaya once said in halting Tagalog.

Jack and Jill Barbecue Curls. For lactose-intolerant, cheese-hating people, Jack and Jill used to produce an alternative to their popular curls. Not anymore.

Puffy Cones. The one sure thing to stop my bawling while heading for my pediatrician to get shots was a puffy cone. This treat was a cone filled with chocolate-covered strawberry marshmallow. The perfect tranquilizer for little cowards.

Chocovim. Chocovim used to be a staple in every child's life. The Chocolait-like treat used to be sold in bottles before it was phased out. It was again produced years later but this time, the chocolate milk came in pyramid-shaped cartons. That one didn't last either.

Tira-tira. The tira-tira of our generation can be remembered as a chalk-shaped, hard candy. But my mom tells me there was another kind of tira-tira in her time. Stretchy, chewy and taffy like. She still gets a glazed look in her eyes when she remembers it.

Pom-poms. Pom-poms were little caramel-filled chocolate balls that came in yellow boxes. They were chewy, they were sweet and now they are gone.

McDonald's Twister Fries. Here's another treat that was just too good to last. Twister Fries have been playing a now-you-see-me-now-you-don't game with us. Please, just do us all a favor and put it on the permanent menu.

Scramble. I never had the chance to try this frozen treat when I was a kid. Mom had a thing against street food. Although I was able to sneak in afternoons of bagoong-topped singkamas on sticks and lots and lots of fishballs, for some reason I never got around to trying the scramble.

Binatog. Corn and shredded coconut with your choice of sugar or salt. I liked my binatog very salty. I couldn't imagine eating it with sugar. To this day, binatog vendors occasionally can be seen in the streets riding their bikes that carry tubs of this old Filipino favorite.

Cotton Candy. Binatog vendors aren't the only ones who have disappeared or dwindled in number. Old men who push around metal cotton candy-makers are almost extinct.

Lipps Candy. Bright pink strawberry/cherry-flavored candies that little girls used to play with by pretending the candy was lipstick. It was disgusting, it made our lips as sticky as hell, but hey, it worked. Not to fulfill our desires though, instead of looking like pretty ladies, we looked like clowns with bright pink mouths.

Shawarma. Shawarma stands used to be so hot. But one by one, it seems like they've all closed down. There are still a few that remained open, thankfully, for those people who like this Mediterranean treat.

Rolling Stones. Rolling Stones, which were chocolate-covered honeycomb balls, came in orange packs. If I remember correctly, they were just P3.50 when I was in grade school.

Hershey's Bar None. The old Bar None came in a packaging of different shades of brown that immediately told you, "I'm gooey and chocolatey! Pick me, chocoholic!" Yes, it was gooey, it was chocolatey. Perfect for a quick sugar fix.

Goya Chocolate. The older ones were creamy and melted easily in your mouth.

Brown Cow. If there was one thing I absolutely had to have in the refrigerator when I was a kid, it was Brown Cow. And I didn't like mixing it with milk - I liked it on ice cream or better yet, I like eating the syrup straight from the bottle.

Clover Bits. Leslie's used to sell Clover Bits in tiny packets for a quick snack fix. Although the extra-cheesy Clover of today is still as good, one cannot help but miss those little packs that can easily be slid in one's pocket.

Chocolait in a Glass Bottle. Chocolait now comes in plastic bottles or the cartons that come in two different sizes. Years ago, though, I'm sure you remember that Chocolait came in thick glass bottles. These bottles were even used by a lot of people for keeping tap water cold in the refrigerators.

Cola Candy. Cola Candy in the purple wrapper was usually sold in sari-sari stores or sidewalks. This has been replaced with Dynamite, Maxx and a host of other different generic hard candies.

Original Chippy. I swear that the Chippy of today isn't the same as the Chippy of before. Let's wait and see that Jack and Jill will revert to the original recipe.

Dip Pops. This was a Goya product. These lollipops came with powder dips for a more interesting sucking experience.

Combos. Combos used to come in bigger carton containers and an assortment of flavors. I liked their pizza line. Now, Combos come in packs and usually have just one flavor - cheese.

Benson's. The individually wrapped Benson's candies tasted very different from the rolls that you can boy now. The old kind was chocolatey and the caramel was more chewy. The packaging now may look more hip than the old drab one, but then again, it's what's inside that really counts.

Melody Pops. A lollipop and whistle in one. No wonder kids loved this. I was really beginning to miss it. But when I remembered the racket my little brother used to make with these lollipops, add to that the amount of saliva spillage, I can say that we are better off without some things.

..Aimer un ami.. [Loving A Friend]

2008-05-20T11:25:00.007+08:00

I went to Facial Care Center (FCC-Tomas Morato Branch) about two weeks ago for my usual beauty treatment/regimen. After my session, they handed me a free cd of TV host Boy Abunda entitled "Love Life: Life Songs and Life Stories with Boy Abunda."

It was just this morning that I was able to open and play it in my cd player.

The album contains 10 cuts of inspiring and uplifting songs including When You Wish Upon A Star, Childhood, You Changed My Life in a Moment, Now and Forever, Tears in Heaven, Don’t Worry Be Happy, Time After Time, Song for Mama, It's My Turn and Because You Loved Me as well as 10 conversations with Makisig Morales, Sharlene San Pedro, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Ogie Alcasid, Martin Nievera, Kris Aquino and Erik Santos. The album also includes a very special conversation with his mother, Nanay Lesing.

I almost cried listening to this album. All the said conversations are very heartwarming but the one that struck me most is the conversation with Kris Aquino entitled "Loving A Friend."

Here is a copy of the conversation. . .

Kris Aquino to Boy Abunda:

Time after time, you've made me believe that everything.. "as in everything" is possible. And you know what, I believed in my self because you always believed in me. I've gotten lost so many times but you've been my flashlight. Ok sige, hindi flashlight. You've been my diva lights.. You've been brighter than all my studio lights combined. In the darkness, I found my way. I've gotten weak but you've been like a multivitamin strengthening my soul. You and I can't count how many times I've fallen. Sometimes because matigas ang ulo ko. I look without really measuring the depth. Other times because I was pushed to the very edge. But you're better than any parachute.. because you are my wings. I should in fact be at rock-bottom but because of you I've only soared higher. 'Wag na nating bilangin ang oras. Alam naman natin, our friendship is beyond the here and now. You and I know, for sure, we'll see each other in heaven.

Boy Abunda to Kris Aquino:

Sarap naman pakinggan Krissy. Ano kaya ang sasabihin ng Diyos 'pag nakita niya tayong papasok sa langit? Siguro sabi niya raw magiging maingay ang heaven dahil sa dalawang ito dahil alam mo namang tayong dalawa e 'pag nagkikita tau e walang patid ang daldalan. But thank you Krissy. Thank you.. for thinking about me and thinking about heaven na kasama ako. E tanong lang, halimbawa sabihin ng Diyos.. "Naku Kris, hindi pwedeng pumasok 'yang kasama mo." Ano kayang gagawin mo? Pero ako seryoso e.. Alam kong ipagtatanggol mo ko because you've always done that for me. Saka alam mo, dito sa buhay na ito 'pag nahulog ako walang pag-aalinlangan.. walang pagdududa.. I'm sure.. you will be there to catch me. At Krissy, with you I am safe.. and because of you I have become better. Thank you.

..The Power of 3 Lil' Words..

2008-05-16T13:50:00.005+08:00

Some of the most significant messages people deliver to one another often come in just three words. When spoken or conveyed, those statements have the power to forge new friendships, deepen old ones and restore relationships that have cooled.

The following three word phrases can enrich every relationship:

I'LL BE THERE - Being there for another person is the greatest gift we can give. When we are truly present for other people, important things happen to them and to us. We are renewed in love and friendship. We are restored emotionally and spiritually. 'Being there' is at the very, very core of civility.

I MISS YOU - This powerful affirmation tells partners they are wanted, needed, desired and loved.

I RESPECT YOU - Respect conveys the feeling that another person is a true equal. It is a powerful way to affirm the importance of a relationship.

MAYBE YOU'RE RIGHT - This phrase is highly effective in diffusing an argument and restoring frayed emotions. The flip side of "maybe you're right" is the humility of admitting "maybe I'm wrong."

PLEASE FORGIVE ME - Many broken relationships could be restored and healed if people would admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness. All of us are vulnerable to faults, foibles, and failures. A man should never be ashamed to own up to he has been in the wrong, which is by saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.

I THANK YOU - Gratitude is an exquisite form of courtesy. People who enjoy the companionship of good, close friends are those who don't take daily courtesies for granted. They are quick to thank their friends for their many expressions of kindness.

COUNT ON ME - "A friend is one who walks in when others walk out." Loyalty is an essential ingredient for true friendship; it is the emotional glue that bonds people. Those who are rich in their relationships tend to be steady and true friends. When troubles come, a good friend is there, indicating "you can count on me."

LET ME HELP - The best of friends see a need and try to fill it. When they spot a hurt they do what they can to heal it. Without being asked, they pitch in and help.

I UNDERSTAND YOU - People become closer and enjoy each other more if they feel the other person accepts and understands them. Letting other know in so many little ways that you understand him or her is one of the most powerful tools for healing your relationship.

GO FOR IT - Some of your friends may be non-conformists, have unique projects and unusual hobbies. Support them in pursuing their interests. Rather than urging your loved ones to conform, encourage their uniqueness - everyone has dreams that no one else has.

I suppose the 3 little words that you were expecting to see have to be reserved for those who are special; that is I LOVE YOU.

..En raison de vous.. ..Because of You..

2008-05-16T13:37:00.001+08:00

Because of you, I realized that I create my own happiness. I dont know where life will take us, but I hope that you are there in the future. But whatever happens, I’ll be happy having shared my life with you.

... Ma vie passée ... My Past Life

2008-05-15T09:34:00.001+08:00

The Past Life Quiz

Result: A Queen
Ever get the feeling that you should be in charge of the whole damn country? That's because long ago, you were. Even though you were a tough leader back then, you were still pretty girly. Which is why you like feminine things like decorating and dressing up. These days, just like back then, you love being the center of attention. Even though you might not officially be queen, you still rule all in your own mind.

La lettre à un Dieu s'est préparée à moi (Letter to the one God has prepared for me)

2008-04-04T09:19:00.001+08:00

I am wondering at this very minute if you are thinking of me, if like me, you are wondering what is taking us so long to find each other. Many times I thought I finally found you only to be disillusioned by the fact that my wait has not yet ended. I get up each morning hoping, dreaming, longing to meet you.

I am thinking of how we will meet. Would it be as romantic as the ones I have seen in movies? Or is it possible that I have known you all my life but we have yet to realize that we are meant for each other? Oh, how I wish you were right now because you are the only one who has the answers to all my questions.

Sometimes I ask myself if I have ever really known “love”. I do not have the answer to that question either but I believe that, more often than not, we will never really know what love is until we find that right person… and since I have not found you yet, then maybe I do not really know what love is!

You just don’t know how often I dream of finally knowing what it feels like to be in your arms. Even at this very moment I am imagining how you will simply sweep me off my feet! Perhaps I would be drawn to you by your smile, or your eyes, or maybe even how you manage to make me laugh by your silly little ways.

I don’t really know for sure but I am praying that God will help me recognize you when the right time comes. I think of all the pain that I have gone through in the past and of how much I have cried since the day I began my search. I just wanted you to know that I find my strength in clinging onto your vision of the beautiful life ahead of me – the life I shall spend with you. In my mind and in my heart I know that you are worth all that pain and sacrifice.

After all, the tears have become a part of my life and I believe that they are slowly washing away my flaws so that I would become perfect, not perfect in its truest sense, but perfect – for YOU. I’ve wonder if you’ve gone through so much pain as well. I wonder if you’ve been hurt so many times along the journey.

But my dearest one, please don’t ever give up because I am right here… patiently waiting for you. I assure you that when we finally find each other I would slowly heal those wounds by my love.

At night, I would look out my window and stare at the beautiful sky, hoping that somehow you are also looking up and wondering about me. I utter a silent prayer and send all my cries to the heavens above thinking that in time they would reach you. And when I feel impatient, I just close my eyes and believe that you are on your way and that you are longing to see me as well. It is funny but when I finally fall asleep, it is still you that I think of, for you are always in my dreams. It seems that, for now, that is the only place where I can hold on to you, long enough to tell you how much I love you. In my dreams you would kiss away my fears and wrap me with your arms of love.

And this, all the more, makes me want to wake up and face the new day ahead with the hope that soon enough, you will no longer be a dream but a reality and once again I am assured that you are worth the wait. And when that time comes, everything will fall into its place, just as I had imagined, just as I had thought and dreamed, just as I had believed it would be! By then, I would simply look back and smile at all that I have gone through, in spite of the pain and amidst the simple joys of life – and I would be very thankful because they all lead me to you!

In the meantime, take care of yourself for me. Hold on to our dreams and don’t even think of letting go. Believe in your heart that we will find each other no matter what happens. God has planned the course and it is up to us to follow the directions. Don’t worry, don’t be afraid about getting lost… God saw to it that all the roads, no matter which one you choose to follow, lead to me.

--- Mes vacances de semaine sainte ---

2008-03-25T16:22:00.001+08:00

My family spent the holy week in my dad's hometown.. Cauayan, Negros Occidental.

We left Manila March 20, 2008 (Maundy Thursday). We were onboard Cebu Pacific Flight 5J479. Yes, it did not disappoint. The air pressure started building up between my ears soon as we were airborne. It felt like my head started to tighten just like my feeling during previous occasions I had rode a plane. The view from the window blurred fast into a sheet of clouds as I slipped in and out of my unconscious. I was trying to catnap, yet the buzzing, along with the sound of the engine, refused to be ignored. (I began to imagine the "Air Crash Investigation" I watched on TV). To relax, I reached out for a travel magazine (Smile) but I couldn’t find a map. I wanted to know exactly where we were flying over just then. Soon enough, there was a clear spread of island forms in varying shades of green and aquamarine, with coastlines defined by shifting waves. There were slices of white, which I rightly presumed were sand on some beach.

Finally, we're told we have reached our destination: New Bacolod-Silay Airport of International Standards at around 9:30am. Bacolod is just 45mins. travel to and from Manila via air and 20 hour leisurely cruise aboard world - class sea vessels.

The New Bacolod-Silay Airport of International Standards opened January 18, this year. It sits on a 6-km. stretch in Barangay Bagtic, Silay City, which is about 20 kms. from Bacolod City. Its runway is 2-kms., more than twice longer than the 900-m of the existing airport in Bacolod City . It has provisions for a 500-m extension which will accommodate bigger crafts serving international routes. The airport has 15 check-in counters and three pre-departure areas that lead to three tubes. It has a viewing space, open to the public on the third floor.

The old airport in Bacolod City that began operations in 1936 closed down after the last flight out on January 17, 2008. It cannot be retained because of its proximity to the Silay airport that is within the prohibited distance set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

The Municipality of Cauayan is located on the southern portion of the Province of Negros Occidental, approximately 113 kms. south of Bacolod City (the City of Smiles), the capital of the province. From Bacolod City, one can reach Cauayan via public utility vehicles in approx. 3 hrs and private car in 2 1/2 hrs. Air-conditioned and non-airconditioned buses are available at the Bacolod City South Terminal. There are also taxis and vans for hire.

Well, thanks to Tito Jun and his wife (Tita Lanie) who fetch us at the airport and take us to the Ceres Bus Terminal. Also, our gratitude to Tito Tiks for the free bus passes! =).

DAY 1: Maundy Thursday

We arrived in Cauayan at around 2:30pm. At long last! We were very, very hungry after so many hours of travel. Good thing, my aunts (Tita Josephine & Tita Luisa) prepared lunch... sweet & sour fish, grilled fish, steamed crabs, adobong sugpo, paella valenciana and spaghetti. We rest for awhile and gave them our pasalubongs.

DAY 2: Good Friday

We woke up early the following day. We had breakfast at my aunt's rest house built near the sea. What a comfy place! The blue sky, bright sun, clean and fresh air, cool wind, white sand and the calm and smooth sea provides a soothing sensation, relaxing enough to suggest yet another dream moment.

After breakfast we went to the cemetery to visit our deceased loved ones.

On our way home, we dropped by at the parcel of land my parents bought 5 years ago. On this site will soon rise our dream vacation house. =)

In the afternoon, we joined in the traditional Lenten devotion, the Stations of the Cross. These stations are the traditional ones which begin with the sentencing of Jesus by Pilate (First Station) but end with The Resurrection of Jesus (the fifteenth station). After the procession, the religious images were brought to the church and was covered with black cloth.
DAY 3: BLACK SATURDAY
Tito Boy & Tita Nene invited us to have lunch at their house.

- - Rumormongers - -

2008-03-13T09:08:00.001+08:00

I hate people who judge others from their mistakes. I hate people that assume they know someone because of rumors told. Hate is a strong word, but it's a fine description of how I feel about “them” that judge me, but don't have any idea of who I am or what I am doing in the present. Some people have a tendency to remember the bad things and never the good. Have you ever heard the saying "When I do good nobody remembers, when I do bad nobody forgets"? I am not proud of my life, I am not happy that some things have to end up this way. I do not regret my choices; it made me become the strong woman that I am now.

I have made it through the worst parts of what life has to offer. Now it's time to enjoy the fruits of what life can give me on the other side of the fence and rid myself of the bad fruits that I allowed to sour my life for so long.

Crayon et Papier

2008-03-06T13:48:00.002+08:00

Kung itatanong mo kung gaano kita kamahal, sasabihin ko sa’yo…

Tulad ng pagsasama ng lapis at papel, na mula sa kawalan ay nakabuo ng napakarami ng kabuluhan.

Ako ang lapis at ikaw ang papel!

Susulatan kita ng lahat ng aking pangarap, mga kuwentong masaya at nakakaiyak, guguhit din ako ng mga larawang makulay. Mula doon ay nagsimula ang ating daigdig… ang buhay na pagsasaluhan natin habang kaya ko pang sumulat at hanggang may espasyo pa ako sa mapag-aruga mong papel.

Ngayon, at kung sakaling magsawa ka na at ayaw mo na akong makasama, huwag kang mag-alala. Dahan-dahan itutupi kita upang maging isang eroplanong papel sabay paliliparin sa hangin, sa ilalim ng malawak na langit.

Mula sa itaas makikita mo marahil ang ibang mundo, mundong mula noong magkasama pa tayo. Kasama ng iyong pagiging malaya ang pagpili kung saan mo gustong lumipad. Nandito lang ako at masayang mananalangin na sana higit kaysa sa akin ang mapuntahan mo.

At kung malalaglag ka sa lupa at walang sinuman ang pumansin dahil hindi ka na ‘sing ganda at tayog noong nasa taas ka pang lumilipad, kung lahat ng inaasahan mong pupulot sa’yo ay dinadaan-daanan ka lang… kasabay sa paglubog at pagsikat ng araw, Doon… doon ako darating upang kunin ka at muling iaalok ang mundong binuo ko para sa’yo.

Iaayos ko pa at papantayin ang mga tupi na nalukot mong bahagi nung eroplano ka pa. Ibabalik kita bilang isang papel at ako pa rin ang lapis na walang sawang susulat sa’yo at magiging kasama mo habambuhay…

‘Pag naging totoo na ang mga bagay na hindi natin inaasahan, saka mo ako tanungin kung gaano kita kamahal ---

Ma dernière lettre (My Last Letter)

2008-03-06T08:50:00.001+08:00

SINCE I GAVE YOU UP I’VE BEEN lonely
But I have to hide my feelings
I have to be strong
’Coz I know I have to do this on my own.

I’m sorry I had to let you go my heaven
One day my hurting will end along with the longing
One day I’ll stop crying
One day I’ll have peace of mind
One day I’ll smile again
One day I’ll fall asleep and have sweet dreams
One day I’ll move on
One day I’ll be able to face you and your new love with a smile

’Coz I know someone will take care of you
I just hope she knows how lucky she is to have found you

I’m sorry for being the one to break your heart
I’m sorry for taking you for granted
I’m sorry for not paying attention
I’m sorry for being selfish
I’m sorry for making you cry
I’m sorry for not sharing my past
I’m sorry for not keeping my promise

I pray to God that one day you’ll forgive me for what I’ve done
For I know there are no second chances

Thank you for the care and understanding
Thank you for the lessons (about life)
Thank you for holding my hand when I’m scared
Thank you for the years of love
Thank you for the memories
I will always keep them in my pocket

People around see me as a strong woman
If they only knew that every night
My walls hear pieces of my broken heart crashing on the floor

I miss your smell
I miss your kiss
I miss your smile
I miss your touch
I miss the way you look at me...
Forgive me for holding on

I should’ve listened to you,
Now, I’m more lost because I let you go
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not telling you this to win you back
I just want you to know what I feel inside
And I know you’re happy.

Congratulations and Best Wishes!

Something To Think About. . .

2008-03-05T17:47:00.003+08:00

Name the 5 wealthiest people in the world.
Name the last 5 winners of the Ms. Universe contest.
Name 10 people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor or actress.
Name the last decade’s worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headline of yesterday. There are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here’s another quiz… See how you do with this one.

List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
Name 3 friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
Name 5 people who have taught you something worthwhile.
Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
Think of 5 people you enjoy spending time with.
Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

Easier?

The lesson?

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money or the most awards.

They are the ones who care.

Le jour des valentine heureux!

2008-02-14T10:35:00.001+08:00

à l'homme qui me rend heureux (To the man who makes me happy)

2008-02-13T16:33:00.001+08:00

I thank you for your love, your friendship, your kindness.

I thank you for sharing yourself with me.

I thank you for loving and giving unconditionally.

I thank you for every moment, every second that you've been a part of my life.

I thank you for yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Happy Valentines Day!

With your sense of humor, your caring way and your understanding... you've taught me how to believe in love.

- - Mystery Love - -

2008-02-13T13:59:00.003+08:00

It is a mystery why we fall in love. It is a mystery how it happens. It is a mystery when it comes. It is a mystery why some love grows and it is a mystery why some love fails. You can analyze this mystery and look for reasons and causes, but you will never do anymore than take the life out of the experience. Just as life itself is more than the sum of bones and muscles and electrical impulses in the body, love is more than the sum of the interest and attractions and commonalities that two people share. And just as life itself is a gift that comes and goes in its own time, so too, the coming of love must be taken as an unfathomable gift that cannot be questioned in its ways.

Sometimes, hopefully at least once in your life the gift of love will come to you in full flower, and you will take hold of it and celebrate it in all inexpressible beauty. This is the dream we all share. More often, it will come and take hold of you, celebrate you for a brief moment, them move on. When this happens to young people, they too often try to grasp the love and hold it to them, refusing to se that it is a gift that is freely given and a gift that just as freely, moves away. When they fall out of love, or the person they love feels the spirit of love leaving, they try desperately to reclaim the love that is lost rather than accepting the gift for what it was, then move on.

They want answers where there are no answers. They want to know what is wrong in them that makes the other person no longer love them, or they try to get their lover to change, thinking that if some small things were different, love would bloom again. They blame their circumstances and say that if they go far away and start a new life together, their love will grow. They try anything to give meaning to what has happened. But there is meaning beyond the love itself, and until they accept its own mysterious ways, they live in a sea of mystery. You need to know this about love, and to accept it. You need to treat what it brings you with kindness.

If you find yourself in love with someone who does not love you, be gentle with yourself. There Is nothing wrong with you. Love just didn't choose to rest in the other person's heart.

If you find someone else in love with you and you don't love them, feel honoured that love came and called at your door, but gently refuse the gift you cannot return. Do not take advantage, do not cause pain. How you deal with love is how you deal with you, and all our hearts feel the same pains and joy, even if our lives and way are different.

If you fall in love with another, and they fall in love with you, and then love chooses to leave, do not try to reclaim it or to assess blame. Let it go. There is a reason and there is a meaning. You will know in time.

Remember that you don't choose love. Love chooses you.

All you can really do is accept it for all its mystery when it comes into your life. Feel the way it fills you to overrflowing, then reach out and give it away. Give it back to the person who brought it alive in you. Give it to others who deem it poor in spirit. Give it to the world around you in any way you can.

That is where many lovers go wrong. Having been so long without love, they understand love only as a need. They see their hearts as empty places that will be filled by love, and they begin to look at love as something that flows to them rather than from them. The first flush of new love is filled to overflowing, but as their love cools, they revert to seeing their love as a need. They cease to be someone who generates love and instead become someone who seeks love. They forget the secret of love is that it is a gift, and that it can be made to grow only by giving it away.

Remember this, and keep it to your heart. Love has its own time, its own seasons, and its own reason for coming and going. You cannot bribe it or coerce it, or reason it into staying. You can only embrace it when it arrives and give it away when it comes to you. But if it chooses to leave from your heart or from the heart of your lover, there is nothing you should do. Love always has been and always will be a mystery. Be glad that it came to live for a moment in your life.

IF YOU KEEP YOUR HEART OPEN, IT WILL COME AGAIN.

It's funny. . .

2008-02-11T17:18:00.002+08:00

1 Corinthiens 13:4-7, 13 (LOVE)

2008-02-08T16:18:00.005+08:00

La charité est patiente, elle est pleine de bonté; la charité n'est point envieuse; la charité ne se vante point, elle ne s'enfle point d'orgueil, elle ne fait rien de malhonnête, elle ne cherche point son intérêt, elle ne s'irrite point, elle ne soupçonne point le mal, elle ne se réjouit point de l'injustice, mais elle se réjouit de la vérité; elle excuse tout, elle croit tout, elle espère tout, elle supporte tout.

Maintenant donc ces trois choses demeurent: la foi, l'espérance, la charité; mais la plus grande de ces choses, c'est la charité.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

SVP lu: à l'homme qui a cassé le monde (Please read: To the man who broke my world...)

2008-02-06T05:57:00.002+08:00

I don’t know how to start this letter; there are so many things that swim through my mind about you that mixes all together… I have so much emotion in my heart. I never thought that this would happen, never thought that it would be over, and that I would say my last goodbye. It pains me to know that all good things must come to an end.

Looking back on our time together brings me to tears. I don’t know why I fell in love with you so fast, but what I do know is that in the short time we’ve been together was like magic for me. We became so close and everything just felt so right. It’s almost as if something brought us together. I thought we were meant to find each other and complete each other’s life. I withdraw into those moments we had which were so consumed with passion. I remember the feelings you gave me whenever I am with you. I felt as if I were in a place where I would never get hurt. At one point, you were telling me how important I am to you and how you don’t want to lose me – that I make you forget your problems and you have so much fun with me. You’ve been by my side through thick and thin. You taught me how to see the world in another’s eyes. You filled my heart with so much joy. We shared plenty of moments where we opened up to each other and shared our secrets, our feelings of happiness, sadness, sometimes anger and intimacy. And we promised each other that no matter what, we would be together because fate had brought us to do so.

To have given me so much, made so many promises, telling me that I could put all my trust in you and that you’d never let me down; it was just in a blink of an eye how you took it all away. By coming into my life, giving me something wonderful and making me BELIEVE in you only to take it all away and cut me out of your life was not only cruel, but you decided my fate. It has sentenced me to a life of emptiness. Never did I think that it was possible for one person to hurt anyone so badly. I never wanted this for us; I know we could have been great, I know that I would have been with you for the rest of my life. Chance after chance I gave you and you just threw them out the window.

I remember in the beginning how you treated me with utmost care and love and how you treated me like a queen, then it all stopped one day. I don’t know what happened to us. Maybe reality caught up to us, maybe we just weren’t meant to be.

Everyday, I’m waiting for signs which sometimes leave me with hopeless expectations. Every move and every action you make, I interpret… I’m like a fool watching every moment of you and so desperate for you to notice my existence. The sad fact is that you never tried or attempted to straighten things out between us. You never tried to fight for our love… maybe because you never loved me at all. And it pained me the most to know that you can envision your life without me. How can this be? Why now? Where have gone all those promises you once said? I guess promises are really made to be broken. You made me believe that!

Why did you do this to me, when you knew I would have done anything for you, when you knew that all my dreams, wishes and hopes surrounded you, when you knew that not having you in my life would instantly kill my heart? I’m all shattered and everything I see is blue. But I know I can’t change your mind and more importantly, I can’t change what you feel in your heart.

Today I see you… you’re so different. People tell me that you’ve gone down the wrong road and you’re not doing so well. I am so disappointed when I look at what you are doing with your life.

There is no forgiveness for what you did. There is no pity for you either. Anything that happens to you is what you deserve for trying to ruin someone’s life. I may not have been the perfect girlfriend, but there is no excuse for what you did to me.

Hope someday you can achieve a relationship that isn’t based on lies and deceit. Where you can look in the mirror and at your family and know you are doing good and moral things. I hope one day you will experience such emotional pain that you feel like you are being slowly tortured and kept awake during the ordeal so that you can fully experience the pain. I hope one day you find someone you love and trust and they do you the same way you have done to me so you will fully and completely understand the pain that goes along with being cheated on!!! I will survive and I will be stronger than before. You are NOTHING. You are not worth my time any longer. You are not worth my thoughts or my heartache. YOU ARE NOT WORTH ANYTHING THAT I HAVE TO GIVE!

I was told by someone you were NOTHING but a Gold Digger; dig somewhere else because you won’t get ANYTHING from us…

You are a man without a soul. You got tainted memories and secrets of disgusting acts and shame of infidelity… I got many beautiful memories and a lifetime of them to come. I got EVERYTHING… my FAMILY, my HOME and my LIFE. I got it ALL. You got dumped! You got NOTHING!

So now, as the rest of my beautiful family has done, I release you from my memories. You are no longer the nightmare in my every dream; you are as you always were… NOTHING AT ALL. You called me fool… so who’s the real fool?!

Consider yourself forgotten and insignificant by me. There is NO need to respond to this, I am simply not interested in anything you have to say! This nightmare is over!!!

I don’t think I deserve to be with someone who is constantly lying to me and I won’t put up with it anymore.

I can’t see tomorrow knowing that today, it’s all gone. My life has fallen; I only have faith in God to do His miracle. I look forward to the end of my pain and yet I’ve felt the deepest pain a person can ever feel in his/her heart. A cut so deep that medicine can’t even heal but the pain of being alone is there.

Tears are the memory I have of you. They say time heals broken hearts but what do they know, they’re not in my shoes. All I can say is that I have faith in GOD… that He will let me see the beautiful tomorrow.

“You can’t build love and happiness on someone else’s misery and hurt…”

“You broke my world… but you made me strong!”