Day 8: Favorite Color

My inclination to the color of femininity only came about when I turned 30.  Quite late for a girl/woman who by default chooses pink to be part of her wardrobe and other kikay personal effects.  Not me though, ah-uh. 

But now, yep!  I have come to love the color PINK. In fact, I incessantly junked to have a pink laptop.  Yup, I got it!  Much to my hubby's dismay. (Now, you'll never see Dennis use my laptop when we're in a coffee shop!)

Before this pinky-patootsie craze, my first love was the color, BLUE.

Which this little girl wore so cutesy,

And which I wore so dreamily.

Day 8 sporting the favorite color, TRUE BLUE. Check.

6 years of Smiles

6 years of laughter and smiles with bottomless & random shower of happiness and bliss!

It could have been awfully different had I not married you, and I am sure glad I DID!

I'm so happy to be stuck with you Hon!

And for total of 8 years now, I am continuously thanking my then BROKEN ROAD, for God blessed it and led me to you!

GOD BLESS THE BROKEN ROAD

by Rascal Flatts

Happy 6th Wedding Anniversary Hon!

Looking forward to counting more years, months, hours, days, minutes and seconds with you.

For Father and Daughters....Heaven isn't too far away

Many articles have already been written regarding the untimely demise of Sec. Jesse Robredo.  I am one with the Filipino nation, in this grief and mourning.  How we have lost a man of honor, valor, integrity and justice.

However, I would like to speak from the terms where my pang(s) of sadness strike the most. 

That, as of a daughter. 



photo courtesy of totheuttermostwithin.wordpress



A daughter who fears "that" inevitable eternal separation.  I couldn't even fathom saying it.  That's how fearful I am of that occurence.

Imagining Sec. Jesse with his wife and daughters is a sight that fills me with awe and reverence.  I believe in what I have read and heard that he was always a present father.  How he put his family as a priority and how he wouldn't miss doing the role of a father despite any other circumstance.  Kumain ulit kahit busog dahil sa napakaraming engagements as a Mayor, umuwi every weekend sa Naga kahit kailangang bumalik agad kinabukasan sa Maynila, gagawin parin para sa pamilya.  Truly, this is what fatherhood is about.  And I believe these and many other more, endeared him to his wife and his daughters. 

Sec. Jesse loved his family first, and with so much love he received back, he was able to extend his sincere love by way of his public service.  Yet, it remains, love begins at home.  His family is his priority - his wife, his daughters. 

I am fortunate to be fathered by someone who is tenderhearted and whose love and devotion to our little 3 piece family is unarguable.  So, analogous to the circumstance, I am mostly saddened by Sec. Jesse's passing because I know now there are daughters who lost a good man as a father.

I remember how I have adored seeing my father do ALL things that I thought only people with super powers can do. Fathers have the knack to fix everything, including beheaded barbie dolls. Aika, Trisha and Jillian surely had their own super hero moments with Sec. Jesse. Every little girl does, I suppose. 

I could only imagine the grief, but I know I wouldn't be able to get hold of the real insurmountable pain his daughters are feeling right now for losing what to them is their good 'ol Daddy Jesse. 

For Sec. Jesse's daughters who are very fortunate for their father's love.  I sincerely hope that amidst this biggest trial, they'll find hope and peace in the consolation that their father is up in heaven, in the arms of his creator.  I am sure that in each of our father's hearts, the bind of parenthood stays beyond the physical world.

Heaven

I don't need to be the king of the world
As long as i'm the hero of this little girl
Heaven isn't too far away
Closer to it every day


When I come home late at night
And you're in bed asleep
I wrap my arms around you
So I can feel you breathe

I don't need to be a superman
As long as you will always be my biggest fan

I write this with no claim of authority nor ascendancy. I clearly don't have the mastery nor the slightest right. I don't mean to influence what to feel nor what to do.  I simply would just like to pose a modest hope that for father and daughters whose love has an undying force, heaven isn't too far away.

Sec. Jesse, I honor you.

Aika, Janine and Jillian, my heart is with you.

God bless your family.  May you have peace of mind and heart.

Ang Pag-ibig

I am not an easy music lover, but  whenever I hear few piece that outwardly tickled my fancy and had quite a stab on things I believe in.. I go gaga and the tune directly heads in to my miniscule list of repertoire!

Sometime ago, I heard a rave from a friend picking this song as funky yet reflective.  A fun analogy of LOVE, of how it is true and how it is not. A contemporary interpretation of love, (Pag-ibig to us Filipinos) as depicted from the verses of the bible at 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7.

... And this added to my still budding playlist. They're about 15 now. :) teehee! 

Come take a peek and hope you enjoy! :)

ANG PAG-IBIG

by Yeng Constantino

Ang pag-ibig, hindi parang cellphone

Pag naluma, papalitan

Panghabag buhay ang pag-ibig ko sa'yo, o sinta

Kahit na topakin ka, iintindihin kita

This wittingly reminded me to be grateful for the LOVE I got.  It is far from perfect, as we both are far from perfect! 

But what I'm most happy about is that though we may not be always on the same page, I'm thankful that we are reading the same book.

Love you dear hubby! 



Do you think I can S.H.O.P.?

Eight.
Eight.
Twelve.

 

What time is it?  

It's game time!

S.H.O.P.per! Now.

Day 7: Something Funny

This picture was taken 2009 during a trip to Tokyo, Japan.

A country famous for being organized, everything you do in Japan comes with strict instructions.

And yes, including in here!

I did followed the instructions...while laughing my heart out! Hahaha! And of couse I wouldn't pass the chance to take a photo of it to remind me how fun it was to pee in Japan. :)

This was the first time I have indeed enjoyed a TOILET HUMOR!  Hahaha!

Remembering a fun filled trip from Japan for day 7.  Check!

Day 6: Books

Migrating made me choose.  It was hard!

Limited to only 46 kgs, I was left with no option but to bring just few of my precious books.  That was really sad, I wish I could have brought them all! 

My dependable reads are pedestaled on top of my bedside lamp. 

Men are from Mars. Women are from Venus.
John Maxwell's Leadership Collection.
Praying through Life's Problems.
NINA GARCIA fashion series.
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff.
Art of Non-Conformity.
The Happiness Project.

my tested quick fix

Had previous post on recommended self-help books here.  Some of my quick fixes are here too.

courtesy of Pinterest

Oh I miss my books, hope to see all of you here soon!

Kuha ko kayo ng visa, wait for Mohma!


Day 6 in the company of good books. Check! 

Day 5: Morning Sky

There's always a breath of inspiration and healing peace within my heart whenever I look above a morning sky. 

With the lovely smell of morning mists, the brightness of each morning resonates HOPE for the coming of a new day. :) 

We had a lovely morning today in Surrey!  Hope you had yours too wherever you are! 
*Sorry though this entry came in end of day.

Day 5 with a golden morning sky.  Check.

Day 4: Leaves

Leaves.

If I had written this entry within the past 12 years up until March this year, I could have posted the day 4 challenge as this:

The LEAVE as defined in my CAREER BIBLE.  By virtue of responsibility, this came to be my top of mind recall of the word LEAVE. :)

Not that it is a problem, I strongly believe that the science of managing Human Capital is the thing I do best. 

Now, here's my real entry for day 4.

With some little rays from mother sunshine, this showcase my day 4 subject.

Can't help but sing...

I see trees of green........ red roses too
I see ‘em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....dark sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.

The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are also on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....saying.. how do you do
They're really saying......i love you.
]
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world

Day 4 brought to an appreciation of a wonderful world.  Check.

Day 3: Happiness

For people like us who are apart from family and living in a far away land...

Happiness tops when you see people you care most about,

And HAPPIEST when you see how happy they are seeing you too!

A fresh skype call from my folks on this gloomy rainy day in Surrey

I have regular chats and skype dates with my first loves above.  Thanks to Skype and unli-text, they just seem to be living right across the street!!!

One good thing about this migration thing is that my folks learned to embrace technology! Hahaha! Dati hanggang cellphone na QWERTY lang, now Mommy tinkers inside FB and has added touch screen phone in her vocabulary! :)

I have silly grins whenever I think about her that way.  Make way, Lola Techie! My mom's coming yah-way! :) Hahaha!

True happiness is in the simplest of things, and indeed are PRICELESS.

Love you Mom & Pops! 

Day 3 photo challenge graced by 2 moving & talking happy people in a square box from across the seas.Check.

Day 2: Smile

Got my right brain working fast for day 2, because its always easy to catch a happy moment.

Would there be anything best than capturing the smile of a child?

My husband and I couldn't get enough of this sweet-cheeky baby!

Isn't she so charming?  She got bottomless versions of that, and I could post tons!  I'd do that in a separate blog debuting her! We're very happy that while waiting for our own little one, this lovely little earthling gives us a joyful company.   

This little bug is fondly called Mumai. And her real name is Emma Paige.
She is the bunso of our good friends, Allan & Lindsay Vergara.

Her smile captivates mushy people like me!  Wouldn't you just want to hug and cuddle this kind of sugar bug?!! 

Day 2 photo challenge from sweet cheeky little Mumai. Check.

Day 1 Photo Challenge: Food (Crave..not Fave)

Since I've been having dreams of Jollibee the past days, I decided to put my hallucinations to an end.

This I did by making pinoy style spaghetti.  The sweetest-ala-jollibee!

The closest I can be to the taste of it.

Here it is...



Not my fave, but my top crave!

Day 1 photo challenge straight from the stove.   Check.

Using my Right Side of the Brain for 30 days

Sharing pictures has gained worldwide dominion over most of Facebook pages, and to most of us these snapshots are somehow the fastest way of sharing experiences - beyond words and illustration. We take pictures of almost anything to share with family and friends. To us Filipinos, picture taking has evolved from merely documenting special occasions or "Kodakan", to a more informal day-to-day "Pichur...Pichur!" :)  And now, picture taking has taken over our daily runabout with the convenience of our smart phones and digicams... taking pictures are now easy as counting from 1 to 3!
 
But have you ever wondered why pictures somehow always appeal more than any other information exchange?  Well, according to some studies, looking at pictures pushes someone to think beyond what they see. It is called Picture Thinking, some books coined it as visual-spatial thinking or learning.  When we look at pictures, the processing of the images passes through our right side of the brain, which is the part that is emotional and creative. That is also why creative people are called "right brainers". These are the people who are intuitive, expressive, emotional, music lovers and are fund of colors. (Left brainers on the other hand are those very good in linguistics, analysis, numbers & reasoning). Personal note to self: I wonder where I fall? Parang wala. Hahaha! In psych, this theory is based on what is known as the lateralization of brain functions. Where one part of the brain dominantly controls some specific function/s over the other.

 Brain in Colors
(grabbed from tumblr)

And since I have been in a profession where 'creative AHAs' are mostly restrained and where creative writing were limited to developing company guidelines and preparing employee infraction memos, I'd like to wiggle my brain a bit and challenge myself to do the visual kind of creatives.

For 30 days, I'll try to defy the use of my right brain to post as a blog entry. (Or an excuse to do blogging rather easier?) I'll try to organize info and be creative through pictures simultaneously and candidly! :)

I am challenging myself to this 'one-word' photo challenge instruction.

Hmm, it seems really brain stimulating!

Image grabbed from Pinterest

Am not a pro though, so my pictures wouldn't be 'Photography-mala-SLR' ang dating. :) Images taken really just for the fun of it at malaman if I have even a-little-itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie creativity in my brain! Hala, parang wala! Hahaha! 

 Ahmhexcited!! Hope you and I will have fun picture thinking!

To follow will be my posting for Day 1.

Ok, Grace ..... Right Brain, Stare!!!  (i love care bears!)

Mr. Dreamboy

The cliche turned out to be bitterly true. 

You'll never get to know somebody's worth until you've lost them.  

He was just there each day, I pass by him every single day. 

I remember the many times his eyes searched mine while he waved his hands and invited me for lunch, patiently waiting each day at that same spot.

And yet, I just deliberately ignored him. 

Now I miss him terribly!

I miss you JOLLIBEEEE! My Mister Dream boy!

I can't get over this longinggggg!!

Here's how close I can be with him, at papatulan ko na.

..Sa chicken joy manok at yum burger bilog..

I love you Sabado TV commercial

One day, we'll see each other again, and I promise you my sweetest bubuyog,

hindi na kita iisnabin!

Panlasang Pilipino, At home sa Jollibee!

Love by my Dad

Love is a Verb
by my Dad

For the times you held my tiny hands for support.... I love you Daddy.

For all the times your hands fixed my broken toy.... I love you Daddy.

For the times you supported my love for the color blue over the pinks.... I love you Daddy.

For the times you brought & fetched me to and from school.... I love you Daddy.

For the times your heart went meak when my grades weren't as par to expectations... I love you Daddy.

For the times you have patiently taught me how to drive... I love you Daddy.

For that first time you entrusted me with the car... I love you Daddy.

For the times you showed how proud you are of my simple accomplishments... I love you Daddy.

For the times I heard you say, "Anak ko yan!"... I love you Daddy.

For the times you were happier than me when I got my first promotion... I love you Daddy.

For the times you understood my silence in times of pain.... I love you Daddy.

For the times you explained how and why young love is difficult... I love you Daddy.

For the times your heart cried with me when my heart was bruised... I love you Daddy.

For all the times I came to you for comfort.... I love you Daddy.

For always being a present and active father... I love you Daddy.

For entrusting me to Dennis and for believing in our love... I love you Daddy.

Has never left my side. DAD.

Most of all Daddy, thank you for teaching me that LOVE is a verb.

That it is a thing of action with sincerity... I love you Dad.

On your special day, though we are apart, I'd like to say how proud I am to have been fathered by you.

Happy Father's Day Daddy Willie!   

i VERB you very much.

Memories in a backpack!

 

all aboard! we're going to boracay!
(photo grabbed from blogger )

The song 'Leaving On A Jet Plane' is playing in my head.

Before we board the plane bound to this new territory where we are now, we had our last and final hurrah!

And we did it with our ever endearing and loving (whose funny bones seem to be compatible as much) couple buddies, the Vitugs or the Vs as I fondly call them!

This trip to Boracay was the best I had by far in this island.  The weather was perfect and we were able to hop beautiful resorts, and by beautiful I mean the REAL top ones..   But mind you, it didn't cost us as much.  This you can do if you have cost-savvy friends in tow, thanks to Mr. Champion.  You know who you are. :)

It's nice to be reminded of the beauty of your native land especially before going to a place which also has something unique to offer.

Mr. Sunshine decided to flash his energy with all his might, allowing us to make the most of our 3 day trip.  We seem to have ordered the perfect menu for a vacay: the cozy accomodations, prudent deals, hearty meals and the best company to boot!   Celebrating happy friendships and marriages always indeed are fun and having Ron & Vinay, doubled the fun!

This was our last domestic trip before going to Canada, and it was good to bring good memories in our back packs.  We are always looking forward to celebrations of love and one with the Vitugs are always well remembered.

Incidentally, Ron & Vinay celebrated their 1st year wedding anniversary a couple of weeks back, and though we weren't there to celebrate personally, I would like to let them know that they are well thought of and missed.  The memories of our trips, by plane or not are checked-in, it's in our back packs. :)

Ron & Vinay Vitug, the uncanny duo who
celebrated their 1st year wedding anniversary last May 28.
We wish you many more of marriage bliss!

We will see you soon Brad & Sis  so we can share more of our lifetime's love. 

We miss you!