A Night of Freeloading

In early December, my office friends and I decided to have a fancy Christmas dinner as a way to reward ourselves. By fancy, we meant splurging on buffet at a five-star hotel. The first choice if of course Manila Diamond since Mark’s dad works there and so we have a better chance of getting a discount. On December 11, we went through with the plan but sadly, Ela and Enny couldn’t make it because of previous engagements. So Pia and I braved the Ortigas-Makati-Manila traffic in order to get to Manila Diamond where Mark was already nearing unconsciousness because of hunger.

When we arrived, Mark was already having his soup and soon after his dad called, looking for him. The General (Mark’s Dad) then came to sit with us over dinner, much to Mark’s disappointment. But when his dad started ordering different dishes straight from the kitchen, we were all thankful that he was there with us.

The menu theme for Thursday night was Spanish so most of the food fare were sumptuous, spicy and flavorful. We tried sampling everything but we had to leave room for dessert. Good thing we did because the cakes and pastries were heavenly! We even tried asking the chef if they can sell us whole cakes, but sadly, they don’t do that in their hotel.

Much later, Mark’s mom came, done with her spa treatment. They stayed for a while and when they said goodbye, they left us with a special treat… dinner is free! We thought that we were just getting a good discount but Mark’s dad footed the bill.

After dinner, we did a photo op at the hotel lobby. Manila Diamond has a very interesting Christmas tree so we thought of taking our pics with it.

We capped the night with coffee at Starbucks Magallanes. We were all feeling dizzy while making our orders and we all thought that it was probably from all the food we ate earlier. It was not even 12am then but we were feeling sleepy already. Pia attributed it to age, Mark from being tired from work, and me from having late nights for more than a week. Soon after we said goodbye and took separate rides home. It was weekday after all and there’s still work the next day.

It is always great being with these two, even if i have to be the "bridge" all the time.

Dinner @ Kabisera

Spent Friday night with old friends at Bonifacio High Street. We gathered to celebrate Minnie and Princess' birthdays which fall in November. Princess chose Kabisera sa Dencio's at B3 which was perfect since I live about 10 minutes away from the place.

Now the trouble was getting there from Ortigas where I work. I of course chose to ride with Annie and Tonton while I told Lyndon to go straight to BHS since he will be coming from our house in Pasig. Traffic that night was terrible; it took us almost 2 hours to get there much to the chagrin of everyone who were there on time.

After dinner, the group decided to have a nightcap at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Being partial to my favorite coffe shop, I excused myself for a few minutes and with Annie in tow, we proceeded to buy Dark Cherry Mocha (for me) and Toffee Nut Latte (for Lyndon) at Starbucks. More jeers and cheers later, then it was time to pack up.

I found it funny that as we were walking to OT's car, Rex was complaining that it was already too late...man, it was only 1:00AM! And earlier, after dinner, Jon's eyelids were already dropping saying he's too tired - this at 11PM! Do I see signs of aging from the younger ones in our group (by younger, I mean younger by months)?

As usual, I took some pictures for posterity...

Kira Isobel turns 1!

We had a blast at my niece's first birthday party last November 22. The theme was Mexican Fiesta, and my sister Dionne and bro-in-law Joven put much of their energies (and dough) to make sure that all guests will have a great time.



For Issie, i made a short AVP that was shown during the party. It features her monthly celebrations and some milestones of her first year.



More about the party on Issie's multiply site and Dionne and Joven's blog.

Bora Diaries

Prologue
We planned it in August, me and 2 of my closest friends in the office. But when the date of our vacation drew near, Mark had to back out because of work responsibilities. Pia and I decided to go through with the plan – a 4-day holiday in Boracay. It was my first trip to the famous beach getaway so this blog about the experience is inevitable. I am writing while sitting at our favorite spot, and elevated veranda on the beachfront. This is where we took our meals, chilled out, drank wine, and talked about everything under the sun (during inebriated and sober moments) for the past 3 days. It’s our last night in Bora and while we miss people at home, we can’t help but wish the night will be longer.

Day One

Our flight was at 6:30AM and so I had to be in the airport by 5am, but Lyndon is such a freak, he woke me up at 3:30 so we can leave our place at 4am. Since the airport is only about 20 minutes away (sans bad traffic) from our place, we were there super early and had to wait a few minutes before Pia arrived. We still had plenty of time before boarding so we decided to grab some coffee first. Good thing the airport has a Kopi Roti stall so we had a perfect cup of brew before we got ready for our flight. A quick hug from Lyndon then Pia and I proceeded to gate 131. When I saw our ride (52-seater propeller plane) I felt a tight knot in my stomach since I’ve never been on a small plane. But the flight was smooth (except for a few airpockets and 6 noisy Koreans behind our seat) and we touched down Caticlan airport after 45 minutes.




Efficient and courteous staff from our hotel readily carried our luggage and led us to the van that will bring us to the ferry boat. 10 minutes after, our boat was taxiing towards the beaches of Boracay. Another 5-minute van ride and we were at the hotel. We chose La Carmela de Boracay because the rates were affordable and it was right on the beach. But we had to wait for almost an hour before we could finally check-in since there were a number of guests who came ahead of us. We also had to request for another room because the one given to us was quite small and the terrace was right across the new building being constructed.



That afternoon, we decided to make the beach wait and walked to find a nice place to eat breakfast. We settled on Mango Ray, a beach front restaurant that served tapsilog (beef strips, fried rice and eggs). After breakfast we went back to our room for a quick shower and some sightseeing. We then returned to the hotel to grab lunch, which we hardly touched being still full from our big breakfast. This was when we found our favorite spot. After lunch, we went back to the room because Pia had to finish some work that has to be sent to the office before the week ends.

We stayed at our favorite spot for the rest of the afternoon and when the sun was out we decided to avail of the buffet dinner the hotel was offering. It was Mongolian night, and frankly, I did not enjoy it, one bit. So we just took pictures instead.



After dinner, we again went sightseeing. The different resorts were already in a festive mood and a number of tourists have already found their party place for the evening. I didn’t realize that we’ve already walked about 2 kilometers until I felt my legs getting stiff and my butt starting to ache; it was as if I was on the treadmill for an hour without taking a break. We decided to rest first before and chose Zucchero Café to grab something to eat before heading back to the hotel. I had a Banana Strawberry smoothie while Pia had Banana Split. I was the one craving for Ice Cream but I couldn’t find a single store selling our product. After our sugar dose, we walked back to the hotel. As we approached the lobby we asked if there was still massage service available and good thing there was. 10 minutes later, 2 masseuse were knocking on our door. The experience was heavenly! We both slept like babies after having the massage.




Day Two

We woke up at 8am, but was able to get out of our room past 9am. Good thing breakfast was still available. After breakfast, we went back to the room to shower and change, this time putting on swimsuits and gobs of sunblock. Since the sun was at its hottest, being almost lunchtime, we decided to check out the hotel’s internet shop first. Me to check on emails and visit facebook, Pia to email some work stuff to the office. When I opened my YM, my former boss and mentor was on-line so I typed a quick hello. We ended up chatting on YM for the rest of the morning. We had to say goodbye because it was already lunch time for me and dinner time for him (he’s now living in the US with his family).

After lunch, we headed for the beach. Despite my initial dislike for saltwater, I had a great time swimming, errrr wading in the waters. The temperature was just right and the weather as great. When we went back to our beach beds, Pia decided she wanted another massage and called on one of the old ladies offering their services to tourists along the beach. When it was time to pay for the massage, Pia realized she only had 20 bucks on her so she ran off to have her bigger bills changed. It was then that she told me about Cerealicious, a cute stall right beside our hotel. I then decided to give it a try.




While waiting for the “Jumango” (a cold cereal concoction with mangoes, milk, honey cereals and strawberry syrup) I ordered, another customer – a tall Caucasian lady – asked me if I were “Filipinnish”. I said yes and she complimented me on how my hair is so dark and shiny, and asked if my curls were natural. We chatted for a while as I tried to explain to her why her “chocnut” shake does not contain any nuts at all. She again approached me while I was happily digging into my ice cold cereal, and started chatting with Pia and me. We learned that she came from Germany and that her name was Claudia. Her husband Piant and her just came in that morning from Taal Lake and after Boracay they will be going to Negros, the third leg of their tour. She was surprised to learn that it was my first time in Bora when Manila is just an hour away. She and her husband have been coming back to Boracay for the past few years even if they have to travel thousands if miles and several hours just to get there. She was quite a chatterbox and was so inquisitive about Filipino culture. She also has an easy laughter and while we don’t understand some of the things she is saying, we can’t help but laugh with her. Before she left, we asked if we can take a picture with her as a souvenir of our pleasant conversation.




After sunset, we proceeded to our favorite spot where our dinner was served. The menu wasn’t too pleasing for Pia so she ordered a few more add-ons to our meal. Later we ordered a bottle of red wine and the night began to get better. Our conversation centered mostly on work, family and relationships; our topics varied from the most trivial to the most significant aspects of life and honestly, it was the best conversation we had. Now I realize, there’s nothing like a good bottle of wine to loosen our tongues and liven up our spirit. But that doesn’t mean I will trade our regular coffee sessions for red wine – that is another major life choice altogether. When we were ready to call it a night, we found ourselves finishing off our third bottle of wine. To this day, we both cannot remember how we got from the hotel lobby to our room. All we remember is taking a picture along the way, and then our hotel room door was right in front of us. Amazing.







Day Three

We woke up a bit late the following day and since we were both still hungover, we decided to take it slow. We had coffee in our room and spent plenty of time just lazing around. That morning, we didn’t make it to the prescribed time for breakfast at the hotel so we stepped out to look for another restaurant that would still serve us breakfast at 11am. Luckily we found Paraiso Bar, another beachfront resto that has a “make your own breakfast” menu. We had beef tapa (again), eggs and bacon with rice. Yummy! Plus they serve brewed coffee in a tall mug – a big plus factor for me.




After breakfast, we went off to buy “pasalubong” at d’mall. I was able to buy all my pasalubong in one store, since I’m not really the type who would canvass the area first before buying anything. Pia on the other hand happily trotted from one store to the next.




Since we were already tired from walking, we rode a tricycle back to the hotel. It was past 2PM already but good thing, the hotel restaurant still served us lunch, which we didn’t touch much, being too tired or too full from the cold not-as-good-as-starbucks coffee drink we grabbed along the way.



After the late lunch, we went to see the nearest tattoo artist and got ourselves henna tattoo just for kicks. Pia picked a butterfly figure which she had tattooed on her back while I found interest on a group of Chinese characters that was supposed to read “No Satisfaction.” We both thought it was perfect for us, since the phrase says a lot about our Bora experience, and even more about how we see ourselves in the present.





We had to wait a couple of hours for the tattoo to dry so it was almost sunset when we decided to take another dip at the ocean. The weather was a bit cooler, it being late in the afternoon already. It was then that we saw “them.” Much to my horror, there were little silver fishes swimming with us. Sure, it was the ocean, and as Pia said “this is their home!” but I just can’t feel comfortable knowing that there were living things moving underwater while I waded in the waters. Pia was laughing while I freaked out.

At dinner, I went back to our room to get dressed and get the half empty bottle of wine from the previous night. We again settled at our favorite spot. Since it was still too early to drink, I decided to start writing this blog as Pia went to the hotel’s internet shop. When she returned, the hotel was featuring 3 fire dancers by the beach to entertain the buffet diners. It was quite amusing but towards the end the dancers started making mistakes, one even burned his scarf while dancing. All in all, it was still amusing to watch.

After our second bottle of wine, it started drizzling so we had to find another area to occupy. Good thing our server for the night, Jay was very attentive and while we ran to the nearest shelter, he carried all our belongings and let us settle in the restaurant’s veranda where we had a roof over our head and a great view of the beach. The restaurant is supposed to be closed for the night but they allowed us to stay there for as long as we wanted. I then started playing some music with my laptop, much to Pia’s delight – I never realized she’s such a music maniac that she knows the lyrics of most songs I have in my file. However, the rain started pouring and I was afraid that my dearest treasure (my laptop) will get wet so I had to place a sarong over it. After we finished our last glass, we decided to head back to the room and settle for the night.



When we got back to the room, Pia realized that she hasn’t had her fill for the night so we tried calling room service to order 2 more glasses of wine. But much to our dismay, we couldn’t get through the phone line so I walked to the hotel lobby to place our order. Soon after, our order arrived and Pia happily plugged in her Ipod and soon we were singing along with the tunes.



I didn’t realize it was almost 2am until I started feeling lightheaded from sleepiness. I didn’t dare finish my half-filled wine glass and gave the rest to my roommate who was still up and about after our very long day. But sleep won me over so I just climbed up my bed and tucked myself under the covers. Next thing I know, the sun was up and we had to start packing our stuff for check out time.




Day Four

Pia wanted to make the most of the beach hence we stepped out of our room early so we can have breakfast and take another dip in the water before packing. I decided that I didn’t want to swim anymore and would just stay on the beach to take some pictures. We ate breakfast by the restaurant veranda and as we looked out, we saw how beautiful the scenery was. Since it was low tide, the beach was even bigger and the ocean was shallow even if you have walked quite far from the shore. The sun was also shining brightly, a stark contrast from the previous night’s rain. The view, the weather, the backdrop was just fantastic. Sadly, in a few hours it had to end.




We had to go back to our room because check-out was at 12 noon. I realized that I still had to buy a few pearl earrings before we go home but I was already low on cash so I told Pia to go ahead while I went to the nearby ATM. When I got back to the hotel, I decided to sit again at our favorite spot for one last time and ordered myself a mango shake. I sat there for about an hour…drinking in the whole experience of the past four days.

It was then that I realized, I should be giving myself more moments like these. I’ll be 35 in January and I just shudder at the thought that I’ve never allowed myself this luxury in a long, long time.

After checking out, we parked our luggage at the hotel desk and went out to get lunch. We settled at ARIA, where we had tomato and basil pizza and a marinara pasta. Pia wasn’t feeling well; she started feeling whoozy when she went back to our room after her swim, and so she didn’t enjoy lunch as much as I did. After lunch we looked for a pharmacy so she can get meds for her vertigo, a bad thing to have when we are supposed to be getting on a plane in a few hours.



We again took a walk around d’mall and looked for a few more things to take home. Pia found a nice bead necklace at Nothing but Water and a couple more items at a nearby store – the vertigo did nothing to stop this shop-a-holic from getting a good bargain. We took another tricycle ride home and stopped a while to take a picture of an amusing sign we saw earlier.




We only has to wait a few minutes before our ride to the airport came. As briskly as we were brought there, we were whisked off to the Caticlan port for the ferry ride. Reaching the Caticlan Airport, we were informed that there’s going to be a major change in our flight back home. Since the airlines was experiencing delay since morning, our flight (which was last one, out of Caticlan) will not be allowed to depart anymore since it will be too dark already by the time our plane is ready. Instead, they will shuttle us by bus to Kalibo (a good 1 ½ hour ride) where we will be allowed to board a plane back to Manila. Now, this is bad for me, I never liked long drives, especially if we will traverse unfamiliar rough roads in the dark. But then again, we had no choice. As a service recovery effort, the airline provided us with dinner, but it did nothing to appease the other passengers. Pia on the other hand was ultra cool, amusing herself with listening to the passengers screaming at the airline personnel. I don’t know if it was the anti-vertigo drugs she took, but I didn’t detect a hint of displeasure the whole time we were waiting for the bus that will take us to Kalibo.

It was almost dark when the bus arrived and as we settled in our seats, Pia put on her headphones and slept. It was then that I started feeling nauseous, being cramped in my seat and with the driver maniacally maneuvering the bus to our destination. It didn’t help that the bus was playing a gory movie where there was blood and human parts at every scene. I tried sleeping but the constant honking of the bus driver – perhaps to get people and other vehicles out of the way – didn’t help me any.




Just as we stepped out of the bus, our plane was ready for boarding. We landed in Manila a few minutes after 9PM, 3 hours delayed from our supposed arrival time. Since Pia wasn’t feeling well, I told her to go on home while I waited for Lyndon at the airport lobby. A few minutes after, Lyndon arrived and we headed home.

It was a Sunday night, and the next day I will be reporting back to the office. Back to my old life, back to my real life.








Epilogue

My tattoo has now faded. My tan beginning to disappear. But I’ve found a new favorite place on earth.

Other arms reach out to me, other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see the road leads back to you
Bora, no peace I find…
Just an old sweet song keeps Bora on my mind

Nine Months After

Spent last night with my closest friends, celebrating Rex’s birthday at their beautiful home in Cainta. The night started with a wonderful dinner cooked by OT’s mom. We feasted on Karekare, Pork Barbecue, Bopis, Stuffed Squid and Pancit Lucban. Dessert was a choice of ice cream (not our brand, so I didn’t choose that) or leche flan. No booze for me last night so I had San Mig Coffee instead (2 sachets in one cup).

After dinner, the boys proceeded to the backyard while the girls started looking up pictures in Annie’s laptop. We then figured that we don’t have any new pictures and decided that it’s time we take new ones. So, the photo shoot started.

Prior to the photo shoot, Annie felt like primping us a bit since she thought we would look pale in the pictures so she brought out her make-up paraphernalia and started working on Princess and me. The shoot was a lot of fun because as we were trying to find the best shot (one that would win its way to Annie’s friendster profile) we ended up having candid shots that looked totally ridiculous!

Towards the end of the get together, we all joined the boys at the backyard and looked up Minnie’s website featuring Anton’s tae kwon do practice. Don’t mess with the kid, he’s got great potential in the sport. More jeers and funny anecdotes followed then we called it a night with an agreement to meet again the following week, this time at Chuck and Princess’ home in Paranaque.

I can’t believe it has been nine months since we last saw each other. So much has happened in each of our lives since January and yet we are the same comfortable bunch. Not much has changed – Chuck and his quest for unemployment, Princess and her baked goodies, OT and her easy laughter, Rex and his color change after a bottle of beer. Minnie and her baby hair, Jon and his stories about Anton and Gian. Tony and his “sociable” ways, Annie and her healthy eating habits, me and my red lipstick.

Put it all together and you will find a group of friends who appreciate and take pride in each other’s accomplishments, who have learned to accept each other for all their eccentricities and shortcomings; a cast of would be’s and wannabe’s, haves and have nots, can do and cannots at different phases and aspects of life. But most important is how, because of years together, they give a delightful sense of comfort, similar to an new t-shirt the you wore proudly all the time, and even as years passed - despite the tears and the holes - you refused to throw it away; you later turned it to a favorite nigh shirt, one that gives you the most comfortable slumber.

I'll Always be his Baby

Let me tell you about the man in my life.

A not-so-tall, dark and handsome man who has touched my life in enormous ways.

He has a great sense of humor and can carry a good conversation any time.

He is a great friend, a sensible advisor and a staunch critic - depending on what you need him to be at a particular moment.

He likes to paint, loves to cook and enjoys reading. Saying that we share the same interests would be an understatement, because we are in many ways, alike.

He has a profound understanding of life, much of which was derived from experience and then some from commom sense. Life lessons he eagerly shares to those who are willing (or needed) to listen.

He is a prayerful soul and a faithful servant of the Lord. A trait I struggle to emulate every single day of my life.

He has other women, sure. One he calls “Ne”, the other Sweetheart, and still another, his Bunso.

He would often call me Honey. But I love it most when he calls me his Baby.



Let's celebrate your next together. But for now, Happy 67th Daddy!

sorry, i had too much wine...

I just looooooove long weekends! Monday is a holiday so in effect, i have three days off.



This morning, I woke up at 7AM because I forgot to turn off the alarm. Spent the entire morning tinkering with my laptop and playing freecell. I planned to do a general cleaning of my apartment but my loyal helper (aka Lyndon) was still sound asleep. We started cleaning at around 2PM after we ate a late lunch and now I'm quite satisfied that our place is spic and span.


Tonight I finished a bottle of red wine, in between net surfing. Tomorrow I'd go to church then face two hamper-full of dirty laundry. Maybe I'd clean the bathroom while the laundry's churning.

I haven't planned anything for Monday. Oh, the refrigerator repairman might drop in. Maybe I'll just veg out in front of the TV or spend the whole day with my SIMS.

Hooray for long weekends!

My life is boring, but I'm loving it!

Crossing my fingers

Lately, I’ve been hanging out regularly with a couple of new friends who love coffee as much as I do. The irony of it is that we became closer after both have been transferred to other SMC businesses. We call ourselves the “Secret Council” since we share a lot of those when we are together. A night out with them can give you hiccups (not to mention gas) because of the hilarious moments we have when we’re together. I’m just glad I found new friends even after our work unit was trimmed down from 67 to 19, and after most, if not all of my closest friends in the office have either resigned or moved to other SMC businesses.

I’ve often boasted to many that I’ve stuck it out in SMC for four years (a record-breaker for me) because of the people I work with. I constantly hear people complain about the politics within the organization and had I been younger, my impulsive nature would jump on to the next available job elsewhere. Just to digress a bit, I got 3 job offers in a span of a week, all of which I turned down without batting an eyelash and this is probably why I am writing this blog; to document my feat! Haha!

I’ve talked to ex-SMC employees and while their new jobs pay higher, they still long for the unique culture of San Miguel. There are days when you are neck deep in deliverables, trying to beat the deadline while at the same time lacking the resources you need to get through. But there are also days when you can bask in the tranquility of day to day tasks that can wait on you while you spend a few minutes – sometimes exceeding 15 – at the upper mall (a.k.a. yo area).

I do experience the politics within, or witness the internal inequity, and I also feel anxious whenever some changes are implemented. But I’d like to say I found my home in SMC. Work has become more than just a way to get some dough every 15th or 30th. It has become a learning experience, an advocacy and a roller coaster ride rolled into one. Also, the familiar faces I see everyday from the time I enter the sliding doors make me feel comfortable.

More importantly, SMC is where I learned the most about myself and what I am capable of becoming. Thanks largely to the bosses I’ve had because they saw something in me that I myself cannot bring to acknowledge.

While I know that life doesn’t end after San Miguel and that there are greater opportunities outside, I still wish I can say for sure that this is where I will retire. So like everyone else in the organization, I just have to accept the fact that change is very much a part of the San Miguel culture. I just have to hope that when the next tide turns, I won’t be washed off to shore.

Happy 65th Birthday Mommie!

We gave Mommie a surprise party for her 65th birthday. Together with my sisters, we went behind her back and became thieves (had to steal her old pictures from her "baul") and liars during the four weeks that we prepared for her party. Somewhere along the way we were getting nervous that she was smelling something cooking but the surprised look on her face during the party told us that we were successful.

Seeing her face light up that night when she saw all her friends and closest relatives in one room was worth all the trouble we went through. We were even able to bring in one of her brothers who had a stroke a couple of years ago. All her friends from her former work were there too. We invited a rondalla band for entertainment, played games, gave out prizes and fancy souvenirs and listened to testimonials from friends and family. There was even a video greeting from my dad, my brother and his family in Texas. One of the highlight of the evening was an AVP we prepared for her. It somehow sums up the woman that we call Mommie...

At the end of the party, our emcee (my best friend Annie) called her on stage. I never realized my mom was a good public speaker (it really is in my genes-hahaha!) until she began -- impromptu mind you -- telling the guests how thankful she is for her kids (ahem ahem!). What struck me most was when she said, "natupad ko ang mga pangarap ko dahil sa mga anak ko" (I realized all my dreams through my kids). She went on to say that she may not have realized her personal aspirations because of marriage and family, but the achievements of her children makes her feel that she actually did.

Since we were little, my siblings and I have known her to be a disciplinarian who would never allow her children to get into trouble. She is straightforward, a bit prudish and and one tough woman. She tended to all four of us while Daddy was working abroad. She brought us up emphasizing that education will be our best tool to have a better future.

I've never know my mom as an emotional woman...but that night, I saw tears of happiness in her eyes and heard her speak about her children with much pride in her voice.

I am thankful that we cooked up this party for her, because in a way, we were able to thank her for the many years that she dedicated to us.

Celebrating Brokeness

Just got back from church service and today is one special day because I was able to bring my sister to "The Feast." I've been bugging her to join us every Sunday because I know she will be blessed by the encounter.

A couple of days ago, I texted her and asked if she could come with me and she gave me a half-baked yes when she said "sana magising ako" because she knows that we normally attend the 7:30 service. This morning, I woke up a bit late (9am) and a few minutes later she was already knocking on our door. We both attended the 10AM service.

It was heartwarming because I've been praying for this for so long. I've been wanting her to attend because I know that there are so many things she wants to resolve in her life. I can see what she is going through and it breaks my heart that I cannot do anything to alleviate her situation. All I could offer is to lead her towards finding her faith again, and making her realize that there is Someone she can always come to when things are tough. I personally cannot change her circumstances, but all I can do is lead her to Someone who can.

The topic of Bo's talk today was all about "Celebrating Brokenness." He talked about how we tend to respond to our weaknesses in different ways. Some people take flight (by being angry and bitter), some fight it (by burying weakness in an addiction), while others fantasize (by covering it up and pretending that everything's on the up and up). The best way however is to feast;to celebrate one's brokenness by acknowledging it, sharing it with others, asking for help, blessing others with one's weakness and accepting other people's weakness as well.

Bo's talk also featured a video of a preacher who was born without arms and feet but he is able to take care of himself, and he continues to touch the lives of other people through his preaching. After watching the video, all of us had the same thought in our minds..."Who are we to complain?"

I know my sister thought the same and I truly believe that she was greatly blessed by the experience. We both had tears in our eyes while we were singing our praises and gave each other the warmest hug after.

I asked her to come with me again next week and this time she readily said "YES."

Cebu Holiday

I was in Cebu for a week for a working holiday. I did a day’s work at our office there then attended a conference. I was with my mom whom I’ve invited to tag along so she can also get to see her relatives and we can attend her hometown’s fiesta.

September 25. I did not sleep a wink because I had to be at the airport by 3:00AM. At 4:30 we were on our way to Cebu. It was a short flight and so we were at our destination by 6:00AM. Mommie and I went straight to Castle Peak where we were booked for the night. I caught a couple of hours sleep before heading to our office in Mandaue where I had to evaluate training consultants who were applying for accreditation with our company. There were five applicants who were scheduled the whole day.


During lunchbreak, my officemates (Leo, Marlon and Nanding) from Cebu treated me to a sumptuous lunch at Salo-Salo, a native restaurant near the SMC Mandaue Complex. When the waiters started serving the food, I surmised that we won’t be able to finish everything. There were 6 types of viand on the table and there were only four of us. But lo and behold, 30 minutes after we started eating, there wasn’t a morsel left! Now that was my first taste of BISDAK (bisayang dako) hospitality. I nary had an idea that there would be more of these during my week’s stay in Cebu.

You can imagine how sleepy I was the rest of the afternoon. Having eaten too much, and without sleep, I was ready for dreamland. But then again there were 3 more people to interview and evaluate. So when the evaluation session was over, the company vehicle brought me back to the hotel. Mommie and I just ordered room service because neither of us had the energy to dine out. I was asleep by 9pm, when I normally sleep at 1am.

September 26. The following day, we moved to Waterfront Hotel where I was billeted for the duration of the conference I was attending. While I was in the conference, my mom would go out with her cousin, Tita Florinda whom I met for the first time and loved instantly. She said I am “gwapa,” Cebuano for pretty, now why wouldn’t I love her for that?! She was cool for a sixty-something and is very liberal minded.

That night, while my mom was out with her cousins, Jonnabel (another officemate from Manila) and I were treated to another sumptuous dinner by the same guys who treated me for lunch the day before. This time we ate at the Lighthouse, a popular restaurant in Gaisano Mall. These are what we feasted on: Halaan Soup (Clams), Binakol na Alimango (Crab meat in Coconut sauce), Garlic and cheese Oysters, Scallops, Sizzling Squid, Grilled Fish and Chicharong Bulaklak (pork intestines – yummy!). I had a couple of beers but couldn’t take more because all the food I ate took up too much space! We were chauffered back to the hotel and I was a bit surprised that my mom wasn’t back yet from her afternoon with her cousins. About an hour after she returned with a lot of stories about her long lost cousins. Before they parted ways, another date was set the following day, both for lunch and again for dinner. I had a throbbing headache that night, good thing my mom brought with her “polar bear” a Chinese eucalyptus liniment which made me feel better.

September 27. It was the day for concurrent sessions of the conference so in a day I was able to attend four learning session about diverse topics. I carefully chose the sessions I will attend and made sure that the speakers I will listen to are quite competent. I was busy the whole day, but half through it, I remembered I needed to buy another blouse for the sessions the following day. All I brought with me were sports shirts thinking that I can dress casually the whole time. Silly me, I didn’t bother reading the dress code before I packed my luggage. I only had a couple of business shirts and all the rest were just too casual. I asked my mom to buy one for me but she was hesitant that I would like her choice.

That night, after the sessions, I waited for my mom and my Tita Florinda to return from their afternoon rendezvous because we were going out for dinner with Tito Franklin, Tita Mimi and Tito Aguinaldo. They fetched us from the hotel and we went to Ayala Mall to have dinner at Café Laguna. The mall was about to close and I was quite anxious to buy a blouse I could use the following day. While my mom went along with her cousins to find the restaurant, Tita Florinda and I hurried to find a shop that was still open. Good thing Metro was still open and I was surprised that my aunt had already chosen a blouse for me that afternoon when she went out with my mom. She went straight to the rack and told me to try it on for size. Good thing it was nice on me. In five minutes, I had a new blouse to wear the next day.

Dinner was on me that night… whew, not on my budget at all! But it was fun being with my relatives. They kept reminiscing about their past, and I was listening intently trying to decipher every word because they were speaking in Cebuano. Before bringing us back to the hotel, my tita Florinda insisted that she be brought home first because she wanted me to meet her youngest daughter, my third cousin Duday. We were about the same age and she was very pleasant when we were introduced. Too bad she couldn’t come with us to Samboan that weekend because she has to work on Saturday. My Tita on the other hand just had a spinal operation so she wouldn’t stand a 3-hour drive because it was bad for her back.

September 28. Ah, the last day of the conference! The day started with a plenary session with speakers from different industries (academe, government, NGO, business, etc) talking about ways Human Resources practitioners can contribute to society. Blah blah blah… some were interesting and funny, while one was a tad depressing…

The morning session ended earlier than scheduled so we had time to freshen up before heading for another lunch treat by our Beer Division in Mandaue. This time all of us conference delegates from SMC where brought to Golden Cowrie, a native restaurant, a stone’s throw away from Waterfront Hotel. As expected it turned to a feast again, with our Cebuano officemates giving us another taste of Bisdak hospitality. Crispy Pata, Lechon Cebu, Pinakbet, Tuna sticks, Sinigang na hipon, Pandan chicken, etcetera etcetera. I was getting cross-eyed from overeating!


After lunch, we went back to the hotel to rest because the next session was to start at 4PM. That would be the culminating session where a former SMC employee (Imee Roberts) was conducting a “learning concert.” When she started speaking, we all felt proud that we are from San Miguel, because she kept mentioning how SMC has helped her become the successful person that she is now. She is now an accomplished HR practitioner in the US and has been awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for exemplary contribution to society.

My mom and I just ordered room service that night, and settled early because the following day, we will be picked up by Tito Franklin and Tita Mimi for the trip to Samboan.


September 29. We checked out of the hotel and hit the road early so we could get to Samboan before lunch. I was asleep most of the ride but woke up just in time to see the sprawling beaches all the way to Samboan. The site was heavenly! Imagine, we were driving through a mountainous terrain but to our left was a white sand beach! Such beauty!

We got to Samboan in time for lunch, and it being the town fiesta, the dinner table was again full of food! Tita Nora welcomed us with open arms and immediately handed out plates so we could have lunch. I couldn’t eat as much probably because I was too tired. So I just went up to the bedroom reserved for my mom and me and slept all afternoon. The place was so laid back, there was hardly anything to keep one busy anyway.

When I woke up, I asked my mom if she could show me the beach. It was just a few meters away from my Tita Nora’s house. When we got there, my mom said there had been a few changes from the last time she was there (last year) because some quarrying had been done to the beach. But nevertheless it was still beautiful. We only stayed a few minutes because it was getting dark already. We took a different path going back to the house, this time traversing a 100+ staircase going up to the highway. Now, I was never good at climbing stairs so you can imagine how difficult it was going up the steep and slippery steps! All that time I was carrying a bagful of white stones I picked from the beach. I wanted to bring home a piece of the beach where my ancestors used to live.



September 30. We only stayed in Samboan overnight because if we were to return to the City on October 1, we might not have enough time to buy “pasalubong” before our 3PM flight. Tita Nora gave us a bagful of homemade cookies, and torta which was too heavy to carry. It filled up my mom’s overnight bag to the brim. We decided then that I will have to hand carry the bag because if we checked it in at the airport, we will be charged for exceeding the luggage weight limit.

Tito Franklin drove us to Sarrosa Hotel where my mom and I were to stay for the night. I decided to try it out because it looked nice from the outside. Bad decision! The hotel was old, drab and run down and the whole time I was afraid that bedbugs will eat my mom and me alive.

October 1. The next morning, my mom and I went to SM City early to buy “pasalubong.” We ended up with one big box full of goodies and another box of Lechon Cebu. We returned to the hotel to check out and headed to the airport. After we have checked in our luggage, we headed for the boarding lounge where we were to wait for our flight. But as my carry on baggage passed through the x-ray, the airport personnel saw something odd…

Stupid me, I forgot to pack my bagful of stones in my check-in luggage! They said they have to confiscate it because stones are considered as weapons. What?!!! Do I look like a crazed maniac that would just hurl stones at people while inside the plane! Of course I didn’t say that to their faces, after all they were just following SOP. Oh well, sentimental as I was, I had to let go of my precious stones, plucked from the beach where my ancestors once tread.

The plane we rode was small, seats less than 200, and the weather being bad, we experienced a lot of turbulence. It was like riding a roller coaster! I knew my mom was praying the whole time, while I was trying very hard not to regurgitate my lunch! When we finally touched down in Manila, I thanked the heavens each of us came home in one piece.





Alas my Cebu Holiday was over.

The Feast

For the past four months, Lyndon and I have been attending The Feast every Sunday. It is a weekly gathering organized by the Light of Jesus Community, a Catholic Organization founded by Bo Sanchez.

For a number of years I’ve been remiss in religious obligations; I rarely went to church and consciously avoided every opportunity to do so. For me, putting up with an hour long church service was pure torment; I had to listen to an often boring if not difficult to understand homily. I had to mouth words (supposed to be prayers) that simply did not do much to strengthen my faith. I started to attend Protestant services and discovered that I felt more fulfilled and blessed singing songs of praise and listening to God’s word. It came to a point that I thought of leaving the Catholic Church and be baptized in Christian/Protestant rites. But having been brought up and educated in the Catholic faith, this was a very difficult choice to make. Not knowing how to proceed, I simply stopped going to church, Catholic or otherwise.

Then Lyndon’s brother and his wife invited us to join them at the Feast. For many years, they have been inviting us to attend church services with them, back when they used to hold gatherings at the AFP Theater. But their congregation grew in number and so they had to move to the Arena, a new sports complex in San Juan. The place was a lot nearer Pasig so we went one Sunday in April. Lyndon went first and he came home raving about the experience. I told myself, “If he could last all three hours of the church service and still come home feeling he wanted more of it – then this is something else.” I joined him the week after.

Since then, we try not to miss a single church service. The Feast starts with a Catholic mass, then “Praise and Worship” where we sing songs and dance and have fun while glorifying, thanking and worshiping the Lord. After which, an inspirational talk by one of the Kerygma preachers.

When before, attending a Sunday mass tested my patience, now I’ve come to appreciate and understand how each ritual is a vital part of my Catholic faith. The Praise and Worship that comes after allows me to profess my faith in the Lord, ask for forgiveness for my mistakes and glorify and thank Him for keeping me under his wing.

The inspirational talk that comes in the end allows me learn from gifted preachers (Bo Sanchez, Arun Gogna, Alvin Barcelona, Obet Cabrillas, Jon Escoto and Adrian Panganiban) who have become instruments of the Lord in spreading His Word.

Attending the Feast has done so much for me that I do not know how to begin counting. Being there every Sunday allows me to thank the Lord for all the blessings he showered me during the week that passed and affirm my faith that he will continue to sustain and protect me in the coming week.

I’ve been inviting my family and friends to come to the Feast as well, because I want them to experience the same kind of high that I get every week. I haven’t been too successful in this endeavor just yet. Maybe it will take a few years (as how it happened to me) but I will continue to prod and insist because the Feast will open doors for more blessings in their life.

I know. It happened to me.

Leap of Faith

18 months after I gave up my own studio unit and moved in with my big sister, I’m back to being independent again. By independent, I mean paying my own rent, utilities, groceries and looking for my own plumber when the need arises.

Lyndon and I moved to an apartment a couple of blocks away from my sister’s place in Pasig. It’s like creating another beginning, a fresh start, rebuilding my own niche and crossing my fingers that everything will be on the up and up from hereon. A leap of faith, I would like to call it, because while the first time I moved out of the house was a result of a harried and impulsive decision, this time I am planning each step of the way. I intend to make good on this choice and make sure that I will be in full control of my life this time.

I’m enjoying every minute of this. From re-painting the cheap furniture I bought from a flea market, to choosing the color for my curtains, to making sure that everything is in its place, I’m relishing every moment.

But I know it will not be a bed of roses all the way. I expect it will be difficult adjusting, paying the bills and taking responsibility for everything.

At 33, I’m learning to be a grown up (again).

Share-a-load, Sentro, Sweet Pea and Sipping Coffee

I filed a vacation leave from the office today to meet up with my old friends from my previous work.

Audette and her husband Alfredo came to Manila from Sanfo for a three-week holiday and of course Cherish and I came to meet up with them. There’s actually four of us who have kept the friendship intact even after we left Stateland (the other part of our foursome, Cecille is in Illinois where she now resides with her husband).

We all met when we were in our early 20’s, completely clueless about how our lives will eventually unfold. 10 years later, we are still friends, still enjoying each other’s company and still laughing at and with each other ‘til our stomachs ache.

I remember when I first came to Stateland straight from my first job at the university. I was oblivious about corporate life, thinking that it will be hugely different from working in a laid back environment. One thing that I dreaded was making new friends (I was never good at it, having grown up with the same circle of friends from grade school). But on the first week of feeling my way around Binondo, I was approached by Audette. We learned that we take the same route going home and from then on we went home together. She was then residing in a boarding house a few minutes away from where I lived. Some days when it was difficult getting a ride, we traversed the stinky and filthy Quezon bridge from Lawton to Quiapo just to catch a jeepney en route to Dimasalang. I wouldn’t have braved that creepy overpass had I not been with Audette who keeps me engaged in her usual colorful anecdotes as we crossed the bridge.

We talked about everything under the sun. Long conversations that may seem trivial back then but it was what let us into each other’s lives. What I like about Audette is that when she tells stories about her family, she talks about them like you actually know them personally. So I knew her mom and dad, Charlene, Jeff and Hazel even before I actually met them.

She is also one passionate person. She puts her heart into the things she believes in. I may not believe in the same thing, but her passion wins my respect for her principles and values in life. And she in turn knows how to respect convictions different from hers.

While it is sad that she now lives in the US, thousands of miles away, I’m extremely delighted that she does with Alfredo, her perfect match. When she left the Philippines a few years back, there was nary a doubt in my heart that I will lose her friendship.

True enough, a few hours of being together today, proved that we can always pick up from where we left off.

Angelic Encounters

I never liked kids. I find them too much to handle. They are loud, messy and constantly needing of attention. They need to be entertained, fed, bathed, taught, disciplined, put to bed, etc. Things I’d rather do for myself alone. I vowed not to have any kids in the future. I don’t want to be a mommy; it’s just too much responsibility for the likes of me.

But everything changed 12 years ago. A little boy came to the family and amused everyone with his big round eyes and curly hair. He was so tiny, a few ounces short of 5 pounds. He looked so fragile, so weak, but he made everyone feel light inside. Just a few days after his arrival, I knew I was in love.

I never thought it would be possible to fall in love twice, and at the same time. But exactly a year after the first angel came, a second cherub made its way to my heart. He was as small as the first and quite as fragile too. But the same thing happened, again I fell in love.

My life was never the same again with the 2 boys around. All of a sudden I was anticipating their every smirk, smile, coo and pout. A few months after, I graduated to first words, first steps, new expressions and new antics. Fast forward to pre-school years, I had to be up-to-date with news of their achievements in school; I had to be present in every major school event, and would sit proudly amongst the crowd, beaming at my two angels.

A few years ago, Gabriel and Rafael had to go to the states to be with their Dad (my kuya) for good. It was a heartbreaking time of my life, knowing that I will no longer be a first row spectator to their young lives. No more unexpected phone calls from radar because Gabriel didn’t want to finish his homework. No more encounters with a tearful Raffy because he didn’t want to take his medicine. No more squeals of delight when I bring treats home or fights to referee because someone didn’t have his turn with the PS2. No more butts to wash, faces to clean, hairs to comb. No more big hugs, wet kisses.

My two angels are big boys now. A few years shy of adolescence. I’ve missed a major part of their childhood, and I know that is something that can never be brought back. But I am thankful that they have grown into fine young men; smart, talented and respectful.

Gabriel and Raffy, Happy Birthday to you both. You are always in Tita Daph’s prayers. I miss you so much and I always pray that we’ll see each other again.

Tagaytay Getaway

Friday to Sunday was jampacked with activities for me. I spent the past 2 weeks planning an out of town trip for my family, in time for my mom’s birthday. Since I was in Tagaytay in February, I thought why not have the whole family stay in SMC’s facility there? That way, they will get to see where I stay every time I do team building programs in Tagaytay. Also, the last time we were there as a family was when we brought my two little nephews to the Residence Inn Zoo. The two boys are in the US now and a whole lot bigger than they were back then.

A couple of days before Friday, I was asked by a colleague for assistance to co-facilitate a teambuilding program for Magnolia Inc. I was having second thoughts at first knowing that I will be in Tagaytay a day ahead of my family and wouldn’t have time with them until I finish my program on Saturday. But then again, I love facilitating team buildings so I said yes.


Early Friday morning I was on the road to Tagaytay already. There were a couple of outdoor activities that morning but stupid me, I didn’t bring my sun block. Not even a hat to cover my face! The following day, there were again a couple of outdoor activities and of course, without sun block, I ended up toasted and roasted under the sun!! (Now the problem is I’m emceeing a wedding reception this Saturday and my skin is all ruined! Good thing Annie is loaning me some make-up that will blend with my skin better.)

As I was doing the first activity on Saturday, I saw the van my family is riding entering the gate with Joven waving wildly from the front seat. That was around 10AM. I thought I would finish my program by 12noon but a number of delays happened so I ended up closing the program at 2:30! Aaaaargh! So they had to make do with amusing themselves as they waited for me.


After my program, I just took a shower and we all went out for the zoo trip. We really want Jeff to enjoy the zoo the way Gabriel and Rafi did. But this little boy is a scaredy-cat; he was running away from the caged animals! Especially when he saw the fake giant gorilla (the size of KingKong) by the entry way, he took the opposite route just so that he won’t be near the giant gorilla.


There was also a giant snake out of its cage which you could take a picture with for P20. Nanay and Mae took the bait and had their picture taken with the giant snake on their shoulders. Cool! It took us around 10 minutes trying to convince Joven to do the same, No luck there. I guess Jeff took after him hehehe.

We went down several flights of stairs to look at the different exotic birds and I had great difficulty going up and down the steps. Since it was cold, my knees were killing me again, especially since I’ve been on my feet, running and walking and standing for the past 2 days.



After the zoo trip, we went someplace where Jeff can go horseback riding. He’s been pestering the whole family about it since morning. We went to Viewsite restaurant where they are charging P250 for 10 rotations around the perimeter of the area. The area was so small that the ride would probably end in less than 20 minutes. So we looked for another place and found one which was charging P250 per hour. Jeff and Mae took turns riding the horse and I guess they enjoyed the experience. Jeff even wanted to ride again after dinner.

Dinner was at a road side bulaluhan. We were supposed to have a barbecue dinner inside MTC (Management Training Center) while having karaoke numbers but all 8 of my family members forgot about the marinated pork chops and chicken. But dinner was still yummy! We ordered bulalo (this shouldn’t be missed when in Tagaytay) sizzling sisig, sizzling shanghai and grilled squid. Thanks to mommie’s senior citizen card, we got a 20% discount (ay si Brad pala ang nagbayad)!

After dinner we went back to MTC, took showers then geared up for the karaoke session. But then again Ate and Fel were too tired running after Jeff, Mommie and Nanay just preferred watching TV and Mae has some studying to do. So that left Joven, Dionne and I having the karaoke machine all to ourselves. What’s funny is, we got to use all karaoke machines set up in MTC. We first sang at the 3rd floor lounge of the Training building, then the multi purpose lounge at the lodging house, then the dining room. Beat that!

My two companions got sleepy already at around 12pm so we decided to head back to our rooms. We almost fell down laughing, talking about our driver whom we were imagining to be a vampire. He was sleeping in Dionne and Joven’s room so we were kidding Brad that he will wake up in the middle of the night to bite him in the neck.

I woke up at around 6AM and since my elder sister was already up, I asked her to come with me in touring the grounds of the MTC. We went to the helipad and from there we saw Joven and Dionne already playing basketball at the outdoor court. Soon after we woke everyone up because breakfast was ready. We feasted on garlic rice, danggit, omelette, tocino and bananas with freshly brewed coffee to boot.




After breakfast we showered and got ready for check out. We were going to Calruega for the 11AM mass. We reached Caleruega shortly before 11AM and were able to take some more pictures before heading to the church on top of the hill.



After the mass we got on the road again this time headed for home. We stopped by a roadside plant store because mommie has been wanting to buy plants since the day before. She's really keen on her gardening and very good at it too! We also had a late lunch at Max's and a stopover at Rowena's for pasalubong before finally heading for Manila.



I had to be dropped off in Makati so I can go straight home to Pasig since I still had laundry to do. Good thing when I got home Lyndon was half through with the laundry so I actually had time to just watch TV and relax. My body was aching all over with all the walking and running (after Jeff) and climbing I had to do. I was sooo stressed out, both physically and mentally.

But it was all worth it. Weekend getaways like these seldom happen in our family, but I want to organize another family get-together like this before summer ends. Hopefully I can pull it off.