My Blot. My Spot. My Blog.

In the recent Holy week, I was able to blog of my last glance of Sagada, which I reckoned. But now, I am happy to announce that I’m going back there for another outreach program. Yippe!. For all you know, I’ve been doing this with the full support of my co-rotaractors and generous sponsors since 2006 when I became the elected president of the Rotaract Club of Sampiro – younger Rotarians as they call us. Though my term is over, I still prop up my loyalty to our club as past president. It was awe-inspiring to know that the club to be headed by the elected president, Ms. Bernadette Gonzales-Ostonal will be coming back there for another Balik Eskwela Project on May 24-26, 2008. As of this moment, the group is in the process of gathering school supplies, books and other forms of donations to be given to the seventy (70) less fortunate kids of Barangay  Ankileng in Sagada. Six (6) medical staff from Makati Medical Centerwill join the said outreach shelling out their own contributions as well. I can’t wait to see the children wearing their beaming smile as they patiently line-up to get their school presents. That unforgettable smile painted on their faces certainly the main reason that keeps the group from finding bighearted sponsors that will support our projects for the young ones.

The project is one week away. Albeit it’s another fourteen hours butt-aching trip but who cares? I would say that it’s another experience laudable to be remembered by; another absolute idyllic day for the seventy kids and a great chance for us, rotaractors to be the reason for them to smile again.  The no-doubt smile that would bring each one of us the amazing feeling even a single penny can’t buy. Hay.. can’t wait to feel such experience all over again.

How about you? Do you want to paint a smile by sharing something for the kids? We’ll be delighted to see you being a part of our club - Rotaract Club of Sampiro. This coming August is our sponsorship month. Our incoming president, Ms. Ma. Cristina Espinueva (hahaha.. go..go.. Tin-Tin!) would be glad to welcome you guys as we altogether extend help to the needy ones in our own rotaract way.

Wear a smile and be the reason for others to smile. J Click!.

Never a year our division fails to plan for summer getaway. We’ve been to Bataan, Hundred Islands, Bolinao, Puerto Galera and then this year, the group decided to go to the northernmost tip of Luzon in the Philippines. Yeah, we are heading north this summer-Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.   Everyone is excited and getting ready for the grueling trip.

Attention: Cacai, we are leaving this Friday night. Can you fly back by then coz we don’t want you to miss this 3-day trip.

Going back, wanna know what makes Pagudpud a haven for tourists like us? Well, lemme share what’s in store for us – northern trippers. 

Friday - April 4, 2008

09:30 PM            -    Assembly Time Makati City Hall
10:00 PM            -    Estimated Time of Departure

Saturday - April 5, 2008

07:00 AM               -    Estimated Time of Arrival Bantay, Ilocos Sur
07:00 - 07:30 AM    -    Bantay Church Belfry
07:30 - 08:00 AM    -    Breakfast at Vigan
08:00 - 09:00 AM    -    Crisologo St. Walk Tour
09:00 - 09:30 AM    -    St. Paul’s Cathedral
09:30 - 10:00 AM    -    Fr. Jose Burgos Museum
10:00 - 10:30 AM    -    Pagburnayan (Vigan House of Pottery)
10:30 - 11:00 AM    -    Crisologo Museum
11:00 - 12:00 NN    -    Chavit Singson’s Baluarte
12:00 - 01:00 PM    -    Lunch in Vigan
03:00 - 03:30 PM    -    Marcos Mausoleum Batac
03:30 - 04:00 PM    -    Paoay Church
04:00 - 04:30 PM    -    Balay Ti Amianan (Malacanang of the North)
05:00 - 05:30 PM    -    Market Food at Laoag
06:30 PM               -    Estimated Time of Arrival Pagudpud
06:30 - 07:00 PM    -    Prepare Dinner
07:00 PM              -    Dinner
08:00 PM onwards  -    Free Time

Sunday - April 6, 2008

07:00 AM                -    Breakfast
08:30 - 09:00 AM    -    Ilocos - Cagayan Boundary Canopy
09:00 - 09:30 AM    -    Paraiso nit Anton/ Bagong Lipunan Lodge Ruins
09:30 - 10:00 AM    -    Agua Grande/ Patapat Viaduct
10:00 - 11:30 AM    -    Kabigan Falls
11:30 - 12:00 NN    -    Bantay Abot Caves
12:00 NN               -     Lunch at Blue Lagoon
12:30 - 02:30 PM    -    Swimming @ Blue Lagoon
03:00 - 06:00 PM    -    Swimming @ Saud Beach
07:00 PM               -    Dinner
08:00 PM onwards  -    Free Time

Monday - April 7, 2008

05:00 AM                -    Early Breakfast
06:00 AM                -    Sunrise @ Bangui Windmills
06:30 AM                -    Bangui View Deck
07:00 AM                -    Kapurpuraoan Rock
08:00 AM                -    Cape Bojeador Lighthouse
11:00 AM                -    Lunch @ Vigan
12:00 - 01:00 PM     -    Buy Pasalubong
01:00 PM                -    Leave for Manila
10:00 PM                -    Estimated Time of Arrival Manila

Whoa! This is must be a very tiring travel

but definitely a northern discovery worth coming back. Pagudpod, here we come! v

  If there’s a place worth traveling during Holy week – a must-go is Sagada. I was there actually with my friend (sorry she doesn’t want anybody to know that we’re together, hehehe) and a few of her cousins. T’was my fourth time to experience AGAIN - the grueling fourteen hours trip (huwaahhh! still have my butt-ache as of this time). But it was fun revisiting the place knowing the road going there indeed amused me. For the average trippers, they would definitely go for the famous hanging coffins and Sumaguing cave which is my usual itinerary for the past three times of my visit there. But this time, I broke my program. Though most of the members of the group are newbies (only two are timers), I decided not to join them (my best friend and a local guide tagged along with them) instead go with Tan-ay, our bighearted foster parent in Sagada to help her gather head-size-cabbage and tomatoes in what she called garden which is actually the size of farm – as far as your eyes can see!. Tan-ay said that it’s just near her place but mind you, it took us 45 minute-walk before we reached the garden, hay..but it’s worth the walk!. I got the chance to pick fresh tomatoes, pull the cabbage out, cut it and dropped it into the basket. I maybe slow while doing it, but I had so much fun. The tiring part came when it was time to carry those veggies back to Tan-ay’s house. Ugh!, Heavy!, I can’t actually lift the basket full of tomatoes but I had no choice and the right to complain, Tan-ay was carrying a sack of cabbage on her head, much heavier than mine. So I carried the basket while managing its weight which is getting heavier and heavier on our way. I knew Tan-ay was worried about me if I can stand the walk with my basket on, for she was actually asking me every now and then if am still ok. And thanks God!, we finally reached the house. Truly, it was really tiring but a great experience that can’t be traded for anything else.

Time to head back Manila, I was surprised that Tan-ay had this box of cabbage carefully packed for us. Thanks that I did not vocally complain about the weight for it was actually for all of us.

I pray that this will not be my last glance-slash-step of Sagada. I wish for more experience, fun and serenity as well.

Moving from a place you have gotten used to since birth to a place which is wholly stranger to your eyes is such an appalling experience. I remember my first few months of struggling and adjusting myself just to fit in to this so-called highly urbanized metro. My life way back in the province was really far different from where I am now. I’ve been working in Makati for over five years but back then, I actually had my second thought of moving and accepting the job due to my would-be environment. I had the apprehensions that a certified “probinsyana” would absolutely have to dare extend an extra mile just to adopt the city-life.   

Finding where to dwell was the first I considered. Though, I do have relatives where I can stay to, I opted to find a different abode. Yeap, they’re my kin but I don’t want to squeeze in myself and be an added burden, este, responsibilities since most of them have already children to look after to. I did find one (boarding house with two rooms) and compromised to pay the bigger share just to convince my eldest sister moved with me, since she works nearby my working place. I need someone trustworthy to ask and get an outright answer of the things that might draw my concern while living my life here, and that’s my ate (thou most of the times we argue over small things because she’s is so clever, peace sis! J) Sad to say after a year, she had to go back to the province because her company has to close and that ended me to be finally on my own. I even cried the first night I went home and saw her room empty. But what I can I do? She needs to leave and I need to get on with my life without her.

It made me realize that living all by myself will give me more time to assess myself, bring out the best in me, decide on my own, live my purpose without turning back, walk head up and face the challenges of life.

And during my downfall moment, the four corners of my room became my place of safety to release the pain of being single-handedly; my own sanctuary who have witnessed my everyday battle of missing my family while fiddling with my new milieu; the haven wherein I can totally take off my different masks and be of myself for real. Thanks Roomy (my room). You’ve seen the tears I cried, the number of times I smiled and how I’ve grown a lot here. You are my sole eyewitness up to this moment.

Seeing myself now after five years (that’s also an additional five years to my age, whew! I don’t wanna get old yet, really.), I can say that I was able to surpass and agree with the flow of life here.

I’ve been to many places in the Philippines. I got myriad pictures to attest that. I am photo aficionado. A sucker for camera flash/click - considering I don’t owe one. *wink* (all of my pics are courtesy of my gracious friend’s cam and sneak on office-owned cam, I’m actually planning to have one, just a plan onlyLOL). I just loved to project myself; showing my most camera-friendly angle..(hahaha, as if I do have it). I can’t get to squeeze in myself to a crowd for a great shot. Never get contented but to take another shot all by myself. Click! Gotcha! The outcome – heap of my faces and moods in pixels dominating the free space of Icey (mah Acer laptop).

Next to this craze was, I became interested to learn the magical features of photoshop. Edit here. Enhance there. Voila! An amateur-turned-professional-shot. Post it at friendster for my own enjoyment and disgust of others – the end.

But lately, I became fond capturing something odd. I realized that – Ehem, enough of my face as my standard subject and decided to turn the camera lens to my feet, yes my very own feet. My fascination for feet.

Yea, I am blogging in tribute to my indefatigable feet. Thank you my dear cutesy-footsy feet for bringing me to anywhere I want to; for endearing the calluses, corns, ingrown I caused you while I enjoy the beauty of wonders; and most of all, for making impossible places possible to reach to, far beyond your undoubting step. You deserved to have a grand hiatus to be on the limelight.

Take it away feet.. This is space is for you and your co-feet you met along our journey together.

I made you feel comfy wearing herbench pair of sneakers on our Pawikan experience at Montemar Beach in Bataan

They became your new acquaintances during the teambuilding again, in Bataan

Yea, dusty boots on the ground – here, I wore two set of socks to keep you from having foot problems.You were so jumpy during the boot-to-boot conversation on our first ever experience of International Motocross Competition.

I did not miss to capture the moment you indulged and enjoyed with the curving water flow on our way back from the exhausting trekking at Aninuan Falls in Puerto Galera

Finally, who would have thought that you would fall insane, este, end the road with someone wearing the same brand of combat boots - Gibson.

I’m counting my days being with ANNA – my best bud-slash-touristguide in Makati.

I’ve been here for over five years now due to work commitment but never get certain of the place up to now. Yay! – must be the reason for always asking her help to track the place. Good thing she’s there (my one click away GPS); blocking even her busiest day available for me; my shield against stressful day; making me feel like I really belong here to stay. I love her for that - not to mention how generous she really is. She never fails to share even the tiniest blessings she received. Hardly would I find a friend who is such a bighearted like her.

I know heading my days in Makati will be different now that she (Anna) will be leaving anytime soon. Yokohama,Japan– her would-be new home for one year. I feel grateful knowing that she was chosen to represent the City Government of Makati as secondmen staff for the CITYNET (Ugh!, I did ask ANNA about it, but I can’t still remember its full name - must be sign of aging..lol ) event. I got so excited of the news when I first heard it, really. But after contemplating that there would be no more ANNA next month, I suddenly asked myself “Am I ready for this?”.

Days without her, will definitely uneasy to bear at first. There are so many things with her that I have gotten used to do: texting her during wee hours that I need someone to be with (expect the following day that her things are all packed ready for overnight stay at my place), barhops-slash-bandchasing, fun carnivals, tiangge-shopping galore, quiapo-baclaran tour (she toured me here just to see for myself that these two places are not situated in one place - which my belief at first, hahaha..i was supah “probinsyana” back then), our so called school days (casino days), attending rotaract activities, visiting my old folks while checking out restos that offers wide range of exotic foods, and of course spending Sunday in her place and have the taste of her dad’s very own sinigang na hipon.

For obvious reasons, we are more than sisters.  We’re like Spongebob and Patrick. She may be out of my picture sooner, but who cares? It’s just one year of being apart, anyway,right? Sigh. I’m actually trying not to be sad about it; to accept the grim reality that I have to go on with my life being left here and to settle for who’s around. This is how it’s always gonna be for one year.

But looking on the other side of the coin, I want to look at ANA’s departure as her way to explore more of herself in foreign land, to find what’s in store there for her and for me also to find my way to get through here or abroad perhaps.

I’d like to think that finding ourselves in different paths is meeting each other at the end of the road. So no SAYONARA (goodbye) for us but IRASSHAIMASE (welcome) to the opportunities that life has to offer.

Way for us to go my friend!, thou I am going to miss you dearly.. ڽ

Today day you’re on course; tomorrow you’re off the track

I’m blogging for my co-passenger-slash-officemate who used to have a bag full of dreams in life. I’ve known him as a person who treats every problem wearing his remarkable smile; taking life easy while he stuns us with his intense talent in graphics and passion for music.

Yea.. Those were the goOd old days.. He may not that visible for now; perhaps having his grand break while trying to forget the race that life has brought about.

If you happen to read this.. enough of the break my friend.. *wink* There is still more to this place that’s worth the squeeze. Get back and compose yourself to the old “YOU” laughing over mundane things. Life is worth to live by despite of everyday struggle. See things you have gotten used to.

Yay! toO much of friendly blab

Anyway, I owe him this one for sure: chasing what’s-hot-in-digital-world. I am starting to feel like a self-confessed techee!

Being in a relationship requires a deep foundation of trust for each other. Peeps who commit to gamble in the name of love must obligate themselves that problems are along the way of staying together. But having a partner with cynical past can make the other partner think of repeating the same distrustful deeds. For the injured party, it’s hard to give back the full trust and start all over again. But for the one’s who still sticks on it, hoping to patch up the crack, there’s no easy way than to forgive and forget everything. It’s still the intensity of love that really counts at the end of the day. Personally, I have a high regard for people who embraces love without doubt. And luckily, I have a best test friend who exactly has the same description that I have mentioned. A softhearted individual who stood by her belief that a person’s past should not be a basis to merely judge the way on how you want to love and be loved. An out-and-out woman who can see grateful things in advance; a loving mommy that never wears out; a wife of the year nominee I may consider. My friend you know who you are… no need to utter… the pain is there…But remember that there are in life that we can’t hold on, time will heal your wounded heart. Think that way you want to be comforted is getting near. Your burden will be over soon. Do start the year with thankful heart that you are still here and be able to share it with all the people who dearly love you. Aja!

Whoa! OMG! Its 6:30 in the morning and I’m still in bed. I need to drag myself up no matter what. You know why, the office key is with me! I need to be at the office by 730am. I don’t wanna start my year with a sermon from my superiors; see my officemates leaning on the wall and peeping at the window while waiting for the dramatic opening of the elevator having the late KEYHOLDER in it. Ta dah! Though I can still feel the softness of my can’t-hug-me-back life size pillow, I hurriedly went to the bathroom to totally wake myself up with a splash of drifting cold water from the faucet. Brrr…I can only say..

7:30am-Touchdown! Surprisingly, the office was already open when I arrived.  One of the staff of MIS Division arrived earlier that I should have had expected.. I forgot that it’s first quarter of the year (renewal of property), staff from that division are required to report early to set –up the hardware and oversee the computerized system being implemented by the office. Well at least, I’m just on time. As I clumsy put my bag and blazer on my chair, I remember my cant-hug-me-back pillow.. Making me think of it makes me feel drowsy that I wanna to start my year hugging it all day long while eavesdropping with my fave light music… Hay what a year to start of.. Whoa! I guess I’m still daydreaming.. But Hello! Vacation is over. Everything is back to its regular phase.   A call to set up my whole being en route for my typical day at the office.  Indeed, a time to do body stretching and jumpstart to another realm of life level; my ways to compose myself back to its normal senses.

It’s nearly Christmas Day, four more days to go to be exact. Everyone is getting ready for the big day, rushing at the mall to buy gifts and supermarkets for the foods to be served on the night of the Christmas eve. It’s good that I’m almost done with my preparations. The only thing that I’m worried about is my way of going to my old folks’ place in Tarlac. Every year, I make it a point to celebrate Christmas with them together with my siblings though it will cause me a lot of difficulties to travel. But what can I do? Everyone wants to be at home for Christmas!. So it’s not surprising anymore to see bus terminals with bulk of peeps carrying humungous Christmas presents and hoping to get good and comfortable seats. Honestly, I’m a backpacker who always ends up as a chance passenger. You will find me sitting beside the driver, center stool seat, the stairs right before you enter the bus door or even standing at the aisle. But duh!, I only allow myself to do this when the going gets tough. Like if I don’t have any choice.., that I need to get to my destination on time.. and that I don’t want to wait that much for another bus to arrive. It’s fine with me taking those options as long as the bus that I will be riding on will either be Victory Liner or Five Star. Aside from the fact they have numerous line of bus traveling back and forth, I know that these buses will drive me to my destination safe and sound. Merry Christmas and Happy finding seats!!!