Missing katropa ni Cleopatra sa Sonya's :)

The Greatest Advice

Cleopatra at Sonya's Garden :)

Don't date because you are desperate.
Don't marry because you are miserable.
Don't have kids because you think your genes are superior.
Don't philander because you think you are irresistible.

Don't associate with people you can't trust.
Don't cheat. Don't lie. Don't pretend.
Don't dictate because you are smarter.
Don't demand because you are stronger.

Don't sleep around because you think you are old enough & know better.
Don't hurt your kids because loving them is harder.
Don't sell yourself, your family, or your ideals.
Don't stagnate!

Don't regress.
Don't live in the past. Time can't bring anything or anyone back.
Don't put your life on hold for possibly Mr. Right.
Don't throw your life away on absolutely Mr. Wrong because your biological clock is ticking.

Learn a new skill.
Find a new friend.
Start a new career. Sometimes, there is no race to be won, only a price to be paid for some of life's more hasty decisions.

To terminate your loneliness, reach out to the homeless.
To feed your nurturing instincts, care for the needy.
To fulfill your parenting fantasies, get a puppy.
Don't bring another life into this world for all the wrong reasons.

To make yourself happy, pursue your passions & be the best of what you can be.
Simplify your life. Take away the clutter.
Get rid of destructive elements: abusive friends, nasty habits, and dangerous liaisons.
Don't abandon your responsibilities but don't overdose on duty.

Don't live life recklessly without thought and feeling for your family.
Be true to yourself. Don't commit when you are not ready.
Don't keep others waiting needlessly.

Go on that trip. Don't postpone it.
Say those words. Don't let the moment pass.
Do what you have to, even at society's scorn.

Write poetry.
Love Deeply.
Walk barefoot.
Dance with wild abandon.
Cry at the movies.

Take care of yourself. Don't wait for someone to take care of you.
You light up your life. You drive yourself to your destination.
No one completes you - except YOU.

It isn't true that life does not get easier with age.
It only gets more challenging.
Don't be afraid. Don't lose your capacity to love.
Pursue your passions.

Live your dreams.
Don't lose faith in God.
Don't grow old. Just grow YOU!

When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back.
Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give to someone is your time. Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is T-I-M-E because the essence of love is not what we think or do or provide for others,
But how much we give of ourselves

~Rick Warren, The Purpose of Driven Life

Nostalgia

May bagong CD is Babyface, the title is Playlist. Revival of old familiar songs. Gustong-gusto ko sya when it was advertised on TV so as soon as I get the chance, bibili ako nito. Gusto ko ngayon na nga eh. Parang kating-kati ako lumarga at maglibot, even go to the grocery and spend at least 2 hours there until I memorize which items are in what aisle. I like groceries, I like hardware stores, I like home depots. Just leave me there for at least half a day and I would be happy. Buying only a few but making kalkal everything.

I was just at our reunion last night, went to see old friends from work. One came all the way from California. We had dinner at Something Fishy where I ate my favorite ginataang kuhol(yey!). Not all were able to come dahil daming excuses but the people who were there were the ones really close to me. Na-miss ko na sila. I really enjoyed my work at the software house moreso because of them. After saturday work, gimik time, mostly eating and bowling till the wee hours of the morning. Ang saya! I was closer to the guys than the girls though. Ewan ko bakit, maybe because it was easier to be friends with them, less maarte and straight to the point pag kausap mo. Also, they tend to take care of you, bringing your dala, taking you home, asking where you like to eat, where you like to go, ganun.

Anyways, after the dinner and we went our separate ways, I felt sad. Parang you lose the homey feel of familiarity and friends. Ganun din when the diwatas left, kakalungkot naman. But then you move on knowing you'll be seeing them again one day. Then you're back to the daily grind of life, hmmm

Cebu, Queen of the South

Volunteer na naman! It's now the 11th Drugstore owners (hindi druglords ha) Association of the Philippines Convention. The venue is the majestic Cebu Waterfront hotel located in Lahug kaya napadpad naman ako sa lugar na ito. Cebu is great, food is fresh and delicious, transport is easy with jeepneys and honest taxi drivers (na nagbibigay pa talaga ng sukli ha unlike in Manila, automatic tip na nila yon bukod pa sa nagpapadagdag, nye). Pagod na naman pero sulit because our group (Registration Commitee) did well, clap clap clap!!!

Went to the 5:30pm mass but it was in Cebuano. Waited to see if the next mass will be in English or Tagalog, pero cebuano pa rin, nye!

The new Marcelo Fernan Bridge said to be the world’s longest center span extra dosed cable stayed bridge (ano daw???) connecting Mactan Island to Cebu City

Upon arrival at Ceu on Sunday, we immediately looked for a food place, he he We ate at the famous SuTuKil (Su is for sugba or grilled, tu is for tula or prepared into a soup and kil is for kilaw or turned into a raw fish salad) where you choose the freshest seafood and have the restaurant prepare them to your liking.

My favorite was sweet and sour lapu-lapu although all the food we ate was so good owing to the fact that the seafood was indeed very fresh.

One of the few harpist I encountered, sa Cebu ko pa nakita. Pwede pa nga mag-request. Manong is a regular musician at the Manna Sutukil restaurant.

A painting exhibit at the Waterfront lobby

Posing-posing sa may swimming pool of Cebu Waterfront Hotel where we were billeted

Outtakes 2007 Part 3

Kapanahunan na naman ng pagkakaibigan... dumating si Bingle from Canada, si Helen from Japan, and Badaday from San Francisco (del Monte) para makumpleto ang tropang trumpo!!!






From the Land of the Rising Sun, the Kimono Beauties!!! clap clap clap

Outtakes 2007 Part 2

Inantok at nakatulog ang Bingle while having her manicure/pedicure. Notice Badaday na nakapayong sa loob ng spa(????)

Outtakes 2007 Part 1

Never before seen photos :) Nakalimutan camera sa Starbike kaya celfone na lang ipinangkuha ng pektyurs during dinner at Josephine's

August 2007 Asian Tour :)

Milestones 2.0

March - Tuloy ang Kasal

Dahil sa dumating ang Mamu nung March, kailangan na isiksik sa konting panahon ang mga dapat mangyari tulad na lamang na kasal ni Sister. Ilan beses ng nag-expire ang kanyang marriage license dahil inaantay nga ang pagdating ni Mommy last year pa. It was a simple civil ceremony at kami-kami lang talaga ng nandun, kapuso at kapamilya lamang. Ang ninong nga nila eh si Switham eh :) Notice na kami nina Josie, Mommy, and Switham eh nakaputi... wala lang... para feeling wedding talaga :)

April - Garage Sale

Ipina-rent na ang bahay namin sa Monte Vista so we had to dispose of most the things na nandun. Di na kasi kasya sa mga bahay-bahay namin ni Josie. Nagmistulang bodega na nga ang itsura ng apartment namin ni Switham, may washing machine sa dining area, at may aircon unit sa sahig sa sala. Kay Josie din ganun. There are some things na di namin talaga ipagbibili like the piano, dining set, etc. Pero maraming mga anik-anik (small items) that we decided to sell sa murang halaga lamang. Plates and glasswares at 10 pesos each. Silverware for 5 pesos lamang. Nakakalungkot to let go of some of the things pero naisip ko, itatago ko rin lang naman sa bahay namin so might as well sell it cheap to someone who'll use it. It was also sad to see strangers living at the house. Di bale, 1 to 2 years lang sila dun tapos kami na titira ulit sa house.

May - My Pamangkin

Dumating ang aking pamangkin na si Niles. He is the son of my sister Jobelle and her husband Neil. Ibig sabihin daw ng name sa 'Niles' is 'son of Neil'. Tamang-tama, di ba? Umuwi si Neil and Niles from New Jersey to attend the wedding of Neil’s ate. My nephew is an only child kaya nung nakauwi dito ginagabi kakatambay at kakalaro sa kalye sa dami ng kalaro. Sobrang cute, grabe :)

Mahilig sya sa toy train kaya nung dalhin sya sa amin ni Neil, isinakay ko sa LRT (dulo to dulo), ayun, mabaliw-baliw sa tuwa!

Ang nakaraan...

Year of the dragon '86
April da terd (3rd)
by the swimming pul
of selebrity...


Witnesses to da contraxt:
(signatures follows)
Beverly David
Joclyn Umali
Sandra Ann So
Helen Valencia

Be it known to all present that
we da byutipul wimen of tudey hereby
agree to da paluwing terms:

1. must be a human (half-human accepted especially for Sandra Ann C. So)
2. no more than 6 feet tol (especially for Joy)
3. below one hundred (especially for Helen)
(but not < 50)
4. must be willing to kiss (por Beverly's sake)

status of da humanoid: singol (take note * Helen)
with a few strands of hair

Must be able to acquire not later than year 2,000 PAUNAHAN!

The same requirements por da prebyus constracts still holds VALID.

PAYMENT UPON ACQUISITION: P60.00 each to be paid not later than 2 days apter...

Signed and sealed:
Office of da PIMP
Marry Ann Marcelo

Isang Araw sa Hacienda

Dumating si Mamu nung Marso at isa sa aming destinasyon ay ang aming Mango Orchard sa Bagac, Bataan. Hactually, di amin ang Orchard, may limang puno lang kami dun, hehe. Pag lumaki na ang puno at namunga, we share the profit with the mga tagapag-alaga. Ang layo nga lang talaga, feeling ko more than six hours back and forth. Masayang alalahanin pero nakakalungkot din kasi bumalik na si Mamu sa Amerika kahapon. Naiyak nga kami ni Sister sa airport kasi more than 2 years na naming di nakita ang aming mader tapos sandali lang vacation nya. Sa states, Mamu works at Walgreens and Littmans Jewelry store. Uso kasi dun more than 1 job. Sa sales sya in both companies at proudly lagi syang number 1 sa sales. Dun daw, you do everthing, ikaw na nag-sales talk, ikaw pa din ang magpapasok ng benta at mag-operate ng kaha. Napapagod na raw sya but she like the benefits of working, bukod sa nakakalibang, ok ang health insurance at ok ang kita. Sa mga lakaran namin dito, ako pagod na pero sya high energy pa din.

Hay, nakakamiss. Kaya nga ba super-relate ako blog entry ni Bingerly about pining for her parents.

A TEENAGER’S LAMENT

This letter made the rounds last year via text messaging…

Dear Daddy,

Sorry sa sulat ko... Gusto ko na kasing umalis sa poder ninyo. Sasama na ako sa boyfriend ko. Natagpuan ko na ang tunay na pag-ibig. Napakabait niya at malambing, di tulad ng iba. Matutuwa kayo sa kanya specially sa mga hikaw at tatoo sa katawan nya. Di lang sa mahal ko sya kundi buntis din ako. Sabi nya ok daw para sumaya ng pagsasama namin. Maliit lang age gap namin, 65 lang sya at wala syang pera. Di ito hadlang sa amin. May trailer truck sya at dun kami titira. Kahit may ibang girlfriend sya, alam kong tapat sya in his own way. Tinuruan nya akong humithit ng damo at may tanim din sya nito. Minsan pinapalitan namin ng shabu. Ipagdasal mo din na matuklasan na ang gamot sa AIDS para gumaling na bf ko. Deserving sya gumaling! Don't worry, I'm 15 na Dad at alam ko na alagaan ang sarili ko. In time, you'll be proud of me. Minsan bibisita kami para makilala mo sya at ang apo mo.

Love,
Gabriela

P.S. Dad, si tutuo lahat ng sinabi ko sa sulat. Nandito lang po ako sa kapitbahay. Gusto ko lang malaman mo na madami pang mas nakakatakot sa buhay kesa sa REPORT CARD ko sa drawer ni Mommy. Papirma na lang po kasi may bagsak ako :)

Nay nay nay nay

Nanay, my lola, passed away just before Christmas. It was a sad time for us. I also realized a person cannot die with dignity. Once dead, you are wrapped in a blanket, stationed near the hospital exit awaiting pickup from the morgue, and referred to as a cadaver. You have a window of four hours from the time of death until you become cold and rigid. Meaning, di na nila mababago position mo (unless they break something).

My sister called me up 2AM in the morning crying. Yung pag-ring pa lang ng phone in that unholy hour, I knew already she was gone.

My lola was brought to the hospital after suffering a stroke. Di na sya nakakadilat nor nakapagsasalita but she would shed tears whenever any one from family would talk to her. She also cried when the nurse inserted a feeding tube through her nose. I couldn’t bear to watch. Di ko rin sya makausap kasi naiiyak ako so I had to leave the room and just told Jor-el to talk to her for me. A priest also came to visit her. She died six hours after.

During the funeral, all of my lola’s four children were asked to eulogize. Dahil nasa Amerika si Mommy, ako na lang daw. I stood up and just bawled. Di rin ako nakapagsalita.

A tula made by Nanay on the occasion of Mommy’s grand 55^th birthday celebration in 1994.

Ako'y hindi makata

at hindi marunong tumula

Sa araw na ito

araw na dakila

Ako'y nagsaisip

ako'y nagsadiwa

At pinalad namang makalikha

ng isang maikling tula

Buong puso ko itong iniaalay

sa iyong kaarawan, aking anak

Sa iyong kaarawan

ako'y nagpupugay

Pumpon ng bulaklak

sa iyo'y iaalay

At aking dalangin

sa Poong Maykapal

Pakalooban ka pa

ng maligaya, mahabang buhay

Ang bulaklak na ito

aking pinitas

Tinuhog upang sa leeg mo'y

aking ikwintas

Hindi maluluoy, hindi malalanta

di matutuyo

Pagkat yan ay galing

sa hardin ng aking puso

Ako'y walang ginto, pilak

sa iyo'y iaalay

Kundi ang walang katapusang

pagmamahal

Mundo man ay maglaho,

mundo man ay magunaw

Kailaman ay taglay ko

ay ganyang pagmamahal

Anak, hilingin mo man sa akin

ang bundok ng sinukuan

Sapilitan aking kukunin upang

sa yapak mo ay aking ialay

Ganyan kalaki ang aking

pagmamahal