Road to 35: Treasures Unfold

As the number of our years increased, number of people in our lives decreases...

I remember celebrating my birthday, full house... from friends, colleagues, high school and college classmates, friends of friends and friends of friends of friends. 

Those were the days when strangers come over not to celebrate but to drink with other friends. When you just walk with bottle beer, checking on each group of people if they were enjoying... Party normally ends the following day. 

As I think of it... yes, indeed those were the happy days.

And as I try to recall one or two of my "happy birthday celebration" and try remember the different faces who were there; it seems that most of them were just part of my past. Very few are still on my present...

People come and go. That is something that I learned from my mentor while I was still in broadcasting network. 

But through the years, I learned that: 

You can choose the people who will stay in your life and those that you will let go... 

Being friends is not about being together everyday; even if you talk to a certain people daily, it doesn't mean that you are friends... and not talking or chatting everyday doesn't means you were no longer friends. 

No time nor distance can separate real friends. 

Lechon Paksiw

While having lunch, a colleague suddenly threw a question:

Ano ung pagkain nyo nung time na mahirap kayo?
What do you eat during the lowest (poorest) time of your life? (tama ba?) 

At that moment, natigilan ako... napaisip and somehow yes, nagbalik ala ala yung darkest, saddest times of my family. 

One answered: mantika at asin sa kanin...  (cooking oil and salt mixed in rice) 

While another one is asin...  (salt) 

I wasn't able to respond. I just answered them with a smile as I remember what it was... 

One commented: Mayaman kasi to kaya wala siyang ganyang experience... 

I reacted and said of course not... we were also poor and went through down moments. 

However, I don't have memories of not having food at the table despite all the hardships that our family went through.

I remember seeing my mother mixing sugar on rice; maybe those were the times when we do not have enough; however she carried the burden alone and never allowed us to suffer. Her lame excuse was that she doesn't want the food...

Bathroom Diaries: Yosi

Last Thursday, I was able to have a chat with a new colleague...
It started with a normal hi, hello and getting to know you conversation; and since we were both not busy as it is almost end of day, our conversations leads from one topic to another, until we noticed bunch of people at the smoking area.

Then I asked her if she smokes; she said no. Good! Then she threw the same question on me. I said I used to... but I quit... few years ago.

She was surprised... then she asked me how I did it.
She told me that her dad is also a chain smoker and she hope that he can stop too...

Go With The Flow

Just go with the flow... new millennium is new millennium! 

I don't remember who exactly answered this in one beauty pageant, way back 90's, because the question is pertaining to the Y2K generation but I clearly remember the lines.. and for sometime, I lived on those words.

Just go with the flow...

Onwards and Upwards

Hello 2015!

I am looking forward to the bestest year ever...

I have my first-7-days reasons why:

01 Jan is FAMILY | This is the best place anyone can be... when we are with family.

After 7 years, I was able to celebrate New Year at home with all the "rounded" fruits on the table, colorful fireworks, loud firecrackers and a happy noisy extended family.

Ludwigsburg Palace and The Fairy Tale Garden

Europe Journal 03

It was our last day at Stuttgart when we visited Ludwigsburg Palace. It is a historical building in the city of Ludwigsburg which is just 12 km north of Stuttgart center.

Ludwigsburg Residential Palace is one of the largest Baroque buildings in Europe to survive in its original condition.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Germany's Fairy Tale Dream Town

Europe Journal 02.

I first heard Rothenburg ob der Tauber from my brother after his visit and he mentioned that Rothenburg appeared on several fantasy films including Pinocchio. Since I grew up watching Pinocchio and other Disney movies (80's), it seemed like another Disneyland  to me.I want to see those places where my childhood days were mostly spent...

* Rothenburg ob der Tauber  is a town on the Romantic Road in Bavaria, Germany, about halfway in between Frankfurt and Munich. It is known for its medieval center (Altstadt), seemingly untouched by the passage of time, encircled by the undamaged 14th century town wall. It means, in German, "Red fortress above the Tauber". This is so because the town is located on a plateau overlooking the Tauber River.

I visited Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber almost a year ago as part of my 3 weeks Europe tour, which I will also share with you on my next posts...

This is actually 2nd to the last city that I visited from that journey, I initially posted my teaser when I fell for Eiffel; but since Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber is my first choice, let me begin my Europe Photo Journal from this wonderful adventure...

From Stuttgart, where we stayed with my loving grand mother, we travel via train to Rothenburg; it was about 3-4 hours if I remember it right...

Bathroom Diaries: Buntis

My colleague will be a mom again, for the second time. Her first will turn 2 on October. We are not close but we know each other good enough. 

So she announced that the 2nd baby is on its way; and I congratulated her gladly. As expected, she teased me asking when can I have mine. I told her that I can't conceive alone :)

Celebrate Life

Today, I am celebrating my 34th.

Probably, I am stepping at the half stage of my life... more or less... maybe. 

My FB account was flooded with greetings from family and relatives, friends, former classmates, church family, acquaintance and career connections.

Yes, even in people, there are categories, and that is the reality; as time passes by, I realized that there are different level of relationship for every people that surrounds us

As we grow more mature, our friends became less in numbers. Others became not just friends but family to us; they are those few who stayed all throughout... while others left when things get rough. As the saying goes, I'd rather have one true friend than hundred fake ones. 

Maldives Journal: Exploring Indian Ocean

I know my post on The Maafushi Adventure was not enough...
Well, that was just a glimpse of what the paradise on earth looks like.

2 out of our 4 days stay, we were literally floating the middle of Indian Ocean.

Mommy's Day

This post is for you, my Nanay and to all the mothers out there... 

You have the biggest heart to love us unconditionally. 

You have the strongest arms that carries the burden of the family.

You have are the richest person we've known for you gave your all to make us happy. 

You are the best. 

All mothers are the best.

Being a mother is the best. 

Thank you for not giving up. 

Happy Mother's Day. 

Maldives Journal: The Maafushi Adventure

Maldives is 'A dream destination'. I have always put that on my wish list... & for years, it just remained there, until this April.

Tourist don't know where they've been; travelers don't know where they're going. - Paul Theroux

This Maldives adventure wasn't planned at all. A friend jokingly asked for it and I said yes immediately. After a week of checking promotions, browsing some reviews and "computing" for budget, we sat one afternoon for 3 hours to search for flights and accommodation and finally do the bookings.It was spontaneous. We are group of four, with different interest. Initially, as everyone else would imagine, we wanted to go to an exclusive island resort...

(Image from Google)

A paradise in the middle of Indian Ocean, just how we all imagined. The same way that it remains an imagination if we look at it this way.

Urgent and Important

We've seen this on seminars and workshops. For me, I am not so sure how many times I heard this on company training, but yes, this urgent - important diagram is indeed urgent and important to share.

I consider last March as one of my busiest month, ever. The week of our church anniversary landed on the same week of a regional campaign. The celebration was successful but not the campaign; just as I shared at my Stand Firm story...

Stand Firm

Last week, our church celebrated its 16th year of standing firm in faith, united in doing the mission of God. It was victorious. The program runs smoothly, the message was very clear on the presentations, the Word of God was delivered with great impact by the guest pastor, and more importantly, many visitors took the step of faith and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Indeed, our labor is not in vain.

And as expected, the enemy will work double time to destruct us. We cannot expect them to simply sit and watch us as we celebrate.

WRONG SENT

As Christians, we strongly believe in the power of prayer; we believe that God don't just hear our prayers but He answers them, one by one...

We can stand in front of people and talk about God's faithfulness the whole day. How God works amazingly in our lives. How He turn our dreams into reality...

But sometimes, it seems that He doesn't respond quickly and worst... He didn't answer the way we want...

Bathroom Diaries

Yesterday, I had a really interesting bathroom conversations with different people; its not new, but its refreshing...  

"I'm soooo done with this. How can people be so inconsiderate?" - My colleague suddenly burst out her emotions while we were in the toilet to freshen up before the start of day... I looked at her and ask: What happened?

I Wish I Don't Have To Go To Work

I admit, those words came out from my mouth this morning; just as the other mornings, especially these days that bed-weather makes waking up a bit harder...

The gloomy light, the morning breeze and the cold water.... brrrr. My bed screams "come back to meee!"

Who's not guilty?

This New Year, Let Us Focus on Jesus

Has anyone written their New Years’ resolution? Any do’s and don’ts for 2014?

I have my to-do, and that is to diet and exercise again. I am hoping and determined to lose weight again and I planned to start it this New Year. Yes, I preferred to wait until tomorrow :) 

I think this goes to everyone. Each of us has their own plans as the year starts.

Yes. I also have my don’t-do-it-this-time list on my mind; things that I should stop doing. One of those is to sleep late or not having slept at all… (let me try!)

As Christians, I know we should not practice this New Year’s resolution list anymore, we should be living a life pleasing the Lord and not according to this list (the above were just examples).

We look at New Year as start of something new and something great. This is the best time for new endeavors; to step in a new opportunity or challenge.And this is also the perfect time to leave the past behind. Those things that we want to forget; experiences and difficulties that causes us pain. We can all move forward to start anew.

Typhoon Haiyan. Our prayers for victims and survivors

Should you wish to send your donations, please visit www.wordinsharjah.com

What we have is something different; IBA TAYO!

On the lift last Thursday, a colleague asked: "What's up for Friday?"
Then I smiled and answered: "Church day!:
"The whole day?" she curiously replied...

If you are a Christian, I know you certainly understand the excitement I have for Fridays (or Sundays on other parts of the world)... Church day is something that we all look forward to. Being with the family of God, the fellowship with one another and enjoying God's presence, praise and worship, the Word... It's different: IBA.