Matsujun, I drooooool

Stop smiling at me like that. T.T

image source: 4shared

School oh school. I miss you.

Today is probably one of the happiest days that I had this entire month. Why? Because it’s my day off from work! Haha! I finally had some time to rest; I had been a busy bee this November. So what did I do with this precious day? Well, I went out with two of the best persons that I know (my dear care bears, sisters, buddies, lovers, stalkers, confidence boosters, depression absorbers, girlfriends) Fifi and Roro, in our favorite hangout place—Oble’s house.

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But aside from the happiness that I felt from our girl bonding, I never realized how much I missed elbi until today. L I miss those days when I had to wake up at 5:00 am for my 7 am class. I miss those nights when I had to stay up late just to study (and cram) for my exams, projects, and thesis. I miss those “group works” and “group meetings” where my group mates were always late. I miss eating kwek-kwek and fishball in Raymundo. I miss eating Japanese food for lunch. I miss falling in line in McDo, KFC, or Chowking for lunch. I miss my PE days in the baker field. I miss those late night exams at 7 pm. I miss my tambay days at the college. I miss those days when I had to stay so early just to get slots from systemone. I miss the first day of classes where you get to meet new classmates and professors. I miss going to photocopying centers to get handouts. I miss watching (required) plays as incentives. I miss spotting cute guys in the carabao park.

The bottom line is, I miss everything about being a student. L If only I can turn back the time.

On repeat: We found love

I can't get over this song. It's definitely on repeat in my player. Love the lyrics-- love the song.

Great song Riri! :)

Last day of October

Time indeed passes by so quickly-- it will be November 1 tomorrow! What?! It's crazy, right? Anyway, today marks the last day of October. Hello Halloween and horror stories! Actually, I'm not really fond of watching horror movies. In fact, if I remember it correctly, the last horror movie that I've seen was the Bride of Chucky back when I was still in elementary. You see, I just can't stand the sight of blood and gore-- why do people want to be scared anyway? Perhaps its thrilling for other people. Truth is, my family and friends are very fond of watching horror and suspense movies. The Ring, The Grudge, The Eye, Tale of Two sisters-- you name it-- they have seen it all. As for me? I'd rather watch romantic flicks instead. Haha. I'm easily frightened by ghost stories so I really try to refrain from hearing them or even watching documentaries about poltergeists. But since today is halloween, they seem to be ubiquitous! (well at least for television shows and shopping malls). Anyway, I'd rather spend my halloween watching some chick flicks instead. DVD marathon tonight! Yes, I think I'll spend the last night of my birth month watching sweet and "feel good" movies instead. :)

Some movies in line for tonight (again):

Image source: imdb.com

Being Happy

I've been very busy these past few days. But instead of feeling very tired from the long travel from my house to the office, I'm actually very thankful for everything. I'm learning a lot of new things.

By the way, I bought a great book last month-- and this book is totally amazing. I planned to create a post about  it the moment I read it-- it's a life saver.

One of my favorite happiness tips from the book is: "Just live in the now". Jump into every opportunities that life provides us. Don't worry too much about the future-- learn to live in the now. Another great tip that I got from the book is that, if you want to be happy, start today! Indeed, the choice of experiencing happiness is in our hands. We can be happy if we really want to. The choice is for us to make. :)

Adele on repeat

Yes, I'm gaga over Adele. Her songs have been on repeat for months now-- actually a year already. Oh how I love her. 

P.S. I found a good copy of the piano score of "Turning tables". Her songs are not only on repeat on my playlist, it's also on repeat in my piano. 

Adele is love.

On page 191 of the Fountainhead

image source: amazon.com

I'm currently reading the Fountainhead. I don't to know how to describe it though. I think the word "brilliant" will not suffice to give justice on how marvelous this book is. But what got me more connected to the book is that it revolves around the world of architects-- the aspiring architect inside me can't help but cry. Now I'm more motivated to work and earn more moolah-- I will work things out and see what happens. After all, nobody knows what will happen in the future. But the best advice that I recently had is to just "take things one day at a time" :). Just live in the now first. Who knows what the future holds anyway? But I'm sure God has a very good plan for me. I'm very sure about that.

For now, I will finish reading this good book first :)

P.S. I will be very busy with the coming days. Hello more moooolah! :)

Having my own polaris

Oh how I love Rascal Flatt's God bless the broken road. Actually, it is my favorite; my ultimate feel good song .

It's sublime lyrics can truly be heartfelt by anyone who listens to it. I just love the song a million times. Also, it reminds me of the polaris-- the northern star which guides you.

Further, I can't help but reminisce the story of my favorite drama, winter sonata (the polaris played a huge part in their love story). I can never forget how Jun said to Yoo jin that she will never get lost because the polaris is always guiding her-- that he will be her polaris. It's very lovely indeed. And today, as a gift for myself for my 21st birthday, I'm thinking of buying the polaris necklace on e-bay. I will keep you posted if my plan will turn out well J

This is what the polaris necklace in the show looks like. Look how pretty it is:

Image source: global.rakuten.com

Oh I must have you my dear polaris necklace (while I'm still searching for my real polaris) J

Sleeping with a smile on my face-- wishing on a star

If I was very down and depressed last time, I feel very great today; an exact opposite of what I felt a few days ago. It's so heartwarming to be complimented for a job well done. It definitely boosted my self confidence and made me to realize that I am really capable of doing big things. I am going to sleep with a smile on my face today; I feel very happy indeed :)

P.S. what time will the meteor shower happen again? I hope I can see it although its raining tonight. I know that this might sound silly, but I want to make a wish through the meteors-- to see someone I've been longing to see for the longest time (someone who visited me in dreams yesterday) Just like a star, I can see him yet I can't happen to get close to him because he's so far away-- sparkling brightly with millions of stars.

image sources: playgroundconfidential.com

http://images2.layoutsparks.com/1/150990/wish-on-a-star.gif

Follow your heart's desire-- reach for your dreams

I found this image on Facebook and I can't help myself from uploading it (I asked permission from my friend who shared it on Facebook). Kudos to its owner.

Steve Jobs is indeed one of our generation's most intelligent man-- a genius in his craft. And he managed to do that because he followed his heart; he went after his dreams. It is truly inspiring indeed. Thank you Steve for reminding me that I will never find happiness in life if I will not take risks and just go on with the status quo; thank you for the inspiration--- now I am truly determined to pursue my dream. I will be a good writer and I will definitely be an ARCHITECT. I will go with what my heart truly desires.

Moving on

I feel down today. Just moments ago I was completely in a bliss. Then something came up; actually, a harsh comment from someone who I don't even know personally  (and who doesn't know me personally as well) broke my heart :'( How can you judge someone if you don't even give her a chance to speak up for herself? You want to do things your way, and then you blame me because of very tiny mistakes? Geeez. I guess its true that most of the time, people remember compliments only for a day and carries and remembers harsh words and inappropriate criticisms longer. But I don't want to be a trash collector. So even if I'm feeling a bit down now, I won't let it ruin my happy life; I will let go of this negativity-- the garbage of harsh words I received and I'll move on instead. It might take time for me to fully recuperate from this depressing experience. However, I must also look on the brighter side earlier and yesterday-- when I got compliments for a good work; a job well done. Instead of preoccupying my mind with this depressing thing, I will think of more positive things instead-- that I am very blessed and privileged because I have good friends and family who knows me too well and who knows that I am highly capable of doing big, bright things and I'm already there; I'm very close to a new big thing now :).

To you, the person who broke my poor heart today, may God bless you.

Look at my lips

Just last month, I bought a great red lipstick from Etude house (the reddest one)-- it was under their "Look at my lips" category/ type. I am really happy with my purchase, the shade of red was so intense and bright-- exactly the way I wanted it to. It also has this somewhat fruity scent. Plus, it doesn't dry my lips even without lip balm underneath! Great deal indeed! It was certainly worth my money.

And just today, I saw a promo on their page:

Image source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=268008246555150&set=a.268008189888489.68222.156132414409401&type=1&theater

You can win prizes if you will post your picture wearing your favorite lip color shade. Too bad the promo was over :| why did I just saw it now? :'(

Loving aspins

I feel gloomy today. The weather makes me sad; I just despise rainy days :| it brings back a melancholic memory to me-- one very depressing day that I can't even bury into oblivion until now.

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I love dogs. In particular, I am a proud owner of four adorable aspins. They are our little babies in the family. Now how do I relate this to the sad rainy day experience that I mentioned earlier? Here goes the story:

It was raining badly one Thursday afternoon and I was on my way to my archery class. When all of a sudden, I saw something furry lying in the gutter near UPLB gate; it was a stray dog trying to find a shelter to ease the cold. To my surprise, there were students taking pictures of the dog; I was agitated. But I guess I am more furious to myself than to those people. I should have done something to help the dog. Instead, I froze into the jeepney seat and I wasn't able to move or say "manong para po!". I wasn't able to do anything to help the dog. After my class, I wandered endlessly around the campus to find the him and see if there's still something that I can do. I went to the place where I saw him-- along a gutter-- but he's gone. I thought that perhaps there were good samaritans/ students who took care of the dog since there are veterinary medicine students in UPLB; therefore they could have brought the dog to their clinic. So I decided to just go home.

But for some strange reason, I was still agitated; I can't help but think about the dog. It was 8:30 pm already. I couldn't help it anymore. I told my parents that I had to go back to the campus since I forgot to photocopy something needed for my class the next day. It was still raining. Again, I searched and wandered around the campus for the dog. Around 9:30 pm, I was losing my hope of seeing the dog again. Then as I was about to go home, I saw him again. Lying in an open space near a bakeshop. The first thing that I did was to buy food for him-- I brought bread and crumbled them so that he can easily eat it. He was too hungry. And sadly, that's the only thing I was able to do for him. Until now, I'm still regretting it; that all I did was to feed him.

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So I don't really like rainy days. It reminds me that there are a lot of aspins out there, waiting to be loved and rescued; to have a shelter. I talked about this with my brother and you know what, we came up with a plan: we will open an animal shelter once we have work and money to support it. Our vision is to have at least one animal shelter per region in the country-- and with God nothing is impossible. I just hope and pray that more people will appreciate and value dogs, especially our aspins who are just as adorable and lovable as the expensive breeds. But for now, perhaps what we can do is to disseminate information on how more people can help in providing shelter for these animals. Actually, what we also want is for current aspin owners to realize how valuable these dogs are; that they should be treated well and be loved. Even a single act of providing drinking water for the dog makes a difference. Trust me, the love and comfort that they bring is more than what you could expect.

Please let us support:

www.caraphil.org
www.paws.org.ph
www.animalkingdomfoundation.org

and other kind-hearted organizations who continue to help animals. These organizations take care of dogs and cats who are homeless and abused. Let us give them a home; adopt a pet be it a dog or a cat. They will surely double the love that you will give them. Please, let us treat our native dogs and cats with care.  Just like what PAWS says "see the beauty beyond the breed" and you'll be overwhelmed with love.

P.S. here are some of our beloved aspins (potchi and bimby) ♥ ♥:

And yes, I am a very proud aspin owner.

Play day

I woke up today with the ranting of my brother about how "haggard" and tired he is with his acads. It is the start of his hell week again. But before he immerse himself with a truckload of paper works and exam reviews, he asked (actually he plead to) my parents if he could have a "play and relaxation" day. And his wish was granted. My dad drove us to Ortigas. But I guess we underestimated Quiel. The weather was fine in LB, but we never knew how hard the rain was from SLEX onwards. Actually, the pressure was on my dad since he was in charge of driving. Thank God for our safe trip today.

As for our "play day", my brother and I indulged on a shopping spree with an extra challenge--- we only have an hour to decide and choose what to buy. And there it was, Megamall became our hideaway playground. Oh how I love my parents. They always know what we need when we are stressed. And now, my brother is truly energized-- he's on the mood to review for his exams and face his hell week with ease. Go go go future chemical engineer! :)

But what really caught my attention today was a huge billboard outside Megamall which says:

"Nicholas Sparks live in Manila"

I became frantic. As you know, I am a self-proclaimed romantic and I just adore his works. Who did not shed a tear with A walk to remember and The Notebook? I am really a fan. I hope I could get to his autograph signing (but before that, you need to buy his latest book first). Since this is my birth month, my wish of meeting the great man behind the sublime love stories would certainly make my birthday truly memorable. 

Infidelity: an appealing topic?

Infidelity-- this happens to be the "it" trend in the market and world of television or movies today. Wasn't it just weeks ago when a locally produced film, "My Neighbor's Wife" was released. In the television scene, I can recall the korean drama "A Rosy Life", which I think was one of the first dramas with the same topic to be aired in the Philippines. Then came "Temptation of Wife", and the taiwanese version "The Fierce Wife". And just this week, another entry, a movie with the same topic, was released-- No Other Woman. The topic of infidelity injected into soap operas or movies seem to be ubiquitous; to the extent that the crowd might have had enough of it already. But as my friend and I were intrigued by the trailer of the film No other woman, we decided to give it a shot (although some things are already predictable).

We were actually flabbergasted to see a long queue of people waiting outside the cinema. It got me to thinking, that perhaps, there must really be something special in this movie than the others. There were a lot of people who wanted to watch the movie; in fact, my friend and I had to sit at the front row since every seat was already occupied (I had a bit of a stiffed neck afterwards).

In my opinion, one great marketing strategy that they used was the sex appeal of the actors. Who wasn't intrigued by the criss-cross bikini of Anne Curtis shown at the trailer of the movie, right? And yes, there were a lot of bikini and intimate scenes in the movie. Also, I think that people are eager to see Christine Reyes play a "good wife" role in the movie (but trust me, she became fierce in the later part of the film--- ooops, spoiler). The leading man, Derek Ramsay also happens to be very appealing to the ladies-- perhaps even to men.

So I don't think I have to elaborate much on the story since we pretty much know what it is about. What I'm more intrigued is with what I heard from the person beside me "Bakit pag babae ang nagloko, di nila mapatawad. Pero pag lalaki, hindi rin halos ganun kalaking big deal" That's something to ponder about I guess. I am no expert in these kinds of things. But if you'll ask my opinion, I think that the husband won't dare to look at, or even decide to kiss, another woman if he is really committed to his wife. Isn't that part of the sacrament of marriage? Anyway, I don't want to dwell too much on this issue as I am not married yet. I'm just an observer for now.

But I think that we should really give the writers a round of applause. It was written in a very concise and clever manner; there were lines that will truly stay on your mind (Ang mundo parang quiapo, maraming snatcher [ng asawa]; itago mo na yang lucy torres mo at ilabas mo na si gretchen barreto). It was very interesting indeed. But the ending was a bit predictable (that someone will get into an accident blah blah). Nonetheless, this movie still shows how we Filipinos are fond of happy endings (even after a series of sampalan and sabunutan), they managed to become friends afterwards; they ended things amicably anyway so that might be the reason. Anyhow, I commend the writers, director, and actors of the film. I think that watching it was worth my money.

A challenging piece: Challenge accepted

One of the biggest pieces that I would love to play flawlessly and concisely before I die includes this:

Of course, the sound will indubitably be different had it been Liszt himself playing the piece. But either way, I think that Yundi Li is a tremendously talented pianist. The climax of the piece would certainly be closer to its end. It's just too sublime. I need to practice everyday and do my finger exercises more frequent so that I can finally play this piece. Perhaps I'll start practicing this piece now (the biggest challenge here is really near the end part).

And now I'm having the same feeling when I was just starting to study Chopin's Etude Op. 10 no 3. I never thought that I will be able to play it (Oh dear God, the middle part of that piece was extremely hard! I had to practice even at night). But there I was, playing the piece on stage, in a piano recital at an auditorium, in front of a crowd. What I felt after playing that piece is ineffable. I never thought that I could make it. It was certainly a "challenge accepted" (take it from Barney, I just love that quote). And yes, I will take this piece as another challenge. I will definitely play this clearly. It would take a lot of patience and practice, but the thought of making your mentor, parents and friends proud is a big prize to achieve. Of course, the sense of self-satisfaction from that achievement is another big reward.

And if you can read this post, Yundi Li, please marry me! Haha. I just really want to watch you play in person (I would specifically want to hear you play more Chopin and Liszt pieces). Let me add this to my "dream/ goal list" : to watch Yundi Li play in person. I should save moolah then so that I can fly to where you are and watch you perform live. J

Proud alumna

This is an overdue post regarding our Araneta experience watching UP Fighting Maroons in action live.

Everyone in the coliseum was just ecstatic! The beat from the drum was resonating all over the place. Screams of eager fans fill the coliseum. Everyone, including me, was on a high. We were chanting several cheers (which includes the infamous beat: U-NIBERSIDAD-NG-PILIPINAS with clap). So this is the college spirit. Of course, we can get wild and rowdy cheering for our school while watching at home. But watching it live, on the scene, is totally a different experience. At some point, I even lost my voice as we were cheering wildly for UP. You can feel the bliss and pride of UP students, faculties and graduates as we sang UP naming mahal at the end of the event.

Who cares if this is an overdue post. We have an entire year to brag anyway. So again, congratulations UP (I'm a proud alumna)! It was such a great fight. Kudos to my friend Ro for the ticket :)

Explosive first episode

As expected, the latest season of Gossip girl started with a bang. And it looks like one of my predictions was true-- Dorotha is having her second child (or so it seems). But hey, will the Waldorf family welcome a little baby this season? I can't wait. Yes, B has her real prince for now, but with Chuck (and Dan) still on the way, will her fairytale romance continue? Anyhow, I think that Louis is great. But he is too much of a "momma's boy". Well, at least he's starting to loosen up a bit at the end of the first episode. Of course, Serena had her own moment and spotlight.

As expected, Nate opened the season with a steamy romance. I must say, she's hot! But I still think that SereNate is better :P

P.S. I love Serena's outfits! Hello SPF, it appears that the sun might shine brightly on you Serena.

Embracing your braces

This might sound strange, but I really do miss my dental braces :| A common stereotype associated with people having dental braces is that they are geeks or nerds. In fact, the first person who might appear on your mind when it comes to dental braces is America Ferrera as she played Ugly Betty. But I don't happen to look at it that way. Actually, having braces gave me more confidence. I didn't really have any major problems with my teeth alignment but my parents were advised to put me on dental braces. And I am thankful that they did. I can smile with full confidence today. And for some odd reason, I'm really missing my braces. :'(

Image source: primoclipart.com

The picture on the left is me on braces then. Either way, I'm still a happy kiddo :)

P.S. the pretty girl beside me is my good college friend, Jelotin :D

Rebirth of a painter

Dear Mr. Zolan, you make me want to paint again.

It has been years since I last used my brushes and oil paints. But as my mother was cleaning our piles of boxes in the storage room, she was surprised to see my old paintings. Most of which were painted when I was in elementary (I was privileged to be enrolled on summer painting programs because of my mother's encouragement). Some were kept inside boxes since our house was renovated before while some were kept on display. And there it was, my urge to paint again somehow resurrected. 

As I was looking for an inspiration about what to paint, I encountered a page devoted to a very skilled painter, David Zolan. What particularly amused me with his masterpieces is that they are mostly based on childhood memoirs (and if you've read my previous posts, I don't think I can deny my longing for my juvenile days). The details in his paintings are very intricate and are able to capture some of the best moments in childhood. In other words, his paintings invigorated my love of painting and art again. It never died, really. I still draw and I'm still in love with it. And today, I'll be heading towards National Bookstore to buy a canvas cloth and additional oil paints. After several years, I'll paint again. 

Thank you for the inspiration Mr. Zolan. 

Here are some of my favorites among his collections:

Image source: Wallcoo.net

There is a time for everything

"Learn to trust the perfect time. So you may discover that all the pain found while waiting has a magnificent and awesome purpose."

image source: sleepzine.com

“My daddy said, that the first time you fall in love, it changes you forever and no matter how hard you try, that feeling just never goes away.” 

― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

Hello again

It was during my freshman year in high school when I got captivated by foreign dramas. Who wasn’t obsessed in the F4 fever before, right? I even had meteor garden posters on my wall just so I can see Dao Ming Se before I close my eyes at night and happily gaze at him when I wake up. I was totally obsessed! As I read my high school diary, indubitably, almost half of it was occupied by my thoughts over the “hotness” and “kilig” feeling by becoming gaga over the boys and the story. At some point, I even thanked God for making meteor garden. You see, I don’t think I can deny how addicted I was with them before. I was even pleading for mercy to my parents so that I can go directly to Manila and see F4 in person—of course, I was denied. They just laughed at me and told me to just wait. It will be shown on tv anyway. And it took me almost a week of tantrums when my parents finally started to woo me. As a reconciliation gift, they bought me two original CDs and cassette tapes of F4 and the meteor garden OST. Of course, I wasn’t able to resist the offer. I became a very happy kid again.

Then another drama took my breath away—Winter Sonata. This one is definitely my ultimate favorite of all time. I broke up with Dao Ming Se and welcomed Kang Joon Sang wholeheartedly. Perhaps it’s because it’s somehow easy to relate with their love story since it started in high school (and I was a freshman in high school then). Also, Bae yong joon is so adorable; I dreamed about him almost every night. I also spent most of my nights gazing at the stars as I tried to search for polaris. Again, I tried to plea to my dad to buy me the same polaris necklace in the story while he was in Korea. But he failed to buy me one as it was highly in demand then and was immediately sold out (or maybe that was just his alibi).

Another reason why I fell in love with the drama was its sublime OST. The piano tracks and music used were very soothing and beautiful. Thank God for the internet, I was able to find the piano pieces for the OST. I practiced and played every piece on piano. In fact, there were days when I was playing just the same pieces over and over (even my mom was singing the melody after a while though she is not familiar with the show). My favorite would be “The First Time”. In fact, I still play this piece today—I’ve been playing it for years. It provides me with the feeling of falling in love for the first time (Try to listen to this song. It will melt your heart).

You might be wondering why I wrote this reminiscing post. Well, just last night, my brother knocked on my door and told me (in a gruelling tone) to switch my channel in Animax. There it was, the anime adaptation of my ultimate favorite drama—winter sonata in anime. I was appalled but in a good way—I was very happy indeed. It’s like musing over your first love again.

The anime adaptation has been released for quite some time now and I don’t know why I haven’t really heard about it immediately. And now I’m back to being fanatical over it.

image source: forums.e-games.com.ph

I'm sleeping with a smile on my face again.

On replay

We all have our "feel good" songs. This one happens to be on replay in my playlist today. For some reason, it kind of takes me back to my childhood days. After watching flipped, I can't help but recall my happy juvenile days and some ephemeral pleasures then.

image source: wallcoo.net

The first time that I saw you 

Looking like you did

We were young, we were restless

Just two clueless kids

But if I knew then what I know now

I'd fall in love

You're on a bus in Chicago

Three rows to the left

You know my heart is reaching for you

But we never even met

If I knew then what I know now

I'd fall in love

'Cause love only comes

Once in a while

And knocks on your door

And throws you a smile

And takes every breath

Leaves every scar

Speaks through your soul

And sings to your heart

But if I knew then what I know now

I'd fall in love

On a summer night in august

Backseat of my car

Said I'm trying to get to know you

I took it way too far

But if I knew then what I know now

I'd fall in love

Whoa, 'cause love only comes

Once in a while

And knocks on your door

And throws you a smile

And takes every breath

Leaves every scar

Speaks through your soul

And sings to your heart

But if I knew then what I know now

I'd fall in love

Whoa, I used up a lot of chances

But you give them back

But if again it comes crawling

I'm gonna make it last

'Cause love only comes

Once in a while

And knocks on your door

And throws you a smile

It takes every breath

Leaves every scar

Speaks through your soul

And sings to your heart

And if I knew then what I know now

Whoa, if I knew then what I know now

I'd fall in love

Slutty pumpkin revealed

Spoiler alert! The slutty pumpkin will finally be revealed this season!

Image source: crushable.nu

Who can forget about Ted's search for true love and his encounter with "the slutty" pumpkin with one of HIMYM's Halloween episodes? And who among us was not intrigued by this mystery woman? Finally, after six seasons, she will be revealed--- and she's no other than

image source: topnews.in

Mrs. Cruise. Yes, I am truly exhilarated to see Katie Holmes appear as the slutty pumpkin in this year's Halloween episode. I can't wait! :D See you slutty pumpkin!

A blessed first friday

Thank God for this blissful day. For months now, my social life somehow seemed to be in a hiatus. I was preoccupied with personal matters while my friends are busy with their academic life. But today, I was finally able to take a breather. I might have a few number of friends compared to others. However, I must say that I am truly blessed to have my closest friends who can tolerate all my kaartehan and kabekihan/kabaklaan. What’s the use of having a lot of friends who are not true to you anyway?

Spending sometime in solitude can really make a person to reflect upon the importance of her loved ones. In my case, this day became extra special as I was able to bond with my closest girlfriends, Jem and Roanne. And of course, we spent the day in our “most” favorite place—the house of Oble, our dear UPLB. Yes, I must admit that I did miss the place (I’m an alumna now, which means that I can finally take a picture with Oble!—the curse of having a delayed graduation if you took a picture with him as an undergraduate student has no effect now. Haha.) I was finally able to eat my favorite burger at the campus (clue: the burger place is near Raymundo :D). But the highlight of the day was our non-stop chikahan. When girls are together, we just can’t help but talk about everything under the sun—from the love life of my friend’s brother to make-up; you name it. We also had the chance to reminisce about our high school and elementary days (which made me to realize how horrible I was with my male friends; or boy friends? whatever). In the end, we all laughed our hearts out. It was such a euphoric day.

Our plan for next week:

• Play PlayStation 2 at my house
• Eat pizza and drink tons of softdrinks (oh no, it’s bad for our health! haha. but I suppose a glass would be enough)
• Videoke marathon
• Finish at least one full movie (at least one!)
• Chitchat, chitchat and chitchat

Oh how I love my two dearest best friends. Only you two can really accept and tolerate all of my kaartehans. (P.S. Ro, if you will get married ahead of us, you should make the two of us as your “Maids” of Honor :D— the same goes with Jem oki?) I love you sisters! J

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I must give my feet some rest now. Walking from UPLB to El Danda is not easy, okay. But you certainly won’t feel any pain if you are walking with the one you love as you gaze through the stars and just talk about everything. I am truly blessed. J

September madness

The exuberance that I'm feeling towards September is ineffable. I've been yearning for this month in a long while now. Why? Because the latest season from my favorite tv shows will be aired finally! Mark your calendars people because "new is always better"-- take this from the main man himself, the greatest and absolutely funniest bachelor in town-- Barney Stintson.

tvsetnews.org

Sources from the internet suggest that we won't get to find who the mother is until 2013. And trust me, I don't mind! Please, I don't want this series to end. I just love it so much. It's exhilarating, stress relieving, witty and absolutely hilarious. It never fails to make me laugh so hard-- I'm literally ROFL. "♪ pa pa pa pa, pa pa pa pa, pa pa ra ra... ♪♪"

eonline.com

Of course, who's not totally intrigued by the pregnancy test in the grabage bin eh? Is it Blair's? Whose baby will be welcomed in the Upper East Side? I'm dying to know. (You don't think it's Dorotha's do you? haha) But if the baby is really Blair's, who is the father anyway? Is it Louis or Chuck? It was truly a cliffhanger. Also, I can't wait to see the new men in the series who are absolutely hot (talk about Serena's new man), along with all the gorgeous clothes and shoes as well. I would love to see more of Georgina, I'm sure that it will remain fabulously glamorous and dramatic as always. Anyway, this will definitely be another must watch season; it will intoxicate us with drama and scandals for sure.

vampirediaries.fanwebsite.co.uk

And who's not excited for the next season of the Vampire Diaries? Will Damon finally have the courage to pursue Elena completely? It is definitely a must watch.

operkor.net

As for Glee, rumors have been circulating for a while now about the spin-off and graduation to come. And yes, some of our favorite gleeks are said to graduate this season (or maybe not). Let's not forget the new addition in the cast from the Glee Project right? Anyway, I don't mind all of these changes as "New is always better" (at least most of the time) though I must admit that I liked the first season better than the second one. J

Till next time

No more fairy tale movies from Disney—this was the headline in an internet site that I read yesterday. It was only a few days ago when I posted an entry that talked about my fairy tale dreams. Undoubtedly, my fondness and belief of such happy endings are products of Cinderella and other Disney movies when I was a kid. I mean, all little girls know Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty right? Nonetheless, I do get the point of Disney anyway.

Ultimately, the main goal of a business establishment is to earn profit. Having said that, I think that Disney’s decision to stop (or perhaps refrain from) producing movies that would only cater to most little girls is valid; they wanted to cater to a bigger market instead. And yes, who did not love Russel from UP or the lovable monsters from Monsters’ Inc. right? But still, the little girl inside me longs for more happily ever after endings. Likewise, I also know that such endings might be really (or are really) impossible in real life. Others would even criticize those movies for creating a “false hope” for its viewers especially to those children who would get to watch it. Yes, life might not be perfect and we might not get our fairy tale wishes. But I don’t see anything wrong with the euphoric feeling that we get after watching such beautiful endings. At least it gives us hope, at least it provides us with a feeling that yes, this is possible. And that a spark of magic from love won’t hurt. 

Surprise me :)

http://latestbookreviews.net

The Alchemist is indubitably one of the most inspiring books that I've ever read. It played a huge impact in my fascination with books-- how it can lead you to a beautiful place you never thought your mind can be. From the very first time that I've read it, I fell in love with it completely. Each page was full of inspiring thoughts to ponder. It was truly a page turner that I was able to finish it in just one night. Reading it gave me a very light feeling; it's as if a streak of light hovered in front of me while reading the line "When you really want something to happen, the entire universe conspires in helping you achieve it". In fact, that line helped me to reach my goal of finishing my bachelor's degree within three and a half years. 

However, among the many moving quotations from the book, this one remains as my favorite:

"It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting" -Paulo Coelho

A wonderful thought to live by and contemplate indeed. It never fails to light up a smile on my face as I continue my quest to find my own personal legend. It reminds me that life is indeed full of surprises; that one should not succumb to depression or anxiety just because things are not going towards what he wants. All of us encounters problems and huge challenges in life that sometimes, we might want to just break down and give in. Nonetheless, this inspiring novel allows one to believe in oneself and have faith towards achieving his heart's desires. Indeed, having a dream come true makes life truly interesting. We should enjoy every second of it and be thankful for all answered prayers and dreams that came true. And yes, the biggest part of the journey to finding happiness is to go after your dreams and your desires.

I want to ride a bicycle

Playing board games consumed most of my childhood days. Yes, I am a bit of an introvert; perhaps it’s because I spent most of my childhood days at home. My brother and I grew up playing scrabble, chess and legos instead of engaging into sports. Perhaps one of my greatest frustrations was that we weren’t able to learn how to ride a bike—our parents didn’t allow us to do so because they were afraid that we will end up with bruises if we fall; they just didn’t want us to get hurt. However, we don’t hate our parents for that; in fact we are just too thankful for their ever protective measures. But I guess being hurt is just part of the learning process right? We might end up with scars from bruises, but at least we won’t have any “what ifs” later on. What if I tried it? Will I really get hurt? I suppose there is no other means to know the answer than to give it a try instead.

So please, can someone teach me how to ride a bike na? Haha :D

Source: merchandisingplaza.co.uk 

Also, I don’t regret that I spent my childhood days with my younger brother playing scrabble and chess instead since it absolutely helped us to excel in those mind games (allow me to brag that my brother and I are scrabble and chess champions in our schools from elementary until college :D). Thank you mommy for the training! Haha J

Shoes oh shoes, I drooool

I can never forget one of the great lines from my one of my favorite dramas, meteor garden. "You should wear beautiful shoes because it will bring you to beautiful places as well"; at least it goes something like that (I was in high school back then, but that line really made a huge impact which led to my fascination for fancy shoes). Indeed, it is every girls dream to wear beautiful pairs of shoes. I don't think I am the only one longing to have great designer shoes. Louboutin, Prada, Jimmy Choo, Chanel, Miu Miu, LV, YSL= love. I even developed a habit to continuously scrutinize the shoes that celebrities are wearing and cry with envy. How I wish I can wear them now, as in, right now. And yes, this urge and thirst to indulge in such beautiful shoes serves as a great drive for me to work, work and work! But since I don't have the mooolah yet to afford these designer shoes, might as well just feast on them through my eyes-- in the meantime. I am certain that I will have you in the near future. So let me just dream of you and drool, at least for now..

P.S. I don't think I can deny the fact that I love love love things that glitters, can I? Oh beautiful shoes, I must have you in the nearest time possible.

Image sources:
http://fashionista.com/2010/02/the-us-gets-three-prada-chandeliers-guess-how-many-victoria-traina-wants/

http://www.fashionfuss.com/jimmy-choo-quinze-bootie/

http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?

thisnext.com

shoesfashiontrend.info

christianlouboutin2011wedges.com

shoeperwoman.com

A writer in a daydream

Choosing a blog address/name is both a happy and seemingly arduous task for me. There are just tons of wonderful and flowery adjectives or even simple words to choose from. Further, you can even pick words in various languages instead. I’ve encountered blogs that chose French words; some were in Korean, Filipino and Italian though the writers were not natives of that country. It’s very easy to take an inspiration from things beyond borders. Indeed, this a good exercise to get your brain juices work and let your creativity shine.

And so, the quest for my new blog name began. My previous blog in my multiply account was named “edgiwedgie”; yes I take pride in coining the “term”. It was derived from my moniker and something that sounds like it; hence the name. Initially, I wanted to spell it as edgieweggie. But it turns out that it was already taken by another user. Wow. If I remember it correctly, it was registered to a man named Edgie (we share the same unusual moniker). Anyway, the thought is still there though my nickname was not spelled as the way that I intended it to. Nonetheless, it still sounded like a cute rendition of my name (at least that’s what I believed in) so I continued with it. There it was, my very first blog (which I eventually deactivated due to some issues). Anyhow, I must admit that I did long to create another one after deactivating it. But something happened; school happened--- tons of papers to submit, examinations to pass, projects to finish, and thesis to defend.

Now that I finally had the time, I eventually decided to create a new blog. Thus, the challenge of choosing a creative name/address started again. This time, I opted for a more sophisticated one than before. And unlike my previous blog, this has more meaning and in depth emotions for me. Everything just collided-- creating a blog and practicing an old favorite piece of mine. Yes, I chose the name of the piano piece that I am currently studying now—Debussy’s Reverie. It’s as if I was floating on air while listening to and playing it. The melody is so sublime that I can’t help but close my eyes while playing. The piece is just so beautiful. And there it was, I felt like I was in reverie, so the blog was named “Edge in Reverie”. Creating entries in a digital diary is just like that; writing in an intangible world. It provides me with a feeling where I can store jewels in a labyrinth within a daydream.

Indeed, the possibilities are truly endless. Starting a blog means choosing a creative name for it. I may even relate it to a baby’s name selection— there are a lot of choices to choose from. Let your creativity out and be inspired by the things around you. Life is too beautiful and God blessed us with an environment where we can take our inspiration from. The sky is the limit (or not).

Image source: (hdwallpapers4iphone.com)

Taking an extra challenge

Call it serendipity or whatever, but I encountered a sublime article when I needed it the most; another article written by Mr. Francis Kong came to my rescue. Reading this over again never fails to uplift and motivate me.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT BULL

A young man wished to marry the farmer's beautiful daughter. He went to the farmer to ask his permission. The farmer looked him over and said, "Son, go stand out in that field. I'm going to release three bulls, one at a time. If you can catch the tail of any one of the three bulls, you can marry my daughter."

The young man stood in the pasture awaiting the first bull. The barn door opened and out ran the biggest, meanest-looking bull he had ever seen. He decided that one of the next bulls had to be a better choice than this one, so he ran over to the side and let the bull pass through the pasture out the back gate. The barn door opened again. Unbelievable. He had never seen anything so big and fierce in his life.

It stood pawing the ground, grunting, slinging slobber as it eyed him.

Whatever the next bull was like, it had to be a better choice than this one. He ran to the fence and let the bull pass through the pasture, out the back gate.

The door opened a third time. A smile came across his face. This was the weakest, scrawniest little bull he had ever seen. This one was his bull. As the bull came running by, he positioned himself just right and jumped at just the exact moment. He grabbed... but the bull had no tail!

Life is full of opportunities. Some will be easy to take advantage of, some will be difficult. But once we let them pass (often in hopes of something better), those opportunities may never again be available. So always grab the first opportunity.

Most people seek the path of least resistance. And this is why they never grow.

Go to the gym. I learn a lot lf lessons there.

Get into those exercise gear and by the way, just finding time to exercise is already a major accomplishment in my busy schedule. Skip the machines and go straight to the department of dumbbells and weights. Pick up the lightest one because it’s the easiest one to do and you know as well as I do that this is a waste of time. Burn those muscles. Feel the heat. Go to the limits and you leave the gym tired but satisfied and the results for the next few days will show you that your decision to do the hard ones have been correct.

Same principle in life.

Many people refuse to accept challenges because of fear.

But you hear them say things like:

o    I’m not accepting the new assignment because I have other priorities in life.

o    If at first you don’t succeed try something else.

o    I’ll get around to doing it once I find the time.

And then the opportunity passes and they wonder why nothing good’s happening to their lives.

Success people have always been turned off with the path of least resistance because they have always chosen the path of great perseverance.

This is what life is all about.

Get out of your comfort zone.

Learn new things. Explore the world. Stretch yourself.

Meet new friends. Learn from people.

And why not go into the diligent study of God’s Word.

Accept His Call and go out and change the world.

Love God with all of your heart, soul strength and mind and be ready for that brand new life adventure you’ve always been looking for.

Don’t go for the thin and scrawny bull with no tail, choose the biggest one and the fiercest one. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

In other words, attempt great things for God and be sure to give Him the Glory.

Written by Mr. Francis Kong

SOURCE: (http://franciskong.com/motivation/choosing-the-right-bull/)

Letting go of old baggage

Alongside my bed is a printed note of a short prayer adapted from the Alcoholics Anonymous that I read from Steven Covey’s Eight Habits of Highly Effective People.

“Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things that cannot be changed, the courage to change the things which ought to be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

I've had this posted on the wall where I can see it before I close my eyes and read it before I get out of bed. It has been there since I was in high school (come to think of it, perhaps I should have this framed already! And yes, it is posted alongside the Stat formulas and notes that I used as a reviewer before. A good reminder of how "challenging" my Stat 1 days were before that I had to write my notes beside a prayer haha). Anyway, for some reason, I never wanted to take it off anymore. It's just a beautiful piece(the prayer :D); a nice thought to ponder before you head start your day.

Certainly, resentment from the past won’t do us any good. Perhaps it’s truly best to discover how to accept the things that happened from the past and learn from it instead. I remember a good friend who told me that we don’t need to carry the entire luggage from our past; we have to let them go and move on. Imagine how light the feeling can be. Saying it seems to be very easy. And yet, it may take time to fully realize and accept it. But life is just too beautiful to just brood, be pessimistic, and indulge in mental anguish and tormenting memory you might have from your past. Indeed, we should try to look at life from another perspective instead; that there are a lot of good things in store for us. And in the end, we must remember that happiness is a choice; it’s our choice.

Starting anew

It has been a long time since I did a blog entry. In fact, I can’t even remember the last time when I wrote one for my Multiply account. My last year in college was just too tough that I had to properly manage my time to avoid procrastination. I had to finish my undergraduate thesis and pass all other requirements to secure my college diploma. And at last, I finally have more time now to contemplate, take a break, and finally start a blog anew.

Amazingly, thoughts kept on pouring steadily—it’s as if all those ideas that I wasn’t able to write before were trying to get out. Now I don’t really know where to start. Nonetheless, it feels good to have another diary; my own digital "edifice".