♥ Your daily dose of zarahness ♥

I Have A Dream

2012-01-24T21:43:00.000+08:00

I am currently reading this book by Greg Mortenson. When I saw this, I got really excited and something inside me just came alive. You see, one of my dreams is to build a school and give education to young children who are living in the streets. I believe the Lord placed this desire in my heart, and where I am right now - my work in Hope Christian High School, my studies at Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries, as well as my ministry in Binondo Full Gospel Family Center - they are all preparing me for the Lord's bigger plan for my life. I am not where I am right now because of an accident. God has brought me to where I am so that His purpose for my life will be fulfilled. I don't know how I'm going to fulfill that plan, I don't know how I'm going to do it, but one thing I'm sure of: I will be available for God to work through me when the right time comes. So help me, God! Soli Deo Gloria!

2012 Resolution(s)

2012-01-07T23:39:00.001+08:00

GO HEALTHY.

It's been 7 days into 2012. I've started / gone back to doing a few things to make me physically & spiritually fit:

1. Drink milk. - My stomach goes into war whenever I drink milk. But I found out that there are some milk that are good to my tummy, so I stuck with them. Also, I got this milk bottle (a freebie from Shopper's Mart if you buy 2 cartons of Magnolia Fresh Milk - limited edition only!) to motivate me to regularly buy & drink milk.

2. Take vitamins. - So far, I've been taking Calcium, Vit.C, Vit.B, and Fish Oil capsules.

3. Exercise. - Aside from biking, I'm doing exercises to tone my (jiggly) arms and my (invisible) abs. Haha! I put my last year's Cosmopolitan magazine subscription to good use and took out the pages where they featured exercises you can do at home and compiled them in a folder for easy reference. Yep, I'm real serious about having toned arms and a flat tummy by the end of the year. (Sana!)

4. Back to the Word. - In our church, we are encouraged to follow a Reading Plan which, when followed daily, will have made you read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in one year. I missed lots of readings last year. It didn't sit well with me knowing that I failed to do so. So this year, I'm going back to the Word.

These are just a few things I'm going to be doing from now on to improve myself. More to come. Hopefully, I'll be able to stay on track. :)

So help me, God!

Welcome, 2012!

2012-01-01T02:06:00.001+08:00

Happy New Year!!

We just got home from SM Mall of Asia. My family and I went there for our media noche dinner and to join others in the countdown to 2012. Here are some photos from our trip:

Waiting for our orders. Dad was inside, patiently enduring the long line to the counter.

Thank God for gadgets! They make good company in times like these.

We ended up here by default. Everywhere we went, the place was either fully booked or packed with people.
Good thing though, because OMG, have you tasted their onion rings?? To die for! And the price is very reasonable.

Behind those sweet smiles are growling stomachs. (hahaha!)

Ours too. I devoured my flame-grilled burger without my usual "di ko na kaya" mode
10 minutes after commencing eating.

After dinner, we were hoping to browse in Booksale before heading out to the parking lot to watch the fireworks. But all the stores were closed already, so we had no choice but to head back out. By then, the place was packed with people milling to and fro, finding their way to the GMA live broadcast happening right outside the mall. We decided to just wait in the car (we had 3 hours to kill before midnight) and avoid the throng of people. Good thing I brought Didi with me. And Ophie. I was able to squeeze in a movie (A Christmas Carol) and it finished right before the fireworks started.

All in all it was a happy way to end the year, with my family with me. Thank you God for my dear, wonderful parents and my two lovely sisters. May you continue to put your hand of favor upon my whole family this new year. But most of all, may You be glorified in all of our lives. Amen!

Looking Back: 2011, A Year of "Firsts"

2011-12-31T16:12:00.001+08:00

2011 has been a good year for me. I got to experience a number of things for the first time. Some may be trivial, while others are really milestones for me. So without further ado, here they are:

I finally won something from a contest (which never happens to me. I'm that girl who always gets the most basic prizes (if any at all!) when it comes to raffle draws. Buti nga kung may napanalunan pa. So imagine my delight when I learned that I won almost five thousand pesos worth of Neutrogena products just by posting a photo on their Facebook wall): The Neutrogena Contest
I bought my second most expensive purchase after Lavinia: Didi. It was really an impulse thing. I've never had any interests in techie gadgets before, but I'm going to be all sold out if you tell me it's a great way to bring and read your ebooks anytime, anywhere. Plus you can surf the net, make lists, keep notes, etc.
The first Firebrands Kids and Firebrands Youth Joint Fellowship. It never happened before. Kids stayed with fellow kids; youth stayed with fellow youth. The only time they interact is when the achi and ahya's are assigned to teach the kids for programs or to be with them during field trips. But this year, we broke away from that mindset and interacted with the kids. We played with them, we ate with them. We spent time with them. And what a difference it made, not only in the children but also in the youth! After the ice was broken, kids are now more open in approaching their newfound achi and ahyas in the youth before and after service. Now, hindi na lang ako ang kinukulit ng mga bata. Pati na sina Brz, Lawrie, etc. Hahaha! :))
I was part of the 13th Tour of the Fireflies. It was my first time to miss a Sunday service in a long time! I only miss a service when I am really, really sick (which hasn't happened for years now, thank God!). I really wanted to join this event so I asked permission from my dad to take part in this event. He left the final say to me, saying I'm old enough to make my own decisions. So, I did, and joined the Fireflies. I'm not sure I made the right choice at that time, but I sure did enjoy that day. Now that I think more about it, this comes to mind: Enjoying something doesn't necessarily make it right. So, will I join next year? ... I'm still thinking about it. :)
Back to School! One morning in May, I found myself going Makati-bound instead of my usual Benavidez route. I didn't over-analyze like I usually do, and just did what I felt was a divine leading. I inquired about possible courses and approximate fees. I went back for the exam. And a few weeks later, I found myself enrolled in an MDiv course at ASCM. I didn't know then where I will be getting funds to sustain my studies, but I had no doubt as to the Source of those funds. I may not know the channel He will be using to give the funds to me, but I was confident that He will give it to me at the right moment. So far, for after a semester and a half, I found myself crying tears of joy and amazement as to how God works in fulfilling His promises. Truly, when you take a step of faith, you better be ready to be amazed to see how God can work everything out even in the most impossible of circumstances. Read more about my "Amazing God!" moments here: Miracle 1 and Miracle 2
Music and all that JAZZ! I love Jazz music. I wish I could play them too, but I can't (yet!! Lord, please!). This year has been a really good year for Lawrie and I in terms of music. We celebrated our 8th anniversary at the Fete dela Musique, watching our biking buddy and co-VeloPH member Sir Mar Dizon play live at the event's jazz act. We've also been to a number of his gigs, most recently in Freedom Bar where I also got to meet Mr. Henry Katindig (what an honor!!). We also got tickets, courtesy of Sir Mar, to the Jazzin' Manila event last October at the Manila Hotel. Thank you Mr. Dizon!! :)
(I'm not proud of this one, but it was a first for me so it has to be included in this list.) I was the Runaway Daughter for one day in July. My dad and I had a huge fight, I didn't know what got into me but I answered back (yikes!), packed my bags, and walked all the way from my house to CCP (and later to Makati). I didn't get to spend the night at an unknown place since I also went home that night and we made up the next day.
Contributing Writer for Vibal Publishing. Wow! I am honored to be a part of this project, spearheaded by Mrs. Joy Dy, our principal consultant. She knew that I love to write and she insisted that I be a part of this project. I didn't know what I was getting myself into; I didn't even know that we will be paid for it (!). When I learned the details of the assignment, I was overjoyed at how God provided for me once again. Thank you, Lord, for Ma'am Joy!
My first out-of-town trip with Lawrence & friends. I went to Baguio with Lawrence, Brznf, Pia, and Paul last August and it was one of the best outings I had in my life. It was my first time to go on a trip with non-church friends on a non-church-related event (like retreats or camps).
My first solo bi-modal ride and my first meet-the-author experience. It has been well-documented in this entry so I need not say anything more, except this: It was a day to remember! :)
My first sleepover at a friend's house. Haha! Pathetic, right? I had my first sleepover at the age of 26. :)) Well, not really. Sleepovers during high school and college days just didn't appeal to me. I didn't want to spend the whole night talking and giggling, in the ruse of "studying for finals." I wanted to go to a sleepover that was worth going to, and this year the opportunity presented itself. True, we didn't really get enough sleep since we were up after an hour of napping. But the event we went to was worth it. :)
My first time inside the National Museum. Seeing the Spolarium in person was breathtaking. W.O.W.!
I conquered my fear of riding alone and took my solo bimodal trips to a higher level. This time, instead of going to Caloocan, I went from my house to Makati (ASCM). I took the train going to Buendia, and from there, biked all the way to Valero St. It was a longer ride compared from my previous solo bimodal trip from Monumento to Caloocan City Hall. So this was a real big deal for me. Yay!
Check out my first major semplang here! Lol! :))
I've been re-learning my piano lessons lately. This year, I resurrected my note-reading skills (haha!!) and took the liberty of being mentored under the wing of world-renowned musical artists like Emily Bear, Dave Brubeck, and Duke Ellington... thanks Youtube! Hahahah! :))

Thank you, dear Father, for the wonderful year you have blessed me with. The lessons I've learned, the experiences I had, the encounters and revelations from You - all helped me become a better person today. Great is Thy faithfulness to me! May the year 2012 bring us even more closer together. I am excited to see what You have in store for me. May I always remember that no matter what happens, You hold me in Your hands and that You will never let me go. May I hold on to you through good times and bad. Remind me, Father, of your mercies and your faithfulness that has upheld me throughout these years. You are to be praised. To You be all the glory and praise. Amen!

Lim Family Reunion 2011

2011-12-30T19:02:00.001+08:00

Our family hosted this year's reunion. For lack of space in our house, we held the gathering at church. Lim relatives came together to celebrate, not only God's faithfulness to each of our families, but also my grandmother's 76th birthday (tomorrow, Dec.31).

Kimmie made it after all! Hahahhahahahah!

Ay, apparition lang pala. Wahaha. :))

Bike Night at The Fort

2011-12-28T23:29:00.000+08:00

Fun in all kinds of sizes!

She found it easier to find her balance using the Gogo bike rather than the Peerless Lite.

Dinner at Army Navy after the ride.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T19:47:00.001+08:00

Christmas service at BFGFC. The kids presented a program about The Nativity.

Pre-program

Shepherds. Notice the necktie. Haha, so cute!!

Singing Silent Night.

More pics here.

Christmas shopping for some bike stuff and etc. with Lawrence @ 168.

Brz's fixie bike. Hindi ko kaya. :))

Bagay! :D

Lunch with family, How cousins, Lawrence & Brz at David's Teahouse.

Hangout at church, waiting for mom to finish up some accounting tasks. I spent that free time practicing on the piano and playing with my new Soundcloud app. Here are some tunes I recorded today. Merry Christmas!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by zarahlim

Christmas is Coming by zarahlim

As For Me and My House at Tytana Building by zarahlim

Velo @ Freedom Bar

2011-12-24T00:47:00.001+08:00

December 19, 2011

My Velo friends and I went to Freedom bar to see Akasha play live (Mar Dizon is part of our Velo group). That night's gig was a special one because it was a fundraising gig for the victims of Typhoon Sendong. After the gig, we went to Pia's condo to spend the night. Velo is Love! ♥

VELO!

With THE Henry Katindig. Idol! :)

Christmas Eve at the Lim's

2011-12-24T00:39:00.001+08:00

Scrapbook materials! ♥

Wrapping presents - almost done.

Merienda time at 1 in the morning. Hot chocolate...

...and ham sandwich. :) Yum!

Merry Christmas! :)

11:01 PM

We just got home from dinner at Friday's. After dinner, we went to my cousin's place to check up on them. Now, we're doing a movie marathon - dad, mom and Abby are watching some Korean movie, while I'm still deliberating which of the many movies lined up should I watch first. Hehe.

Japan Home Center Haul: Wasabi Pencil Holder w/ Sharpener + Plastic Tie Clips

Wow!! Starstruck ako. Heehee! :)

Brooks Saddle

2011-12-17T01:18:00.001+08:00

Today I got myself a Brooks B17 saddle. Merry Christmas to me! :)

Thanks Lawrie & Brz for picking this up for me while I was partying at work. Haha. :))

Linus and Lucy (Almost There!)

2011-12-17T01:13:00.002+08:00

Linus and Lucy [Video]

2011-12-15T21:23:00.001+08:00

So as I've said in my previous post, I started learning the piece last night. I still have to learn the 2nd part of the piece. I want to perfect this 1st part muna before I proceed to the rest of the piece. :)

Linus and Lucy

2011-12-14T20:02:00.000+08:00

Practicing a (not so) new song. This is one of my favorites from the Charlie Brown Christmas album.

How to Make a Reading Nook in Your Room Wiki

2011-12-12T01:04:00.000+08:00

One of these days, I'm going to turn my room into a mini salon (no, not that salon where you have your hair done. I'm talking of the one where you get to entertain guests, since my room has become an extension of our living room already heehee:) slash mini library.

How to Make a Reading Nook in Your Room Wiki

Janey Updates: Makeup Tutorials | Booksale Haul

2011-11-29T22:59:00.000+08:00

Thanks to Xteener, I stumbled upon another great makeup guru: frmheadtotoe. Yay!

*

I went to Booksale again this afternoon since I had a few hours to spare before my 6pm class. I went through the shelves a number of times and on my last round (just before I gave up), I found these hidden well behind other books:

If you remember, it was just last Thursday when I went to the same branch of Booksale and scored 3 precious titles. Booksale really is one of my happy places in the world. :D

[zarah-isms101] Christmas is a Time to LOVE!

2011-11-25T00:05:00.000+08:00

As the song goes:
"Christmas is a time to love."
Kaya sana,
"Everyday Christmas, let it be not only once a year..."
Wag na tayong mag away-AWAY in a mANGER.

♥ Shalom! ♥

Booksale Loot!

2011-11-24T21:36:00.000+08:00

I just love that particular branch of Booksale near ASCM (Valero St.). Ilang bese na ako nakaka-jackpot. Heehee! :)

A Thanksgiving Story

2011-11-24T21:31:00.001+08:00

- Thursday, November 24, 2011 15:46

Here's another one for the books. While writing (typing this), I am still shaking, choked up, teary-eyed, and just plain AWED at how God works.

There I was, quietly working on the post-payroll tasks of printing the payslip and register when my superior came over and asked to speak with me. I thought I was going to be given a lecture on the state of my attendance these past months. But, to my amazement, she asked me to photocopy my registration form for this semester because she got me a sponsor for my studies (I don't know if just for this sem but that's beside the point)! ! ! Then, if that wasn't enough, she handed me the cash, after the lady working for the sponsor saw my grades last sem. Praise God!!

The funny thing is, it was just yesterday that I called my teacher asking if I can drop the course and resume next year because I didn't think I'd have the energy to finish until March, juggling work & studies. She encouraged me not to quit and told me she understands my situation but it would be a waste of a semester if I quit now. So I agreed to continue.

And just before my superior came to talk to me, what was I worrying about? Money. I was wondering what gadgets I could sell just so I could survive the next 15 days of limited cash.

God really works in amazing ways.

Lord, when I signed up for this journey, I knew it would take a real #stepoffaith. And it has been an amazing step after step, leading me to the knowledge that You are really in control of my life and that You love me. You are to be praised! THANK YOU LORD!

Hello, Mr. President!

2011-11-22T23:27:00.000+08:00

Of course, he wasn't the president yet when this photo was taken (COCOPEA, February 2010).

I stumbled upon that photo after I uploaded a batch of my studio pics from work. I just got the latest one and for once, I was pleased with the result. After 3 years of wanting to rip into pieces my (then) latest photo every time I got them, I finally had one that I actually liked. Just look at these photos, either my face was too fat or the digital artist (if you could even call him that, judging by his editing skills) had too much fun playing with my eyebags that in the end, he decided to leave me with none. Hay, pathetic.

SY 2007-2008
Actually, I like this one too. But this is where the artist totally removed by signature eyebas (yikes, haha!), giving me a puffed look. You couldn't see it in this shot kasi it's kinda blurred (sorry, our scanner's not working right now so I had to take a shot through my phone's camera).

SY 2008-2009
Ang. Taba. Ko. Dito. Eek.

SY 2010-2011
Here, I look sleepy. And unhealthy. Ugh.

So here's how my latest photo looks like:

SY 2011-2012
I look like my normal self. Yay. And my makeup is barely noticeable but it's there. And I'm totally rocking that red lips, donchathink? Haha! :))

Ume-A-Train at Tume-Take Five!

2011-11-19T00:38:00.004+08:00

Ever since I saw Emily Bear play the A-Train, I was inspired to re-learn my piano skills. I tried doing what she did about a few weeks ago, but it wasn't easy!! So I went back to the basics, studied other pieces muna, then came back to it. This afternoon (or yesterday, since it's already midnight of the 19th na!), I finally made some progress. Yay!

Disclaimer: This video is not perfect! But I'm proud of it because it's the product of my hard labor. Hehe! It was worth the hours of practicing. After more than 10 years of playing, I'm starting to really love playing the piano.

Here's another one, jamming with Lawrie. (Please excuse the camera angle. My phone is having problems standing upright on its own. So I place it sideways, and I'm too tamad to edit na. :D)

My take on Take Five:

Currently Reading: Who Switched Off My Brain? (Dr. Caroline Leaf)

2011-11-10T16:08:00.000+08:00

Click on the photo for more details.

My mom, knowing how stressed I am all the time, has been telling me to read this book for quite some time now. Today, I finally listened. And I'm really glad I did! I realized that I have been living a toxic life for at least 6 years now - ever since I started working. Little did I know that the "slight irritations" and "harmless rantings" have been building up inside me, thus causing toxic emotions leading to illnesses. What's great about this book is that it incorporates scientific facts with godly truths & wisdom. What God's Word has been saying all these years (regarding toxic thoughts - worry, unforgiveness, anxiety, rage, hatred, etc.) is now backed up with science. And Dr. Leaf did an amazing job explaining the scientific details which makes it easy to understand. I could vouch for that, since I'm not that good in Science. But hey, I got what she's saying and I'm thankful to God for that! So, goodbye toxic thoughts! Hello to good, clean, & healthy living!

Writer's Paycheck

2011-11-10T10:18:00.002+08:00

I got my first paycheck as a contributing writer for Vibal yesterday. :) :) :)
Thank you, Lord!

Hebrew 1: The Result

2011-11-08T23:21:00.000+08:00

Tonight was our first class for Hebrew 2. Our professor gave us our Hebrew 1 class cards back and I got a final grade of 95. Yahoo! Thank you Lord. :)

Velo Birthday & Calamba Ride

2011-11-08T23:10:00.003+08:00

November 6, 2011: Diane's birthday ride (CCP-Makati Ayala Triangle / Dinner)
November 7, 2011: Calamba Ride (Calamba to Los Banos Laguna - Lunch @ Kamayan sa Palaisdaan)

Cheers to good times and great company!

Battle scars: From my first major semplang Sunday night, on our way to Diane's birthday ride. It was already dark and it was raining. We were at Intramuros, and just before we turned the corner to the exit leading to the Round Table, we came upon a pothole. We've ridden Intramuros a number of times already so we're familiar with the roads, at least with where the humpsare and which side of the road to avoid because of potholes, etc. But that night, there was a new hole in the ground, and a fairly deep one at that. It was filled with water so I didn't get to see how deep it was. Lawrence was riding ahead of me and I already saw him almost get off balance but he was able to steady himself and continued on. But I was riding closely behind him so that by the time I reached the pothole, I wasn't able to change course. In went my front tire to the hole while the rest of my bike lurched forward. I was able to break my fall using my knees, hence the bruised area. I was still able to go to the ride, thank God, but I was in pain. I ignored it the whole time and refused to look at it. When I got home that night, I was still so scared to look at the damage, but I had to clean it up at some point. Buti nalang it was brownout then, so I got to see it for the first time by candle light. Haha! Good thing I was wearing pants that night, or else a nasty wound would be there along with the bruises.

At Ayala Triangle with VeloPH, celebrating Diane's __th birthday. :)

Nov.6: Calamba ride with VeloPH group.

Our ride that day was a total of 30km (one way). It's not that long, but it was really tiring because the weather was hot and the route was full of steep uphill/downhill roads. After 30km, the girls & Sir Mar (who had a gig that night so he had to reserve his energy) got in the support vehicle and rode all the way back to our starting point. The other 5 guys in our group survived the whole 60k ride. A round of applause to Lawrence, Brznf, Paul, Jayson & Doc Armand! *clap, clap, clap!!!* =)

At SM Calamba, where we met with the Gatdula boys

Water stop. It was freakin' hot that day, and I stupidly forgot to bring my arm warmer. Buti nalang I brought my head scarf.

We stopped by this waterfall. It was a hard climb up. I'm not really into hiking and mountain climbing - I'm scared slipping and falling on the slippery (and rocky) slopes. But when I saw the waterfall, the climb was really worth it!

We gave in when we saw that the water was not deep. I was hesitant to get my clothes all wet but he was really game about it. Hahaha!

Going down to resume biking. Next stop: UPLB.

VeloPH @ UPLB.

With the Lees & Ms. D.

After 30km of riding, we finally reached our destination: Kamayan sa Palaisdaan.

After lunch, it was naptime. Actually, it rained so we had no choice but to wait for it to let up. :)

More pictures:

On the way to Calamba, Laguna.

At SM, where we met with the Gatdula boys.

VeloPH @ the Rizal shrine.

"Woooooh!" - Full of endorphins! :))

Dampalit Falls

With another Velo couple, Paul and Pia. :)

The water was freezing cold, but we just had to have our photo taken. What an awesome creation of God!

I was tired but I didn't want to be a party pooper so I resisted the urge of getting into the support vehicle and just kept on pedalling.

At UPLB.

They told us that the roads beyond UPLB were smooth and fairly safe, so we risked riding without our helmets on. What a rush!

The roads were smooth and almost clear of vehicles, with the exception of a few tricycles here and there. The van behind us was our support vehicle.

Almost there...

Finally! Just when we all reached our destination, it rained. Good timing! :)

Tired, hungry, and ready for the food. Their crispy pata is to die for!

Photo credits to Diane Flaviano, Enjo Gatdula, Lawrence Tan and Brznf Yu.
Video credit to Lawrence Tan.

Piano

2011-11-06T00:15:00.000+08:00

October 31, 2011
While working on my Vibal project, I stumbled upon this video of a little girl playing the piano really well and I was so inspired to work on my note-reading and piano-playing skills once more.

For 12 years, I've been playing the keyboard in our church's worship band and I haven't been really practicing reading notes. I focused on chords, etc., and now I realize I've been selling myself short. I have this knowledge that was taught to me, invested on me by my parents, and here I am just putting them to waste. So, for the paset fetw days I've started practicing the piano again. I'm nowhere near Emily, and I have so much more to learn and relearn, but I am determined to really do it right this time. Time to put that talent to good use.

As I reflect on this further, I remember the story of the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). And I know that I can do more for God because the One who bestows talents to His creatures is my Heavenly Father! I just have to really be serious about this and work real hard to develop what He has already given me.

Here's a few clips of my practice sessions. Lawrence, bless him, has been very kind about all this and is actually helping & encouraging me to practice, practice, practice! :)

Channeling Ms. Tapia

2011-11-05T23:46:00.000+08:00

November 2, 2011
At the office...

Solo Bimodal Trip

2011-10-26T21:21:00.002+08:00

Today, I conquered my fear of riding solo. Unplanned trips work best for me because then, I don't get to overthink things. Acting on the urge of riding solo to Makati, I got my stuff ready and got Georgie out of the house before I could change my mind. My main worry was that I'll get lost; but, I trusted my instincts (and Google maps!) and I got to my destination without any difficulty. I took the train from Bambang to Gil Puyat, and from there, pedaled all the way to Valero St. Upon reaching my school, I folded my bike, left it by the guard station, and proceeded to the office to get an assessment for my 2nd sem courses.

While waiting for the train..

Aftewards, Lawrence met with me and from Makati, we rode all the way to MOA for dinner. It was sort of a belated 100-months celebration since we weren't able to go out yesterday because I had to work. After dinner, we rode our bikes home and needless to say, I loved every minute of it! :)

Thanks to this Dimpa bag, I was able to carry Georgie plus our helmets & some other stuff inside the mall without any hassle.

Right after biking, we're still on an endorphin-high. :D

Century

2011-10-23T23:48:00.000+08:00

This photo was taken yesterday, 3 days before we celebrate our first century month together. ♥

Today at Sunday School: 2011 Bible Memory Challenge

2011-10-23T23:27:00.000+08:00

The winners of this year's Bible Challenge: Abegail, Marjorie & Ghoseph.
You did great! Congratulations! :)

The winners, surrounded by the Sunday School team, together with the other two finalists - Jonathan & Jamaica.

After 15 months

2011-10-22T10:16:00.001+08:00

My SSS ID finally arrived in the mail yesterday. 15 months!http://dontcallmejaney.blogspot.com/2010/07/enduring-cross-of-getting-sss-id.html?m=0

Jazzin' Manila

2011-10-16T20:20:00.000+08:00

Thanks, Sir Mar Dizon, for the tickets! :)
_____
Photo credit to Brznf Yu.
Thanks Brz!

Happy 10th Anniversary, Sushiyum!

2011-10-09T20:52:00.000+08:00

One of my favorite places here in Binondo!

Art Bike - October 1, 2011

2011-10-03T00:23:00.000+08:00

Velo! (Photo by Brznf Yu)


At Intramuros, Manila. (Photo by Brznf Yu)

The Ladies! (Photo by Ms. Tina DC)

With Mr. Howie Severino, who also joined the tour. (Photo by Brznf Yu)

The Spolarium. Breathtaking!

Pet Peeves: Expressions

2011-10-03T00:04:00.001+08:00

There are a few expressions which I've been hearing (or seeing, as with today's social networking culture) nowadays which I really find - well, for lack of a better term - irritating.

Off the top of my head, I can think of the 5 that irritates me the most. And without further ado, here they are (in random order):

TAMAAAAAAAAAAAA - especially with the following spelling and pronunciation variations: "Tomoooh", "Tumuh", "Tawmah"...
PAK! - as in "Ang taray ng outfit mo ngayon ha. Parang artista lang. PAK!"
IKAW NA! - "Ikaw na magaling, ikaw na matalino, ikaw na ang maganda, IKAW NAAAAAAH."
YOU ALREADY! - Obviously, this is the English version of #3. Bakit kailangan may English version pa!? Bakit?? Bakeeeeeeeeet?!?!
BONGGANG-BONGGA - "Natawa ako ng bonggang-bongga." or "Huwag na huwag kang magkakamali, kundi sisigawan ka niya ng bonggang-bongga."

Gold (זהב)

2011-09-29T01:07:00.001+08:00

It's my mama's birthday today! Happy birthday my dear momsie! I love you so, so much!

Dear Lord,

Thank you for my mom. Aside from all her sacrifices for the family, perhaps the one thing that I am most grateful for is her unshakeable devotion to You. It was she who first became a Christian in our family, and it was through her faithful prayers that won my dad to You, and eventually us kids. Truly, one must never underestimate the power of a prayerful wife/mom. I'm grateful for her life, her example to us of what a wife / mom should be. Lord, may You grant her the desires of her heart. Bless her with good health & long life. Most of all, may You continue to anoint & use her for Your glory. All these I ask in Jesus' name, amen!

Pedring Strikes Manila

2011-09-27T19:28:00.000+08:00

September 27, 2011

When I woke up this morning, there was no electricity. It turns out that power has been out in most homes in Metro Manila. I remember around this time 2 years ago, when Ondoy was wreaking havoc in Metro Manila, and I came to wonder if this is part 2? Anyway, when power came to our house around 4pm this afternoon, I immediately logged on to the net and checked the news. I saw the damages done to Roxas Blvd and other parts of the city. Here are some screen shots I gathered as people tweeted pics in their area on the havoc caused by Pedring

Flooded streets in Lawton, Manila.

Knee-high floodwaters in front of the US Embassy.

Roxas Boulevard, ruined by strong waves from the Manila Bay.
This is so sad, considering this is where we usually bike. :(

Toppled lamp posts along Roxas Blvd.

I'm grateful to have my family right here with me, safe & sound. I'm grateful to have a roof over my head, a bed to keep us warm, and a family to bond with during this time of house arrest. My thoughts go to those who have nowhere to go, the homeless, especially the kids & old people living in the streets. Lord, please spare us. :( But in all these, we will put our trust in YOU, knowing that You are a great, merciful & loving God.

The Weekend When I Didn't Get Enough Sleep

2011-09-26T16:09:00.000+08:00

So now that our report is over and done with, I can breathe again... NOT!

Class ended 2 hours than the agreed time of dismissal, so after that, I rushed back to church for band practice and to do the bulletin.

Last day of our Introduction to Theology class, with Prof. Jose Abraham.

When I got to church, they were still having a birthday celebration for one of our youth leaders, so practice started late.

This is why we started late:

The girls, trying to "carry" the bday girl Carrie. :))
(We couldn't get up. Haha!)

By that time, I was already having one of my painful bouts of headache, and I still had to do the bulletin for the next day. I had no choice but to work through the pain. I was having second thoughts whether to join Lawrence on the Fun Run thing he was telling me, since I still had lots to do and I wasn't feeling so good. But by the time I was photocopying the bulletin, I decided to go. I needed to take a break from the routine things I do week after week, month after month, year after year. Plus, I needed to see other people besides the usual people I come in contact with. So, despite the discomfort I was feeling, I told him I'm coming with him.

Since we were going to be heading straight to the church service the next day right after the fun run, we went to my house to get some change of clothes. Then we rode to Bambang LRT station, hoping to catch the last train. When we got there, we found out that we missed the train, so we hopped on our bikes and rode all the way to Lawrence's place in Caloocan. I was marveling the whole time about the relaxing powers of biking. I left Binondo with a headache and a body that was screaming for bedtime, but the moment we started pedaling, I was exhilirated, rejuvenated, and revived with energy. When we arrived in Caloocan, we had a late dinner, then he grabbed a change of clothes for himself and then his parents, bless their kind hearts, drove us to QC so that we could spend the night at our friend's place which is near the venue of the fun run.

I only had an hour of sleep then it was already time to get up and get ready to go to the venue. Our call time was 4am. From there, it was a whole blur of activity.

Lawrence as the 4k runners' bike pacer.

Pia, Gay & Abby - We were designated as the official cheerers for the runners. Every time they pass by, we go "Whoo! You can do it!" Haha! Fun! Pia & I also rang our bike's bells for added encouragement.

Lawrence, on his 2nd lap around QC circle.

Afterwards, we went back to Pia's place to get our things, and then we pedaled our way to Gilmore station to take the train back to Recto and again, bike all the way to Binondo for our church service. The bimodal transport took us around 30 minutes to cover QC to Binondo. This break in our Sunday routine really made me appreciate change in our usual lifestyle.

Percy rides the train.

P.S. After service, I went straight to bed and woke up 9 hours later. Haha! After getting myself some snacks, I went to sleep again, making up for that one night where I didn't get to sleep well.

P.P.S. It was our 99 months together. ♥

Lawrenzara, 99months at 9.25.11 (do the math..9.9.9.2+5+1+1)!

Theology, Loot Bags & Martha Stewart

2011-09-24T00:26:00.000+08:00

After a number of postponed meetings, two or more weeks of stress, and lots of prayers, FINALLY, we will get to report tomorrow in our Theology class.

Our group will report on the topic of eating food offered to idols - whether or not it is okay, proving our stand based on the 4 theological methods we have learned (Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience).

Anyway, as I was writing my script for tomorrow, I had this idea of incorporating my share in the after-class potluck (Binondo's all-time favorite pasalubong: hopia) with my object lesson. So, I bought the goodies after work today, and with a little help from good 'ol Martha Stewart, I made these simple loot bags:

Front view of the loot bag says "Enjoy." I got the template here.

Back view of the loot bag has a "Z" in it. Para alam kung kanino galing ang goodie bag. :) I got the template here.

Working laboriously on the labels. :) I just LOVE doing things like these. You can even ask my Sunday School kids! Haha!

The loot bag was supposed to come with a hopia inside, but I didn't know how to pack 3 different kinds (Ube, Black Mongo, and Pineapple) of hopia in one loot bag. How would I know who likes which flavor of hopia??? So I resorted to the easiest solution: LET THEM CHOOSE. Hehehe! I'll pass around the pastry and they decide for themselves which yummy-flavored hopia to get. FYI, those three are my favorite. I also like the classic mongo flavor better than the black mongo, but I didn't buy them because they're over-rated na. I figured my classmates would get a kick out of these unique-flavored hopia which they could only get in Binondo. Oh, and by the way, the Ube hopia didn't come from Ho-Land. I got it from Eng Bee Tin, the home store of the famous Mr. Ube himself. :)

I actually got the idea of loot bags and goodies from Ms. Daphne Osena-Paez' blog entry about her kid's birthday party. I just love her blog! *fan mode*

So anyway, back to my report. I'll be glad when this class is over & done with. There's just too much stress exerted in this seemingly "easy" 3-session class. What stressed me out the most was not the lesson itself, but dealing with groupmates with different personalities. It's been a while since I've worked with a new team. I've been working in the same company for 6 years now, and over 10 years in church ministry, so working with a new group just reminded me how I needed to place myself out there and learn to relate with other people. I'm not really a "group-work" type of person so this has been a real challenge for me. Our problems centered on group deadlines, communication, and scheduling. But I'm glad we were able to work things out in the end. I guess that's the beauty of working with brothers and sisters in Christ. No matter how much friction you get, in the end, you all remember who you're really working for (Jesus!). :)

So, good luck to us tomorrow. Lord, I've done my part. I'll do my best tomorrow, please help me & my group to do well & more, all for YOUR glory. Amen.

First Solo Bimodal Ride - Lourd De Veyra Book Signing - Bike Jamming with VeloPH

2011-09-10T23:42:00.000+08:00

Today is one of my most fulfilling experience in bike-commuting.

First destination: Caloocan Bethel AG (near Caloocan City Hall & La Consolacion College)
I biked from our house in Binondo to Bambang LRT station. I prefer Bambang station over Carriedo (which is actually nearer to my place) because the former has a bigger space convenient for folding the bike before taking it up to the railway.

Because it was early on a Saturday morning, the first train I encountered contained only a few passengers and I was even able to get a seat. When we reached Monumento station, I got out and carried my bike over to the exit area. I noticed that the guards are really nice and eager to help out; in fact, two of them insisted that they help me carry my bike down the stairs. They wouldn't take no for an answer (parang gusto lang ma-experience buhatin yung bike, haha!) so I relented. After unfolding it, I said thanks and biked my way over to my first destination.

My first solo bimodal trip.

Second destination: The Fort - Bonifactio Global City
This time, Lawrence came with me. From Caloocan, we biked to 5th Avenue (same reason as to why I prefer Bambang station) to catch a train to Gil Puyat station. Then from there, we biked all the way to The Fort. We were going to have my book signed by Lourd de Veyra.

With The Lourd.

Our copy.

Kimmie's copy.

Third destination:
After the book signing. we headed to Makati to meet with other bikers for a biking/dinner/open jam night.

Lawrence, jamming with Nityalila, Miko Pepito, and Sir Mar Dizon.
(Please excuse the crappy quality of my photo. I used my phone coz I didn't bring my camera. Sayang.)

Last destination:
Biked all the way from The Collective (Malugay St. Makati) over to Pasay then straight to Binondo. Home sweet home! :)

Bike to Work Day: C'mon let's ride!

2011-09-07T17:46:00.001+08:00

As of this writing, I am still on an endorphin high.

I biked to and from work today 4 times:
1. To the office (morning)
2. Home for lunch
3. To the office (afternoon)
4. Home after work

My ride came with its own "blessing" from heaven - a refreshing drizzle which didn't do me any harm and kept me from being all sweaty. On my last trip (homebound) there was no drizzle at all, just a sweet, cold weather that is best for riding.

Because of today's ride, my expenses for the day totaled to... *drumroll please!*... P0.00! I saved 60 bucks on transportation fee and around P120 for lunch. Yay!!

I have two bikes: Percy the Peerless Lite, and Georgie the Gogo Bike. In case you were wondering which of my bikes I brought , it was the latter. :) No sweat taking it up and down the stairs at home.

Heading out of the house...

Posing for a photo before carrying Georgie down the stairs.

Arrived at my workplace, 8 minutes later.

A Junkie's Confession

2011-09-06T22:34:00.005+08:00

I'm a self-confessed junkie. A junk-food addict, that is. (Call me Junkie Pakyaw - ang taga pakyaw ng junk foods. Hahaha!) And this is a must-have in my junk-food stash these days:

Not too salty. Definitely not sweet. It doesn't make your heart feel like it's constricting and giving out after that last piece of chicharon-y goodness. There's nothing fishy about it. In fact, my olfactory and gustatory systems definitely approve! Oh, and best of all, it's really, really cheap, as in P23.00 cheap! Oh ha! Swak na swak sa budget! Haha!

I love reading the short background story and description at the back of the junk food packets. Here's what it says in Super Chips. (Notice the simple English, splattering of "---" and the emphasis on pertinent words by using the Caps Lock key. Grammar police that I am, I'd normally rant about little things such as these; but for the love of Super Chips, I'd readily forgive!)

During the 50's & the 60's, before the proliferation of "artificial flavors, artificial colors, and food additives," snack food then were made "naturally," with ingredients that are plain fresh, wholesome and "NATURAL." During those "Good Old Days," there was a "CHICHARON" that taste so different from all the others. It was just plain "DELICIOUS." We can find them in almost all sari-sari stores in "glass garapon." They were good "pasalubong." Then in the 70's it "disappeared." (This actually emitted a snicker from me - "disappeared." Mashadong nawili sa pag quote-unquote. Hahaha!)

(eto pang isa!) Now "IT'S BACK." (IKR!?) The same "CHICHARON," made in the same way, with Natural Ingredients, with the same delicious taste. Try it and relive the Good Old Days.

Baguio Getaway

2011-08-30T17:33:00.000+08:00

I spent the long weekend at Baguio with friends. The original plan was to bike around the city, but the storm didn't go away as expected so we didn't get to do as planned (save for the boys who spent a couple of hours braving the rain and the cold with their bikes while us girls spent that time relaxing at the spa). But it was still a very fun, relaxing trip. All of us shared one big bedroom, and every night we would gather around the fireplace and swapped jokes & stories. Fun!

9PM: The (strong) rain came as soon as we got off the bus.
Praise God for a safe trip!

Waiting for the rains to let up...

Rainy weather = freezing cold in Baguio City.

New Project!

2011-08-27T23:38:00.003+08:00

I'll write more about this soon. For now, let me just reiterate just how good God is! At just the right moment, he came through with His promise of providing for my every need. Thank you so much Lord! To You be all the glory & praise!
-
(Edit):

So I got the details from Ma'am Joy today. Basically, I have to create and write interactive activities for the material given to me. This is great because I get to write and actually get published, and my output will actually help students all over the country in their studies. Exactly what I wanted to do in life - teach & write. And I'm not even working as a faculty, at least not yet! Truly, God is behind all of this!

(Edit 10/9/11):
So I already submitted the first installment (proposal) of the project requirements based on the contract they sent. I submitted 2 days before the deadline (Sept 15). 2 days later, I got an email from them saying they will review my work first...

I'm still waiting...
...
...

This is A Crazy Planets

2011-08-22T19:39:00.000+08:00

I finally got myself a copy of Lourd de Veyra's book This is A Crazy Planets - a compilation of his blog in Spot.ph.

Super laughtrip! :)) My fave (so far) is his writeup about the Sando. Haha!

Happy Birthday Abby!

2011-08-19T13:15:00.000+08:00

Today, my baby sister turns 18.

Happy birthday dear Gracegrace! We love you! :)

Happy birthday to

2011-08-18T00:08:00.000+08:00

My Dad - He's awesome! :)

and

My One & Only - He's handsome! :)

Vanity Shots and All That Jazz...

2011-08-17T23:50:00.001+08:00

Mark my word. The day will come when you will look at your photos and see all your vain photos (i.e. scrunched up noses with matching pouty lips; "kagat-dila" with matching "Candy wink") and say to yourself, "WHAT THE HECK WAS I THINKING?"

For me, that day has arrived. Here are some of my past pa-cute photos which I swear I will never, ever do again.

The classic Scrunched-up look: Looking as if you're smelling something funny, but really, you're just making pa-cute.

Another version of the Scrunched-up look.

The "may laman ang bibig - missing upper lip (Happy version)" look.
A variation of the Scrunched-up look, only less irritating.

The "may laman ang bibig - missing upper lip (Sad version)" look. Seriously, WHAT WAS I THINKING? I don't remember if I was trying to be cute, but this just takes these vanity shots into a whole new level of irritating. ARGH!


The "Kim Sam Soon" pose. Ugh. Don't know who Kim Sam Soon is? Type "KIM SAM SOON POSE" in Google Search & you'll see. :) Here are sample photos from that search:

I just woke up one day and found myself being annoyed looking at all the vain photos posted all over FB by all sorts of friends & acquaintances.

The best photos for me nowadays are those that convey real emotions, like this:

Real emotions which show the real person. No need to make pa-cute. If you're really cute, you don't need to be vain about it. Diba? :) (Yes, I'm getting old.....)

And now, the best part. I think this photo will make an awesome poster which can be used against all those pa-cuteness na naglipana sa FB. So, without further ado, my masterpiece:

NO TO PA-CUTE PHOTOS!!!!!!

BWAHAHA! :))

God Provides!

2011-08-15T09:09:00.003+08:00

Hallelujah!

Just last night, I was saying to my older sis that I wish my paycheck today (Aug 15th) will miraculously multiply (somewhat like the story of Feeding the 5,000, only the bread is now dough - haha!). Three people in my family are having their birthday this week (Dad & Lawrie on the 17th; Abby on the 19th), and I was wondering if I'd be able to survive, especially because this is the year that I no longer have my tutor fee to fall back on. But, God really proved Himself to be faithful! Today, less than an hour at work, I was handed an envelope. It had my name on it. Apparently, some 'good soul' included me in his/her list of good works for the day. I looked inside and there was... dough! Praise God! :)

Indeed, GOD is all that I need. He alone is my Provider; not my job, not my sideline jobs - these are just His instruments to provide for me. Take them all away, I'm still secure in the knowledge that I'd be all right because He will take care of me. Now, isn't that just so awesome of Him? Thank you so much Lord! And may you bless "that person" more and more!

I Hit Another Jackpot @ Booksale!

2011-08-14T23:04:00.001+08:00


After going through the whole store for the third time, I found this just when I was about to leave the store!

Georgie's 1st Trip to Intramuros

2011-08-06T23:18:00.000+08:00

Georgina (a.k.a. Georgie), a 14-inch beauty.


GoGo Bike is now available at Peerless Folding Bike. Click here for price & product description of the GoGo Bike Vigor.

With my regular biking buddies.

The GoGoBike - highly recommended for women.
It rides really well and can be carried easily for bimodal commuting.

I wish I was 6 again...

2011-08-05T23:36:00.000+08:00

Meet Georgina

2011-08-04T22:15:00.000+08:00

Special delivery!

He hooked my bike on his Brompton's bike rack and pedaled all the way to Makati to deliver my new bike. :)

After my exam, he was waiting outside the gate, ready to guide me bike part of the way home (I'm not yet confident enough to bike by myself. Makati, with all the buses and jeepneys, is still too scary for me. Binondo girl here!) Before going home, we stopped by Wabi-Sabi over at The Collective. Yay!

Our bikes, parked outside WS.

Suelas

2011-08-02T17:39:00.000+08:00

I 've been meaning to buy myself a nice pair of flats for some time now. It took me so long because my shoe-fund always gets "consumed" (read: used for eating out. Haha!) before it reaches the desired amount. But my need for a new pair eventually exceeded my need to eat, hence my most recent (online) purchase.

I came across Suelas through Patty Laurel's blog. I was delighted with their collection, and with its promised portability, I vowed to try at least once. But then I realized, I had to measure my foot just to get the right shoe size. I'm too lazy with all things that needs measuring, so I hesitated. But the other day, I found myself in a rare "let's-get-this-thing-over-with-and-start-measuring!" moment, and so measure I did. I even drew my foot on a piece of paper... for good measure (haha!!). Thankfully, I got my size right (my shoe fits perfectly just like Cinderella's glass slippers fits hers! nyahaha...).

What I like about Suelas:
1. Lots of designs to choose from.
2. Reasonable prices.
3. Fast, easy, and hassle-free transactions.
4. Comfortable fit.
5. Shoe can be flattened and folded, making it a great space saver in my bag (I usually bring an extra footwear, just coz I'm OC like that).
6. It comes with its own bag, designed for its shoes' foldable quality.

Rediscovering Anne Shirley

2011-07-29T17:19:00.001+08:00

Anne kept me company on the long commute home from school.:), a photo by zarahlim on Flickr.

The long commute from Makati to Binondo bores me to death so I decided to bring an actual book to keep me company. That has been my practice before I got Ophelia and filled her with ebooks. But then, I realized, I couldn't use them to pass time while in a jeep or in a bus - lots of shady characters wandering all around, you know. So it's back to good "old-fashioned"-you can actually-read-even-without-batteries books for me.

Today, I browsed a bit at the Booksale near my school (!!*big grin*!!) and tried to look for a book that is not cheesy, nor sappy; neither boring, nor trying too hard to be a good one but obviously just doesn't make the cut. I must have gone over the shelves for at least five times before I saw Anne tucked in a corner. She was hiding behind old Sweet Valley High novels. I didn't have to think twice about buying the book. I grabbed it, and held on to it, but not before looking for other books in the series. Finding none, I declared my book-hunt done for the day and rushed to the counter to pay for my book.

I loved Anne when I was a kid. I loved her again when I re-read the whole series just a few years ago, when Abby & I went on another Anne-Shirley phase of borrowing the books from the library. And now, I'm rediscovering, once again, why I love this series: she and I are kindred spirits. Haha! :))

Anyway, here are a couple of quotes that I like from this book:

(On the Different Kinds of Silence)
"Have you ever noticed how many different silences there are, Gilbert? The silence of the woods....of the shore...of the meadows...of the night....of the summer afternoon. All different because all the undertones that thread them are different. I'm sure if I were totally blind and insensitive to heat and cold I could easily tell just where I was by the quality of the silence about me."

(On Italics and Expressing One's Self)
"There go more italics! But a few italics really do relieve your feelings."

Kindred spirits. What did I tell you? :)

A Silly Song About Sneezing

2011-07-27T15:28:00.001+08:00

I am still recovering from a very bad sneezing bout / influenza attack / slight asthma which started last Monday. I had to go home Monday after lunch because my sneezing was starting to get worse and I was having trouble breathing. To avoid spreading germs in our cramped, air-conditioned office, I decided to finally go home. I also realized that I left my Ventolin inhaler at home so I really had no choice. Good thing, though, because a few hours later, I started to have a fever.

Tuesday, I was in bed all day. I had to miss my class at ASCM - my 2nd absence - and it pained me more than you could ever imagine. I worried about not being able to take the quiz again, plus I was anxious about not being able to hand in my assignment which I worked on the night before, fever and all. But I had no choice; with the storm, plus my present condition, I had no other choice but to stay home.
(Edit: I found out today from my teacher that our class did not meet last Tuesday because the school decided to suspend classes as well. Thank God!!!)

Today, classes were suspended by DepEd in all levels. Abby's classes in Ateneo were also cancelled so we spent the day at home. She stumbled upon these new videos of Larry and his silly songs and she got so excited. She looooved Larry then and she still loves him now. She found one that fits my condition (well, yesterday, more like. I'm not sneezing that much today as compared to yesterday).

Dear Office Bandits: A Video For You

2011-07-27T15:18:00.000+08:00

Good 'ol Larry and his silly songs! I'm starting to like this guy (er, cucumber) more & more. :)

Real Life Drama

2011-07-25T00:02:00.001+08:00

A huge drama happened at our house this morning (which was my fault) causing me to (eeep!) pack up & leave (I'm home now, as of this writing so you can stop holding your breath now.. Haha). I ended up walking from our house (Binondo) to CCP. I needed some alone time and what better way to think than when walking around town on your own. All the time I was wishing for Percy but I stupidly left him at home (I couldn't ride it anyway, with me carrying two oversized bags filled with clothes & stuff, including my hard-bound (read:heavy) Hebrew Primer.

When I got to CCP, I saw that Cinemalaya is now showing in their theaters so I decided to check it out. I ended up buying a ticket to watch Nino. I had plenty of time to spare before the movie starts so I browsed around Harbor Square. I ended up buying myself a pair of comfy shoes since my feet were screaming in pain from all the walking I did and my slippers just gave me a blister. I also passed time by doing advance study for my 6pm class.

By this time, Lawrence was already up and after knowing of my situation, he decided to meet up with me. We ended up watching the movie together, as well as hanging out in PICC before I had to go to class. We walked all the way from CCP to Buendia and there we went our separate ways - he rode his bike to Makati while I commuted.

I love this shot - looks serene and peaceful amidst the turbulence going on inside me.

After class, he was waiting for me already. Apparently, he ran into my parents while dropping off some of my stuff. They got talking and he was immediately tasked as our unofficial mediator. It took him sometime, but in the end, he succeeded to convince me of going home.

So, here I am...

I'm not proud of what I did. As of this writing, I have yet to talk with my parents. But I am so grateful to God for Lawrence. Not once did I feel any judgment from him, just loving acceptance and patient listening. He just dropped everything he was supposed to do today just so he could be there to support and look out for me. What a blessing!

(Scheduled post.)

Martha Stewart Wannabe

2011-07-22T16:39:00.001+08:00

As I browse through the Martha Stewart website, I couldn't help but notice this feeling of excitement building up inside me as I look into potential projects I can make. I've always loved making scrapbooks and other crafty things, and so I'm really lookin forward to starting a new project. If I will have to quit my job an start a business of my own, I'd like it to be something Martha Stewart-ish. Haha! :)) (This recent fascination with MS is due to the fact that I read and got inspired by Daphne Osena-Paez' posts about planning and preparing for her daughters' birthday celebrations. :)

Makeup Phases and Other Kikay Stories

2011-07-16T17:04:00.001+08:00

I've always loved everything girly and kikay ever since I was a little girl. There was this one time, when I was about 8 or 9 years old, when I overheard one of my mom's friends comment that I was always made up even when my agenda for the day was to play outside and that "there's not a hair out of place." Haha!

Well, now, I'm still that girl. I may have gotten estranged with my comb (my wavy hair actually looks better without too much combing - mas maayos pa kesa magsuklay so I leave it alone most of the time), I
now have this fascination with makeup.

I could say that I am progressing with my use of makeup. In high school, I got my first ever powder compact (Pond's). It was a big thing for me - getting a major upgrade from nail polish (my elementary kikay phase) to skin care! After that big step to young womanhood, I got crazy trying out different brands of face powders. Let's see...
There was Pond's, but it was expensive and so I stopped buying them (not budget friendly enough for a highschool girl like me). So I tried J&J Teen Essentials but, sadly, it was not hiyang for my sensitive skin. I even tried this cleanser/powder with a matte finish (I forgot the brand) and enjoyed using it for sometime. Then I discovered Clean and Clear which was great for my skin, and so I was a loyal user until recently when I changed brands (more about that later)! Of course, a young teenager's kikay kit is not complete without lipgloss, and boy was I crazy for them too! But my favorite was this Kiwi-flavored lippy my bestfriend had. I used to borrow her pot of lipgloss so much that she started complaining coz I used up most of it already. Haha!! :))

In college, I discovered the wonderful world of blush. My mom had this powder blush from Covergirl and I "borrowed" it from her - she doesn't wear makeup anyway! But then I found that gel and liquid blushes are better because it stays on longer, despite sweltering heat and oily faces. I love HerBench's Pretty When Pinched blush. I used to buy the ones in a tube but I switched to the liquid one coz it's more matipid - one bottle can last for months!

My godmother told me then that lipsticks were made from fish scales. I don't know if it's true, but that made an impact to me. My imagination always went in the direction of me having lips covered with fish scales - kadiri! So I swore that I will never use lipsticks. I also swore I wouldn't use eyeshadow and foundation because that's just too much. But of course, I ate my words. About two years after I started working, I discovered this girl who gives really great makeup tutorial in Youtube (xteener). I found her tips easy to follow and she explains really well. Plus, she has this charming looks & attitude when she goes about her tutorials, unlike others who gives tips and scares you easily because afterwards, they just look (pardon the word) slutty. Not cool. Anyway, Xteener was my biggest influence in learning how to apply makeup. So of course, I was encouraged to try using eyeliners, eyeshadows, foundation, mascara, etc.

So now, I keep my makeup in 4 (or 5 or 6?) compartments. Haha! I don't use them all, I just acquired most of it through impulse buying while the others are gifts from generous donors.:)

I've had different phases in makeup journey. I had my eyeshadow phase, my blush phase, my lipgloss phase, and my barely-there phase.

Right now, I'm into the Natural, Sun-Kissed Glow look. I use:

Maybelline BB Cream - my recent must-have. I started using this last December and I still haven't used it all up. A small tube goes a loooong way! I also love the smooth, natural finish it gives my skin.

Body Shop Tea Tree Concealer - Covers up imperfections while treating them. Plus, it stays on longer than the liquid stuff.

Maybelline Clear Smooth Face Powder -smooth coverage, natural look, does not cause my skin to break out

HerBench Pretty When Pinched Liquid Blush - I already covered this.;)

SkinFood Eyeliner - pain free application unlike eyeliner pencils, plus it comes with matching smudger for a softer line.

Chapstick lipbalm, Penshoppe Lipgloss - I love Penshoppe's collection - inexpensive but with nice colors to choose from.

Skin Care:
Ever since I discovered Celeteque a few years back, I've been a loyal user ever since. It works great on my skin, and it doesn't make me prone to breakouts.

I've also started using Olay Anti-Ageing cream every night. I'm starting to see lines (gasp!!) and dark spots (yikes!) on my face and at first, I was bothered but then I just had to accept that I'm not getting any younger. Haha! :))

So that's all for now. I'll make another post when I get to the next phase of my makeup "journey". :)

So Long, My Friend

2011-07-15T14:11:00.002+08:00

Yesterday, I received a very sad news. One of my high school classmates passed away because of a heart attack. She was my friend and I was really surprised to hear this. She wrote this on her Twitter account, exactly 4 months before the tragic event happened:

live life as if it was the last day of your life....=) web • 3/13/10 13:27

Cliche but very true, especially in this situation and four months into the future. I'd like to think that Jaramie is in a better place now. I don't know if she had a relationship with God, but it's too late to think about it. What matters is that we who are still alive will not waste time. Accept Christ's gift of salvation NOW. NOW is the time for salvation. You never know when your end will come so please, receive Christ NOW. Here's how:

A: Admit that you are a sinner. Romans 3:23
Because of sin, we deserve to die, but because of Jesus Christ, we have hope! We can have eternal life! Romans 6:23

B: Believe in Jesus Christ - that He is God and that He came to earth, died for our sins, and He rose again! Acts 2:29-38; 4:12

C: Confess that from now on, Jesus Christ is your Savior and the Lord/Master of your life. Romans 10:9-10; John 1:12

Make that decision now, don't wait until it's too late. Give your heart to the One who made you and you can be sure that you will never regret it.

For those who have already accepted Jesus in their hearts, live each day as if it were your last. Fulfill God's purpose for your life - work hard in spreading His love to your family and friends and to everyone you meet. You are still alive for a reason; your mission in life is not yet finished. So go and impact others for Christ while you can.

-

Lord, thank you for Jaramie's life. I pray that you will bring peace and comfort to her family & loved ones in this time of sorrow. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Facebook Status Posts

2011-07-06T22:20:00.000+08:00

These days, I've seen my FB contacts' statuses go from bad to worse. Here are the top 3 on today's nonsense posts:

#3: Tired.

#2: Blah...

#1: LBM!...

Need I say more?

Young Janey

2011-07-01T19:42:00.003+08:00

At my Kindergarten graduation. Nagmo-moment! Lol!, a photo by zarahlim on Flickr.

My classmate back in elementary (he's the one behind me in the picture) recently uploaded some old photos during his HCHS days. Then he started tagging us and with it brought lots of good memories. Comments filled with reminiscing moments as well as some personal realizations, and some radical/not-so-radical physical transformations. Some of them doesn't look anywhere near their 6-year-old self, while some, like me, did not change at all. Just look at the header of this blog and the photo in this post:

This particular photo was taken during our Kindergarten graduation. I have to give it to the photographer (I'm guessing it's either one of Rom's parents), they captured me looking like I was having a moment -- and I was, because I graduated top of my class that day. Say it with me: VA-LE-DIC-TOR-IAN! Hehehe! My biggest, shining moment in all my academic experiences. :))

Fete de la Musique 2011

2011-06-26T16:12:00.000+08:00

This is how we celebrated our 8th anniversary:

Watching the Bossa act (check out the Michael Alba!) at the Jazz Stage, Scarlet Wine Lounge;

...the Jazz act featuring The Affinity (Johnny Alegre, Colby de la Calzada, and ...

....and Sir Mar Dizon).Sabi nga nung emcee: one smoking hot set! :)

Lawrenzara @ 8 years

Unexpected Birthday Blessing

2011-06-21T23:16:00.001+08:00

Today I received a cheque dated June 17, 2011. In it was the amount of my tuition fee for my 1st semester at ASCM. The FULL AMOUNT - imagine that! I was so overwhelmed with how God provided for me at my time of need. Again, His answer came just in time. Praise God!

Truly, when we put our faith in God, we will never come out empty-handed.

Thank you, Lord!I pray that You will continue to pour out your blessing upon HCHS, the Board, Sir Pedro, the sponsors, and Ma'm Tina.

-

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below,
Praise Him all ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son, & Holy Ghost!

Hebrew vs. Chinese

2011-06-21T10:43:00.001+08:00

I'm still at my early stages of learning Hebrew. My greatest dilemma for now is that I usually get my Chinese and Hebrew all mixed up. I usually confuse Hebrew's ח with Chinese's 冂 so instead of reading it as "CH", I read it as "MM". O.o #multilingualdilemmas

Zarah's Birthday Surprise from Firebrands Kids & Youth

2011-06-19T15:38:00.000+08:00

Today at BFGFC, we celebrated Father's Day. My dad preached about the 5 Essentials of Fatherhood (Prayer, Purpose, Patience, Play, and Praise). Only a few dads were in attendance this morning and I pray that we will see this number grow in the near future. A dad's ultimate role in the family, more than providing and protecting them, is to lead his wife and kids to the Lord.

Ptra. Angie praying a prayer of blessing for the fathers in BFGFC.

Anyway, after the service, I was asked to go upstairs. I knew they were cooking up some surprise for my birthday (because it's already a tradition in our youth ministry to "surprise" and make the bday celebrant feel special on her bday) so I braced myself, all the while mentally reminding myself to "look surprised." (haha!) When I got upstairs, I realized that the I didn't have to act because I was really surprised. I saw the kids all lined up, each of them holding a single blue rose plus a letter from the acrostic they made (which spelled HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZJ). They also made the effort of designing the chalkboard with a specialized drawing by the kids. I was really touched.

With the Firebrands Kids

The artwork (please don't mind the misspelled word -
I may be the Spelling Police, but I'm still touched by this gesture of love by the kids.) ♥

They filled both chalkboards with their greetings. Touching. :)

Some of them (from last year's Junior's coregroup - Abegail, Jahmaica and Grace) even gave me personalized letters which they made without anyone telling them to do so. It was designed with stickers and a heartfelt message. After the kids, the Firebrands Youth handed me bag after bag of school supplies: Post-Its, markers, notepads - all the things that make me go crazy whenever I'm in National Bookstore. Hehe!!

I understand the sacredness of stickers to children. Since they put so many stickers in their letters, these are considered very special and I'll be sure to keep them in a safe place. :)

School supplies loot from the Firebrands Youth. ♥

It was really a touching moment for me, and it is through these few cherished moments where I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 15:58 where it says,

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Thank you Firebrands!

Thank you, God, for these physical manifestations of your love for me. :)

Indeed, I am blessed.

Happy Father's Day, Popsiedoo!

2011-06-18T22:23:00.000+08:00

I am proud to have you as my father. Your leadership qualities and your fervent love for God are just some of the things that I greatly admire in you. Thank you for leading our family in the Lord. Truly, you are a blessing to me, momsie, Kimmie & Abby. I love u so much! Thanks for everything. :)

What I'm Lovin' These Days - June 2011

2011-06-17T23:44:00.000+08:00

Hebrew 1 class.
I got a perfect score on my 1st quiz and 1st assignment. Heehee! :) Thank you Lord!
P.S. I am now starting to appreciate my Chinese classes back in Preschool - High School! It's been a big help, so far!

I bought this as a birthday gift to myself. My first time to buy my own CD
(lagi lang kasi ako nanghihiram or nanghihingi. Haha!)

I've been hearing & reading so many good reports about this one so I decided to try and see for myself. So far so good. :)

Janey @ 26

2011-06-17T23:12:00.001+08:00

I am blessed. I am loved. I am overwhelmed. I have a wonderful support group in the form of my family and Lawrence. Indeed, God is good. Thank you Father for the 26 blessed years here on earth. I re-commit myself to you. I pray that I may fulfill the purpose that You have for making me, for allowing me to exist here on earth. Thank you for everything that You have done and are continuing to do in my life. Truly, who I am and what I am right now is all because of Your grace. To God be the glory!

*

This year's birthday celebration is nothing like last year's where Lawrence & I went to Tagaytay. This year was all about family - just a simple family lunch & dinner at home, lovingly prepared by my parents (yihee!). :) Lawrence came over as well and celebrated with us, so it was really a very special day where I got to celebrate with the ones closest to me (Kimmie's not here physically but we were able to chat over FB so... still, I wish she's here..)

Anyway, here's some cheesy birthday photos of Lawr & I. I have this photo of us, taken by Kimmie, way back in 2004. Then another from last year's Tagaytay trip (our first alone trip together), and then two photos taken tonight, right before he went home. :)

Celebrating Pentecost @ UBC with other Section 2 AG churches

2011-06-13T19:38:00.002+08:00

Celebrating Pentecost @ UBC with other Section 2 AG churches, a photo by zarahlim on Flickr.

I am honored to be part of the team who led the worship at the Pentecost celebration of Section 2 churches. Thank you, God, for the skills & talents you have bestowed upon me. May you continue to use me - I am willing. I am yours, Lord. To YOU be all the glory!

Back to School Surprise - Local Outreach Project

2011-06-13T19:35:00.002+08:00

Teaching a few action songs to Grade 2 students @ M.Hizon Elem. School, a photo by zarahlim on Flickr.

That's us (Me, Lawr, Abby, Zandra, Doris & Annie) teaching a few action songs to Grade 2 students @ M.Hizon Elem. School. :)

Back to School, Pentecost, and other stories

2011-06-12T22:14:00.000+08:00

This week has been a blur of activities. I hardly had any time for myself, but it's all good. There's just no replacing the joy and satisfaction of doing what you do for the Lord.

Tuesday, I started my Masters class after work. My weekly schedule is every T-Th. On Thursday, classes were suspended because of the non-stop rain. Our school administrators allowed us (staff) go home after lunch so I went home and worked on my Sunday School lesson. I had to finish it before I went to class later that night because I had to forward it to my oartner teachers during that evening's cellgroup. I finished on time, then rushed out to make it to my 5pm class. After class, I had to rush back to Binondo to make it to our practice for Pentecost Sunday. Friday, we were supposed to have another band prax but was moved to Saturday. The next day, we had an early start because of our Back to School outreach project at M.Hizon Elementary School where we gave school-supply kits to 200 Grade 2 pupils. I had the task of leading the kids in a couple of action songs. 0.o. After the distribution, we headed back to church. I worked on the bulletin then immediately proceeded to 2 band practices which came right after one another. Kapagod! :)) Come Sunday, we talked about the Holy Spirit and Pentecost in Sunday School. After church, we had lunch then went to UBC for the joint service with other Section 2 churches for the Pentecost Sunday celebration.

Thank God for strength and for the talents and skills he has entrusted to me. Also, I am grateful for this honor of working for Him! To God be ALL the glory!

Chinese Notebooks

2011-06-11T21:21:00.000+08:00

Second day of our Hebrew 1 class and we learned how to write the Hebrew alphabet. Who would've thought that my Chinese notebook would be useful in my Hebrew class, useful enough that my classmates asked me to buy them their own Chinese notebook. Hahaha!

Hebrew 1 Class - First Day

2011-06-09T10:35:00.000+08:00

- Wednesday, June 8, 2011 0:02
June 7, 2011

Tonight I attended my very first MDiv class: Hebrew 1. I got off at work at 5pm and when I got to the gate, I was surprised to see Lawrence. He came to go with me to Makati. Sweet! But because he had his bike (newly acquired Brompton!) with him and I didn't, he went with me only as far as Buendia LRT.

I arrived in the area with 20 minutes to spare. I saw a Booksale near Valero and I was ecstatic! I went inside an browsed for a while.

After the short trip to BS, I headed over to ASCM. I was right on time: my teacher, Ms. Bang, was just about to go up to our classroom and I got to ride the elevator with her.

The class consisted of 7 students. We were a mixed group, with one Korean taking up his BA Theology degree.

Our first meeting was all about the syllabus and discussion of school policies. Then we drew lots to see who gets to bring home the "coveted" edition of our Hebrew primer. I was one of the lucky ones, harhar!!

After class, I timed myself going home. Including a slight waiting time in the LRT (jampacked!!), it took me exactly one hour to get home via bus and lrt plus a long walk from Carriedo station to Nueva St wearing a 3-inch stiletto. :)) Midway, I changed to my trusty
flipflops; my poor feet just couldn't take the torture any longer.

When I got home, I started browsing through my primer and ended up working on 6 out of 7 exercises in the first chapter (I left one out on purpose so I can have something new to do tomorrow). I also made some flashcards to help me learn easier. Excited, much? Haha!! It turns out, it's pretty similar to my Gradeschool Chinese classes where we had to study Chinese characters and their phonics system (kok im). Thank God for that!

Tomorrow, I'm going to get myself more Chinese notebooks. The boxed-type writing area makes writing and segregating the new characters easier.

It's Official: Janey Goes Back To School!

2011-05-31T19:06:00.001+08:00

I am now a bonafide student of Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries, enrolled in their MDiv program with a concentration on Church Education.

I had my final interview this morning and then proceeded to enroll in a couple of courses. I will be juggling my full time job with my studies so I only got to take one regular subject (Hebrew 1 every T-TH) plus a module course on Theology which will be held on 3 Saturdays of July.

I am so grateful to the Lord for His hand upon this whole process. His favor, strength, wisdom, and most of all his provisions are boundless and always at the right time. He is good!

I start school next week. I am excited, not only to learn but also to experience more of how God will move in this endeavor. Truly, this is going to be one faith-filled, faith-stretching experience for me.

Entrance Exam: Check!

2011-05-25T19:03:00.000+08:00

I just got the results of the English Proficiency exam I took yesterday at ASCM. I passed. Yay! Thank you, God! :)

While taking the exam, I couldn't help but think of the Calderon handouts my tutees and I labored over. It was pages after pages of grammar and structure tests which I secretly enjoyed answering. Hehe! Good practice for yesterday's exam.

Next step: Interview and then on to enrollment. I'm excited. :)

To iPad2 or not to iPad2?

2011-05-18T11:29:00.002+08:00

So Dr. Pedro was in my office this morning. We got into a conversation about the advantages of switching from PC to Mac. Then the topic of iPad2 came up. This school year, our freshmen students, together with the teachers, will have their own tablets to facilitate e-learning. I asked if it will be opened to the school staff as well, and he said Yes! Everyone should learn how to use Mac, according to him. Then he urged me to join the Mac training tomorrow; apparently, they are serious about this. I think they just signed a contract with Apple today. Wow.

So. If ever the memo about the iPad2 reaches the non-teaching staff, should I upgrade Didi? Can I handle any more additional payments, knowing that I'll be starting school this June? This can be a good investment, no doubt about it. But is it wise to do so now? Lord, I need wisdom from You regarding this matter..

(A secret:)
I get excited just thinking about it. Heehee :)

*(Edit:)
I think I'm going to have to pass on this one... I can do without the iPad2 so it's not really necessary for me to get one just because everyone's getting one. I'll live. :)

Lucky Friday the 13th

2011-05-15T18:50:00.000+08:00

May 13, 2011 (Friday)

Despite today being payday, I already made a budget and saw that I have to tighten my spending habits for the next few months. Going back to school means I no longer have the luxury to spend whatever amount on whatever I happen to fancy at that particular moment.

But God is good. I was able to eat at my fave restaurant (Sushiyum, where else?), and for free! So here's the story.

Lawrence and I headed over to Sushiyum. I told him early on that I'm on a tight leash these days, but he reminded me that I still have some money left with him. So I gave in thinking I'll order only a few of my fave dishes. A few minutes after ordering, Bro. Reynold, one of our churchmates, came in. He was ordering to go, and after making a few calls outside the place, he came back and settled his bill. When it was time for us to get our bill, the waiter told us Bro. Reynold already paid our bill as well. We were both amazed and delighted with this generous gesture. We caught up with him before leaving and thanked him profusely.

So, as I was saying, God is good. Superstitious folks believe that bad luck happens all around during Friday the 13th, but not me. "Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." (Psalm 23)

"It is good to be near God." (Psalm 73:28)

Happy mom's day, Momsie!

2011-05-08T00:20:00.000+08:00

I love you! <3

Divine Confirmation

2011-05-08T00:17:00.001+08:00

(Note: This is a post from my MomentsDiary app. I thought it worthy enough to be granted a spot in my blog.)

May 6
4:55 PM

I went to ASCM this morning to inquire about admissions.

I asked God to give me assurance that this is His will for me for this season of my life.

I left home without telling anyone about my plans (except for lawrence).

I came home and announced it (quietly) to my mom. My dad, who was sleeping, heard me talking to my mom. I was afraid of what they'd say.

Then comes the amazing part.

After a while, I was printing the forms I had to submit. My dad came out of their room and started to make conversation with me.

"Why ASCM?"
"Who's going to pay for your tuition?"
"Why MDiv?"
"Will I be able to teach afterwards?"

I answered him honestly on all questions.

Then he came over to me, saying, "MDiv? Wow! That's my girl!"

I was so happy to hear that, coming from him. He actually gave me his blessing.

Now, that's nothing if not an obvious assurance from God, isn't it?

Thank you Lord! :)

~

May 8
12:20 AM

Another confirmation from the Lord:

I was sitting in our living room, when my eyes wandered over to the bookshelf beside it. I saw this book I bought in Nov 2008 but haven't read yet: Teaching to Change Lives by Howard Hendricks. I took it out and started reading. Chapter one palang, I already knew this was another God-ordained moment. It was about the first law: The Law of the Teacher, wherein, simply put: "If you stop learning today, you stop teaching tomorrow.". And then it goes on reaffirming my previous posts in my blog and in this diary that it is high time for me to start growing again.

Thank you lord for another confirmation! Truly, you are with me in this. I am not alone in this venture. Thank you!

On Going Back To School: I made a decision and I'm sticking with it!

2011-05-07T13:55:00.000+08:00

May 7, 2011
2:01PM

Now that I have decided to start studying again this coming school year, I slowly find myself being tempted to the easy life of coming home after work and just relax - no required readings to finish, no homeworks to work on, go anywhere anytime I want to. But no. I realize that taking on a Master's degree is a choice as well as a privilege. It's high time for me to start challenging myself, to do things that will improve myself, and not just sit in the sidelines, waiting for something to happen. As I get older, I am starting to realize the importance of taking an active part in developing oneself. My mom told me to do things now, when I still can, and not wait until my prime years has gone by and find myself wishing I grabbed every opportunity to do the things I can do when I still can.

So, in light of all these, I find myself claiming God's promise that,

"He who began a good work in (me) will be faithful to complete it in (me)..." (Philippians 1:6)

Back to School

2011-05-06T15:50:00.000+08:00

Today, I started to act on my desire of going back to school. Before leaving the house, I researched on the course I'm planning to take up (MDiv-Religious Education) and the requirements I have to prepare. Then I went to ASCM in Makati to personally inquire in the admissions office. After leaving the school, I was exhilirated. I am excited to start studying again. During the long commute back home (I didn't feel confident enough biking on my own all the way to Makati. Soon, but not just now), I was praying and asking God for help. Once I start this, there's no turning back. And though I have the means to pay now, I'm going to need a sustained provision from the Lord just to be able to continue. Not to mention additional strength since I'll still be working full time. I've put this off for so long already, and I'm not getting any younger. If I don't start now, I'd have to wait another year, and that's another year wasted. So no. I'm going through with this, so help me God.

Po and Opo - The Proper Usage

2011-04-30T02:04:00.001+08:00

Po and Opo, a Filipino custom which is a sign of respect, is inserted in between sentences when speaking to one's elders.It begins to take a sarcastic tone once used on people your own age.So there.

Free Ride

2011-04-28T09:35:00.001+08:00

Today I was on the receiving end of a good deed.

I was walking on my way to the office. Halfway to my destination, this sidecar slowed down beside me and I heard the driver speaking go me. Normally, I ignore them. But not today, coz it was our suki driver, Robert. (Suki means the one you frequently go to, like in the market or other service-oriented industry.)

"Sabay ka na 'te," Robert called.

I hesitated for a few minutes, deciding whether to take him up on his offer or not. I knew I didn't have any smaller bill in my purse to give to him as tip and I said so.

"Wala akong pambayad eh."

"Ok lang, on the way naman!" he insisted.

So I got in, all the while marveling at the fact that good people still exists in this corrupted world. I was also in awe of how God cares for me. My left thigh has been giving me problems for three days already, making it hard to walk (a pinched nerve or something). I did not ride my bike coz I think that's where I got the pain. I didn't ride a sidecar because I didn't want to patronize the choosy drivers stationed at our building. So I thank God for sending Kuya Robert today. Lord, may you bless him a hundredfold for his goodness.

I remember, when Abby was still in high school and my mom used to fetch her from school, we ride the same sidecar home to save money. We always prefer riding on Robert's sidecar because we saw his good attitude towards work even then. He never took advantage of his customers, he never over-charged. He never complains, even when it's traffic. And he has a protective nature towards his customers - he drives carefully, he wipes the seat when it's raining, he makes sure the sidecar's cover is secure so we won't get wet. Good service like these deserve a reward, so during Christmas season, my mom tips him generously (I know it was supposed to be a secret, but I peeked, haha!). And of course, knowing that it is our mission to reconcile our oikos (people in our lives) to God, we eventually got talking about family. We learned that he has a small child of his own. Since he knows where our church is already (sometimes instead of going home, we ask the sidecar boys to drop us off at Tytana), my mom invited him to attend, emphasizing that he and his whole family is welcome. So far, he has yet to take us up on our offer. For now, I can only pray for God to bless him & his family.

Lord, please bless Kuya Robert & his family, and I pray that one day, they will come to really know you.

What's In My Bag - (Debut Post)

2011-04-27T20:12:00.002+08:00

April 27, 2011

Today, I decided, out of the blue, to take a photo of all the contents of my bag, ala Cosmo.ph's What's in My Bag section (one of my favorite sections in their website). I'm no celebrity. Thus, my chances of getting featured in that section is close to impossible. But that doesn't stop me from getting featured in my own "website," haha! Besides, I always get asked (by people from church and the office) what are the contents of my huge bags that I'm known for.

So, if you're one of those wondering what my huge bags have inside, here it is:

So this was my outfit at work today. Funny how people at the office always seem surprised to see me dress up. I mean, hello? We're in the office, aren't we? We're supposed to look like office girls. Working in Benavidez Street instead of the Makati area shouldn't stop us from dressing up at work. We are stuck in our office uniforms for 10 months every year, don't you want to dress up for the remaining 2 months that we are allowed to wear whatever we like??? Maybe that's the problem. We get to wear whatever we like, so others tend to dress down instead of dressing up. Oh well. To each his own.

This bag may look small but it holds a lot of stuff (treasures!) inside! Take a look inside my bag and get to know my penchant for inhalers, Salonpas and of course, kikay stuff. Lol! :)

This gadget gets me through boredom.


I bring her mostly because I've grown fond of her - she performs almost as well as Lavinia (the laptop). And she's easier to bring, being lighter and more compact than a laptop.

Another gadget for contact with the outside world. :)

Bad breath and bits of food stuck in between my teeth is a big NO-NO!

I get really chapped lips because I always forget to drink water, so I make sure I bring this with me always.

I use this as a base coat for my lips, before applying lipstick. It keeps my lips moisturized even after applying (and reapplying) lip color.

My mom gave this to me. I love its pinkish color and the shine it brings to my lips.

I'm not a fan of lipsticks, but when I started using this, I caved. I didn't get any allergic reaction to it, unlike other lipsticks I've tried. Plus, this particular shade of red is just right for me - not too bold, not too dark.

Whoever invented the concealer is a genius and girls around the world are forever in your debt. Lol!

Can't leave home without this!

One of my pens are labeled so that in case I leave it somewhere in the office, people will know it's mine. I've lost so many pens in the past while at work and I just can't take it anymore.

Another one of my must-haves. My sense of smell is pretty sensitive, and together with my intolerance for smoke and dust, I am prone to asthma attacks. Sometimes even just laughing too hard makes it difficult for me to breathe. But I see to it that I only use this whenever necessary. Thank God I haven't used this in a while. :)

My ID photo sucks so I made sure to cover it with the ID lace. Haha!

During high school, my 3rd year Social Studies teacher tagged my friends and I as the Suklay Girls, coz we were always holding/using our combs, or if not, it would be somewhere where we can always reach it (i.e. on top of our desks during lectures). I'm not like that anymore. Haha! Now, I only comb my hair 1) upon waking up 2) after bathing, 3) before leaving the house or if I'm going somewhere, and 4) when stressed out at the office. :))

This is not the real thing. Haha. Just a pouch from 168. It used to hold my cellphone and iPod chargers but recently, I realized it's much more suitable as a wallet/cellphone & iTouch bag.

So now, my chargers and the spare phone I always bring (in case my other phone's battery gets drained) is kept in this other pouch.

I'm prone to getting colds. Aside from my asthma attacks, I have allergic rhinitis most of the time. Dainty tissues in small packs are not enough when I start getting sneezing bouts, so I keep a roll of tissue handy. I can finish a whole roll in under 8 hours. Eeek.

Salonpas is my neck/shoulders' best friend. Similarly, the menthol inhaler is my best friend whenever I get allergic rhinitis. The alcohol and the body mist are occasional visitors in my bag. :))

Even though my bike can be folded and brought in the office, I prefer leaving it at our school's parking area because it takes so much effort to carry it up to our office. Plus, the bosses may not find it cute to see a bike inside the office, even if it is folded (conservative people they are). Good thing someone donated a bike parking to the school and Percy's one of the regulars there. I noticed the other bikes are parked as is, no locks to secure them. I can't do that with my precious Percy, so I bring this with me. I only bring my bike up when I forget to bring my bike lock.

Lately, I get intense headaches when the light is too bright. That's why I've taken to wearing sunglasses these days. It's not just for porma, I just decided to be good to my eyes. :)

These keys occupy a regular spot in my bag as well. :)

So there you have it folks! Till next whatsinmybag post! :)

Love, according to Rapunzel

2011-04-26T18:01:00.001+08:00

"This is what love is, I thought. A possibility that becomes a choice. A choice you keep making, over and over. Day after day. Year after year. Time after time." - Rapunzel (Golden by Cameron Dokey)

Holy Week 2011 Getaway (Day 4)

2011-04-23T17:19:00.004+08:00

April 23
On the road somewhere in Dau
3:00PM

We're heading back to Manila today.

After breakfast, everyone got busy packing up their stuff. We are still going to be traveling in different groups and my family was the first to travel home, but not before going to Good Shepherd to buy some pasalubongs.

While my dad was buying from Good Shepherd, I was busy haggling with the corn/dried squid vendor down the road. P15 for a stick of native corn - ang mahal (expensive!!!!!)! I told her I was going to buy 8 so could she please give it to me for P10. Ayaw talaga, maski anong pilit ko. But she did bring the price down to P12. Oh well. I was desperate for some grilled native corn (one of my favorite food, if you must know) so I gave in. :)

Before we left APTS, our group took advantage of the good weather and breathtaking view and took some group photos.

Trivia: APTS is where Lawrence and I first met 18 years ago. They were newcomers then, their first time to join a BFGFC gathering. We were having our church's family retreat at that time.

Another trivia: 8 years ago, our church held its first Youth Camp in APTS. I was assigned as one of the counselors. He was in my group. And the rest, as they say, is history. ♥

The boys.
They really bonded well, can you see? How can they not? They shared so many experiences together - one of them is the famous sleepless nights that some of them had due to late night duets (read: snore competitions, haha!).

The girls.
Can you see who among us got infected with the scarf mania? =)

Abby strikes a pose against a majestic background.

With Carrie & Abby..

Family photo

The pastoral team of BFGFC

Breathtaking view of the gazebo taken from the window near the elevator in GMC 3/F.

As I type, the road is clear of Holy Week traffic. We have been traveling for 5 hours already, including one stopover for lunch and one CR break. Dad said at this rate we're going, we'll be home in an hour. Thank God. I still have to go to church to work on our weekly bulletin. :)

No traffic, thank God!

Lord, thank you for this trip. It has been fun and relaxing, exactly what I needed after all the accumulated months' worth of office stress. Please continue to be with all groups going back back home to Manila. In Jesus' name, amen.

~

5:00PM
BFGFC

Hello, Manila!

We dropped off my godparents at their house, and after a short massage therapy session (for my dad's aching arm), we FINALLY headed on home.

After setting my bags down, I quickly collected Didi, my phone, and Percy and headed out (again!) to go to church for the bulletin.

Will be posting photos in a while, after I finish with the bulletin. :)

-

Edit: Photos posted! :)

Holy Week 2011 Getaway (Day 3)

2011-04-22T11:10:00.007+08:00

April 22
APTS / Town / ~~50's Diner~~ SM Baguio

I woke up this morning hardly able to move my body. My lower extremities hurt like crazy, and I soon found out I wasn't the only one suffering that morning. Everyone who played that rough ball game
yesterday was in pain, haha!! But the morning looks bright and promising, and we were ready to face whatever God had in store for us today so we got ready.

After a hearty breakfast, the younger boys, Abby and I went to the basketball court / gym area for a short game of bball/vball before the scheduled devotion session at 9am.

I played 21 with Lawrence; he won, again. He's really good, he was able to catch up to my score of 17 even after he had to start back at one. Galing! After that, Brz and Abby teamed up against Mark & I and we played one round of volleyball. My team won, yay!! I'm starting to think I'm more of a team player rather than on one-on-one coz both my teams yesterday (basketball - Dad, Ninong, Doris and me) and today (volleyball - Mark & I) won. Hehe!

After that, we headed to the indoor court and Abby and I played some more vball. Saya! She got really good, compared with the last time I played with her. That's what an Ateneo education can give you, hehe! She had volleyball for PE this past sem and her team won the games they played. Galing! :)

After that, morning devotion time came. Great worship, encouraging message (about being restored in the Lord and then conquering our battles).

Later this afternoon, we're all heading to town. We were supposed to have a youth meeting right here, but I suggested we go out instead and meet at 50's Diner since Carrie (and me and Abby) wanted to go there. Heehee! They were convinced, so off to town we go. Yay! :)

As I type this post, Lawrence is practicing/serenading me. He's re-learning the piece Sunburst, one of my fave classical tunes. Oh how it reminds me of our college days when he used to play that (at my request) at Lover's Lane in UST. Hehehe. Ok, gotta stop right here; I'm gonna have to capture this on video. Later!

(Please excuse the first 5 seconds of the video, hahaha!!)

This video is just a clip of Sunburst, not the whole piece itself. :)

~

11:13PM

As it happens, we didn't get to go to 50's Diner after all.

After lunch, the girls and I rode with my parents and co. on the way to town while the boys decided to wait for us at 50's Diner. After some quick but successful shopping spree at the market (we bought scarves, some silver jewelry, and food for after the last evening session), we started to head to 50's Diner and meet the boys. But they called to tell us that the line was too long - many are on the waiting list - so they just waited for us at SM. Since the chances of getting a taxi and actually reaching SM in a short time was close to impossible, we (I) suggested/insisted we walk. So, after that long, tiring climb up from the market to SM, we met with the boys, only to decide (after minutes of getting there) that we're going back to APTS instead for the meeting. Haha!

So, when we got back, we proceeded with out youth meeting - planning for next quarter's activities. Then the final evening session which was all about prayer and refilling. After that, the feast.

Group prayer.

The pastoral team of Binondo Full Gospel Family Center, enjoying their last night at APTS with a feast!

Cutting the cake - parang birthday lang! Lol!

Choco Fudge cake and fresh strawberries doused with cream. Yum!

Chicken noodle soup on a cold night is pure bliss.

Tomorrow, we go back to Manila. Lord, may your protection and traveling mercy be with us, all three groups. In Jesus' name, amen.

Holy Week 2011 Getaway (Day 2)

2011-04-21T09:32:00.008+08:00

April 21
8:45am

So after that previous entry, I fell asleep. I was meaning to wake up after my supposed nap, but true to form, I woke up the next day already.

I braved the freezing cold and decided to take a bath while the coast is clear (read: before the rest of the group arrive and bathroom traffic starts). Mercifully, there was hot water, though it reverts to 'freezing cold' every 1 minute. Thank God I got the technique: close the shower and turn it on again - voila! Hot water again!

During breakfast, group 2 arrived. Thank God they're safe. They arrived in Baguio at 4am and apparently, they just passed the time somewhere else before heading over here in APTS. By the time they arrived, I received a text message from Lawrence telling me that they're already in the bus station (Victory Liner). There were lots of people also waiting to board the bus; thankfully, they have already reserved their seats a week ago. Now we're just waiting for them to arrive. While the newcomers are catching up on sleep, the rest of my family will be going to town. I'm staying right here and work on the three R's: read, reflect and relax. ;)

My bedside companions.

My OC-ness when it comes to documenting my memories was made easy by Didi. She performed really well on this trip. Way to go, girl!

I was able to get the new Hillsong United album (Aftermath) and it's really good. I love the song Aftermath, it's my song of the moment and it fits the season. It reminds me of what and how much Jesus has done for me. Thank you, Jesus!

Here are some of my favorite lines in the song:

"In a moment of glorious surrender
You were broken for all the world to see
Lifted out of the ashes
I am found in the aftermath"

"Now all I have I count it all as loss
But to know You, to carry the cross
Knowing I'm found
In the light of the aftermath"

~

4PM

I was supposed to go to town this afternoon with the girls but we got sidetracked. We joined my dad, my godfather, and the two boys in three rounds of 21 and an actual game of basketball. Ang saya!! Yun lang. :)

My dad taught us girls this technique on how to shoot the ball:
dribble the ball (4x!), bend your knees, shoot that ball!

Lauging coz I missed the shot, but at least it touched the ring! :))

Lawrence and his family are here in Baguio na. Right now, they're still at the bus station, reserving their seats for Saturday. Thank God for bringing them here safely.

Mom and Abby are still in town. Hope they return soon, I aksed them to buy me some scarves and a pair of thick socks (coz the socks I brought are too thin, I literally have cold feet).

Munching on KitKat while blogging. Why, oh why, does KitKat taste so darn good? It's one of my favorite chocolates in all of Chocolatedom (haha)!

Enjoying my KitKat while blogging in bed.

(Sorry for this 4pm update. I think I left my writing skills at the gym. Excuse me while I go get them.)

Lol!

~

5:10PM

Mom and Abby arrived, bringing me my requests. They bought me these two beautiful scarves. So happy! Lawrence and his parents are here as well. Is it just me, or does he get more and more dashing everytime I see him these days? Heehee!

Abby picked these out for me while my mom paid for them. Heehee!! Thank you!!

Trying out the purple-colored scarf. (Excuse my haggard look. Ugh!)

Fresh from Manila! Our first solo moment together was on the elevator.

~

6:52PM

That bag of Cheetos Puffs I ate after the KitKat totally ruined my appetite for dinner. Oh well, I enjoyed it nman (Cheetos Puffs) - super sarap! It's like munching on a giant cheese curl. Yum!

Giant puffs of cheesy goodness!

After dinner, Lawrence and I played 2 rounds of 21. I lost, of course, but that was to be expected. Ever since high school, I knew him to be a shooter in basketball. Heehee!

He makes 9 out of 10 shots...

...while I make 3 out 10. Boo!

I can't compete with him, so I might as well capture the image of his winning form! ♥

Then Abby came and we played one round of volleyball. I lost again. Haha! 15-12. This officially makes me a loser. Nyahaha! Oh well.

Tonight will be our first session in the retreat. Waiting expectantly for what God has in store for us as a team and for me personally. :)

~

Our first session went well. After a hilarious icebreaker focusing in 'changes,' Ptr. Zaldy (my dad) shared about commitment being a process. After that, we proceeded to share about the current ministries we're handling and our frustrations/dreams & visions about it.

After the session, we had an extended kwentuhan time at the Commons area. Everyone came, despite being tired, ready for more bonding time with he group. We laid out our baons - noodles, chips, bread, and coffee - to the table to share.

All in all, Day 2 has been fun. I'm glad we did this retreat - it's what our group needs, a real fellowship time with one another where we get to see a glimpse of the real person behind the minister. :)

Holy Week 2011 Getaway (Day 1)

2011-04-20T18:29:00.003+08:00

April 20 (Wednesday)
Asia Pacific Theological Seminary
Baguio City

My family (Dad, Mom, Abby & I), together with my godparents, are the first of the three groups to arrive in Baguio City. We left Manila this morning at 7am. Since today is still a regular workday for many, we were able to escape the expected Holy Week traffic and arrived in Baguio 6 hours later. The next group will leave Manila tonight after work and we are going to meet them (at least my dad is, haha!) at the entrance sometime tomorrow morning. Then, finally, Lawrence and his parents will be leaving Manila at Thursday, 7am. We are expecting their time of arrival at around 4-5pm, since it will be traffic for sure.

Lord, thank you for bringing me and my family safe here. I pray for your traveling mercy to be upon the next two groups who will be joining us. May they have a safe trip; keep them away from any road accidents or any mishaps. Thank you Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen!

"For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." Psalm 91:11-12

~
Right now, we are just simply hanging out. Everyone's resting, except for Abby who brought this huge bag of textbooks with her and is now sprawled on her bed studying. This trip was scheduled as a retreat for the pastoral staff of BFGFC, and since the others are still not here, we have until tomorrow afternoon to spend the day as we please. :) My mom, who was born and raised here, have plans to go visit her sister tomorrow. She's also going to drop by the cemetery to visit her parents' grave.

Anyway, I have nothing to do until then. Facebook's blocked (this is a school, after all), my phone's internet connection sucks, I didn't bring my laptop coz my bag's already in full capacity as it is. So I'm left with only my iPad for entertainment. Good thing it's stocked with ebooks. Hehe! I'm starting to think how wise a decision it was to splurge on this. Thank God for blessings such as these. :)

It's pretty cold here. We weren't in town for five minutes and I was already sniffling and blowing my nose - either I'm just not tolerant for cold weather or it's really cold. I think it's both. Right now, I'm already wearing socks, jacket, thick pajamas, and a scarf. Hahaha!

Last rambling thought: As I type on this iPad, I can't help but remember how, when I was a little girl, I used to imagine that I owned a laptop. I went through an office-girl phase during one of my playtimes, and I always had a maleta with me acting as a pretend-laptop. If not a suitcase, then I'd be banging my fingers on any flat surface I could find and pretend it was a keyboard. That's how it feels like right now, typing in this thing. Was that a premonition, my playtime moments, that I would own a gadget very similar to what I was yearning for back then? Hahaha!

Ok, time to rest now, it's so cold in here and I'm starting to get sneezing bouts.

Till next post!

P.S. Will post pictures once I get back to Manila.

-

Edit: Here are some photos from Day1

No traffic on Holy Wednesday since it is still recognized as a regular workday for most offices.

Despite being cramped in the backseat along with the luggage, I was one happy gal because of this.

The view from our bedroom window.

Our very first group photoshoot: at the seminary's elevator on our way to the cafeteria. :)

Janey Updates: Random Weekend Photos (April 16-17, 2011)

2011-04-18T00:39:00.000+08:00

Saturday morning: Early morning ride / jogging with the pastors of Section 2.

Saturday Afternoon: Lunch @ Red Ribbon. One of the best P15 I ever spent - a (very) small serving of mashed potatoes. Super sarap!

Saturday music lessons: Janelle, Nica and Mary on keyboards (c/o yours truly)


Saturday music lessons: Ella on the guitar (c/o Lawrence)

Note: Drum lessons are also given (c/o Brznf) every Saturday morning. :) I wasn't able to take a photo, though, coz I was busy editing the pictures from the morning's ride with the pastors. :D

Sunday: 13th Tour of the Fireflies

13th Tour of the Fireflies

2011-04-17T21:04:00.008+08:00

Today is THE day.

I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. It was Lawrence, calling to tell me he's on his way over. That was my cue to get ready.

40 minutes later, he arrived with his parents. They're dropping us off at Gilmore Station and from there, we're going to bike our way over to Tiendesitas in Pasig City.

(Allow me to go on a totally non-bike related chika for a moment here. As we reached Gilmore, I prepared to go out of the car. Then Lawrence caught my attention (and got instant plus points) when I saw him kiss his parents goodbye. It was such a nice picture, I couldn't get it out of my head and I thnk it's because I don't do it myself everyday. Hhmmm.. Maybe now I should..)

So, going back to my story.

Other bikers were on their way to Tiendesitas as well, so although Lawrence knows the way, it was just a matter of going along with them. I was so winded from all the uphill routes we took, not to mention trying to catch up with Lawrence who bikes like the wind, so the ride going to Tiendesitas made me so tired than the whole tour's ride. Haha!

When we got to the place, we found other TSP members and positioned ourselves with the group. Indeed, we were placed behind the Ms. Earth contestants. But when the ride started, we got separated from the group. I think the positioning didn't go as planned because some bikers bike really slow as they are assisting the children, while some bikers bike real fast (I was almost knocked down from my bike going downhill at one point coz some biker whizzed past me while I was on the leftmost part of the road - but thank God nothing bad happened).

Upon arrival at Tiendesitas.

During the ride. This photo was actually taken while we were moving. As in, we didn't stop just to take this photo (notice our feet are still on the pedals!) Haha! Pretty nice shot, isn't it? Credit goes to Jeff (the one on the right). Thanks Jeff! :)By the way, check out my (polarized!) sunglasses! I must say, it really passed the test this morning. I could see clearer even with them on, unlike with regular sunglasses where my vision gets fuzzy. Yay for my new glasses!

There were a number of costumed riders during the tour, but this one's my favorite:

The Power Rangers, in the flesh! Haha! Winner! Again, photo credit to Jeff Ruivivar. :)

When we got to CCP, a program was held before the group has to go and finish the ride going all the way back to Tiendesitas. But since Lawrence and I were already in our home turf, it really wasn't practical to go back to Pasig and then return to Binondo. So, after resting, we said our goodbyes and went back to Binondo.

We biked with another TSP couple, Paul and Pia, who suggested we go to this Singaporean-Hainanese restaurant in Escolta. Since it's so close to my house already, we readily agreed. Turns out, this place has been my neighbor for a few years already and I didn't even know about it. I pass by the place but never noticed it. It's really a hole-in-the-wall resto, which serves really great food. We'll definitely be back.

After lunch, Lawrence took me home. While waiting for his parents (they were with the church board and went out for lunch), we hung out as usual. But we really didn't get to talk coz sleep took over after just a few minutes of hitting our heads on the pillows. Haha!

I'm glad my first TOF experience went well. New experience and new discoveries made with the people you like are really something to treasure. Thank you Lord for this!

Today's ride summary (taken from Lawrence's new gadget - I don't know what it's called haha!)
Route: Gilmore - Tiendesitas - CCP - Escolta (LUNCH)
Time: 3:51:43
Distance: 26.47km
Ave. Speed: 6.8km/h
Max. Speed: 28.9km/h

*

Here are some more photos from the ride, courtesy of fellow TSP members (I didn't bring my cam, my bag was heavy enough, plus I didn't feel confident enough taking pictures while biking. Hehe! Thanks Sirs Al Castillo, Mike Donadilla, Paul Siochi, Doc Arman Lee, and Atty. Kris Ablan! :)

"No Parking" daw...

2011-04-16T20:24:00.000+08:00

Are street signs now for decoration purposes only? Tsk tsk!

Here comes the Fireflies...

2011-04-16T20:16:00.001+08:00

Tomorrow, Lawrence and I will be joining thousands of cyclists in the 13th Tour of the Fireflies. Needless to say, I'm excited. I already bought sustenance (Quaker Oats 6-pack cookies & Snickers bars). I also bought myself new (polarized!) sunglasses. Ha! :))

Do you have an idea how big of an event this is? I must admit, a year ago, I didn't even know what a folding bicycle was, ano pa kaya ang Tour of the Fireflies. So here's a photo of how it'll look like on the streets tomorrow (from Tiendesitas - CCP):

Photo credit goes to: bikehugger.com

This photo was taken from last year's Tour of the Fireflies event.

The Firefly Brigade also came up with a traffic advisory for tomorrow's big event. We passed by Quirino Grandstand this morning and I already saw a banner of the TOF event put up in the streets. This is really exciting. I just hope all goes well tomorrow. We will be riding with our folding bike group in Facebook, Tiklop Society of the Philippines. We are stationed behind the women and children, to act as their escorts/guardians/"protector." Naks! :) I'm a first-timer so I really don't know what to expect. I'll just post another entry after the ride tomorrow. For now, know that I'm so excited and all I can say about the matter is this:

Uniform Blues

2011-04-15T23:56:00.002+08:00

As most of you know, I work in a school. Every year, from June to March, we are required to wear the office uniform. That is 10 months of everyday boring-ness. Because it is a uniform, and because we are in an educational institution, we have to wear our ~~clonestume~~ uniforms as is, with very limited accessories (no dangling earrings, no flashy nail colors, no chunky bracelets or vintage necklaces). Being a lover of all things bright, colorful and beautiful, you can just imagine how hard it is for me to look like the next person wearing the exact same thing as I have on, all day (or at least for 8 hours), everyday. Ugh! But I have no choice but to simply make it work. I try my best to channel my frustration into a more positive outcome and here's how I do it: I go to work with agaw-pansin bags and killer shoes. Ha! :))

Then comes the 2 months of freedom - April and May. I look forward to these months because then, we get to wear real clothes. We were instructed to wear clothes that are smart and business-like, just so we can maintain the dignity and credibility of the school (through us, the personnel) as we deal with our clients (the parents and the students).

Therefore, the past couple of weeks has been liberating. Finally, we've been set free (though temporarily) from our usual ~~clones~~ clothing. I don't consider myself a fashion guru - I'm nowhere near the style-level of Daphne Osena-Paez or Tricia Gosingtian - but I know what I like and I go for it.

So here's what I wore today:


Black silk skirt, light blue top, wide red belt, short-sleeved denim jacket (a pasalubong from my Mom and Aunt when they went to NY).

Take a closer look at the lapel of my denim jacket and you'll see a floral brooch. I haven't used this jacket in a while and I think it became squished in my closet because the left lapel wouldn't keep still - it kept folding over on its own. I tried ironing it but still, it wouldn't stay put. So I rummaged through my accessories box and tried to find something that would make it stay where it's supposed to stay. Here's what I found, an earring.

This "bouqet" brooch is actually the other half of one of my earrings.

Needless to say, that little piece of work really did the job. Now I'm loving that earring even more than I did before. :))

Percy's [Solo] Day Out

2011-04-15T12:30:00.001+08:00

Today, I took Percy for a quick ride from home to Harbor Square.

Management usually don't allow bikes along the main area in Harbor Square, but they fold when they see that it's a folding bike (pun intended, lol!).

Starbucks even let me take Percy inside. There he is, on a corner, without being a nuisance to anyone. Nice and compact, just one of the many advantages of having a folding bike. :)

Breakfast...

After this, I headed on home. It was a bliss riding along Roxas Boulevard with just Percy for company.

*This is a post-dated post. Happy April Fool's Day!

My Parents at 29 Years

2011-04-12T15:45:00.007+08:00

Today is my parents' 29th wedding anniversary.

Photo taken last Feb 2011 during our Love Forum event where my parents were invited as panelists.

These days, I find my FB feed filled with friends and acquaintances who either got engaged or got married recently. Browsing through their pre-nup/wedding photos, I find myself thinking what it would feel like when it's my time to tie the knot. Sure, it's exciting to plan all the wedding details, the kilig you feel when you see long-time couples finally exchange I-Do's, and the first few days of being husband and wife. But what makes a marriage one to look up to is when it has God in the center of it. That's what my parents have. Growing up, I can really testify to how their marriage have grown and have been strengthened, through the good times and the bad. There were frustrations and arguments, but they never did it in a way that will make their kids lose respect for either of them. Our house is a small one, so conversations are usually heard even behind closed doors. But my parents have mastered the art of exemplifying grace in the midst of a storm. They know how to communicate to each other, assuring us kids that their marriage is a rock-solid one, anchored in Christ. I also admire how they learned to accommodate the needs of each other. My dad, who grew up used to having househelp, now knows how to do the laundry, clean the house, wash the dishes and even cook rice. He does the chores, especially when my mom is not feeling well, because he understands her condition. He does this, all for the love of my mom. He used to quote this in his preaching, "Fathers, the best way to show your kids that you love them is to love their mom." My dad definitely practices what he preaches. Simillarly, my mom is ever-caring, ever-ready-to-listen, and ever-supportive to my dad. Her condition may limit her physically to go with my dad to trips out of town, but at home, she provides a listening ear, a sound advice, and a personal support system for my dad. Don't let her looks fool you; no matter how frail she may look physically, she's strong and steadfast in her spirit, making her one godly wife any man would be lucky to have.

That's the kind of marriage I want to emulate, one that is rooted and grounded in God's Word and God's love.

To my parents:
Congratulations on your 29 years of marriage. Tonight's celebration may seem just like any other Tuesday night (prayer meeting, late, simple dinner) but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Living with you guys and having you as my parents have taught me so many valuable things about life and love, and I'm blessed to have you in my life. May God continue to make your love abound and give you more fruitful years to spend together. I love you both!!

Love,
Shobe

13th Tour of the Fireflies (A Pre-Ride Post)

2011-04-08T23:53:00.004+08:00

On April 17, 2011, I will join some (approximately) 10,000 cyclists in a critical mass ride for bicycle awareness in the Philippines. I have yet to register (in Trinoma, either this Saturday or on the 16th), but I am already very excited about this major event. First, because this is the reason why I pursued biking - aside from the health benefits it brings, I want to be part of a movement that promotes eco-friendly means. Second, being in the company of people with the same advocacy as I have is sure to be an exciting thing to experience. It only fires you up even more as you see thousands of people like you - no matter what kind of bicycle you ride - with the same vision.

Read more about the Tour of the Fireflies in these sites:

Firefly Brigade - 13th Tour of the Fireflies
GMA News: 10000-cyclists-to-join-tour-of-the-fireflies-on-april-17

100 Facts About Me

2011-04-08T23:15:00.004+08:00

When I saw this topic trending on Twitter, I immediately realized that this will be a good exercise on self-reflection. Admittedly, it may sound like a bait for potential stalkers so, of course, I should still practice some tactful censoring in here. ;)

So far, I only came up with 14 facts. I will just add to this post every now and then.

So, are you ready for some Janey-trivia? Yeah? Okay, here it goes:

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1.Holding on/touching doorknobs, especially if I just washed my hands, really bother me.
2. The sound of ringing phones stresses me out.
3. Enclosed spaces, or places where I can't move and/or when I do not have a clear path towards the nearest exit, freaks me out.
4. I am allergic to shrimps, crabs, and pain killers.
5. I have been (accidentally) shot with an airgun when I was a kid, hitting me in the tender spot between my collarbones.
6. I'm no artist, but at certain times, I get this strong urge to draw the face of the person who annoys me that particular moment. Especially when they are standing right in front of me and I can't help but endure the torture. Lol!
7. Coffee is my friend.
8. I'm a sucker for school & office supplies.
9. I love making lists.
10. Writing helps me think more clearly. I express myself better in writing. Writing is my main avenue for self-reflection. In short, writing makes me feel better.
11. Wrong grammar and misspelled words are just two of my pet peeves.
12. Another #petpeeve: hair (esp. When it's "hair down there" ) on my soap.
13. Wet toilet seat covers bother me.
14. I dream that someday, I will be quoted for one of my testimonies and/or "nuggets of wisdom."

Instagram

2011-04-07T22:39:00.010+08:00

My first day of using Instagram and I'm already going loco over it. Love it! :D Here are some of my photos:

With Antoinette back in 2008. Dalaga na sha ngayon.She grew up pretty fast!

My bike can fit under my office table. ;)

WOW Pinay represent!

Taken back in 2008 when the young people in our church were still under the Boggle phase. :)

Solitude ...

We'll be turning 8 in a couple of months. :)

Lawrie's new, clean-cut look. A spur-of-the-moment decision last Monday, surprising everyone at church and on FB. This look reminds me of our college days. Heehee. ;)

I love how Instagram softened my look here. The actual photo was way too harsh, bad lighting and all (this was taken in Trinoma's foodcourt).

With my handsome couz, JD!

I miss hanging out with my girls. They grow up too fast.