Oh Johnny!

People Magazine, great choice! Last year it was Hugh Jackman, and I heartily approved.

This year, I approve again, with all my heart.

I love this man.

Johnny Depp, Sexiest Man Alive for the 2nd time!

Aside from being so drop-dead gorgeous and hot, he’s got a good heart, too. Dear Johnny has offered to help fellow actor Nicolas Cage, after the latter found himself saddled with $6 million in back taxes. Johnny has always felt that he owes his career to Mr. Cage, who helped him break into the movies by introducing him to his agent. He never forgot his debt of gratitude to Nicolas Cage, even after all these years.

So let’s see…good looks, good heart, great talent, a loving father….Vanessa Paradis is one lucky lady.

I wanna have my own Johnny Depp too.

i’ve been helping you, but you just laughed at me

Dear You,

For the past three weeks or so, I’ve been so busy with your PhD dissertation, from the printing, formatting (or  looking for people to do it), running after your committee members for their signatures, submitting it to the graduate school, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. In other words, it has taken so much of my time and energy. I wouldn’t have done those things if not for your very nice adviser, who asked me ever so nicely to help you out. I know you’re back in your Motherland, and still recuperating from your illness, and would do all these things if you could, but can I ask for some understanding, and some apology?

When a very important document went missing, and it was very crucial for your graduation, I did my best to find it. I was beseeching St. Anthony the whole time, to help find the document. It all seemed in vain, and if it couldn’t be found, the bucket would stop with me, and all the blame would be on me. In other words, I’d be dead meat. And I’d probably have to shell $500, which I didn’t (and still don’t) have. I cried in front of many people when the staff at the graduate school couldn’t find it. Out of sheer frustration, I cried. I was tired of your dissertation. I was tired of doing stuff that wasn’t mine. I had my own job and my own problems to think about. It was all too much. And then, after realizing their mistake in filing, they found the blasted document. I think I even cried harder after that. I heaved a big sigh of relief and gave thank to St. Anthony.

After that, I emailed you, to sort of give you a picture of what I’ve been going through. Of course, I told you I cried—in front of many freaking people. And then what do I get? A phonecall from you later in the afternoon. You laughed. You LAUGHED. You laughed at what happened. You laughed at ME. It was no laughing matter, please. If they hadn’t found the document, I don’t think you’d laugh. You just insulted me. You belittled my hardships and my emotions. You said “thank you”, but I was waiting to hear “I’m sorry”. You’re my friend, yes, BUT please, I am only human and I can only take so much. The next time you call, I won’t even bother answering my phone. I’ve had enough of you and your dissertation. Ask someone else to do the stuff for you, because I am this tired:

Have some pity on me, at the very least.

Me

the weekend that was

• my brother (the father-to-be) celebrated his birthday yesterday, and we had a nice lunch at Kamayan sa Palaisdaan. my sister-in-law’s family was also there, and i always enjoy their company.  a visit at this restaurant wouldn’t be complete without tilapia and crispy pata. ahhhh. great food, great company, good scenery, and the weather kinda cooperated. Happy birthday my dear brother!

• did my laundry, or just part of it. with the very fickle weather lately, it’s quite hard for our clothes to get sun-dried, so some of the “important apparel” (jeans, usual office clothes) get laundered by a wash-dry-fold laundry shop that we patronize. they do a great job washing our stuff, and the clothes smell soooo good! it also makes my room smell so nice, hahaha!

• had a massage at this “spa” that i frequent. i wouldn’t even call it a spa, because it’s very basic—nothing fancy or frilly, but the massage rocks! they specialize in thai massage, which tends to be on the hard side, which my achy back prefers. the place is clean, and comfortable enough for non-picky me. this is my “luxury”; something that i need when i need to pamper myself. i’ve been through a lot lately, and i believe i deserve this.  i expect to have a good night’s sleep, and a sore feeling tomorrow.

• since the “crisis” that happened over a month ago, i’m doing my best to live each day by and with faith. God listens. God provides. God takes care of things. God takes of us.

Have a good week ahead!

More graces

I’ve thought of 2009 as a year of trials more than anything. And then God turns things around in the most unexpected way.

 

That's my sis-in-law's pregnancy test result

I’m going to be an Auntie for the third time.

A gift of life for our family that has been orphaned six months ago.

After all the trials, things can only get better.

Thank you, Lord.

 

 

Graces

This Child has saved me so many times.

God answers prayers in the most unexpected ways.

He shows His infinite grace everyday, and I am always amazed.

A seemingly insurmountable problem that almost crushed me about more than a month ago seems to be nearing a solution.

A miracle indeed.

He just needed me to have faith.

He just needed me to be grateful for all the blessing He has bestowed on me since birth.

Einstein knew what he was saying when he said that there are two ways to live your life — one is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle.

My life is a miracle.

If you need a miracle from the Infant Jesus, I’m sharing this prayer.

May you have the miracle that you need.

Flood/Ondoy/Ketsuna

Weekends usually find me at home, just relaxing or sleeping to my heart’s content, or my brother and I would be in Makati for our newly-established “tradition” of going out of town. However, on the 27th of September, my brother had to work, and I had to go to a local high school to conduct a seminar-workshop (about campus journalism) at 9am. Sure, it had rained non-stop since Friday night, but our subdivision was still okay, and I was able to go to the school safely, albeit a bit wet. Going back home, however,  was a different matter.

I finished my part of the workshop at around 10:20, and by that time, it was raining not just cats and dogs, but probably the entire zoo, with matching strong winds. The teachers at the school were debating if they should postpone the workshop or not because of the inclement weather. Then, my colleagues who were scheduled that afternoon started sending me text messages that their homes were flooded, and the roads were already unpassable. In the end, the workshop for the afternoon was postponed.

It took me a while to get a jeepney, and when I got to our subdivision’s entrance, BY GOLLY GEE. The water was up to my knees (I’m around 5′2″), and I was wearing jeans. No other way but to wade through the water, and get myself a pedicab ride. My mind was thinking of all the microbes and other icky stuff, and the possibility of snakes in the water. Ugh. I had to rush home because I was so afraid that our house would get flooded, and I’d be all alone to deal with it.

Mah hood. Flooded. Courtesy of Ondoy a.k.a. Ketsuna. Took this photo from our garage.

After a few hours, it still looked like this.

My Mother, in her infinite wisdom and great foresight, had our house built on higher ground. God bless her soul—she continues to save her family to this day. House was safe, no flood water came in, unlike that day in 2006 when Milenyo struck. All I had to deal with were some leaky parts of the roof, and closing too many windows so water won’t get in. Just had to do some mopping and “reinforcement” . Youngest bro was stranded in Manila, and had to spend the night at the office, which was so much better than getting stuck on the road, as NLEX and SLEX had been closed, and Pansol in Calamba was also unpassable.

So I spent the rainy night alone with the pets. We were dry and comfy and extremely thankful for that. The two brothers abroad were able to call/text me for updates and our status.  Big sighs of relief on their part. Our friends and relatives in Manila are also safe, so another reason to be thankful.

The Chancellor declared today a holiday, but our Dean went to the office to pack relief goods—wasn’t able to go and help because I got the text message late, and I had a matching headache. But I looked for some old clothes that I can donate—my brothers left some stuff which are still good, and I’ve my own stuff which can be still be of some use. I’ll just bring ‘em to St. Therese, I’m sure they’re collecting relief goods.

From this tragedy, it is nice to see how (most) people are still good at the core. A lot of people are just grateful to have survived, and extend whatever they can to those who aren’t so fortunate. Like this one I got from pinoytumblr.com:

Caught on TV-

Man rescued in a rubber boat asked, “28 na ba ngayon?” (Is it the 28th today?)

Cameraman: “Opo, 28.” (Yes, it’s the 28th.)

Man somberly replied, “Birthday ko na pala.” (It’s already my birthday then.)

Rescuers who were paddling hard turned to him in surprise before slowly singing, “Happy birthday to you.”

Even in the midst of devastation, the Filipino spirit never ceases to acknowledge and celebrate the gift of life.

I wanna give that guy a birthday cake, and the rescuers a caseful of San Mig beer.

They say another typhoon is coming. Let’s be prepared this time. And let’s all PRAY. Please.

I love you, Vivienne Tam!

I’m a Mac user/lover, and it’s almost next to impossibleto go PC once you become enamored by Steve Jobs, believe me. Hardcore Mac users know this feeling. Lolo Steve has that power.  And then someone like Lola Vivienne comes along, and has a strong enough power to make me forget Lolo Steve for a while.

Vogue USA, March 2009. Via new-fashion-world.blogspot.com.

Pretty little red thing, this Vivienne Tam mini notebook.

*My youngest brother said that it looked like someone ripped off someone’s qi pao and covered the notebook with it. You gotta love men’s descriptions of girly stuff.*

The HP Mini 100 Vivienne Tam Edition. It was retailed for $700 in the US, while it was sold here in the Philippines for around P27,000. Much cheaper here, when converted.  It was released here in May, and with it being a limited edition, it is now discontinued, and no longer available in stores. So I searched, and researched. Good thing I did, because if I had bidded and won on Ebay, I would be crying now.

Behold!

The newest Vivienne Tam x HP.

It was a good thing I read the announcement on HP’s website that they’ll have an unveiling of the 2nd generation Vivienne Tam Mini HP at the New York Fashion Week.  The new design will be inspired by the tragic Chinese love story “Butterfly Lovers”.

Butterflies. Okay. I was hoping the main color won’t be pink, even if it is my favorite color. The red on the first one was just lovely, and so…imperial. That’s the adjective I could think of right now, hehe.

So I watched the live streaming of the Vivienne Tam fashion show on Stylecaster this morning, and true enough, butterflies were everywhere. And thank goodness, the mini notebook wasn’t pink. Instead, it had a “champagne gold” background. Woot. The color name alone makes me feel heady.

From Business Wire:

HP and world-renowned designer Vivienne Tam unveil the new look in digital clutch chic at Tam’s Spring 2010 fashion show during New York’s Fashion Week at Bryant Park. The HP Vivienne Tam digital clutch marries two cultures – fashion and technology – to reflect transformative spirit and chic lifestyle. Inspired by the classic Chinese love story concerto “Butterfly Lovers,” the design features elegant butterflies that are brought to life on a champagne gold backdrop. The HP Vivienne Tam digital clutch will be available in Spring 2010.

So, I’ll be a good girl so that by the time Spring 2010 rolls in, I’ll be able to catch this butterfly. And Lola Vivienne said that the butterflies “represent romance, freedom, empowerment and transformation“. I need all those (and badly, if I may add) so I’m gonna get that mini notebook for sure. Heh. Good luck to me and my money-saving habits.

Not years, not tears.

“ Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.”

John Lennon

I turned a year older a few weeks ago. It was my first birthday without my Father around—still trying to grasp the fact that my brothers and I are orphans. Never mind that we are “old enough” already,  there’s still that part of you that gets lost forever when you lose your parent(s).

But then, I still have a lot to be thankful for. Sometimes I am surprised by how much grace God has given me and my brothers to get through the things we’ve gone through. And of course, now and more than ever, I love my brothers so much more.

30-something and loving it. Taken at Sulyap Cafe on my birthday. Photo by JHernandez.

Thank you Lord, for another year. Another year to be a better person, another year to do good in my life. The fact the I celebrated another year, is a blessing in itself.