Frozen Blue Birthday

Some people are worth melting for.  Olaf is definitely right! I'm melting for the ever sweetest Math and IT people who put up a Frozen-themed party for Laiza and me! The floating snowflakes, the flying Olaf, the Elsa and Anna cake topper, the colorful balloons! Wow!

It is a usual phenomenon in the office to create something for the celebrators. Thus, I was not supposed to be surprised anymore. Although I did not have expectations, I still felt that they surpassed my expectations. That feeling!!! 

Ems as Elsa and Laiza as Anna :)

Frozen birthday party

Everyday, I am grateful for this job and the people who surround me in it. It is not always a perfect working relationship, like any other relationship but we manage to grow together through love and respect. You are all so special to me!!! Thank you for your creative minds and hands. It was another sweet surprise!

For the record, Laiza and I did not talk about our color of the day. It's just that great minds think alike. :) We were feeling extra playful that day so we thought of having an impromptu photo shoot. Coordinated dresses, birthday balloons, a scarf turned table cloth turned picnic mat, a natural  green backdrop, a willing photographer, and we were good to go!

 

It was too much fun for a first time!!! Birthdays are the second most wonderful time of the year!

Scarf It!!!

Scarves are part of my life as far as I can remember. They are a staple in where I live and work for protection against the sun and the dust. It never came to me that a scarf could be an accessory up until recently. 

I learned how to match the color and style of my scarf with what I wear. I used it as a neckpiece during a Baguio trip to keep me warm. On other travels in not so cold cities, I used it to boost a plain ensemble. I love the fact that it does not only give a different expression of a person's fashion style but it also is very functional. What's more, there are no strict rules on how to wear one. Thank goodness! If there were, I'd not be as brave to play with one.

Here's me and my little scarf obsession.

And here's Jessica Alba in her amazing scarf fashion!!! Speechless! Awed! 

She is everywhere and so are her scarves! Love! She uses it in every season and maybe for every reason! I think she always makes an excuse to use one. *Sigh! There are more tons of photos of her with a piece of cloth hanging on her neck! She now is my scarf peg! 

I'm feeling the need for some upping. Good thing I found this very helpful tutorial in youtube on how to wear a scarf. Note, there are no rules, just fun ways! And the lady in the video shows 25 awesome means for an awesome-looking scarf! (Redundancy alert!) :)

25 ways to wear a scarf

Bunny ear looks inviting. I will try that and more on the new scarves I received for my birthday. Thank you to my mom and my brother's girl. :)

I have a new travel mantra: Scarf it!

Why I Blog

via

I started blogging on March 2010. Thus, Happy Anniversary! :) I started with nothing in mind but to keep myself sane. I needed to do something new. I needed another outlet to express myself because maybe I got tired of talking to myself. Haha. Yeah, I had this habit of talking to myself especially when facing a mirror. I got rid of big mirrors in my room so I could only do small talking. :) 

Anyway, when I feel I need some growth, I find something new to do. Then I discovered blogging. Ever since, I was already drawn to lifestyle and personal blogs so I decided to be on that genre. Ok, I was not very knowledgeable about blogging. The first embarrassing moment I had in blogosphere was taking a photo from a blog because I was excited to share the information that he posted. I did this without giving credit to the author. Oopss! My bad! The author left me a message stating very gently that I had to give a link to his site. So that was my first lesson. 

And I guess that is just the only lesson I have had. Maybe I don't really know what the whole blogging thing means. What I only know is that this here is my happy place! You also have that, ayt? A garden maybe or a bookstore, a park, a coffee shop and the list goes on. Mine is this blog. So why do I love having this blog? Here are my top three reasons. Just 3 so please read along :)

1. I like to tell stories. I really like telling stories. This is my way of updating my friends of where life is bringing me to, of what days I am having, of what things I am being giddy about. Back in grade school, I was really talkative. I was always in the noisy list to the point that I could not buy myself a snack because I had to pay my penalty. Haha! Don't get me wrong here. I am really a very attentive student but on a supposedly quiet moment, I can't help but talk. So you may notice that sometimes, all I do is blab. :)

2. I want to share information. As much as I love talking about myself, this blog is not just about me. I do not want it to be just about me. As much as possible, I want to leave something to my readers. (Ang feeler ko. Parang ang dami talaga. Haha...) Maybe it's the teacher in me. I want to impart something and this is my teensy way to make the world a better place. Hehe. But seriously, I am striving to make this blog as informative as possible. 

3. I want to spread positive vibes. Since this is my happy place, I also want you to feel happy upon visiting me. In a world with so much negativity, here is a place of refuge. Here, I rejoice for pretty things, little milestones (and big, of course), wonderful relationships, and other amazing things. 

Last month, someone came up to me and said he was reading my blog. I wanted to shake his hand or give him a high five or whatever to show my appreciation. That was the first time I felt so surprised that someone was actually reading my blog. It made my day and my whole blogger being. Please excuse my being sentimental. Just give this to me. After all, it's my anniversary. :) But actually, I don't care if I have three or three thousand readers. I will still write the same things. I will still post the same photos. I will still tell the same stories.

To you who share my happy place with me, thank you so much! :) 

Love Love Love! Heart Heart Heart!

The love month ain't over yet! We had a small post v-day party at home. Thanks to the four-hour brownout which started at 6pm, the candlelight dinner buffet appeared to be extra romantic. Haha! And thanks to the camera flash, the photos turned out to be well-lighted.

I made this crepe paper curtain with heart cut outs. My sister pumped up the balloons. My brother played his instrumental love songs. And good we had a red sofa for that perfect feel of love in the air :)

It felt like a prom night only that we were not in long gowns or suits and our living room was so small to be a dance floor. So we just settled on good laughs over baked mac and tinolang manok. And instead of having prom king and queen, it was a unanimous vote for the star of the night, our little darling Caela who maybe got an extra hour of sleep that afternoon because she was at her boiling point. She enthusiastically entertained her house guests.

Then we played my super favorite game of all time - Pinoy Henyo! It doesn't require anything but a brain, man! Not the physical skills which I am so lame at. Thank goodness I have a brain! I was feeling confident at the start of the game. "I will crash every inch of intelligence left in you," was everyone's silent battle cry.  But it seemed my brain cells went to bed earlier than usual that night. Haha!

Little Caela was clapping and teasing the whole time as if she understood what was going on. She sometimes surprises me with her adultlike ways. Don't grow up too fast baby girl :)

Have a love-filled day ahead, fabulous you! :)

Seashells On The Seashore

“The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea.”

                                                                                                           --Isak Dinesen

I cannot agree more with Isak Dinesen especially on that third cure. Haven't you always find the sea so peacefully calm it can mend a broken soul... (even just at a moment). That's the best reason I can justify my love of the sea - PEACE. My next best reason is JOY.  Who goes to the sea and find no joy at all? The sea has been a witness to a number of joyful moments in my life - with family, friends, and even with just 'myself and I'. 

I go to see the sea even alone. Good that beaches are just few miles away from my home. But I have this favorite beach house at Lago, Glan, Sarangani Province. That's about an hour away from Gensan. This was first introduce to me in 2008 when the office guys and gals celebrated a year end party. It was a private beach house owned by a colleague's friend. We had the best party ever and so we went back the year after, in 2009, and only had the chance to come again in 2012.

The beach house captured my heart in so much admiration that I was always secretly wishing we'd go there every end of the year. Thanks to Sir Efren and his friend for a beautiful venue for celebrating fun and nurturing friendship.

Special thanks to Laiza for the photos (again). I better have a new camera soon!

Eat Pray Love

from Google Images

                                    

It is not my intention to give book reviews in this blog because I admit I am not good at that. Firstly, because I am not a wide reader in terms of genres. I only go for books on psychology, business, health, biography, spiritual, travel, and sometimes romance. I am more for the realistic ones with no offense to those who love fiction and fantasy. And, because I have this mantra that all things are good and beautiful and I'm not the one to judge which one is better or lesser than the other. Haha! So every book is good and I always have high respect for all authors.

As I have vowed to read more books this year, I started with this world-celebrated one. Eat Pray Love. I know. This is so lame. Is it just me who have not read this? But finally I've read it! I am ecstatic on this choice to start this year of my reading adventure. I've seen the movie first. I fell in love with it but the book is better, as everyone says when a movie version comes out. So here are the five reasons why I love Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. And please don't expect that there are other five reasons why I don't love it because there really is none. This is the one book that I have read from cover to cover with so much anticipation leaving no word unread. That's how much I love it.

1. Elizabeth Gilbert is brilliant, honest, and funny.

She definitely knows her craft. It is evident in her words. She cites other writers and philosophers, inserts history, talks about other people's stories interestingly and vividly. She is not embarrassed sharing her embarrassing tales and she is intelligently funny.

2. I love to travel.

Who does not? And this book gives a picture of Italy, India, and Indonesia - all the good stuff, which makes me want to go to these places, too...which makes me want to plan a year long solo trip, too... which makes me want to increase my travel fund... which makes me want to change my life plan and start seeing the world now instead of just traveling in the Philippines. Haha! These books. They sometimes confuse you so be careful on what you read. I bet those Twilight fans wanted to be vampires for once. 

3. I can relate to Liz.

Everyone loves reading something they can relate to. It's not that I'm a divorcee, in a depression, or in a stage of inner chaos. But sometime in my life I was in some kinda sorta inner chaos. She expressed all the chaos in words perfectly the way I wanted to define mine. Her seeking for real happiness which she confessed could only come from God (whoever or whatever we know Him or It to be) is something I am still in pursuit of. Her finding pleasures from food and company and love are things we all can relate to. Plus, I think we have the same mantra on seeing good and beautiful in everything and everyone.

4. The book is a true story.

As I have mentioned above, I am more into things realistic and this is a true story of downfall, struggles to get better, and success of a woman which means it can happen to me or to anyone, too. So this is something I can get inspiration from in my own journey.

5. The story has a happy ending.

This is not a fairy tale but it has a happy ending.  I love happy endings. Liz finding a love so sincere in the name of Felipe in the last pages of the book makes me giddy. Love really heals all wounds.

This is such a feel good book! 

Eat Pray Love!

Side note: I'm waiting for my next book which I purchased online yesterday. I'm excited! :) And oh by the way, thanks to Laiza for giving me a copy of Eat Pray Love. I now owe you a lot Laiza girl!

A Night at the Carnival

Who doesn't want to go to a carnival?!? C'mon! It's where absolute fun is! It's where the child in us hops for joy. It's where all our craziness pop up. :) And that's where the gang went on the eve of a local holiday here in Gensan. 

Rommel, Paul, Doli, Jypzie , me, Laiza, Rendon, Jose

On this side of the world, this is how a carnival looks like - pretty simple. :)

The creaky rides and the games of chance.

And the shooting-shooting something. Laiza was a master of this. The last time, she got me a box of my oh-so-favorite Curly Tops. And she did once again. Plus a Nagaraya courtesy of the boys. Yey!

Simple Joys

The ferris wheel was not like those gigantic ones but I was still so chicken to try it because the last time I did, I found my world turning around like crazy. I swore not to do that again. 

But the boys felt they were brave enough. Looking so confident huh!

Before ferris wheel ride

After the ferris wheel ride

They couldn't find their balance after ;) But they wouldn't stop. More dizzy rides please! The two girls found their courage to join this time... while I was still in the process of finding mine. :)

They seemed to enjoy that! Now I wanna ride!!! 

What ride was this again? Was this the caterpillar?

My gosh! I had the loudest scream! That was fun!!! 

Earlier that day we agreed on spending only 50 pesos for an evening of fun and adventure. Everyone was so worried on how to stick on the budget considering the food, the expenses for fun here and fun there. We were half serious on the challenge. Well, we tried! We really tried! Until we got hungry! :) On the first 30 minutes of our evening, we said goodbye to our 50 pesos.

So we just walked around for the next 30 minutes not knowing where else to go but thanks to Paul - our rides sponsor! If not because of him, we wouldn't have taken the rides because we were already out of our budget. :) He was in a different office so he didn't get the memo. Shhhhhhh. (I'm afraid he will have second thoughts of joining us again. Heehee.)

Until the next 50-peso adventure guys! :)  Or maybe let's try a 25-peso adventure. Hmmm... I wonder what we can do with only that. :)

Amazing Monday: A Heart

Look at this photo! This was from my long weekend getaway. Observe it properly especially that something at my feet. :)

You notice it? See that? That perfectly shaped heart at my feet? Isn't that sooooooo amazing! Amazing is an understatement. It feels like a miracle to me! :) It really made my day! No, I did not intentionally draw a heart with my foot. And how could I draw on a rushing water?

Nature's little surprises are my life's simple joys :)

Little Pieces of Love

I had my Moment of Solitude after work last Wednesday. I take myself somewhere deeper within when I have this moment. Since I had to go to groceries for some errands, it wasn't the usual peaceful moments. But still, I found tranquility. I looked at things and people in a different perspective. Instead of rushing to get all the things I needed, I took time and breathed every moment.

On my way home, life fed my heart even more with love that I needed to be reminded of.

1) Dancing Traffic Enforcer
These men are unsung heroes. It isn't a joke to be standing under the heat (at times, under the heavy rains) for long hours. How much more dancing? It was seldom that I pass by that intersection. There was once that I saw a dancing enforcer but haven't seen a single smile on his face. It was as if he wasn't glad about what he was doing. Or maybe he got tired of smiling already. Or maybe he was worried about his next steps :P

But that Wednesday afternoon, I was glad that the officer was dancing and smiling at the same time. It takes dedication and passion to enjoy the work that we do everyday. I wanna go out of the cab and give him a handshake and thank him for doing a great job, not just for himself, but most especially for giving people a great service!

(photo from gensantos.gov.ph)

2) Father Fetching His Kid From School
I love looking at a picture of a father's love. I saw a man on his motorcycle with his son hugging him from behind and his son's big stroller bag in front. It painted a big smile on face. How sweet the father was of taking his time to show that kind of love. That child was very lucky. It wasn't really about the fetching but more of the power of the hugs that the child gives everytime they spend even just few minutes riding home.

Couldn't search for a picture of dad and child. So just please imagine the two sacks of rice in front to be the big bag. And the 4 sacks to be the child hugging his dad. :P

3) A Man Wiping His Girl's Forehead
I find cute little gestures sooo sweet and gentlemanly. I observed them to be waiting for a ride. The man has glanced on his girl and maybe found something on his girl's forehead and wiped that something away using his palm. Ahhhhhhh... Sooo sweet. Little gestures = Big love. I just find these things romantic and sweet. When a man does even the simplest things for his girl, there's a big love hidden in the heart.


(photo from Google search. They're supposed to be standing on the street. :P)

I, too, had my own share of little pieces of love that day.

I received a smile of approval from a person I greatly admire. His eyes were as if saying that I can climb mountains higher than where I am now. Thank you, Sir. You may never know this but you made me believe in greater things again. :)

Drew said, "Thank you." I asked, "What for?" He answered back, "..for everything." Omg! I wanted to sob on my pillows for joy. How could he do this to me? How could he be so kind in words that night? It made my heart so overjoyed.




There's actually a funny story about that line "Thank you for everything." I use that as my favorite break-up line when my mood swings to its highest peak of not wanting him to be in my life anymore... Just because of nothingness. Girl thing... The moods and all. The first time I said that, he got into his ok-let's-fix-this mode. But I've used it several times already that eventually, it became ineffective anymore. I have to think of another line :)

Ok! As I was saying, he said that before we were about to say goodnight..in his gentlest voice. My heart flew away to the clouds. It sounded different coming from him than from me. I wish I were on his side to lean on his shoulder. Just feeling his presence because I actually, as far as i could remember, haven't done him any favor that day. I did not ask for specifics anymore. Him thanking me for everything was the best affirmation that I'm doing a great job as his girl. Yey! How I felt sooo loved! My heart was full.

Love love love!