Loud Silent Monologues

CHUCK!

2009-03-15T00:55:00.003+08:00

My cousin had recently put on her Facebook status that she's so LOL'ng over Chuck Norris jokes. I've received those in my inbox a couple of years back, but I feel like having a good laugh, so I Google'd a few down. It's a lot like Eraptions, but only it's Chuck Norris.Ü

# Guns don't kill people. Chuck Norris kills People.

# There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of animals Chuck Norris allows to live.

# Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.

# The chief export of Chuck Norris is Pain.

# There is no chin under Chuck Norris' Beard. There is only another fist.

# Chuck Norris has two speeds. Walk, and Kill.

# The leading causes of death in the United States are: 1. Heart Disease 2. Chuck Norris 3. Cancer.

# Chuck Norris drives an ice cream truck covered in human skulls.

# Chuck Norris is my Homeboy.

# Chuck Norris doesn't go hunting.... CHUCK NORRIS GOES KILLING.

# Chuck Norris uses pepper spray to spice up his steaks. (New!)

# Chuck Norris once roundhouse kicked someone so hard that his foot broke the speed of light, went back in time, and killed Amelia Earhart while she was flying over the Pacific Ocean.

# Crop circles are Chuck Norris' way of telling the world that sometimes corn needs to lie down.

# Chuck Norris is ten feet tall, weighs two-tons, breathes fire, and could eat a hammer and take a shotgun blast standing.

# The Great Wall of China was originally created to keep Chuck Norris out. It failed miserably.

# Contrary to popular belief, Chuck Norris, not the box jellyfish of northern Australia, is the most venomous creature on earth. Within 3 minutes of being bitten, a human being experiences the following symptoms: fever, blurred vision, beard rash, tightness of the jeans, and the feeling of being repeatedly kicked through a car windshield.

# Most people have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Chuck Norris has 72... and they're all poisonous.

# If you ask Chuck Norris what time it is, he always says, "Two seconds 'til." After you ask, "Two seconds 'til what?" he roundhouse kicks you in the face.

# Chuck Norris drives an ice cream truck covered in human skulls.

# When Chuck Norris sends in his taxes, he sends blank forms and includes only a picture of himself, crouched and ready to attack. Chuck Norris has not had to pay taxes, ever.

# The quickest way to a man's heart is with Chuck Norris' fist.

# Chuck Norris invented Kentucky Fried Chicken's famous secret recipe, with eleven herbs and spices. But nobody ever mentions the twelfth ingredient: Fear.

# CNN was originally created as the "Chuck Norris Network" to update Americans with on-the-spot ass kicking in real-time.

# Chuck Norris can win a game of Connect Four in only three moves.

# There is no theory of evolution, just a list of creatures Chuck Norris allows to live.

# Chuck Norris once ate three 72 oz. steaks in one hour. He spent the first 45 minutes having sex with his waitress.

# What was going through the minds of all of Chuck Norris' victims before they died? His shoe.

# Chuck Norris is the only man to ever defeat a brick wall in a game of tennis.

# Police label anyone attacking Chuck Norris as a Code 45-11.... a suicide.

# Chuck Norris doesn't churn butter. He roundhouse kicks the cows and the butter comes straight out.

# Chuck Norris doesn’t wash his clothes, he disembowels them.

# A Handicapped parking sign does not signify that this spot is for handicapped people. It is actually in fact a warning, that the spot belongs to Chuck Norris and that you will be handicapped if you park there.

# Chuck Norris will attain statehood in 2009. His state flower will be the Magnolia.

# Someone once videotaped Chuck Norris getting pissed off. It was called Walker: Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

# If you spell Chuck Norris in Scrabble, you win. Forever.

# Chuck Norris originally appeared in the "Street Fighter II" video game, but was removed by Beta Testers because every button caused him to do a roundhouse kick. When asked bout this "glitch," Norris replied, "That's no glitch."

# Fool me once, shame on you. Fool Chuck Norris once and he will roundhouse you in the face.

# The opening scene of the movie "Saving Private Ryan" is loosely based on games of dodgeball Chuck Norris played in second grade.

# Chuck Norris once shot down a German fighter plane with his finger, by yelling, "Bang!"

# Chuck Norris once bet NASA he could survive re-entry without a spacesuit. On July 19th, 1999, a naked Chuck Norris re-entered the earth's atmosphere, streaking over 14 states and reaching a temperature of 3000 degrees. An embarrassed NASA publically claimed it was a meteor, and still owes him a beer.

# Chuck Norris has two speeds: Walk and Kill.

# Someone once tried to tell Chuck Norris that roundhouse kicks aren't the best way to kick someone. This has been recorded by historians as the worst mistake anyone has ever made.

# Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, it is a Chucktatorship.

# Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is based on a true story: Chuck Norris once swallowed a turtle whole, and when he crapped it out, the turtle was six feet tall and had learned karate.

# Chuck Norris is not hung like a horse... horses are hung like Chuck Norris.

# Faster than a speeding bullet ... more powerful than a locomotive ... able to leap tall buildings in a single bound... yes, these are some of Chuck Norris's warm-up exercises.

# Chuck Norris is the only human being to display the Heisenberg uncertainty principle -- you can never know both exactly where and how quickly he will roundhouse-kick you in the face.

# In the Bible, Jesus turned water into wine. But then Chuck Norris turned that wine into beer.

# Chuck Norris can hit you so hard that he can actually alter your DNA. Decades from now your descendants will occasionally clutch their heads and yell "What The Hell was That?"

# Time waits for no man. Unless that man is Chuck Norris.

# Chuck Norris discovered a new theory of relativity involving multiple universes in which Chuck Norris is even more badass than in this one. When it was discovered by Albert Einstein and made public, Chuck Norris roundhouse-kicked him in the face. We know Albert Einstein today as Stephen Hawking.

# Chuck Norris doesn't shower, he only takes blood baths.

# The Chuck Norris military unit was not used in the game Civilization 4, because a single Chuck Norris could defeat the entire combined nations of the world in one turn.

# In an average living room there are 1,242 objects Chuck Norris could use to kill you, including the room itself.

# According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, the Native American "Trail of Tears" has been redefined as anywhere that Chuck Norris walks.

# Pluto is actually an orbiting group of British soldiers from the American Revolution who entered space after the Chuck gave them a roundhouse kick to the face.

# When Chuck Norris goes to donate blood, he declines the syringe, and instead requests a hand gun and a bucket.

# There are no steroids in baseball. Just players Chuck Norris has breathed on.

# Chuck Norris once challenged Lance Armstrong in a "Who has more testicles?" contest. Chuck Norris won by 5.

# Chuck Norris was the fourth wise man, who gave baby Jesus the gift of beard, which he carried with him until he died. The other three wise men were enraged by the preference that Jesus showed to Chuck's gift, and arranged to have him written out of the bible. All three died soon after of mysterious roundhouse-kick related injuries.

# Chuck Norris sheds his skin twice a year.

Sad, Shocking Friday.

2009-03-08T21:46:00.002+08:00

I remember it was hot that day. It was a bit breezy, but it felt humid, so it didn't help alleviate the weather conditions at all. After Friday prayer at home and a quick lunch, I decided to clean the oven toaster because the pit was a bit grimy from the burnt cheese that oozed from pizzas and whatever else we put in it to reheat food. I was listening to one of the more popular FM radio stations while scrubbing the grills and the pit of the toaster with an aluminum foil (it works, take it from an unofficially diagnosed OCD me! ), when the DJ announced that Master Rapper Francis Magalona had passed on, as it was announced by Vic Sotto on their noontime show Eat Bulaga. Daaaang. I was so struck with the announcement that I stopped cleaning and sat down. I had just read some of his entries a week ago from his Multiply site and then this comes out. I left the kitchen and turned the TV on to check out EB, and sure enough, while they were continuing on with their segments, the hosts' eyes looked red from crying and weren't as lively as they usually were.

Francis Magalona succumbed to Cancer at the age of 44. He had AML (Acute Myelogenous Leukemia with Mixed Lineage) or MLL. Francis died due to multiple organ failure “secondary to severe sepsis and secondary to pneumonia. He is survived by his wife, Pia Maria Arroyo-Magalona and eight children, including celebrity Maxene Magalona.

I felt so saddened by the demise because I am a fan. I listen to hip-hop. My musical preferences in this genre lean more on the foreign artists because of HD's influence, but when it comes to the local scene, I am partial to FM because his songs makes sense, relaying positivity with lyrics so beautifully written speaking of pride for one's lineage; pride for oneself; for being Filipino; for being one.

The past weekend was filled with updates about his wake, tributes to his name and achievements, and revelations of who he was as a father, a husband, a friend, a colleague to other musicians and an artist. It made me even more sad to know all these things; I know he would have been able to do so much more had he not had to battle the Big C. His songs have bridged generations of listeners and fans, and I am just a speck in the sea of admirers who grieve for his loss.

One Love

Rest In Peace, FrancisM.

**Image courtesy of Miguel Gallardo. Thank you!

What's Your Album Cover?

2009-02-20T14:21:00.003+08:00

I got this from my gradeschool classmate Deiia via Facebook’s Notes. It was a pretty fun activity, although I must say, my results came out a bit freaky. Try your hand at it, and let me know how yours came out. :D

--------------------------

My Album Cover.

--------------------------

To Do This

1 - Go to "wikipedia." Hit "random"
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on "explore the last seven days"
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together.

5 - Post it to FB with this text in the "caption" and TAG the friends you want to join in.

My Result:

Band Name: Manadon

Album Title: A Means To Conceal Oneself

Oh, Oh, Oh!

2009-02-19T00:47:00.003+08:00

"We're the dancers. LOL"

Everybody Has To Cross The River

2009-02-01T23:41:00.000+08:00

I was 'stumbling upon' sites using Stumble Upon (duh) when I came across this quiz. I don't know how true it is that this IQ test is really given to job applicants in Japan prior to getting accepted at work, because even the one who posted the game isn't so sure about it either. *smirks*

Anyhoo... the game gave me a friggin' headache the first five minutes, but figured it out after five more. *yay* The game's pretty cute with its animated characters and antics, but it still doesn't excuse the headache it gave me when I made a few attempts. I'm sharing this game with you and see how YOU'd fare at it. *heehee*

Now, since I answered it correctly, does it mean I can go work in Japan? Weee!☺

http://www.robmathiowetz.com/

Why Women Cry

2009-01-29T11:28:00.002+08:00

Got this from my e-mail, I thought I'd share. :)

A little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?"

"Because I'm a woman," she told him.

"I don't understand," he said.

His Mom just hugged him and said, "And you never will."

Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?"

"All women cry for no reason," was all his dad could say.

The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry.

Finally he put in a call to God. When God got on the phone, he asked, "God, why do women cry so easily?"

God said:

"When I made the woman she had to be special.

I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world,

yet gentle enough to give comfort.

I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.

I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue with out complaining.

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly.

I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.

And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed."

"You see my son," said God, "the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart - the place where love resides."

Randomness. Q&A1 2009

2009-01-25T18:33:00.003+08:00

Do you plan on falling in love in 2009?

♣ I already am.

What are you doing tomorrow?

♣ Same old stuff.

Without stating the name, say something to someone you hate:

♣ May God bless you.

Britney Spears, Yes or No?

♣ So-so... she's a good performer, her songs are catchy, but she's not one good singer.

Do you like your life?

♣ Yuh.

Do you trust people easily?

♣ Depends on the vibe I get from the person.

Would you ever get a tattoo?

♣ No, even if I could.

Would you rather it be sunny or rainy?

♣ Sunny.

Does it bother you when your friends bring up your past mistakes?

♣ Yes!

Do you sing obnoxiously in the car?

♣ Only on long trips...if I don't fall asleep first. At times, when it's really traffic; to distract myself from stupid drivers.

When was the last time you talked to your number 1?

♣ Huh?

Is there a person who knows every thing or almost every thing about you?

♣ Yeah, I think mom then the husband. hehe.

Do you plan on moving out within the next year or two?

♣ A timely question! If the situation calls for it...it's still fifty-fifty.

Who is number two on your friends list?

♣ FS: Raja; on MySpace it's Lon.

When is the last time someone of the opposite sex gave you a hug?

♣ Awhile ago, when the husband woke up.

What were you doing at midnight last night ?

♣ Blog-surfing. Downloading songs.

Has anyone ever told you they love you?

♣ Yes,

Do you miss the way things used to be?

♣ At times. Wait, which part of my life would that be?

Last person who called you?

♣ Mom, checking up on us, updating me with the latest happenings.hehe.

Would you ever live with anyone on your top friends?

♣ I've lived with those bunch since forever.

How many pills do you take a day?

♣ None. I don't like taking any kind of medicine.

Do you get nervous before doctor appointments?

♣ No.

Favorite place to be?

♣ Home. ;)

Have you ever intentionally made someone jealous?

♣ Haven't we all done that? LOL

Do you like someone?

♣ Yes. :)

Last person to message you?

♣ Dido

Last person you held hands with? When?

♣ Raja, at the mall. He was so ecstatic with his new toy he wanted to go home already...held his had (more like wrung it actually) to keep him from running to the parking lot.hehe!

What was your first thought this morning?

♣ What am I gonna cook for lunch?

Have you ever broken a window on purpose?

♣ No.

In one word, how do you feel right now?

♣ Full. Alhamdulillah.

What do you want for your next birthday?

♣ A BABY! haha. :) That'd be really nice!

Where did you get the shirt you' re wearing?

♣ Zara.

Tallest person you know?
♣ The Korean guy who stalked me on my first year in college. He was about 6'2"- 6'3". Good friends know who that guy is.

Plans for tonight?

♣ Rest, watch DVD, get some more rest!

Where is your cellphone?

♣ On the table, waiting for Hassan's/CheChe's text.

Whose voice do you currently hear?

♣ Raja complaining about the game he's playing on PSP.

Would you ever trade your wardrobe with someone?

♣ If it's some Hollywood celeb, why not?! LOL

You have a Million dollars, what do you do with it?
♣ Save. Invest. Splurge!

And America Makes History

2009-01-21T19:02:00.010+08:00

January 21, 2009 marked a first for the United States of America as President Barack Hussein Obama took oath of office as the 44th President of the United States. It was estimated that more than a million spectators witnessed the swearing-in of President Obama held at the West Front of Washington State Capitol, and millions more via television across the globe.

I stayed up late (as usual) and waited up for the inauguration ceremonies. I watched in anticipation as other leaders filtered out of the building onto the sea of faces watching and waiting just like me. Then came out VP Joe Biden (who I think looks like a pleasant fellow) and then finally, Mr. President himself. I had goosebumps and ears in my eyes when they were sworn-in. I don't know... it just overwhelmed me.

I'm not American, but this is history unfolding our very eyes. Who would have thought an African-American could one day become president to the most powerful country in the world? I never thought it would be impossible...but for it to happen NOW, at a time where everything seems bleak with the crises that we're experiencing, is indicative that there is hope -- for change, for a better tomorrow. What we were all witness to is something worth telling our grandchildren in the future. May this historic moment be an inspiration to us all. :)

Full text of President Barack Hussein Obama's Inaugural Speech

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Opinion: Self-Regulation by Alex Magno

2009-01-20T23:11:00.004+08:00

Self Regulation by Alex Magno of The Philippine Star

Ducky Paredes' & Antonio Montalvan, II's entries.

2009-01-16T03:53:00.013+08:00

The Valley Golf and Boxing Club by Ducky Paredes of Malaya

Valley Cleanses Itself by Ducky Paredes of Malaya

Romancing Disaster by Antonio Montalvan,II of The Philippine Daily Inquirer

A Link to Patricio Mangubat's Entry

2009-01-04T16:47:00.001+08:00

What If Dela Paz Started This Golf Melee?

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY

2008-12-28T07:39:00.003+08:00

Their side has been heard over and over on television, radio and print. The average person who would see, hear and read about their story would indeed feel for them completely, and have nothing but anger and hatred for the other party. I’ve read her blog from her BlogSpot, and they sure sounded like the aggravated party on her blog.

I am posting the incident that happened at the south course of Valley Golf and Country Club that fateful day of December 26, 2008 between the families of Pangandaman and dela Paz. But this is not Delfin’s and his children’s side; I am retelling the details of the incident here on behalf of the Pangandamans.

On December 26, 2008, Friday, at around eleven in the morning, the group of Secretary Nasser Pangandaman registered at the Valley Golf Country Club to play golf. Since there were eight of them playing, they divided into two flights, with the Secretary and his companions on the first flight, and Hussein, Nasser JR and two others on the second. In golf terms, a flight is a division of players within a golf tournament or game. Angelo Pangandaman, Hussein’s eight year old son tagged along with the second flight (Nasser Jr’s), since no one would be able to watch him at the clubhouse.

Nasser Jr and his friend, Farah Locsin arrived late at the golf course and followed their flightmates at Hole No. 4 of the South Course of Valley. It was a convoy of two golf carts, one of which was Nasser Jr’s and the second was the golf marshal’s who was escorting them and the caddies. Here, Bambee narrated in her blog: “My brother and I were playing golf at the South Course of Valley. We were on the 3rd hole, and we see two golf carts going past us, overtaking our flight, and setting up to tee off on the next hole. My dad goes up to them and asks them why they would do that, why they would overtake us without even asking for our permission.” Mr. Delfin dela Paz reacted by protesting at what seemed to be an overtaking of flight, in which Nasser Jr explained to the elder dela Paz that they did not overtook their flight but simply tried to catch up with their flightmates at Hole No. 4. He further explained that they, like the dela Paz’s had earlier lined up to play and were already registered at the flight before theirs. Thinking that things had been cleared up, Mr. dela Paz said, “Okay, kortesiya lang” (”Okay, just seeking courtesy“) .

When the 2nd flight of Nasser Jr. already played hole no. 4 which is a par 3, and Nasser Jr. was still outside of the green trying to pitch his ball into the green, the flight of dela Paz hit their shots into the green which almost hit Hussein without shouting “Fore!”. In golf terms, “fore” is a word of warning yelled out by a player who has hit an errant shot. If your shot is in danger of hitting or landing very close to another player or group of players on the course (for instance, if you slice a ball into an adjoining fairway), you should yell “fore!” to warn players to watch out. Surprised, though sensing trouble which they deemed to choose to avoid, they allowed the other dela Paz player to hit his shot so they can peacefully resume and concentrate on their playing. At this point, the caddy of Nasser Jr also took the 8 year-old Angelo to stay behind the golf cart to avoid being hit by golf balls coming from the dela Paz players.

On Hole No. 5, after the 2nd Pangandaman flight hit their drives into the fairway and before they could hit their second shots, the dela Paz players again hit their drives without warning the Pangandamans. Puzzed and surprised, they asked among themselves why the flight behind them were doing this to them as they could be hit by their (dela Paz’s) golf balls. When Nasser Jr’s flight reached the green of Hole No. 5 and after holing out, they joined the 1st flight of Sec. Pangandaman and took their break at the teehouse. During their break, the marshal approached Nasser Jr, stating that the dela Paz’s were complaining that there were five of them in their group and why they overtook the dela Paz flight. Nasser Jr. reiterated to the marshal what he had already explained to the elder del Paz, to which his knowledge the former had already accepted his explanation. Unconvinced with what the marshal had relayed that there were only four and not five in their flight and that they did not overtake as they just went back to the clubhouse and later join their flight, the elder dela Paz approached Nasser Jr, obviously agitated at this time and pointed a finger at him and accusing him that there were two carts in their flight and that they (Nasser Jr) overtook them. This confused the younger Pangandaman, as he had already explained back at Hole No. 4 that they did not do so. He asked in a most respectful manner that he thought that they already had an understanding. Mr. dela Paz at the top of his voice accused him that Nasser Jr was wrong and began shouting profane words at the younger Pangandaman, saying, “P***** i** ka! Member ka ba dito, ha? Hindi mo ba ako kilala?” (”S.O.B! Are you even a member here? Don’t you know who I am?!”) In a calm voice and without revealing that he is the Mayor of Masiu, Lanao del Sur, Nasser Jr respectfully asked Mr. dela Paz why he was raising his voice at him when they were not arguing. The elder dela Paz reacted “Ikaw ang naghahanap ng away!”(”You’re the one looking for a fight!”), while pulling his umbrella and thrusted the pointed part and hit the belly of Nasser Jr, who backed up. This incident happened in front of the marshal who tried to interevene, but Mr. Delfin dela Paz pressed on, thus prompting Nasser Jr’s older brother Hussein, to come to his brother’s defense. Mr. dela Paz hit Hussein on the forehead and the two engaged in a fist fight.

Meanwhile, Nasser Jr., tried to prevent the two younger dela Paz from joining the fight but they got away from him and went in between their father and Hussein. The dela Paz siblings were able to hold Hussein preventing him to reach the elder dela Paz as if trying to pacify the two. Yet, Bino Lorenzo dela Paz kept punching Hussein in the face and Marie Dhel dela Paz from behind kept on scratching his face. At one point Mr. Delfin dela Paz even got a golf club driver and tried to hit Husseinbut Mr. Rene Maglanque was able to pry the club away from him. When Hussein turned his back on the elder dela Paz, Bino then got a golf club and tried to attack Hussein, but Nasser Jr was able to block Bino with his left arm, but hit his left hand. Sec. Pangandaman, Rene Maglanque, and another golfer from a different flight pacified everybody and asked the dela Paz’s to just leave them to prevent further trouble. Mr. Delfin dela Paz called someone in his cellphone and gave orders to come to the clubhouse because they’ve just had a fight with someone.

The dela Paz’s then left the golf course. Losing interest in the game as it was spoiled by the fight, both Sec. Pangandaman’s and Nasser Jr’s flights also returned to the clubhouse after about ten minutes. Hussein, attaining a bump on the forehead due to a punch by Mr. Delfin dela Paz and scratches on the face and neck, hurried to the men’s locker room to relieve himself and wash his wounds from the scuffle. But Mr. Delfin dela Paz blocked his path to the locker room and told him in a threatening voice that it wasn’t over between them and that he’ll take revenge. Hussein, obviously still angry from the brawl that ensued at the golf course asked why they still hadn’t left yet, when Bino again, pleaded not to hurt his fifty-six year old father, and him who’s fourteen, but with fists ready to punch. The Secretary’s elder son was engaged in another scuffle with the father and son followed by Marie Dhel, who came from behind Hussein, scratching him on his right cheek, neck, ear, while pulling and tearing his shirt.

The security and other golfers in the clubhouse who witnessed the encounter separated them, and as soon as that happened, Mr. dela Paz again shouted invectives at Hussein. Around this time, a loud commotion was heard by the entrance; it was Mrs. dela Paz and her two sons. The sons had with them baseball bats, and Mrs. dela Paz, in a house dress (duster), had with her a bladed weapon, all three looking as if ready to assault. The other golfers and security held them off so as to completely stop the fight. At this point, Sec. Pangandaman told his sons to leave already and the dela Paz’s to stop and leave, so that no more untoward incident would happen. The Pangandaman’s party had to leave through the parking exit because the dela Paz family was waiting for them at the clubhouse lobby.

I’m pretty sure that most, if not everyone, has already read the blog that Bambee dela Paz posted on her blog page. And I’m pretty sure that most, if not everyone totally sympathizes with the dela Paz family regarding the mauling incident allegedly initiated by the Pangandamans. But may I ask, before those hurtful comments were hurled at the DAR Secretary, the mayor of Masiu, Lanao del Sur, the rest of their family, and Muslims as a whole, did the people even bother for just a second to think what the other side had to say? Did they even bother getting information from the Pangandaman’s camp after reading Bambee dela Paz’s blog? I BET THEY DID NOT.

I just have a couple of more questions. If Mr. dela Paz and his children have been playing golf for such a long time now, then they should know their golf etiquette by heart now. If they are professional players, then why did they hit their drives WITHOUT giving any warning to the flight before them? Isn’t it a given to golfers to shout “Fore!” to players who may be potentially hit by the ball since they are in the way of it? Could they have forgotten to warn them TWICE?

Weren’t they supposed to NOT hit their drives unless the golfers before them are OUT OF THE GREEN?

And since it was a holiday, why did the dela Paz flight pushed to play on the golf course when A FLIGHT OF TWO IS PROHIBITED TO PLAY ON THE COURSE DURING HOLIDAYS as per club regulations? Does that mean they are exempted from the rules and regulations of Valley Golf and Country Club?

How can they claim that their flight was overtaken by Nasser Jr’s when they had registered to play on a flight before the dela Paz’s? Do you think the marshal will even escort Nasser and his friend to the golf course if that was really the case?

Why would Nasser Jr complain to the marshal about the dela Paz’s alleged slow playing as stated on reports when his flight is BEFORE theirs?

Why did Bambee leave out the part of what happened at Holes 4 and 5 and just continued her blog on the teehouse? Could she have forgotten to put in her blog that she was also part of the brawl on the course and hurt the older Pangandaman son? Your nails must be pretty long, Ms Bambee, those cuts dug in deep into Hussein’s skin.

Would Bambee even bother blogging about the incident that took place in Valley Golf had they had a tip-off with some other Christian elitist and not Muslim politicians like the Pangandamans? Would the media and the public pick up the story and show the same volume of sympathy for the dela Paz family if the other party concerned were just average, private Non-Muslim citizens?

Would the public still claim Mr. Delfin dela Paz and his children to be brave and courageous people if they had known that they already have a record of run-ins with other patrons of Valley Golf?

Do you seriously think that a person who works as a public official would actually put his reputation on the line over a game of golf regardless of faith or be for or against the administration?

Why are your statements inconsistent, Mr. dela Paz? Reports from different sources seem to vary. From what I know, a person who has had a traumatic experience has vivid recollections of the events that took place.

Like they said, it all started from a small misunderstanding. Had Mr. dela Paz accepted the explanation given to him by Nasser Jr. back at the course then none of this would have happened. This isn’t a case between an underdog and the powerful and mighty. This is a case between right and wrong. The dela Paz family claim that a lot of people have witnessed what took place. That’s what the Pangandaman family think too. Let those people speak up then! But to make quick judgments and accusations against the Pangandamans, politicians, and even Muslims in general, without enough knowledge and proper basis regarding both sides of the issue is just ridiculous and shows ignorance on your part. I am, just like everyone, am praying for this to be resolved.

The truth WILL prevail. Justice WILL be served.

Nonsense.

2008-12-23T02:08:00.006+08:00

Just killing some time. I can't sleep as usual.
So I'm doing this random Q and A.

Do you have an older sister?
♦ No. I wish I had one.

Who was the last person you talked to last night before bed?
♦ Hamza. Visited him in his room before I went to pray fajr then dozed off at 8-ish. He's been quarantined for almost a week now.So sad, I know.

What's the first thing you think of when you hear the word "mayonnaise"
♦ My version of ranch dressing.

Who was the last girl you talked to?
♦ Che. We went shopping this afternoon.

Who was the last person you talked to in person?
♦ Halim.

Whats the closest thing to you thats liquid?
♦ An unfinished cup of coffee (from my brother also)

Something you're happy about?
♦ Mom and Hamid arriving from CDO on Wednesday; family reunion on the 26th.

What did you do Friday night?
♦ Took care of my sick hubby.

What are you doing tonight?
♦ Make dinner. It's Italian Night Tuesday provided we get home before 6pm.

Where are you right now?
♦(W)Rec(K) room.

In winter, would you rather wear jackets or hoodies?
♦ We don't have winter here, I wear either though.

Do you wish you were somewhere else right now?
♦ Nah. I'm with family.♥

How long can you go without your mobile phone?
♦ Purty long. It's a bit liberating, really. :)

Who did you last call babe/baby?
♦ Hmm...?

What time did you go to sleep last night?
♦ 8-ish..in the morning.

What/who woke you up today?
♦ Raja slamming the door.

Are you excited for the future?
♦ Hmm.. Yeah, Kinda. :)

When was the last time someone yelled at you?
♦ I don't remember if there were any instances. Prolly when I was younger.

Things you did today?
♦ Checked on HD. Visited our grandparents. Texted with HD (he went to the doctor for a check-up). Went out with my brothers, sis-in-law and our kids to shop. Checked HD when we got home. Had dinner. Chatted with mom and bros on the phone then on YM later on. Played video games (PC,PSP,PS3). Checked on HD. Put Raja to bed. Texted with HD since he didn't want me to stay long around him in the quarantine room. Blah blah blah. You want to know what kind of pizza we had awhile ago? LOL

Do you own a polo shirt?
♦ YUH.

Are you excited for the new year?
♦ We really don't celebrate new year, but I look forward to family bondings and stuff. Exchange gifts. :D

What are you going to do after this?
♦ It's 3am now so I think I'll just wait for fajr to pray then sleep..pray that I do fall asleep!

What was the last thing you drank?
♦ A glass of water.

Do you have any kids?
♦ Just one. *sigh*

When was the last time you threw up?
♦ When we got home after Raja's birthday. I had a really bad headache the whole time we were at Corinthians.

Name 3 people who made you smile today?
♦ Raja. Rashad. Aleeyah, my 2y/o cousin.

What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
♦ Negotiating with the Sandman. Haha!

What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
♦ Eating pizza with Halim.

What is your favorite holiday?
♦ Definitely EID. Celebrating the end of Ramadan or Eid'l Adha.

Have you ever been to another country?
♦ Yuz.

What is the last thing you said aloud?
♦ "Ok, I'll get you a couple and take 'em to your room." HD asking for pizza also. Dang..only Raja sleeps early in this house!

What is the best ice cream flavor?
♦ Oh, this one's a toughie! I love Raspberry Rapture of FIC, but HD's pretty much also a staple in the bedroom fridge. :D

What are you wearing right now?
♦ PJs.

Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
♦ Yes.

When was the last time you ran?
♦ Early afternoon..was running after Rashad.hehe.

---------------

Still not sleepy!

You, Speak PRADA?

2008-12-20T01:45:00.016+08:00

If you're into chick lit like I am, then I bet you've already lain your eyes on Sophie Kinsella's (Madeleine Wickham) Shopaholic novels, particularly the first of the series, The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic, also known as Confessions of a Shopaholic (US title release).

Eight years after its initial release, a film adaptation of the book which will be shown on the first quarter of 2009. The movie stars Isla Fisher as Rebecca Bloomwood (The Wedding Crashers 2005 -as Rachel McAdams' sister) and Hugh Dancy as Luke Brandon (Blood and Chocolate, 2007; Daniel Deronda, 2002 -->this one's currently shown on Velvet.☺).

Hmm..I don't want to keep my hopes up, but the movie looks promising, it's a Touchstone/Jerry Bruckheimer-produced film after all.
Oh, shoot.
I'm excited as hell! It's like Devil Wears Prada all over again!
I can't wait for February to roll by!
For the meantime, let's all content ourselves with the trailer,shall we?♥

P.S. Thanks Fameeh and Naj for dropping off my little boy. I missed the runt! Take care and enjoy the road trip!♥

:)

2008-12-19T02:01:00.000+08:00

Earlier this evening, my sister-in-law Najah and her cousin Fameeh, together with Dee's boys Kazim and Abdul Shakur dropped by to pick up my little boy. Hamza's parents seemed to miss the tykes so they "borrowed" their grandkids from their moms so they could spend the night and a day in Las Piñas before they leave for Bora on Saturday.

It's 1:54am and I'm having a bout with the "missies".

I miss my Raja.

I miss his loud voice.
I miss when he rides his bike inside the house.
I miss how he pleads me to stop tickling him.
I miss how he endlessly questions me with things that come to mind that I sometimes can't think of an answer to give.
"Why is the sky called 'sky'?"
"Why do we live on Earth? Hindi ba pwede sa Saturn?" ("Can't we live on Saturn?")
"Why did you name me Raja?"
"Where does the water go when it goes down the drain?"
"Why do we need money to pay for things?"
"Where did you come from, Ummi (mom)? Did you come from Abi's (dad's) tummy?" *this one got me laughing
"When is your birthday?"
"Why don't we have the same birthday?"
"I'm four now Ummi (mom). You're thirty. You're old." *ouch
"Are stars flashlights in the sky?"

Those were just questions he threw at me today.
Ahhhh.
Questions/statements of a four year-old mind.

I go through that a lot, everyday.
But tonight's different... it's so eerily quiet, even when Hamza's around.
He's sick, by the way... he either has Parotitis or Mumps so I quarantined him in the other room. (eitherway, it's the same). :(

*sigh*
It's just for one night. Get a grip!
I'll see him tomorrow anyways...
Goodnight, Rajaboy.
See you when the "big fire" comes up tomorrow. ;)

Join Us at Moro Network!

2008-12-11T16:25:00.005+08:00

Visit Moro Network

View my page on Moro Network

A couple of days ago, I was invited by Attys. Ras and Toie to join a site named Moro Network under the Ning social network. It was coined as such because it mainly caters to our Filipino brothers and sisters in Islam.

Its goal is to unite all Filipino Muslims living here and abroad so that we may have our own avenue where we can all share anything that we want with others through pictures, blogs, music, forum discussions, bulletins and invites to seminars and other functions or play games with its applications. It is very much like our dear old Friendster, MySpace, Multiply, and Facebook.

Perhaps what makes it stand out from the others is the fact that the social network is for us Muslims, regardless whether one is Maranao, Maguindanaoan, Tausug, etc. I think it is a great idea and opportunity for us to connect and keep one another updated. The site is fairly young (only a couple of days old), with about fifty members to date.

I'm calling on my brothers and sisters to please take a peek at the site and sign up, it'll only take up a minute of your time. See you there!

EId'l Adha Al Mubarak, Everyone!

2008-12-08T12:02:00.000+08:00

Eid'l Adha, "The Festival of Sacrifice"

2008-12-04T11:59:00.000+08:00

What is Eid al-Adha

At the end of the Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca), Muslims throughout the world celebrate the holiday of Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). In 2008, Eid al-Adha will begin on approximately December 8th, and will last for three days.

What does Eid al-Adha commemorate?

During the Hajj, Muslims remember and commemorate the trials and triumphs of the Prophet Abraham. The Qur'an describes Abraham as follows:

"Surely Abraham was an example, obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the polytheists. He was grateful for Our bounties. We chose him and guided him unto a right path. We gave him good in this world, and in the next he will most surely be among the righteous." (Qur'an 16:120-121)

One of Abraham's main trials was to face the command of Allah to kill his only son. Upon hearing this command, he prepared to submit to Allah's will. When he was all prepared to do it, Allah revealed to him that his "sacrifice" had already been fulfilled. He had shown that his love for his Lord superceded all others, that he would lay down his own life or the lives of those dear to him in order to submit to God.

Why do Muslims sacrifice an animal on this day?

During the celebration of Eid al-Adha, Muslims commemorate and remember Abraham's trials, by themselves slaughtering an animal such as a sheep, camel, or goat. This action is very often misunderstood by those outside the faith.

Allah has given us power over animals and allowed us to eat meat, but only if we pronounce His name at the solemn act of taking life. Muslims slaughter animals in the same way throughout the year. By saying the name of Allah at the time of slaughter, we are reminded that life is sacred.

The meat from the sacrifice of Eid al-Adha is mostly given away to others. One-third is eaten by immediate family and relatives, one-third is given away to friends, and one-third is donated to the poor. The act symbolizes our willingness to give up things that are of benefit to us or close to our hearts, in order to follow Allah's commands. It also symbolizes our willingness to give up some of our own bounties, in order to strengthen ties of friendship and help those who are in need. We recognize that all blessings come from Allah, and we should open our hearts and share with others.

It is very important to understand that the sacrifice itself, as practiced by Muslims, has nothing to do with atoning for our sins or using the blood to wash ourselves from sin. This is a misunderstanding by those of previous generations: "It is not their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him." (Qur'an 22:37)

The symbolism is in the attitude - a willingness to make sacrifices in our lives in order to stay on the Straight Path. Each of us makes small sacrifices, giving up things that are fun or important to us. A true Muslim, one who submits his or herself completely to the Lord, is willing to follow Allah's commands completely and obediently. It is this strength of heart, purity in faith, and willing obedience that our Lord desires from us.

What else do Muslims do to celebrate the holiday?

On the first morning of Eid al-Adha, Muslims around the world attend morning prayers at their local mosques. Prayers are followed by visits with family and friends, and the exchange of greetings and gifts. At some point, members of the family will visit a local farm or otherwise will make arrangements for the slaughter of an animal. The meat is distributed during the days of the holiday or shortly thereafter.

:)

2008-11-27T09:11:00.003+08:00

We came.

We saw.

We conquered a theater full of squealing, shrieking girls!LOL

Ok, the last line may be a tad exaggerated–they weren’t exactly shrieking, but on the verge of doing so. LOL My movie date and I went to the first day screening of Twilight, the movie adapted from the book of the same title by Stephenie Meyer (like duh, as if nobody knows about it,hehe!).

Let me just say this–let us all remember that a movie adaptation will always be different from the book, no matter what. Movies and books are two very different mediums of entertainment. Our ideas and imagery of the characters, the places, the plots that took place and everything else concerning what we read will always, always be different from what we see in the movie because the former is subjective to how we see it in our minds–you have your own picture, I have mine. Am I saying I was disappointed with the flick? I’d like to keep my thoughts to myself for now. Still, please do see the film, my opinions after all, just my opinions. I’m very sure you have your own.

Shape Of Your Life

2008-11-20T00:29:00.002+08:00

http://shapeofyourlife.com/success

Please check out this site. You can never tell, it just might change your life. :D

Five. :)

2008-11-17T23:58:00.002+08:00

Five Years.

When I think of how long we've been married, I still somehow get blown away. Where did all the time go? It flew by just like that. I guess when two people really love each other, time is something we don't really think about anymore because you think, you feel, you know that time is irrelevant with what we have.

I can't say I've known him all my life nor do I claim him to be my best friend. Stories like that are referenced under fiction/fairy tales (I'll let you believe your story), and our story is as real as real can get. In the five years that we've been married, and the eight that I've known Hamza, I can honestly say that we've gone through a whole lot of ups and downs, twists and turns, bumps and potholes in this ride called marriage. Still we've endured them and come out on top. I'm thankful to Allah (swt) for giving me someone who's like him. We complement each other with our differences, we enhance our similarities together. I don't think I can picture myself with anyone else but him. He's my other half as I am his. That's how simple it is.

Hun, words aren't enough, as always.

I'm just glad it's you and me.

Let's let that forever be. :)

DUPED.

2008-11-07T19:00:00.004+08:00

So I was browsing profiles on a lazy Friday afternoon when I saw some photo collages and face morphs. I thought I’d go do some celebrity look-alikes and celeb face morphs of my own on MyHeritage since I wasn’t really anything productive today and I haven’t done that in awhile. Just for fun, and it’s not like I really post them on my pro’,…

Surprise, surprise!

I never thought I resembled someone’s mom on FS (Friendster).

Which is which?

Dang it.

Missy be needing an explanation.

Stupid of me not to recognize a celeb.

But it’s not like I’m Malaysian, so there.

(who do I resemble the most? that's her so-called 'mother'.)

Well, I really shouldn't be so surprised. After all, she did lifted some lines from one of my blog posts on Friendster (the entry about me missing Marawi City); it was too much of a coincidence how we both happen to miss the exact same things, down to the description of the food to the places where we hang out and how the weather darkens my skin. Char. As if we both live the same lives.

I'm on to you now. But I'll let you keep playing your game.

Karma strikes tenfold. You just wait.

MyHeritage: Celebrity Morph - Pedigree - Ancestors

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

2008-11-07T17:15:00.001+08:00

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

It's an OBAMA-nation!

2008-11-07T15:49:00.002+08:00

It has already been two (or three) days since the recently ended US Presidential Elections, and I am still feeling the buzz of President-Elect Barack Hussein Obama's victory over Sen. John McCain. For months we have been fed with update after update from their nominations to their respective parties as candidates, their campaigns, debates, controversies, personal lives, the campaign for the seat, the actual election, and then Obama's victory and McCain's concession. I quietly celebrated his win as I am not an American, nor do I live in the land of opportunity, but to me, President-Elect Obama's victory does signify a want for a better world. And while I respect Senator McCain with his vast experience and tenure in the political arena, I felt a bit anxious that if he had won, he would be like President Bush who has made blunder after blunder with his corrupt ways and narrow-mindedness, and continue to wage war and whatever else it is that his would have been predecessor had done. I do commend him though, for having conceded in the most gentlemanly fashion and respecting the outcome of the election. Kudos to you, Mister Senator.

With the economic crises USA has been experiencing lately and quite short tenure in in politics (just in comparison to McCain's, okay) , I think Senator Obama has quite a lot on his shoulders when transition takes place on January 20 next year (2009). President Bush has certainly left him with a big mess. Sorry, I'm really not a fan of that redneck, same goes to his father when he was president back in the nineties. :P I guess America has grown tired of their old ways, and they knew what options they had there. I say they chose wisely. And with Democrats taking majority of the seats in the Senate and the House, Pres. Obama will probably be getting a lot of help too.

President-Elect Obama's win against Senator McCain is an historic event for America and the rest of the world that our generation is able to witness. It was a David and Goliath battle of sorts, and David came on top. An African American winning the top political seat of the country, of the world probably, is not just some small feat--it is an achievement, an event not to be missed considering their history. When I think of that, I feel overwhelmed, jubilant and privileged to have been part of this age that doing the impossible is possible. Perhaps the people felt that change has come. This turn of event has given me hope that good things could still happen in spite of difficulties and turmoil. May this experience cause a chain of positive reactions, not only for America, but for the rest of the world.

Congratulations, President Barack Hussein Obama!

Raja's 4D Ultrasound

2008-10-23T04:08:00.004+08:00

I was cleaning up my computer the other day deleting some files that are taking up space in the hard disk when I came across my 4D ultrasound videos of Raja. I stopped to take a look at the clips and again marveled at the sight of my little bundle who was still then happily snoozing inside my tummy.

That was in September 1, 2004. I was with my mom and my mother-in-law and Hamza. Haha. It was supposed to be just my husband and I, but it was also my first ultrasound, and the would-be grandmoms wanted to tag along upon knowing that it would be in 4D. Why rain on their parade? They were just as excited as we were. We had originally opted for just 3D but we chose the newer version of the ultrasound because like 3D you get to see the actual image of the baby, only better because it is also animated which means you can see what your child is doing in real time, which we think is really cool. We didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl; Hamza was rooting for a son, and I, a daughter. I had an inkling that it might be a boy because I wasn't exactly "blooming" while pregnant with him (but I wasn't entirely ugly either!) and I have this Chinese calendar that I got from my mom that could determine if you were going to have a boy or a girl, which is creepily accurate. So when my obstetrician asked if we were hoping for a girl, I knew my hopes were dashed because I saw that little *toot* of his for the world to see. :D Oh well, as long as we knew that everything was normal, from his features to his limbs, hands, fingers, feet and toes...down to his *toot* and two little balls.LOL

Hmm... I kind of miss the days when my little boy was just that. Little. Tiny. A helpless little baby who's actually got both his parents wrapped around his cute pinkie. He's not so little now... he'll be four years old come November and he's in his "terrible three's" stage where he almost always quarrels his way with us through everything: mealtimes, bathtimes, naps, playtimes, what-have-yous. But don't get me wrong...he's also a very charming angel, intelligent, quick-witted, very sweet and affectionate! I absolutely love my son to pieces and would do anything and everything to make him happy. :)

*Sigh* I better get back to my cleaning.. It's already past 4am and I still have a long way to go. :)
Just wanted to share a li'l something-something with you. ;) Take care!

See Me There

2008-10-16T15:10:00.000+08:00

October 16, 2008; 5:43am

2008-10-16T05:29:00.000+08:00

Okay...

So I've been absent for quite awhile, neglecting this virtual notebook of mine (plus my other notebook which I keep somewhere in our house.HEHE!). I'm kind of pissed off with my blog in Friendster because I couldn't update it at all, it's gone and I still haven't got an answer from the technical team why it's like that. My fingers were wanting to blog that day, and it was really frustrating because my thoughts were practically pouring out my brain and I couldn't write. I have this page here, yes, but my Friendster blog's about as old as my son, hence my loyalty to it. But right now I'm so friggin' annoyed with it I just want to cancel the whole thing... my account there even.

It's kind of crazy-stupid that I didn't update here instead... I sort of forgot that I have this... *sheepish grin* I've forgotten what I'm supposed to write about...Oh, yeah, I remember. :) Although I think I'll keep this to myself, it's kind of soap-opera-ish, if you know how soaps go. ;) My thoughts, to say the least, are pretty much chagrinned, as Stephenie Meyer would probably described it if she had the chance to nitpick my mind. *Sigh* If only my Psych professor were here, I can unload, have a Carl Rogers session (look up on his style of therapy) so I can get this off my chest. I'm screaming for therapy!

Hmm... I'm probably going to make this my primary blog for now. If things don't improve in FS, then I'm going to say bye-bye to my blog there. *sobs*

Better get some sleep... The sun's come up. I wouldn't want people to see my skin glisten in the sunlight. ;)

You've Never Been Anywhere If You've Never Gone To...

2008-10-12T01:30:00.001+08:00

QUIAPO.

Haha. That’s an exaggeration right there. But there’s truth to it, at least.

In my thirty years of existence, I have never been to Quiapo. Jesting? No. I’d be lost if someone dumped me in the streets of Manila, particularly Quiapo. Don’t get me wrong, I know Manila, and I know where Quiapo is… only that I’ve never actually set foot there. So one early sunny Thursday, I tagged alongside mom to visit the wonders of the streets of that busy, busy place.

I put the cell phone’s alarm clock on for seven in the morning as my mom and I had agreed in the evening they would pick me up the following hour. We were just going to hitch a ride with dad who takes the España route to his office, and he’s very punctual (he does not like to wait, super hates tardiness!), so I had to do everything I needed to do before they come by the house (and not ruin dad’s day).

As if I really needed the alarm clock, I woke up a little before seven, which I was also thankful for, because I am never, was never, and probably will be never be a morning person. But I woke up early because I guess I was pretty excited with the mini field-trip. The comfort of the cool room and bed were serenading me though. I got up with about an hour and a half of sleep and trudged to the bathroom. No breakfast for me, we were still fasting then. I was all right with that… I wasn’t hungry, I don’t eat breakfast and I did not have any intention of breaking fast. At exactly eight, I heard dad’s vehicle honking outside the house. I kissed goodbye my husband and kid who were happily snoozing in our room and ran outside.

Quezon Avenue was already a bit heavy with traffic at that hour. All sorts of vehicles were snaking down the polluted road; jeepney, fx and bus drivers all trying to outdo one another hoping to fill in the seats of their transport. I was quite amused when we slowed down a bit near the island and dad’s driver honked the Hilux–I thought he was warning a driver who was driving too close, I never thought it was meant for the woman selling newspapers sitting on the island a couple of meters from us. She got up from her stool with a bunch of newspapers in her hand and waited for us to roll by near her makeshift stand. Dad’s driver already rolled down the window and had a twenty and some change in his left hand–he shoved the money on the woman’s free hand and then got the papers, then drove away. It was a quick transaction. As if I asked, dad said, “Suki nya ako.” Laughtrip. Wow. And I thought online shopping was fast.

Dad dropped us off by the church, and so mom and I began our journey to the busy, busy streets of Quiapo. We went downstairs through the Quiapo Underpass, a tunnel for pedestrians. I only see the tunnel on tv when watching Pinoy movies. I’m now actually in it. I was a bit excited with the flurry of activity going on, I kept looking around but I made pretty sure that I didn’t look like an idiot because mom would have left me standing there by myself if I did. LoL. We turned right and then went up the stairs and sure enough, I have arrived.

Just outside the church that was still full of people (I think there was a service going on), were dozens of vendors selling fresh herbs and homemade medicines. There were the fortune tellers wooing customers, and sellers of colored candles (where a color corresponds to a prayer or wish), and what have-yous. Pretty ironic that they be selling stuff like that right outside a church. We turn to Carriedo (I think!) and went in this building which houses merchants selling electronics and other devices. Mom wanted to buy some trinkets for Eid gifts for the Sisters (my aunties on my Pangandaman-Diron side) and some “orders” from lola whose current “addiction” is the Saturday bazaar in their subdivision. Sorry lola, buking ang kumikitang kabuhayan mo. In fairness to her, she makes about fifteen grand in just three hours, selling trinkets to other lolas and kikays in the ‘hood.

I was amused at how affordable everything was in that store alone. The Chinoy merchant asked me if I shopped at Multiply, because most of her bulk buyers get their stuff from her. Yeah, it did look like so, because while we were there, there was this girl with a list of orders for ODM watches, (must be pre-order from her site). When we finished our transaction with her, we crossed the street and went inside this other building filled with stalls and stalls of clothes. More pasalubong and Eid gifts needed, mom and I checked out stuff from stalls which caught our fancy and bought some stuff for us as well.

The clothes and all the other trinkets they sell there are the same ones sold in the classier bazaars and tiangges, the only difference is that the prices here are far lower than those of say, Greenhills and Tiendesitas. If you came here with a thousand pesos in your pocket, you’d probably be able to buy a whole outfit with accessories to boot.

We didn’t stay long there… I knew we were only able to cover a small portion of the commercial area, but we wanted to be home before Luhor and we didn’t want to get caught in traffic–we were going home via public transport–marunong po kami mag-commute. ).

It was a fun experience albeit a short one. Security-wise, it was pretty peaceful even if it was crowded. I don’t know, I guess we were there pretty early. But we did see two vendors in a shoutfest over a plastic stool. Shopping-wise, I’d have to say that you have to really look around if you want to get your money’s worth, because while there are a lot of really affordable items around, you can never be too sure about the quality. I mean, we scored some really cool finds, but it was pretty much hit-or-miss. Mom got duped with this so-called Corrales bracelet. The saleslady said the stones turn pale when you’re sick… It turns out that the stones will turn pale anyway. We were laughing so hard in the bus when I noticed her wrist turn a bit coral-ish pink. Turning pale when you’re sick… yeah right, we were almost dying from laughter! Good thing we were the only ones in the bus then.

Hmm… I don’t know when I’m going back there. I did promise my son’s nanny we’d go there one time…She hasn’t been there herself, and I’d like to experience that busy-busy place again. Hmm… rating it from one to ten… I can’t say. It was a fun experience for me. I can’t guarantee it would be the same for the next person, though. You’ll have to see it for yourself.

Ah. Quiapo. Quiapo kayo diyan!

(photos borrowed from Flickr courtesy of _gem_ , deadcenter , jdj92088 , ourawesomeplanet , manfrommanila)

Happy Birthday, Mommy!

2008-09-19T01:54:00.002+08:00

Mother. Motherhood. Mudra. Madir. Mommy. Ma. Yasmin. (*Peace* about the last one. hehe!)

Thank you for everything.

Words cannot measure up to what I, we, feel.

To say that “we are blessed to have you in our lives” is an understatement.

But we are so.

And it is just that you, and the rest of the world knows.

I LOVE YOU!

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- Friendster blog post, published September 17, 2008

http://pattycake.blog.friendster.com/2008/09/happy-birthday-mommy/

45 Random Facts About Jodi

2008-09-19T01:54:00.001+08:00

1. My name is Johannah.

2. My nickname is Jodi, derived from the first syllables of my name JOhannah and my (former/maiden) surname, DIron. It still applies though, my family name now is DImaporo. How about that?!

3. I am thirty years old. — I think it’s hilarious at times when people think I’m in my teens. But I also find it utterly annoying at times when people think I’m in my teens. Haha. Repetitive, much? Baby faced? I think. Vertically challenged? Blame it on the genes. Bwahahaha.

4. I am Muslim. Technically, I am three-fourths Muslim, and a quarter Christian. My maternal grandmother, Esther hails from Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, and Lolo Lindy is full-blooded Maranao, so my mom’s a mestiza. Lola’s reverted to Islam though (her Muslim name is Mariam), and we’ve never thought of ourselves as anything but Muslim. So there.

5. I am a wife and a mother of one. Our neighbors here in Manila initially thought that Hamza was my older brother and Raja, our bunso. Harhar!

6. I should have been a mother of two, but things happen for a reason…

7. I love family gatherings. ‘Nuff said.

8. I wished I had continued playing the piano. Maybe if I did so I would’ve been really good with it by now. I can still widow, though.

9. I am trying to get over my obsession with Havaianas. Maybe I’ll stop when I get my last batch of orders from abroad. Have to stay away from Multiply more often! Hmm… Anyone wanna buy them?

10. I’d like to start collecting cameras now. Not digicams. They’re too generic.

11. I started writing when I was in the sixth grade. I had journals and wrote essays, articles in the school paper in high school and college. I’m still so into writing. Big thanks to Mrs. Berran (PWU-JASMS) and Ms. Abueva (DCFI), my English teachers, for inspiring me to write.

12. I used to be a text addict.

13. Texting in StIcKy CAps is not and never was my style.

14. I don’t text using short cut either.

15. I love sweets. I love pastries. It’s a tie for me between chocolate bars and cakes. But I’m not so much into ice cream.

16. I used to feel nauseated with the aroma of coffee. But I’m starting to like it now; I’ve even gone as far as to drinking it. My husband is ecstatic with that development. HAHAHA!

17. I don’t like it when bands change their sound to make their music more mainstream just so they could have more fans. That’s artistic suicide.

18. I get really irritated with people who copy other people’s stuff. Plagiarism is punishable by law.

19. I want to have a pet… maybe some fish or a pair of African love birds. I had a cat with “odd eyes” (one blue, one yellow), but he ran away (found a mate).

20. I can live without a cellphone. I’ve tried it… it’s quite liberating, actually.

21. I put my thoughts to words in ink better than in speech. Obvious much?

22. My hair is long and straight…and past my waist already.

23. I don’t scare easily, nor do I get irked by yucky stuff right away.

24. I have a habit of walking around the house at ungodly hours (told you I can’t sleep).

25. I also like it a lot when I have the house to myself.

26. I am unofficially obsessive-compulsive.

27. I procrastinate. I like playing things crunch. It gives me an adrenaline rush.

28. I graduated with a degree in Psychology.

29. I love giving out Psychological tests and analyzing their answers.

30. I miss taking REAL Psychology exams myself.

31. I want to learn Rorschach. Calling the attention of Ma’am Agda, I believe you owe us a couple of sessions?

32. Sleep is something that is a bit alien to me. Maybe I was a vampire in a past life. HAHAHAHA!

33. When I do get to sleep, I do not move–I sleep and wake up in the same position. Hamza and my family can attest to that. I can probably sleep in a four-inch wide bench and not fall.LOL

34. I like having the comforter cover me from my head down to my feet. Yes, including my face. Weird. I know, I know.LOL

35. I’m a movie freak.My family and I love watching movies on the big screen. I love movie channels also. Tune me in to any movie channel and throw away the remote, I won’t mind. I can name which movies the actors/actresses acted in in their past films.

36. I have high tolerance for physical and emotional pain.

37. I definitely detest rodents! YUCK!

38. Lifestyle Network is one of my favorite channels.

39. I wish Ina Garten could adopt me. I just love her and her show.

40. I am absolutely looking forward to the dates November 17, 21 and 30.

41. I have regretted the times when I stopped school. I could have been a doctor by now. Blech.

42. I splurge a lot buying stuff online. Another habit I have to break.

43. Currently thinking if I should go home to the province or to Las Piñas for Qutba.

44. I’d really like to go back to school. But there are also other things I want to do… I’m still weighing my options.

45. I fear death and the afterlife. What we have here right now is very temporary. If you are getting everything that you want now… do you think you’ll still be in the same predicament in the akhira? I think not.

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- Friendster blog post, published September 16, 2008

http://pattycake.blog.friendster.com/2008/09/45-random-facts-about-jodi/

PUNny Indeed!

2008-09-19T01:54:00.000+08:00

I know with all the hype that has been building around the Twilight Saga and the movie, there was bound to be a spoof made about the movie’s trailer. Sure enough, last month, while I was browsing through YouTube’s search engine, I came up with this video from Evil Iguana Productions, a company founded by bored high schoolers that has grown through the years along with its fans (I myself included… squeeze me, but I’ve been subscribing to their vids since last year, so puhlease, spare me the bull that you learned about it first before I did. :p).

It’s really funny and even Stephenie Meyer has this on her MS site. It’s all in good fun, please dear TS fanatics, don’t get hurt.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BELLA!

Enjoy.

Twilight Teaser Trailer

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Friendster blog post, published September 13, 2008

http://pattycake.blog.friendster.com/2008/09/punny-indeed/

Breaking Dawn (Stephenie Meyer)

2008-09-15T01:14:00.000+08:00

The last of the Twilight Saga, I finished Breaking Dawn in about two and a half days. Huh. I had to slow my self down because I was devouring the book again (meaning I’m reading too fast again.hehe).

BD is divided into three books, book One and Three are Bella’s and Book Two is Jacob’s. It’s my second favorite, with Twilight as first. I’m not going to divulge on the details anymore, it’s too good a read for me to make a review.

Eclipse (Stephenie Meyer)

2008-09-15T01:12:00.000+08:00

I was supposed to post this and the last installment of the saga earlier, but I got too engrossed with my other blogs that I forgot to put these on Blogger.

The third of the Twilight Saga, I rank Eclipse as third favorite of the four books in the series. In the story, Seattle was plagued with mysterious murders which t urned out to be vampire killings initiated by Victoria who was actually building an army to avenge the death of her mate, James. Once again, faces danger as she is hunted by newborn vampires. But a greater conflict arises when her best friend Jacob reveals his true feeling for her, and she, too, finds herself in love with him.

The love triangle for me was a bit unneccesary, but it makes for a good fictional plot–a human torn in love between a beautiful vampire and a werewolf (who’s actually a shape-shifter),and it is a love story after all. I found Bella a bit greedy in this book–she loves Edward, but she wouldn’t let go of Jacob; Jacob, a bit pushy; Edward, beautiful as ever (sorry for being biased!). But she’s human after all, so I guess there’s the excuse for such. Oh, just get the darned copy, ok? I swear, it’s worth every penny.

Random Thoughts I'm Missing Mode

2008-09-04T01:57:00.000+08:00

It's been almost a week since I got home from my eventful trip in Marawi and Cagayan de Oro. I'm now back in the boring conundrum I call "life". Haha. No, I'm not being sarcastic. I'm more homesick than anything else right now.

Hmm.. what do I miss about the city with a lake? It's not like I go out there to meet up with my friends, to make 'tambay' at CommCen (although I'm not sure if that's still the 'in' thing to do, and I never had that much of a chance hanging out there even then). I think it's more of the feeling that I'm with family--being with the people I know, and those whom I know as well. It's catching up with your aunts who've seen you during your awkward years when the chilly climate of Marawi turned me into some sort of burnt-looking marshmallow (yeah, nakakaitim talaga ang climate ng Marawi, at least for me), and they knew everything that went on with everyone who lived in the city. I miss the food! Pyaren. Randang. Pisasaten. Bakas.HAHA! All the yellow spicy food, where everything is yellow, even the rice..it's kyuning, right? I miss seeing relatives come over the house to hang out and exchange stories and opinions on various topics. I miss their loud voices, the laughter, the banter. The never-ending coffee refills. The broa that goes along with the coffee (or brua? Not bruha, ha!). And the one and a half hour long good-byes. Haha.

I miss the company of my friends, basically my batchmates, whom I hadn't had the chance to see for such a long, long time. I thought that coming home would equate to some sort of informal reunion, but amidst the buzz of activity, unfortunately there was no time to get to it. Well, I did Khuna, in all her pregnant-but-still-beautiful glory, who came to my place in spite of her condition and the chaotic atmosphere, to show support and make chismis as well. I don't think I was able to thank you properly my dear sister... I hope I can return the favor to you in the future, Inshaallah.

I also miss the chilly foggy mornings, and the way you see air come out when you talk..feeling abroad-ish.*snickers* I miss the view of MSU from the terrace of our home, the lush green meadow (meadow daw..ok, basak!) spread before your eyes, and the trees, that line up the road going to Marantao on one side, and to Tuca on the other. Especially that humongous one where the elders say is home to some 'people' we can't see.

I miss Ramadhan in Marawi. That's when I learned to drive.LOL! I was fifteen then, and my classmate would come to our place and help me with the mechanics of driving. But we didn't practice there. I practiced outside the house, picking up our classmates from their homes as I learned how to drive. But it wasn't just about that. It was bonding with them. I miss how we're welcomed by our classmate's family to his/her home to share with us their spread. I miss the colorfully lit houses, seeing people coming out from the mosque after Tarawih, with the women garbed in their colorful muqnas, and the men in their kimon or malongs.

Oh, I did get the chance to see my alma mater, Dansalan College, now called Dansalan College Foundation, Inc. (I don't know exactly when "FI" was formally added to the name). It has changed a lot since. Well, I fathom it would, the last time I was there was during my high school graduation.*smiles at the thought* Seeing the school brought me into a nostalgic mood. I remembered the funny and sad things that went on between me and my batchmates and other schoolmates, our teachers who were our strict mentors inside the classrooms but warm friends outside. I remembered standing on the soccer field during practices for the city-wide silent drill competition (which we won, by the way), the never-ending band practices and school activities and our "wholesome" after-school (weekend) adventures, which sometimes meant unscheduled trips outside Marawi (translation: takas sa magulang, going to Iligan or Timoga or Tinago or anywhere else to de-stress from the pressures of school). It was all for fun. Seeing the school and looking back at all those memories made me feel just one thing. OLD.

CDO is a different story. I only spent two years there unlike Marawi where I spent four. It wasn't as exciting of a life, but it was exciting nevertheless. We were what Maranao people would describe as masamok. But we were actually harmless folk; we're just plain masamok. I miss those times I was with my friends in XU. To the administration there, we were like an itch that wouldn't go away, because we made our presence felt and they didn't like it, considering the fact that we didn't even reach seventy; they very much preferred we were just on the side..the very far side. But now, they can't ignore the number of Muslim students in that place. And I'm happy with the way things had come about. You kids have it easy now, be glad you weren't around during our time! But more so I miss being with my family who is based there. My mom, my four other brothers, Ina, and everyone else who lives in that spacious bungalow I call home. I'm going to miss the banter by the porch where we laugh louder than the tambays by the store across the street.LOL Halim, no one's gonna make macaroni for you now.Bleh! Hamsa, make up your mind, ok? Weigh your options, but your option A is a No-No. And mom, better learn how to tinker with the pc and the net so you won't have to bother us again when the arrow on the screen's not moving 'coz the mouse is stuck by the wrist pad.LOL Kisses to Halil who's looking more gwapo as he gets older and Ina who's always startled with Raja's constant slamming of the door. As to Hamid. I'll miss you "Jimmy" ways, but not just yet coz you're here in the Metro.Hehe!

Hmm...it would be good to go back there now... I miss how life in the south is so laid back. It's not that I mind being in the metro.. I love it here! Most of my life was spent here. But it's just stressful. With the traffic. And the noise pollution (although I'd choose to live here in the Scout area than go back to the subdivision where it's too damn quiet..sorry lolo & lola.hehe!). And the never-ending expenses. And you're so far away from family. Hmm... It would really be good to go home. But I'm not ready yet. I'mma miss the malls here. And Raja's gonna look for his Gardenia bread.Hehe!

Hmm... Home. Where're those ruby red shoes?

Twilight Movie Date for the Philippines Confirmed! (faints)

2008-08-28T21:02:00.000+08:00

I have been distracted the past couple of days; I keep thinking about my favorite vampires, especially my beloved (HAH!), so yesterday I sat myself in front of the pc and searched for stuff on the net about Twilight groups. I came across this blogsite (below), and lo and behold, a probable answer to my restlessness! Perhaps Edward has been trying to tell me something and here it is. *wide smile*
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http://twilightcovenph.blogspot.com/
Sunday, August 24, 2008

Twilight movie release date for the Philippines confirmed!
It's official! Viva International Pictures has just confirmed with Twilight Coven Philippines that the Philippine release of the "Twilight" film will be on November 20, 2008.Visit our sites for updates as regards news and promotions for the upcoming film (there are a lot in store for us Twilighters!). We will appreciate it if you will post a link to direct your readers/members in our site to keep them updated. Thanks. :)

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Imagine my glee... I was ecstatic! I was in euphoria! The glee I felt was and is immeasurable; words won't do justice to the emotions I felt when I read the post (sorry I sound overreacting).

But My God, THANK YOU!

While I, and the rest of the Philippine-based fans rejoice in this great piece of news, I am saddened that there are those who don't seem pretty happy with the playdate of the movie which will be shown a day before US and Canada. Seeing comments on the blogpost saying that it is unfair and unjust, asking WHY we get to see it first before the rest of the world does (which is only a couple of hours earlier to be exact), I say, WHY NOT?

First and foremost, why are we arguing over something that cannot be resolved? What is to be resolved, in the first place anyway? It's a non-issue my dears. We can exchange all the hurtful and discriminatory words out there, but the play dates will remain the same. Of course, unless there's some sort of miracle to happen in the coming weeks and months and Maverick Films decides to show it another month earlier than in the Philippines.

Second, Filipino Twilight fans had nothing to do with the decision of Viva International Pictures, the local distributor of the movie to show it on an earlier date. Movies here change picture on Wednesdays to be exact, and November 20 falls on a Thursday. Actually if we were unjust and selfish, we'd probably make a petition and move it to the 19th. But we're not like that. What's one more day to wait?

Third, I don't think Stephenie Meyer, had envisioned her fans quarreling like this. Remember that this had all started from a dream, that turned into a book, that turned into a movie. The book itself is a gift. The movie is just a bonus; a visual treat to satisfy our thirst for our hero and heroine, and the rest of the characters of the Twilight saga. Let us not squabble over this. No one is above nor below--we're all equals here. So please, let's all sit back, take a chill pill and patiently wait for November to roll by; it's not like Stephenie Meyer, Catherine Hardwicke, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and the rest of the cast are going to come over the Philippines for the premiere... although the idea of Rob coming over wouldn't be too bad at all. *crooked smile*

New Moon (Stephenie Meyer)

2008-08-24T00:36:00.000+08:00

I had finished reading the second installment of the Twilight saga, and New Moon is far different from the first.

Just like the first book, it was hard to put down; I was actually able to finish it faster than I did with Twilight. I was consumed with it to say the least--the almost non-existent presence of Edward (am I exaggerating here?) in the book made me read it faster, wanting to know if he'd appear on the next page. I found that part depressing, completely opposite from the prequel. Only the vampire's voice appears in Bella's head every now and then for almost half of the part of the book (and they weren't even actually his). There was also the "re-introduction" of Bella's Quileute friend, Jacob Black who becomes her best friend... and something else.

Oh, just go get a copy so you'll know what I mean. :)

Twilight (Stephenie Meyer)

2008-08-23T03:01:00.000+08:00

I've been absent in the literary field for quite a long time; I believe the last series of books I read were those of Dan Brown's, and J.K. Rowling's, aside from the Psychology articles and books that I browse through every now and then.

I first learned of the series from my friend, Toie, who is so into it, and then later from an online buddy, Reisha, who's also a big fan. When I found out that hollywood had made a movie out of the book (which will be shown on NOVEMBER 21st and not December 12 as primarily scheduled), I had decided to give it a go; I was getting more and more curious of the characters Bella and Edward, but I didn't want to check out the author's site for fear of spoilers... I did, later on, though (i couldn't resist!), and it only made me want to grab copies of the books, a.s.a.p.

I just finished reading the first of the series, Twilight, which I bought and started on late last night. I'm so glad they had the hardback editions here in Cagayan de Oro, I bought Twilight and New Moon right away! They didn't have the hardback editions of Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. I had read all of 498 pages plus more in less than a day! It wasn't surprised with my hunger to finish one page after the other... it was too good a book to put down, I swear. And just like all the other girls, I am in love with Edward! *sigh* (I hope my hubby doesn't read this!LOL) I love all the characters, but Edward, most especially... he is simply to die for ([no] pun intended)!

What about the rest of my review?I'm leaving it at this. Find out for yourselves why I was able to finish the whole thing in less than a day.:)

Get your copies, girls... best to read before the movie comes out!

I'm out, I'm starting on New Moon tonight!

All Systems Go!

2008-08-05T16:30:00.001+08:00

I received word from my brother Hassan, who went to our grandparents for lunch earlier today. He said that according to our Uncle Boy, the ARMM elections will push through as scheduled. So that means, I'll be going to Mindanao really soon to help out (although I know it's really late). At least I'll still be able to help!

I'm feeling a bunch of emotions all at once. This isn't our first time to run for office... My family's been in public service for the longest time. But this one is different... it's my BROTHER who's bidding a post for Assemblyman in our district, unlike before when it was either my grandfather, uncle or cousin. This one is really close to home.

It's a green light.

All systems GO!

I'm Wholesome!

2008-08-05T16:00:00.000+08:00

This rating was determined based on the presence of the following words:

>kill(1x)

ARMM Elections Postponed.

2008-07-25T03:06:00.000+08:00

It was my parents' thirty first anniversary three days ago. That day should have been spent relaxing and enjoying each other's company, but because my younger brother had run for office in the coming ARMM elections, every waking moment was dedicated to my brother's campaign.

Countdown. July 22. It was supposed to be twenty days to election day. The night before, the LAKAS CMD official candidate for Regional Governor had called on them to go to Cotabato City for the announcement of the final line-up of the party, since there were four of them who were announced when there should have only been three. Going to Cotabato is not a joke. From Marawi, it will take about eight friggin' hours for them to reach Cotabato. Eight hours. Thank God when Lolo was Regional Governor of the ARMM he was able to finish the Circumferential Road linking provinces to one another, thus making travel time faster, shorter and far more convenient compared before. Still, that's eight friggin' hours.. err...

Anyway...When dad, mom, my brother, and their entourage, and all the other candidates got there, PGMA had decided and announced that the ARMM Elections 2008 be POSTPONED. She didn't even announce if it will be set on a later date.

WTF?!

All that time, effort, and money spent had gone down to NOTHING.

What in God's name is she waiting for?

A miracle to happen?

Postponing the elections... what for? To wait for whatever outcome of the MILF or Malaysia talks will be? Whatever it is, let it be. All this stalling isn't going to do us any good. My parents, although I know how busy they are, could have taken that time off from all the hooplah and just lounged away somewhere, celebrating their anniversary. I feel sorry for them, and for everyone else. Such a waste. SUCH A WASTE!

Kawaii! ^_^

2008-07-08T02:58:00.000+08:00

Singer Gwen Stefani has partnered up once more with Coty to launch a line of five new fragrances called Harajuku Lovers, inspired both by her personal interest in Japanese pop culture and street fashion, as well as her perceptions of her four back-up singers in real life.
The fragrances are called Love, Li'l Angel, Music, and Baby, after the stage names of her back-up "Harajuku Girls", and G for Gwen Stefani.

The real names of the Harajuku girls are Maya Chino, Jennifer Kita, Rino Nakasone, and Mayuko Kitayama.

"Love" - a sensuous floral concocted by Yves Cassar and Pascal Gaurin of International Flavors & Fragrances, has top notes of sparkling bergamot, pink pomelo, peach and bamboo leaf mist; a heart of watery peony, living hydroponic lace rose, jasmine sambac, nectarine blossom, creamy paperwhites and Egyptian jasmine, and a drydown of petally ylang, creamy vanilla orchid, sensual musk and blond wood.

"Lil' Angel" -a fruity floral by Givaudan's Christophe Raynaud, has top notes of raspberry, cranberry, blackberry and pineapple; a heart of pear blossom, candied violet and sugared rose, and a drydown of lollipop accord, hinoki wood and crystal amber.

"Music" - a delicate floral by Honorine Blanc of Firmenich, has top notes of clementine and sparkling pear; a heart of jasmine sambac, sweet pea and honeysuckle, and a drydown of vanilla, skin musk and sleek woods.

"Baby" - a powdery musk by Firmenich's Harry Fremont, has top notes of freesia, bergamot and white rose; a heart of orange flower, tiare flower and jasmine petals, and a drydown of white musk, soft woods, heliotrope, vanilla and violet.

"G" - a modern gourmand by Steve DeMarcado of Fragrance Resources, has top notes of crisp mandarin, fresh coconut and apple skin; a heart of jasmine sambac, soft freesia and magnolia vapor, and a drydown of coconut cream, white sandalwood and cottonwoods.

--------------------

*The packaging's just oh, so cute!@.@ V*

The World's Largest Swimming Pool. o_O

2008-07-08T02:55:00.000+08:00

I like swimming pools, but I love the sea more. I don't really know how to swim (I can't even float to save my life!), but seeing this makes me want to take swimming lessons ASAP!
--------------------------------------------------------

If you like doing laps in the swimming pool, you might want to stock up on the energy drinks before diving in to this one.

It is more than 1,000 yards long, covers 20 acres, has a 115-foot deep end, and holds 66 million gallons of water.

The Guinness Book of Records has named the vast pool beside the sea in Chile as the biggest in the world.

But if you fancy splashing out on one of your own -- and you have the space to accommodate it -- then beware: this one took five years to build, cost nearly 1 billion, and the annual maintenance bill will be 2 million.

The man-made saltwater lagoon has been attracting huge crowds to the San Alfonso del Mar resort at Algarrobo, on Chile 's southern coast, since it opened.

Its turquoise waters are so crystal clear that you can see the bottom even in the deep end. It dwarfs the world's second biggest pool, the Orthlieb -- nicknamed the Big Splash -- in Morocco , which is a mere 150 yards long and 100 yards wide. An Olympic size pool measures some 50 yards by 25 yards.

Chile's monster pool uses a computer-controlled suction and filtration system to keep fresh seawater in permanent circulation, drawing it in from the ocean at one end and pumping it out at the other. The sun warms the water to 26c, nine degrees warmer than the adjoining sea.

Chilean biochemist Fernando Fischmann, whose Crystal Lagoons Corporation designed the pool, said advanced engineering meant his company could build "an impressive artificial paradise" even in inhospitable areas.

"As long as we have access to unlimited seawater, we can make it work, and it causes no damage to the ocean."

Happy Fathers' Day!

2008-06-15T22:54:00.000+08:00

Happy Fathers' Day! ILY!

...

2008-05-16T02:44:00.000+08:00

Arghh... This LDR thing isn't really working for me.

While it's all right that he's away from us, I also find it hard that that same reason is driving me to the edge!
It's all right, I trust him.
I should.
And I do.
But I just can't get this "I-trust-you-it's-them-that-I-don't" attitude off of me!
Am I a weirdo?
Maybe.. but I'm not a dodo. :)
I miss him.
I miss my hunnybunchkins.
I hope this doesn't kill me.

Just rambling... *peace*

Hapy Birthday, Hunny. :)

2008-05-15T02:43:00.000+08:00

I know it's corny, but love makes people corny. *peace*

For the times we're together...
I thank God you're spending it with me.
For the times we're not...
I wished those moments were with me still.

For the smiles that you flashed my way,
Our laughter that raised a couple of decibels high,
I will treasure them with me forever,
with my right hand raised up to the sky.

For the corny wisecracks that you told,
the inside jokes only we know of...
Our wacky dance steps the world will never see,
I will cherish them always, Hunny!

For the problems we encountered then,
you told me we'd face them straight ahead.
And we did, and it was tough...
But we endured, and we're stronger than we've ever been.

For the all tantrums that I've thrown,
the fits of anger now and then I would show,
You never faltered, you never ceased,
to love me fully, and forgive me.

For the dreams that you shared,
and the inner you that you bared,
I thank you all for these truly
that you shared them all only to me.

I'll always be with you, I hope you see,
My love for life, for eternity. .

Thank you hun, for everything.

Happy 28th Birthday!
I love you.

P.S. Don't forget my pasalubong. hehehehehe!

A Mother's Love

2008-05-10T02:41:00.000+08:00

There are times when only a Mother's love
Can understand our tears,
Can soothe our disappoints
And calm all of our fears.

There are times when only a Mother's love
Can share the joy we feel
When something we've dreamed about
Quite suddenly is real.

There are times when only a Mother's faith
Can help us on life's way
And inspire in us the confidence
We need from day to day.

For a Mother's heart and a Mother's faith
And a Mother's steadfast love
Were fashioned by the Angels
And sent from God above...

- Author Unknown.

MYOH Manila, 2008

2008-05-01T02:36:00.000+08:00

Call me shallow, I don't care. It's every Havaianatic's most awaited event, and I'm going!

-----------------------

There’s nothing like a sunny day to inspire you to kick off your flip-flops, put your feet up and enjoy the summer sun.

But this season, don’t even think about slipping into anything clunky or plain—especially since you can actually Make Your Own Havaianas to welcome the summer in perfect, personalized style.

Stylish and colorful flip-flops should be an essential part of your summer wardrobe and a trip to the Rockwell Tent from May 2 to 4 (Friday to Sunday) during mall hours means you get to customize your own pair.

The bright hues you see in just about every covetable Havaianas collection will be available for you to mix and match. And this year, the popular Slim style will be offered to give creative Havaianaticos a little shine to their summer.

Who says Make Your Own Havaianas is only for adults? Young Havaianaticos will have a ball creating their own pairs as sizes for kids are available now, too!

Customized color combinations aren’t enough? Then design a pair that you can actually call your own. Unleash your inner chic and embellish your pair with shiny Swarovskis. And this year, Make Your Own Havaianas will be offering a one-of-a-kind treat for Havaianas customers by allowing them to spell out their name on the straps and parade their personality with lifestyle pins, with designs that range from funky headphones to sporty skateboards, to match. And for a little bit of sass and sophistication, complement your creation with lacinhos (“little laces”).

Styles, colors, sizes, and embellishments are available while supplies last, so be sure to check out Make Your Own Havaianas 2008!

Please visit www.havaianasphilippines.com/releases.php for full event mechanics and rules.

Errr....

2008-04-23T13:56:00.000+08:00

Today wasn't a good day. Well, there was a little part of it which was good (HJR), but the rest of the day was crap.

Should I tell you why?

Maybe another time.. my head's throbbing like crazy. I don't even know why I'm blogging. Hmm...Just letting it breathe, just letting my rage steam out, I guess. It's so messed up right now, you know?

Maybe that's what happens when you're thirty.

Reality hits you hard in the face.

Broken Glass

2008-04-20T13:54:00.000+08:00

Yesterday wasn't a good day.

It turned out well at first. I received a package from a dear friend who's in Japan. It turned out to be goodies for my birthday--a delayed birthday-slash-thanks-for-being-a-friend pressie. While I'm not actually a fan of birthdays anymore (I stopped celebrating when I turned 22), I welcomed the package with open arms..I just thought of it as sort of a "reward" for being a good friend. Nyork.

It's a good feeling when the good things you do are returned to you. No, scratch that..It's a great feeling when the good things you do are returned to you. I super miss that girl, and I'm pretty sure she is missed by everyone else--the Wolves, the friends she's made in DC and CEU and everywhere else...I'm telling you, she's the original Miss Congeniality. I don't know what to give her, she's in a place where everything is already there (and more). But more importantly, I don't know how I'm going to give whatever it is I intend to give her when I've lost her address. *blushes*

Anyway...As the day wore on, I found something that I never imagined in my whole life I would see. I had to catch my breath, I literally felt knocked out of air... My hands were shaking the whole time, and I had to keep my composure to keep myself from losing my mind. I looked at myself in the mirror, but the reflection was too blurry to see. I had lost belief in something I hold so dear to me.

It's funny how one minute you feel so high up there, you feel so good about yourself and you think to yourself it's going to be a fine day and then feel so deflated and defeated the next. It sucks how we all have to ride this rollercoaster of emotions of highs and lows...there's just no permanence to it! Damn it!

For now I am at a loss... for words, and feelings. But my mind is racing...I'm thinking...I'm scheming...I'm thinking.

03.29.08

2008-03-29T13:52:00.000+08:00

crashed.

Into the abyss of nothingness.

I am floating.

I am unaware.

Of everything.

Of anything.

Of everyone.

I am unconscious.

Unfeeling.

Unclear.

I am what you see when you close your eyes.

A black, blank space.

~~-jpdd~~

Lost Wager

2008-02-20T13:51:00.000+08:00

I heard someone lost a bet.

That someone said he/she will have his/her hand cut off if the paper gets signed.

The paper was approved and signed.

Now, I think someone owes us a hand.

Lesson: Do not be too overconfident unless you're a hundred and one percent sure, or you will end up eating your words. Don't put other people down just 'coz you're up there. Put your foot where your mouth is (in that person's case, his/her hand.) .

Ramblings

2008-02-06T13:50:00.000+08:00

Abdul Jabbar, Hamza's younger brother, left for the States yesterday.

Was it unexpected? Super.

Is it for good? That we don't know... yet.

Just like any parent, I know my in-laws have the best of intentions to send him off albeit so unexpectedly and suddenly for everyone, even for AJ. I believe it will help him mature into a mature young man, who can do things for himself, weigh things carefully before reaching a decision, be responsible for all his thoughts and deeds and Inshaallah, have a stronger faith in the Almighty Allah (swt).

It was saddening to seeing a family member off to another country, knowing you won't be seeing him for the longest time. It feels different from seeing off a family member go to the province, and to those who have family living abroad, I'm pretty sure you know what I mean. When a loved one flies off to the province or anywhere else in the country, you don't feel as sad; you get this feeling that he or she is "just there", within proximity..andito lang sa Pilipinas. But when someone goes to live somewhere else where you belong in different time zones, that's something else. Sure, it's just a plane ride away, but you need a passport and have to get a visa to get approved, have plane fare to and fro (unless you're just getting a one-way ticket and go TNT!), accomodations and spending money while you're there (of course, you can't expect them to shoulder everything for you).. Lotsa things to consider..makes my head ache.

I kind of feel sorry that he'll be missing out on a hell of a lot of things-- Ate Mai giving birth in March, Najah's graduation (yes, I can feel he cares for that), the birthday celebrations, weddings, family movie nights-out at the mall, foodtrips, roadtrips, watching the kids grow, just hanging out at home with the rest of the sibs...He'll be missing out on a lot. But if this move is for his good (and I'm all for it), then he better just grin and bear it. Sure he'll get homesick, but once he gets the hang of it, he'll love it there. And a lot of people would gladly trade places with him if they could. Me? Nah... prolly just to visit.. I have my eye on another country, though.

Oh well, AJ...

make good dear bro. Please don't veer off from your priorities and responsibilities. You have a lot resting on your shoulders, and boy am I not kidding when I say "a lot".

Good luck (you'll be needing a lot of it!)!

ALLAH BLESS!

Test for Dementia

2008-01-31T13:47:00.000+08:00

You MUST ANSWER INSTANTLY!

TEST FOR DEMENTIA

Below are four questions and a bonus question. You have to answer them instantly. You can't take your time, answer all of them IMMEDIATELY, ok?!

Let's find out just how clever you really are...

First Question:

You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What position are you in?!

Answer: If you answered that you are first, then you are absolutely wrong! If you overtake the second person and take his place, then you are second!

Try not to screw up next time... Now answer the second question, but don't take as much time you took for the first question, okay?!

Second Question:

If you overtake the last person, then you are...?!?

Answer: If you answered you are second to last, then you are wrong again! Tell me, how can you overtake the LAST person?!

You're not very good at this, are you?

Third Question:

Very tricky arithmetic!
This must be done in your head only. Do not use paper and pencil or a calculator! Try it.

Take 1000 and add 40.Now add another 1000. Now add 30. Add another 1000. Now add another 20. Now add another 1000. And then add 10. What is the total?

Did you get 5000?

The correct answer is 4100.

If you don't believe it, check it now with a calculator! Today is definitely not your day, is it? Maybe you'll get the last question right.. Maybe...

Fourth Question:

Mary's father has five daughters: 1-Nana 2-Nene 3-Nini 4-Nono. What is the name of the fifth daughter?!

Did you answer Nunu?

No! Of course it isn't. Her name is MARY.

Okay, now the Bonus Round:

A mute person goes into a shop and wants to buy a toothbrush. By imitating the action of brushing his teeth he successfully expresses himself to the shopkeeper and the purchase is done. Next, a blind man comes into the shop who wants to buy a pair of sunglasses; How does he indicate what he wants?

Subhanallah!

2008-01-23T13:45:00.000+08:00

Got this from my email..thought it'd be great to repost this. :)

Vandern Hoven, a psychologist from Netherlands, announced his new discovery about the effect of reading the Quran and repeating the word ALLAH both on patients and on normal persons. The Dutch professor confirms his discovery with studies and research applied on many patients over a period of three years. Some of his patients were non-Muslims, others do not speak Arabic and were trained to pronounce the word "ALLAH" clearly; the result was great, particularly on those who suffer from dejection and tension. Al-Watan, a Saudi daily reported that the psychologist was quoted to say that Muslims who can read Arabic and who read the Qur'an regularly could protect themselves from psychological diseases.

The psychologist explained how each letter in the word Allah affects healing of psychological diseases. He pointed out in his research that pronouncing the first letter in the word "ALLAH" which is the letter "A", released from the repiratory system, controls breathing. He added that pronouncing the velar consonant "L" in the Arabic way, with the tongue touching slightly the upper part of the jaw producing a short pause and the repeating the same pause constantly, relaxes the aspiration. Also, pronouncing the last letter which is the letter "H" makes a contact between the lungs and the heart and in turn this contact controls the heartbeat.

What is exciting in the study is that this psychologist is a non-Muslim, but interested in Muslim sciences and searching for the secrets of the Holy Qur'an.

Piece of Cake.

2007-12-20T04:03:00.000+08:00

I have just recovered from a bad case of the flu.

I'm on the verge of losing my voice.

My throat is sore and I have a painfully dry cough.

I am one step short of going to the doctor's clinic again.

I didn't know organizing a wedding was a hazardous job.

And I don't think I'd want to do it again.

It started out pretty simple. My uncle was getting married in Muslim rites and we had only about a month for preparations. My grandparents had put down a list of names as principal sponsors to the wedding, but with my grandmother's handwriting, one's eyes would bleed first before actually deciphering whatever was written on the paper so I thought I'd extend a gesture of kindness by volunteering to have it encoded to make things easier. Realizing that my grands are too old for this sort of thing, I told them to take a chill pill and leave the invitations to me.

So, I did my part. I put down the names and decided on the wordings as to how my uncle's invitation would come out. I was the one who chose the paper and the look of the invitation, of the envelope and of the RSVP cards. But no one would accompany my uncle to the printers, his fiancee couldn't take time off from work because she was due for promotion and was supposed to take this bunch of tests. So I was left with no other choice, so I went and we had the invites ordered.

Then Tita Yasmin and Tito Boy invited us to lunch at the Diamond Hotel where the wedding/reception was to take place. Of course where there's free food, there's tag-team Hamza and Jodi with sidekick Raja! (LOL) I knew we were going to check out the place, have an ocular inspection of the ballroom, but I didn't know that I was going the contact person of the events coordinator of the hotel. Imagine my horror...hahaha! All the food I devoured on the buffet, the feeling of fullness all went away the second my Tita pointed the finger at me when asked who was in charge of the wedding.. My God. What do I know about organizing weddings? I didn't lift a finger when I got married, and there I was, "organizing" a high-profile wedding for my uncle. And to make matters worse, it was only about three weeks to the decided date.

I spent the next few weeks making lists, editing and re-editing lists of the people to invite, looking for contacts and asking quotes for the photo and video coverage, and the bouquets and arranging the seat plan. It was quite hard because I was working on these all by myself and I didn't know how much my budget for the expenditures were supposed to be because no one told me where to get them. Aside from not knowing where to get money for spending, I had people barking directions at me, complaining, inquiring, and what-have-yous...I had a marathon migraine the whole time this was happening. I was spending less and less time with my family and was missing them and I was literally losing my hair! I bet I could have made a wig with all the strands that fell or broke off. I was like a cat shedding fur. It was like going through chemotherapy... Believe me, it was scary. In fairness, I didn't have to worry about what the bride's maids, the groom's men, the kiddos and the bride had to wear because I'd probably lose my mind if they gave that task to me. I didn't even had time to prepare my outfit--I wore a blouse I had custom made a year before and just matched it with an old skirt. The only new clothing article I had on me was the obi belt that was a tad tight for me. Que horror!

So the wedding date arrived, I had butterflies in my stomach and was expecting the worst. We bumped into a detour when we were just a couple of kilometers away from the hotel. Who knew a parade was going to take place that afternoon?

I gotta give props to Lola Zenaida P. Gania for her decorating genius. I only had her to turn to, and she didn't let me down. Besides, her friends were also sponsors at the wedding, and they also knew of her expertise in this part. The ballroom looked really great, but my seat plan was "mutilated" because she re-arranged the tables. Still..the ballroom did look pretty amazing.:)

Guests started to trickle in, and my nerves were all a wreck. Ya Allah, Ya Allah! Please let this event flow without any glitches! I was running around barking commands at the groom and his groom's men, and to the bride and her maids up at the 29th floor. I was welcoming guests, talking to the crew and was struggling with this 'sibling/parent' encounter that we were supposed to execute (it's a whole different story, can't blog about it, sorry). When the ceremony started, I went with the groom to fetch his bride, downstairs 'directing' and all that. I was everywhere. And it was hella tiring!

I would like to think that it turned out okay, because the people enjoyed the whole thing. I had fun too, I was hob-knobbing with people I usually see on tv. Senator Gordon even pulled out his own camera and told his aide to take a picture of him with my sis-in-law and me! Well, it sucked a little because I didn't get to entertain my in-laws properly (but they knew what I was going through) and more importantly, I didn't get to eat! Of all the darnedest things! I didn't even get to have a slice of cake! And they said the food tasted great too. Boo.

Hmm...summing it up..I think it went all right. I learned a lot of things during those weeks I was running around like a headless chicken (or a HAIRLESS chick, if I may). I have made new contacts and I have learned new stuff It was enjoyable... But next time... next time someone asks me to help them out with the wedding preparations... I'm gonna have to get a crew and ask for some sort of fee, a "thank you" simply just won't do for me! JUST KIDDING! LOL XD

-->for wedding pics check out this link:

http://johannah.multiply.com/photos/album/35/Pangandaman-Nusug_Nuptials

He's Now Three. :)

2007-11-30T23:00:00.000+08:00

It was supposed to be a family outing..Hamza, Raja and I with Hamza's parents and sibs, and my siblings and our nephews..we were all supposed to spend Raja's third birthday at Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rosa Laguna. But the stand-off at The Peninsula the day before his birthday gave me second thoughts about leaving home due to security reasons. So, we stayed home.. most of the day that is. Spoiled by his dad, Hamza quickly yielded to his only child's wishes to go to the mall to get his hair cut (go figure!). So, at five in the afternoon, we headed off to the nearest mall to get our little tyke a new 'do. It was a horrendous drive; what usually took twenty minutes to the mall lasted about more than an hour! I guess no one was afraid of coup d'etats anymore--we've all gone numb to all the hooplah going on around us. Anyway, we get him a hair cut and a toy afterwards, dinner at one of our fave haunts, stopped by a cake shop for his birthday cake and head home. It was a simple celebration once again, but a very happy one.

When he closed his eyes to sleep that night, I couldn't help but look at him and feel reminiscent of everything about him. From the day he was born (actually, four days after he was born) until that very moment. It's like, ang bilis! Time flies! You really have to try hard not to blink if you want to see everything happen before you. It was just like yesterday when all he did was cry and feed and get his diaper changed. Now he feels irked when he has a diaper on so he's stopped wearing one early on, he speaks sentences and asks "why" questions all the time, which sometimes leaves me asking those questions myself. He's like a sponge, and we really have to watch ourselves at times because he picks up on things really quickly. He's learned the alphabet and numbers, colors and shapes before he turned three years old, and knows the different kinds of vehicles, he has a keen sense of direction (he knows whether we're going to the mall or to lola's or wherever) and can determine good from bad. He now has preference for food, for tv shows, toys, the clothes he wears when we go out, playmates (he doesn't like playing with girls, except his tita Jaminah) and just about everything else! He doesn't like to sing unless it's the Spongebob theme song or Naruto (feeling Japanese) and doesn't like to dance unless I dance with him. He's still very much a part of us, but he's now starting to have his own identity which is apart from us. It's amazing seeing your own child grow before your very eyes, but it sometimes scare the hell out of me because I keep thinking if I'm doing all right as a parent to Raja or not. But knowing what I know about our son, I think I'm doing just fine.

Now that he's three, I asked him if he wanted to go to school. He said no, not yet, he still wants to stay home and play. It made my heart jump that he chose to stay home with us despite all the the nice things I said about school...I think I'll give him another year, then ask again. Maybe by then, he'll change his mind.

People keep asking if he's going to get a brother or sister anytime soon... "Buntis ka na ba?" "May kapatid na ba siya?" "Bakit hindi n'yo na sundan?" Relax. Chill. It's not like we wanted it this way, you know. Had we not lost the second, he'd have had a brother or a sister by then. And it's not like we're waiting for the right time. There's no such thing as the right time--if you're blessed by ALLAH to have that child now, tomorrow, the next month or year, then that is the right time, and say Alhamdulillah and thank you for the blessing. But if it's going to be just us three, still, Alhamdulillah and thank you for the blessing. Not everyone is blessed with a child. And to us, Raja is more than enough for now. It'll happen when it happens. But right now, it's just our Raja.

I look at the calendar and count the days until his fourth birthday swings by... it won't be long. Then I look at my kid again with his eyes closed, his matchbox still in his hand and tell myself, don't grow up just yet. happy birthday, Raja... ummi and abi love you very much.

11.17.07

2007-11-17T23:57:00.000+08:00

Dear Hamza,

Another year has passed. At least for both of us. It has been a year of trials and errors, of difficulties, of sacrifices. We've gone through a lot but we didn't falter.What we have together is a lot stronger than we think. Technically, the paper says we're four years old. But in our hearts, it has been far longer than that. And it's still you and me.

There have been times in our earlier years that giving up and letting go is the easy way out. But as the cliche goes, 'it is easier said than done.' There were minor glitches, people who objected, but in the end, it all turned out okay. More than ok, we both thought. And we were blessed with a son, a son we both dote on and love so much. And then another came, but he was taken away before we even saw his face. That was perhaps, the most difficult time for us. But we're still together. Stronger than ever.

The years after that seemed to have passed by like a breeze. Just like any family who go through the motions of ups and downs, we had ours, and we've braved it all. I know there are those who think that we're just taking things easy, but we know better.;) It's been one hell of a ride. But as long as you're on my side, let it roll, let it slide!

Thanks hunny, for all the good and bad memories. The funny moments that we've shared, the serious talks we've had. Our petty fights and big arguments that I so thankfully say were few! Thanks for letting me keep your secrets, as you have mine, the jokes that we two only know, our share of big appetites and "this-is-my-last-harabas-meal-i'll-do-that-diet-thing-tomorrow", our love for movies, and dvds and dvdrips, and our movie marathons that end up into foodtrips in the kitchen and sharing childhood stories.

Thanks for having the patience in my sloth-like ways, my short fuses that go off any time, any day, my sudden bursts of craziness which I myself do not know where they come from. Thank you for loving my cooking and my oc-ness, my ability to find your things when they're right in front of you or otherwise, and my silly collection of flipflops that you too are starting to like.

I also would like to thank you for cheering me up on days I feel down, for turning my scowls into grins, and for making me laugh when I don't even want to smile. Thanks for the jokes, the corny and cheesy gestures, the funny dance moves only you can pull off, and for the "poppin!" songs I will never forget.

Thanks for all the flowers, the cakes, cards and gifts, expensive or not, immaterial and material alike. They all mean alot to me and will treasure them forever, dried petals and all.

Thank you for pointing out my mistakes and helping me correct them, for accepting my other flaws and personal issues which I am still trying to overcome, for the times when I cannot understand myself and for loving my scars as these help me become the person I am. For all of these and a whole lot more, thank you.

Lastly, thank you for coming into my life, for sharing yours with mine and for giving me Raja as these are gifts that have made me complete.

Happy 4th Anniversary!

I love you.

Forever yours,

Jodi.

Words From My Not-So-Old Wise Man.

2007-11-10T03:25:00.000+08:00

Date : November 10, 2007

Time : 2:10am

Mood : edgy.

My gums are still hurting from yesterday's extraction, and for someone who can tolerate a great deal of pain, I have to say that I am a blink of an eye away from banging my head to the wall to numb the pain. It wasn't so much of the tooth saying goodbye to my mouth, but the trauma my gums are going through right now that's bugging me and leading me to write just to block the pain. Yeah. Write something gross to freak out your readers. Want a blow-by-blow account of my trip to the dentist's chair (of doom)? Hehehe. Block. Erase. And start over.

Hmm.. Dad dropped by the house pretty late tonight. He usually comes in the afternoons to relax a bit before he hits the sack in his flat. Anyhoo, sometimes I just leave him be in the company of his brother and cousin and they talk about the daily happenings in their lives or of other peoples'. Tonight though, I thought I'd stay out with them by the backyard and listen in on their "chismis". When my uncle left to get something, he turned to me and asked how life was doing... I said it was fine, and gave him accounts of the things that has happened that I hadn't had the chance to tell him yet.

So I ask him how his projects were doing and he goes on to talk about it. But first he talks about his early years and the things he's gone through, the career he chose and the name that he's made. He has certainly gone a long way and I commend him for being such a man. Jeez, if I could only be a quarter of the person that he is! Why on earth, did I not inherit his mathematical genius? I could have taken up civil engineering like he did! hehe. I let him talk about his projects in Mindanao... He's handling road and bridge projects funded by Saudi-Kuwait, and they're mostly located in risk-oriented areas. The last batch of projects that he handled were those funded by the ADB, and that took him years to finish because it was a whole bunch of projects funded at the same time. Now that was a deadly position. Two of his predecessors had to do early retirement and one died three months after he got that job before dad was appointed to that position. It was that toxic. But my dad... He finished the whole thing. So all the beautiful roads and bridges that you see and actually tread, from Luzon to Mindanao were parts of his projects (the foreign-funded projects, local projects aren't his). The ADB people actually cried when he finished the job, coz that meant he won't be with them anymore. And they even reacted when the Saudi Kuwait got him to do their projects in Mindanao because ADB is preparing a new batch of projects lined up for the country and they want him to handle it. He is that good. And I'm damn proud of it.

What makes my heart more prouder is the fact that the people I meet who know my dad have nothing but good words to tell me about him--professional, straight-forward, doesn't get intimidated by high-browed sleazebag officials, especially when he knows he's right and highly principled. The one word I hear most from them is that he's kind. Mabait. At times it surprises me when I hear stories from other people whom he'd helped; usually from small people and those who really deserve to get a break from this I-have-a-strong-backer-and-you-don't professional world. It's surprising because he doesn't tell us the things he does--stuff like that, anyways. Yes, he helps those he thinks are deserving and in need. His contractors like him alot because he's not one to demand anything from them (I can super attest to that--if that were the case we'd be super rich and I won't be living in this country anymore!) That's why officials who demand percentages for projects do not come to him because he doesn't believe in such. Takot sila sa daddy ko.

Some people wonder why I don't work for my dad. Why I don't use him to get me a high-paying job in his office or any of his kumpare's. I can't. Because he won't. Because he's not one to pull strings for his kids. He wants them to make it the way he and mom made it on their own. He wants us to get what is due us, what we deserve. Without pulling anyone down. Without stepping on other people's toes. That's how professional he is. There had been times it made me angry because he wouldn't do that for us, while others do anything and everything just to land their kids a great, stable job. But at the end of the day, he comes out right and on top.

So, he goes on to tell me that I'm lucky because my family and I won't have to go through the things he and mom did (and I know it was hard--I was there, too), and I'm super grateful for that! He went on to say that if things went my way and I let it pass by without doing anything, it wasn't meant for me (coz I told him about the job offers I've had the past years that I declined), that we were still young (he thinks?!) and we've still got a long way to go. He also told me not to rush things (joining politics--at least not yet, or whatever we want na hindi pa namin kaya gawin), because it will all just come at the right time. Better to take things gradually, slowly rise up rather than be placed somewhere on top and tumble down and fall flat on your face. Take care of your family, especially your parents (and I can clearly see that in the way they take care of lolo, lola and ina). And be mindful of other people that you do not step on their toes or offend them. Do not be impatient, ever. Because if it's your destiny, if ALLAH wills it, no matter what you do, where you are, if something is really meant for you, it will happen. Hmm.. true that, true that. Words from a wise man.

The grandfather's clock strikes a quarter to twelve and dad takes this as his cue to leave. He gets up and says goodbye, and that he'll be back the next morning. As I clean up the mess (cigarette butts, glasses, leftovers) I ponder on the things he's told me. He's right, you know... parents always are (like I am..wehhh!). It's just that it gets irritating sometimes when the world seems to pass by right before your very eyes and you're just standing there, wondering why you're not part of it... and being the impatient person that I am, it leaves me frustrated, you know? But yeah.t.when it's not for you, it's not for you. *sigh*breathe*sigh* Just gotta stay positive, and hella lot more patient. Rome wasn't built in a day. I mean, his career is thirty-plus years old, I certainly don't think I could surpass what he's accomplished with a blink of an eye. You really have to start somewhere. Maybe that somewhere is here, now.

Jeez, dad... why'd you have to be so great? hehe.

Time : 3:23 am

Mood : a bit calmer now.

Hmm... I can't say if it's the blogging that's calmed me down that I've now forgotten the pain in my traumatized gum...

But then... that could be the painkiller working its magic.

I'm calling it a night... or a morning rather...

There's a box of Krispy Kreme still in my fridge though. Hmm.

Haha!

I'm out.

That Green Monster Called Envy

2007-11-05T03:53:00.000+08:00

There was one time I felt a little envious of someone, and I told my brother about it. He was like, "Naiinggit ka dyan? do you even know where they get the money they're spending? Yuck, kadiri ka. Naiinggit ka dun?!" When I saw his reply in our chatbox (we were chatting on YM then, like I do with my mom and brothers everyday), I felt like I bumped my head on a concrete wall.

Oo nga naman... why be envious of others when you got it going good for yourself? I mean, I have a sturdy roof over my head, I eat three square meals a day (plus snacks), I have warm, comfortable clothes on my body, I am healthy, I am making a decent income on something I started just as a hobby, I can go anywhere without worrying how to get there, and the list goes on.

Why be envious at all?

Perhaps these people are doing something that I haven't done yet?

-But nothing's stopping me.. there are no barriers where I stand.

Perhaps I can't because I do not have the means, financially?

-It can be one problem, though there are ways to remedy this.

Maybe because I want to be talked about?

-I don't think so.

Then why be green with envy?

-Because it's human nature.

Human beings are insatiable in nature. We long for things we do not have, or wish for others' lives to be just like theirs. We wish to go to places we haven't been to that others have and seem to have enjoyed, we crave for things that are not in our reach... We want to be envied.

It's evil, really. And the more you sink into it, the more unproductive, miserable and desperate you become. It's a sickness, a disease that can eat up your insides and drive you to doing things that you may and will regret having done later on.

What do we do then?

-Pray.

Corny as it may sound, prayer does a lot of wonders.

Seek forgiveness and mercy for planting such thoughts and feelings in yourself. Pray for peace of mind, for calmness and solemnity, for contentment and satisfaction. Be thankful of what you have, and what you do not have. Learn to accept what is given to you and not, and be mindful of the fact that there are others who wish to be in your shoes. Just think about it... It's that simple, really.

So the next time you get jealous of someone, think first... is it really worth getting jealous over? Or is the big ugly green monster called Envy dancing around my innocent (or not-so-innocent) mind again? Swat the thought away and do something productive...aim high and reach for the stars. You'll never get anywhere if you just sit there sulking... MOVE. NOW!

(--this is just one of those nights when something keeps playing over and over in my mind. i think i'm hungry lang...8mcdo or yellow cab? they both deliver 24hours, right? hehe..I'll probably talk about gluttony next time.lol)

Blinded Item

2007-10-20T03:50:00.000+08:00

Got word from my friend. Darn. He didn't accept the invitation to join the competition. Sayang! He had a good chance pa naman... I think he got psyched with the thought of cameras hovering, shooting everything that they say or do. Personally, I think it was a wasted opportunity. It's not the money really, but the experience of doing something as joining a reality show that could open doors to all sorts of good things.

Oh well... maybe there're other good things in store for him...

The next heartthrob perhaps? haha.

Blind Item

2007-10-19T20:49:00.000+08:00

I was waiting for Hamza to pick me up from the dental clinic the other day when I got an unexpected surprise from a friend. It usually only takes about five to ten minutes for him to get there even when he's coming from Crossings at Sct. Borromeo/Panay Ave., but today, he was taking extra long. When I inquired about athe delay, he said he was with a friend, and they'll be picking me up. Imagine my glee when I saw him. Dang, I haven't seen him for ages! He and I met way, way before I even knew Hamza, which I think dates back in high school; we were schoolmates in college, and now, he's friends with my hunnybunchkins and the cousins.

"Mataan (it's like saying "I swear"), you haven't changed the day I met you in high school," he said. "What is it that you do?" I didn't know whether to take it as an insult or as a compliment at first, but I took the latter. High school meant about fifteen-seventeen years ago, and if I look that youthful even at my age (I'm twenty-nine), with a hubby and kid to boot, I think I might be doing something good!*laughs*

We went to Starbucks Timog for some coffee. He and Hamza were actually supposed to have some before picking me up, but my appointment ended earlier than scheduled, so I tagged along even though I don't take the hot, caffeineted drink; I'm not gonna pass up the chance to have some of their yummy treats!

So, we talk. And Hamza breaks the news. Our friend here might be coming out on a tv show that's like one of those aired in the States. It'll be aired sometime next month in one of the sister stations of this giant tv network. He said it's not yet sure that he's going to get in, but I think he's a shoe-in. The exciting part of this contest is that the winner gets the chance to go to the USA and join THE show. You know, the one whose logo is that of a silhouette of a man, running with a briefcase on one hand? Yes. That's it.

Now, as to who this friend is... All I can say is that he's everybody's friend. I'll let you know who he is when the show starts to air on channel *bleep!*.

My Encounter With An Artista (Celebrity)

2007-10-01T03:46:00.000+08:00

I'm in the middle of writing two blogs right now (my mind usually wanders while typing and I end up writing yet another blog), but I have to write this down while it's still fresh in my mind.hehe.

It was past four in the afternoon when Hamza, Raja and I got to Quezon City from Las Piñas where we spent the night there at my in-laws place. We had decided to make a quick stop at Crossings Department Store to buy some groceries and pay the phone bill at a nearby Bayad Center.

Hamza and Raja went up to the third floor to pass the time while I paid for our bill. He bought Raja another Matchbox/Hotwheels toy car because the little boy was promised by his father that he'd get a matchbox from him. I went out the building to the Bayad Center to pay the bill and went back in to do a 'mini-grocery' as we call it just to replenish some stuff we need for the kitchen (bread and what-have-yous). It was nearing Iftar and I was in a rush.

While waiting in line to pay for my purchases, I saw an actress. It wasn't really much of a big deal because I oft see celebrities at the coffee places in Crossings who hang out or to do grocery shopping. But this particular artista was different because I often ogle at her stuff online. Please do not get me wrong here, I am not a voyeur and I am most definitely not a lesbian, no offense, my dear sisters. I am talking about her online shop on Multiply, Stellar01. Ok, I'm getting ahead of my story. Backtrack.

So there I was, waiting in line when I see her, Chynna Ortaleza, owner of the online shop http://stellar01.multiply.com which I frequent to check on the latest updates whenever I go online (which is everyday.hehe!). She was with her mom, I think, and they were talking. I was on the other line, silently wishing that the line would go a little faster as we needed to go home to prepare the food for Iftar. I caught her eye and smiled, she smiled back at me. And I lifted the pendant necklace I was wearing to show her I bought one of her babies. That must've made her happy, because she showed her mom I was wearing it and I said, "I was the one who bought four", referring to the necklaces I bought from her. I actually bought five but who cares? She remembered. Probably because of my countless queries. hehe! She further told her mom I lived in the Scout area (she even remembered the street) and then said to me, "We live nearby, we're from New Manila." I was a bit dazed and awestruck as the little conversation was going on. I mean, I was dazed because I was hungry and the rumblings in my tummy were really getting to me, and awestruck because she was talking to me. I even forgot to say my name. ngeee.

When they had paid for their purchase, we said our goodbyes and I went on to unload the stuff to the counter. I was wary of the curious looks I was getting from the other customers. Let them be. I was too hungry to mind it. I rushed to the package counter to leave my bag when there she was with her grocery cart, depositing her groceries. So our little chat continued. I had told her that I was going up to the third floor and we was in a hurry because we had to break fast at home. And so our conversation shifted to fasting. It was a short conversation, but it was pleasant. We parted ways again, and I met up with Hamza and Raja. I know I should have said something about her stuff, how I really like them and all, and gotten a pic with her but again, I was too hungry it didn't even cross my mind. Sayang nga eh. But it was all right.

Later that night, I was browsing through sites on Multiply when I got a personal message from her. It was a delightful surprise because I wasn't expecting anything and I had meant to leave her a message first to say thank you and it was nice to have met her. She beat me to it! And so I replied and thanked her for being nice and all.

She's actually kind and down to earth. I usually have this vision of celebrities acting bratty, high and mighty. I guess she proved me wrong. It was cool to have met an artista who didn't have any airs in her, who's just like any average jane... But she'll never be an average jane...

She's already Chynna O.

She's already Stellar.

Glad to have met you, Sis! See you around.

Happy Birthday. :)

2007-09-24T03:44:00.000+08:00

I miss my friends.

But I miss them more so this day.

Jiamerah. Jam. She's the brainy one in the group. She makes math seem like a breeze while the rest of us scratch our heads trying to figure out the problem. I miss how she talks with her hand covering her mouth... She laughs like that too. I didn't get it then and still don't get it now. Why do you cover your mouth so? Miss walking home from school with her, we had time to chat over girly things just by ourselves. I miss her air of seriousness for her studies, how determined she was to be on top and keep it that way. But she wasn't serious all the time. I miss her bouts of craziness also. For someone so smart with school stuff, it was weird to see her agonize over problems of the heart.

Rasliah. Rush. That's what she's called, but to family and close friends she is Khuna. What do I miss about her? Her chinky eyes that get more chinkier by the second when she and Leah are laughing over something (not at someone). One part of the jesters in the group, Khuna always manages to take things lightly; she finds humor in the things that happen around us, no matter how dreary it may seem. I miss her hearty laugh, and her kind ways. i miss driving all the way to Marantao to pick her up with the rest of the batch just to joyride and drive back there late at night. A pick-up full of kids. And to think I was only learning to drive.

Emily Azalea. Leah. The life of the party. I miss seeing her rush to the front of Laubach Hall for the flag ceremony. I miss her seeing the tandem Rush-Leah, wreaking havoc on anyone who crossed their path with their friendly-slash-merciless "banter" with whoever whenever someone's crush was around. I miss her making noise even when her voice is soft. Maingay na soft. Peace, Minangowao. I miss having to go to her house in Marinaut, buying all the bananacue on the way to her place, eating it all there and exchanging girly stories about school, friends, crushes and family. I miss seeing her mom, Tita Babie and her kindness. Reminds me of my mom. They both rock.

Aniraida. Anie. The baby in the group who got married two weeks after our high school graduation. The girl with the softest hands that I know. They're like a baby's butt. Yes, they were that soft. hehe. I miss her laugh. Really loud laughter. I miss her child-like (or childish?) ways, how she jokes around and laughs until tears roll down from her eyes. I miss her handwriting too; cursive, very feminine. But she writes slow too. I remember Ma'am Aman getting irritated at times because we, particularly she, wasn't done copying whatever was written on the board yet.

Julieta. Doyette. I miss her laugh as well. Not that it was loud or anything. She's probably the only person I know who can "laugh out loud" inside a library because she doesn't make a sound. You'll just see her shoulders violently shaking like so, and you'll know she's laughing he hiney off. I miss having to go to her place on weekends for serious one-on-ones. To talk about problems bugging me or about hers, just random stuff we can think and talk about.

Noroden. Dino. The rose among the thorns. I don't remember how he became part of us, but he did. He's one hell of a serious guy (he was the SGO President in our Senior year) and was very involved in school activities. I miss how serious he looks one minute and gets all funky when we tease him to one of the girls (Hanipha Madale). He gets all red and acts funny, but I don't think there was really any romantic inclinations going on between the two. I miss his witty remarks, and his antics too.

Funny how I miss how they all laugh--that was probably all we did. We rarely fought, but that doesn't say we're not sincere with each other. We just all fit in nicely, us seven. We just clicked.

That friendship started way back in 1992.

We now all have lives of our own, families and careers to tend to.

But even though miles, longitudes, latitudes, and time zones separates us.

We're still friends.

And will remain so, until the end.

Thanks for all the good memories, and the few rough patches that we had, too. I will forever treasure them. Best days of my once young life. Glad to have spent it with you.

Happy Birthday to us!

I love you!

Inday, Inday!

2007-09-13T03:41:00.000+08:00

Dahil sa tindi ng kahirapan sa probinsya, namasukan si Inday bilang katulong sa Maynila. Habang ini-interview ng amo…

Amo: Kelangan namin ng katulong para mag ayos ng bahay, magluto, maglaba, magplantsa, mamalengke, at magbantay ng mga bata. Kaya mo ba ang lahat ng ito?

Inday: I believe that my trained skills and expertise in management with the use of standard tools, and my discipline and experience will contribute significantly to the value of the work that you want, my creativity, productivity and work-efficiency and the high quality of outcomes I can offer will boost the work progress.

Amo: [nosebleed]

Kinabukasan, habang nasa opisina ang amo, may tumawag sa telepono.

Inday: Hi, you are calling in the midst of me cooking our lunch, my superiors aren't around. I'm the immediate person in support. How may i help you? If you wish to leave a message, an abrupt tone means your diverted to our voicemail.

Caller: [Ibinaba ang telepono]

Nakaraan ang dalawang araw, umuwi ang amo, nakitang me bukol si junior.

Amo: Bakit me bukol si junior?

Inday: Compromising safety with useless aesthetics, the not-so-well engineered architectural design of our kitchen lavatory affected the boy's cranium with a slight boil at the left temple near the auditory organ.

Amo: [nosebleed ulit]

Kinagabihan, habang naghahapunan.

Amo: Bakit maalat ang ulam?

Inday: The consistency was fine. But you see, it seems that the increased amount of sodium chloride (NaCl) affected the taste drastically and those actions are irreversible. I do apologize.

Amo: [nosebleed na naman]

Tapos, sabi pa...

Amo: Bakit tuwing paguwi ko, nadadatnan kitang nanunuod ng tv?!

Inday: Because I don't want you to see me doing absolutely nothing.

Amo: [hinimatay]

Kinabukasan, sinamahan ni Inday si junior sa principal's office dahil di makapunta ang amo at donya.

Principal: Sinuntok ni junior ang kanyang kaklase.

Inday: It's absurd! It was never a fact that he will inflict a fight. I can only imagine how you handle schizophrenic kids on this educational institution. Revise your policies because they suck!

Principal: [nag resign]

Pagdating sa bahay, nandun na ang amo, galit na galit.

Amo: Inday, bakit nagkalat ang basura sa likod ng bahay?!

Inday: A change in the weather patterns might have occurred wrecking havoc to the surroundings. The way the debris are scattered indicates that the gust of wind was going northeast causing damage to the path it was heading for.

Amo: [nosebleed ulit]

Habang nagluluto si Inday ng hapunan, malikot si junior.

Inday: Stop your raucous behavior. It is bound to result in property damages and if that happens there will be corresponding punishment to be inflicted upon you!

Junior: [takbo sa CR, punasan ang nagdudugong ilong]

Pagkatapos magluto, nanood na ng TV si Inday. Nabalitaan nya umalis si Angel Locsin sa GMA 7.

Junior: Bakit kaya sya umalis?

Inday: Sometimes, people choose to leave not because of selfish reasons but because they just know that things will get worse if they'll stay. Leaving can be a tough act, and it's harder when people can't understand you for doing so.

Junior: [tuloy ang pagdugo ng ilong]

Dumating ang amo bago maghapunan.

Amo: Day! Bakit may rashes si Junjun?

Inday: Allergens triggered the immune response. Eosinophillic migratin occurs to the reaction site and release of chemotactic and anaphylotoxin including histamine and protaglandins. These substance results to increased circulation to the site promoting redness.

Amo: Sori?

Nung gabing yon, me nag text ke Inday. Si Dodong, ang driver ng kapitbahay, gusto maki pag text-mate.

Inday: To forestall further hopes of acquaintance, my unfathomable statement to the denial of your request - Petition denied.

Di nagla-on, dahil sa tyaga ni Dodong, nagging syota nya rin si Inday. Pero di tumagal ang kanilang relasyon, at nakipag-break si Inday ke Dodong.

Inday: The statute restricts me to love you but you have the provocations. The way you smile is the proximate cause why I love you. We have some rules to think of. We have no vested rights to love each other because the upper household dismissed my petition!

Dodong: Perhaps you are mistaken, what you seem to contrive as any affections for you are somewhat half-hearted. I was merely attempting to expand my network of interests by involving you in my daily recreation. Heretofor, you can expect an end to any verbal articulation from myself

Me dumaan na mamang basurero, at narinig ang usapan ni Inday at Dodong.

Basurero (sabi ke Inday): Be careful in letting go of the things you thought are just nothing because maybe someday you'll realize that the one you gave away is the very thing you've been wishing for to stay.

Kinagabihan, kinausap si Inday ng kanyang amo...

Inday: Being a third party doesn't mean that you're destroying a relationship. It only means that you make two souls realize that they are not meant to be!

More Inday Quotes:

I pity you for you have degraded your very own pride and dignity by resorting to this despicable behavior just for the sake of having something to feed your fetish appetite for wealth and i hope that one day you'll be rational enough to realize that you should not use other humans as means in the attainment of your ends. As what the great philosopher Kant uttered, 'treat a man as an end in himself'.
- sagot ni inday sa dugu-dugu gang na tumawag sa bahay ng amo nya

~*~*~*~*~*~

Attached herewith is a list of proposed acquisition in line with my proposal to upgrade your household facilities. I have already made initial survey of current market prices. Note however that prices could vary depending on the prevailing exchange rate and aggregate supply and demand which we also monitor on an hourly basis.
- si inday, nagpapaalam para mamalengke

~*~*~*~*~*~

The dwindling resource of hydrogen2 and oxygen present, coupled with the stabile amount of precise heat in the thermal environ of the vessel, resulted in the premature hydration of the 'Oryza Sativa', hence the calefaction factor was rendered lost and wandering when the algid formation came about.
- sagot ni inday kung bakit HILAW ang kanin

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ipomea aquatica has become the constant ingredient to this filipino delicacy which is very helpful in the digestion during the peristaltic process of the food we intake. Due to the continuous rains and floods, the harvest of the said vegetables has lessen the production in the market.
- banat pa ni inday sa amin kung bakit walang kangkong sa nilutong sinigang

~*~*~*~*~*~

Drunken tiger shrimp and blue lobster meat, cut diagonally and caviar served with milagrosa rice (red variety) and apricot sauce. Vegetables in balsamic vinegar splashed with extra virgin olive oil garnished with mint leaves. Lychee and peach salad
- inihanda ni inday para ibaon ni jun-jun sa daycare

~*~*~*~*~*~

Physical stress and excessive work may result to serious damage to one's body. It is therefore essential that once in a while, we take a break from our usual routine to replenish our lost energy.
- sagot ni inday sa amo niya ng ayaw syang payagan mag day-off

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

borrowed it from my multiply business contact..i was only gonna put a link but there seems to be a prblem with mine (yes, i allowed pop-ups for this window temporarily). anyway, i hope you found it amusing as well. :)

Broke(n) Back Jodi. Humor(less) Me

2007-08-22T03:39:00.000+08:00

Last week, I learned that I can survive on water alone.*guffaws*

I broke my back last week...okay, maybe strained it. Don't ask why anymore, because I probably wouldn't tell you anyway. Let's just say that for a brief moment, I thought that I was Supergirl and I knew the answer to world hunger. *hyuk! hyuk!* So, from Tuesday afternoon to Thursday, I was suffering a fever of 39-40 degrees celsius with the pain from my lower back shooting down to my knees. Yes, it hurt even when I stood up. I was told by Hamza's older sister to just take things easy and lie down for a couple of days until the pain subsides, which I in turn, faithfully did for a couple of minutes. I've lost appetite for food, and found myself drinking water and juice only. My God, I was living off on fluids for days, and I was beginning to get scared coz I knew if I didn't get anything to eat, I'd be puking bile soon. Come Saturday, I was trying my best not to wither in pain because my dad keeps asking what was wrong and I didn't want to tell even though my back was killing me and the pain was beginning to spread upward. I didn't want to go see a doctor because I don't like hospitals (although I usually find myself in it one way or another), so I opted for the good old neighborhood masseuse/manghihilot, Mimi. I knew I should've gone to her earlier but Hamza believed it would go away so I sat it out. I thought too, that my high tolerance for pain would win over it, but I would find myself all teary-eyed come evening when it got cold because of the typhoons.

And so Mimi made massaged my back. It was my first time to see a manghihilot-slash-masseuse so I told her to be gentle with my back because it was broken. Oh, she was gentle...as gentle as the winds of Egay. *laughs* My God, I was gripping the metal bars of our bed like hell, my knuckles turned white! I was too embarrassed to yelp so I kept my head buried under the pillow and bore the pain. She said in Cebuano, 'maraming hangin katawan mo, 'te'...I told her 'ang tawag dyan, air pockets.' *waaaahhhhh... humor me. haha!* She worked on me for more than an hour. After my ordeal with her, I felt all black and blue, but for some reason, I felt less pain on my back and legs. I feel better now, but I have to see her a couple more times. I'm contemplating seeing a doctor, just for good measure. I just want to know if everything's finally ok with me, so I can get back to saving the world, and do that darned test that i've been putting off for the longest time (some thyroid test thingy).

I know some people find it weird how I still have to do things when I can very well just order other people around to do these things for me... yes, that's what servants are for, and they're paid to do things for your convenience and stuff, but I wasn't exactly born to just lie around and order other people around. I was born with a silver spoon, I admit, but I wasn't born an invalid. I don't mind getting my hands dirty. I enjoy getting my hands dirty. That's why I got like this (broken back). Anyway, I know I'll be getting back to work pretty soon (I'm still on slight vacation mode right now), but I'll be a lot more careful with the stuff I do. Oh, I'm glad to report too, that my appetite has come back, but I'm gonna try take things slow, all the extra weight I've been wanting to lose is now gone (I can give Marie France, Belo and Calayan a run for their money--I lost 10lbs in 5 days!), it might come back if I binged on a daily basis. hehe! My best friend now is water, and I don't think I'll be changing best friends for quite a while.*bows*

sorry i couldn't think of a good title...it's in bad taste, i know. maybe my next blog wouldn't be as bad as this. haha!

Picture, Picture!

2007-08-07T03:38:00.000+08:00

Sheer luck? I say it's just coincidence. We were supposed to go visit my grands, but the weather made it quite impossible for us to get out of our jammies and the room. I was contemplating on walking to the internet cafe in Timog (which was only a block down from our new place) inspite of the weather to contact my Havaianas dealer (I pre-ordered some pairs, hehe!) when lo and behold, the guys from the phone company came to install the landline. Coolness! After awhile the guy who was gonna install my internet connection came. Coolness times two.:) Anyway, I just wanted to post some pics here... not of me, but of Rashad. Just when I thought that I had it all, I find out my card reader's smashed...something inside it is loose and it won't read my memory card.Raja, bad boy! >:-/ So, I'll just make do with what I have... good thing Che lent me her cd. I'll just post more pictures of Rashad when I got a new reader.:)

p.s.

he's so like his father... laging nakakunot ang noo. lol

Welcome, Khalil Rashad!

2007-07-29T03:37:00.000+08:00

If only my computer had internet access, then I would've posted his picture here. Soon, when I've completely settled in our new residence..naks!
I'm talking about the newest addition to the family, Khalil Rashad De Guzman Diron, my nephew.
Yup, my NEPHEW. One of my brothers' kid... Amir Hassan's.

WHAAAAT?

Yeah.
It's his.
He's married.
And he now has a kid.

Shocked with the revelation, huh? Don't be. It's his destiny. And he's happy.:)

All I can say is that the baby looks like his daddy.:) Another future heartbreaker in the family. hehe! I'll post the pics one of these days... I haven't quite figured out if I'm gonna subscribe to my old provider or get a new one.

Until next time... Ciao!

Held Up...A High School Memoir. =)

2007-07-05T03:34:00.000+08:00

My online buddy had a recent near death experience and shared his story to me through his blog (thanks, Ghostface!). Reading his blog triggered a memory that I experienced in high school which I think I'll never ever forget.

It was August 1994, and Cagayan de Oro was having its annual fiesta. We were high school seniors then, and my girl friends Jam, Khuna, Leah, Annie, Doyette and I decided to spend the weekend in CDO to join in on the festivities (which meant hanging out at LimKetKai Mall for shopping, foodtripping and skating on the rink. hehe!) We had all decided to go on a Friday afternoon since school days were from Sunday to Thursday. My five best girl friends and I decided to meet by the bus terminal in the afternoon but somehow only three of us made it. It was around four in the afternoon when Leah, Khuna and I decided to leave without the others. Had there only been cellphones that time. sheesh.

So anyway, we took the last trip Tomawis bus from Marawi to Iligan. A couple of minutes past five, we got to the Tomawis terminal but the Tourist bus from the terminal just across us had just pulled out from the driveway and left; that bus we saw was the last trip headed for Cagayan de Oro. Just our darn luck! What to do, what to do? We were stuck in Iligan City, and it was getting dark. Was there another bus going to CDO? Unfortunately, no. For that bus company anyway. So we decided to look for another mode of transportation that could take us to our destination. I don't remember though, if we went to snack for awhile...perhaps? Enlighten me dear Leah and Khuna...my old, wrinkled mind cannot fathom such details. hehe! Anyway, I do remember that it was already dark when we found this bus terminal. I don't know how we found it; I think Leah and Khuna asked around...I wasn't any help coz I couldn't speak Visaya to save my life back then. I do remember though that it looked dreadful. Well, ok, I may be exaggerating here, but this was a bus company which catered mostly to market merchants who lived in the outskirts of Iligan City...Pang masa kumbaga...Class C and D type folk. The bus was old, the seats were hard, and there was no airconditioning. I was silently contemplating spending the night at my Tita Yasmin's place, but if we did that, my mom would know coz for sure my aunt would let her know we were there and I didn't want my mom or any of my friends' moms to worry we weren't in CDO yet (because they we told them we'd leave after lunch). The conductor said the bus leaves at seven in the evening so we took the chance, boarded the Bachelor bus and waited for it to fill up.

We were the first ones in. Slowly, our worries faded and we became our enthusiastic selves again. Gosh, we haven't even gotten to CDO and we were already on an adventure (misadventure was more like it, now that I think of it). We were happily chatting away at the very back of the bus when these two men decided to sit on the seats in front of ours. They were of average height, and dark and hard-looking, like they've done time sometime, somewhere. Pay no mind though, they weren't bothering us, so we waited, chatted and waited until the bus slowly filled up with passengers, and the conductor announced that we were leaving for Cagayan de Oro.

As the bus pulled away from the terminal, the conductor began collecting fare from the passengers. We paid ours, and scanned the crowd we were with. No one looked suspicious, I thought to myself, but these two men in front of us kept speaking in hushed tones, like they were talking about a secret or something really important and they didn't want anyone to hear. We were singing songs (yes, we were singing and we didn't care that they could hear us) when crazy Leah would lean over casually and try to eavesdrop on the conversation of the two men. But they would stop whenever they see Leah (perhaps in their peripheral vision) that she was right behind them. Anyway, it was either in Naawan or after Naawan while we were still singing songs, the two men took out their hankies and folded it into a triangle. We could see everything, coz you know how the last row seats are elevated from the rest? Ours was like that too. So, as I was saying, we were singing, and they took out their hankies, I had the craziest feeling in the pit of my stomach that something wrong was going to happen. I swear I felt it. So while singing I nudged my friends to take off the jewelry that we had on and stuff them into our socks. By then, I saw the man sitting by the aisle take out his revolver. Dang, we were in deep sh*t.

He got out from his seat went to the driver's side, then the second man followed but stopped in the middle of the bus. Then he announced in Visaya that we were being held up. Night time and in the middle of no where. In a bus with two hold-uppers. God. You could probably imagine all the blood draining out from our faces; we were so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. I was so scared because I was the one keeping our money, and it was stashed in the Guess? beltbag that I borrowed from Hassan. We were told to put our hands behind our heads and bend down so our heads were touching our thighs. Cool. They wouldn't see my beltbag. God, what a doofus. I was about to die and I was thinking about my beltbag. I began to think about my family; mom, my dad and my brothers. I didn't know if I'd be able to see them again. I saw my life flash before my eyes. I swear...everything that happened to me--good and bad experiences from when I was a kid to that very moment, all the people who meant alot to me, my friends, acquaintances, I saw it all in a flash. I got distracted when the guy with the gun said to give them all our stuff--jewelry, money, whatever was valuable. So the second man went from passenger to passenger, getting money from their wallets, their watches and bags. When he got to us, he didn't get anything because we had already stuffed our loot inside our socks and my beltbag's tucked on the side under my shirt where he couldn't see. Poor Khuna in her fright managed to take off the gold ring that hugged tight on her finger. Then the two men discussed where they were going to get off. They seemed so fidgety; that was probably their first time to do such thing. I think it was past El Salvador when they decided to get off. The second they got off the bus, the driver slammed on the gas pedal, and zoomed off to Cagayan de Oro.

The passengers inside were in hysterics. Some were crying, others still in shock with what had just transpired. I felt sorry for one man, he said that he just got home from abroad, and the two took his duffel bag with them. Once calmed, passengers agreed to go to the nearest police station to report the crime. i got the wristwatch from my sock and it said that it was already past eight. Leah, Khuna and I decided not to join them as we have already arrived in Cagayan de Oro. In one piece, Alhamdulillah. So, when the bus stopped by the main road and Velez st., all three of us got off, got in the nearest cab and directed it to the mall.

We were still a bit shocked with our latest adventure (the Wolves have the best bits to tell), but we were too excited to be at the mall at night by ourselves to even talk about it, so we ate and skated and commuted again to Khuna's place, to Balulang.

That night, we laid down in the dark and recounted our experience. For a brief moment I though to myself what lucky asses we were for being alive. I mean, they could've done something really harmful to us if they'd wanted to; we were sitting right behind them and we were loud and all that. But I guess they let us off because we were just kids. Or maybe they didn't do anything to us because they werent' really hardened criminals, just people who were in dire need and had nothing else left to hang on to...I dunno? But what was important was that we were alive and well. If only they hadn't gotten Khuna's ring.

The following day was a blur...I don't really remember what happened after. hehe! But I think we went home to Marawi a little earlier than scheduled. No buses this time, just those private vehicles that travel straight to Marawi City. I didn't tell mom what happened to us, she would've had a heart attack and grounded me for the rest of my senior year. I did tell her about it four years after, though, when Sehawie and some of the Wolves came to visit me at home and asked me to recount that friggin' experience with mom around...Busted!

Anyway, moral of the story... stick to the schedule. If things go awry, and you feel like you're not up to it (going somewhere, doing something), then don't do it. You might end up in a situation you might not want to be in if you do. Second moral of the story... let your parents know where you are, what you're doing and who you're with. I know it sounds corny and it's so totally uncool (especially when you're in those 'emo' years), but it's important that they know your whereabouts because just in case you're in a fix and you have to call them and stuff, your a** won't get fried.

(In)Dependent

2007-06-17T03:28:00.000+08:00

I'm the type of person who values one's independence. Not in the sense that prefer to spend hours (or days even) away from my family and friends, but independence in the sense that I'd like to be able to be on my own every now and then, to be able to reflect and do certain things by myself.

When I got married to my husband, I slightly said goodbye to my independence. I was with him all the time... or shall I say he was with me all the time... well except when he was at work and I was at school/work. It was fun, and I enjoyed his company thoroughly (I wouldn't have allowed my parents to have me married to him if he had the humor of a dead toad!), although I sort of longed for the days when I could go mall-hopping-slash-shopping-slash-food-tripping by my lonesome. I used to do that; go mall-to-mall from Makati to Ortigas to North Edsa in one day. I knew he wouldn't allow that. Aside from the fact that it was impermissible for an unmarried Muslim lady/woman to go about town without a mahram (a male relative or husband if married), he was the type who loved to do things together. hehe!

Then came our little boy. When Raja came out (unwillingly, I might add), I bid with finality, goodbye to those days. I had a feeling I'd be stuck with this little critter until the day comes that he finds it remotely gross to hang out with his mother. So he and I spend countless hours doing completely almost everything: watching cartoons and soaps, kiddie shows and documentaries, playing with cars and choppers, or singing songs. When Hamza's free from work, we all go out together, visiting our favorite haunts, watching movies and gorging down on food. Sure, there were times when he and I would part ways for a while so I can shop in peace and he can go gymming, but only for a while (and I'm not complaining, ok!). But still, it'd be nice if I had a day completely all to myself and not worry about my kid's cute a**, or my husband asking me where his stuff were. *peace, hun!*

That day did come one time, though. I think it was last week, when my mother-in-law came to visit Raja. She went to Mindanao and didn't see him for over a month... so the day after she arrived, she together with her kids dropped by our place to visit the little boy and to update us on the latest news regarding last month's election...the dirtiest ever. She didn't really ask if they could "borrow" Raja; I think it was me who told them that Raja could spend a couple of days with them. I think Raja was excited too; well, they told him that they'd be going to Timezone first so he was so ok with the idea. hehe. I was too, although in a different way. 'Coz, once and for all, I'd finally have time to myself. And I have longed for that for the longest time. And it was here. I was free. Finally. Yes.*sigh!*

I was excited the first few hours after they'd left. But after a while, when all my hype on freedom has died down, when Hamza had finally called it a night (he works graveyard shift), I was left to my lonesome. And my initial thought of freedom and independence and doing all the stuff that I haven't done in a long time didn't seem so fun anymore... I realized that I miss the little critter and was bored.

I was bored and I missed my family. I mean, there I was, with all the time in my hands, with Hamza upstairs snoozing in the room and Raja with his Mommy Lydee and titas, and I didn't know what to do. I was so lost. I was just sitting on the couch by the living room, blankly staring at the tv (which wasn't on, by the way). I caught myself feeling reminiscent... recalling those days when he was a completely behaved little gentleman and the times when he just drove me nuts ("Raja put your toys away, puhleeease!").I guess I had been doing this for so long now that I do not know what else to do.

I didn't know how to be alone anymore.

I know that there're a thousand other things that I can spend my time on, but I've been a wife and a mom for quite a while now that I didn't realize I wasn't the same person anymore. I dunno if I should be happy about it or not... perhaps the former. We're all so together that we're practically joined at the hip.

Well, to make the long story short... Hamza and I went to visist him at Las Piñas the day after and spent the weekend there with Hamza's mom, sisters and brother. hehe.

Now that I'm back to my old grind (Raja and I're together again, 24/7) and I'm wishing I had my temporary freedom back, I know I'd be missing him terribly if I "lend" him to my mom-in-law or my own mom...He's part Hamza and me... without him or my hubby... I wouldn't know where I'd be.

Flyers For Sale.LOL

2007-05-04T03:24:00.000+08:00

I was watching a program on ABS-CBN (okay, it was a soap!), then a commercial came on. It showed the Probe's features for that week and one was about Lanao del Sur and the coming elections so I decided to wait up for it.

After the late night news, Probe came on. The strains of the azan, the masjids, the people performing prayer, the sight of Banggolo(!) with all the streamers and posters hanging and plastered everywhere brought a wave of homesickness. Oh, I wish I could go to Mindanao even for just a short time! Anyway, back to the feature, they interviewed a bunch of people about what goes on before, during and after elections, when and where cheating starts and what measures are being done in order to control it. But one particular part of the feature that caught my attention was the bit where they showed two samples of flyers of certain candidates with money stapled onto it. Both flyers were from former re-electionists, one of which is the sister of a congresswoman (also a re-electionist) and the other, that of my UNCLE's.

GOD. I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry when I saw that. But the former took the better part of me. It was embarrassing... I mean, of all flyers from the hundreds of candidates (okay, maybe I'm exaggerating here), they had to pick one of my relative's. And to think that it's not even the ARMM elections. Sheesh! But then, it's common knowledge to us that this stuff really happens. I'd be a hypocrite if I say my relatives who ran didn't do that, and I'd be calling you the same thing if you said your politician relative/s didn't.

I mean, c'mon, let's all be honest here... even if you belong to a family of politicians, if you do not have money to give to the voters, the leaders, the COMELEC, you're nothing. Like that guy said on tv (with that thick Maranao accent), "Kung wala kang pera, sino ka para iboto ko?" True, true. It's sad how we people complain over the lack of progress in our province when it is also us who elected them into those positions by eagerly selling our votes, our rights and dreams to a better Lanao.

It's so discouraging every time this happens. And to think they also use the Qur'an so the pledgee (read: the one who receives the money) will follow through with the transaction (read: vote for the candidate he has committed to vote). Tsk,tsk,tsk... Jeez. I admit I find it morbid, but what can I do? It's so rampant, it's like the plague, really.

I admit (again) that I, just like any of the younger generation born to political families, have aspirations to build a better place that we call our home. But whenever the election fever strikes, I get discouraged. It's a sad plight, but who knows, one of these days, it just might end. Inshaallah! Like they say, there's always light at the end of the tunnel.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seeing all the election posters hanging and plastered everywhere made me laugh... I wonder if Mr. Abalos has the ba**s to go to Lanao and tear down all the candidates' election paraphernalia.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

bato-bato sa langit, ang tamaan... may bukol.

don't get offended here, this is my personal viewpoint...that's why it's in my blog. and besides, it's my relative's flyer that was featured, not yours.

Flyers kayo diyan!

Whatta Day!!!

2007-04-14T23:49:00.000+08:00

Petiks mode.

Me? Us? Says who? Do you even know the things I, we, go through just to get through the day?

Petiks mode...

My ass.

(sorry...im just in a really foul mood right now.)

Doctor, Doctor, I Am Sick!

2007-04-14T03:21:00.000+08:00

Hmm...I'm feeling a whole lot better now...I was in a semi-sulky mood yesterday, but now's an ok day.=) I got this from my email, and it got me laughing. Just thought I'd share (ito na naman ako eh, noh... share ng share. haha!).=)

ACTUAL SENTENCES FOUND IN PATIENTS' MEDICAL CHARTS at PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL (PGH):

1. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.

2. On the second day the knee was better, and on the third day it
disappeared.

3. She has no rigors or shaking chills, but her husband states she was very hot in bed last night.

4. The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be
depressed.

5. The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993.

6. Discharge status: Alive but without permission.

7. The patient refused autopsy.

8. The patient has no previous history of suicides.

9. She is numb from her toes down.

10. While in ER, she was examined, X-rated and sent home.

11. The skin was moist and dry.

12. Occasional, constant, infrequent headaches.

13. Patient was alert and unresponsive.

14. Rectal examination revealed a normal size thyroid.

15. She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life, until she got a divorce.

16. The lab test indicated abnormal lover function.

17. The patient was to have a bowel resection. However, he took a job as a stockbroker instead.

18. Skin: somewhat pale but present.

19. Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities.

===

Sa PGH, may tinatawag na Central Block. Nandoon ang Radiology Department kung saan ginagawa ang mga X-rays, Ultrasound, CT Scan at Radiotherapy. Dito ko naobserbahan ang evolution ng mga Pinoy medical terms. May mga pasyente o bantay na aking nasasalubong, ang madalas magtanong ng direksyon.

Mga Versions ng CT Scan:

1. "Dok saan po ba ang Siete Scan?"
2. "Doc saan po ba magpapa-CT Skull"
3. "Doc saan po ba CT Scalp"
4. "Doc saan po ang CT Scam?"

===

Madalas akong mapagtanungan ng direction papunta sa Cobalt Room.

"Doc saan po ba ang Cobal" Yes, laging walang T. Marami ang gumagamit sa term na Cobal. Saan napunta ang "T"?

Marami din kasing nagtatanong, "Doc, saan po ba ang papuntang X-Tray?"

Conclusion: Ang "T" ng Cobalt, ay napunta sa X-Tray.

===

Nang mag-rotate ako as intern sa Pediatrics ng PGH, mahal na mahal talaga ng mga nanay ang kanilang mga anak na may sakit. Pilit nilang tinatandaan ang mga gamot at tawag sa sakit ng kanilang anak.

Doktor: "Mrs. ano po ang mga gamot na iniinom ng anak niyo?"
Mrs: "Doc phenobarbiedoll po."
Doktor: "Ah baka po phenobarbital. "
(Gamot sa convulsion ang phenobarbital)

===

Doktor: "Mrs. ano po ba ang sinabi ng dating doktor kung ano daw ang sakit ng inyong anak?"
Mrs: "Eh Doc sabi po niya Tragedy of Fallot.
Doktor: "Ah baka po Tetralogy of Fallot
(Isang Congenital Heart Disease ang
Tetralogy of Fallot)

===

Biglang nagtatarang ang isang nanay at sumigaw.
Mrs: "Scissors! Scissors! Nag-sciscissors ang anak ko, Doc!"
Doktor: "Nurse, diazepam please, nag-seizure ang pasyente!"

===

Doktor: "Mrs. ano daw po ba ang sakit ng anak ninyo?"
Mrs : "May ketong daw po."
In-examine ng doktor ang balat ng pasyente. Wala siyang makitang senyales ng ketong. Tumawag pa siya ng isang Dermatologist para mag-examine nang husto. Wala talaga.
Doktor: "Mrs. sigurado po ba kayong ketong ang Sakit ng bata?"
Mrs : "Eh iyon po ang sabi ng doktor niya dati. Mataas daw po ang ketong sa ihi dahil may diabetes."
Doktor: "Ah ketone po yon!

(Ang positive ketone sa Ihi ay senyales ng kumplikasyon ng diabetes.)

===

Doktor: (Sa buntis na mrs. na nagle-labor) "Mrs.pumutok na po ba ang panubigan mo?"
Mrs:"Eh Doc, wala naman po akong narinig na pagsabog."

Hanep!

In Search of the Body Beautiful

2007-04-12T03:11:00.000+08:00

In The Name Of Allah, Most Gracious and Most Merciful

As’salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh

All praise is due to Allah: and blessings and peace be upon His messenger and servant, Prophet Mohammad (s) and upon his family and companions and whoever follows his guidance until the Day of Resurrection

In Search of the Body Beautiful
By: 'Itrat Azad

There seems no limit nowadays to the extent that women (and men!) are prepared to go to in order to achieve that 'perfect look'. Forget false eyelashes and wigs, we are now talking scalpels, implants and liposuction! !

Cosmetic surgery amongst film actresses has been commonplace for quite some time now, but these days, we wouldn't be too hard pressed to find ordinary women on the street who are more plastic than real! Indeed, in some circles, having multiple facelifts has become a status symbol: the more you have, the higher you are in the status rankings.

If questioned whether cosmetic surgery was Islamically correct or not, then without doubt, most Muslims would instinctively respond by saying that it isn't, for the simple reason that it would be interfering with Allaah's creation. And certainly, this would be the correct response. The Companion, Ibn Mas'ood, radiAllaahu 'anhu, once said (quoting what he had heard the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam, say): "Allaah has cursed the tattooers and those who have themselves tattooed, and those women who have their teeth filed for beauty and those who have their [facial] hair plucked and thus alter Allaah's creation." A woman remarked, "What's all this?" So Ibn Mas'ood - radiAllaahu 'anhu - said: "Should I not curse one whom Allaah's Messenger cursed? And it is in the Book of Allaah!" She said: "I have read the Qur'aan from cover to cover, but I did not find that in it." He replied: "If you had read it thoroughly you would have found it. Allaah says, 'Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it and whatever he has forbidden, retrain from it’" [Sooratul-Hashr (59):7]. 1

So the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam, forbade women from performing these three practices which the women commonly did for the sake of beauty in those days - seemingly 'insignificant' practices for which they would incur the CURSE of Allaah. And this forbiddence isn't just restricted to the procedures mentioned in the hadeeth. Because Allaah says in more general terms in His Book: "So set your face truly to the faith, Allaah's handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind, [Let there be] no change in the creation of Allaah." 2 [Soorah ar-Room (30):30].

Therefore, it is obligatory for us to accept the creation of Allaah as it is, not making any alterations to it.3 More importantly though, it is also obligatory or us to believe that all of Allaah's creation is beautiful, because Allaah, the Khaaliq (Creator) does not create anything except with beauty and perfection, which is why He says to mankind: "You can see no fault in the creation of ar-Rahmaan [the Most Merciful]. Then look again: can you see any rifts? Then look again and yet again, your sight will return to you in a state of humiliation and worn out." [Soorah al-Mulk (67):3].

This may all sound quite strange when we consider how often we hear women complaining about their appearance. In fact, it is estimated that over half of the Western women today actually perceive themselves to be ugly. In addition, surveys show that nearly all women feel under pressure to "look good". As a result, the quest for beauty has become a serious preoccupation for many women. Open up any women’s magazine and you will not fail to find a single one which doesn't contain tips on how to "look good", or which don't contain huge adverts promoting new creams that halt the aging process or concealers to hide wrinkles, etc.

Beauty today is big business. Beauty contests are very profitable and - contrary to popular belief - more are spawned every year. The cosmetics market is a multi-billion dollar industry; the demand for cosmetic surgery is growing at a tremendous rate. All three industries promote the same notions o beauty that women everywhere are expected to meet: mainly a white, European, "Barbie-doll" like standard. The pressures on women to conform to these standards are enormous and few are able to withstand them.4

The fact is that Western women today may complain that they are not treated with equality and respect, but it is they themselves who have made it acceptable for society worldwide to see women merely as beauty-objects who are there to be ogled by the men who in turn are the (im)polite voyeurs. When viewed in this light, we find that beauty contests are not too dissimilar to reality itself: just as the tallest, slimmest blonde girl gets the title in the beauty contest, in the real world it's the tallest, slimmest blonde girl who gets the man!

In Islaam, beauty is not just in the eye of the beholder, beauty is in the whole of creation, because Allaah - the One free of all imperfections - is the one responsible for it. And as Allaah says: "Your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses: no choice have they. SubhaanAllaah! And far removed is He from the partners they ascribe [to Him]." [Soorah al-Qasas (28):68].

So it is from the wisdom of Allaah that He has chosen to create some of us short, others tall, some fat, some thin, some dark-coloured, some light - all are beautiful and perfect in their own right. That is why we are taught from the Sunnah, the beautiful du'aa (supplication) that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam, would say: "O Allaah, as You have made my appearance beautiful, likewise make my character beautiful." (Allaahumma kamaa hassanta khalaqee fa hassin khuluqee). 5

As Muslims, we must believe that evil and imperfection cannot be attributed to Allaah.6 The desire to change any aspect of ourselves means, in effect, that we are dissatisfied with Allaah's choice and His handiwork, and that there is imperfection in what He has created. Thus to say about ourselves or anyone else that we or they are ugly is a great sin. This point was reinforced by the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam, when he once saw the Companion, 'Amr ibn Fulaan al-Ansaaree, radiAllaahu 'anhu, whose izaar (lower garment) was hanging low (to the ground), so he, sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam, ordered that he raise it. ‘Amr made an excuse saying that he had skinny shins (i.e. he was embarrassed to show them), so the Prophet responded by saying: "O 'Amr! Verily Allaah - the Mighty and the Majestic - has created everything in the best form." 7

All this is certainly not intended to discourage women to look after themselves and adorn themselves in lawful ways (e.g. wearing nice clothes, having nicely done hair, etc.). Indeed, adorning oneself is something that the wives are obliged to do for their husbands and Allaah rewards the woman who pleases the husband when he looks at her.8 But with these tremendous pressures on women to conform to the ideals set by the marketing media, it may be hard for Muslim women to resist feeling insecure or uncomfortable about their appearance. Consequently, many Muslim women have shed their hijaabs for the sake of following fashion; Muslim women too develop inferiority complexes about themselves.

We must bear in mind that this search for the 'body beautiful' is, in reality, a deception from Shaitaan. Shaitaan has vowed that he will create such false desires in mankind. He has said (as stated in the Qur'aan): "Surely I will arouse in them [mankind] false desires; and certainly I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allaah." [Soorah an-Nisaa’ (4):119].

May Allaah always keep us safe from the false promises of Shaitaan, for Verily He is the One who guides to the Truth.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----- Notes

1. Reported by Ibn Mas'ood and collected in Saheeh Muslim (English trans, vo1. 3, p.1166, no.5301). This incident is a good illustration of the status which the Sunnah held in front of the Companions.

2. Note that this forbiddence applies to the whole of creation, not just human beings. Therefore, defacing any part of Allaah’s creation is haraam. By extension, this ruling also applies to all forms of genetic engineering, which are carried out on farm animals, for example, in order to procure more profitable meat from them.

3. This is with the exception of those things which have been prescribed in the Sharee'ah, e.g. clipping the nails, shaving the underarms and around the private parts, etc.

4. In fact, some women go to such extremes that it results in them developing health problems - anorexia nervosa - for instance. The carcinogenic nature of breast implants are also well documented now. No doubt, the future will reveal more harmful effects of these artificial means of changing creation.

5. One hadeeth which contains this supplication mentions that this du'aa should be recited on looking in the mirror. However, the chain (isnaad) of this hadeeth is not authentic. But it is authentically reported as a supplication to be recited at any time. (See Ibn Taimiyyah's al-Kalimat-Tayyib with al-Albaanee’s footnotes.)
6. For an explanation of this important aspect of belief, please refer to The Prophet’s Prayer Described (p.15).

7. Saheeh - collected in the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (vo1.4, p.200).

8. See Musnad Ahmad, an-Nasaa'ee and others. Also, it is forbidden for the husband to invoke ugliness upon the wife - as was a common practice amongst the pre-Islamic Arabs.

originally appeared in Ad-da'wah ilallah magazine, Volume 1, Issue 3.

Yummy Havies--My Wish List

2007-03-28T03:07:00.000+08:00

I like Havaianas... they're cute and comfy. But I'm not one to really splurge and collect them. But their Chiso line is my favorite! I'm willing to shell out for these cuties. To bad they're not in production anymore *sniff*. If anyone knows where I can still get these pairs (though I know they've long been released and sold out), let me know.

Fare Thee Well

2007-03-25T03:03:00.000+08:00

Whenever March swings by, I am reminded of final exams, thesis defense, the thrill of not having to worry about anything related to school, getting your grades and of course, graduation day. Hamza's twin sisters graduated from high school this afternoon. Although we didn't attend the ceremony (kids weren't allowed), high school graduations bring back memories of my own graduation day. It was eons ago, twelve years to be exact! But still, it was a memorable one. I got up on stage twice to get my diploma and get my certificate for artist of the year (three times in four years.). We were a small batch, only seventy candidates, but it was a norm in our school, 'only the strong survive.' We were a tight batch, us Wolverines *waves at fellow Wolves*, and even though we all have long graduated from high schol and college, lead different lives and live in different places, we manage to keep tabs of each other, never losing our bond.

Going back to my high school graduation, we chose the song "Farewell" by Raymond Lauchengco. I think it's a timely song for graduates to sing... unfortunately, we didn't get to sing it... we were bawling like babies onstage in front of everyone even before getting to the chorus.hehe!

Anyway, here're the songs lyrics just in case you're not familiar with it. Enjoy.

Farewell

Raymond Lauchengco

We used to be frightened and scared to try
Of things we don't really understand why
We laugh for a moment and start to cry
We were crazy

Now that the end is already here
We reminisce 'bout old yells and cheers
Even if our last hurrahs were never clear

Chorus:

Farewell to you, my friends
We'll see each other again
Don't cry 'cause it's not the end of ev'rything
I may be miles away
But here is where my heart will stay
With you
My friends, with you.

Yesterday's atreasure, today is here
Tomorrow on its way, the sky is clear
Thank you for the mem'ries
Of all the laughter and tears

And not to mention our doubts and our fears
The hypertension we gave to our peers
It's really funny to look back
After all of these years

Farewell to you, my friends
We'll see each other again
Don't cry 'cause it's not the end of ev'rything
I may be miles away
But here is where my heart will stay
With you
My friends, with you

Chorus 2:

Farewell to you, my friends
We'll see each other again
Don't worry 'cause it's not the end of ev'rything
I may be oceans away
But here is where my heart will stay
With you
My friends, with you
With you, my friends
With only you...

The Googler In Me.

2007-03-18T13:51:00.000+08:00

Lately, I have been finding myself "googling" just about anything: from psychological disorders (I misplaced my DSM-IV) to friends to see if they're "Google-able" (I know I am!) to recipes of Filipino delicacies (mostly kakanin and other sweets) to the characters and novels of movies that Hamza and I have seen (the last of which was Shattered Glass), and now, my latest addiction, hunting down our residences using Google Earth.

Yeah, I've been "googling" down our houses using GE. It's pretty fun. At least to me, it is. Google Earth is like a 3D map of the entire planet. Its images are photographs taken by satellites and aircrafts over the last three years and is updated on a rolling basis. I've marked down our houses in the south and here in the metro. pretty cool.=) Here're pics to give you an idea of what I've been googling about.

this is a photograph of our house in Marawi (left pic)... God, I got really excited when I saw it.hehe! Guess I just miss hanging out by the terrace with the cool view of the green, green field and MSU. And not to forget the weather! Lamig sa terrace in the evenings.=) Cool place to have conversations over coffee...too bad I don't drink it. hehe.;)

This is our house in CDO (right pic)... I had the hardest time finding it... had to ask for Hamid's help while on YM (thanks,bro!). I was showing him images and he was like, "you're showing me wrong pictures of the area!" =p

And this pic on the left is where I currently live...somewhere in the Scout area. This is where I grew up. No problem looking for this place. We're moving to a different house, but it's just a couple of blocks down.Love it here!;)

I've marked a bunch of other houses of relatives and such but I'm not gonna put them up here anymore. Baka ma-tempt na naman akong mag GE, hanapin ko pa bahay ninyo!;)

03.03.07

2007-03-03T13:50:00.000+08:00

I know I'm supposed to do something. But I can't remember what. I used to be so OC (obsessive-compulsive.. well, I wasn't diagnosed as one, but the symptoms are there,really), but after giving birth to Raja, I noticed that I have become more and more forgetful. Well, I wouldn't say I'm a complete blankhead but more like I tend to miss bits and pieces of this and that. Crazy huh? Some say it's because of the anaesthesia...it makes you lose your memory. Or parts of it, like you have selective amnesia or something. hehe. But I doubt it. It may have caused my atrial fibrillation (cardiac arrhythmia, which recurs now and then..tsk tsk), but not losing my memory.

Why write something about this? It irritates the heck out of me, like it's doing right now. See, I'm the type who remembers everything: birthdays, anniversaries, death anniversaries, deadlines, errands that needed to be done and all that.. but I've been noticing myself to be more and more forgetful. It may be insignificant, minute, but still, forgotten. I know it annoys Hamza at times (although he doesn't show), how we have to go back home to get something I forgot to put in Raja's bag or if all the faucets have been shut tightly (unless we want to go home to a house with a waterfall), but more so it annoys me because it makes me feel a bit s-t-u-p-i-d. And to think I'm contemplating law/graduate school this June..good luck! *snickers at myself*

Oh well, it'll come around...whatever that is.

What Will Make Me Leave The Philippines--An Open Letter To Every Filipino

2007-03-03T13:47:00.000+08:00

This is the "hottest" circulating article that was written by youth leader Mr. Harvey S. Keh, which, in fact only started as an open letter that he sent out to his friends and then made it to thousands of people's e-mail addresses (including my two accounts) and a major spreadsheet. Since it's all over (meaning everywhere), I thought it wouldn't do any harm if I reposted this on my blog site. And oh, about the letter? All I can say is this:

"my sentiments exactly."

What Will Make Me Leave The Philippines...An Open Letter To Every Filipino

Dear Fellow Filipino,

Good day to all of you! Before I begin my letter... just a disclaimer, for people who know me they know that I love the Philippines very much and I am not really one who rants and complaints to high heavens about what is happening to our country and does nothing about it, in fact, I feel that at my relatively young age of 27, I have done much service to the Philippines by setting up Pathways to Higher Education which has sent more than 500 poor but deserving students to college and AHON Foundation which has already built two public elementary school libraries that have benefitted more than 3,500 students. Yet, after seeing how events in our nation have transpired the past few weeks and talking with some friends, I feel the urge to share with you my own thoughts and feelings.

Over the weekend, we saw the completion of two major political alliances for this coming Senate Elections that has just began here in the Philippines . Now we have two political forces with familiar faces nonetheless on opposite sides of the fences. On one end, you have Tito Sotto and Tessie Aquino-Oreta who were two major stalwarts of the opposition and the FPJ Campaign in 2004 hobnobbing with the woman (Pres. GMA) whom they claimed to have cheated FPJ in the last Presidential Elections.On the other side of the fence, you see Manny Villar, the former house speaker who was actually responsible for impeaching Erap now part of the United Opposition who is led by no less than... Erap himself. Now if you don't see anything wrong with this picture then you must be one of the many Filipinos who have accepted this very sad reality that there is indeed no permanent ideals that our government leaders stand up for but rather they just go where there self-interests can best be served. It is this kind of politics why I no longer wonder why good people like Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Mayor Jesse Robredo of Naga City or outstanding Bulacan Governor Josie Dela Cruz will find it hard or worse, never be elected to national positions.

It is with these in mind that I'd like to share with you what are events this coming May elections that will make me consider leaving the Philippines :

1.) If former COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano of Hello Garci fame wins in his bid to become Congressman of Bukidnon...seeking to replace a good man no less in incumbent Cong. Neric Acosta... We would really be the laughing stock of the whole world if we allow a man with the reputation of Garci to be one of our so called "Honorable Gentlemen".

2.) If Dancing Queen Tessie Aquino Oreta reclaims her seat at the Senate... I hope that all of us would still remember that dance that she did during the 2001 impeachment hearings after they voted to overrule the decision of then Chief Justice Davide... let us make sure that people like her never make it to the Senate again.

3.) If Richard Gomez becomes a senator... what does he know about making laws? We already have the likes of Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid in the Senate and their performance or lack of it would be reason enough not to elect another actor who has no prior experience in government to the distinguished halls of the Senate.

4.) If Gringo Honasan wins again.... have we not learned our lesson? I cannot believe that just because someone is charismatic then we will just elect him to become one of our senators despite the fact that he has time and again caused so much instability in our country... if we want a military junta similar to that of Thailand ... then lets all vote for this guy....

5.) If Manny Pacquiao becomes Congressman of General Santos City... everybody loves Manny the Boxing Champ but Manny the Lawmaker? Lets be realistic here, Manny is our Hero alright but I think it takes more than just great boxing skills and a desire to serve to be able to make appropriate laws that would help uplift the lives of the many Filipinos who live in Poverty.

6.) If Lito Lapid wins for Mayor of Makati City... I don't like Jojo Binay as well but Lito Lapid as city mayor of the country's finance and business center?!?! And do you really think he is from Makati and has good plans for the city? The Arroyos asking someone like him to run just goes to show you how much love and concern this government has for our country.

7.) If Chavit Singson becomes a Senator, Illegal Gambling = Chavit... enough said.

Now if all of these 7 things happen during this coming elections then don't be surprised if I decide to leave this country that I love dearly. Like I said during the first part of my letter, I feel that I have done much for this country but I think its time that Filipinos become more vigilant and critical in selecting our leaders for the sake of our future and the generations that will go beyond us. So I appeal to every Filipino who asks what can I actually do for my country... Choose and vote for the right people this coming elections, huwag na tayong magpaloko sa mga kandidatong maganda lang ang jingle o gwapo lang sa mga poster. Let us choose leaders who have a good track record for service and who are genuinely committed towards serving our country.

Manindigan naman tayong lahat para sa ating Kinabukasan at para sa Kapakanan ng ating Bayan!

Thank you very much for your time in reading this letter.

Sincerely,

Harvey S. Keh
Email: harveykeh@gmail.com

KAILANGANG MABASA ITO NG 80 MILLIONG PILIPINO !!! IPASA NYO NG IPASA !!!

Just Because

2007-02-03T13:02:00.000+08:00

Two more weeks and it's Valentine's Day.

So what? It's not like we celebrate Valentine's Day. No, we don't... Muslims do not have such celebrations. But on February 14, we will be celebrating that day. Only slightly differently.

Last year, when the world was busy literally painting the town red and celebrating hearts' day, we lost someone very dear to us.

Emilkhayr Punzalan Pimping-Benito passed away.

She was Ate Tatanie to us, bubbly, frank and outspoken. Fierce, loving, passionate. It's a description of contradictions, but yes, she was all that. All that and more. Everyone looked up to, adored and loved her. It was sad. No, it was tragic, how we lost Ate Ta. She went away so unexpectedly. It was like the Angel of Death stole her away from us when we weren't looking.

First week of February last year, Ate Tatanie, her husband , in-laws and parents flew in to Manila. She suddenly fell ill and they all agreed to take her here for treatment. They were giving her all sorts of tests and shots and was constantly on painkillers. She was in pain but tried not to show although her eyes said otherwise. But still, she didn't let the pain beak her down. She had a warrior's spirit...wouldn't back down from a fight. And then, that fateful day. No one thought it would happen so soon. No one thought it would happen, period.

We were distant relatives, my dad said, but I was only close to one of her younger brothers, Zaad, who was my age, as we both went to the same university when i went off to college. We only became close when we got married to our husbands (Hamza and Kuya Cocoy are first cousins). Although they lived in Mindanao, and us, here in the metro, the proximity didn't hinder us from being close.

I remember whenever we had the chance to go to Mindanao, we'd make time to visit their food place, Pastel Tats, the one in Mindanao State U (Marawi), and we'd find her there, busily taking orders from customers, chatting with the cousins and friends, managing the crew and taking care of the register. She did all that, and then after a while she'd disappear, only to find her managing the meatshop next door which she and her husband owned as well. They were a young, successful couple, and they had it all going for them. When the scene at the resto would die down a bit (which was rare), we'd find a spot and just talk about life. She'd give me unsolicited advice about marriage, about taking care of oneself, or what-have-yous. But I liked it best when we talked about her love life, how she and Kuya Cocoy fought for their love. I didn't mind hearing about it again (I wouldn't ask in the first place), because I just never got tired of it. It was like a novel, or even a complicated soap opera; you wouldn't believe the things they went through for each other. It just makes you stop and say to yourself, 'Now, THAT is love'.

December 2005 was her last reunion with the family. I can still recall how she and the rest of the cousins decorated the house with tassles and such, to make the house more festive. And then she ran off to the kitchen with Ate Ling to finish her cooking. She didn't seem to get tired doing things...such a busybody. And to think she had Rayhaan (six y/o) and Tanisha (four m/o) to take care of, too. That was one of our best reunions, and sadly, our last, too, since we welcomed 2007 with our respective families.

Every now and then, when I'm doing something or nothing at all, she would cross my mind. I'd remember all the times we were together, all the stuff that she taught me, and the advice she gave me. And then a wave of sadness would wash over me and my eyes can't help but get misty over the thought of her. Sometimes I still can't believe that it happened; like it's all a bad dream.I still miss her, and I'm sure everyone else who has been touched by her does, too. If only I could thank her for all the kindness she's shown me. I can only do so through prayers... du'as to you, my cousin.

Why am I writing this entry?

Just because... I miss her. Still.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilahi raji'un.

"Verily we belong to Allah, and to Him we return."

Do You Think This Is Funny?

2007-01-27T13:00:00.000+08:00

A first grade teacher collected well known Proverbs. She gave
each child in her class the first half of a proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. It's hard to believe these were actually done by first graders (six-year-olds), because the last one is a classic!

Better to be safe than .......... punch a 5th grader.
Strike while the .......... bug is close.
It's always darkest before .......... Daylight Savings Time.
Never underestimate the power of .......... termites.
You can lead a horse to water but .......... how?
Don't bite the hand that .......... looks dirty.
No news is .......... impossible.
A miss is as good as a .......... Mr.
You can't teach an old dog new .......... math.
If you lie down with dogs, you'll .......... stink in the morning.
Love all, trust .......... me.
The pen is mightier than the .......... pigs.
An idle mind is .......... the best way to relax.
Where there's smoke there's .......... pollution.
Happy the bride who .......... gets all the presents.
A penny saved is .......... not much.
Two's company, three's .......... the Musketeers.
Don't put off till tomorrow what .......... you put on to go to bed.
Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and .......... you have to blow your nose.
There are none so blind as .......... Stevie Wonder.
Children should be seen and not .......... spanked or grounded.
If at first you don't succeed .......... get new batteries.
You get out of something only what you .......... see in the picture on the box.
When the blind leadeth the blind .......... get out of the way.

And the favorite:
Better late than.......... pregnant!!!

November 17, 2006

2006-11-17T23:53:00.000+08:00

November 17, 2006

our third wedding anniversary...

to abi and rajabOi...

thanks for everything...

i love you to pieces!b

love,

ummi jOdi

October 26, 2006

2006-10-26T05:10:00.000+08:00

So what.. It's about 4:51 in the morning and I can't sleep. Well, I'll sleep after Fajr, but that'll be around six in the morning the latest (an hour after prayer pa..hehe!). So what's new? It's not like i haven't done this before..not sleeping early, I mean.

Hmm.. We bought tickets earlier this evening. Be leaving for Mindanao on Thursday. Yey! I get to see my mom, my brothers, my ina (i hope you get well), my cousins, aunts and uncles..Everyone i haven't seen for the longest time! But we're not going there to vacation, really. My sister-in-law's getting married on Saturday, the 28th and she's really dissing that day. I guess when you're going to get married to some complete stranger then that wouldn't feel right, right? If that happened to me... I don't know... I probably would've ran away or something. I think it was brave of her to hang in there and cooperate with the whole thing. But then again, I don't think she had any choice either.

I love being a Muslim. I am grateful to be born into this religion. But it's more of the culture that I don't like really, I guess. Well, some of it. Sure, it is said in Islam that parents may choose for their children who they will marry. But in Islam, the daughter has a choice to accept or decline whoever it is they have chosen for her. The difference of the religion to that of our culture (Maranao), is that irregardless of what the daughter feels, the wedding will commence and there is nothing that she could do to stop it...unless maybe if the parents were understanding and considerate enough of the girl's feelings.

That's probably the only thing I don't like in my culture...Arranged marriages. I mean, sure, it worked for some, and I respect that and I'm really happy for you, but it's just not my cup of tea. It's not like I'm saying that you go and run off with the first guy/girl you find and ride off the sunset, but at least I want to have a say on matters like that. Marriage is a lifetime commitment, and I wouldn't want to spend it with a complete stranger. Or jerk for that matter. Just because he/she comes from an illustrious family that everybody wants to be a part of doesn't make her a god or a goddess. I wouldn't want my child to be wed to someone he/she barely knows. I've seen families come together and then later break apart like fallen legos because the guy's and girl's parents don't get along anymore and it's just sad. I mean, weren't they the ones who made the arrangement in the first place? And then they break up their kids' marriage (just when they have fallen in love with each other) because they belong to opposing parties in politics and have decided to run against each other or simply because they don't get along anymore? This isn't something that I'd want for my child or future children (assuming that Allah (swt) gives us more than one). I'm lucky that my parents didn't force me into doing something (or anything) that I didn't want. Mom, dad..love you to pieces!

Wala lang.. just made me think.

And I guess it's because it's almost, almost five in the morning and I'm still awake.

Oh well... du'as to you sister... you'll get through this...

We got your back.. We love you!