Home Alone

This is one of those times when thoughts and emotions start pouring in.... just like what my college bestfriend would say, there are those 'blogging moments.'

It had me thinking twice whether to write how I feel at this very moment or just set things aside. Just as the therapy this blog is giving me, it also allows me to express how I feel on certain circumstances such as how my 'married life' would be in 'at least' next two weeks.

As the title suggests, I am Home Alone.... well, maybe not for the entire two weeks but for the most of it. A little over a week ago, I got a news from hubby that he was offered for a company training in Singapore. He consulted me first before giving his decision to his superior ~ and it wasn't too difficult for me at all to push him and make a go for it! As it is, it is not everyday that one gets such opportunity at work... and being off-shore even for quite a few weeks will definitely broaden his horizon as I believe that he will gain new perspectives not just at work but in life in general.

Was it the supportive and encouraging wifey that I am that prompted hubby to accept this offer? Perhaps, in many ways than one....

This will be our first time as husband and wife to be apart from each other that long and that far. Your guess is as good as mine that the first hours, the first days and nights, wouldn't prove to be easy for us both. But it is our commitment towards one another to love, trust and respect ~ that will guide us through this temporary separation.

I miss you, Eric. And I know that you miss me, too.

I am happy just the same for this wonderful opportunity given to you at work; just as how sad I am for us to be apart for some time. Perhaps it is a blessing in disguise that this week's another toxic one for me at work. As you know, I have to finish preparing the board materials' for next Monday's Excom meeting. Definitely, it'll keep me very busy at the most part of the day at work.

But as I go home to our humble abode, there would be no one to spend the rest of the night with. No one who always tunes in to basketball and/or sports tv... No one I can accidentally 'grab' soft pillows from... No one I can hug tightly and hug me back, especially when I am fast asleep already... No soft kisses to bid each other goodnight and wake each other up... No one to turn off my celfone alarm even if I repeatedly put it in snooze mode... No one to force me to get up ahead and hit the shower because it takes so long for me to finish taking a bath and to get dressed... No one to be the last person to leave the house and lock the doors as I turn on our car engine... And the list goes on and on!

This is not forever, true enough.

As I put myself to sleep tonight, I look forward to the coming days when you will be back again soon. Home ~ this is where I would be waiting for you.

Goodnight and sweet dreams, my love! *mwahhuggss*

Thirteen

~ Kit and Mama Judy ~

I took this photo of us, my first nephew Kit and I, more than a year ago in his bedroom. :-)

Today, Kit is now thirteen years old and is happily celebrating his birthday!

We are sorry to miss your celebration party in Tagaytay yesterday, Kit.... We had to finish packing your Tito Eric's luggages and other stuff and spend some time together, too, prior to his journey to a foreign land. Yes, he just left earlier this morning and I couldn't forget this day.

It's the height of typhoon 'Frank' here in Metro Manila and we were in signal no. 3. And of course, today's Kit's 13th birthday!

Happy, happy birthday Kit. Welcome to adolescence stage and to teenage world! May you enjoy the ups and downs of teenage life and survive the growing up experiences that you will encounter in life. We wish you all the best and we love you very much!

Mwah! :-*

Home late, Early to Work

Yesterday was the start of the 2 busy weeks for me this month. I practically stayed until past midnight here in the office last night (err, that's Wednesday already!) -- finishing the last batch of materials for editing (and ready for reproduction this morning) and working on the powerpoint presentation for our 2-day Management Team (Manteam) meeting.

And since the first session of our Manteam meeting starts today, I am early to work as well (hmm, I consider arriving in the office by 8:15 am EARLY.... hahaha). :-)

What about next week? Preparation of board materials will be at its peak for the upcoming Excom meeting of our Board of Trustees on June 30.

'Gotta go now and check our meeting venue. Ciao!

Summer of 2005....

Can you 'spot' me in this photo?

This was how I spent my summer of 2005 in the United States. Photo was taken with my co-Fulbrighters before we sailed off to our canoeing activity (my first!) at the Saluda River in South Carolina. Imagine 18 different nationalities living together for 6 weeks and exchanging not just knowledge and ideas on US Foreign Policy but sharing respective cultures and identities! This was one of the best moments of my life and perhaps the highlight of my life as a 'single' person. ;-)

At the end of the program, we realized that despite our cultural differences, we share universal values of love, peace, and unity.

The above photo depicts our first outdoor activity on the first Saturday of our 6-week program on the Study of the U.S. Institutes on U.S. Foreign Policy hosted by the Walker Institute of International Studies, University of South Carolina. Our Brazilian colleague, Flavio, was not in this photo... we were also joined by American staff members of our Program.

Reminiscing my three years of friendship with these wonderful people, I dedicate this blog post to these friends and colleagues I dearly miss!

I hope to cross paths with you all again. :)

Sleepy

It's the first day of the week! And I don't know why I am sooo sleepy as I am blogging this at work. Makes me wonder if I need a boost of caffeine (haven't had one since this morning)....

Do I need to go here?

Or here?

Well, well.... I need not travel on those countries just to grab hot good ol' mug of coffee. Perhaps a trip to the nearby (a walk or pedicab-ride away) coffee shop will do!

But then again, why not the ever-reliable Nescafe 3-in-1 coffee? I hope it'll give me the much-needed perk.... it's less expensive and I don't have to brave the scorching heat of the sun outside the streets. Hehe.

Let' see. Have a good week ahead, everybody!

Friday the 13th...

is considered to be a day of bad luck. Do you believe so?

Today is Friday, 13th of June 2008. So far I haven't experienced any bad luck (knock on wood!), except that I feel so sleepy....

Whatever the date is today, I think many people would still exclaim Thank God It's Friday!

Happy TGIF to all. :-)

L.P. #11: Kalayaan

Ngayon ay ipinagdiriwang sa bansang Pilipinas ang 'Araw ng Kalayaan.'

Kapag ako ay nagkakaroon nang pagkakataon, kinukuhanan ko ng litrato ang ating pambansang watawat saan mang dako ko ito makita. :-) Kaya naman ngayong araw na ito, naisipan kong huwag nang lumayo pa mula sa aking kinaroroonan. Isang palapag lamang pababa mula sa aking 'work area' ay mababanaag ang tanawing ito....

Nanariwa sa aking kamalayan ang naganap na unang pamamahayag nang kalayaan o kasarinlan ng Pilipinas ni Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo noong ika-12 ng Hunyo, 1898 -- isang daan at sampung (110) taon na ang nakalilipas. Hindi ba't sa balkonahe nang kanyang bahay sa Kawit, Cavite naganap ang nasabing deklarasyon at dito rin unang iwinagayway ang ating unang watawat?

Makailang hakbang pa mula nang kunan ko ang unang litrato, binagtas ko ang direksyon nang balkonahe....

Malapitan kong kinunan ang simbolo nang ating pagiging malaya bilang mamamayang Pilipino. Lumalakas ang ihip nang hangin at nagsisimula na ring kumulimlim ang panahon bagama't tanghaling tapat nang kunan ko ito.

Hindi ba't tunay na kaygandang pagmasdan ang ating pambansang watawat, taglay ang tingkad nang mga kulay bughaw, pula, puti at dilaw?

Bago ko tapusin ang lahok ko ngayong Huwebes sa Litratong Pinoy, nais kong ibahagi ang isang maikling akda mula sa Tagalog na Wikipedia:

"Ang Pamamahayag ng Kalayaan ng Pilipinas ay ginanap noong Hunyo 12, 1898, kung saan idineklara ng mga Pilipinong rebolusyonaryo sa pamumuno ni Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo (na naging Unang Pangulo ng Pilipinas) ang soberanya at kalayaan ng Pilipinas mula sa Espanya matapos matalo ang mga ito sa labanan sa Look ng Maynila sa Digmaang Espanyol-Amerikano.

Ang deklarasyon ay hindi kinilala ng Estados Unidos at Espanya. Pagpapatunay ito nang ilipat ng pamahalaan ng Espanya ang Pilipinas sa Estados Unidos sa Kasunduan sa Paris, para sa halaga ng mga salaping nawala sa digmaan.

Kinilala lamang ng Estados Unidos ang kalayaan ng Pilipinas noong Hulyo 4, 1946. Ipinagdiwang ang Araw ng Kalayaan noong Hulyo 4, ngunit dahil sa nasyonalismo at sa payo ng mga eksperto ng kasaysayan ng bansa, ang Batas Republika Blg. 4166 ay nilagdaan ni Pangulong Diosdado Macapagal noong 1964, na naglipat ng Araw ng Kalayaan mula sa Hulyo 4 sa Hunyo 12."

Isang mapagpalayang araw sa ating lahat!

Rice Crisis?

More than a month ago, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Arthur Yap made a very impressive presentation on the rice situation both in the Philippines and globally. I was fortunate enough to witness and document that Executive Committee meeting of our Board of Trustees. It was actually my first major assignment when I joined my present work.

On a lighter note, here's something I took from my camera phone where the TOSH staff gamely acceeded to my request. ;-)

It's now a few minutes before lunch time and I seem to be craving for pasta.... well, not necessarily spaghetti!

Cruisin'

For a change, I am writing a non-LP entry today. :-)

On the first Monday of June (yup, that was two Mondays ago... June 2), I wasn't able to get up very early. This was, of course, unusual on a first day of the week since I normally leave the house between 6:00 to 6:30 a.m. Reason? My car plate ends in "1" so that means I'm banned from the Metro streets on Mondays during rush hours. Needless to say that despite the "window time" (to which I could hit the road), it isn't just applicable in Makati. Passing through this City to get to my place of work is a must... So to avoid getting caught by the YBs (the 'Yellow Boys' in uniform of Makati traffic enforcers), I'd rather be a law-abiding citizen.

You've probably get the drift. I commuted on my way to work and hmm, took a cab with hubby getting off in the corner of JP Rizal and Zapote Streets (he works in Makati, by the way). Taking the cab is the fastest, most convenient, and most comfortable way of going to the office! But then, this mode of transportation is definitely more expensive if I go by the 5-6 rides until I get to work. On second thought, it might just be a little bit more expensive... hehe.

FAST FORWARD. It's time to go home and call it a day at work.

Finally, I decided to try out the Pasig River Ferry on my way home. It has been more than a month since I started working full-time in Intramuros and I have always wondered when would be my chance to experience cruising along the once clean and clear waters of Manila's famous waterway. I was thankful for having missed out on waking up oh-so early; and of course, for having less work in the office that day! The last time a friend cum officemate and I checked at the nearby ferry station at Plaza Mexico, Intramuros, the last trip leaves at 7:00 p.m. That was sometime in April so I was keeping my fingers crossed that the schedule hasn't changed since then...

During rush hours, a 30-minute interval on boat trips is followed. Ergo, the second to the last trip is at 6:30 p.m. Well, at least that was the last time I knew! So I left the office at about 6:10 p.m. and took the pedicab on my way to the ferry station. Since the pedicab ride is about 5 to 10 minutes going to the station, I was comfortable with the thought that I would not be left behind by the 6:30 p.m. ferry schedule. It's always best to be in the station at least 10-15 minutes before the scheduled trip for there had been reported instances that the ferry leaves about 5 minutes in advance.... (I should know, I once missed the ferry from the nearby station in our place of residence en route to my workplace... so I ended up taking the cab!)

Nearing the station, I could see a boat transversing the river away from the docking area. My hunch tells me that 'oh no, I'm missing again the ferry ride?!'.... True enough, the people in the station told me that the 6:15 p.m. boat just left and that indeed, there were changes in the schedule. Which reads:

If there's any consolation, I can still take the last trip and experience the 50-minute ride from Manila (Plaza Mexico station) to Mandaluyong City (Hulo station). This would still be a better public transpo for me since after getting off from Hulo, I would just have to take a tricycle to get home. Travel time isn't bad either. And yeah, each ferry is equipped with good a/c! My list of rationalization goes on and on... I did my homework and did some research in the past on people who had already taken this mode of transport, so to speak. :-)

Having time to kill, I found myself naturally chatting with the people on duty in the Plaza Mexico station. I even got the station manager's mobile phone number so that I can reach him to verify the trip schedule. Since this station just opened up early April, they do not have a phone line yet nor electricity! Ayus, hindi ba? But don't get me wrong. The station is sparkling clean and looks very modern (station in the photo is not in Plaza Mexico but the general appearance is comparable to it and other stations). It even has a water dispenser.

Anyhow, the ferry which was scheduled to depart at 7:00 p.m. already docked at Plaza Mexico as early as 6:35 p.m. At about 6:50 p.m., I decided to move closer to the ferry and took quick shots from my ever-reliable camera phone. :-)

And just before boarding Pasig River Ferry 2, I had an eye for this....

Having successfully boarded the ferry, I got mesmerized with this view of the bridge (Hmm, what's the name of that bridge near the Post Office Building? I don't think this is Jones Bridge... I'm referring to that one near Escolta where the next station is located. Could it be Sta. Cruz bridge?!). And then again, my camera phone clicked away!

A bit tired from work, I decided to go inside the ferry and check out how the 'inside' looks... and since we were about to start our journey in the River, it was time for us few passengers on board to take our seats. Since I wasn't able to take photos already (I told you, I was a bit tired already... hehe), here's how the ferry's interior looks. :-) That's minus the television since I was told that Ferry 2's TV set is under repair... nevertheless, there was background music to keep passengers entertained. :-)

The a/c was too cold for me despite many passengers boarding the ferry in Escolta and Quezon Bridge stations. Maybe I chose a seat almost across the aircon vent? Whatever! This just proves that despite the ferry 'carrying' people from all walks of life, cleanliness inside the boat has thus far been maintained and the a/c, thank goodness, has been functioning well, too.

I actually tried to catch a nap during the boat trip. Apart from the a/c being too cold for me, I became so eager in finding out the other stations before I reach my destination. I had this flyer which I left in the office containing a map of different stations all the way from Plaza Mexico, Intramuros to Kalawaan, Pasig. Nonetheless, let me share with you the entire stretch of the Pasig River Ferry Service Project. For now, the stations towards Marikina area are not yet operational. It is also possible that there are now modifications from the said proposed plan.

Alas! On the ninth station (including Plaza Mexico) from where I boarded, I had to alight the ferry at Hulo station. I definitely enjoyed my ride home and it was a far-cry from the hustle and bustle of the Metro streets... no traffic jams (well, except for those water lilies! haha) and sans high humidity. One gets entertained by just merely marveling at the varous sights along Pasig River -- from ruins, shipwrecks, old and/or abandoned factories, major bridges, old yet picturesque buildings, to slum areas -- you name it!

For a good price of Php 35, my trip from Intramuros to Mandaluyong was a very pleasant experience! There will definitely be future trips to take (what with the neverending price hikes of gasoline, hmp) and I do look forward to taking photos during day time. Indeed, given more time and perhaps good marketing, the Pasig River Ferry would prove to be a better alternative mode of transport for commuters, adventurers, and tourists alike. :D

Until my next ride!

P.S.

Oh, the river wasn't smelly! According to the ferry staff, there are only certain times that one gets to experience the stinking smell of the river.... But then again, if you prefer to stay inside the airconditioned part of the ferry, there wouldn't be such smell after all! Not bad, huh? ;-)

As Ate Shawie would say in her then famous WG&A Superferry advertisement, Sakay na!!!

L.P. #10: Pag-iisang Dibdib

Narito ang aking mga lahok sa Litratong Pinoy ngayong Huwebes. Naaliw na naman ako sa 'paghalukay' nang aking 'baul' nang mga litratong nakuhanan ko magmula nang ako'y magkaroon nang sariling digital camera.

Bakit nga ba kakaiba ang saya na nadarama kapag nakakakita tayo nang mga magsing-irog na nagiisang-dibdib? Narito ang mga larawan nang mga nasaksihan kong kasalan mula 2005 hanggang taong kasalukuyan.

Namamasyal kami sa Palace of the Fine Arts sa San Francisco nang masulyapan ko ang gaganaping Garden Wedding na ito. Nakakaaliw dahil bagama't isang maliit na grupo lamang ang nagsipagdalo, iba't ibang lahi ang mga bisita rito.

Bridal bouquet toss (kakaiba ang damit pangkasal n'ya, hindi ba?)
Ang Pag-iisang Dibdib sa Palace of the Fine Arts, San Francisco
Sina Elvin at Maila sa altar nang Calereuga

Sa wakas, ang pag-iisang dibdib nang kapwa ko kamag-aral noong hayskul!

Ito na ang pinakamatinong kuha ko sa kasal nang aking pinsan na si Ate Aleth kay Kuya Jinky. Ako kasi ang kanilang Maid of Honor kaya medyo abala ako sa kanilang pag-iisang dibdib.

Sina Chie (aking pinsan) at JJ ay kapwa magkamag-aral pa noong hayskul. Naging magkasintahan sila noong nasa kolehiyo na ata. Hindi kataka-taka na ang napili nilang lugar nang reception ay ang memorableng Paco Park sa mga taga-Masci na tulad ko. ;)
Ang pinakapaborito kong kuha sa lahat nang larawang nakuhanan ko sa mga kasalan! :D

Sina Jonas at Kathy sa Paco Park (haha, matapos ang isang linggo ay naririto na naman muli ako!) kung saan idinaos ang seremonya nang kanilang pag-iisang dibdib sa St. Pancratius Chapel.
Sina Raymond at Xian sa Naga Cathedral

Matapos ang seremonya nang kasal, nasaksihan ko ang pagpapalipad nila nang mga lobo... hindi ko alam ang kahulugan nang maaaring tradisyon na ito.

Ang pag-iisang dibdib nang kamag-aral ko noong hayskul na si Chini sa matagal na niyang kasintahan na si Xian. Ang kasalan ay naganap sa Nuestro Senora de Gracia.

Sina Pizza at Jay sa altar nang St. Therese Chapel. Si Pizza ay dati kong estudyante noon sa La Salle. Siya rin ay isang mabuting kaibigan at kabiruan. :)

Ang pag-iisang dibdib nila Phil at Tin. Si Tin ay estudyante ko rin noon at kamag-aral rin sya ni Pizza sa kursong Psychology noong kolehiyo.
Sina Colin at Maricar kasama ang kanilang flower girls matapos ang seremonya nang kanilang pag-iisang dibdib. Si Maricar ay nakilala ko sa W@W at naging isang mabuting kaibigan.
Nakisabay ako sa pagkuha nang litrato sa kanilang opisyal na potograpo. Kuha ko ito sa kanila noong pauwi na kami ni Eric. Ang kasalan ay naganap sa Fernbrook Gardens.

PANGHULI, narito ang dalawang larawan na bagaman ay hindi kuha nang aking mga lente, ay nais kong ibahagi sa mga ka-LP. ;)

Kuha ni Paul Vincent de los Reyes, ang aming opisyal na potograpo.

Mula sa Fotoloco booth nang Konsepto

Maligayang araw at buwan nang pag-iisang dibdib sa lahat!!!