we're ready to grow old together...

Feb 11 – I’m Goin’ Home!!!

2011-02-14T09:07:00.001+08:00

This entry is going to come before the Jan 29-Feb 10 entries. Talk about chronology. Hehehe!

Anyhow, it’s something I wanted to capture before the feeling passed me by, or before the numerous events happen before I can blog again when I get home.

I’d been looking forward to this day since I had gotten to the States. Perhaps not as much as Merryl, who’s on her first foreign business trip, to the US at that, but I had wanted to do my business, do my shopping and packing, and get home aboard the February 11, 9 pm flight.

It didn’t help my homesickness one bit when Hestia called me at around 530 in the morning to have Annika talk to me. Just wanted to get everything done and get on the plane and go home. In a few hours, I will be able to hug and kiss my 1st Princess, kiss my 2nd Princess through her Mommy’s tummy, and hug and kiss my Queen.

As I had gone through packing the past days, I waxed nostalgic a bit. I said goodbye to my room, while I was checking each nook and cranny for possibly something that could’ve been left behind. And I said thank you to it – for being in the right position that allowed me to look outside and see the Malibu if it was being hit or robbed (not that that’s common here), that allowed me to descend 2 flights of stairs and exit the side door with convenience to drop off my laptop and other stuff in the morning, that provided me with comfort and sleep for the last 3 weeks. Thanks 239.

I eventually said goodbye to the Malibu, and thanked it for 2 weeks of driving comfort and satisfaction. The heated seats, which I never had a use for in tropical Manila, worked like a charm on the many cold California mornings. And I’m happy that Karen again allowed another baton transfer – first from Junjun to me – then from me to Rain. Saya! Sure trumps the Focus. Hahaha!

And I’m saying goodbye to the States now.

I’m in the PAL lounge as I type this. Had a wonderful ride via Blacktie Limo Service. I have to apologize to my driver though, as I did not have enough change for both him and the airport porter, who he suggested should help with my 2 balikbayan boxes and 2 large luggages. Weird though, suddenly my hook-type portable scale is accurate. Hmmm…

This is probably my first US trip which I conclude with mixed emotions. The previous ones (1987, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2001 and 2006) were ending vacations. This one was business with weekends.

I will miss the drives, long and short, on the wonderful long and wide and relatively well-paved roads. I will miss the driving partner – the Malibu, although the Jetta was a good buddy, too. I will miss the order on the roads, and the cold weather.

But I will not miss the lonely nights at the hotel. And after this long flight, I won’t have another lonely night for a time.

Of Tracy Lords and Mang Francisco

2011-02-12T10:47:00.002+08:00

The drive to Tracy is for the most part via the 680 and the 580. (Tama nga ba?) It’s the interchanges that I watch out for, coz that’s where it’ll be hard to make up for lost ground. Even if Garmin can get me out of the mess, I'd just like to avoid it altogether.

I took almost an hour to get to Bey’s house. Trip should’ve been shorter, but there was traffic nearing Tracy. Slowed to a crawl on all lanes but the rightmost one. I was trying to find out what happened.

Apparently, it was coz of the fog. But visibility wasn’t so bad, coz you could see 5-6 cars ahead. So when I got the chance, I got into the rightmost lane and sped off, probably with a lot of other Filipinos, too. Hehehe!

I call Bey when I get to his house, coz I’m confused. I know he has a Maxima and an X5, but why is there a Ford Focus wagon parked outside? He comes out and moves it out to the street. Nahiya naman ako. Kay mother in law daw yun. Hehehe!

We enter his house and he takes my bag to the 2nd floor guest room. I meet Ma-am, Wesley and Nate. The boys are running around freely at the 2nd floor. Cool. Nice to have big space for kids to do that.

There are covers on the door knobs - so the boys don’t open them and then get locked inside - and a door by the stairs that stops them from going down. I even have a hard time opening it, so it's pretty safe. Hehehe!

We start eating Filipino food, prepared by Ma’am’s Mom. Thank you po, Tita! Felt like home.

Then we started drinking. We decided to finish the bottle of Glenlivet that Bey and Dun opened. It was about 80% full. But we finished it that night. Hehehe!

Anyhow, Bey decided to call Dun. And play a joke on him. The joke eventually was on Bey, coz Dun’s GSM signal was way bad and he couldn’t hear us. Sayang laway at sayang load.

Bey then decided to play another joke but on Hestia this time. With his fully modulated voice, he calls and looks for ‘Hestia Axalan’ and then he introduces himself as a call center survey guy for Medela Products Company. Wahaha! Hestia catches him after a few exchanges.

After talking to Bey, Ma-am and myself, Hestia eventually had to put the phone down so we continued with Glen. While we were finishing him off, we moved over to the comfier sofa and watched the Women’s Finals of the Australian open.

Ok TV ni Bey, 50 plus inch tv na may ‘privacy feature’. You have to be right in front of it to see what’s on. If you’re only in the periphery, there’s nothing you can see. Hahaha! Didn't know Samsung made them that way.

As we finish Glen, Bey puts a 6 pack of beer in the fridge. Well wadya know? It’s San Mig Light. Hahaha! I was kidding him – that the only difference between being in the US and in the Philippines with the drinking session we had was the lack of flies and heat. Hahaha!

I doze off toward the 3rd set, and wake up when Clijsters wins it. Bey on the other hand heads for Lala land while they’re awarding the winners. Hehehe! I wake him up, and we turn in. Sleepy but not drunk. Hehehe! Sarap! Miss the Prayles.

Jan 28 – Friday. Fast and Furious!

2011-02-12T10:39:00.003+08:00

I set the alarm for 530am, as usual. When it rings, I look to the other clock in the room, see it’s 530 indeed, and turn off my phone’s alarm.

Here’s the killer part. When I open my eyes again, it’s 8 friggin 30 already!!! Holysh1t! And I have a 9am meeting!

So I rush off to the bathroom, take a quick shower (what can I say, I’m Filipino. Kahit malamig, Kelangan maligo.), dress up and haul @$$ to the office. Jetta, don't fail me now!

Luckily, I’m right on time. 9 am Hahaha! Meeting was supposed to be from 9-12, with a continuation if needed at 1. Junjun comes by at around 1130 to remind me about his favor - for me to meet him at the Sun Valley mall so we could return his car and I could drive him back home. I tell him, maybe 1-130 is a good time.

I cancel the lunch with Bey at 12, coz it seems Balaji and Albert have no plans of relenting at our meeting. Hehehe! We finish, thankfully, at 1 pm. Balaji has to go to an outside appointment, and Albert is asking where to eat. I told him, I gotta step out first.

I rush over to the Mall, get there at around 115 pm, and see Junjun waiting outside the Avis office. He says I’m right on time coz no one’s inside yet. I come up with this idea: what if I traded the Jetta for his Malibu, which he praises to high heavens for its features, comfy ride, heated seats, XM radio, and less thirst compared to the Jetta, all for the same price?

As we walk to the car to head for the gas station, the Avis lady arrives. She’s Karen, a Filipina who Junjun has met previously. I ask her if I could trade the Jetta for the Malibu. She agrees, and immediately asks me about the mileage. I said, I’d check the mileage first, and gas it up, since I only came up with the idea 5 mins prior.

So we gas up at the nearby Chevron, where I find out it’s different here now. You’d have to pay first. The last time out, in 2006, you could just swipe your card first, gas up and then get your receipt. Now, even if you’re paying with a card, you’d still have to pay a random, estimated amount first then pump after. Oh well.

Back at Avis, I get the Malibu transferred to me. Yahoo, I think. We engage Karen in some banter about the Philippines and coming home. When she’s done processing the papers, I sign them, and we’re on our way.

Yes, the Malibu indeed feels like a bigger car. Bigger than Buzz. The ride is comfy, but not as sharp as the Jetta. Power comes earlier, I suppose thanks to the v6, but it’s not a swift kick, coz of the vehicle’s weight.

I bring Junjun back to the hotel, where we find his limo waiting for him already. (Note to self, be ready early when you go home, they’re punctual and you don’t want to keep them waiting.) I then head back to the office, and have some time to appreciate the Malibu alone. Its rims remind me of the stockers on the Camry. Hehehe! And its size will be just right when Rain, Shirley and JM arrive. Imagine us in the Jetta. Hahaha!

I work till I get hungry, which is about 4. I IM Bey and ask him for food. He pops in a little later, with some goldilocks polvoron. Hehehe! And he’s the one from here. But more on that later.

Bey takes a walk with me so we could buy food. He suggests Jollibee at Seafood City. I look at him and blurt out, “You serious?” So we drive over to a Mexican place a few miles away to get a burrito. He orders it for me and pays for it. Thanks Bey. And then we head back to the office, where I devour it at the office.

Inom! Bey suggests. So I say why not at my hotel. He declines. Ma-am would kill him. Hahaha! I can imagine if the situation were reversed. Hestia would have my hide.

So he counter-offers. Why not just drive over to Tracy and spend the night with him and his family. Why not?

I call Hestia to tell her about it, and she encourages me to do so. It’s about 30 miles or so to Tracy, if I remember right, or about an hour. Garmin knew where to go, so I was confident I’d find it.

Bey calls me back to ask about the plan. I say, it’s a go! I’d have to go back to the hotel, unload on my throne, pack, and then get going. So I told him to go ahead and I’d follow. It sure beats having to convoy all throughout.

I also call our friend, Gigi, who I’ve met once, in 2006, and who also lives in Tracy. Junjun and I were supposed to treat her to dinner last Thursday, but she declined coz she had a prior appointment. She’s pleasantly surprised to get the call, but happy to meet up the next day at lunch.

Jan 27 – Thursday. Downed by the Wings!

2011-02-05T15:34:00.002+08:00

I woke up with a tummy ache. Must’ve eaten too many chicken wings. Grrr! I learn later at breakfast that Junjun had the same tummy problem. Must’ve been a bad combo of too many wings and whatever it was made with that didn’t sit well with us both. Oh bother!

Brought my “Point and Shoot” camera to work. There was a team lunch then, so I knew I had to take a few pics which I could send back to the team at home. Plus, the only work the camera did so far was take in-room pix. Insulting for that type of a camera.

Took some pics of Paul doing something I can’t recall in our room. I’m sure it was fixing his A/C adaptor, but it sure looked like something else. Like dancing. Hehehe!

He takes interest in the 24-70L. Saying he had to leave his Nikon D60 at home coz his daughter was going to use it. And then he curses coz it’s his f@#$%#@n camera anyway. Oh well. Daughters’ power of Daddys. Gotta watch out for Annika and Sachi.

We then have a meeting that extends to our earlier scheduled lunch out, at which we’re besieged by our teammates, calling us out to have lunch already. Hehehe!

We eat at Claim Jumper. And with the queasy tummy, I go for a cobb salad and soup, and pass on the heavier meal. (i.e. ribs, etc.) Plus these guys all went for salads, so I figured, let’s stay with them.

Pete picks up the tab – coz he’s got the highest pay grade among us, which points to him as the guy who should really pay, hehe – plus coz Paul keeps on ribbing him about it. When I thank him, he says, Thanks to Chevron. Hahaha! True!

We go back and have more marathon meetings. But at the day’s end, Pete and Kathy drop by our office. They’re not coming to work the day after, coz they fly out to New York in the morning. Ah New York, my favorite US city. Maybe not now, coz of the snow. Hehehe! San Francisco’s just right now. Balimbing!

Before I drive to the hotel, I cross the boulevard and head over to Seafood City, well, to a store in it - Atlas couriers - to buy a box. You open the door, step in, and get the greeting “Ano yun?” Feels like home already. Hahaha!

I buy a 20x20 box, coz the lady says they usually don’t allow the bigger box as luggage. Shipping is fine. I still had some illusions I could get more luggage allowance.

I head on home, and there was pizza! Perfect! So I tape up the box, shove the hangers in, and sign off for the night.

Wednesday: Jan 26, Chicken Wings Day

2011-02-05T15:24:00.004+08:00

I slept a little better the night before. Woke up at the usual horrible 230 am, but at least the next was 530 am already. Nice. What was also nice was that I didn’t feel sleepy at the office today. But I passed on lunch again. Was looking forward to making social hour again for free dinner. Two meals a day, I figured, wouldn’t be so bad.

The Trivia lady that Paul was talking about came by. She’d lead stretchbreaks and dish out some trivia while she was at it. I was no match for the usual song trivia, coz either I did not totally know the songs she was referring to, or I’d not know their singers or something. Or if I did know them, I could not reply as fast as the other guys who were actually alive when the songs were first played or were played during their heyday. Hehehe!

But, I’m glad to say that I did get the trickier or less generic trivia that no one could answer, which surprised the whole team and Trivia Lady. Hehehe! The questions I got were:
1) Q: What was Stitch (the alien in Lilo and Stitch)’s code number
A: 626. Thanks Annika. Hehehe!

2) Q: Who is Lilo's sister
A: Missed this though. Tsk! Tsk! It was Nani, by the way.

3) Q: Who was Speedy Gonzales’s cousin
A: And without batting an eyelash and skipping a beat, I replied, Slowpoke Rodriguez.

They were shocked! Thanks Bugs Bunny, and the channel that used to show the Looney Tunes at 1130 am every Saturday. Thanks to Dad that I’d make it back in time to watch it.

4) Q: What were The Chipmunks’ names, last names and father’s name
A: Alvin, Simon, and Theodore Seville. Dad's name was Dave.

Thanks to Annika, but definitely a big thanks to the Chipmunks’ vinyl records Mom would play during the Christmas season (and even after).

Thought she’d ask who the Chippette’s were. Now Aside from Eleanor and Brittney, I’m stumped. Hehehe!

Social hour that night had spicy chicken wings. Yahoo!

Work Day 2: January 25

2011-02-05T15:03:00.002+08:00

Morning number 2 and I'm still jetlagged! Woke up 3 times in the morning again. No surprise. Thing is, when I slept at 11, and then woke up, I felt good and refreshed feeling it was already 530. Only to find out it was only 230. Grrr!

Called in for our weekly team meeting at 6 am. Come to think of it, I was the only one who really needed the 6 am call, but since I was in Concord, and Shirley was on Vik's team, there was no need for a 6 am call. So it was eventually moved to 8 am.

Ate breakfast alone, since Junjun was not there anymore. By the time I got down, he was probably in San Ramon already. After eating, I drove off to the office, and missed a turn, so I passed a different route. It was a longer one, with more stops. Good thing it was an opposite route on Diamond boulevard, so there was a side road and entrance I could turn to and enter at.

Was really sleepy in the morning, so I passed on lunch and just slept in the room. That was refreshing. And thankfully Paul stepped out for lunch, or he'd have to deal with an hour's worth of loud snoring. Hehehe!

Got home in time for social hour and had some snacks and a few drinks with Junjun. Monna came by to pick us up. We accompanied her to Ross so she could buy some luggage. Her’s gave up on her, so it was time to retire it.

Bought some cheapo lotion at Ross. It smelled ok, but didn’t help that much, coz I could still write ‘DRY’ on my arms and legs. Tsk tsk! I'll just take it home and make it someone's pasalubong. Hehehe!

Hestia sent a list for Michael’s arts and crafts, so Junjun and I started walking to Michael's from Ross, coz Monna left us already as she had to drive back to San Ramon and pack for she was leaving for Manila with Dave the next night.

At Michael's, not being the creative guys, we did take some time finding what was on the list. Needed help from the friendly in-store ladies, which we got. It's good to know they know everything they're selling, which should be the case for retail establishments.

Getting the punchers, we walked over to Bed Bath and Beyond for Hestia’s slimline hangers. Joseph talked to me about them, but then said Costco wasn’t selling them as often as before, so they were still waiting for the next sale.

These hangers were pretty bulky if you load them in their as-is box. I eventually learned, as is, only 3 boxes could fit a balikbayan box. And Hestia wanted 5-6 boxes. Oh boy, I figured. Bought only 2, coz I had only 2 hands. Will be back.

LSsS: Little Wonders and Home (Part 2)

2011-02-05T02:21:00.003+08:00

When this song first came out, I thought it would be something that Hestia could dedicate to me. She was abroad often then, and I felt she did want to come home and be with me for good (hey, no joke, she did say that once upon a time) or at least hoped we could be together, even if elsewhere.

I'm staring out into the night,
Trying to hide the pain.
I'm going to the place where love
And feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain.

Well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home.

The miles are getting longer, it seems,
The closer I get to you.
I've not always been the best man or friend for you.
But your love, it makes true.
And I don't know why.
You always seem to give me another try.

So I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,

Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all,
And then some you don't want.
Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all, yeah.

Oh, well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old.
I said these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
I'm going home.

They say Chris Daughtry wrote this for his wife. His stint on AI pulled him away from his home town to get to Hollywood and lead a career as a recording artist.

I used to think it could also work for Hestia, since she's a victim of her success professionally. And despite her efforts to want to be stationed locally so she could be at home and within easy reach of Annika, many people see her as someone else, or someone wanting something else.

As for me, this hit me the most:
I've not always been the best man or friend for you.
But your love, it makes true.
And I don't know why.
You always seem to give me another try.

Hestia, I haven't been the perfect husband for you and the perfect father for Annika. But I thank you deeply for always having the love, keeping the faith and for always giving me another try. How many tries it will take, I don't know, but I sure hope to have learned something from each one.

Didn't think you'd cry when I left last week. But I'm pleasantly surprised you did.

I love you very much.

LSsS: Little Wonders and Home

2011-02-05T02:08:00.004+08:00

Yesterday, February 3, was another headphones and music day, at least in the morning.

And so, yet again, I stumbled upon some older songs in my Music Library, and checked their lyrics. Tear-jerking, to me at least, again.

let it go
let it roll right off your shoulder
don't you know
the hardest part is over
let it in,
let your clarity define you
in the end
we will only just remember how it feels

our lives are made
in these small hours
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain

let it slide,
let your troubles fall behind you
let it shine
until you feel it all around you
and i don't mind
if it's me you need to turn to
we'll get by,
it's the heart that really matters in the end

our lives are made
in these small hours
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain

all of my regret
will wash away some how
but i can not forget
the way i feel right now

in these small hours
these little wonders
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away
but these small hours
these small hours, still remain...

Little Wonders reminds me of when Hestia was pregnant with Annika. She was at home, not feeling well. When I got home, I caught the middle to last part of the movie, hence my many questions on who was who and what was what, and then the song played. And I was moved. Almost to tears.

So we watched it again, me more intently. Everytime that song plays, I'm reminded of dear Annika (Baci at the time while in Hestia's tummy). She's our Little Wonder.

And while I'm away and looking at the many pictures I've taken of her since birth and as she grew up, I'm made to recall and cherish those little moments behind those pictures. Those little things that make you want to fly back home in a heartbeat and just hug her.

Soon, they'll be Little Wonders.

The Work Week Begins: Day 1, Jan 24.

2011-02-05T01:58:00.002+08:00

I’m not sure if I can keep up this daily blog routine coz it’s already Friday, February 4, and I’m trying to recall stuff from memory. Anyhow I’ll see what I can do.

Just like many folks who fly from East to West, I was jetlagged. I recall my last trip in 2006, in which I took the same PAL flight back in time, I had little time to feel the jetlag – coz Hestia and I immediately flew to Orlando, and so my otherwise screwed up body clock just got confused all the more… but for the better, coz Orlando was about 12-13 hours behind Manila, and that was just a half day to deal with. Plus, we hit the theme parks so literally, with the adrenaline rush and excitement, no time to be tired. (Almost 5 years of youth had an advantage over the currently older me. Hehehe!)

Anyhow, back to the jetlag. I woke up at 130, 330, 430 and, mercifully 530 am. I guess the jetlag and the first day at work meeting everyone for the first time jitters were eating at me. We all have our first days. Hehehe!

After dressing up, had breakfast with Junjun. He was giving me some of his insights on the trip and the office and the hotel. Some of them I could not relate to… yet. Breakfast was typical Western style food. Not much, compared to 5 star hotel breakfasts, but hey, this was good enough plus it was free. Per diem still intact. Hehehe! Just reminded me of high school though, “Clean As You Go.”

Couldn’t wait for the 835 am shuttle, so I got on a cab and went to the Sun Valley Mall at 8 am. Spent about $10 for a 35 minute headstart. I stopped converting to our local currency on some things, coz what’s the use, right?

Shopping was not on the agenda at 800 am. It was Avis car rental that was. I was getting my rental so that I could leave the office when I needed to and not be tied down by the shuttle, which transports some of my Filipino colleagues to and from the hotel. I didn’t know what the working hours were, and how late I’d have to work. Plus I’m confident my little buddy named Garmin would get me places safely.

I was hoping for something nice. Sonata-ish. Sure the Sonata is not in the compact car level, but hey, from stories I’ve heard from colleagues who’ve worked in California, it’s the luck of the draw – SUVs, mid-size cars, sports cars, and that’s for the same compact rate.

Anyhow, ended up getting a VW Jetta. Despite my one-liner comment trying to get the blue Sonata beside it, I didn’t. The lady at the desk said that I was lucky with the Jetta already. Really? I said to myself. Oh well, let’s get it on!

Did a walk around first, then got inside. (Well, adjusted the seats first coz it was too cramped, before I got inside.) Got the GPS up and running first, then familiarized myself with the basic stuff before pulling out of the slot. As I drove it, I realized that it was pretty potent. You just need to get on the gas for the revs to rise, and that’s where you’ll feel the kick. No instantaneous turbo diesel power. Reminds me of the Camry’s power delivery with the Altis’s ride and handling, coz it can take curves pretty well. Anyhow, much of this observation did not happen on the way to work. Hehehe!

I have no pictures of the Jetta though. And I’ll explain why, eventually.

Now off to work. GPS gets me on Diamond blvd. But apparently, it’s only as smart as you plot it out to be. I plotted the corner of the property (at least the one that’s mentioned in the official address), and not the entrance, so I drove past the entrance. In my fear of a sudden stop causing an accident, I drove by and just looked for a side entrance somewhere. No such thing at the other end of the building, so I made a U-turn at a side street.

Called my boss to ask where I was supposed to be parking, and then going when I got to the building. The Smart badge is much smarter here than back home. There, for a visitor, you’d need to get additional access rights to get in to any floor. Here, as I learned from the security guard on duty, just tap it and go on your way. Nice.

I head off to my boss’s office, we shake hands, exchange some pleasantries, and he introduces me to the guys (and gals) on the floor. And I meet my business analyst, a chatty Irish man, in whose office I will be and am spending my office hours while here. I just love the way people from the UK talk about and describe things. The American description would already help you identify what it is he's talking to you about, but the UK description just makes it extra flowery with the wit and sarcasm. Perfect, my kind of talk. That’s why I like 5th Gear, and Top Gear, and why talking to Paul was very interesting. Sure it was about work mostly, but he’s a character, so it’s not business-like all the time. If he were Filipino, he’d be a prayle. (Note to self: Gotta research for an Irish friar I can nickname him after.)

Work was work. And it still is today. Went out for lunch with some very accommodating teammates -- 2 New Yorkers, but who're probably more West coast based by their insights, and Paul. They were all from the business, hence I did not know the people they were talking about, but I was sure these guys (talking, and who they were talking about) were a helluva lot of times above my pay scale grade. But no matter, they were fun to talk to, and they kept me in the conversation.

Got home about 10 minutes past the social hour (and a half, actually, coz it was from 530 to 7) so no more free food and drinks for me. Tsk tsk! Wasn’t that famished to go out and check on food options, so I went to my room and became Tony Stark. Hehehe! Happy that I didn’t burn anything or cause irreparable damage. Happier when Junjun gave me a comment, a day or two after, that I did a good job being...

the Iron Man.

LSS: I Just Love You

2011-02-03T14:51:00.002+08:00

Was at my desk working. It was too quiet, so I decided to plug in my portable hard drive and headphones. One song that I'd been listening to long ago started playing. Timing was so right, and so were the lyrics. Read on...

Lonely, yeah that's the word
I leave my heart when I leave her
The days go on forever and the nights do too

One evening out on the road
A half a world away from home
I thought she was sleeping
When the call came through

I said, Darling, it's late, is everything ok
Silence took over the room
Til she said

I... I just Love You
I Don't Know Why, I Just Do
When are you coming home
I'm coming home soon
And I just love you too

Lonely lets me be
For a while she sets me free
I close my eyes and I dream of her

She's lost in my arms
Her head on my heart
And softly she whispers the words

I...I just Love You
I Don't Know Why, I Just Do
When are you coming home
I'm coming home soon
And I just love you too

I'll never stop being amazed
How my 4-year old girl knows exactly what to say

I, I just Love You
I Don't Know Why, I Just Do
When are you coming home
I'm coming home soon
Cause I just love you too.

Vladimir John Ondrasik. Thanks for the song. It's pretty interesting.

Yeah, sure, it's your typical mushy alternative love song at the beginning. You'd think it was the wife or girlfriend calling. That's already a very sweet gesture coming from your better half that makes you want to go "awww...." I'm touched that she called.

But hey, it's more touching, no, tear jerking, finding out it's your daughter calling you just to say she loves you.

I miss my girls. And this song is perfect.

Dedicated to Mommy Hestia and Annika and Sachi.

Back in the States - January 23, 2011

2011-02-03T04:47:00.010+08:00

Buoyed by a wonderful 2nd birthday party for Annika, and joint celebration for all January celebrants (Yin, Kris, TG, Tita Lu, Lola, Annika and Pong, and Hestia and myself), I took off to my new challenge... a business trip to the US for a project. If my team lead in the US had his way, I would have been there a week before, but due to the family celebration earlier today and with his consideration, I was able to postpone the trip.

Dad brought me to the airport for my 10:30 flight. PAL would probably not be the top choice on many people’s lists, especially if there were a Cathy Pacific option, but it works well with me. Sure I don’t get those flat reclining seats with separate cubicles in Business Class, but hey, I get to leave later in the day – allowing me to spend more time with Annika and Hestia, – do not need to catch a connecting flight since the one I had was direct, and get to fly back in time – literally – as the 12 hour flight (11 hours in this case, thanks to the tailwind) allows me to arrive at my destination 4 ½ hours before I take off. Did this back in 2006, and it saved me a lot of time which allowed me to do more stuff.

…Stuff like allowing me to unpack everything in my two, trolley-type, 4 wheel luggage, call home to say hello, and sign off before midnight. Downside was I was up early, but that’s for later. Back to the flight…

Check-in was quick, as Business class had counters separate from Economy. This wasn't in place in 2008, when I travelled abroad last, so it was a pleasant surprise. Apparently twice the price may have twice the perks. And this perks count started at the check-in counter. Nice. Another nice thing, was that my portable hook-type weighing scale was apparently overstated by about 10 lbs. So my 60+ lbs and 50+ lbs luggage were actually only 50+ and 40+. Nice again! But before I could step away from the counter, the ground crew asked to weight my hand-carried trolley. And it came up to about 30 lbs. Damn! I thought he’d have it checked-in, too. Luck came in to help me, as I got away with the excuse that half the weight was due to the laptop and camera, and even offered to show him what was inside the bag.

He declined, and I was off to the Terminal Fee payment counter and Immigration area. Tsk! Tsk! Now that was a long line. I don’t know what was the cause of delay. There were a few counters open. I guess there was just too big a number of passengers at that time. Oh well.

Eventually got past that area and into the 2nd body check and x-ray area, and off to the Mabuhay lounge. It was a Coors light for me and some sushi. Surfed a little bit, before I decided to beat the boarding announcement. Headed to the gate and found out it rained. A blessing, I hoped. Got to the gate and fell in line for another security check. Thought they’d question the bag’s weight again. Whew! No such thing. Waited for about 10 minutes, and was happy to hear the boarding announcement. Business class was to board now. ‘Yes!’ I thought to myself. Can finally get some Z’s as I typically get sleepy at take off.

Once inside the aircraft, I loaded my bag into the overhead cabinet slightly in front of our row. Helped the lady beside me with her trolley. Turned out, only 1 trolley could fit the overhead cabinet. Was careful not to show signs of a hard time lifting my bag, lest they take it and shove it in with the rest of the checked baggage. Hehehe!

Flight was smooth in general, with some minor turbulence. I guess I was too excited and tense for my entire trip, so I didn’t fall asleep when the plane took off. As I was about to finally doze off though, the purser gets on the mic and announces we’re having dinner. Oh well, at least it was good news. Hehehe!

I don’t know how it is with other airlines, but PAL Business Class seems to have improved from the last time (count em, 4 years) I took it to the US to visit Hestia. You get the usual welcome drink (a mango smoothie for me, yummy!), the usual refreshing face towel, but now before dinner, you get another drink, an appetizer, and then the main course. Cool! Had I been travelling with one of the padres, I probably would’ve gone alcoholic all the way, but since I was beside someone I didn’t know – a very formal and proper looking Filipino lady perhaps my Mom’s age – I did not want to destroy the reputation of us 30 plus year olds. So it was mostly just fruit juices and water for me. Hehehe!

Had 2 movies that fancied me on the small screen. And these started playing while dinner – got the sea bass, by the way – was about to be served. Since I missed the first 3 minutes of ‘Megamind’s’ opening monologue, I watched ‘The Expendables’. What can I say? For me, it’s more funny than action packed. But at least it was a light movie, save for when Sly Stallone gets dramatic and stuff. Fell asleep after that. And now I was beginning to miss the Cathay Pacific chairs I’ve heard so much about. Well, at least the PAL chairs were electronically controlled now. No more pushing and exerting too much effort to get them to recline. Way to go, Chairman.

Got a few winks in, thankfully. Until I woke up, I never felt the cold. I guess I was just adjusting, or perhaps we were getting within cooler areas. Eventually used the blanket as my jacket was in my bag, plus it gets in the way of the next agenda… breakfast!

I honestly can’t remember what I had though. I know it was fish, but what fish exactly? I guess it was that forgettable. Hehehe! Got to squeeze in some ‘Megamind’. Started at the part when he was talking to Metro Man’s statue after he dies. Hahaha! Liked that movie more than the first one I watched on the flight. Hehehe! The sarcasm and wit. Very nice….

Filled out my form and prepared for landing. Got to chat up my neighbor a bit, as she started it with a small comment about what we could see outside. Ah… the lights of the “City by the Bay.” I don’t know why it enchants me to much. I suppose the combination of the setting sun beginning to hide into the mountains, and then fog creeping in, with just enough lights for you to see the divide between land and sea.

Back in 2006, I could sing “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as I flew out. Hestia was there. This time, the romantic setting is just that… a romantic setting. And the romantic atmosphere, or the suggestion of it, is just that, a suggestion. “I Left My Heart in Pacific Place,” is more like it.

Anyhow, when the plane lands, I help get the lady’s bag from the overhead cabinet, and then get mine. I slap on my jacket, bracing for some biting cold. But as I exit the airplane tunnel, there is no biting cold, but just a cool, cool breeze. I was beginning to regret bringing my jackets.

My first stop outside the plane… the men’s room. Ah yes, it just smelled like the USA. Funny how a place of piss and poop can smell so differently in the USA. But hey, it does. Must be the detergents and disinfectants. Or perhaps the fact that there are full strength detergents and disinfectants being used on a regular basis.

I clear immigration, and get a cart for my baggage from a friendly airport ground crew. Nice to see a wide smile and hear an emphatic greeting after a long trip. Couldn’t expect that from the Immigration guys. Of course not.

As I get to the carousel, I’m met with a wall of 2-3 people deep at most sides, all waiting for their luggage to come out. I break my Lola’s rule of not leaving a bag unguarded. Sorry Lola, I’m alone on this trip. But had an eye on it for the most part. Plus everything was tucked away safely inside.

My 2 trolleys come out almost at the same time. Since there were just too many people, I couldn’t pull both out in one go, lest I throw at least 4 people off of their positions. Which is what I wanted to do at some point, since “Excuse me” wasn’t working anymore. Thankfully, their vision wasn’t as bad as their hearing, so they avoided meeting Mr. Elbow.

I had nothing to declare, as per the Customs form, so as I was surrendering said form to the officer of Chinese descent, he asks me, “Do you have chicharon?” I had to ask him again to be sure I heard it right. I ended up saying no. It’s a good thing he didn’t ask about dried mangoes. Hehehe! As I had a number of packs, for my team, inside. On my way out I passed the “random” inspection area, and saw that a lot of folks with Indian or Middle Eastern descent were being subject to full luggage inspection. “Random” indeed.

As I wheel my luggage out to the arrival lobby, I’m met by a Caucasian guy in a black suit with the name “John”. Pretty “generic”, American guy description. I have arrived in the USA indeed. Coz, with due respect to them, the guys at Immigration and Customs were of Asian descent, and save for their American accents, though Mr. Chicharon had a Chinese accent, I could’ve sworn I was in Hong Kong Airport. Diversity, it is.

Going back to John, he takes my cart and pushes it for me. We go for a long walk from the terminal to the parking lot. I’m in comfy crocs loafers, wearing my jacket and carrying nothing, and he’s in his formal black suit, leather shoes, pushing a cart with over 100 lbs of luggage, and he’s leaving me behind. Iba na ang malaki. At ang nag-e-exercise. Hehehe!

Yes, Black Tie Limo Company uses a black Lincoln Town Car, with stock chrome wheels (ugh! would've looked better without the chrome, or much bigger if with the chrome) to pick me up. Get up is complete for John and his company. The huge trunk swallows my 2 trolleys, and I sit in the back - which is a rarity for me - pulling out my camera, then realizing the futility of taking moving night shots, so I just enjoy the view, and try to recall where we passed 4 years before.

My trusty GPS finally found its signal, and thankfully the installed map is still accurate, so I was able to track where we were passing. This gave me some confidence to get my own rental and start driving again. But that’s tomorrow’s story.

This one ends at the hotel. We arrive at Summerfield, which reminds me of a nicer and classier Doubletree, but still a low-rise (4 floor) building. I step out of the car, and motion to wear my jacket. I think twice, as it’s not that cold. But anyway, sayang naman. Gamitin na nga. We knock but no one answers. Then we wait for about 10 minutes before someone appears. Apparently the night shift is very lean, so when he goes out to help someone, no one gets left behind at the desk. Oh well. It’s not Grand Cypress anyways. But it’s a Hyatt.

Which is why, after having checked me in, gotten me a trolley for my luggage and given me my key, he says good night, and reminds me to just leave the trolley outside my door when I’m done with it. Oh! Self-service eh? No prob. Not the 5-star Hyatt, but definitely a far cry from Ramada.

Night 1 ends after I make my phone calls to the house, and prep my gear for Day 1 at the office. Twas a long and memorable day, that January 23….

WE ARE ONE...

2009-03-04T14:05:00.023+08:00

When asked then when I think my baby will arrive, I always say “on Jan 19”…as it would surely be memorable to have our baby with us, exactly after a year of being married. But then again, like a lot of things in this world, which we do not have full control of; a different plot came into view.

“…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…”

An hour after watching US Pres. Obama’s inauguration rites at around 330AM, I woke up with lower abdominal cramps (which I initially thought will be easily relieved by changing positions or walking around). I spent another hour monitoring how long the cramps would last and figured that I have to wake Migoy up – as the cramps were felt at 5-min interval, lasting for around 1 to 2 min. Thanks to the learning from our birthing class, the relaxation techniques were definitely helpful (in fact, I had to wait for Migoy to finish up taking a shower – yes, he was so relaxed.).

By 5AM, with less than 30 min drive from Pasig to Alabang, we were already inside the Genesis Center. I was diagnosed to be 3 to 4 cm dilated already. Then, the staff already advised me to be admitted. While at the labor room, I would say, I was able to manage the contraction pains well --- as I was still able to find time to send text messages to family and friends on my labor progress. At 9AM, I was again checked and was told that I am already 4 cm dilated. After the staff learned that I only had a slice of toast and a glass of water for breakfast about 5 to 6 hours earlier, they asked my doctor if I can still enjoy breakfast. Lo and behold, they later served rice, chicken with mushrooms, and cereals for my breakfast.

After enjoying my meal and a couple of hours later, dilation is not progressing well, that I was advised to do manual stimulation (which did not work that well either). By 1PM, I already had to be administered with oxytocin to help with my labor. An hour after the oxytocin kicked in, my dilation came up to 6 cm! I was successfully managing the pains naturally, until I felt I was short of breath at every contraction. I felt I was having an asthma attack --- that my attempts to breathe deeply were foiled. This is the time the epidural came in handy --- although it brought uncontrollable chills all over.

I was wheeled into the birthing room (BR322) to prepare us for the main event. I was then diagnosed to be 8 cm dilated an hour later, but my water bag was still intact. My doctor then had to rupture my bag and was happy to see that the water was still clear --- still a good sign that we can proceed with normal delivery (as I had indicated clearly in my birth plan).

After almost a couple of hours of close monitoring, I was stuck at 8 cm dilation and my baby’s heartbeat was dropping in a regular pattern (coinciding with every contraction). It may be every woman’s wish to have an hourglass figure, especially after the pregnancy; but mine came too soon and in a different way. Everyone observed how oddly shaped my very-pregnant tummy has become! It was shaped like an hourglass…which then brought my doctor to advise Migoy that she is thinking of doing a C-section with my state and especially that of our baby. With my sober condition, I was roused to listen to my doctor’s advice intently. Considering my baby’s condition, I immediately succumbed to the needed surgery.

At exactly 5:28PM, my baby was out. It was a good decision to not waste any time to proceed with the C-section, as my baby had a cord coil, which was causing the distress (and probably my peculiarly bunched up tummy). As soon as I heard my baby cry, I was in tears…moments later, I had her on my chest.

The sequence of events on that joyful day definitely put me and Migoy to the test --- test of love, trust, strength, and faith --- and with much pride, I would say, we were ONE and we did not falter and instead, faced every step of that wonderful journey together with lots of laughs and tears; and interesting stories to tell baby Annika.

Travelogue of an Absentee Blogger

2007-10-20T18:12:00.000+08:00

Yes, I have been out for quite some time…been up and about doing a lot of things [as some other people would call it, simply put, “I was caught up with @#%^ work!”]…anyhow, now that I finally found some time to sneak out and logon to our blog, here’s my excuse:

July 2007: Been asked to prepare and pack up for a month-long trip to Cape Town. Happy? Hmm…yes, since it would be my first time to see another part of the globe (which apparently has quite a number of interesting places to boot – in fact, these places are included in the book, “1000 Places to See Before You Die”) Sad? Hmm…yes, as I know it will be another bout of fighting loneliness.

Aug 7, 2007: Off to Cape Town via Singapore. I will be taking 16 hour long trip from Manila. I even had a funny experience of bringing overweight luggage into Cape Town, that the ground attendants initially thought I was flying to the US. Well, another help from lady luck, I got off without paying a cent!

Aug 8, 2007: Arrived in Cape Town safely. Weather was nice. It was sunny and breezy at the same time. From the airport and en-route to the hotel, I never thought I was already staring at the famous Table Mountain. Only until I got into the office did I realize I was staring at the same mountain all along! Believe it or not, that same day when my plane landed, (after a bit of work) I had to ask my colleagues to drive me up to the Table Mountain. [I was indeed lucky to get that opportunity, as the sun never showed up the same way it did that day when I arrived during my month-long stay in Cape Town.]

Aug 9, 2007: National Women’s Day…Fighting the urge to succumb to jetlag, I had to condition myself for my next stop. 6AM flight from Cape Town to Durban! It was a long weekend, so I took the chance to get in that flight! Once we landed in Durban, which was about a 2 hour flight, we enjoyed some nature and cultural trip, seeing the valleys and the tribes that lived there. Then, as the day ended, we headed to Umschlanga to get some rest in preparation for the next leg of the Durban trip.

Aug 10, 2007: From Umschlanga, we drove off to the Sani Pass Hotel to view the famous Drakensberg Mountain. We enjoyed the scenery and the buffet dinner they served…and yes, since we were in South Africa, we had to try the wine! Guess what? Wine tastes great! We all had our fair share of the bottle that we all retired early to bed. It was just right to keep us well rested…

Aug 11, 2007: Early to bed, early to rise…we all had to rise up early to get on our ATVs! Yes, we all booked ourselves for a tour using All-Terrain Vehicles! Driving to the top of the Sani Pass using quad bikes? That was an awesome (but dangerous) experience.

Aug 12, 2007: Headed back to Cape Town. For the first time, I checked in a hand-carry luggage (which was not overweight, and not heavy at all) and it got lost!

From the time I got back my luggage, until the time I got to have Kermin with me in Cape Town, we had the chance to see Cape Town’s great scenic places --- Stellenbosch, Boulder’s Beach, Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope…seeing these nice places were great…but I knew it would be much better if I had shared the trip with Migs around. Day in and day out, we keep in touch…greeting each other as we start the day or as we end the day whenever possible. It felt different when a day passes by without hearing each other say “Hi” or “Hello”.

…Being away for one whole month, one thing’s for sure, I knew it felt great to know that though we’re miles and miles apart, neither distance nor difference in time zones will ever keep us apart. Oops, a second point to add, I am pretty sure Cape Town will be on our list of things to see together…honeymoon? We’ll see…

Lightning McQueen, Route 66, Radiator Springs and Finding Yourself

2007-08-17T16:01:00.000+08:00

When you find yourself
In some far off place,
And it causes you
To rethink some things.
You start to sense
That slowly you’re becoming someone else
And then you find yourself.

When you make new friends
In a brand new town,
And you start to think
About settling down,
The things that would have been lost on you
Are now clear as a bell.
And you find yourself
That’s when you find yourself.

Well you go through life
So sure of where you’re heading,
And you wind up lost
And it’s the best thing that could happen.
‘Cause sometimes when you lose your way
It’s really just as well.
‘Cause you find yourself;
That when you find yourself.

When you meet the one
You’ve been waiting for,
And she’s everything
That you want and more,
You look at her
And you finally start
To live for someone else.
And then you find yourself;
That’s when you find yourself.

We go through life
So sure of where we’re heading,
And then we wind up lost
And it’s the best thing that could happen.
Sometimes when you lose your way
It’s really just as well.
Because you find yourself;
Yeah that’s when you find yourself.

Well, when you want to find a movie that'll somehow teach you a simple lesson in life, go look for an animated movie (or as they'd say in the '80s, a cartoon). That'll surely make you leave the cinema, or your favorite comfy chair, with a light heart, but with a lesson learned.

This lesson I learned came from Disney's "Cars". Well, actually, from one of the songs on its OST -- Find Yourself. Didn't think a song done by a Country singer would catch my fancy, but more about that in a little bit. Cars is one of my all-time favorite movies. The story is pretty simple, but the trip to Radiator Springs reminded me of my road trip last year with Hestia to the Grand Canyon. We drove down the Mother Road, Route 66.

Getting off the main freeway and on to Route 66 is a bit like getting of SLEX or NLEX and going onto provincial roads. It's not as wide, nor as spacious, and you can't go as fast. A bother for the true blue Lightning McQueen in each one of us. But like Route 66 passing through Carburetor County, these country roads are quaint and charming. And if you travel into the countryside more, the less you see the same stuff you see in the city, and the more you have a glimpse and a taste of the more laidback culture.

That was a fun trip. Romantic, you could say that. It was then the longest time I had been seated beside Hestia. Well, the longest time I had been seated beside her straight, without anyone or anything getting in the way. I'm speaking figuratively, of course, you dirty mind, you. :P

Now about the song whose lyrics I've again shamelessly posted on the blog. There comes a time in your life when you're just too caught up with what you do (well, or not), that you, ehem, lose yourself and just find in your place this lost person just going through the motions. You end up doing something that you've been accustomed to doing, but you no longer recall why you're doing it. One day, you just end up hitting a wall, or getting, ehem, lost. It's when you're knocked off of this comfy (comfy coz you're used to being there) perch that you realize you don't know exactly who you are anymore, and you don't know exactly where you wanna go.

Lightning was too busy basking in his glory, that he forgot about the simple yet more important things in life. I was caught up going through some familiar motions about 3 years back. My brick wall was the announcement that I'd be pulled out of my project, my lofty perch, and moved to a new one, working with colleagues I was not familiar with, and at a place miles in the direction opposite of where I wanted to be. I was, ehem, lost.

And Hestia was, packaged together, my Sally Carrera, my Radiator Springs, and my reason to go all out for the Piston Cup, yet not that all out to lose my self again. When I found her, then realized that she is the one I want to be with, I knew my life was going to change -- for the better, of course. I found myself. I found her, then I found me.

I found out that I didn't want to be single for very long anymore, and that I would like to experience the joys and pains of being married to the woman of my dreams and the love of my life. (Whether I'll be saying the same after years of being married, I don't know.)

Hehehe! Just kidding Honey. That part is something we both will be working on by living our lives together. I miss you. I love you.

Restless Nights, Sleepless Nights, Helpless Nights

2007-08-12T20:36:00.000+08:00

It's really true that the person getting left behind going about the same routine but alone feels, well, alone and lonely. Though this is not the first time for me, somehow it feels even more depressing than the first time.

Five nights have passed since Hestia left. Three of those nights I was home early after work, and two other of those nights I was out a bit late. But in all of those nights, I hadn't slept straight nor soundly. Without fail, I'd wake up at 2-2:30 am, whether or not I had slept early the night before. It would take me a while to get back to sleep. And it would be a b1tch to wake up in the morning.

I miss you, Hestia.

I miss waking up in the morning knowing that someone's gonna be waiting for me. I miss waking up reading your good morning greetings. I miss seeing your partly-harrassed-by-work self when I get to the office.

I miss you.

Telecommunications infrastructure at your part of the world aren't helping me. I don't like the feeling of not being able to contact you. The feeling of helplessness just makes it more frustrating.

Oh boy... 28 days of this to go.

L-O-V-E...

2007-08-12T20:01:00.000+08:00

Here's a light ditty from the standards genre we discovered a few months back. I think it was Frank Sinatra who did the original. Somehow when I hear it, I think about scenes from romantic movies set in our favorite US cities, namely New York and San Francisco. Mine's New York and Hestia's San Francisco. She finds NYC to be too dark (ala Gotham City) and the people and the city's aura to be too rude (ala Manila, or worse). Hey, feels like home, for me. On the flipside, I find San Francisco to just be too laid back. But it is relaxing, I must admit. Twenty-one years ago, when I first visited the US, it was the opposite for me. The first city I visited, and which I enjoyed, was San Francisco. I didn't like New York then. Everybody was in a hurry (and a lot more walking was required of me, hehehe!). Oh well, how times can change how people think.

I wonder, Honey, what'll eventually be OUR favorite city...

L is for the way you look at me
O is for the only one I see
V is very, very extraordinary
E is even more than anyone that you adore

Can love is all that I can give to you
Love is more than just a game for two
Two in love can make it
Take my heart but please don't break it
Love was made for me and you

L is for the way you look at me
O is for the only one I see
V is very, very extraordinary
E is even more than anyone that you adore

Can love is all that I can give to you
Love, love, love is more than just a game for two
Two in love can make it
Take my heart but please don't break it
'Cause love was made for me and you
I said love was made for me and you
You know that love was made for me and you...

When You're In My Arms...

2007-07-16T13:47:00.000+08:00

I would think it's kinda obvious that I like songs, and different ones at that, with special mention to some Ballads and Oldies, which are now better (or more politically correctly?) known as Standards. Thankfully, Hestia shares about the same taste in music as myself, so we're not really at odds with what I play in the car when we're together. (Except perhaps for that House CD, hehehe!)

My being able to carry a tune for the songs I like, however, is another story altogether, hehehe! but thankfully, again, Hestia does sing well and can sing in public. (Anyone want to hear a demo?)

Anyhow, the story behind this latest tune brings me back to the year 2000. I had recently resurrected my Casio MP3 watch, from our den, which has 32MB worth of memory for, you guessed it, MP3s. That's probably just 7-8 songs at most using 128 mbps recording, but hey, it was an early edition iPod. Talk about a Blast From The Past, huh?

Anyways, for some reason, I had been spending a bit more time in our den. Dunno if it's related to my finding the watch there. The PC we have in that room is also a blast from the past, year 2002 this time, but then not fully-spec'd. With such limited memory and programs running on Windows 98, (due to my inclination being really towards cars rather than computers) it wasn't gonna be long till I'd find my songs from the Honda days.
The featured song is from the musical "They're Playing Our Song".

They're Playing Our Song is a musical with a book by Neil Simon, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, and music by Marvin Hamlisch.
In a story based on the real-life relationship of Hamlisch and Sager, a wisecracking composer finds a new, offbeat lyricist, but initially the match is not one made in heaven. The two undergo a series of trials and overcome a number of hurdles before finding true love by the final curtain.
Productions: 1978 Los Angeles; 1979 Broadway; 1980 Sydney; 1980 West End

When you’re in my arms
And I feel you close to me
Life’s what it’s supposed to be
I’m in love you are my soul

You’re my melody
You’re every dream I locked away
My whole world came alive the day
You walked into my life
You are my song

Sing it
Let everybody know I found you
Let everybody know I found that thing
That people love to sing about

Tell them
Tell them if they didn’t hear by now
Tell them how I’ve found that feeling that I waited for
I’ve got the world and more

When you’re in my arms
I wish I had the words to say
I’ll give them to you every day

Tonight you’re in my arms
It feels good in your arms
Tonight you’re in my arms

When you’re in love the time keeps tickin’
But you’ve got no time to see it go
I’ve only got eyes for my sweet sweet baby
So love’s the only time I know

When you’re in love your smile gets wider
You get a kind of magic glow
The clock on the wall doesn’t matter at all
Cause love’s the only time you know

Something so right like lovin’ together
Two hearts are better than one
Good good lovin’ that some sweet sweet music
Sure makes wakin’ up fun

Sure feels good to be lovin’ each other
I wonder why we waited so long
The fire is burnin’
We got ourselves our own sweet song

When you’re in my arms
I see a world I’ve never seen
I never knew that trees were green
Till you were in my arms
You are my song

Sing it
Let everybody know I found you
Let everybody know I found that thing
That people love to sing about

Thank you
For helping give my life some order
And where’d you put my tape recorder
I want to write how good I feel tonight

When you’re in my arms
I wish I had the words somehow
Shhh
Not now

Tonight you’re in my arms
And you’ll be wakin’ up in my arms
When you’re in my arms...

I have my friend Lisa to thank for bringing the cd to work about 7 years ago, and her now hubby Mike, for using the company's IT resources in ripping the songs. Hehehe! Mike has since left the company, so I think it's safe to tell a little story about our project exploits. Hehehe!

Back to the song, it kinda brought me back to the time Hestia and I were a new couple. It reminded me of the happy uncertainty we felt weeks before we became a couple which was in stark contrast to the euphoric feeling when we got together (well, the day after, at least, coz on the night we became "us", I was really downed by colds, but that's another story ;) ).

Some people are really better off single, while some are miserable in that state. I'm in the mold of the latter. Ever hear of the phrase "Alone, but not lonely"? Well, I'm quite the opposite. Without a better half, a partner to inspire me, a strong force to calm me, I am lonely even within a crowd.

Honey, your taking a chance with me years ago made everything right for me. Short of sounding like Jerry Maguirre, your reaching out to me put everything in perspective. I am no longer blindly reaching out, but now I'm seeing you and I know that you're within reach. I see the world and life from more than just my point of view. I see more colors and details that have always been there, but have not meant anything until you pointed them out to me.

I look forward to that day in January, six months from now, when we embark on a new journey, when we take another chance and dive into a bigger pond filled with more challenges. Somehow it doesn't feel as frightening nor as daunting, not when you're in my arms...

2007-07-02T10:12:00.000+08:00

3165 Date of Initial Incarceration
1198 Date Life Sentence was handed down

Hehehe! Talk about a Prison Sentence, eh? Got to talk to a few guys who've been married for quite a while. This seems to be their idea (read: misconception) about Marriage.

Well, Honey, far from being sucked into their frame of mind, I just laughed with them, not at them, coz they are my friends, too, but made sure that the entire topic ended at the laughing part.

I dunno. Maybe the magic wore off for them. Or maybe, the magic wasn't there to begin with. Perhaps they weren't done having fun - the kind of fun you could no longer have as freely when you have a ring - in the first place. Just like Chris O' Donnell's Jimmie Shannon character in The Bachelor. (Oooh! Farmer Hoggett / James Cromwell is a good guy in this movie! But anyways, that's another story, hehe!) He saw his and his friends' free-running mustang characters being herded in, one by one. But anyways, whatever their reason/s is/are, that's their problem, and I wish them luck resolving it.

Now going back to Jimmie Shannon, and his friends, it's not uncommon to have such a frame of mind. Some guys really value their being able to have a relationship, yet at the same time, have an abundance of space. Intimate time with the sweetheart and bonding time with the boys. Best of both worlds, so to speak. For other guys, that is. I value space, but only to a certain extent. A small extent. At the moment, a day in the week or weekend not spent with each other is enough space. Most of the time, that day is Sunday, when we have our separate commitments to each other's families. Sometimes even, this is not the case, as we both attend each other's family's events.

Honey, I'm not directly asking you to give me space. I'm not straight-forwardly requesting you to keep to your end of the metropolis on one day of the week, and allow me to stay on my end. It just so happens that this is how our Sundays are like. I'm not complaining when this happens. I'm also not complaining if it doesn't - meaning when we spend it together attending some family activity. I like this arrangement, while we're at this engaged-to-be-married state. In a little over 6 months, we'll be together, more so on Sundays.

Though I cherish what we have now, I look to cherish what we'll start having soon a lot more. Mwah!!!

OUR song!

2007-06-09T10:04:00.000+08:00

"it had to be you...wonderful you, it had to be you!" this song has always been part of our songlist as a couple. to others, we may strike as a couple with a lot of differences, but to those who know us, they can probably agree that we are a lot like each other. cliche as it may be, we even try to complete each other's sentences. we can read each other's minds! eerie...but when i stop and think about it, to me, it's magical!

that's how we started...chit-chatting about the corniest and the most serious topics anyone could think of..and slowly realizing we found the person we can "connect" with in each other. we burst into laughter at each other's jokes. we cry together at those heartbreaking moments or stories we get to know about (...and shed tears in Spidey 3, right? my current all-time favorite movie). we trust in each other's driving skills and yes, we both enjoy driving and talking about cars. we feast on our favorite foods (or at least, my recent cravings) - from UP Kalayaan's isaw, to Manong Zone's squidballs, to NY Fish & Chips, to Salted Pepper Garlic Squid, to Wagyu Beef, to a toasted bagel with cream cheese at Starbucks). we enjoy being with our families and spending time with friends. all these and more make up OUR special moments...and OUR being a couple.

[p.s. we even share the same favorite number now...he had no choice. hehe]

My Song to You? Or Your Song to Me?

2007-05-27T12:54:00.000+08:00

It had to be you
It had to be you
I wandered around
And finally found
Somebody who
Could make me be true
Could make me be blue.
Or even be glad
Just to be sad
Thinking of you.

Some others I've seen,
Might never mean.
Might never be cross,
Or try to be boss,
But they wouldn't
do.
For nobody else gave me
a thrill,
With all your faults I
love you still.
It had to be you,
wonderful you,
It had to be
you.

Nobody's perfect. As they said in the the 2005 movie, "The Perfect Catch/Fever Pitch," "the perfect catch rarely comes in the perfect package." People make mistakes. That's normal. Afterwhich, either of two things happen. People learn from their mistakes, or they don't.

I came across these lyrics as I was going through some songs from my favorite "Standards" singers, my being an old soul and all. This song popped up in Tony Bennett's list of lyrics. Although not exactly on my usual list of songs, a mistake I now will correct, this one's a nice one. First time I heard it sung was back in 2002, care of Marla Hooch in "A League of Their Own". Anyhow, enough of that trivia.

The lyrics hit me, most especially the highlighted ones. It's how someone makes a distinct mark on someone else, by not just being nice and sweet, but by being "real" - moody, temperamental, mean, cross, bossy, overly in/sensitive. These, too, if done in moderation and under "real world" circumstances are endearing qualities, in my book. To me, if these emotions come out so as to make a point that'll help make your relationship better, I'll take them. And although my Honey is generally loving and sweet, she does have her taray moments, a lot of which were triggered by my being masungit.

Honey, I'm not perfect. I never was, and I never will be, you know that. But being with you, seeing you happy, sad, bubbly, moody, frustrated, teary-eyed makes me a better person. Thank you for that. Here's to a lifetime worth of learning by loving.

Waiting...But not in Vain (Hes' Version)

2007-04-21T15:02:00.000+08:00

i had my own shares of downfalls and sad moments in my life...sad moments that at times made me question if i was really destined to live a life with a loving partner and beautiful kids. i have always dreamt of having kids and taking good care of them...there were times i can't even imagine my life without kids. i just love them and being around them that having kids and raising them well were to me, measures of my being successful and satisfied with my life. but He has His ways of teaching us to be patient and to learn how to trust in His plans.

i had to experience hurt to appreciate His plans...i had shed tears and shared laughters with people who have come and gone in my life...those experiences made me cherish my family more and the true-st friends i had throughout my life. i learned to love them dearly as they stood by me through the happy and saddest moments of my life. He has made me wait...wait until it is time for me to embrace His plans. during the time i was waiting, i was impatient. there were times i ask questions and there were times i even hurt myself more for prodding and pushing for the things i want.

i learned the hard way...yes, not all the things we want are the things that are good for us. it is only when we learn to accept, let go, trust and wait...that we slowly receive His blessings without us even knowing that His plans are already unfolding. i learned to accept that there are things that i want that are not just according to His plans. i learned to let go and trust that His plans are going to be realized in His perfect time. i learned to wait patiently...and all these have gotten me to enjoy His plans slowly unfolding before me! i waited...and He has shown me the way to reaching the happiness i deserve. while waiting, i lost some friends and gained more! i lost my dad...and i gained a good stepdad, two dear nephews and a whole loving clan in Migoy's family. i loved and lost a couple of times...and i found the one whom i am going to love and share my life with for a lifetime.

yes, i, too, did the waiting...and definitely, it was not in vain.

Waiting... But not in Vain

2007-03-25T21:19:00.000+08:00

"I've already found the one worth waiting for. Now all I have to do is wait."

They seem like lines shamelessly stolen from a mushy movie. I won't take it against you for thinking that. But they're actually mine... for Hes, last February 2006.

Flashback to 7 months prior to that. I had just gotten my permanent employment status (finally!) in the company I had once worked as an external consultant/consultant-for-hire (TPC - Third Party Contractor, as they would call it), and a direct contractor. Keeping your head down, concentrating on the road ahead, and blocking out distractions at work, as the Great Schumi used to do on the track, paid dividends. After 20 months, I finally get my blue ID. (I preferred the green one for color purposes, though, hehehe!)

So there, as I had been smiling and thanking everyone who came by and congratulated me, our team had been called into an ad hoc meeting. Juicy, long-term project assignments were being handed out. It's funny how you can be on top of the world for a moment, and crushed right under it at the next. Hes had been assigned abroad for a year, I had not. A Strong Ice lunch had followed later in the day. Wa-Pakk! was needed. While everyone present floated in their assignment excitement, I had wallowed in my disappointment and had drowned it in drink.

Woe is me. Woe is our relationship. Why now?

I got a few mixed reactions from my friends. Some said it could be a sign to let go, since we were quite new (4 months from the get-go), this was a very difficult position to be in and long distance relationships hardly, if ever, work. Some said otherwise. Fight, Fight, Fight! Wait, Wait, Wait!

Oh boy, here I am again - at a position I know so well, but which I find no comfort being at. Hes asked me why I did not want her to leave, aside from the separation. Did I not want her to progress? Did I effectively and selfishly want her career to take a nosedive for my personal reasons? I did not have any right to do so, but I had a privilege to say something. So I did. And so she knew. She hugged me and assured me that my fears, this time, were unfounded. We'd resolved to actively fight for us.

And now, we're living and breathing proof that waiting and holding on has its rewards. As fate would have it, the 1 year assignment would allow her to come home after a month, then a month and a half from then, then allow me to visit after 3 months, and have her home in 4 months. Globe would generously not cut me off (though they're probably this way with most subscribers) for corporate-value and slightly delayed monthly payments, and they'd eventually give me a phone (why just one, though?) for their booming IDD sales.

As Annie Lennox once put it, in the OST of an all-time fave movie, Serendipity, "I don't wanna wait in vain, for your love." Thanks Honey, I never did.

who's the WINNER?

2007-03-24T16:52:00.000+08:00

it's been a week-and-a-day that i have been engaged...sorry, i can't stop fixating on my status change. indulge me, please? we met up with friends this week to keep in touch and to keep them abreast on the details of our preps. of course, we indulge their curiosities...i love sharing the great news --- over and over again --- up to point that i almost lost my voice last night! i have been repeating the same story to friends who were patiently and eagerly listening.

last night, one of migs' friends just made me realize there are actually three of us girls (almost of the same age in the group) that are enthusiastically preparing for our respective special days…not so long ago, we were all joking that we are racing against time --- the clock is ticking fast…(but that time, it seemed that all of us were not giving up). now, we are all hopeful brides-to-be. who would’ve thought that? we were all graciously racing against time…and we all emerged winners!

to my dear co-brides-to-be, good luck to us…let us enjoy every moment of preparing to end this race against time and to spend our lives with our mr. right’s for a lifetime.

"nobody knows where you might end up..."

2007-03-22T21:51:00.000+08:00

crazy...i am writing this post inspired by my recent hobby - that is, catching up with the grey's anatomy series. please don't laugh...but i am really hooked with the series lately. ok, go ahead, laugh. the tv series is not really just focusing on romance, but heck, the series' one-liner tag line strikes me a lot. "nobody knows where you might end up...nobody knows"...yes...i didn't know i would be where i am now.

from today, march 22, in exactly 22 hours, i am already enjoying a week of bliss with my current change of "social status". thanks to a thai galpal who reminded me, that i have already changed my status! by tomorrow, it's been a week since i got engaged! i am happy...and thankful i ended up where i am now. people in our workplace have started to notice the change of my social status...well, i smile a lot (despite my oh-so-harassing day) and uhm, (as my mr. right would put it) i have a bling on my left finger!

before, when i still had that ring my mom gave me, i used to wear it on my left finger too...concerned friends would insist for me to remove the ring since as they say, "that's not the way to advertise yourself" - that time, i was single but was so afraid to be part of the dating crowd. now, those days are over. thank GOD! i am proud to have reached this stage...after patiently waiting and hopelessly trusting that this time will come. i am proud to say, i found the man for me without even looking.

but reaching this stage in my life was not easy...i had my share of downfalls and heartaches - a lot of them actually. until i just found myself hoping and praying -- praying hard. i found myself just living my day - a day at a time. but i held on to my hopes, dreams and prayers...and this is where it got me.

...i ended up having another chance at life and love...the best thing of it all, i ended up here...sharing a lifetime of friendship and love with my mr. right.

Incredibly, Unimaginably Unbelievable

2007-03-21T14:07:00.000+08:00

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv81.shtml

These two adjectives, incredible and unbelievable, are quite interchangeable and to these two you could add a third: unimaginable.
They all describe things or events which are so amazing that they cannot be imagined or believed.
Adverbial forms are incredibly, unbelievably and unimaginably.

That's the general sentiment that I got from everyone not part of the planning, preparation and execution of Operation: Bling on the Left Finger.

"Nashock din ako at nagkaroon ng creative juices in him somewhere. Pero he says he needs to thank friends...feeling ko may nagsuggest *think*think* hehehehe," from my sister.

"How'd you do it? That's a logistical nightmare," said a cousin.

Well, yeah, it was a logistical nightmare to some extent, considering I had to coordinate with the choirmaster (Friend # 1) on what I had in mind and what date exactly we could watch the choir's (Friend #s 2 to 30) "rehearsal". Rather, whether we could actually do it last Friday, since that was an important date for us, but a busy night for them. Thankfully, luck was on our side, and we were able to push through as intended. Thumbs up to their well-practiced and ultra smooth execution of my plan. Galing! She, with her recently affirmed 20/20 vision (not to mention 6x optical zoom - luv yah hon!), never saw it coming. It's still a mystery to me how the kids were able to hide those tulips.

Next, the flowers. The Contact (Friend # 32) was supplied to me by Friend # 31. Friend # 32 wasn't able to deliver them to my office due to logistical reasons, so I had to get them from her. Her instructions: "Meet me at this place along XXX street, with the guards and dogs. Don't go in to that driveway anymore. I'll be standing a little after that, under the "No Parking at anytime" sign." So when I meet her, she shows me the lovely tulips in that large vase, and hurries me away, coz a few meters further down the road were city cops. Hahaha! So I had to drive off, holding the wheel with 1 hand, and hugging the vase with the other arm. Parked in a safe place to figure out how to hold the vase, and then went back to the office. Friend # 1 sent over his assistant, Friend # 33, who contracted a cab, to pick up the flowers from me at my office after lunch. This was a better plan than asking Friend # 34 to leave the office at about 5 pm and deliver it to Friend # 1. But thanks for the offer to do it, Friend # 34.

Friend # 35 handled the food. I paid him a visit a day before D-Day and placed an order for Friends 1-30. He asked for the time and place of delivery and told me to rest assured that it would get to the concerned parties on time in full. (Oh, pardon the last phrase, too much project-related work running through my mind. Hehehe!)

35 friends to thank for, for a successful Operation: Bling on the Left Finger. Would've wanted to include Friends 36 (Mr. Moving Pix) and 37 (Mr. Next Big Thing), but that would've been too obvious. She would've gotten an idea of what was to come, although that would've have meant a lot more stuff to add to Friend 36's and 37's finished products. But hey, Friend 1 and 2 did a good job covering that. Looking forward to viewing the pics and vids. We hope to be able to include them in the overall presentation.

That's the "help" I got from them (defensive, eh? hehehe!). No way could I have managed to pull it off so smoothly and successfully, not to mention, so secretly, without them. Hats off to you guys and gurls.

Now, on the idea, well, Sis, let's just say that I got some inspiration from one of our favorite movies... Love Actually. (Yeah, the "extended" DVD version, not the one "sanitized" for HBO. Not like there's a difference anyway, since the scene I derived inspiration from is in both versions. I just like the additional parts in the extended version. Hehehe!) Just when the groom tells his Best Man that he was glad he resisted the chance to pull off a surprise, out came the surprise. This was just too good an opportunity not to take, to pull off a surprise. Add to that, my low score in terms of creativity. Hehehe! Bingo. One BIG surprise. Perhaps one thing that could've gone better was if I was able to give nee a chance to retouch. Hehehe! Sorry. You weren't as glamorous as you had wanted to be, but you were, as always, beautiful. Can I have my hanky back now?

Expecting another surprise from me? Hahaha! You'd be surprised.

gift of ironies

2007-03-19T22:39:00.000+08:00

a lot of my friends would know i tend to be mushy at times...(pagbigyan na ako please? hehe) there was one time when a dear friend from college just uttered "migs is hes' GG (short for Gods' Gift)"..and that, of course made me pause...at that moment, i was fighting to show my affirmation to his statement to show that at times i can control not to be mushy (siyempre hirap na hirap na ako nun!), i knew deep down there was some truth to it...

some? yes, because after being together through the DW (Discovery Weekend), i came to realize he is actually not just God's Gift but a "surprise package of ironies" for me...the days we spent together nurturing our relationship were founded on meaningful laughter and tears --- shared during a short drive from work to QC; shared while watching a feel-good movie; shared with our dear family and friends. we would share a laugh or cry tears together after looking past our separate lives yesterday...while watching a sweet movie (sige na, mas madami ang iniiyak ko...) just like "While You Were Sleeping". remember that nice scene in that Sandra Bullock flick where the whole family of Bill Pullman went over to the train station to join him to propose? my heart just melts when i recall that scene...as just recently, after i felt how it was to be proposed to by the man you love who knelt down on one knee and said "Happy Anniversary...will you marry me?", i did not only share laughs and tears with him, but with our dear families and friends...being asked to recount the heart-melting moment of the proposal just made me cherish it over and over again. it was indeed special that whenever we all hear the music, that's it. everyone is just moved by it. there are laughters and tears...of joy.

i love to laugh (ganyan talaga pag mababaw ang kaligayahan..hehe)...i don't mind the tears (obviously, mababaw lang talaga ako - madaling patawanin at paiyakin)...since i believe they are part of God's Gift to me and part of the memories i will share with my GG...

What Made Kleenex More Profitable

2007-03-19T09:45:00.000+08:00

The link to this song had been in my Favorites folder for so long. Little did I know that it was going to mean something someday. I had been ribbing my Honey about her crying bucketloads of tears (together with my lady relatives and family friends) whenever this song would be played, and whenever it would be mentioned as part of the proposal ('not!' pala huh?).

The melody would be enough for them to get teary-eyed, and the lyrics were very meaningful that when put together, they had to pull out their Kleenex boxes. Little was I to know that the song, mixed with the right frame of mind, good sounds, and played over again, would elicit a similar reaction from myself. Well, a small part of a similar reaction, that is. One thing's for sure next year, Kleenex stock is going up in January.

I Will Be Here
(Steven Curtis Chapman)

Tomorrow morning if you wake up
and the sun does not appear
I will be here

If in the dark, we lose sight of love
Hold my hand, and have no fear
'Cause I will be here

I will be here
When you feel like being quiet
When you need to speak your mind
I will listen

And I will be here
When the laughter turns to cryin'
Through the winning, losing and trying
We'll be together
I will be here

Tomorrow morning, if you wake up
And the future is unclear
I will be here

Just as sure as seasons were made for change
Our lifetimes were made for years
So I will be here

I will be here
And you can cry on my shoulder
When the mirror tells us we're older
I will hold you

And I will be here
To watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here

(Here's when I got down on my knee, showed her the ring and asked her to marry me.)
I will be true to the promise I have made
To you and to the One who gave you to me

Tomorrow morning, if you wake up
And the sun does not appearI will be here
Oh, I will be here.

----------------------------
I saw this on the web page I got the lyrics from. Nice.
There is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved.

Bling On The Left Finger

2007-03-17T20:51:00.000+08:00

It's funny how things turn out when they're meant to be. Somehow, you just do all you can and let fate handle the rest.

Is the venue really more important than what transpires at it? In general, I guess so. You can't hold a car show packed with German and Italian exotics at a crappy or perhaps too simple, or too pedestrian a venue and expect it to be successful and memorable. But in our case, I heard my honey say it wasn't as important as what had happened at it.

"Where did he propose?" This is a question that will be oft-repeated, as it has been the past 24 hours, by friends and family, hers and mine alike. The answer: An unromantic, and average music room in one of your average buildings. "Nyah!" you'd exclaim. Since when has that combination been a romantic location? Has something really great been done to it by the powers-that-be to make it a memorable place?

Not quite. But, to us, my honey especially, it's a special place that made us smile as we passed it earlier today, and will continue to bring smiles to our faces whenever we're in the area, and it's a once-in-a-lifetime event I probably can't duplicate even with all my creative juices at full boil.

If you wanna find out what happened, just read her latest post. Yes, I had her love for kids, for flowers and for music in mind when I planned this. Thankfully I was able to find some way to get them together at once. Yes, she was laughing and crying at the same time, blaming me for not giving her time to be glamorous enough for such an occasion. 1) There was no need for such, 2) It would ruin the surprise. She did not see it coming. Wapakk!!! I was smiling all the way, happy that all things came together. I was finally able to pull off something memorable and creative. Astig! Planning, and a lot of prayers paid off. Oh, not to mention a lot help from friends who I can't name at the moment. You guys know who you are, and to all of you, I am eternally grateful.

mr. right's wrong...

2007-03-17T09:04:00.000+08:00

i love kids...i love tulips...my mr. right knows all those facts. he understands why i can't stop missing my little boys (that's how i call my endearing nephews - mattie & miguel), even if i just spent the weekend with them. he understands that if i ever have a chance to see tulips growing in the streetsides of manila (how i wish!), he can never stop me from just being so bubbly and from asking him to take a lot of my 'flowershots' (kahit nakakahiya pala yun if i realize later on). oh well, i can say he knows me...he knows me very well - my quirks, my weakness, my comfort food, my mood. why am i writing this? i can't sleep. i can't get the thought out of my mind...that i was wrong. yesterday was another memorable one for me -- hectic as it always was, my day was packed with a series of meetings and a bad headache that i never had the chance to even see my mr. right (we're working in same place, by the way)...i just wanted my workhours to end so i can move ahead with my social life. yesterday, i had to check out on one reception venue setup (which was impressive, i should say) and to attend the rehearsal of our choir. yes, i was excited to hear them practice (especially that i miss my chorale practices lately). our friendly choirmaster invited us in, shortly after they finished on the song they were practicing when we got there. the kids said hello (oh, i forgot to mention, i have always dreamed of getting a children's choir for my wedding day...so we got one!). the choirmaster seated us in front of the kids - there were 25 to 30 kids in the room - and said, "this is one song we are practicing for you..." i smiled and said, "oh thank you!". the moment i heard the background music, i immediately said, "baka maiyak ako niyan ha...hehe". the kids started singing..."I Will Be Here" (S.C. Chapman). while listening, i was just smiling...until the little boy in front of me stood up...and handed me a red tulip! i smiled and said, "thank you!"...i was just thinking, "how sweet". and one by one the kids started to stand up while singing, handing a tulip to me...then i realized something's wrong! I WAS WRONG! i knew i fell for my mr. right for his sweet, caring and loving nature. i just never thought he was that creative...towards the end of the song, i saw all the kids in front of us, standing, smiling, and singing angelically....and saw my mr. right kneel down before me, as i was laughing and crying at the same time! (what a crazy sight, huh?!)...he was proposing to me with a ring! (oh yes, i got my ring)...while our choirmaster and rey were busy capturing the moment for us. who in the world could turn down a proposal like that! in the end, we were surrounded with talented kids (laughing with us and enjoying the moment) and colorful tulips! it is definitely a memorable day for me...my usual harassing day turned out to be a special day that again made me check off one of things in my "little girl's wishlist" -- a memorable proposal to share with our own little angels...

S350?

2007-03-13T15:10:00.000+08:00

Yup, as my honey mentioned, the S350 comes with the Manila Peninsula package. Not a bad deal, but it could've been sweeter had these babies come in the elegant and mafioso Obsidian Black. Oh well, Peninsula Green ain't that bad. It's an exclusive color to the Peninsula chain of hotels, or so we were told, so it's not a common sight. And, finally, we get to ride this luxo-barge. I wonder if it'll be able to fit honey's long train and veil. Hmmm... I wonder if can get to drive it tho. "Please Mr. Driver, it's just a short stretch from Santuario to The Pen. How in the world do you think I can get it up to 180 kph?"

Top Wedding Songs

2007-03-13T14:38:00.000+08:00

On my way to work one morning, I was listening to a station whose DJs were counting down the Top 10 Wedding Songs. Part of the list were the usual "I Could Not Ask For More" by Edwin McCain, "I Wanna Grow Old With You" by Adam Sandler which is one of our favorites, "The Way You Look Tonight" by Tony Bennett, and "All My Life" by America. "I'll Be," another of Edwin McCain's oft-sung ballads was out of the list coz of the song's overall theme. What caught my attention though, was the inclusion of "Loving You" by Michael Ball.

Who is Michael Ball? And what was "Loving You" about? Well, thanks to Google, I find out he's a operatic-musical-type-of-singer. Here are the lyrics. (Unfortunately, however, I still haven't heard the song):

Loving you is not a choice
It’s who I am
Loving you is not a choice
Not much reason to rejoice
But it gives me purpose
Gives me voice
To say to the world
This is why I live
You are what I live
This is why I live

Loving you is why I do the things I do
Loving you is not in my control
But loving you I have a goal
For what’s left of my life
I will live
And I will die
For you

It gives me purpose
Gives me voice
To say to the world
This is why I live
Yes, this is why I live
Loving you is why I do the things I do
Loving you is not in my control
But loving you
I have a goal
For what’s left of my life
I will live
And I will die
For you

I will live
And I will die
For you.

It may not sound so romantic with the lines, "Loving you is not a choice, Not much reason to rejoice," but then, this isn't the courtship stage any longer. That's over, as well as the Wedding. Now the Marriage begins. And, to me, since we've already decided to take that lifelong plunge, it's time to stand by that decision, and strive to make things work, no matter hope hopeless things may be, at times. "Loving you is why I do the things I do, Loving you is not in my control, But loving you I have a goal, For what’s left of my life, I will live And I will die For you".

The Blog Name

2007-03-13T14:29:00.000+08:00

Ever wonder where the "Takawmata" in Takawmata.blogspot.com came from? Well, wonder no more. The term, in general, refers to one's (bad) trait of getting or ordering more food than he or she can consume. In our case, it's actually my honey's (endearing?) trait. She'll order more than she can eat, and I'll end up devouring her leftovers. Which is why I let her do the ordering. I'll eat anything anyways. Isn't that part obvious?

Anyhow, that's perhaps just part of the story of "takawmata". It's actually meant to be a funny but real description of my honey and I. "Takaw" is, evidently, me. I just said I'll eat anything. Knowing that she cooks is probably going to mean a lot more exhausting badminton games, among other things, (wink)(wink) after we're married. Or else, there'll be more of me for her to love. "Mata" is, hehehe, my honey! Check the pics, you'll find out why. Nakuha nga ako sa tingin. Luv yah, Honey! :)

m-t-v!

2007-03-12T21:08:00.000+08:00

still shots are already covered...we're in good hands in recording our undoubtedly fun moments during our BIG day. but wait, we also need video! again, also considering our friends' inputs, we drew up our own list based on our priority - that is, making sure that we're getting value for our money. we had our top three choices - whew! but after getting rejected by the 1st video supplier that we went to (yes, they are already fully booked!...too bad), we had to consider adding more options to our top-3 list. after watching video samplers and doing supplier-hunting (which we both enjoyed doing - more bonding moments for us!), we are happy to say, we also found a talent in bob nicolas...it was great getting to know this kind and goodhearted person. (yun nga lang, mas bata siya sa akin...he always makes me feel so old. well, kasi naman he's very respectful.) tama nga sabi ng friend ko...apparently, we got to book two of his suppliers...there is nothing much more to say about this guy. you just have to see his work: www.bobnicolas.com..
and yes, with the latest trends, couples have more and more choices of photo and video suppliers which could make it even harder to decide. here's an unsolicited advice: keep the list simple and make sure that your photo and video partners are people you can be comfortable with. you will not just get an MTV style video but a Truly-Moving (or Memorable) Video you can cherish forever...together!

photographs & memories

2007-03-10T00:19:00.000+08:00

after so much number of weddings i have attended, i know how important it is to have good photos to capture those special moments during the BIG day...ang hirap din ata magprepare ng wedding, so might as well make sure that all the little special details you planned for are captured in photos. ilang albums na din nakita ko at ilan na din prenup shots ang naenjoy ko...lalo na sa mga cute poses (haha). well, yes, the new era has brought a new meaning to the term prenup...prenup in most manila weddings would mean - more nice pics of the couple before the wedding. and yes, since we're both sucker for pictures (hehe), we need to have the best that our money can buy. so we went to meet our friendly photographer - fol. no need to say much about him, i guess his works precede him (check out: www.folrana.com). we loved the shots, the imaginative packaging of his images, the artbook (not to mention his cozy house)! when we learned he's still free on the day of our wedding, we had to book him fast. you can just imagine how my mind went wild thinking where we will be shooting those prenup shots...

reception venue

2007-03-05T21:19:00.000+08:00

the grand staircase...everyone who spoke of the peninsula (or "the pen", as most people would call it) always remember the staircase which should be a grand photo-op for the bride. other than that (and the exclusivites yummy cheesecake), the rigodon ballroom has always been a favorite in my list. plus the fact that, the ballroom boasts of having the kitchen adjacent to it so food is always served fresh and hot. another plus is that, it has just been renovated! we hear a lot of people say we're lucky as it looks really grand-er after the renovation. wait, do i need to also say we get to ride an S350? *wink, wink*

ergo, reception venue: check!

first hurdle

2007-02-23T21:57:00.000+08:00

with my dreamy-eyed look, i was envisioning how my entourage would look like as they walk down the hilly, grassy pathway of the church of transfiguration (caleruega)...the big boys, nee's parents, lolo & lola (?!), TG (?!)...yes, he made me realize it would not be possible even with tagaytay's cooler climate and nicer views...what would then be the next-best-thing? (nee + barong) or (uncle + barong)...hmmm...we both agreed we need to have a way to make them more comfortable. so, we need to have A/C. did the research and learned that there are only a few churches in town that have A/C. after some thinking - one is just too big, the other too small to hold our loved ones and friends - we decided to drop by santuario de san antonio. next question: for when? oh yeah, we needed to have a specific date before we get there. we just knew it was going to be early 2008 - Jan would be a good month, as it would still have the cooler breeze as an aftermath of the christmas season. we looked at the calendar and saw there was a weekend date with "9" (sidebar: we were told once that we, as a couple, will be lucky if we get a date with the number "9") - saturday, Jan 19. as we were both morning persons, we have always had it in our minds that ours will be a morning wedding - but NO, i don't think i can try to beat my friends' early morning wedding (630AM)!!! off we go, talked to the ladies of santuario's office. watched the lady open the logbook of wedding schedules and...WHEW...we thought the timeslot was closed. nun una, akala ko ako lang kinabahan e...we both felt nervous pala when we thought we can't get the schedule we wanted. it was a good preview of "better" things (read as: KABA moments) to come.
church: check!

the proposal (N-O-T)...

2007-02-22T20:37:00.000+08:00

never did i imagine that there will come a time that i will be surprised to reach this stage...i have always dreamt of seeing my dreams realized. pero eto na, kakagulat lang - we found ourselves talking to each other...asking what should now be our next steps? we are driven. driven by our feelings and dreams. kaya yun, with no romantic music, no RING (?!), we were moved (naks). right there and then, we knew "THIS IS IT"...