A Charmed Life

new home

2011-01-15T21:40:00.000-08:00

I have moved to a new home!

www.mannaforjenny.tumblr.com

More exciting stories and adventures await you in my new addy. :)

Please do check it out. ;)

Praise God

2009-01-15T05:30:00.001-08:00

This is the first time I cried this year. It wasn't because of an unfortunate incident. I was writing into my diary listing today's blessings when I realized that one of which was what I asked God just before Christmas. I cried because I never thought God would give it to me. It was like a test, an unassuming pitch. I never thought God would grant it.

I am so humbled by all the wonderful things that has happened to me ever since I accepted God completely.

If I could verbalize all my feelings then it would be better.

Everytime I think about the blessings God has given me, I cannot help but cry. God is so good.

I am honored to have participated in this year's 7-day fast. With God's grace, I was able to finish the deed.

Article on Family Planning/Manila Bulletin

2008-08-04T00:35:00.000-07:00

Inside Page - August 04, 2008

Specialists press okay of reproductive health measure

By JENNY F.MANONGDO

Reproductive health specialists pressed for the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill to bring the country’s maternal deaths rate under control and to achieve the target under the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by 2015.

During a conference last Friday, Dr. Zaida N. Gamilla, president of Philippine Obstetrics and Gynecological Society (POGS), encouraged proponents of the controversial bill to assert the advantages of the bill and towards its passage into law. The POGS official told both the proponents and opponents of the bill to ‘agree on a certain level’ for the realization of the bill.

POGS is a nationwide society of Ob-gyn experts with more than 3,000 members nationwide.

"The arguable part is just a small portion. It is only a small item and it is more on the interpretation on how this will be enacted," Dr. Gamilla said.

"We cannot reach our target of Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) by 2015 at this rate. We should have only 52 deaths per 100,000 live births to be able to achieve the MDG target in 2015 in 2006, we had 162 deaths per 100,000 live births. This is still one of the highest in Asia," Dr. Rosendo R. Roque, POGS official said.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) set the goal for MMR to be reduced at three quarters by 2015. The Philippines is one of the signatories for the pursuit of MDGs.

At 162 deaths per 100,000 live births as indicated in the 2006 Family Planning survey, the Department of Health (DoH) admitted that the Philippines is lagging behind other Asian countries in the management of MMR.

Earlier, DoH secretary Francisco T. Duque III said many mothers die during childbirth because of the lack of quality obstetric care services in the country. DoH statistics reveal that 6 out of 10 women still deliver their babies at home without the presence of skilled birth attendants.

Officials of POGS said the RH bill would greatly lessen the rate of maternal mortalities in the country.

The doctors said the concern should not be heavily pinned on the use of artificial birth control means but on the provision of information to parents on the various methods of family planning.

Dr. Gamilla related that even donors of contraceptives who conducted education campaigns in rural areas proved that Filipino couples are actually open and have become bolder in the use of contraceptives. Therefore, she said, the promotion of family values should be also considered in the enactment of the bill.

"The core is the value of the Filipinos on the family level that must be directed. It is not the supply (contraceptive supplies)," she said.

"We have to redirect our thinking in reproductive health care. Is it all about just getting pregnant or family planning? It should be in its entirety," Dr. Gamilla added.

The POGS officials stressed that their society is working on their own to curb the rising mortality deaths in the country as well as to lessen the number of teenage pregnancies in the country.

Last week, they launched the second leg of their ‘Adolescent Health Issues and Perspectives (AHIP)’ program aimed at educating high school students on reproductive health issues.

The brainchild of Dr. Roque, AHIP, is an open forum and counseling system for teenagers who need to be informed about their sexuality and the issues related to it. The program started in 2004 and has covered a total of 17,000 students in different provinces including Romblon, Aklan, Ilocos Norte, and Banaue.

WALK WITH PRIDE - the beneficiary

2008-05-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

Dr. Penny Bundoc, the head of the prosthetics lab of PGH showed me this picture of a man who wanted to have his prosthesis done after reading my article...just knowing that I am able to influence people in any way justifies my choice of profession.

Soba ni Ite...

2008-05-12T06:35:00.000-07:00

"Kadalasan daw ng taong naiinlove, tinatakasan ng logic...nagiging unreasonable..."

Soba ni Ite...
Lyrics: MISIA

ikutsu mo hikari kasanete mite
owari no konai monogatari mitai ni

ai suru koto ni naze okubyou ni natte ita no?
kono mune wa mezameteku sukitooru kisetsu ni

soba ni ite nani yori mo
hohoende dare yori mo
ima koko de mitsumeru
anata no sono mabushisa wa
omoide ni wa naranai
shashin ni mo nokosenai
tada koko ni sakihokoru kara

ikutsu mo omoi tsuzutteru
anata e kotoba umareru mama

tada onaji sekai wo tada mitsumete iru dake de
kono mune wa tokimeku no atarashii kisetsu ni

dakishimete nani yori mo
mitsumetete dare yori mo
ima koko de hohoemu
anata no sono itoshisa wa
kotoba ni mo dekinai
ME-RU ni mo utenai
tada koko ni sakihokoru kara

soba ni ite nani yori mo
hohoende dare yori mo
ima koko de mitsumeru
anata no sono itoshisa wa
omoide ni wa naranai
shashin ni mo nokosenai
tada koko ni sakihokoru kara

Pain versus pain

2008-04-16T18:36:00.000-07:00

"You never lose by loving but you always lose by holding back." - Anon

Most recently, I fell in love again after what seemed to be a lifetime of unwarranted emotional roller coaster.

For the first time in more than six years, I confronted my inner self and rediscovered who I really am - a vulnerable girl ready to be swept off her feet by a gentleman with both class and dignity.

In over four weeks, I became a different person. I lost weight dramatically, gained confidence and developed a heightened self-esteem. I practically became a happier person than I was years back. All these due to my current object of affection whom I have learned to accept will never be mine anyway.

Still my colleagues were caught in awe of the physical changes that suddenly occurred in me.

Not only had I become more attractive, I have also begun adapting a well-meaning and cheerful spirit.

But there were times when sadness would envelope me when reality confronts me.
But my heart is more appreciative of the times when I walked as if I'm floating in a cloud happily immersed in lovely thoughts of him and me.

I wish I could extend the fleeting moments I have shared with him. However, I am happy I have immortalized each smile he accorded to me and the many times he called
my name. All of these are encapsulated in my mind.

All good things must come to an end they say, this delirium included.

However, I am thankful to God for bringing me in this situation that has ultimately made me forget the uncertainties of the past.

He has sent an angel, an almost perfect being to revive my colorless world.

I realized now that if he were a lesser person, the goal may have not been achieved. So God, being a truly wise one, ensured that the man who will carry out the plan will succeed.

He has succeeded alright. He has effectively burned the rancors of my past.

However, he also stole my heart and I want my heart back...

Love at First Sight

2008-04-12T23:07:00.000-07:00

by Wislawa Szymborska

They both thought
that a sudden feeling had united them
This certainty is beautiful,
Even more beautiful than uncertainty.

They thought they didn't know each other,
nothing had ever happened between them,
These streets, these stairs, this corridors,
Where they could have met so long ago?

I would like to ask them,
if they can remember -
perhaps in a revolving door
face to face one day?
A "sorry" in the crowd?
"Wrong number" on the 'phone?
- but I know the answer.
No, they don't remember.

How surprised they would be
For such a long time already
Fate has been playing with them.

Not quite yet ready
to change into destiny,
which brings them nearer and yet further,
cutting their path
and stifling a laugh,
escaping ever further;
There were signs, indications,
undecipherable, what does it matter?
Three years ago, perhaps
or even last Tuesday,
this leaf flying
from one shoulder to another?
Something lost and gathered.
Who knows, perhaps a ball already
in the bushes, in childhood?

There were handles, door bells,
where, on the trace of a hand,
another hand was placed;
suitcases next to one another in the
left luggage.
And maybe one night the same dream
forgotten on walking;

But every beginning
is only a continuation
and the book of fate is
always open in the middle.

Translation from Polish by Roman Gren
Translation from French by Sarah Hardenberg

An article on climate change

2008-04-03T01:51:00.000-07:00

posted on the Manila Bulletin website last April 2, 2008.

WHO warns on surge of infectious diseases

By JENNY F. MANONGDO

The Philippines is bound to experience a surge of infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever, dengue, and cholera as a result of global climate change, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned yesterday.

A research by the WHO presented by Dr. John Juliard Go, national professor officer for non-communicable diseases yesterday in Quezon City, revealed an increasing trend among infectious diseases as temperatures climb.

In the conference highlighting the possible effects of global warming to human health, WHO derived data from the Department of Health (DoH) showing an increase in dengue, typhoid fever, cholera, and malaria cases in 1998 when the country experienced the El Niño phenomenon.

In 1998, close to 40,000 dengue cases were recorded nationwide while cholera cases reached 1,200. Malaria cases climbed to more than 1,500 and typhoid fever cases climbed nearly 1,000.

"Those are some of the effects na nakita natin that gives us an idea of what temperature increase can do for some of our major infectious diseases in the country," Go said.

The number of dengue cases in the country, recorded by the National Epidemiology Center, is 6,653 and 67 deaths from January to March 8.

By the year 2085, WHO projected that 50 to 60 percent of the worldâ€™s population will be exposed to the mosquito-borne disease dengue due to climate change.

Climate change, according to experts, is a significant change in the average weather of the Earth, in effect causing temperature related illnesses and death, air pollution, water and food-borne diseases, food and water shortages, more floods, hotter temperatures, and polluted air and water.

"Many of the major killers are climate-sensitive. Each year, undernutrition kills 3.7 million; diarrhea kills 1.8 million, and malaria kills 1.1 million," WHO said.

"In the Philippines, there are already trends of increasing number of hot days and warm nights, but decreasing number of cold days and cool nights."

"Both maximum and minimum temperatures are generally getting warmer. Other extreme weather and climate events like intense rains have been seen to be more frequent," WHO added.

Earlier, the DoH said at least 67 people have died from dengue in the first three months of 2008 in the country, up 36 percent from the same period last year.

The article that God helped me write

2008-03-22T20:54:00.000-07:00

I experienced writer's block while writing this article. Honestly, the first one I wrote was totally unacceptable because I didn't really find it awe-inspiring. But after asking God for inspiration, I was able to craft a better article for this wonderful group. Thank you Lord for your help. All the glory are yours.

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http://www.mb.com.ph/MTNN20080323120029.html

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AMPUTEE SCREENING. UP Manila 4th year medical student Rambo Arocena (left) and medical Intern and Mu most exalted Brother Naegele Mandal (center) screen an amputee in one of their prosthetic and orthopedic missions nationwide. (Mu Sigma Phi photo)

FUN AT WORK. Mu applicants (from left) Button Ricarte, Joboy Dumlao, Kalvin Adala and Joel Mariano have fun while finishing a set of prostheses. (Mu Sigma Phi photo)

WALK with pride

UP’s multi-awarded medical frat gives hope to amputees and vows to restore their lives to normal.

By Jenny F. Manongdo

The rehabilitation ward of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) is very productive these days. With the opening of a new facility that effectively trains amputees in using artificial legs, the patients are no longer confined to parallel steel bars that take up more of their energy just to do simple steps.

Now, a P600,000 treadmill-like equipment sits in the newly-opened Walking Assistance and Learning Key Unit (WALK), bringing more convenience to the otherwise stressful and mundane two-hour training sessions patients had to endure.

Physical therapists, doctors and medical interns take turns in assisting the patients in walking on the treadmill.

Patients are supported by body straps to keep them from falling during the therapy session.

"Ang takot kasi ng pasyente ay baka bumagsak sila kaya lagi silang nakatingin sa sahig. Mali yun. Pag ganun, panget ang balance. Tumutumba talaga sila. We ask them to look straight in the mirror and concentrate on the instructions given to them," Dr. Rafael Bundoc, PGH orthopedic surgeon and WALK unit point man, said.

A passion for service

Only true passion for service can bring forth a noble vision into reality, and such was the case of the husband and wife medical team of Dr. Bundoc and his wife Dr. Josephine Bundoc, department consultant and former head of the rehabilitation department of the PGH.

Dr. Rafael Bundoc, batch 1986 member and current adviser of the prestigious and multi-awarded University of the Philippines (UP) Manila-based Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity, has always been interested in reviving the normalcy of life of patients who suffered amputation due to various medical conditions.

"We strongly believe that these patients, given the proper advantage, can be as productive as anybody else in society," he said as he described the sad experiences of amputees.

"Kung minsan kasi, pag may putol sa pamilya, tinatago, parang ikinakahiya. Dapat bibo sila pag ganun. Kung hindi, lalong magde-deteriorate yung patient. Kaya kami, we try to support and empower them," he said.

Highly advanced rehabilitation equipment exists abroad, but acquiring one would cost the hospital an estimated P5 million.

Through the doctors’ ingenuity, they were able to get a machine that performs similar functions amounting to only P600,000.

The orthopedic surgeon revealed that there are some 1.8 million Filipino amputees in the country today. In the PGH alone, an average of one limb per day is amputated.

Almost 70 to 80 percent of amputations were caused by diabetes followed by trauma, congenital deformities and tumors.

The MUbility project

Scenes of dedicated fraternity men assembling and painting prostheses in the laboratory have become common after the MUbility project was launched last year by Mu Sigma Phi.

Since 2005, Mu Sigma Phi has partnered with non-government organization Physicians for Peace and has already distributed an estimated 1,700 prostheses to patients in various provinces including the cities of Roxas in Capiz, Naga in Bicol, Iligan in Lanao del Norte, Cagayan de Oro, Sta. Maria, Bulacan and Mindoro. Similarly,10 patients have already benefitted from the WALK unit.

In crafting the prostheses, a highly advanced vacuum-treated thermoplastic material is used for most patients. But for younger amputees, the cheaper but functional Jaipur-foot technology is applied using polyvinyl chloride.

The PGH is one of three hospitals in Metro Manila with a facility for making prostheses. Outside the PGH, prices of artificial limbs range from the cheapest (Jaipur foot) at P5,000 up to P45, 000 (advanced technology).

Interestingly, prostheses production soared last year with the entry of more project sponsors.

The Mu Sigma Phi project, including the establishment of the WALK unit, boasts of various notable sponsors including Physicians for Peace, Operation Blessing, Kapampangan Development Foundation, Vicente and Juanita Hao, Chin Chua Foundation, and Lily Sze.

Together with the prostheses, wheelchairs are also distributed by the group during their missions.

The wheelchairs are procured through the US-based NGO Wheelchair Foundation.

Project proponents Ramon Martin F. Bañez, Vivaldi O. Igualada and Naegele Mandal, fifth year medical intern and Mu Sigma Phi Most Exalted Brother, pointed out that the wheelchairs are distributed to patients who are not qualified to receive artificial legs.

"We do not give out wheelchairs inside the hospital because we know that more patients outside the hospital are in need of wheelchairs. Through this, we can say that we have really made a difference in their lives," Mandal said.

Giving "new life"

The Mu Sigma Phi leader also stressed that helping the amputees start "a new life" does not end in the distribution of the artificial limbs.

An important component of the project is the support group composed of amputees who try to lessen each other’s woes through constant communication and support each other during training sessions.

Dr. Bundoc believes that constant interaction with fellow amputees can help the patients recover their basic bodily function and restore their self-esteem. Many of them, he said, belong to the productive age group at mid-40s up to 50s.

Patient education is also a vital part of the MUbility project. Patients are taught to take care of their prosthesis and of their stump, the part of the limb remaining after amputation.

Just how serious is the fraternity in carrying out this program?

In his MUbility concept paper, Mundal said they project that by 2010 "people with disabilities all over the Philippines would be able to have a strong, self-reliant and sustainable support group that can cater to their needs, including their medical, social, emotional and financial needs, with the goal of improving the quality of life and functionality of handicapped people."

For now, Mu Sigma Phi is preparing for a fresh round of wheelchair distribution in Pampanga on April 5.

Emboldened with a zealous desire to bring about positive changes in the lives of amputees, the group is definitely not far behind in reaching their goal.

Love, ate Jen

2008-02-15T07:25:00.000-08:00

They say a parent’s role never ceases even if the child has grown up into an older man or woman with teenaged children happily exploring their own lives. But to me, an older sibling’s role is also as important, sometimes playing the part of the ‘third parent’ in the family.

I was nine when my mother, forced by economic circumstances, chose to live a life separate from us.

At that age, most children are still clueless about the world and are in dire need of parents to guide them and mold them into useful individuals in the society.
In caring for me and my sisters, my father and my grandparents did wonderfully in stepping into the shoes of my mother. But now I realized, I had done bit roles in the story as well.

I remember dragging my sister out of bed so she could take a bath before the school bus arrives. Thinking that she had tricked me into going for a bath, I found my then four- year- old sister slumped into a sofa sleeping soundly after I came back five minutes later to check on her.

What ensued was a series of t-shirt dragging and arm-pulling (nothing serious though) before I was able to force her inside the bathroom and finally give her a bath myself.

I also remember teaching my youngest sister how to take a bath properly, a scene she had never forgotten even until now. She may have been only seven years old then.

These days, she would happily recount how I have suddenly volunteered to give her a bath that day. Of all the memories she could hold in early days, it was that scene that obviously made a mark on her. Now, I am torn whether to blame myself or not after this sister of mine developed a habit of taking a bath for about an hour much to the discomfort of the other members of this household.

When I was 11 years old in fifth grade, I remember taking my sister in my classroom during recess time.

I felt happy and proud when several classmates would gather around my ‘cute’ sister, all of them trying to outdo each other in convincing my sister to sit on their laps.

In Singapore when I was 16, I often beamed as I told acquaintances and friends that I have an intelligent sister, one who could understand and memorize lessons in a jiffy.

Junior and senior prom came and I was also there to make sure these two siblings looked their best in these important dates. I remember having stood outside one of the halls in hotel Sofitel (formerly Westin Philippine Plaza in Roxas Boulevard) carefully watching my sister socialize in the first formal event she had ever attended. I lurked around the hall for almost two hours occasionally calling on her to tell her to fix her dress or to smile a bit more. At one point, my told me sarcastically to go home and allow her to celebrate her prom on her own without an older sister acting as ‘stage ate.’

Realizing her point, I finally went home but not before making sure she will be sent home safely by her trusted friends in school.

Yes, I am also a ‘stage ate’ but you can say this again as you read on.
When my second sister joined beauty pageants, I became her number one supporter. Even if there were hired stylists and pageant assistants, I went backstage in one of the pageants just to make sure she’d look her best in the event. I had been suffering badly from allergy that day but that did not keep me from checking on her clothes, shoes and makeup.

She joined another pageant and I was there too, cheering for her loudly, hoping to rise above the louder voices of the other well-wishers of other bets.

In both pageants, she scored trophies, and that made me even more proud.
Fast forward into the future and one of my sisters is leaving for Germany to pursue a course in Archaeology.

Although it breaks my heart to be separated oceans away by the first best friend I ever had, I realized she better search for her own destiny and craft her own life while she’s young.

Almost four years later, this middle sister has successfully adapted to the German way of life juggling both school and work and conversing expertly in at least three languages a day.

She speaks German in school, Tagalog when in the company of her Filipino friends, and English when she’s with her boyfriend.

I am proud of her and it makes me teary- eyed reminiscing about the past and the beautiful moments that we have shared.

Sometimes, I wonder what it is like to have an older sibling. I would often daydream about this but I couldn’t really go on with my daydream because I do not know how to be a younger sibling because I never was one.

I wonder if I would be a different person had I been the middle sister or the youngest. I want to know how it is like to have an older sibling to laugh with, to fight with, to reconcile with and to repeat the whole process again.

I am no angel. I had my bad days too but I tried my best not to show any form of weakness in front of my sisters. I would confide with them on selected topics but my pillow is the best witness to the tears I shed in the past.

Despite that, I am honored to have played an instrumental role in my sisters’ lives. While they may not be too emotional about it, I am especially elated having successfully performed my duties as their older sister and the ‘third parent’ in the house.

Someday, I would like to see my sisters surpass all that I have attained in life. I would like to see them live the best life this world has to offer, living their dream jobs and enjoying their flourishing career. I hope to see them breeze through married life as well.

I am positive they can achieve all these because my sisters have developed wisdom, courage and compassion; virtues that will help them succeed in life.

And like a parent, I will still give my love and support to ‘Goy’, ‘Bars’ and ‘Buds’ even if my black hair has already turned into gray.

Yes, I am sisters’ keeper, a role I so enthusiastically play in this stage called life.

Joan and Jenny

Judy and Jenny

Jarry and Jenny

The Charmed Ones

Wonderful God

2008-02-12T23:24:00.001-08:00

I wanted to talk about my joy in finding a hard to find video of one my favorite Japanese songs in Youtube and how I am delighted in seeing my favorite singers sing a song about falling in love and hoping for the best.

I wanted to talk about my easy life and how I have become more optimistic in the past few days seeing only the goodness in most things and successfully ignoring the negative things, if there are any, that come my way.

I wanted to talk about my plans for my upcoming trip to Baguio in time for the Flower festival and how it excites me to see a friend whom I've not seen for so long.

But all these are nothing compared to the gift that God has given me today. I wish I could verbalize everything here but sometimes, it's just more sacred to keep some things to yourself.

I am extremely humbled by the grace God has extended to me today. Sometimes, I wonder if I have ever done anything good to deserve His love attention. But being a kind and caring God, He has graciously encouraged me to change for the better and follow His ways - something I gladly obliged in doing.

My eyes were filled with tears a while ago, just thinking about God's grace. I have long prayed for it firmly asking God to guide me in achieving that important thing. God has heard me and He has answered my prayer. He truly is a great and wonderful God.

more excerpts from the '48 Laws of Power' by Robert Greene

2008-02-07T04:32:00.000-08:00

At the start of your career, you must attach your name and reputation to a quality, an image that sets you apart from other people. This image can be something like a characteristic style of dress, or a personality quirk that amuses people and gets talked about. Once the image is established, you have an appearance, a place in the sky for your star.

Do not imagine that to create an air of mystery, you have to be grand and awe-inspiring. Mystery that is woven into your day-to-day demeanor, and is subtle, has that much more power to fascinate and attract attention.

Remember: most people are upfront and can be read like an open book, take little care to control their words or image, and are hopelessly predictable. By simply holding back, keeping silent, occasionally uttering ambiguous phrases, deliberately appearing inconsistent, and acting odd in the subtlest ways, you will emanate an aura of mystery. The people around you will then magnify that aura by constantly trying to interpret you.

*****
In the realm of power, you must learn to judge your moves by their long-term effects on other people. The problem in trying to prove a point or gain a victory through an argument is that in the end, you can never be certain on how it affects the people you're arguing with: they may appear to agree with you poliely, but inside they may resent you or perhaps you said inadvertently even offendeded them words that have insidious ability to be interpreted according to the other person's mood and insecurities.

****
When aiming for power or trying to conserve it, always look for the indirect route. And also, choose your battles carefully. If it does not matter in the long run whether the other person agrees with you- or if time and their own experience will make them understand what you mean - then it is not even to bother with a demonstration. Save your energy and walk away.

****
Avoid the unhappy and unlucky. You can die from someone else's misery - emotional states are as infectious as diseases. You may feel you are helping the drowning man but you are only precipitating your own disaster. The unfortunate sometimes draw misfortune on themselves; they will also draw it on you Associate with the happy and fortunate instead.

The people you associate with are critical. The risk of associating with 'infectors' is that you will waste valuable time and energy trying to free yourself. Through a kind of guilt by association, you will also suffer in the eyes of others. Never underestimate the dangers of infection.

How can you protect yourself against such insidious viruses? The answer lies in judging people on the effects they have on the world and not on the reasons they give for their problems.

Infectors can be recognized by the misfortune they draw on themselves, their turbulent past, their long line of broken relationships, their unstable careers, and the very force of their character which sweeps you up and make you lose your reason.

Be forwarned by these signs of an infector; learn to see the discontent in their eyes. Most importantly, do not take pity. Do not enmesh yourself in trying to help. The infector will remain unchanged, but you will be unhinged.

Use the positive side of this emotional osmosis to advantage.

If, for example, you are miserly by nature, you will never go beyond a certain limit; only generous souls attain greatness. Associate with the generous, then, and they will infect you, opening up everything that is tight and restricted in you. If you are gloomy, gravitate to the cheerful. If you are prone to isolation, force yourself to befriend the gregarious. Never associate with those who share your defects - they will reinforce everything that holds you back. Only create associations with positive affinities. Make this a rule of life and you will benefit more than from all the therapy in the world.

Call me the Ukay queen!

2008-01-27T04:47:00.000-08:00

I take pride in my 'UK' collection. I proudly own branded tops that I would not otherwise buy in boutiques for the reason that they are ridiculously priced (in my own honest opinion, that is).

My father is right: The best ukay are in Baguio all because some of the clothes sold there are not entirely second hand. This is his explanation.

Some apparel manufacturers naturally produce 150 items if the order is only for 100 pieces. Why?

Because if one or more of the delivered 100 pieces have defects, they have instant back up to replace them.

So what happens if there are no defects? well, the extra 50 pieces are stored in the warehouse for about 6 months or so until the one who commissioned the production decides it's time for a sale or if the clothes have finally been given out as donations to poor or developing countries. That's when UK comes in!

Thus, some of the UK that I found actually had tags in them. Through close scrutiny, some clothes were meant to be sold in the Japanese market, others were meant for the US market.

So without further ado, here are my latest additions to my ever growing UK collection.

They're really cheap, promise.

xoxo,

UK queen.

My Baguio sojourn

2008-01-25T17:19:00.000-08:00

They say that sometimes, what you are looking for is actually just in front of you.
I don’t know if this is the right cliché to go along with my experience when I traveled to Baguio alone in search of peace and of something new.
What was supposed to be a three-day trip was cut short into an overnight sojourn for a number of reasons.

First, I realized the disadvantage of traveling alone without having anyone to take your pictures on scenic places.

I wanted to ride a horse in Wright Park but who would take my picture?

Besides, it’s nearly 5 PM but I was still lugging my heavy backpack and climbing a steep hill in search of the transient home that I was supposed to stay in.

After realizing how impossibly far the transient inn was, I decided to just stick to the original plan of finding the first transient inn that I chose to stay in.

The place was fine and I have it all to myself. The room was just the right size with TV, ref and cooking stove and of course, a nice bed and a hot and cold shower. I was thrilled to think that I have the place all to myself that day.

But when night came, that’s when I realized the sadness of traveling alone.

Aside from my imaginations that fed stupid ghost stories in my mind, I also have no one to talk to, no one to discuss the day’s events.

So I lay there listening to the noise generated from the next room, that of the owner of the house.
They were discussing something like the homework of his daughter and about the transients who are looking for a place to stay.
At 9:30 I was already in bed, but because of the noise, sleep found me at 12 AM only to wake up again at 3 AM.

Good thing, I managed to go back to sleep though it was really difficult because of my fear of ghosts and the oddity of the whole thing – staying in a place alone with no plans at all.

At 8:30 AM the next day, I checked out and headed to the market. At least that day, I had something to be excited about, shopping.

I really had fun buying strawberries, vegetables and other souvenirs in Baguio. I said to myself “it’s the best thing that happened ever since I came to Baguio.”
After the market, I headed straight to Bayanihan center for the ‘Ukay-ukay.’

I was lucky to find several branded tops that were in good condition. The most expensive ones were sold for P170 (but hey, it was a Zara bolero and Zara sweatshirt! You wouldn’t get it even for P500 on sale!).

After about 30 minutes of searching for second hand treasures, I was off to the bus station to head home.

I have endured another six hours and 30 minutes of travel. I’m back and I’m better.

In a shopping mode

2008-01-19T06:18:00.000-08:00

I have been bitten by the shopping bug lately, all because my most favorite clothing line held its annual sale.

Bayo has miraculously included splendid recent collections into its 2008 sale from January 15 to 31.

Beautiful knitted cardigan overlays and dresses are up for grabs not to mention cute tank tops, shorts and jeans.

I have never gone gaga over shopping before. I don’t want this sudden craze to take over my savings.

Good thing I’m quite rational about shopping. I do not ‘shop til I drop’ or ‘til my wallet says: I give up!’

But I still have the urge to check out the clothes in the sale rack tomorrow…

How to be charming

2008-01-05T05:38:00.000-08:00

Excerpts taken from the briankim.net

1. Get your own life in order first.

When everything is going right in your life, the world is your oyster. You’re in the zone, you’re on top of the world, you feel invincible, like everything has fallen into place just for you. You don’t have a single worry in the world and you feel like singing and dancing in the rain. With this kind of mental state, it’s a double edged sword. It can lead you to become the most charismatic person in the world, or the most obnoxious and boastful person in the world (more on how to not be the latter later on in this article).

You cannot fake charisma if you have problems going on in your life, whether it’s trouble paying the bills, family issues, relationship problems, etc. That stuff will weigh you down.

Get your life in order. Pay the bills, save some money in the bank, forgive other people, don’t hold grudges, be courteous to all, resolve any issues you have with people, have a passion in life, have a dream you’re working on, eat right, exercise, etc. You will find that getting your act together will make it extremely easy for you to be charismatic, because then you can do the other half of what charismatic people do, and that is focus on the other person.

2. Exercise

Exercise before attending any event or gathering (and please shower afterwards :) ). It’ll give you the energy you need to emanate your glowing charm throughout the room. It’ll get you in the right mindset of a being a happy positive person because of the endorphins circulating in your body. It’ll give you that confidence to start socializing. You’ll be on your game. Everything will flow just right because you feel like a million bucks.

3. Wear the clothes

You know what clothes I’m talking about. Everybody’s got an outfit that makes them feel like a million bucks. We all know that clothes make you feel good. If you feel good, it’ll be really easy to make others feel good. And the less worried you are about your appearance, the more you can focus on the other person. The more content you are with yourself (aka self confident), the more easier it will be to turn on the charm.

4. Pre-socialize

I don’t know why it is, but if I have socialized prior to attending a gathering or event, I find it way easier to turn on the charm. What I mean by pre-socializing is just striking up conversations with any person you meet on the way to the event; the store clerk, the people on the elevator, the security guard, etc. Just some light conversation. Nothing heavy. How are you? Busy day today eh? I like your jacket. Do you mind me asking where you got it? I think pre-socializing gets you into the groove of easily being able to talk to any person, one of the key skills in becoming charming.

When you get to the event:

5. Pretend you’re the host and talk to EVERYBODY

This is a very cool paradigm to try out. Instead of standing in the corner, sipping your drink and hoping somebody will come talk to you, take the initiative and start talking with EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE. You can do this if you pretend to be the host of the event. Start by looking out for people who are trying to act cool, but are desperately wishing that someone would go talk to them. You know exactly who they are. Rescue them from their worries and you’ll see their face light up and thank you for approaching them. Work the crowd, ask how everyone’s doing. They will all light up and respond favorably. Get to know people and introduce people to other people. Most people don’t have the guts to approach strangers, so when you do it for them, they’ll be extremely grateful.

Don’t discriminate based on social groups. People are all the same. Talk to the skater, the artist, the economist, the stock broker, the lawyer, the doctor, the entrepreneur, the bartender, the guy standing in the corner, the waiter, everybody. Talk to everyone and make them feel welcome. You just need to get the ball rolling. Once you start talking to one stranger and get in the rhythm, you’ll be an unstoppable social butterfly.

6. You, not I.

Charming people focus on the other person. Rarely are they themselves the topic of discussion. When you’re out there schmoozing, listen to people when they talk to you and give them feedback to indicate that you are listening and that you understand. Be genuinely interested in the other person. Ask all about them. Always think of how you can help them. Send business their way. Hook them up with other people at the party you think they might get along well with.

7. Make them feel good.

Give people genuine compliments. Everybody needs compliments like food and water because everybody’s self esteem can always use a little boost. Don’t go for the cliché compliments like everyone else. Remember, you’re the charismatic one. You’ve got to step it up a notch. Think of a genuine killer compliment.

Also, don’t forget to use the power of touch. Studies have shown that touching promotes bond and trust between people. A hormone called oxytocin is secreted when you touch someone. Oxytocin is a feel good hormone so when they get hit with it, they associate that good feeling with you. Obviously, use your better judgment here. Don’t go up and start molesting people. Be tactful with your touch. You will find that women are the masters of this. They will lightly tap your forearm when making a point or playfully hit your shoulder when engaged in conversation with you.

People tend to remember conversations with people who use the power of touch. I remember going to one event and being charmed off the socks with this one guy. He had it going. He was working the crowd, he saw me, introduced himself, and started to ask all sorts of questions about me. I, in turn, shamelessly succumbed to his charm and divulged a lot of information and we both had good laughs. You know why I remember him out of all the other people I interacted with that day? It’s because he squeezed my arm when he shook my hand. No joke. That’s how I remembered him. As the charming guy who squeezed my arm. Touch is a very powerful thing. Use it wisely.

8. Be positive.

Smile. Charming people are known for making people feel way better after interaction. It’s like a light feathery touch that brings smiles and good feelings to everybody they come in contact with. Talk about positive things. Avoid negative things. You’ll always run into people who turn a good conversation into a bad one by bringing up some negativity. If that happens, try to tactfully point out the positive aspects of the situation. If that fails, excuse yourself from the group and move on. No need to be part of the down group.

Get your stuff together, exercise, put on those nice clothes, get in the habit of socializing with everyone, talk with everyone, really listen and keep the focus on them, make them feel good, only associate yourself with positive things and people and you’ll find yourself being the person who lights up the room.

No pork or beef for life

2008-01-05T04:39:00.000-08:00

Reposted from my friendster account

I started to shun meat in the summer of 1999 because I wanted to shed a few pounds.

The first food that was forever unmarked in my list was hamburger.

This was followed by meatballs, pork chop, steak, hotdog and all the other ‘tasty’ meat dishes.

Mahirap lang pag presscon at puro meat ang food eh talagang nagugutom ako. Mabuti nalang sa Dept. of Health, lagi akong pinagbibigyan ni Sheila ng Philippine Star at nagpapalit kami ng ulam: gulay nya kapalit ng pork or beef ko. Wais! Thanks Sheila!

If you haven’t tried eliminating pork from your diet, try it at least for two weeks. You will notice the difference.

I did.

After two weeks into that diet scheme, I decided to give pork a second chance. Off I went to our school canteen and bought the first meat dish that I saw.

Iba na ang lasa! Parang mabaho na malansa na rotten…

From that day onwards, this girl has lived a ‘meatless’ life.

Kesehodang magmukha akong chicken or fish, kesa kumain ng pork or beef.

Nope, I don’t feel like I’m missing something. The strange thing is, I don’t even miss pork or beef at all. Kahit hamburger man siya or kaldereta, or nilagang baka, ay walang appeal sa akin!

Poor pigs

On my way home from our post-Christmas party last night, I saw a jeepney full of swine. There were like 30 or more pigs squeezed inside the small jeepney running along Quezon Boulevard. They were actually piglets, pang lechon siguro.

But one pig caught my eye. Kawawa kasi ang ayos nya.

It was squeezed into one corner with its nose covered by the body of another pig.

I wondered how it is able to breathe in that position. The poor piggy couldn’t even squirm Even if the poor piglet wanted to move its body, how can that be when there simply is no room for that.

The arrangement of the poor pigs looked like they were practically thrown on top of one another. I wanted badly to take a photo of that jeep and submit it to an animal welfare group but all the vehicles were moving too fast. I really sorry for the poor swine.

Mas lalong lumakas ang loob ko na wag nang kumain ng meat dahil sa nakita ko! At least mas bumaba ang demand ng meat dahil sa ‘kin.

As for chicken and the controversies surrounding KFC and its alleged maltreatment of animals used for its products, I have already begun contemplating on saying goodbye to chicken dishes in the future.

But it seems turning my head away from chicken dishes is harder than I thought…

Excerpts from the '48 Laws of Power'

2007-12-09T03:53:00.000-08:00

"Your honesty is likely to offend people, it is much more prudent to tailor your words, telling people what they want to hear rather than the coarse and ugly truth of what you feel or think."

"If you yearn for power quickly lay honesty aside and train yourself in the art of concealing your intentions. Master the art and you will always have the upper hand."

"our first instinct is to always trust appearances. We cannot go around doubting the reality of what we see and hear constantly imagining that appearances concealed something else would exhaust and terrify us."

"People value honesty and want to believe it."

"People can only focus on one thing at a time."

One liter of tears

2007-11-21T04:18:00.000-08:00

The cast of Ichi Rittori no Namida (One Liter of Tears)

Oh dear, I'm currently in love with this Japanese drama. I'm currently spending a lot more time (and money) in internet cafes just to watch this sad but entertaining life of a 15-year old high school girl (Erika Sawajiri) who has been diagnosed with a complicated disease that will cripple her in the years to come.

Check out One Liter of Tears in the Youtube and you too will be hooked watching it.

The following synopsis was taken from the Wikipedia:

15-year-old Ikeuchi Aya was an ordinary girl, the daughter of a family who works at a tofu shop, and a soon-to-be high schooler. However, odd things have been happening to Aya lately. She has been falling down often and walks strange. Her mother, Shioka, takes Aya to see the doctor, and he informs Shioka that Aya has spinocerebellar degeneration - a terrible disease where the cerebellum of the brain gradually deteriorates to the point where the victim cannot walk, speak, write, or eat. A cruel disease, as it does not affect the mind in the least. How will Aya react when told about her disease? And how will Aya live from now on?

I have

2007-11-14T23:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I felt so low. I just felt a void inside me that left me thinking for a while. Then suddently, this wonderful thought came into being. I want to share this with you to inspire you the way it inspired me.

I have

I have sisters who laugh at me but who laugh with me as well.

I have a father who may have his shortcomings but I believe he has done his best in raising four daughters singlehandedly.

I have a mother who may not be near but I know she thinks of me every now and then. She may have not been there while I was growing up but if she were given a choice and if life was better then, I'm sure she would have stayed with us.

I have an aunt who has served as our yaya, tita, adviser, and friend in more than 20 years ( and counting).

I have a dog who loves me every minute of the day (even if I'm out of the house most of the time).

I have an uncle and a grandmother who are preoccupied with their lives but I will always remember the good things we shared in the past.

I have another grandmother who conitnually inspires me with her positive outlook in life.

I have a cousin who is patient in getting rid of viruses in my computer without demanding for anything in return.

I have real friends who call my attention if mistakes are made and encourage me to go on and fulfill my dreams.

I have gifts from the Lord that have brought me to places I have dreamed of.

I have before me vast opportunities that are waiting to be conquered.

Most of all, I have great faith in God who gave me everything that I have.

Focus

2007-11-13T23:16:00.000-08:00

Today, I have decided to focus on the good things that I have. More so, to focus on the good friends that I have instead of the posers lurking in my way.

I just watched the Oprah show where The Secret was discussed and I realized I have been channeling too much energy on the negative in the past few days. A simple comment from a so-called friend once again shattered my happier world.

Today however, I have decided to accept things as they are and focus on the brighter side. Posers exist but so do real friends.

Friends who will stand with you every step of the way. Friends who will tell you your faults and encourage you to reform yourself.

From now on, comments from posers will no longer sweat me out for they have no weight on my being. They do not matter to me. We do get together some time but it doesn't mean that I'm keeping them as friends.

I have chosen who to keep and who to scrap.

Of real friends and posers

2007-11-09T02:42:00.000-08:00

Nov 8, 2007

In this industry, I found only three real friends.

These are people whom I can really trust, people who will reserve their judgments on me but will never hesitate to remind me of my shortcomings.

Over the years, I have tested and analyzed my colleagues' appreciation of me as a person and I've come to realize that there are but a few who can really be counted as my friend.

There are those who claim to be my friend because we have the same beat or because we work in the same office.

And then, there are the 'posers.'

These are people who claim to be my ally but they have no qualms in throwing undesirable words at my back.

Over the years, I denied that fact. I blinded myself into believing that they are true to me as they are true to themselves. But no, it's not what I think.

I fell into their trap because I'm gullible and emotional. But I'm wiser now...

I continue to be nice to them. I laugh with them, eat with them, share stories with them. But that's just about it. I'm glad I never really told them the whole of me. At least there are still a lot of things about me that will remain unknown to them.

I used to think that we can transcend into the deepest level of friendship that I know. But these posers will never get there. They will forever be posers. My 'so-called friends.'

Meanwhile, I have made a resolve to treasure the three real friends that I know.

I found them despite the deep pile of posers in this industry.

Happy birthday to me

2007-11-02T21:32:00.001-07:00

pictures taken yesterday, Nov. 2, 2007. (My 30th birthday)

Going for the Impromptu decision

2007-11-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

Oct. 31, 2007

Last night, I invited Tina for dinner and coffee at Starbucks. Ang ganda kasi ng Starbucks sa Trinoma, talagang cozy yung place dahil sa mini garden located ito. Perfect for lovers nga yung place.

Anyway, at 11PM, she said we should go to a comedy bar para maiba naman. Despite my objections, tumuloy pa rin kami sa Laffline, Timog because we saw the name of Anton Diva, the sing-along master that we both like.

We were happy naman with the show because the performers were really funny. It was a truly fun night.
At least, I was able to do something different yesterday. Hay, today pala is the last day that I'm in my 20's. But hey, they said naman 40 is the new 30. So it's but logical to think that 30 is the new 20.

Pag may time kami, I want to visit the place again. Super fun talaga. Bakit nga ba wala kasi akong friend na mahilig sa night out? Well, at least nakagawa naman ako ng kakaiba.

Anton Diva with Marvin Agustin. Picture taken from the comedian's blog.

Friendships are blessings too

2007-10-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

October 23, 2007

Since several weeks ago, I made it a habit to count my blessings each day.
I realized I have received so many blessings ever since I became closer to God.
More recently, I gained new friends and reconnected with old ones.

The latest blessing that God gave me is finding an old friend whom I have not seen for more than five years.
It took me several prayers and several months of waiting before Tina and I saw each other again.

Indeed, God hears our prayers and He grants our desires at His designated time.
I missed this college friend of mine so much. Tina was my first best friend in College.

FRIENDS THEN, FRIENDS FOREVER. Tina was my guest at my birthday celebration 10 years ago.

We had been together back when we were so young and so innocent. We have shared so much – from kikay stuff to our crushes; our family life to our dreams and frustrations, we practically knew each other inside and out. Her bubbly personality has always made me smile. I like Tina’s perky nature despite the odds in life.

We lost contact when I transferred to another school. After that, we both got busy with our studies and eventually we lost contact. But I never forgot her. How can I forget someone who has been like a sister to me?

Now, she’s back in my life and I am happier. We have not seen each other for a while but we have not lost the beautiful friendship we have.

Thank you Lord for your blessing. You are truly a wonderful God.

KIKAYS FOREVER. Tina and I at Starbucks SM fairview.

TINA'S TREAT. Tina treated me to a nice white mocha drink. Next time, it's my treat.

FRIENDS INDEED. We both love having our photos taken.

Thoughts to inspire your day

2007-10-18T16:54:00.001-07:00

I gathered the following quotes from the book “Just when you think you can’t do it…Do it!” by Francis J. Kong.

I’d like to share them with you to inspire your day.

Excerpt from ‘The one- armed pianist’

“Just because a person lacks an arm or a leg does not make him or her disabled. Many people I know are disabled in their minds. They may be physically fit, but their mental condition is crippled.”

“Easy times (comfort zones) have a way of hiding this, but, curiously, challenging times of adversity and trouble can surely reveal the real stuff.”

“When they first manufactured golf balls, they made the covers smooth. Then it was discovered that after a ball had been roughed up, no one could get more distance out of it. So they started manufacturing them with dimpled covers. So it is with life; it takes some rough spots in your life to make you go your farthest.’

‘…I have learned that life’s dark realities such as these could have imprisoned me in a dark hole, but instead, they have made me whole. I thank God for these trying times of brokenness.’

Vance Havner says: “God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength.

It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume—it is Peter weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.”

“It appears that when life is broken by tragedy, God shines through the breach.” George A. Buttrick

Thank you Lord

2007-10-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

These past few weeks marked significant changes in my life.

A series of revelations came to me and I was confronted with the choice of maintaining my old self or to trod a new path. Choosing the latter, I thought would be too hard. But I am still amazed at how each day became much better than the first. God is truly guiding me in tackling these changes.

I am happier, more positive and more thankful to God.

My only regret is not having established a closer relationship with Him earlier.

A tiny voice inside has always called upon me to establish a deeper relationship with God. But I always thought I was busy with everything so I didn't heed the call. Plus, I thought my family will object if I go to a non-Catholic church. So there were all these notions inside me that kept everything delayed. I'm glad I finally took the time and the courage to renew my faith and get closer to God.

The best time of the week for me now is Sunday.

Again, I offer my utmost gratitude to you Lord for reforming me. I know I have a long road ahead of me in terms of change, but I am confident for you will be with me every step of the way.

My inaanak

2007-10-05T23:08:00.000-07:00

Michelle Andrea Capistrano, 5 years old

Amazing God. Amazing Grace.

2007-09-30T00:52:00.001-07:00

Two weeks ago, an event changed my life dramatically.

It changed the way I think about a family member as well as my perception on certain things.
I t was totally unexpected.
I was not rooting for it to happen. This is why I think God allowed it to happen.
I was hoping to get a ‘Banana cue’ for my afternoon snack but what I got was more than that.
It was a path to acceptance and for reconciliation, something that I have always hoped for.
Now, I understand why the Lord has not yet given the go signal for me to go abroad. I have to settle a gap that has always been there but is not widely talked about at home.
Now it’s out and we’re free.
On the first two days of knowing the truth, I felt so sad and sorry.
I cried the first time I knew about the truth and I cried more when I replayed them in my mind.
I wished I had been there at the lowest points in her life. I wished I had been a better guide. There were a lot of things that I wished for thinking that it could change things the way they are now.
But on second thought, she wouldn’t be who she is now if things were not the way they were.
After everything this family member has gone through, I can honestly say that she is the bravest among us.
I’m proud of her drive to achieve her goals. I am proud of her courage and resiliency.
She has gone through difficult times but she surpassed all of her troubles triumphantly without our help.
I am proud of her more than ever because now I understand her reasons for being herself.
There used to be half a wall between us but God has dissolved it.
Thank you Lord!
To my friends who have helped me go through this, thank you too. Please accept my gratitude for every advice that you have given out to me. Thank you for listening to me, thank you for being there for me. You have made our friendship even more meaningful.
Thank you Lord for opening our hearts and making us realize the true meaning of love and trust.
Thank you Lord for opening a new chapter in our lives.
Thank you Lord for giving me the strength to pass two tests that you have laid out for me.
You are truly an amazing God.
Thank you for your amazing grace.

Bonding in Macau

2007-09-29T02:47:00.000-07:00

(August 22 to September 2 2007)

Not only did I learn much about the place.

I learned a lot about myself, my sister, and my friend who lives there.

Riding the cable car. I'm afraid of heights but I survived it.

Goddesses on the mountain top. Takot pa rin ako sa heights! Pero ganda ng background. Overlooking the beauty of Asia's sin city.

Nope. This is not Binondo.

Naka-pose hanggang sa loob ng church.

My only regret is not being able to note all the names of the church we went to.

We did not go inside this casino. Hirap nga pumasok sa mga casinos because my sister looks below 18 when she's already 20. How could I blame her when I myself looks younger most of the time. (hahaha!) Besides, we're not her to gamble.

Just the two of us. Behind is the famous ruins of St. Paul's church in San Malo.

Turistas en Macao

Differences between men and women

2007-06-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

Just posting some interesting descriptions about men and women

Source: metacafe

1. A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

2. Men wake up as good-looking as when they went to bed.
Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

3. A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he wants .
A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't want.

4. A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, and she does.

5. There are two times when a man doesn't understand a woman- before and after marriage .

6. A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

7. To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot and love him a little.
To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.

8. Any married man should forget his mistakes.
There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!

9. A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

10.Women look at a wedding as the beginning of romance, while men look at a wedding as the ending of romance.

Getting back on the Right Track

2007-06-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

I had the flu for two days but I’m feeling better now although I wasn’t able to sleep last night because I was coughing badly until 2:30 AM.

Anyway, I better finalize my application papers and I have to send right after I finish them.

I want to leave now and start a new career. But there are nights when I would feel lonely without any reason at all.

I’m thinking that it may be lonely for me being in a new place, having no friends or family to go to (well, I have family there – sort of, but we’re not really close. So they don’t matter).

But that would actually make me stronger. I believe it would make me a better person that I am today.

They say that a person stops growing when he or she becomes too comfortable.

Over the last five years, I have grown so comfortable that I almost lost my dreams, my drive to achieve more and my spirit to pursue my ambitions.

But thankfully, I regained my composure and I came back to my old self. I have more dreams than this and I will pursue them.

Of Editors and Press Releases

2007-05-02T23:01:00.000-07:00

Five years in the business and frustration has crept into my system.

Pano namang hindi, the editors (not all of them though) are prioritizing press releases over our stories (go ask any Bulletin reporter and they would not object with this)!

We gather our stories religiously only to compete with releases that are lording it over our paper each day. Siyempre, they (editors) get extra money for every press release published.

Sinong hindi tatamarin?

But I can't do that because I have the passion especially in writing feature stories.

Pero siguro dumarating talaga yung time na mapapaisip ka whether to go on or to look for another group who believes in the same beliefs you have and will promote the same causes that you are passionate about.

I'm praying for the Lord's guidance on this matter.

Palawan - Honda Bay

2007-04-23T23:49:00.000-07:00

April 17, 2007
Honda Bay, Palawan

Realizations

2007-04-06T05:58:00.000-07:00

After having been assigned to cover the electoral campaign of senatorial candidates, I have realized three valuable lesson about the industry Iam in:

1. Trust no one.

No Jenny, in this business, you cannot trust everyone and you cannot treat everyone the same way you treat your friends.

Many of them are posers.

You think those reporters have good intentions? Kailangan mo pang mapaso para malaman ang totoo na ginamit ka nila para pagtakpan ang sarili nilang hang-ups sa buhay. Lose the hatred but remember the lesson. You've had quite a number of friends in the media and it's a good thing. But not everyone is honest and they absolute abhor honest people. Your honesty has not done you any good.

Lesson: Shut your mouth. Use more of your ears than your mouth.

2.At the end of the Day, sila pa rin ang kasama mo. So learn to go with the flow.

Just like show business, learn to be flexible. Smile, even if you feel like you want to kick them in the ass. Ganun na talaga sila. Remember their sentiments in Palawan? They became that way because of the experiences that shaped them. There were people just like them who bullied them when they were starting out so this is their way of getting back at those bullies - bullying the newbies as well.

3. Never be like them.

Always remember this: Be kind to the little people you meet along the way because they will be the same people you'll meet on your way down.

Parang ang layo nito sa theme ko. But just the same, wag kang mang-aapi ng mga baguhan. Always think of them as potential friends (although may mga ilang nakakainis naman talaga). You'll never know, baka mas marami pa silang maaachieve sayo so wag kang mayabang kagaya nila...

Wow! I have so much going on inside my mind.

But I don't want to dwell on the negative feelings anymore. I've learned my lesson and I'll always remember it.

Nakasama ko na ulit itong mga taong sa isa pang sortie and they all look the same to me except that they seem to be nicer.

Nag-sorry din sila sa akin and one of them even hugged me. So may kunsensya din pala kayo?!

Hoy, hindi nyo na ko maloloko! At the back of my mind, alam ko mga kara nyo no!
Kunwari ka pang "honest" pero tanong ka ng tanong sakin kung sino may hawak ng shopping money! haller! Magpakatotoo ka sister!

Despite this, I honestly believe that I still got a beautiful life.
Eat your hearts out, ape girls!!!

"I Do"

2007-02-07T20:03:00.000-08:00

Last January 27, I attended the wedding of a close friend. It was a beautiful garden wedding fit for two bestfriends who did not hesitate to share forever with each other.

The groom wore a really nice Camisa-chino inspired Barong while the bride wore one of the most beautiful bridal gowns I've ever seen.

It was a tube top, off shoulder yellow gold flowing bridal gown. The bride chose a short veil probably to offset the length of her wedding dress that has also doubled as 'walis' that day. Nevertheless, the bride was stunning in her gown (Ivy, I can't believe you bought it in Divisoria. It's so beautiful! Yan, binuking pa kita where you bought it, sorry.)

The wedding which was originally slated at 3 PM did not start on time because of a few glitches.

The large candle that was supposed to be placed on the alter was forgotten, the food caterer has not arrived yet and the sound mobile also got caught somewhere.

At about 3:30, the wedding ceremony pushed through much to the excitment of everybody.

The march was almost perfect and everybody seemed excited.

I heard a faint gush when the bride and her parents made their march down the aisle.

Brides are truly beautiful on their wedding day.

I've never seen Ivy so happy and radiant. She may not have noticed it because of all the frenzy that day, but I saw in her the aura of happiness that I've never seen before.

It was a perfect day to get married.

Cojie and Ivy with bestman and Maid of honor.

The sun was shining brightly and the cool breeze coming from the trees inside the resort added to the gaiety.

The nice swimming pool just a few yards away from the garden also made the ceremony interesting.

But what really caught my attention was the marriage vows the couple recited.

I never realized that marriage vows could be so dramatic and so beautiful.

Have you ever seen or heard something so beautiful that you ran out of words to describe it?

That's exactly how I feel right now although yesterday, I was awe-inspired by the beautiful promises Cojie and Ivy recited.

It was a promise to respect and love each other forever. They were beautiful promises that could have made me cry had I been the bride. I was waiting for one of them to cry while reciting the vows. I thought I heard Ivy's voice crack a little somewhere and I readily understood her.

There was even a clause where Ivy mentioned that she will go wherever Cojie goes and live wherever he lives; she will die where Cojie dies and will be laid to rest right next to him.

I don't know about the others, but I felt immense love reverberating in the atmosphere yesterday.

It was like a movie. It was like a dream.

Ivy married her bestfriend and Cojie married his soulmate.

Perfect.

Now, nothing else matters.

They've got each other and they are headed to a lifelong of marital bliss with occasional tribulations (which I know they could overcome anyway).

To the new Mr. and Mrs. Cojie and Ivy Tibay, congratulations my friends! Thank you for making me a part of your special day.

Beautiful Start

2007-01-06T19:53:00.000-08:00

Last week, I heard someone say that this year is meant for ‘ending and beginning new endeavors.’

When I heard that, it hit me right at the very core of my being.

I realized I needed to change and forget a lot of things.

Time was not wasted and last January 4, a really old part of me withered away and died.

I should have ended that ‘part of me’ a very long time ago, but I wasn’t able to do that. It’s like a necessary evil that kept coming back to me hurting me even more.

Alas, the good Lord had pulled me out of that rut after many prayers.

Though hurting, I am coping and I think I am better off where I am right now.

God speaks to us in many ways and no matter how many books I have read negating or affirming this, I believe God has spoken a lot to me these days.

Maybe because I’ve asked too many questions.

Sometimes, he answers through thought transfer and sometimes through other people.

Minsan, bigla na lang may signboard na akmang-akma sa katanungan na nasa isip ko. Hmm…ang weird naman diba? Timing na timing.

Basta ako, ay Lord lang nakasandal. Hindi nya ako pababayaan at ilalagay nya ko sa mas nakabubuti sa akin.

Ang dami ko nang natutunang lessons this past few years I’ve been working as a journalist. Andito lahat ng klase ng tao. At ang dami ring sitwasyon na talagang kinapulutan ko ng aral.

Now, I can say, I’m stronger than before.

Sweet and Weird

2006-12-07T03:26:00.000-08:00

Here are some ‘non-conventional’ pictures taken in Japan.

Sobrang kalasingan, nakatulog na sa floor ng Train station. Siyempre di ko na ginising, baka suntukin ako! hahaha! 3 minutes later, a train staff tried waking him up. Well, he was still on the floor even when the train left.

Tama bang magtinda ng tape ng 'Rape' sa convenience store sa mismong train station?

Abangan ang part 2 ng post na ito...

Hello. Do I know you?

2006-12-07T03:03:00.000-08:00

Nov. 1

When something so wonderful suddenly crushes, your whole world seems to crumble as well.

When something so beautiful in the beginning turns sour one day, you ask yourself what caused the events and you blame yourself for the turnaround of events.

But this shouldn’t be so.

Did it ever occur to you that maybe fate had a hand in it?

That even though it is truly wonderful and amazing at first, it was destined to end… it was not meant to be.

In Charmed, the already agonizing Cole asked his wife Phoebe: “What happened to us? We used to be so in love.”

Phoebe replied, “Maybe it’s not meant to be.”

I used to understand him, but not anymore. He used to understand me, but not anymore.

Sometimes, people grow apart and they outgrow each other.

When the other half longs for greater things or noble endeavors, the other half feels insecure and begins to develop hatred for the other. He feels inadequate. He feels left out.

Or maybe he has grown and became a different person.

Suddenly, you don’t know each other anymore.

Does he even like this?

And he wonders, “How will she react?”

Why are you even together when you can’t stand each other?

“Sayang kasi.”

Nope, I don’t think so.

Habang lalo kang nanghihinayang, lalo kang nasasaktan…kumawala ka na. Baguhin ang takbo ng buhay mo…

Sana may shortcut…

The Little Prince

2006-11-20T03:41:00.000-08:00

November 20, 2006
6:30PM

I watched the movie version of the ‘The Little Prince’ today and I was reminded of the truths about life in the eyes of its central character, a child.

When we were young, everything was uncomplicated.

There was so much zest in us, so much excitement about everything.

There was a lot to be discovered and so many mysteries to be unraveled.

We were burning with passion for truth. Most of all, we were innocent and we were honest.

But it all changed when we grew older.

We needed to change. After all, they say change is the only constant in this world.

The classic story of the Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery is about connecting with your inner child, and about maintaining your zest in life. It encourages us to sustain our excitement in life and not lose hope about our dreams.

The other lead is a man who dreamt of becoming a painter when he was a child. But the grown ups kept on discouraging him and many even laughed at his dreams so he shoved his dream away. He also fell short on relationships and he does not have any friend.

He met the little prince when the engine of his plane broke down in the middle of the Sahara desert. The two of them shared a few days together where the adult lead learned about life courtesy of the young lead.

The Wisdom of the Little Prince:

The Little Prince left his little planet because he felt suffocated by his demanding little flower. He came to earth after dropping by several planets where grown ups do ‘complex’ things that seem irrational to the boy such as a military man who lives alone but is always on alert for enemies. Yet this military guy admitted that he is alone and he cannot fight all enemies ahead (which are all imaginary anyway).

All of us have our own inner conflicts. We all have personal battles to contend with. And as we grow older, they either multiply or decrease in number.

He also came to a planet occupied by a man who does nothing but count stars believing it could make him rich.
“How is it possible to own the stars?” The Little Prince asked.

“When you find a diamond that belongs to nobody, it is yours. When you discover an island that belongs to nobody, it is yours. When you get an idea before anyone else, you take out a patent on it, it is yours. So with me: I own the stars, because nobody else before me ever thought of owning them,” the man replied.

Lost Dreams

The boy was also able to get acquainted with a fox who told him one little secret:

“It is only in the heart that one can see clearly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.”

How many times have we fooled ourselves and others? How many times have we told them that we’re alright but we’re crying deep within? How many people have stopped pursuing their dreams because they were confronted with economic realities: teachers and engineers who turned into domestic helpers, career persons who chose to be illegal aliens abroad for the sake of their families.

There are many people who sacrificed their dreams to keep up with reality. I’m sure many of them would say they are okay or they are just fine. They are earning money. They are able to bring food on the table. But imagine a teacher who was once an authority inside a classroom toiling in the middle of a foreign land, cleaning toilets and scrubbing kitchen floors for money. Don’t you think she feels degraded sometimes?

The Rose

Back home, the Little Prince has a rose. It was the only rose that grew on his planet so he regarded it highly and treated it like a royalty. It was his ‘unique’ rose.

Yet, when he came to earth, he saw that there were many roses. He felt sad upon realizing that his ‘unique’ rose was just an ordinary rose like the rest.

But the fox again made him realize how special his rose is.

The Little Prince care about this rose and he loves it. It is his friend, his responsibility. It is his rose. That reality set it apart from the rest of the other roses.

I have met a lot of people in the past. Yet, there are people who are unique to me because they are my friends. Some of them I’ve known for a while and others have been with me for a long time. They’re not just ‘plain people’ – they’re my friends and that’s what makes them unique. I care about them and they care about me.

Never stopped reaching for your dreams
The story of the Little Prince simply reminds us of the things that we should never forget. It also subtly tells us to keep reaching for our dreams, to believe in it.

I am living one of my dreams and I am aiming to reach for the other dream.

It is a long shot but I am willing to try my luck and take risks to attain it. I do not want to regret not having tried reaching for it. I want to do it.

As William Shakespeare said, “You must take your chance.”

I do not know when and I do not know how. But the Lord will lead me to it somehow.

Someday, the opportunity will come and I’m gonna take it.

Breakaway

2006-10-19T02:09:00.000-07:00

I could have written the same thoughts reflected in the lyrics of this song from Kelly Clarkson.

It contains my exact sentiments about making a change and doing all it takes to 'touch the sky.'

BREAKAWAY

Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I just stared out my window
Dreaming of what could be
And if I'd end up happy
I would pray

Trying not to reach out
But when I'd try to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I pray
I could breakaway

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky
I'll make a wish
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I loved
I'll take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway

Wanna feel the warm breeze
Sleep under a palm tree
Feel the rush of the ocean
Get onboard a fast train
Travel on a jet plane, far away
And breakaway

Buildings with a hundred floors
Swinging around revolving doors
Maybe I don't know where they'll take me but
Gotta keep moving on, moving on
Fly away, breakaway

I'll spread my wings
And I'll learn how to fly
Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye
I gotta take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget the place I come from
I gotta take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway, breakaway, breakaway

Turning Point

2006-10-04T23:13:00.000-07:00

A recent sojourn called my attention to one of my most desired things in life that I’ve pushed away from my consciousness many times: freedom.

I think everybody yearns to sometimes get away from it all and see things in a different light – alone.

Going home to an empty room in Japan is extraordinary especially if you grew up with three other siblings who often go to you for answers on almost anything and everything under the sun. Just when you think it’s time to sleep and relax, they’ve decided to have a little chat with impossibly loud voices in the other room at 10 pm!

And then, your ever intelligent father decides to have a chat with you pressing you for the hundredth time to do this and that and most especially to get married!

Years back, I would have said yes to marriage. But now I realized that I still long for freedom. I would have done badly as a wife and a mother if I plunged on it right away.

Meanwhile, my lovable and adorable dog craves for my attention as I am tinkering in my PC and trying to meet the deadline for the feature story. Not that I don’t love her. It’s just that she’s so clingy and dependent; she doesn’t want to let people out of her sight.

I told my sister (who’s now in Germany) that the best thing I loved about my sojourn to Japan is the freedom from it all. She agreed with me and laid out more advantages about living solo. She made it seem so attractive that I would have salivated if I visualized it more.

She is currently in Mainz, Germany and is about to study archaeology, her first real love.

I envy her for the freedom she’s got.

Yes, families are important. They are our number one support system if anything in our lives goes wrong.

But every individual deserves free space sometimes.

I’m still contemplating on the next step I’m going to take. Someday soon, I will have to make a very important decision. Should I stay or should I go?

2006-09-30T00:41:00.000-07:00

September 8

Random thoughts

First impressions do not really last.

I think our impressions change form as we get to know more about the individual.

Some people say that looks can be deceiving and this holds true with first impressions. A person who appears amiable may not always be so deep within. That person might have a deeper agenda that defines his or her actions.

--------------------
I almost drowned with excitement when I first learned I am going to Japan.

My first thoughts did not center on the perks of the trip but I longed for the freedom of living alone (well, almost) and independently, away from my family.

I think people who still live with their parents and siblings long for this kind of freedom.

It's the thrill of going home to a place you can call your own without having the need to bother about other people. No arguments. No expectations.

You can leave your mess without feeling any guilt for the household help.

Don't get me wrong.

I love my family and I love my dog. It's just that sometimes, people need space to grow and to learn.

People who see each other too often tend to forget the meaning of intrusion of privacy.

I have been guilty of this many times.

My sister and I have been through arguments countless times because of differences in our opinions and lifestyle.

Most of the time, I think that I am just playing the role of a big sister. You know the thing about having to be your sisters' keeper?

However, there are times when I think I may be going overboard.

I don't own my sister. She's an individual and she is entitled to chart her own life course.

But I can't help it. If I feel that she is halfway in going astray, I feel the strong urge to come to her aid and take her to the right course although the said course may not always appeal to her.

The author Aloy Mc Ginnis said people will not become who you nag them to be but who you encourage them to be. I so agree with this.

I think continually reminding individuals on how they should live their lives suffocates them and stunts their growth.

It's quite strange for me to have these realizations while I'm in a far place.

Perhaps, some people become ponderous when they face loneliness and miss the company of the people they consider as true allies.

I am not entirely lonely tonight. I'm actually tired from the day's activities.

It's the feeling of trying to fit in a crowd that gives me such feelings.

But then again, I am not pushing myself to the limits just to please everyone.

I think the differences in our character makes the experience more colorful.

My siblings,cousins, my grandmother and a family friend in the celebration of New Year's eve three years ago.

The Charmed One goes to Japan

2006-09-25T05:54:00.000-07:00

The following posts were made inside the hotels we stayed in Japan. I haven’t had the time to post them while I was there. Anyway, here are my reflections concerning my sojourn in Japan.

September 6
Hotel Excel Tokyu
Fukuoka prefecture, Japan
www.totallycharmedforever.blogspot.com

Drawn

"We are drawn to the people who are drawn to us."

This really simple idea by a clever author struck me heavily as it made me realize the capacity of humans to become drawn to each other while alienating other members of the species in the process.

A big question mark used to pop in my head when I think about relationships that click and relationships that fail.

This encompasses friendships and romantic relationships.

When people find commonalities within themselves, they immediately bond and friendship ensues.

However, there are some people who cannot seem to find anything to agree upon even if they have been colleagues for the longest time.

Some people find it attractive to pursue the 'intelligent ones' while others prefer being alone and do not care at all whether others find them boring or reclusive.

Then there are others who regard themselves highly and prefer people who may fall in the same category.

When some people do not join the larger group because they prefer doing other things, does it mean they are defying the norm?

If I want to put milk in my coffee and the popular guys want their coffee black, does that make me 'uncool?'

I have been in this situation many times and I have survived them all.

Why would I always follow the mindset of the herd? The majority is not always right. The minority may have some truth in their hands too.

I'd rather be with people who are drawn to the same ideas and opinions than follow the herd and achieve nothing.

I am surprised to find that the two Malaysian fellows share the same mindset that I have.

I am elated to say that in a span of 30 minutes, we were able to open the gates of friendship by employing the principles of openness and trust.

Thanks to that small talk, I have now nurtured the affinity I have with two people who were brought to me by destiny.

I had actually planned to retire as soon as we got back to the hotel. But after 15 minutes of interesting conversation, Pokemon and Kong discouraged me from doing so when they expressed their opinion about the conversation. They are actually enjoying the conversation!

I like them both because they do not have to put on masks to conceal their true identity. At least that's my impression of them.

I trust them.

Small talk plus openness and trust equals friendship. Now that's an achievement!

We may not see each other anymore after the program, but who knows? Destiny may bring us back together in another situation.

I would like to believe that tonight, we have fulfilled a small part of our destiny.

Tonight, the affinity was sealed.

Jenny/09/06/2006

It Takes All Kinds (ITAK)

2006-08-10T05:48:00.000-07:00

My father always tells us that all kinds of people roam the earth: achievers, dreamers, winners, social climbers, fault-finders, losers, destroyers and others. I think I've met quite a number of them in my 20 something years of existence.

I once had a boss who is widely known for her volatile temper and her impossible personality.

She's the type whom you never want to bump with in the hallway much less to be stuck with inside an elevator.

When she's angry, her mouth sends off poisonous steams that could rival that of Mount Mayon's. Top that with an undeniable bad breath that finds its roots from the numerous cigarette sticks and tobacco sticks that she consumes each day.

Oddly, she finds serenity and solace by puffing at least 4 tobacco sticks and probably 10 cigarette sticks in the five hours that she spends in the office. Top that with about 3 cups of strongly brewed coffee. Talk about killing one's self!

Once when she scolded me for a mistake that is really trivial, I got back at her by going beyond the usual measurement of coffee that we put inside the coffeemaker. It's supposed to be 2 tablespoons of coffee and 2 teaspoons of sugar plus water. But I put maybe four tablespoons of coffee hoping to increase her caffeine intake (haha, salbahe ako!) so she'll get sick. I think I did that for like five days then I stopped. But I did it at least once or twice a week when I get mad at her.

Oh well, she really gave all her staff a piece of hell. She's the kind of person who will stick with you if you're rich or famous. In short, she will court your company if you are SOMEBODY.

She used to kiss the ass of the TV company owner that I worked for. He was a chinese man who had been there for a long time before another man of chinese ancestry took the reins after about one year after I left.

This boss of mine used to fall on her knees in greeting HER BOSS during executive meetings. However, she made the mistake of destroying him shortly before the ownership changed hands.

I couldn't believe she had done that. But then, I think I better believe it because a social climber and loser like her can and will do everything just to get her piece of the pie.

Interestingly, when the new boss assumed his role, one of the first things that he did was to kick out this social climber boss of mine.

I never witnessed that event anymore because I have already transferred to my present workplace even before the incident happened. But my sources said that she was kicked out by the new management.

I thought, perhaps the people in the company have found a way to present their complaints against her when the new executives came in.

By attempting to destroy the reputation of the former owner, this social climber thought she could get a higher position and probably, a higher professional fee. Well, sorry for her she was not able to influence the decisions of the new owner.

Last time I checked, I learned she has become the manager of her close friend who was once a famous actress who have decided to put her career in the backseat in favor of her family. This actress was really famous back then because of her absolute beauty. She married a wealthy man in the province of Davao.

The funny thing here is this: KUNG GANO KAGANDA YUNG FRIEND NIYA, GANUN NAMAN KAPANGIT ITONG SI SOCIAL CLIMBER.

Hay, ayokong mamintas pero yan ang tamang description.

Kung ayaw nyong maniwala maghanap na lang kayo ng pictures ni &^@@#!!!!! ... on second thought, wag na lang. Baka magka-nightmare pa kayo! Kung natakot kayo kay Sadako at dun sa bata sa 'Sukob,' mas matatakot kayo sa mukha nitong taong 'to!! Kahit MAC pa ang gamit nyang makeup wala pa ring effect!

Anyway, I posted this because I want to illustrate how karma works. In her case, ang bilis!

Lahat ng ginawa nya sa aming mga staff nya bumalik lahat sa kanya sa isang iglap!

We didn't even need to wish for negative things to come her way. It found her even in her own office.

Manongdo too

2006-07-24T21:35:00.000-07:00

Hey look what I found! A site about a certain Manongdo family living in the states. Yup, we're not alone. He hehe!

This is the link of their website: www.manongdo.net

One of them (the musician) looks like Rolly (papa's half-bro) and man, he can really sing (if that's his real voice)

Goy what do ya think?

Sydney goes to the vet

2006-07-16T07:06:00.000-07:00

I've got no pics for this one. I'm just happy to say that my dog has gotten used to going to the vet for injections. That's right, she's now used to needles going under her skin for her anti-rabies and anti-everything shots.

[According to her record, these were administered to her: Anti-Canine Distemper-Adenovirus Type 2-Parainfluenza-Parovirus vaccine, Leptospira Bacteria. She was also given deworming tablets]

Doc Bido immediately recognized her when we went to the clinic. Her vet has never forgotten her since she got confined two and a half years back.

After her shots, we were supposed to go to the meat shop but since she's fidgeting too much, I decided to just buy puto (Rice cakes) and head home.

The tricycle driver was surprised to learn that it wasn't a stuff toy that I was carrying but a real dog.

Jenny: (inside the passenger's seat) Sydney! Wag ka malikot!
Driver: (takes a peek inside the passenger's seat) Ay, akala ko stuff toy yang dala mo! Gulat ako bigla kang nagsalita!

It's so funny but it's always like this.

I love my dog. We all love her.

Buddy goes to Singapore

2006-07-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

Cousin Buds finally found a job in Singapore! He left three weeks ago.
He's also getting married soon...Whew! Saya ni Buddy! Good Luck Buddy!

BUDDY BAG. When I saw his luggage, I told him "Buddy ito lang lahat ng gamit mo? Kung ako ikaw, itong box na 'to makeup pa lang." He laughed.

BUDDY AND JR. Buddy may come back to arrange for his wedding...or he may get married in Singapore.

BYE AND SEE YOU SOON!

Corregidor

2006-06-19T04:12:00.001-07:00

"Smile everyone!"

The ruins of what used to be the YMCA building

"Boy Scout ka ba o Guardia Sibil?"

Payat na ko, belat! :)

More Corregidor pics

2006-06-19T04:12:00.000-07:00

Sakay na!

Kainan na!

Pose muna!

"Kakaba-Kaboo" in Corregidor

2006-06-07T19:32:00.000-07:00

Notice how eerie these pictures are

Do you see the white thing above my head?

Do you see the white thing just a little above the ground?

do you see the white figure of a man sitting on the lower portion of the double deck?

Notice the white orbs (said to be spirits that travel together forming a ball of light) here? These spirits "greeted" us visitors upon entering Malinta Tunnel.

This tunnel by the way saw thousands of Japanese soldiers who performed suicide instead of surrendering to the American troops during the second World War.

Click the pictures and zoom through it. You can see the spirits inside the orb.
My sister and I can see them. Can you?

The sister has left the house

2006-05-31T06:24:00.000-07:00

The Charmed Ones. From left: Phoebe, Paige and Piper.

I Just watched a very emotional episode of Charmed two nights ago.

To those who are living under the rock and obviously unaware of this
magnificent show, Charmed is about three powerful witches/sisters who use their powers for good and saving innocents.

Having watched Charmed for eight years, I can almost relate to all
the feelings of the characters
in the show.

The sisters have always stayed under one roof, because many of their
travails have more often than not required the power of three.

In the past, the two sisters, Phoebe and Paige have tried moving out to
pursue a life of their own but circumstances have always led them back to the
manor.

However, this last season sees Phoebe finally moving out of the manor
into a place of her own.

In this episode "Repo Manor," Phoebe is in the process of transferring all her
things into her new condo. Piper, who bravely hides her true feelings,
kept asking Phoebe to stay a little longer and help out in some
'chores.' By chores, I mean witch stuff. I won't elaborate on that
anymore because if I do that, then I would have to explain all the past
episodes here.

The thing is, Piper is half-hearted in allowing Phoebe to leave the
manor. Piper is currently in a very difficult stage as she has
recently 'lost' her husband because of certain circumstances which is
again a very lengthy discussion if I have to put it here.

I was deeply touched with the scene where Piper bids goodbye to Phoebe while putting up a brave front.

Like what Paige (the youngest sister) said it is hardest for Piper to see Phoebe go because they’ve always been together since “age zero.”

Paige was adopted as a baby and was only reunited with her true family – the Halliwells until five years ago.

Here is the transcript of that emotional scene.

Piper & Phoebe have one last goodbye before Phoebe leaves for her new condo.

Phoebe: “Piper, I'm just moving into town, you know. It's not that far away.”
Piper: “Yeah. But it's not down the hall.”
Phoebe (nods her head in agreement): “That's true. (sighs) You know, if
you don't want me to go—“
Piper: “No. You've got to go. I'm just a little sad, but I can be sad (tears
rolling down Piper's eyes now).
Phoebe: “Absolutely. I'm sad too. (Piper smiles a little)”
Piper: “It's just, you know, it's been a lot of change.”
Phoebe: “This will always be my home and that will never change. This
is my family.”

They hug each other and Piper tries not to cry as Phoebe leaves for her new place.

Change is never easy and it's never easy seeing someone you love dearly leave home.

Just like my sister when she left for Germany almost two years ago.

I wrote her a letter a few months before she left.

I cried while I was writing that letter because like Piper and many other individuals, huge changes aren’t easy especially if it meant goodbye.

If Joan (my sister) were Phoebe and I were Piper, this would have been our scene:

Joan: “Ate, I can always email you or call you. It’s not like I’m gone for good."

Ate (Jenny): "Yes, but Germany is not just across the street. Of course, it will never be the same. Sending emails is nothing like talking about how our day went while lying in bed at night. Everything’s not the same after goodbye."

Joan: "But I will always be your sister. You will always be my family. I will go back there someday, promise."

Ate (Jenny): "I know and I wish you nothing but good luck. I know you’ll be able to find yourself and reach your dreams. I hope you’ll be the greatest Filipino archaeologist Germany and the Philippines have ever known. You might even find the real Shroud of Turin (ha ha ha)."

Joan: "We all have to part ways someday. I was just the first one to leave."

Here's the part where I'm supposed to hold back my tears from falling.

Ate (Jenny): "It's okay Goy. Find your destiny. Hey, we can't be roommates forever (Jenny smiles).

The bond between us four sisters is just as thick as Elmer's glue :)

I fought hard (and inserted a few jokes) to keep tears from falling while updating this blog... I was successful at it.

But deep inside, it’s a different story...

Here's Phoebe (left) comforting Piper after the series of ups and downs in the family.

Here's Piper comforting Phoebe after a disheartening event in the latter's lovelife.

2006-05-28T03:41:00.000-07:00

It was an otherwise mundane Sunday, buti na lang binisita ako ng aking bestfriend and inaanak.

While Maria and I were talking about my favorite subject - makeup, my curious little inaanak Andrea also dabbed a few colors on her face.

CUTE!

Pasaway! :)

"Paglaki mo anak, magmamana ka sa'min ni ninang Jenny - Kikay!"

As Paris Hilton would say,

"My BFF!" (My BESTFRIEND FOREVER)

Dinnertime at Mini Shabu-Shabu Restaurant

2006-05-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

We chanced upon this fine shabu-shabu (otherwise known as Hotpot) resto in SM Manila two weeks ago. Carlo ordered the seafood and vegetable meal, syempre semi-vegetarian kasi ako. Pag kasama nya ko nagiging ganun na din sya. Looking at the menu, parang ang sarap...

The waitress graciously offered to do the cooking for us.

Gutom na rin ako before pa kami pumasok ng resto kaya heto, kumakalam na ang sikmura ko...Wait pa rin...

Matagal pa po?

TADAAAAA!!! Finally!

Heto na....

Tikman natin...corn muna...

Final Verdict: Masarap nga! Babalik uli kami dito...Pag may pera...He he he, hindi mura!

We're off to Corregidor

2006-05-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

Another trip, yipee! Kaya masarap mag-reporter he he!

Will be posting pics soon. We'll be there tomorrow, May 20. Sana walang bagyo, this has been postponed twice na. Una dahil puno na ang booking nung May 6. Last May 13 naman, may bagyo.

Corregidor, here we come!

Stupid Spams

2006-05-18T20:13:00.000-07:00

Got this stupid email yesterday. It's so annoying. My sister received a similiar email two years ago.

DEAR FRIEND,

KINDLY ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. I AM ANDRE ORTEGA, SON OF MY
FATHER CARLOS ORTEGA, ONE OF THE TOP OPPOSITION LEADERS IN VENEZUELA, WHO
HAS BEEN SENTENCED FOR 15 YEARS IN JAIL.

I AM WRITING YOU IN THE STRICTEST CONFIDENCE TO ASK YOUR HELP WITH A
FAMILY SECRET TREASURE LEFT TO MY FAMILY BY MY KIND FATHER, MR. CARLOS
ORTEGA. OUR FAMILY LIVES NOW IN A SMALL APPARTMENT IN CARACAS UNDER
PRESSURE OF REGIME OF PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVES.

HOWEVER BEFORE MY FATHER WAS JAILED HE LEFT ME A CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT
FOR $28 MILLION US DOLLARS ISSUED BY THE OIL TRADING COMPANY FOR HIS
PART IN ENTERPRISE. THE DEPOSIT IS HELD BY THE NOTARY PUBLIC AGENT,
WHO EXPECTED TO HOLD IT JUST A SHORT TIME,
BUT FATHER WAS JAILED. I CANNOT GET THE MONEY NOW AND ONLY HAVE A CERTIFICATE
OF DEPOSIT. IF I ATTEMPT TO RECEIVE THE DEPOSIT, I WILL BE CEASED
BY THE PRESIDENT'S AGENTS AND PROBABLY WILL SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE IN
THE SEVERE POLITICAL JAIL.

I NEED YOUR HELP AND IF YOU KINDLY AGREE I AM WILLING TO GIVE YOU $2.8
MILLION SHARE OF THE DEPOSIT FOR HELPING TO WITHDRAW THE DEPOSIT FROM
THE NOTARY PUBLIC AGENT AND AS A BUSINESS EXPERT FOR INVESTMENT. MY
FATHER BEFORE HE WAS SENTENCED TOLD ME NOT TO INVEST THE MONEY IN VENEZUELA
BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE DUE TO THE UNSTABLE POLITICAL SITUATION. I WOULD
LIKE TO BUY A HOUSE IN YOUR COUNTRY AND INVEST IN BUSINESS AND I HOPE
YOU CAN HELP ME.

SORRY FOR DISTURB YOU WITH MY TROUBLES AND TROUBLES OF MY COUNTRY, BUT
THE SITUATION IS DESPERATE FOLLOWING THE RECENT SOCIAL CRISIS AND THE
REGIME OF THE PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF MY PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR
RESPOND AND I WILL EXPLAIN THE DETAILS.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP.

ANDRE ORTEGA,
SMARTANDRE@MIPUNTO.COM

Weight reduction ain't easy

2006-05-14T05:13:00.000-07:00

But I am truly serious about it.

This is why I have endured being on a diet for three weeks now and I've kinda gotten used to it actually.

Dati, I used to eat a lot pa rin even at night. Ngayon, nakakaya ko nang i-disiplina ang self ko lalo na pag gabi.

If I want to eat something, I eat it moderately. Okay na, matikman ko lang. Dati sobrang kain talaga. Lamon! :P

It's not healthy when you deprive yourself of something when you're on a diet. Afterwards, you'll only eat a lot of it and you'll only blow the whole diet thing off. That's what happened to me before - I sorta deprived myself of chocolates, pasta etc. These are the very foods that I like so much. As I've said, now I still eat them but in moderation.

Kanina, birthday ni ate Dina and ang sarap talaga ng spaghetti. Pero siyempre, konti lang din kinain ko-parang half lang ng small plate. Aba, almost parang isang platito lang. I did not eat a lot the whole day naman so siguro okay lang...

It took me two years to finally make a commitment to go back to the gym. Ngayon, todo takbo na ako sa threadmill lalo na if I think I ate a lot the previous night.

From 110 lbs. three weeks ago, last Monday - 103 lbs na lang ako.

Ilan na kaya this week? Tomorrow, I'll find out.

Pansin ko lang, now I have regained my cheekbones na! a former classmate (who did my makeup for some of our TV production projects) said that they're beautiful. I missed them because they kinda disappeared when my cheeks got puffier. But now they're back and I'm loving them. :-)

On seafoods and allergies

2006-05-09T20:09:00.000-07:00

I'm having allergies again after eating seafood siopao yesterday which I bought from 7-11. Kaasar! Tuwang-tuwa pa naman ako because I was able to eat siopao after a hundred years. I don't normally eat siopao kasi being a semi-vegetarian.

I forgot I was allergic to seafoods pala. So here I am, scratching here and there na naman. Buti na lang di masyadong sumusumpong ito sa gym.

I hate these little itchy things on my legs. They disappear naman after a few days.

I'm not like most people who can tolerate seafoods without experiencing adverse effects afterwards.

Swerte n'yo no!

Proud of my li'l sis!

2006-05-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

(From left: Me, Jari)

My sister Jari was recently chosen as one of the six finalists of Block & White Pinay Cinderella. Out of more than a hundred who auditioned, she was one of the lucky few who'll get free personality development coaching from experts courtesy of B&W and Saga Events. I'm so proud of her!

Instead of her original nick Jari, she has adopted the name Maria Manongdo as her 'contest name.' I told her that 'Jari' has more class and individuality than Maria. But I guess, she found more character in the name 'Maria.'

She told me how she impressed the judges (top designers in Manila) with her answers during the interview. I'm not surprised because Jari is really intelligent and very articulate.

She is now living in a condo in Wack Wack Mandaluyong along with the other contestants.

I told her to treat it more as a learning experience rather than a contest. This way, she'll be more relaxed and be more focused in developing herself.

Good Luck Jari. All the good luck in the World will surely come your way!

Let's do Yoga!

2006-05-05T22:03:00.000-07:00

I finished my first yoga class last week and it was amazing! Ang sarap palang mag-yoga?! At first, mahirap kasi feeling ko magkakabali-bali buto ko pero hindi. All it takes is concentration and determination to do the poses.

I think yoga is better appreciated when the instructor is good.

Our instructor is a pretty chinita girl named Elle. She's very articulate and she seems to know a lot about the subject which makes her class more exciting.

According to Elle, there are eight million poses in Yoga.

We did the very basic poses muna that night since all of us are trying out yoga for the first time.

This is the tree pose" which I used to see only in magazines. Looks easy no? But actually, it is not that easy to do. It is hard to balance yourself in one knee while holding your arms over your head just like that.

After the class, I felt relief on my back pain. I have mild scoliosis and its very common for me to have back pains. I've read a lot of articles that say yoga can help manage back pain..I'm crossing my fingers.

Parang nakaka-adik pala itong yoga na 'to. Sayang, once a week lang ito sa gym ko. Sana Thursday na, balik yoga uli ako!

My new baby

2006-05-03T23:58:00.000-07:00

Nokia 6630

Ganda no! Though it is not the latest from Nokia, I still find it awesome! Parang ang sexy ng dating, with curves ha!

I recently swapped my O2 XDA for this beautiful baby. Humina na kasi battery ng XDA ko and ayoko bumili ng bago. Ha ha ha! I leave all its problems to its future buyer. I think I've spent about 1,500 pesos when I had it fixed twice. Bugs and unknown damages, those are some of the downsides in buying second hand cellphones.

I was actually lemming for the N70 but it was way beyond my budget. Oh well...

I've actually lost my penchant for cellphones when we were handed our blackberry units almost a year ago.

Blackberry 7250

While this looks like a bore, it actually has a lot of muscle in it and can give you everything that new Nokia models can give you. With this baby, you can surf the net, send emails, play games and of course use its phone functions. You can also send text messages to other blackberry users without tapping the services of your network provider by using the pin function of your blackberry. This model however, does not have a camera. But what the heck! I got my 6630 anyway!

Me Pasaway

2006-04-26T22:40:00.000-07:00

Pasaway talaga ako! Nag-start na nga ako mag-gym kahapon and yet, I'm still eating a LOT!

Truth is, I'm happily munching one small pack of Hershey's kisses while updating this blog.

Ang sarap kasi e! I love chocolates! I'm addicted to it! Do you know that I can consume one pack of Cream-O (Yung twelve single packs) in two days.

Parang ang dali no? Pero sige, i-try mo, kung hindi ka mauumay. Only a chocolate addict like me can do that! (ubusin mo yun while also consuming Chocolait (yes, the chocolate drink) both at the same time.

Pano ko papayat? I leave it to God.

Yummy!

Here's a Kisses Trivia:

Hershey's Kisses, first made in 1907, are produced today at a rate of 80 million per day. Talk about popularity!! The Original Hershey's Kisses, as well as, Hershey's Kisses With Almonds, Hershey's Hugs and Hershey's Hugs With Almonds have a foundation of milk chocolate and each is wrapped in five square inches of foil wrap. Here's a recipe to embellish a "good thing." You can purchase colored squares of confectioners foil at specialty cookware shops or cake decorating stores to twist up your own "kiss."

The Importance of Friendship part 2

2006-04-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

(Tricia and I hanging out beside the pool in Marriot hotel in Cebu City)

I love these two new friends of mine!

Ivy is the perky one and Tricia is the Kikay one.

I met Ivy when my close friend Janice had a 'farewell' gathering more than one year ago in her house in Navotas. Janice was then leaving for Macau to work.
(From left: Ivy, Janice, me)

When I first me Ivy, magaan agad ang loob ko sa kanya. We hit it off instantly! (ha ha, parang romance film!) Since then, we've been watching movies together (o, parang love story na nga talaga!) and dining out whenever we have time. Catching up sa mga happening sa buhay-buhay.

Si Tricia naman kasama ko sa DoH before. She'd often praise me whenever I put lipstick or powder. Aba! syempre natuwa ako sa kanya. Ikaw ba naman sabihan ng maganda, ha ha ha!

Since then, magkasama na kami nyan mag-window shopping ng make up sa Rustans (yes, madalas window shopping lang - minsan bili). Hay, kakampi ko to pagdating sa makeup.

Conversations with myself

2006-04-24T01:59:00.000-07:00

Do you talk to yourself? Do you also 'converse' and exchange views with yourself? NAKIKIPAGTALO KA RIN BA SA SARILI MO?

I do. Am I normal? I think so.

Sometimes, it's my way of coming up with a decision - by inventing an imaginary opponent who would negate my ideas.

Today, however, my 'self' is not playing the role of an opponent. Here's a transcript of my conversation with myself.

Jenny: What have you been doing lately?

Self: Nothing much really, been planning to enrol in a gym for a hundred years but still haven't got the nerve to do so.

J: Why?

S: Katamaran. But tomorrow, hopefully tomorrow I'll enrol na.

J: Who says you're fat?

S: People. Those who see me regularly and those who have not seen me for a long while. I saw Rommel the other day and he said I've gotten fat.

J: Rommel? your co-teacher in AMA four years ago? How's he?

S: Yup. He's thin compared to me.

J: You really can't think of anything else aside from your weight?

S: Right now it's my biggest issue.

J: How about the trips you planned this year, especially in the land of the Geishas?

S: Oh, I've been thinking about that too. It's time to ask 'the powers that be' what happened to my application...

J: Are you in love?

S: Do I look like I'm in love?

J: If I could grant one wish, what would you wish for?

S: Could you give me more than one wish?

J: If you could kiss one person today, who would it be?

S: hmmm... he he he!

J: Forget him! Sa iba ka na lang magka-crush!
S: I'm trying, ok?! It's just a stupid crush anyway...a stupid cwash!!!

J: If you're not Jenny, who would you be?

S: In the past, I wanted to be Lea Salonga. Now, I guess, I want to be...me, just me. (Uy, puedeng brand ng damit no "Plain me. Nah! too PLAIN!)

J: So you think you're special?

S: Mas special pa kesa sa siopao!

J: Do you miss anyone right now?

S: I miss my sister Joan, my friends Janice and Jean, and my mother. I kinda miss my old self too...Yes, the thin one. But seriously, I miss the MORE optimistic and MORE enthusiastic Jenny I was six years ago. Oh well, people change...My weight changed.

Face Off Part 1

2006-04-15T05:53:00.000-07:00

Who would you want to exchange faces with?

Halimbawa may fairy, sino gusto mong maging kamukha?

Sometimes, no matter how beautiful a person is, he or she always wishes to look like another person because of the cliche 'the other man's grass is always greener.'

So sino nga ba ang gusto mong maging kamukha?

Here are my picks for Face Off Part 1:

Alyssa Milano for her unique style and confidence

Kristine Hermosa for her absolute beauty

The Importance of Friendship part I

2006-04-15T04:04:00.000-07:00

I often ask myself how many friends I have.

I count all the people I know and all the people that

are dear to me. If I count them all, they're truly many-

but not all of them are my friends.

There are certainly a lot of people who are nice to us

in one way or another.

There are people who give us good advice and people who

are willing to share a part of themselves just to start

a beautiful friendship.

Then, there are people whom we'd rather not have

anything to do at all.

There are people whom we've grown so accustomed with because we deal with them every

so often. But that doesn't mean that they're our friends right? Do you call all your

colleagues and acquaintances your friends?

How exactly do you define friendship anyway?

I have no barkada but I have friends.

I do not have a group but I have people whom I can come

to when I'm down.

I may be choosy when it comes to friends only because in the past, all the people I

considered 'friends' disappeared right after we graduated in elementary and

in high school... Sabagay, wala pa namang cellphone noon...Kahit na!I choose people who are willing to sustain the communication channels whether it

means spending a few pesos for a letter, card, text etc.

I choose people who are just like me, reflective, open to new ideas, and strong-

willed. I like people who fight for what they believe in, people who stand up for

themselves. I like people who are just like me.

At least now, all my friends are still around; my college

friends and the friends I've come to know along the way.

Love ko kayo! he he he!

Kung isa ka sa nagbabasa nito, e di isa ka nga sa

kanila! :)

Thank you, Thank you for your time. Sana mahaba pa ang

pagsamahan natin. :)

Part 1 pa lang ito kaya ikaw muna Janice ang featured dito :)

Everyone, this is my dear friend Janice. Kikay yan! Friend, Pasalubong namin ni Sydney ha! :)

Soundtrack of my early teenage years - The Smokey Mountain Music

2006-04-13T23:49:00.000-07:00

Not the garbage dump, silly!

The singing group, smokey mountain.

In case you don't know, they are a popular pop group in the 90's composed of Geneva Cruz, Tony Lambino, Jeffrey Hidalgo, and James Coronel. However, the first three members had to leave the group and so came batch 2.

The second batch was composed of Chedi Vergara, Zhar Santos, Jayson Angangan, and the remaining original member, James Coronel.

Why am I reminiscing?

Well, I happened to borrow a CD of their second album from one of my editors. I used to have their tapes (jurassic huh?) but somehow I lost them. Good thing I was able to borrow this CD, I'll replicate this two times just to be sure I'll have a back up copy just I case I lose the first copy.
That's how much I love them. But I love James the most! He's my first love! Yeah, it sounds funny but I was one of the wide-eyed girls who adored him back then.

I watched their mall shows, bought their records and watched them on TV religiously. Heck, I even bought almost the magazines that featured them.

I used to have a poster of the Smokey Mountain in my cabinet. I remember staring at James before I choose a blouse in the cabinet. I remember daydreaming that one day I'll meet him and we'll live happily ever after. I'm a kid remember? One thing I won't forget though is that I vowed to become a journalist for two things: because I love writing and I want to interview James in the future.

Now I'm already a journalist, but Smokey Mountain is gone.

They've disbanded long before I took up MassComm.

Last I heard, Chedi had a band of her own (wonder if it's still around), Shar went to the states and got married (she was a finalist in the American Idol but she didn't go that far) and James was able to put up a telecommunications business (I don't exactly know what kind of business he's in. Is he selling cellphones now?). As for Jayson, well, I don't have a clue.

Anyway, I listened to the CD on a quiet holy Friday.

I thumped my fingers and feet along with the rhythm that was blasting from the speaker of my PC. This, while everyone else in the neighborhood is having a siesta on a holy Friday.

Sorry, but I have nothing else to do today. Besides, I don't think it's that loud (if it's too LOUD, my father would have complained).

I rediscovered the song Paraiso and realized how much I love its melody, lyrics, voice blending, everything!

I especially love the wonderful blending of pure and powerful voices of its members (Kudos forever to Mr. Ryan Cayabyab!).

The song conjures images of people who live through scavenging in the garbage dump, people who find treasure out of other people's trash.

Listening to it me reminded me how thankful I should be...

I also like the song "Kahit Habang Buhay" which is a depiction of 'young unrequited love.' *%&#@$ Ayoko na nitong unrequited unrequited love!!!! :P

"Kailan" male version is also beautiful. Shocks! Para kong naging bata muli! Sa bagay di naman ako masyadong ma-crush nung bata ako-NERD AKO!!

It goes: "Pa'no naman ako? Kay tagal ko nang umibig sayo. Wag sanang masayang itong damdamin ko sa'yo."

Other songs that made me reminisce include the timeless Da Coconut Nut, Kailan, and Wanna Say no.

James Coronel in the cover of his solo album after Smokey Mountain disbanded.

I am the Queen of the Rings

2006-04-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

Do you believe in signs? or in the supernatural? I may only be making this up, but how do you explain this?

I’ve picked up three lost wedding rings in less than a month.

First was in Cebu when I went there for a press conference.

It was a beautiful diamond-studded wedding ring shaped like a ribbon.

It was 2PM and I was getting bored because in my three days there, we didn’t really go out of the hotel to even look at the fascinating sights in Cebu. All we did was to attend conventions in various topics which pertain to population and its relationship to people’s health and environment.

Anyway, it was 2PM when I went inside the ladies room near the concierge at the ground floor.

It was on the sink just below the mirror- a beautiful ring!

I must admit I contemplated on keeping it and bringing it to the Pawnshop. J or bringing it to one of the local TV stations there so I may be hailed as another ‘honest person who returned a great deal of fortune to its owner’ USO EH!

But the better part of me decided to return it to the owner ‘coz that’s how it should be.

A middle-aged Caucasian woman came out of from one of the cubicles.

I asked her if the ring is hers and her face lit up.

“Oh yes! I’m glad you were the one who found it!”

Yeah… I actually want to keep it argh!

So there, the first ring found its owner.

As for the second ring, I found it during a press conference at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) in QC three weeks later.

It was lying on the floor beside my chair. I ignored it and I actually forgot about it for a while. But I remembered it as soon as the conference and the interviews ended.

It was just an ordinary wedding ring. It was silver and it was engraved with something like leaves or ferns. I showed it to the other reporters, “Wala namang pangalan,” Marie from the daily Tribune said.

The first ring may be called extravagant. The second ring might have been owned by an ordinary worker there.

I returned it to the doctor who hosted the conference. She said she’ll bring it up in their flag ceremony on Monday.

I hope it has found its owner by now.

As for the third ring, well it came to me a week after the NKTI ring.

I came from the office and was on my way home when I saw it inside the Jeep that I was riding.

It was actually sitting at the very spot where I want to sit—a pink, plastic ring shaped like a wedding ring.

I picked it up and brought it home.

…the third ring…what could this possibly mean?

I could be…the Queen of the Rings!