MayFlowers

The month of May has been synonymous to flowers. Moreover, flowers also symbolizes women in general. I am not exactly sure why the comparison, probably because women are depicted as beautiful, fresh and blooming beings. Those amazingly alive and colorful misty flowers, welcoming your day! Who wouldn’t want that? A more Pinoy connotation is a bit sleazy, I guess everyone knows this one, implying that flower is a woman’s genital. Moving on, my May has been ruled by women, that’s why it is very fitting that this entry be called MayFlowers. It is those females in my life, both related to me and not, that indeed rocked my world the whole month! Here’s a rundown of events and personalities that shaped my month up.

Mom’s 56th Birthday & Mother’s Day. Going back more than five decades would probably cause nostalgia or even heartache, but not with mom. The celebration last 8th of May was an apparent proof that life maybe tough, but it is reason enough to celebrate and enjoy it! Here’s to mah ever lovely mumma and to more and more birthdays to come! On the other hand, this year’s Mother’s Day is a special one because I got to celebrate it with all my tita mommies one time we’re all out of town on a wedding. What made it more special is that we went swimming that very same day!

Ate Ging’s Wedding. Should I start 10 years back? The time my dear cousin ate Ging and Vhal first met each other’s eyes it was a bliss that their hearts went boom! A decade of love, pain, tough times, struggles and victories, they both proved that marrying isn’t just love. That it entails perseverance, hardship, patience and faith. Although it took them ten long years to finally tie the knot and share vows of love, it is still worth the wait. Here’s to you ate Ging and Vhal, to a more and more ten years to come!

The Newlyweds

our ever growing family

Mariah Mah Baby! Seriously, I am sooo hooked with Carey more than ever! This has got to be a Mariah month, probably Mariah year. Amazing girl, amazing songs. I don’t know about you but it would be hell if I didn’t hear a song from her new album. Bye Bye and I Wish You Well really hits the spot, really love those two songs. She just got married alright, but she still epitomizes hotness to the nth level! Indeed, it is Mariah=fever! I really wish that she’ll come back here in the Philippines with this thing on:

The Dolls. I just finished reading novel titled Valley Of the Dolls. Since I can’t think of anything more to say, I’ll just copy and paste the review I did on my Multiply. This one’s a 1966 bestseller, was adapted to a movie in 1967 and received 3 Oscar nominations. I bought this book some time last year I think, and what interests me in buying it was because of the three reasons mentioned above. But it took me quite a while before actually reading it, probably because I got busy with something else then. The story’s kind of usual for me, three girls (Anne Welles, Neely O’Hara & Jennifer North) who made it big in Hollywood and showbusiness. I have read similar plot in some Sidney Sheldon & Harold Robbins novel, which are more exciting I think. I am not super raving, but it’s not boring though. At least it got my attention in the first few pages. But it was a bit dragging, there were some parts were you’ll be left hanging, and some that should be emphasized more but didn’t, and also some predictable ones. The ending was just ok, I was actually expecting one that would give me chills but it failed to impress me. All in all, the 500-page novel was just ok.

Swimmin’ wit tha ladies. I’d have to say that Summer 2008 is the most fully loaded and packed summer that I had ever! Been to Galera, CDO, Cavite, Laguna and just last week, our team went to this super new resort Splash Island haha! We so enjoyed it! The slides were just great! And why am I including this event in this post? Because most of the ones I was with are our team’s gorgeous ladies! Here are some glimpse of our splashin’ getaway:

David, David, David! Err, ok, there’d be an exemption for this one. I thought this is going to be an all-woman entry. But I just later realized that this month won’t be complete without the American Idol finale! Eventhough this season was concluded with a guy winner, it would still be appropriate for this one to be included here because it definitely made my May!

The Davids hadn’t ruined this entry. What’s a rose without its thorns, anyway?

Vote for the Philippines!

Let us all unite in voting Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park to become one of the Seven Wonders of the World! Just visit the site www.new7wonders.com and register you email, then choose from their Asian list. You can also vote for other Philippine entries like The Chocolate Hills in Bohol (now ranked 5), Mayon Volcano in Albay (now in rank 11), and of course the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park in Sulu (now ranked 4). The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park currently ranks 9! Of course you can also vote other foreign entries but support our very own first! We still have until the end of the year to vote, anyway.

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

and the Tubbataha Reef

Worth our votes, isn’t it?

 

In the spur of the night..

Planning a get-together, gimiks, reunions and the like is stressful. I can attest to that, being the usual one planning events for my college friends aptly called “POPOYS”. You need to come up with a nice venue, affordable food and drinks, and most specially you need to put an effort with a capital E in informing the date to the people concerned. But, what makes it more stressful is that at the last minute, those people concerned became unconcerned and backed out! Don’t they realize how difficult it is to do all those stuff? Well, I guess they really don’t! Sure they’ve got their reasons, but the fact that we all agreed on the same date two weeks ahead of time, so why put up a lame excuse? Anyway, I should’ve seen it coming. It’s just that the ones who backed out were the ones bugging me to plan for a get-together. And now what?  Geez!

Anyway, in these times you would really know the true friends you have. The ones who understands and reciprocates the efforts you’re giving. And I really really appreciate it! There are really still few ones who made me realize it’s not bad as I think it is. The ones you would want to get stuck with. So, as a consolation, they were the ones who planned this spur of the moment thing. Since I cancelled the initial plan of goin swimming, our group’s founder Jojit instead planned of a sleep over at, well yeah, our place haha! Still, madami pa rin ang nag-inarte (still the ones who backed out!) but to hell with them! Even if the expected attendance of 8 dwindles to 4, we had so much fun!

It is sometimes true that, well it would be more appropriate for me to quote this in Tagalog, “Kung ano pa yung biglaan, yun ang natutuloy..” And true enough, that’s what happened in our weekend gimik. And to those who failed to go, I want to hit them with those spurs like the ones on the image above! haha! Ace Young would gladly help me do it, won’t you Ace?

Ace Young singing “In the Still of the Night”, AI season 5 top 7 performance

E=MCbared




Ok, so I finally gave in and got myself a copy of this #1 album E=MC². I’ve been so crazy about the song Bye Bye lately because I can so relate to it and I always remember our four, yes four, dearly departed lovedones who left us a couple of years ago. I just couldn’t help but listen to that song every now and then and put it on repeat mode in Limewire. Amazing lyrics, it’s as if the words were written with those emotions one felt in losing someone. Just last week, I purchased an actual copy and then listened to the songs. Aside from the first two hits Touch My Body (which lyrics would really make you go yihaa!) and Bye Bye, I also got to like I Stay In Love and Thanx 4 Nothin’, because of the great lyrics and catchy melody. For the more upbeat ones that had the staple Mariah vibe, you’d definitely find yourself groovin to tracks like Cruise Control, Side Effects and I’m That Chick. I put her entire cd on repeat mode earlier on the road while driving with Pop to Pampanga and back, and we really enjoyed it! Indeed, her emancipation had brought her thru another level of stardom. Although I didn’t get to have a copy of his first comeback-with-a-bang album, I know it did good too, giving birth to an offspring with an equation we have yet to solve. This specific 10th studio album of Mimi also brought her onto a different league as an artist. It is where she had her 18th number one single on Billboard, beating the king of Rock N Roll Elvis Presley and just few notches close to The Beatles!

But aside from those songs I mentioned above, there’s still one more that really tops my list. It’s the last track titled I Wish You Well. This has got to be my ultimate favorite song from this album. It is an uber amazing song! If you’ve been through a lot in life, you’d definitely love this one. It even has some verses from the Bible which made it more appropriate. Words may not be enough to describe how great the song is, so here’s the lyrics and a file where you can listen to it:
Read I Wish You Well lyrics

I WISH YOU WELL

This goes out to you and you and you
You know who you are

Hmm hmm hmm
When glory days turn to stormy nights
You must have been so petrified
(Didn’t you, didn’t you feel so cold)
You against the world in a losing fight
Captive of your demons inside

So you sought an enemy
(I’m not your enemy. He lives in you, you know it’s true)
Like times before to mock ignorantly
(But the Lord said love, love your enemy so just…)
Take heed to the Word it’s time
Check Proverbs 19:29
Don’t cry

I wish you well
I wish you well
I wish you well

I truly wanted solidarity
Still wearing my blinders back then
(So much I didn’t see)
I weep for what I dreamed we all could be
I’ll keep you in prayer till the end

Still bruised, still walk on eggshells
Same frightened child, hide to protect myself
(Can’t believe I still need to protect myself from you)
But you can’t manipulate me like before
Examine first John chapter 4 verse 4

And
I wish you well
I wish you well
I wish you well

Be strong in the Lord and power of His might

If my shows of gratitude are miniscule
Inside your mind, sorry
(I’m so sorry, please forgive me)
There’s only so much I can do I love you and did all that I could

Maybe when you’re cursing me
You don’t feel so incomplete
But we’ve all made mistakes
Felt the guilt and self-hate

I know you’ve been there for plenty
Maybe still got love for me
But let him without sin cast the first stone brethren
But who remains standing then
Not you not I see Phillipians 4:9
(Put it into practice and the God of Peace will be with you)

So
I wish you well
I wish you well
I wish you well

(He who the Son sets free is free indeed)
No weapon formed against me shall prosper
Surely God is my salvation
I will trust and not be afraid
The Lord, the Lord is my salvation
I will trust in Him
Yes, I know that I know that I know that I know

But I have had God’s help to this very day
And so I stand here and testify
To small and great alike
So the more you curse me
The more you’re blessing me
The Word said it
Love your enemies

Do good to those who curse you
Pray for those who mistreat you
Psalms 129:2
They have greatly oppressed me from my youth
But they have not gained victory over me
(In Jesus’ name)

I wish you well

He that keeps his mind state on the Lord
He will keep them in perfect peace

Haay! Really love this song! Really love Mariah! hehe! I hope she comes back here in the Philippines and sing this one. I’d definitely buy front seat tickets! Calling Mimi. Yuhoo! Please have me emancipated, too! And when that time comes with that moment you’ll come up to me and sing the song “Touch My Body”, I gladly will.

Pimple Academy

Pimples. It’s everyone’s worst nightmare. So bad that you wouldn’t want to spend another day out and enjoy life and its surprises. We all had our pimple stories, don’t we? Back in our younger years, we probably thought it’s the end of the world having these stubborn little (or big) red thing on our faces. On a recent family gathering, one of the many stuff that we discussed was that dreaded thing we all hate to have. An aunt of ours was actually having some problems in getting rid of it for the longest time. The thing is, she never had a hard time when she was younger and those pimples started to pile up a year ago, “kung kelan tumanda” as our moms blurted out. Probably because she’s been changing soaps every now and then, or haven’t found one that is hiyang to her skin. I was just so thankful that I never had a pimple dilemma back then. I had a few, yes, but I don’t remember having a sworm of pimples ruling my face. They never came in group or even had me stay in the bathroom for hours trying to hide it. Back in my early years, the more serious problem for me was my hair haha! But of course this is about pimples so why would I discuss hair for chrissake!

Anyway, I’ve checked online and found some ways to get rid of those nasty pimples:

1. Don’t ever pinch, squeeze or pick at a pimple. This only causes it to become more red and inflamed, and will spread the bacteria and oil that caused it in the first place, to other parts of your face! It can also lead to scars.

2. Every 30 minutes, apply an ice pack to the pimple and hold it there for about 2 minutes. This will decrease the swelling and redness and help shrink the inflammation and pain that sometimes comes along with it.

3. They don’t call it concealer for nothing! Covering the pimple with a light dose of flesh-tinted concealer can help mask it when you’re in a hurry. It also helps cover up that oily shine.

4. Cleanse your skin 2-3 times a day with mild, unscented soap ora specialized acne cleanser that has no harsh chemicals (such aslye). Scrub skin gently with an exfoliating pad or washcloth, but don’t rub too hard, otherwise you’ll sap your skin of its own natural oils, which help to repel buildup naturally.

5. Apply a cream or ointment containing benzyl peroxide orsalicylic acid (many over-the-counter acne medicines containthese ingredients) to the blemish or around the entire facial area. Note that these ingredients both have a tendency to dryout skin if used too much and are not recommended if you have sensitive skin.

6. Wear oil-free makeup whenever possible. These types have less of a tendency to cause the pore build up that results inblemishes. Remove your makeup nightly and cleanse with an acne-fighting medicine to remove dirt, oil and makeup from deep within the skin.

7. If you’re in need of a quick fix, a dab of toothpaste on the affected area right before bed can help soothe irritation and reduce redness. Pressing and holding a wet tea bag or a cottonball with a dab of lemon juice against the blemish for five minutes can also reduce swelling and redness.

If you follow these tips, chances are you’ll notice a significant difference rather quickly – often within a day or two. If pimples become a recurring problem or worsen, your doctor or dermatologist can suggest a daily skin cleansing routine that will suit your skin type. Other long-term remedies, such as facial masks, diet adjustments and increasing the amount of water you drink can also help combat outbreaks.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emily_Clark

You can also check this link for more information on how to safely remove pimples http://cure-pimples.blogspot.com/

So, I hope those helpful tips can gradually solve any pimple type problem you might have. Whatever the remedy is, hope it won’t come back and bug you again. And what better day to post this entry than today, as I am having a bit of a hard time because of a pimple on my nose! I hate looking at it, glistening from afar, making my nose a lot bigger that it usually is. Hope I won’t end the day singing, “Tagyawat sa ilooong…”

Raving Reviews

Just recently I catched up on two things I love most: movies and books! It has been a while since I’ve seen a movie and read a good novel. I mostly delight myself and spend hours doing marathon on series like Grey’s Anatomy, Heroes, American Idol and The OC. That’s why when I found time to buy some dvd’s (somewhere, don’t ask) and rummaged into a shelf full of books I haven’t read yet, I gave in and indulged. This would be the first of the many movies, series, books and the like I’ll be blogging about, up until my player give up on me, and until I completely inhaled those dust that inhabited the pages of my stocked or should I say stucked novels. First off, The Bucket List.

Well yeah, it maybe too late for me to make a review for this movie. But it’s one of those I’ve heard a lot of good things about. Ok, it was actually more like A Walk To Remember for me the first time I learned what the story is, having a list of things one would want to do or accomplish before he dies. But this one has an interestingly different take on a bit the same plot. It’s a story of two old men with nothing in common except their terminal illness. Sharing the same hospital room, they somewhat created a different kind of friendship and later made a pact to be able to complete their bucket list. The next thing they knew, they’re skydiving, race car driving, taking world trips to Johannesburg, climbing the pyramids of Egypt and going on lion safari in Africa.

I loved the simplicity of this movie. The way it discussed real and true hard times of people struggling from cancer, finely slicing conflicts within their lovedones. The characters were amusing, the acting very sutle. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman were just great! They had equally drawned two entirely different people in the characters they played. And yes, the ending made my cry!

___________________________________________

Next up, Cinema Paradiso. I just so love foreign language films! I don’t know why but it really amazes me. Probably because I’d like to be a linguist. I remember the days when I got hooked into watching Y Tu Mama Tambien, Amores Perros, El Crimen del Padre Amarro, Malena and many others. But it was so late for me to find out about Cinema Paradiso, a 1989 Oscar-winning movie for Best Foreign Language Film. So this one’s a review 19 years in the making!

It was set in a Sicilian town and was told in flashback as a successful film director Salvatore returned to his childhood village after 30 years, for the funeral of his friend Alfredo, who was the projectionist of the town’s moviehouse called Cinema Paradiso. Alfredo serves as Salvatore’s father figure who, in his early days of showing passion for films, taught him everything he needs to know in films and filming, and wished him to succeed even if it means breaking his heart in the process. The movie intertwines with comedy and nostalgia, exploring issues on youth, adulthood and reflections of the past.

I was raving after watching it! The story’s highlights were depicted perfectly. The acting was superb and would leave a deep emotion in your hearts. It was such a shame I just seen it now. Sheesh!

I watched both movies in a row one afternoon, thinking I’d have a great time in doing so. Well I did had a great time, crying in the end haha! That’s how deeply moving these movies were. And I’d gladly watch it again and again. Minus the crying, I think.

Up Next. A music review!

1 David 2:20-21

And so it happened. American Idol will finally end with the two Davids battling it out for the title. Words have been spreading that it’s already a done deal (the all-David finale), but I don’t know if who’s going to win also is. Hope not! But it’s not a matter of who’s deserving to win this time, because I think both guys have the Idol factor going on. Cook is pretty much ripe for stardom, can really stand on his own, and will definitely go far in the industry. No doubt about it! Archuleta, however, depicts an epitome of charm in its utmost extent, which obviously proved to be his luck and armor, making him the only finalist this season not to land on the bottom three.

Whoever wins, I’m ok. I mean, I liked them both anyway. I won’t get disappointed, unlike some season where someone really deserving got snatched. So, will someone be Arched at the top? Or will the other one be Cooked? Find out next week as AI conclude this season with a bang! Let’s all catch it!

PS – what’s with the title? you go figure haha!

Rain, Rain, go away!

It is 7:57pm, Manila time, and it’s freezing cold. It has been raining since around 2pm and it hasn’t stopped yet. Well at least it has subsided a bit. Rainy season is finally here! It is during these times that we all love to just stay at home, eat something hot like porridge or a bowl of soup, or just simply lay down in our bed feeling the cold breeze.

Aside from songs, scents and places, rainy days definitely brings back a lot of memories. Good or bad, we often find ourselves having a moment probably staring at the window pane and remembering those days that we had back then, that shaped our past. I don’t know what it is, but there is really something nostalgic about rains. Once it pours, we just can’t help but feel good and just like a snap of a finger, we’re taking a trip down Memory Lane. Probably because most of the good and sometimes even bad memeories we tend to keep happened when it’s raining. Like those with friends, family, loved ones, the one you’re with at that time, or even the time when our parents taught us the song “Rain, Rain, go away, little (insert your name as a kid) wants to play,” and lots more. One would probably go, “Umuulan nung sinagot nya ko nun!”, “Uulan pag kumanta sya!”, or “It was raining when we broke up!”, and “We kissed in the rain!”, stuff like that. Which is why most of us attach personal events everytime it rains.

Bathing in the rain outside with friends is a staple childhood memory I enjoy recalling everytime the cloud cries abundantly. We would play habulan or hide and seek (taguan) around our community, take a shower on those what we call alulod, and get hurt at times but it was super super fun! During our time back then, we have spacious grounds to play on, clean surroundings and yes, clean alulods haha! That’s why I used to tease my twin brothers that they didn’t get to enjoy bathing in the rain nowadays because aside from our now dirty and crowded surroundings, it floods easily.

But of course too much of anything is bad, and sometimes it becomes disastrous. When it rains really hard, specially here in our country, aside from the flood, it destroys a lot of properties and to some, their life. Heavy pouring of rain usually results to a much devastating plague you would probably swear not to enjoy it again. Just recently a cyclone in Myanmar killed about 40,000 people! Here at our own Philippine provinces, native people always suffer everytime a storm hits their towns. It is indeed a site you wouldn’t want to see and a place you wouldn’t want to be in.

But despite all that, we would always find ways to have pleasant images when it rains. Even if most of us surely had some bad rain experience, like me and my family when one time back in the 90’s our roof was blown away because of the strong wind, it will definitely become a funny one that you would just laugh it off. Knowing us Pinoys, we sometimes treat our problems or tragedies like something to laugh about. We often find ways to insert happiness through it, to ease the burden. And just like a line from the Southborder song, “There’s a rainbow always after the rain..”

Mother, Mother, I am sick!

Well yeah, this is a bit late but it is still in the Mother’s Day week anyway. And you can’t put a good intention down after all. One more thing, we should try to make everyday mother’s day! It’s not only one day that our mothers do all the stuff for us, they’ve been doing good things since forever! It would be endless, I think. Their love, support, understanding, care. Grab some tissue, please haha! Ok, I’m just putting some lame excuse for making this entry a little too late for the celebration. It is because our computer got busted three days ago, it won’t start and open up Windows! That is why I am using a laptop now. Coolness! Anyway, without any further ado, let me end this introduction by greeting all the mothers out there a

This year’s Mother’s Day celebration was extra special, not just for me but the rest of my family on my mom’s side. It’s because we’re all together that day! We had a family gathering in Trece Martirez, Cavite which started May 9th because a cousin of mine got married May 10th, so we’re still in their place til the 11th. Early that morning, we realized that it is the actual day for Mother’s Day! So what we, my cousins and I, did was greet our moms in our most cheerful way. To which they reciprocated in the same manner saying that they almost forgot and they didn’t realize it’s already mother’s day. Since the whole family is still together, a tita of mine invited all of us to go to their place in Bulacan! And so we did, from down south we travelled up north to Baliuag, Bulacan! The two family vans were packed! It was a spur of the moment road trip and we all had fun. Upon arrival to our aunt’s place, we then planned on going swimming since the bagets are bugging us to do so. Around 5pm, we all headed to a nearby resort and stayed there until 10pm. It was indeed a happy mother’s day!

So, it is the time of the year to pay tribute to our loving and caring moms. With all the sacrifices they’ve done for us, the least we can do is be a good child that we can be. Or at the least try to be one, if you seem to have a not-so-good relationship with your mother. Whatever reason you might have in, say, hating her, please make an effort to greet her on this special day and let her know that you appreciate all the things she did for you. Try to build a good and nourishing relationship with her, and I am pretty damn sure you won’t regret it. Anyway, let us all give our whole-hearted love and support to our moms, the same way they did to us. Moms are special beings given to us by God to make life more easier, to understand it better than we do. I am sure you all have good memories to keep, the ones that would make you smile and say to yourself that indeed they were right all along. Eversince those days that you ran to her and say, “Mother, mother, I am sick..”

At 56

Don’t you just love birthdays? Parties, lots of food, presents, booze! Goodtimes and celebrations! But what if you’re a bit old for parties? Or at 56, would you still dare to celebrate? Ask my mom who just turned, yeah, 56 today, and you’ll probably get a dry response saying “hindi na uso magcelebrate”, or “walang pera pang handa.” But although she expresses no interest at first, I know that no matter what happens, with or without visitors, planned or unplanned, she will definitely cook up something!

And sure she did. That’s why I was planning to buy or add up something few days before May 8, which was the actual day.  While mom is busy cooking the usual, I hopped in to Trinoma and bought some roasted chicken and a special cake. I then texted some friends to dropby after work, then mom invited some neighbors too.  Come dinner time, we feasted on yummy treats mom prepared and we all enjoyed it!

I would also love to mainly discuss in this entry facts about mom and her very interesting life journey. Since it’s her birthday, it would be very fitting. But because the latter will surely take me years to complete the entrire story, and would probably compel me to do some extensive research, then I don’t think I will even try. I’d just post another entry on Mother’s Day and include snipets of her life’s highlights hehe! And so 56 wasn’t a bad age to be at after all. Looking at ma, she seems to be enjoying life more, although she had been thru a lot this past few years. And tell me, with a face like mom’s, which I think doesn’t even comes close to that deafening age, who wouldn’t want to celebrate every year? Want some proof? Here, take a look:

Need I say more?

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!! WE LOVE YAH SO MUCHO!!