Against UST

This beleaugering blog had caught my attention one Sunday morning on Facebook. If you would read it carefully, and you're a Thomasian even for just a short time, you would be offended with her personal remarks about the school. Needless to say, not only me, (being a Thomasian for 14 years), but a lot, had violent reactions. Upon reading it, it got me off the bed with the urge of blogging back NASTILY!!! But then again, I had to step back and dwell on the awareness I was currently in, with regards to my "INITIAL RESPONSE", "VALUES" and "BREEDING".

Of course, all of us are entitled to share our personal opinion with basically everything that we encounter. It just is though a HUGE choice which attitude we would approach it with. ATTITUDE is a very important tool in going on with our daily lives. I always find myself blaming ATTITUDE as the only reason behind every argument, every problem and every dilemma. In this case, I was careful with which ATTITUDE to let go of. Freedom of expression was to be respected on this account. However, the student, obviously was using a lot of offensive words and the main intention was really make the school look bad.

A friend of mine, Mrs. Christina Cueto Nawahine, whose father was a professor in the University of Santo Tomas, and is a product of UST herself, commented on Facebook that went, "My dad, a retired professor at UST, once told me you'll know if a teacher is good if he/she can make the poorest student to be the brightest. If it is a fact that UST accepts "bobo's" then this is the reason." UST may be getting poor students but if it can transform the "POTENTIAL" to being the "BEST" when they graduate, then it's not a school located in "LOSER"-ville after all. I totally agree with that.

As for me, I just wanted to clarify that University of Santo Tomas is not a church alone. When I was enrolled there, it was complete with the Elementary School, Education and Pay High School and an array of colleges offering a variety of courses that are actually too many to mention. It also has a museum, big ass library!!! (sorry for the language but it's that big, I wasn't even able to completely tour around even If I was there for 14 long years), a fast food chain afront a hospital, a lot of gymnasiums, a church, a soccer field and a park. Everything that would facilitate a student's learning is basically there and a peaceful environment. I'm sure that additional facilities had been renovated, widened and added up.

In addition to that, professors with true passion are the underlying weapons of the said university. Without them the university would be crippled. They are true gems of the Thomasian community for the teachers that I had had served for so long as I know. From being my mom's teachers/professors, down to this generation's. For me, they deserve more than a gold medal and to them, I write this recognition. Because of all my teachers in the past, I am where I am right now, well and intact, more than capable and fired up! So, there's more than what the school has to offer besides facilities. As part of the 85 and above percentile after finishing high school, I was exempted in taking UST's entrance examination so I strongly disagree that UST got imbeciles joining their community.

Maybe it would also be good to recognize the products of UST if that's the case. A lot of Thomasians are recognized in the Philippines and abroad. Maybe in naming the ones that I know, I would have to write another blog for it. Along with other universities in the Philippines, UST continues to represent the Philippines in a good way. And for me, Catholicism is yet another distinct characteristic of a true Thomasian, which explains the important values (such as humility, patience and perseverance) enveloping every success a Thomasian earns. That's basically what this student doesn't understand. Talent and/or intelligence may get you to the top. The values and attitude that you combine it with are the determining factors on how to sustain being on top.

Though I wanted to criticize every awful thing this student stated about MY school, I guess I just have this to say...

I am thankful with being blessed with parents who brought me to the University of Santo Tomas to receive the best education. I learned that this is the best gift any parent could ever bestow. It can never be stolen from you and if it's a good stepping stone to everything. I am representing myself as a learned person to the best of my ability. And lastly, a big thanks to this girl because she paved a way for me to write about my roots. It gave me a chance to express how proud I am to be part of the Thomasian community.

VIVA SANTO TOMAS!!!!The most recent photo that I took during my latest visit in UST
- (2011) while standing beside the dirty ice cream cart that I
had been buying ice cream from since I was in
my primary years inside the campus.
It's still there.

The BALD FROG with a WIG....

Every time I update my google account, my blogger profile generates tasks and challenges to write, random questions to answer and opinion-generating arguments.... today, I came across this task,

Random Question:

The children are waiting! Please tell them the story about the bald frog with the wig:

And this is what I came up with...


There was once a frog whose ultimate purpose in the world is to be happy. He thought carefully how he would do it. And then he realized that God gave him the very expression of being a happy frog, the talent of jumping! He jumped from places to places to share to every creature the good news. He entertained them til he got exhausted. One day, he got sick because he forgot to take a rest along the journey. His legs got weak and had to undergo serious medication as far as drinking 8 kinds of it just to survive. But this did not stop the frog from doing what he loves best. Making people happy. For him, this gives him the quality of life he longs to have. Drinking 8 drugs at a time made his hair fall off until he lost all of them and became bald. He didn't go out for many days til one of the creatures that went brave to look for him, the squirrel. He found out about the frog's problem that people might make fun of him for being bald but the squirrel, quick enough as ever, thought of a simple solution. The squirrel brought the frog a wig the next day so that he would be able to continue making the people happy and in turn himself happy. Not so long, he died and the squirrel always remembered him because the frog had left it with a note saying, "Thank you for making me happy."


Too bad it just had to be limited to 400 characters... let me know what you think about it. Comment down below if you may. Thanks in advance...

God wants you to know...

Logic is argumentative, aggressive upon the mind, splits the world into right and wrong, us and them. Love is generative, compassionate, embracing all creation. Logic pays attention to what is being said. Love pays attention to how things are said. Logic leads to debate. Love leads to communion. Practice love to be closer to God.

ONCE UPON A TIME

I am currently hooked with this new series from ABC
called, "Once Upon A Time" where stories from children's books
were all put together with an interesting twist.

The class of fairy tales were brought anew as a touch of
modern reality affects all characters that
paves a way to a whole new different story.

From being a fan of CHARMED,
I can't wait to suggest this to my sisters and to all you
people who believe in fairy tales...
one way or another.

2011 Picture Compilation

JANUARY
"HOW TO START"

There are 3 things that I've observed that people
(in general) tend to do after the holiday season, kicking off a start now that
a new year had come and/or as the first month of the year is unleashed.
REASSESS/REMINISCE THE PAST, DIET and MAKE RESOLUTIONS!

2 keywords for all of it:
L-E-T-T-I-N-G G-O!!!!!!

As a reminder, we have to let go of the past,
it's good to get the lesson from it though

as part of your self reassessment.
But no matter what you do, you cannot change it.

In dieting, you let go of excess and "unnecessary" weight that you
allowed yourself to have as you convinced yourself that
another serving of that irresistible blue berry cheese cake in front
of you was worth it last Christmas eve... or New Year's...

Lastly, in making resolutions...
The thing is, you basically want to let go of what doesn't
work "with" you and "for" you that's why you give yourself
resolutions. It's crying out for change, right? Right.

They all denote one thing in common.
"L-E-T-T-I-N-G G-O!"

I chose this picture to remind me of the little things in my life,
whether good or bad that one way or another,
I would have to let them go. There's a reason behind it
why you have to do so. Whatever they may all be,
we shouldn't forget the most important of all,
for GROWTH.
Your own and theirs.

This is a picture of my friends. The eldest girl is Waipapa,
the boy is Buddah and the little girl is Teehei.

The Baileys!!!
I got this shot when we went to the park, my last play day with them.
I've become close to these Maori children but they had to leave for New Zealand
with their parents for school. Traveling stopped the kids
from having a stable set of friends.
I, for one, know that it's all better that they grow up steadily.
If I was Miri Bailey ( their mom ), I would have done the same thing.
I will forever remember them together with Hogan.
But we had to let them go.
And I can't wait 'til our paths cross again.

FEBRUARY
"THE WEDDING"

My cousins and I were very close. Coming from a family with
two sisters (no brother), I became very close to my cousin,
the youngest of our batch, ALVIN DEL MUNDO, now a certified architect.
He was my brother from another mother.
We had our share of youthful fun together with the rest
of our other cousins and my sisters that we practically grew up together.
But since he was just a little kid back then, we ought to keep an eye for him.

For the love month, I moved his picture with his wife that I took
during his wedding from December (the month that they got married)
up to February for I want to share my point of view to all of you,
most especially to men, about the wedding that you're going to give yourselves
and your wife to be maybe soon or in the future.

When I go to weddings, I always look at how it was planned
and how it was laid for all to see. For me,
this is how the groom adheres to what the bride deserves
or it's his way of looking at her. The wedding should be the
proof of how the groom envisions the bride.
From the motif, the location, how it's going to happen,
the people that's going to be there... things like such.

I am so proud of him to have been so successful
and blessed in many ways. His parents were always there
to support and guide him all the way, his wife shares the same
desires and goals with him and his career is at its golden years.

Lastly, he was a gentleman to show Renchie, my now cousin-in-law,
his love thru the wedding that he gave her.
I was even personally swept off my feet.
His personal touch on the music, the tactics, the food,
the program, the AVP production too... they all
had gave it so much energy and life.

It was the wedding of the year for me indeed.

MARCH
"NO FEAR"

Another powerful tool for me, besides LOVE, is having no fear.
In a lot of superhero movies, being fearless makes you stand out,
makes you extraordinary and makes impossible things doable.
In our daily lives and in our REAL world,
it's commonly known as CONFIDENCE and BRAVERY.

Here, I represent to you, 2 photos I've got for the month of March.
The first photo was taken in Samoa of Hogan Toomalatai receiving
the traditional Tatau, a rite of passage amongst Samoans.
Only the bravest people of heart and mind are the ones that would do this nowadays.

The second photo amazed me with Dylan Yung's talent.
Here, you would see 4 performers (one of them is me)

squeezing out every confidence they got
as they dance out to a number of people including their bosses on the side.
The angling of this shot kind of emphasized the idea.

Both of these photos depict the tools that we need in living our lives
to the fullest. We only live once and we should make the most out of it.
I love it!

APRIL
"DISCOVER"

Living life includes discovering things that you're

not familiar with. You'd be surprised that although

traveling seems to be the best thing to do

to get immersed to something new,

there are still some things that are actually around

you everyday that may give you that feeling of first experiences.

Lately, our camera, CANON EOS 50D,

opens up my eyes to seeing something deeper

or more upclose. Our lens is good enough to show me

different perceptives in taking a glimpse of just about everything.

From focusing, colors and angling.

All of these had made me appericiate the world in its abundance.

I choose this picture of me in front of the rugby field one fine afternoon

when Hogan along with our friends had played in the rugby league.

It was a great experience to come out of what's familiar and push

yourself into doing something else besides what you do everyday.

Taking pictures that day had made me appreciate rugby more

when all that I had before was constant "zero" knowledge

about this sport.

MAY

"FINDING BEAUTY IN THE MOST UNEXPECTED PLACES"

This picture by a good friend of mine, WENDELL JOHN FRANDO,

inspires me continuously to find beauty in everything.

As for my hobby of taking photos, I casually take walks to

spot subjects, photograph them and share it to friends.

Before I knew it, I had compiled a lot in one of my albums in Facebook

and Wendell saw them.

I appreciated his comment encouraging me that I should

consider "unusual" subjects. I didn't get what he said at first so I asked

him what he meant about it then he lead me to this picture

then it made me totally get the sense.

Then I realized that could be applied as a rule of life.

Sometimes, we tend to focus only on the

blinding beauty of almost everything that we tend

to forget that beauty lies within the purpose of something

or somebody. It lies within...

JUNE
"BE YOURSELF"

I'd like to feature this photo of my friend, Kelly Boyles.

She's one epitome of the word "REAL" in it's truest form.

Here could be a picture of Cruela in couture, but what I see more is that

great aura of GIRL POWER. I love her for knowing how to

have fun, being responsible, being on top of her game and staying humble.

She keeps everything in her life balanced and stays real and

true to her friends, family and of course to her own self.

That's what's most important.

I love how she treats herself good by celebrating her life.

She knows what she deserves and doesn't take any shit from people

(if you know what I mean).

JULY

"PLAY"

I blogged about the auditions that me and my friends did for the

launching of Toy Story Land here in HK DISNEYLAND last year but

I never got the chance to share how it went.

Malyn Punay, Aaron Jan Mercado, Giles Earvin Santos,

Stevenie Fu, Lawrence Law and I, along with numerous cast

members of HK DISNEYLAND, got the chance to model

the toy story land clothing and apparel as it opened November last year.

It was a sublime experience for all of us

as a series of castings and photoshoots were done

& this photo was one of the finished products.

We did have a lot of fun and we get to

do something else that's worth remembering besides work.

Life is full of surprises alright.

AUGUST
"SUNSET"

My boyfriend, Hogan Toomalatai,

took this during our trip in Samoa. It was just

too beautiful to let it pass without capturing the moment on cam.

The colors, the clear skies as time passed by while

watching it was beyond satisfying.

We don't get hold of beautiful sunsets like these in Hong Kong.

And so, we realized that we miss it.

It's very similar to sunsets in the Philippines too.

SEPTEMBER
"DEATH"

As inevitable as it may seem to most people, I never

knew that DEATH remained taboo to me after learning about Steve Job's
uneventful farewell as iphone 5 was far more than expected.
I was figuring out whether to wait for iphone 5 or buy an iphone 4 for already
since I was going over a week without no mobile phone.
The night before his death, my boyfriend and I were weighing which to purchase.

I literally jumped off the bed when I heard of this tragic loss the next day.

I admire him for being able to serve his purpose before he died though.

And that made me panic a little bit as I told myself,

"I wish I could fulfill my purpose too the same way he did."

Because the follow up thought to that was,

I'm still far away from fulfilling what my true profession is.

I'm a certified nurse, but I don't serve as one.

I have a lot of dreams like writing a book but all that I got is a title.

I am actually in PANIC about certain issues that maybe I'm too late to do stuff

or I'm getting old to start something else up.

Hence, I see death as taboo because I still got a lot of things

to do, experiences to hold, and growth to earn.
I don't know if it goes the same with you
but I am still not ready to bid farewell. Not just yet.
But that's not in my control, is it?
Make it count. Make everything count.

OCTOBER
"INDIFFERENCE"

Ahhh, every person's ambition is an escape.
This month always gives Hong Kong people this much opportunity
to be somebody else as they hail the season with splendid
array of costumes, late night parties and out of the ordinary get togethers.
They allow themselves to portray themselves as any famous icon
such as: the ROBOCOP, the MUMMY or the EGYPTIAN PHARAOH.
These are just a few examples.
I chose this for the month of October to encourage
your creativity, innovative skills and freedom of expression.
Go for it!

NOVEMBER
"SCORPIO"

My month. Lately, I've developed the baker in me as I occasionally
indulge in the therapeutic effects of this hobby,
as how my friend Ms. Malyn Punay made me realize.
Besides the fact that I am able to save money and learn something new,
Hogan benefits from it as well when I make chocolate pound cake.
I don't find satisfaction with chocolate (yes, I know... I'm the only one who's not a fan)
but I'm pretty ok with not tasting it while I bake it.
I love how baking gives a scent of
"home". It's always nice to go home to a house where
there's always something baking.
For the month of November, learn something new.

Though these cupcakes are truly amazing as how they were made,
perhaps, it's just the Scorpio in me that admires the presentation.
Probably, these cupcakes were made for a bridal shower.

DECEMBER
"SHARE"

God never wanted us to be alone. Hence, he gave us the intelligence
to identify the most essential element of living.
"L-O-V-E" !!!
This picture just talks of it so much so I choose this
for the month of December.

The month of most holidays, it is just good to
share everything that talks about love.
Your time, your undivided attention, your love.
Be thankful for the happy times and don't regret learning from pain.
You are what you are because of what you had gone thru.
And you are comparable to nobody because of your survival skills.
Hold on to each lesson as you face a new beginning yet again.
As the year ends, have a recap once again.
And share it with your family, your friend, or your special someone.
They might learn something from you.

A SHIP is designed to take you places. So if your companionSHIP, friendSHIP, partnerSHIP, or relationSHIP isn't taking you anywhere, then its best to abandon that SHIP. You deserve nothing but the best & your worth is priceless. Shine Your Light...

"something to ponder on as i read " ... it's good way to start a new year by letting go of something that doesn't do you good at all... 1st step to starting a new, "LET GO!!!" of clutter, of excess baggage and of the past that you and i both know will NEVER change!

thanks MS. LUCAS!!!!

Marriage

SAMOA 2011

Fall, 2011

Ahhhhh.... the time when it's best to do parades because of the windy and cooler weather.

Welcome FALL/WINTER 2011!!!

This was taken October 18, just wanting to document the change of wardrobe come new change of the season. With the help and (bad) influence of my good friend Fern , I hailed Zara for their new collection of boots, Bershka for stylish scarves and H&M because of the gift cards as you shopped. It's like earning HK$1 for every HK$7 spent!!!!

Those are just too lame as reasons, right? It sounds perfectly like what you'll read in SHOPAHOLIC series! So add this to it!

I was going to have a wonderful dinner with Hogan for our 4th year anniversary at our favorite restaurant... CHILLI AND SPICE located in Gold Coast Metropolis, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong. It somehow owns a Discovery Bay vibe so it was proper to dress up! And I was looking forward to document too so why not grabe the opportunity for photo opportunities like this! LOL!!!

PEACH PIE

It's the second time around that I had to google how to do something for the first time. First was how to play the guitar, and this time, it was how to make a PEACH PIE...

Peaches have always been one of my favorite fruits when I was young... and I remembered how it melts in my mouth whenever I eat it. So, I thought, why not eat it in a different way... on my own way! OK, today, it didn't turn out so... I want to mention Nicko's kitchen (that's how the simple recipe was entitled in youtube) for it helped me thru. So it ain't exactly my own way.

Harry's mom passed away 2 days ago. As our uso ("brother" in Samoan language) here in Hong Kong, we visited him earlier tonight to pay sincere condolences along with Chief Malama, Tavita, Chief Pati, his wife and their son, MJ and Hogan. They sang a song for his mom and for his loss and we also extended our sympathy to his wife by bringing a special material (to bring to Samoa as cover for the coffin, as part of tradition) and food to their home. It was endearing to witness how strong their culture is and that even though how small their Samoan family here in Hong Kong is, they would really make an effort to comfort them and make them feel that their all together thru ups and downs...

And so, I thought that I should make something special to bring over dinner... Hogan also requested for a dessert or cake. And I thought of a PEACH PIE...

As I gathered the ingredients together, I watched the demonstration on youtube not knowing the exact measurements of each. It's my first time to use Self-raising Flour. I didn't know its limits or whether it would make my dough too spongy but then, it was alright. Let me share it in a brief way...

PEACH PIE

Ingredients:
- self-raising flour (if you don't have it, you can just use the all-purpose flour but add baking soda to it)
- granulated white sugar
- brown sugar
- unsalted butter
- 1 medium sized egg
- milk
- peaches (canned is preferred, as long as it was preserved in its natural juice)

Instructions:
1. Prepare the dry ingredients by mixing altogether flour, granulated white sugar and butter. Use your fingers in mixing them altogether until a golden crumby texture has been achieved.

2. Pour in the beaten egg and the milk simultaneously thereafter. Then mix it altogether with a bread knife allowing the air to create a natural plump to it.

3. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees while you pour the mixture to the baking pan laid upon with baking paper.

4. Put the sliced peaches on top. To avoid it from burning, brush melted butter on it and sprinkle the brown sugar on top to add some color to it and to carmelize the top.

5. Bake from 18-23 minutes at 180 degrees if using the 22,5x22,5 CM baking pan. Use the toothpick to check if inside is cooked and dry. Let it cool for 5 minutes thereafter and serve. This is good for 8-10 people.

I hope this could be of help. It's better to check youtube for the exact expectation of mixture, measurements and finished product. To tell you honestly, I just used my INSTINCTS with the measurements and Hogan mentioned that he was proud. Thank God! Not bad for a first timer!

I DESERVE IT!

Ever since technology had taken a huge step in making mobile phones, my family and I had been loyal to Nokia. I still remember the first ever handy model, 5110. My classmates found it a symbol of status. Young as we were, that's what we believed so.

Not until, I started making important calls, marking down important people for work and business, and the most important of all, getting hold of things to be done at a certain time.

I admit, I never realized that I was in a constant struggle with the limitations of my old phone as I gave way to my desire to own one of Steve Jobs' greatest innovations. IPhone 4 - humbly I say, had made everything easier, accessible and possible for me. Not to mention, the apps that go with it. I couldn't relate to it at first but APPLE really makes it user friendly by updating it very well and by allowing an array of interests to be steadfast available.... at a minimal cost... It's a good investment and to further feed the indulgence, I asked Hogan, "Do you think I deserve this!?" And he said, "Of course!" And that puts the guilt away (since it's not that cheap, though I'm thankful of the discount for Disney Cast Members and the wonderful deal that they gave me).

THE GREATEST CEO OF HIS TIME

"The Greatest CEO of His Time"

Steve Jobs' death made me jump off my bed when my boyfriend of 4 years

casually announced from Facebook a devastating news.

I couldn't believe at first though it was expected.

I've known him being sick of Pancreatic Cancer for quite a while.

I kind of sensed how serious it was when I observed him experiencing

a remarkable weight loss.

Greatfully, he did not seize in pushing himself

of fulfilling his purpose of innovating cellphones/mobile phones.

I am more than amazed of his dedication to what he does best

despite his serious condition. In fact, despite the reality

That he was dying...

Many of us, if we would be asked by God of what we want,

there'd always be wishes that would talk about

personal gains. It's not wrong but it's a fact.

Ask yourself for example of what you'd wish for if God

appears to you one day and asks you this,
"what 3 wishes would you ask me
if I would guarantee you that it will be granted?"

...............

Did you answer it yet?

Mine firstly, was to be able to serve my purpose.

(I always start and end my day stating this.)

Secondly, to gain as much finance so as

the family that I'll leave behind would never have

difficulty giving me a proper burial.

And the last one would be to attain immortality

At least thru a book or any form of innovation of some sort.

Noticed anything?

...............

Yeah... There's personal gain there.

Though maybe if I would serve my purpose and would

be able to attain immortality, earn a lot of money so that

my family would give me a proper burial, who knows?

Probably it could benefit the whole mankind.

Pretty ambitious. But hey, that's just a big "IF".

Even if we'll add a catch to it,

like for example, you're dying and God appeared to you

and asked you the same thing, the more it has the tendency

to just talk about pure personal gain.
It's just undeniable.

The point is, as far as the concept of "dying" is concerned,

It still is good not to wait for that moment to live
PURPOSEFULLY.

Steve jobs life is a life well-lived

for he was able to do his purpose, which was

to enhance other people's lives.

It could be more of a personal gain for him but as i type

away this blog entry thru my iPhone,
I feel that it's more of a gain for me.

Steve jobs' iPhone makes it possible for me

to type away whenever and wherever.

You Got a Friend in Me!!!!

A Toy Story

11 in the morning. Stevenie and Lawlaw had set the call time
the night before. Complete with instructions as to what colors of clothes
we were going to bring and with my camera all geared up,
we all met up in Disneyland Hotel to take as much life in the pictures
to come up with the "not-only-cast-members-but-also-friends" theme.
And I'm so grateful to have these subjects altogether in this project
for each and every one of us really were game to do it...


Despite limited make-up time, props to hold and sun to enjoy,
we still hope that there would be a good outcome from this.
Or should I say, we already have because this will be another page
to be added up to our lives here in Hong Kong.

Thank God for friends!

Camaraderie

"Life is short.

If you know you can make

somebody that you love happy with just a simple thing, don't hesitate in doing so.

Maybe before you know it, maybe before you realize it, you ran out of time already

to give him/her the HAPPINESS this world could offer because that person is gone...."

SINGAPORE

December 26-28, 19933was the last time I've been to Singapore.... I barely remember how it looked like. All that I remember was how clean it was (they can even monitor where you'll throw your gum), how strict it was with taxis (only 4 people inside and there's 5 of us in the family), and of course, the infamous ORCHARD Rd. - an oasis for shoppers. Most especially, GUESS at that time was a hit! And man! My mom's credit card got maxed out. No kidding!

And now, August 13-17 2011, I went again not to shop that much but to take a breather from Hong Kong's fast paced, demanding and stressful life. To see good friends, to see them perform in prestigious musicals and do sight-seeing... A much laid back vacation than what I had 18 years ago except that my parents were present then. I can depend on them for financial means. Hehehe! Nonetheless, this is when you put what you've worked hard for to use! Such pure indulgence, the thought of it! Ugh! Makes my mouth water! Let me start off with what's familiar to me.



The ORCHARD RD. I didn't get the chance to stroll along this shop ville as much as I did when I was young. So, I took the chance to familiarize myself once again with this fabulous road of fashion, leisure and luxury. It's nice to know that Ezek, one of Salinggawi's fruits, is working in PRADA. And it was very convenient that they have a ticket booth just along the sidewalk to purchase your tickets for wonderful musicals. We purchased ours there. We wanted to know if there's a discount for Disney cast members but we didn't want to wait longer. We wanted assured seats. Not much shopping was done but it's nice to see Orchard Road during the night.

You wouldn't believe it but I just spent probably around half an hour here to meet up with highschool batchmates over at Marche Vivo...
Marche is a very nice restaurant situated on top of Vivo, a mall that is similar to the construction of the overwhelming Greenbelt of the Philippines. Marche serves Italian and Spanish cuisines. What's amazing about this restau is that everything is fresh. You pick up the veggies that you want to be in your salad, you choose the steak cut that you want to be cooked for you and the wine that you want to go with it. I checked the rice, all they had was PAELLA! Boo... but it's alright to try something different. If they will serve white rice, it'll spoil the feel of it anyways. Then, you can choose which pasta you want to be prepared for you. It was pricey but worth it! Quite an experience most especially if you share that moment with people important to you.

Moving on, I had to say, I wouldn't let this trip pass without seeing my high school batch mates, volleyball teammates and co-dancers during college. It felt so good seeing how well they had turned out. Rachelle Valencia was with her husband. They looked cute together and I am thankful for she gathered as much people as she could. Karla Valencia, so many things, we've witnessed together. We shared a lot of hardships, school, work and play all at the same time. We danced for Salinggawi that's why I included "play" in our "hardships". Ha! Too much irony. It's hard to explain but she knows what I mean. Kathy Dinio, Mhaane Reyes.... Katherine and Marie Antoinette along with Kei a.k.a, Kareen Amanda Donor.... ha! I remember how goofy we all were when we were in high school. So many of our friends outside the volleyball team were so annoyed when we couldn't hang out with them because of our training. But, they don't know how much craziness we've spent altogether.... I thank you all for this precious time in Marche. Until next time, I hope you'd visit me in return here in Hong Kong....
 


It had caught my attention that there's a cheap place where you could buy good finds for yourself and for people left at home too as form of "pasalubong". That, if Hong Kong got Mong Kok, Singapore got the Bugis Junction.... I went gaga.... LOL!!!! I've always considered shopping as a form of therapy. So, like what I said, I needed a breather. My friend Lawrence Law and I therefore had the best time choosing what to buy for our loved ones and we also bought something for ourselves that caught our eyes.... FUN FUN FUN!!!!

I realized that as a performer, research is important so I indulged on musicals when I went to Singapore. I am but so proud of my good friends, WENDELL JOHN FRANDO, YAEL PINEDA, ALEXANDER DAGALEA & EARL CLARISSE MALLARI, whom I've known for a long time as 4 years of working for Disney had passed by. Respectively, they work in the fabulous La Vie, Lion King Broadway, Daddy-o's; Monster Rock (the last two can be seen in Universal Studios) currently. I could say that I've felt more inspired and driven because of them. These humble people fed my soul for its hunger for entertainment and air. I felt so grateful of witnessing how they've grown as multi-talented performers. Bravo my friends! Spread your wings! Spread them wide!

La Vie Singapore's first theatrical circus and its longest running original production,
Voyage de la Vie, is the timeless tale of a young man's coming of age.
Frustrated with the pressures of work, the Boy receives a mysterious box
which opens up to reveal the mischievous Game Master.
The Game Master introduces him to the Lantern Keeper who becomes
the Boy's guide on a journey though his imagination,
where the Boy encounters many extraordinary characters.
They teach him that wherever he is in this passage,
it is the Journey and not the Destination which gives life its meaning.
Be awed and entertained by dazzling costumes, magnificent sets and death defying circus feats performed by a cast of international circus stars from 19 countries....
It was such a remarkable experience watching this.
So many stunts that had put me and my friends at the
edge of our seats. Totally different.... 


LION KING - Marina Sans


ALEXANDER DAGALEA with the DADDY-O'S

EARL CLARISSE MALLARI
SHE-WOLF

UNIVERAL STUDIOS - we needed to make a stop here. This had truly lifted our spirits up! Most especially after riding the accelerator. I remembered how me and my sisters loved riding the breathtaking ones! My sister used to pick the first row and I've always stayed behind. You know, that feeling that you wanted to be as brave as her but you can't. Being the middle child, I always find myself behind her when scariest things happen.... Anyway, let me share this funny experience. We were in Great America in U.S. and we rode Top Gun. It's speed was maybe similar to how airforce planes accelerate. So, she was shouting "aaaahhhh!!!! ahhhhh!!!!" Speed combined with the numbness of her mouth, she didn't realize she was drooling. And I was behind her, right? So, yep! She kind of spitted on me unknowingly. And we just laughed after I told her on our way down. But I have to stress it out that it's a heavenly feeling. Some surge of adventure and excitement.... Big thanks to Guy Cheng, Lawlaw's friend who showed us around the park.



Some things that you have to know about Universal Studios are the following:

MADAGASCAR: A CRATE ADVENTURE
Join Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria, the four heroes from Dreamworks Animation's movie, Madagascar, as they embark on an unforgettable river ride adventure in Madagascar: A Crate Adventure...

Around this area are an array of cuisines that you may find satisfying. We had our lunch here. Servings are pretty small but it's enough to keep you going around the park. Distractions are everywhere anyways.... LOL!!!! But I suggest, you eat first outside before visiting this theme park. It's better to save money for shopping because their goods are really funky and nice! I got a "Best Actress" shirt for myself. And a lot of shirts were on sale that time like around SG$5 if you get 2 shirts. More discounts if you buy a lot too.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
HUMAN OR CYCLON - Choose your side on the world's tallest duelling roller coasters. Prepare to engage in aerial combat between two coasters. The Cyclon suspended coaster goes up, around and upside down with an intense corkscrew and a cobra roll, while the Human seated coaster zooms at speeds of 82.8 km/h and propels you over 14 storeys into the air.

Like I said, I chose CYCLON. We had just one time big time chance as we were maximizing our visit because we had to leave early to watch the Lion King Musical in the evening.

WATERWORLD
Prepare to be amazed by death defying feats, awesome explosions and an ocean of thrills as giant fireballs explode in the air and a seaplane swoops towards you, skidding across the water to crash explosively just inches away in a finale that will leave you breathless!!!!

Simply amazing, that's just what I could say. It's worth it to watch once again. One time is enough though. They have sections that may indulge you on some more intimate interaction. You may get, that's what I meant. So make sure you choose where to sit on most especially when you handle nice non-waterproof cameras.



Besides of course, the fact that I saw new things in Singapore, still, it wouldn't make the trip as awesome as it seems if not for old friends... As we made a toast in Prelude (a beautiful place to hang out in) and as Julie Ewen gave away to a brief but very meaningful speech, "A toast for friends who don't always see each other but will always share that special bond that nothing could get broken." I am so glad to see you again. And watch out for Ms. Carlie Chapman, a TRUE Hongker by heart... will be joining us by November!


source: leaflets

Born This Way - Lady Gaga (Cover by Karmin)

PAIN - a personal realization on a day that the Lord had made

There are so many kinds of pain a human being could experience. To my opinion, it's some great force that could bring you from being madly driven down to becoming insanely paralyzed.

EXPERIENCE could allow one person to subjectively describe it. Within 28 years of my existence, there's as far as 4 that I've encountered. You may agree or disagree with what I am about to share. But one way or another, it may be a little too familiar to you.

The most superficial of all, is the ACHE that gets triggered every now and then. Usually, this is stimulated by MEMORIES. Memories of loosing someone, memories of "almost" making it to the top, memories of the many "firsts" turned to "regrets" in the end. I've got a number of aches that I could recall. The effect of it though is tolerable since there's always an emotion that comes right thru given the aftermath of these memories. It's this tiny light of HOPE that it will never happen again or it may be the WILL that encourages you to get over it.

Physical pain however is due to bad habits. Of course, it's hard to just dwell particularly on that reason but most of the time, as I've realized, bad habits could be a main reason. From the word physical, it's something that our physical bodies complain about. Just to remind us to put something into a halt. And I've always believed that something in excess always leads to something bad. Bad habits like smoking may lead to chronic lung failure. The word, "chronic" itself sounds painful to me, not mentioning the reality behind such diagnosis. Being too proud of having a bad habit of not warming up before working out is may also induce physical pain in the long run. ("CHRONIC-pain")... Not sleeping on time, not drinking water, getting stressed too much... like what I said, these things that I am mentioning maybe a little too familiar since they maybe perceived as subconsciously "normal" since they've become a ROUTINE. An unhealthy one for that matter.

The most difficult to handle is the DEEP PAIN that resides in the heart. The one that's formed by a massive impact of a certain situation. Abuse, cheating, treachery, deceit. These are the simplest of them all. Deep pain is the kind that never heals because it continuously is nurtured by emotions that only TIME may take away. FEAR, ANGER, GUILT and PRIDE are the ultimate culprits of feeding DEEP PAIN into becoming something destructive. It's hard to comprehend how and why this happens. Ironically, it's easy for humans to blame it to other people. What they don't realize is that the answer relies on them. Limited as we all are, there are individuals that could never cope up.

This is where the last kind seeps in. The kind of physical pain brought about by human emotions. Those emotions that are far too great to be handled by the human brain. Now I'm confused. Which should handle the deep pain anyway? Is it the heart? Or is it the brain? Going back, this deep pain turned to physical pain is called the PSYCHOSOMATIC PAIN. Usually, it may be in a form of PSYCHOSIS (humans becoming out of order when it comes to its ability to reason out or just plainly to identify what is the difference between real and not, since the brain isn't functioning well) - ; or HEART ATTACK, STROKE, OR IT COULD BE JUST A SIMPLE HEADACHE. If you would really think about it, it could be considered as somehow, STRESS-RELATED.

I've shared this to encourage people to become strong with whatever pain they're going thru and to those who know they've harmed somebody, physically or emotionally, this is what happens. They go thru pain. It's a sad thought.

*I am thankful for google's help for my images*

Tai po