Fun time in Hyougo...

Here in Japan we celebrate Golden Week. So we have this rare chance to get a lot of time going out together. And one of our skeds gave us the opportunity to visit a long time friend of my daughter Aya...Janice who lives in Hyougo now with her hub Jeff and their new bundle of joy...Juri. So we grabbed the chance visiting them last Saturday and Sunday (May 6-7). Hyougo is 282 kms drive from our location so we woke up early at 4am...all prepared and by 5am sharp we rolled off. Just made some quick stop at McDo for our take-out breakfast and a lot of stop to peeh and took some pictures whenever we got the chance. We passed a lot of tunnels and the scene of lush mountains or yama were splendid and jaw-dropping. We then arrived at Janice' house after some reconnoitering. We were served pinoy nilaga with steamed rice and pork adobo with liver , and stir-fry pancit. We enjoyed fully playing with little Juri who is just barely on his 2nd month but he is already cooing and smiling. She's so cute and adorable. Then by Sunday morning we readied ourselves and went straight to The Awagi World Park together with Janice only in tug, since the baby is yet to get his vaccines, it curtails Janice to bring Juri outside lest he catches some infections.

At World Park we laughed a lot and felt like we were children when we saw these spots where some fairy tales are...like Little Red Riding Hood, Tinker Bell, Jack and the beanstalk...the witch, the Three Little Pigs...and so on...and many playground equipments to enjoy.

Aya-san with beautiful mom Janice and baby Juri<3

Bye bye time now...

great bonding @World Park!

the heat is on!

hush hush baby... ;D

giving me instruction first

SEGWAY PT ride, on my own now...

riding a horse...

DEAN KAMEN...the inventor of SEGWAY PT

On forging real friendship...

Friends..friends...friends.

Who doesn't want to win friends? Or in any situation who doesn't find humor when one brings you to smile by cracking silly jokes when you are in sullen mood? You don't have to look for one since they can be everywhere. And we're so thankful how they have walked into our lives and become part of us. Always they make us laugh until our belly hurts. When we're in a bad disposition they would also be wearing that sad face masks. When we're happy they'd laugh the loudest. It's so much fun to have our friends around. Eating together, watching movie together and having some chitchats at home once in a while for a much needed break from office work or house hold chores. Friends are like sunshine that makes our day brighter. And I for one is not an exclusion to this. I love friends too. For me in any relationship, it should work two way. Not mostly is reciprocal but I guess it would be healthy giving it the give and take atmosphere. One should take part in forging the relationship more bonding. If one way lane is used I think everything will just go down the drain.

But most importantly is to equate friendship with honest and respect. Then the bond will not be doomed in any manner. Long lasting friendship is the most yearned one 'coz if not, they are just mere acquaintances to be called, who would  just walk in and say hi and goodbye. Nothing can be compared  if we have one in the hand as the old cliche goes and if possible...keep it and hold it with your two hands.

After what I've gone through this previously..darn, my best hope is that... things like that would never ever come my way again 'coz it just curtailed me from forging again another friendship in the offing. Sometimes if your principle or let the truth be put in jeopardy by this person, then I'd just wish to stay alone and be happy for all by myself..

I'm not to flaunt this but...all I wanted is to be a blessing for my friends and not to give pain and become the dangling Damocles sword on their heads.

A blant about overwhelming sense of guilt

Honesty is such a lonely word, everyone is so untrue...

This is one of the most important qualities that most people seem to be missing these days. Me too but not to a great extent. I do lie also for some reason. Let me share this to you:

Last Monday I went to submit my papers to a traveling agency. It just took me a short while so I decided to make a nod for a free lunch invitation of my best friend who's one of the ninangs of my eldest daughter. We were classmates in high school and so to cut it short we've been friends for over 30 long years. So I can truly say that we are the best of friends...we are, seasoned with kindness, love and trust though we hardly see each other since I am a busybody being a mom. When we arrived,we were ushered inside by my best friend and led us to the dining table where lunch was waiting. After eating and some brief chitchats, I said we're going. But I did abruptly buy time when she showed me some items for sale. I put down my bag and my cellphone on the empty chair right beside me. There were bed sheets, curtains and this tall candle holder that made me twitched a little for I find it eerie. It looked like something used to guard coffin during the wake. Or to make it less than eerie , we see them in the altar. For me it doesn't fit to be placed inside the house. But what's wrong with me is that I always can't say no even if those items didn't suit my fancy. It ended there. Much to my dismay...I was forced to take those stuff against my freewill just for the sake of friendship. Now moving on, another bidding of thank yous and goodbyes...I took my bag and went on. If only my poor cellphone could talk. I never noticed that I left my poor cellphone only when inside the car I wanted to say thanks for that free lunch via sms. My phone was nowhere to be found and I recalled right away that I left it in haste to where I was next seated. We reached Arlington Tramo when I decided to go back at my bff's house. She wasn't there yet so I heaved a heavy sigh knowing it could slim the chance. She was fetched by his older brother, then was flushed why I went back. Then searching she went. None. In my mind, how could you find it there? I just let my friend do the searching while me observing everything. Inside the house when we arrived and until the time we went out there were only one couple with three children not older than 5yo. Her bother who was at the terrace upstairs when I arrived earlier, so that makes 3 adults [plus one adult] and 3 young kids. The older kid who stayed at the sala most of the time was so eloquent and smart. My friend asked her..."beh, nakita mo cellphone ni tita noks dito naiwan?" Then the kid says..."oo...selpon nya? kay mama... dun" [dun - pointing at her mother's room, their room] 

To cut it short...that was it! It ended there. I was looking for an answer, hoping that I could still recover it if they would be given a chance to talk privately to catechize. At first I was able to  take  everything in stride just for the sake of our long years of friendly relationship. But later at midnight all has sinked in...I decided to make a deal. I forced them to return it back or they buy me a new one since I just got it 2 months ago from Smart via postpaid plan. I went to Smart office to report the incident and requested it be blocked.The saddest part is ...I still have to pay  the plan for twenty one months left as it is my obligation. I am jobless. I only rely on my daughter's remit. That makes me more furious. Namumuhay ako ng maayos eto naman ang mga walanghiya na walang magawa sa buhay. That's shitty!

From  the way I look at it...the chance is so futile. Now the question is...am I too mean if I tend to be so stern? Am I too hard for not considering the friendship before I went ballistic? Am I to be blame for I intend to shut her off completely if nothing positive comes out of this? Am I guilty of anything? Some things do really  happen. Like when I left my phone, you may say am forgetful or whatever you may call this. But am tackling honesty here. Somebody found it am sure and ganked it purposely and intentionally. And the irony was that I left it at my best friend's house where I must find comfort and assurance of nothing ill will  will ever happen. Am I too bad for cursing as to where it did happen? My point here is, I am not a stranger there...they knew me for so long. But how could one there just hide it when in fact they knew that I will come back to get it since it's a new qwerty phone unscratched and so perfectly awesome to the eyes of snatchers. Are they? They didn't even think of the consequences to follow. Now everyone there will be a suspect, the three adults there [plus one more]. Not to include the three young kids of course. And what the kid said is so vital. We don't need to investigate here. No police. It's as easy as a pie. Nawalan ako sa bahay nila so palitan na lang. Sana nga na-snatched na lang eh...makakatulog pa ako. But it's different...the culprit is in the house! I just over estimated that they are bunch of good people...I  guess it's otherwise. Okey the ball is in your court. Prove that you are good people...

I prefer not to set my foot on that house again...never ever after this incident. I'd rather sleep in the comfort of my home...yes  home...where I am safe.

Now maybe my friend is crying because I'm kinda hard or stern ...but nothing will be earned if she'll just cry and sulk in her corner. I just want to teach them a lesson...but if they are insisting that they knew nothing about it ...so be it then!

Let everyone be warned of what is karma.

BE AFRAID OF THE POWER OF THREE !!!
'The Three-fold Law','The Law of Three' or 'The Law of Return

PS/ I am sorry everyone for this is not me... ;-[

It's good to be loved! :)

My best friend just arrived from Baguio for a three day seminar and she brought me some fresh delicious strawberries! And a jar of oatmeal cookies... Woohoo! I love it!




Thanks dearie... :)

To McGyver Rae...

Vive bene spesso l'amore di risata molto

It means, Live well. Love much. Laugh often.

I did inspire this young man who btw became so close to my heart to give blogging a try. I felt so ecstatic when one day he texted me na he has started blogging na. After a couple of push and shove really, he gave in...'coz this guy is so full of emotions and he's so full of talent that's why I wanted him to go blogging. Am sure he is a good writer once tapped. He's quite an A1 student just like my daughter of course. The only difference is that he gives it all while my daughter is quite bashful and somehow she has opened some windows to show her talents too. She's into singing also where she gives her all singing for the school choir. These two are both dear to my heart and somehow I have yet to see my dau blogging. If that time comes, and I hope soon...then I'll be on top of cloud nine na talaga!

Laugh out loud!

I snagged this from my good friend Carlos...You can visit his blog by this link...am sure you'll roll and laugh...and enjoy. O Papa Xicolates.

I feel so sad....

I was thinking of giving up this blogging passion of mine when I took notice that it not only confines me but also giving me a sedentary lifestyle almost taking a lot of most of my time. Being scoliotic I'm always almost having a hard time sitting on my butt for hours and in fact also ruining my eyes to greater strain and smarting. It came to my mind that, what if I print everything I've done here for the past years since I got started as a newbie? For posterity reason I really am thinking of doing it. It's just that am waiting for myself to buy me a new USB to save everything...if not to print everything.
And here one day...my dear friend emailed me that he too will close his' and he did. He went ahead closing it talaga. It's kind of sad, because actually...if there's one site that I do loved to visit, definitely it was Testnisse on my top list. Why? It all started with the song I love so much...Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb." We have the same choices of music from different genres. Even those instrumentals he has...it's all nice and I liked it so much when I was there visiting his photos while enjoying the music as well. One thing I'm grateful of here in blogosphere is getting to know some good and sensible people here and out of the country. And one true example is my dear friend Carlos...the know-it-all man.

But anyway...you'll enjoy his cartoon...lol...I hope it will stay longer. Obrigado!

PS/ To you Carlos, just stay as sweet as you are, and stay healthy! Okey?! ***hugs***

Comfortably Numb (Pink Floyd)

Friends forever, is there a chance?!

Left alone in the past
by Brande
Left alone in the past
Forgotten friendships buried, never meant to last
She walked away from me
Why couldn't I foresee?
Time standing still
Another way to deal, another pill
The sky is gray with hate
One thing tore us apart, your fate
Now what will you do?
Who will confide in you?
Remember the times we shared?
Remember how well we paired?
The consequences are tough
You only knew how to treat me rough
Who is next in line?
Will you, too, break their spine?
Look at what you've done
This time I will stand in front of you, I won't run
Don't bother me anymore
All you touch, you tore
What you wanted, you took
Now I glance back, I take one last look
You left me alone in your past
Forgotten friendships buried, never meant to last

Starting with a clean slate...

Being happy and favored doesn't correlate to being moneyed. Money can buy almost everything but not your inner happiness. In our hearts, we know that certain void has to be filled in. We segue...we divert our minds...we don't admit that there's a part of that whole that we feel like missing. But no matter what or how we try, it whiffs everytime we seat alone...it whiffs...in our minds. What is important is that in our mind we know that we haven't have maligned anybody...had not stepped on anyone's toes. Living in this world is not just like a kid's slate...a hit and miss thing. If we do something worse we cannot just clean it and go to another step...just like a slate. Some people doesn't really know that there's a thin line that separates trust and paranoia. It doesn't really mean that when you are being trusted it will stay that way forever. We should work on it...have to earn it each day...to give it more strength. You need to bat out a lot of effort. You can't earn it in one day. If you're too relaxed you'll wake up suddenly and you'll be surprised that you've lost it in a flick. Always remember that trust is earned...and you have to work hard for it. Friendship does not guarantee that it will stay there forever. You might lose it in just a wink....! It is more to be pitied than censure.

A candle in the dark...

Just about the time you think you can make both ends meet, somebody moves the ends...
- Penny Penner

You know sometimes we're strained to do what is necessary with compulsion and self-contradiction. We're so compelled to do it even if it would mean pain...pain to ourselves doing what our mind dictates not the heart...and the pain usually irresistible contrary to our will but tend to lighten the murky side of the situation and withstand the real core of the matter. It's quite compelling and kinda dramatic but we're left to submit and be forced to the course of the action. But, in a way no matter how it will pain us, we'll be able to heave a sigh after those struggles and undertakings we make. It is just like a strong wind that impels us to overpower the heart and push us forward to let go of everything. We should always remember that, "our freedom ends where other people's right begins..."


PS/ When I have lost my tongue I have lost my reasons, too. I'm never proud of anything which angrily I do. When I have talked in anger and my cheeks are flaming red...I have always uttered something that I wish I hadn't said...
I do mistakes of course and I do wrongs, but definitely I do not do it on purpose!

Am touched!

MyNiceSpace.com

It feels great...daming bumati as early as 5am and still is...got a little headache kasi aga kong gumising but I can't still go back to sleep kahit nap man lang dahil phone keeps on ringing and everybody's texting and sending birthday messages. Nice feeling pag maraming nagmamahal. Got a parcel via Air21...woohoo...from my friendship, Kcat...sus, nag-abala pa...but honestly I am touched again...grabe talaga itong batang ito...d ko masurpass ang pagging bubbly and thoughtful and everything. I love you Kat! From the bottom of my heart...thanks talaga at nag-effort ka pa. Me utang akong dalaw sayo...promis.

Hay naku grabe...I need to go to my Jazz peers at the studio. Nagkakagulo sila. Will be right back...

Giving the peace sign...

Renewing friendship to someone whom I waved a red flag and now waving a peace sign and same goes with her who happened to ask for forgiveness for her shortcomings. All is proven that we cannot change one's behavior in just a flick...we can help her be a better person thru some hard tries and what is important is we value the bond and forgive inspite of what happen in between. All is well that ends well ika nga. I am very forgiving lalo na sa naging close sken if the person really is aware of her misgivings and will apologetically ask for forgiveness. Kindness and humility is essential but sometimes we do need some upbraids in order to let our friends know what she needs to improve. We cannot see our shortcomings unless we see ourselves in the mirror.

And our friends is our mirror...we're given the privilege to receive an honest and constructive criticism out of that friendship. Then we can move on and pull everything from there.

So to you, we're friends...still...and to that, here's a toast!

Getting up at the wrong side of bed...

Got back to bed after morning routine. Cooking and preparing kid's brekker and packlunches. A bit...aahh...lightheaded again. had checked my BP, quite low I don't know what's happening...I dozed off immediately after my back touches my bed. Then I roused out of bed and had a quick cold shower. Saraaap. I went back again to bed and voila I got a message na naman coming from my friend.com...TACK...hehehe...kakahiya...siya pa nagpapalakas ng loob ko, imagine that. Instead na ako ang magbigay sa kanya ng mga words of wisdom, siya pa umaalalay sa akin. Thanks to you gurl! Kaya siguro kami pinagkilala ni Lord...para mauplift ako ng todo. She is kinda very special talaga. Yesterday while I was at the bank, she bombarded me with so many ready-pass-it-on-messages na talaga namang matinde. This morning she gave me this one...

We fail 2 be hapi coz we are not satisfied wid what we hav...

So here r a few satisfaction guidelines:
1. Do not hold on to something dat wud never be yours. (Tama nga, di ba?)
2. Do not fight 4 someone not worth fighting for. (Hmmmm...tama rin...sayang ang effort!)
3. Do not cry for something lost, gone and inevitable. (Ped ba yun?)
4. Appreciate what you have and be thankful 4 whatever things people gave you. (Kahit bigyan tayo ng kutakot-takot na sama ng loob?!)

*Happiness is a mere construct of the mind. Everyone can be hapi as long as they really want to... :)

To you my friend Tack, wag kang mag-alala...kaya ko toh...ako pa ba ang hinde...sometimes lang talaga I feel a bit disappointed pero in the end, I bounce back again becoz I love life...becoz there's more aside from skulking in the corner. Just like Madge, we as mothers cannot afford to get frustrated no matter how hard the blows will be...and I know naman na hindi ito permanente...bahala na si Batman di ba?! Possitivity is the answer and great faith is the best. Salamat sau ha, hindi na tayo nagkita. In time, malay mo dumating ang chance. Regards to everybody there. And hello to Ida too.

Kiotsukete ne!

Anata wa itsumo watashi no kokoro no nakani irudesho... :)

Plain friendship thing...

I hopped at patrickweb's site to return the gesture because as a blogger I make sure to always say thanks in return because he left a comment in one of my recent posts. Sorrie Patrick since I couldn't leave my message on your comment board, didn't know why. I've read your post about friendship between a man and a woman that eventually might lead to some what deeper in nature. That's very true but I am sure there's still some that can be an exemption to what we say... is possibly to happen.

To be continued...

Thank you Kapitana...

Here's a hug and thank you for that one special entry dedicated for me. Coming from a very honorable person like Ms Marie Vergara, who was elected Chairman of Barangay 885, Zone 97 in the 6th District of Manila...and that's something. Hurrah!

So... so touched!

If there's one person here in blogosphere that I admire most eh isa na don si Kapitana. Simple citizen pa lang siya noon, one of the firsts who I got to visit when I was just starting and testing the waters ika nga and groping how to customize my blogsite. Nagkamali pa ako...hehehe...kasi naman magpinsang magandang nanay, I even called her cousin with a wrong name, haaay...ang sarap palang magbelly dancing...kala ko pangsexy lang yun pwede pala talaga sa voluptuous...ooops walang aangal ha. Basta marunong ka ng undulation, hip rolling and others. Ok yun. Basta ako sa room ko nagbebelly dancing. Ma at pa. Basta masaya yon, try nyo...
Going back to where I just left...hanggang maging Kapitana na siya...at ako naman'y nagbusy-busyhan din. Early this morning kasi I did some fast bloghopping to say TY to my recent visitors. I saw Kapitana so I went to her site...btw, sorry Kapitana dahil di ako nakapag-comment. Feeling stranger ako tuloy.

To Kapitana, thank you so much for that nice comment. It means so much. Keep on serving the public earnestly and stay as sweet as you are. Keep safe and stay healthy and beautiful always! KUDOS!!!



I saw her post na When friendship fails... , at naka-relate ako don. Sabi ko for the nth time, post kaya ako ulit about friendship thing...ikaga desuka(why not)...ayun at tumipa na ang aking keyboard. Nagflow na agad ang aking utak...inspired eh...relate na relate ako sa topic niya. Then pagbukas ko ng email I saw her comment that needed to be okeyed and published.
Naku nakakatouch...really...honestly...coming from someone who I admired most from the very start. She struck me from the off kasi saw her boots na peeptoe style, hay kasi may ganun din daughter ko kaya di ko siya makakalimutan. Laging me segueing di ba? Ok going back again, it inspired me to write about friendship or of giving help wherein there should be give and take thing. Reciprocity naman doesn't mean material things lang. If you can't give material things for reciprocity factor, isn't a smile and or a light tap on the shoulder or even hugging be so hard to mind? We give, yes and we help because nga we chose to help...but we're also human and we need also to be encouraged somehow. Ako nga I cannot be a public servant because am ballistic type...walang boboto sa akin. :) And hindi rin ako ma-PR...at it is not in my system to talk to who I don't wish to talk to. Basta I am a very private person pero am not to brag what I do in private. I also help a lot but nothing to brag there. But you know what, a lot of person I have had helped in the past turned to be so blah blah blah. Eh napakahaba ng pisi ko. When I started to drift yun na yun. As I always say, in any relationship...there should always be that two way lane or what we call the give and take factor. Like plant, we need to water it everyday for nourishment. We have to protect it from being broken. Ang hirap naman kasi pag yung person involve eh wala lang...parang we are obliged to help them at 'di naappreciate yung ginagawa natin. So what we do is but to drift away from such behavior. Pag ganun we can't help but feel exhausted na lang or worse is when we feel exasperated na and want to let go of it na lang. One thing I have learned to accept now is to love myself more...and to give not my whole but just a part of what only I can share. Being generous is a great value but to let other people use you for their own advantage is another thing.

Patching up...

I always make it a point to compare friendship to gold panning. Wherein gold is separated from silt. There's no such thing as perfect friendship I guess. Me and Sir Rudolf who's a very good friend of mine encountered a difficult situation the past months. In the end he ended up in the middle of the mire we didn't hope would ever happen. Too afraid that he thought I was mad he didn't make any effort to contact me, while me thinking that he left me in the cold was so hurt at that moment. Last night he texted me and told me that he wanted me to come to his house and he'll prepare something for us. He promise to cook sumptuous viands for lunch...only if I would just say yes. I said I don't think I'll be able to commit myself since I am not pretty in the mood that time. Pero the truth was, tampong-tampo na ako sa kanya. He encouraged me a lot. Sweet talk. Hehe. He mistook my answer for a yes. My goodness ano pa ba ang magagawa ko eh tuwang tuwa na yung tao na pupunta ako. I said, bakit nag-oo na ba ako? Wala na-trap na ako. And that lunch rekindled the friendship and had patched a little of our misunderstanding. Ang galing niyang umi-style di ba? :)

Friendship delight...

After some topsy-turvies and never ending packing of things with Makoy...who's so jumpy na at that time, we took a fast lunch at La Piadina's...in Rob's Galle...wow ang sarap grabe... pero it was somewhat a hasty one...la rin...joke...pero I enjoyed a lot...jolly meal. We watched Caregiver, I didn't tell Makoy that I've seen na the movie at baka ma-upset pa siya. I dozed off and on pero d ko pinahahalata, but he gave me a sudden nudge and went like, "napanood mo na noh?" I said, Huh?! (padeadma pa ko) :) Then asked me again if napanood ko na...eh ang hirap magsinungaling eh. I said yes :) Magaling makahalata. I really felt so loggish that time so kahit unethical I gave myself a few spray of my favorite D&G and voila...nawala ang antok ko. After watching the movie I saw the cute and pasaway na member ng Simpson family...right after the entrance of the moviehouse...we took some shots there...for mementoes-sake. Then after some beso-beso for some goodbyes...sobs...he went straight home and I took a cab again going to Santa Lucia. Though tired and exhausted, I still have had to meet Mariz there that time as planned because my CP was contaminated with some virus I guessed. Eh napakadali lang naman nagawa, thanks to Mariz and certain Ate. Nice people. Bravo. I love those kind of people. Anyway, after that I straddled long walks again from the basement of Sta Lu to the entrance of The Grand mall where I rode a jeep going home. Then after a few hours I was home na...sigh...there's no place like home talaga. It was a long day indeed so I slumped onto my bed the moment I arrived home. But it was a pleasant day for me and Makoy too I guess.

I just hope and pray na everything will be fine and dandy for him on his Singapore sojourn.

Happy trip buddy... :)