2nd Liebster Award --- first of four posts

I got three surprises recently.  I was nominated by three different bloggers for the Liebster Award which I had already received probably around two months ago.

Anyhow, I am going to answer their questions one post at a time.  This is the first of four posts.  I will reveal my nominations on my fourth post. 

Today, it will be Chris's questions that I am going to answer.

1. Why do you blog?

As I have said on my About this Blog page, I used to have a diary.  It even had a name.  I called it, Dyna and pretended it was a she. I kind of miss having her around to absorb everything I'm thinking and feeling. So, I started an online diary. 

Today, Dyna has evolved from a secret notebook to something that I hope people would read.  Dyna couldn't reply to all my questions about life, she couldn't tell me what she thought about the things I was thinking about, she couldn't offer advice.  But now, when I write, I usually get replies. I know that I am not alone in thinking the things I think of, or in feeling the way I feel about things.   When I write, someone responds and that's what has kept me blogging.  

Through this blog, I have met some pretty amazing ladies whose posts I truly enjoy.

The blogging community is so friendly and I find everything here amazing!

Of course, there is a plan to monetize this blog and get monetary reward from it but for now, I do not think it is ready for that yet.  

2. What's the story behind your first ever blog post?

It was just a poem  I wrote when my son was three year old.  We were both praying together and at the end of our prayer, he added, "Thank you God for making the world."  That inspired me to write the poem you see here

3. Where's your dream destination and why?

Paris, France; Malaga, Barcelona and Madrid, Spain; Rome, Venice and Florence in Italy and Hamburg, Germany

4.Where's your favorite place (among the places you've been to)  and why?

In the country, I would say, Tagaytay at a drop of a hat. So, do you still wonder why I'm getting married there?  I love its landscape, its view, its food and the atmosphere of the place.  To top it all off, it's near enough to visit anytime and far enough to be relaxing.

I've been to other countries but nothing stands out...I guess I haven't been to that many places outside the country to really pick a favorite.  

5. What's your favorite color?

I love white, salmon, pink and ....

this shade of green.

Source: google.com.ph via Marie Claire on Pinterest

This is our main wedding color.  I'm just a little sad because the one making our dress was not able to get exactly this shade for the gowns of my girls. :(

6. What would surely make you smile? 

 Lots, actually....a hug from my son, a sweet gesture from Ruel, cute puppies, our dogs, Chelsea and Chloe, seeing my good friends again, shoes that fit (I hate shopping for shoes because I have tiny feet!),  letter in the mail, a feel-good movie, a nice poem, an excellent book, Zambales mangoes (They're the sweetest, promise!), flowers given just because, surprise gifts (!!!), yummy dessert, comments from my readers, new followers, Saturday without work (!!!), Fridays (if there is no work the next day), etc.

Right now, what would really place a big smile on my face is winning the lottery! Nobody will be able to take that smile off my face then. Plus, I'd jump up and down and do my dance.

Seriously, a beautiful, well-attended wedding on a clear day will put the greatest smile on my face this year, and maybe giving birth to our very own healthy baby girl will put the greatest smile on my face (and on Ruel's) next year.

....wait... I was serious about the lottery too!

7. What would ruin your day?

misunderstanding with Ruel, school problems (student and parent related), 

8. What's your favorite subject in school?

I guess English Literature, English Grammar, Christian Living and Philosophy of Man...oh the question said, "subject", no "s".  I can't pick one though.

9. What's your favorite sport or sports team?

 I don't have a favorite team, no favorite sport.  I guess there's no point in saying, I'm not into sports.

10. Are you right-handed or left-handed?

right-handed

11. What did you do for your last birthday?

It was nothing extraordinary but if you're interested, you can read about it here.

Chris, I hope you're satisfied with my answers.  Thanks again for the nomination!

Lighting the World

I just want to share with you all a portrait I made on this cool site You Are Your Words

The site helps you turn your photo into a work of art using words.  

For this portrait, I decided to use something I wrote a while back which tells about how I light the world as a teacher.

It is entitled, Lighting the World.

You can read it in full below the portrait.

Come, take a closer look at my words.

Lighting the World

I am a Teacher.  I teach, I listen, I motivate. I heal, I build, I transform.  I love. Most of all, I create sparks. My heart is a torch that forever burns. It burns with a passion to change a world that has grown cold with arrogance and pride, with selfishness and greed, with the hunger to be, to rule and to conquer.

Every year, I set out to share my flame, to create sparks in the hearts of young souls.  Strong winds do try to put out the flame in the torch I keep but the thought of the souls who count on me shields the flame from burning out.

New sparks are created every year. The sparks will not be equal in strength or brightness.  Some of them may die out in case of a storm, but hopefully, a lot of them will survive storms and hurricanes.  They shall not yield.  Instead, the storms will make them even bigger, stronger and brighter.  They will live to be great fires themselves.  They will turn the cold world warm with their light and turn the night into day.

They are my hope....little sparks in the darkness, lighting my way as I light theirs. They will live on and share their flame with others, creating sparks here and there, until the world is ablaze with light and humanity is warm with love.

I hope you like what I have written, and my portrait.  

Thanks to Maria Isabel who introduced me to You Are Your Words.

Me, Myself and I

I've joined another link-up! 

So excited to answer their questions:

Biggest Phobia:

earthquakes

floods

fires

If I could relive any day of my life it would be

the day my son, my sister and I went to Disneyland.  We weren't able to watch the fireworks.  This time, I'd make sure we would.

If I could choose to stay a certain age forever, 

At first, I had the impulse to say 20 but at that age, I didn't have my son yet.  So, I'd choose 35.  This way, I'd already have my son and Ruel's also already in my life.  Besides, when I was 35, I looked 26, so it really doesn't matter.  I'd still look young. 

The celebrity I am mistaken for is....

well, I'm not actually mistaken for her but I've had more than three people telling me that I looked like Lea Salonga.   She was the first Kim of the musical Miss Saigon, played Eponine in Les Miserables and was the singing voice behind Disney's Princess Jasmine and Mulan.

I hope Lea's fans wouldn't hunt me down because of this post.

I don't think I look like her at all but I don't mind having people say I do.  Besides, she was the first crush of the man I'm engaged to!

Lea's pic from 

http://walangxfactor.multiply.com/journal/item/19/Iskala-

I just wish I had her voice! That would have been the greatest compliment!

My Life's Soundtrack

I Dreamed a Dream

On My Own

When God Made You

God Bless the Broken Road






All that answered, I now invite you to head on to Breanna's at http://mybeautifulcrazylifex33.blogspot.com

Fabulous Blogger Award

Let me begin this post with a huge thank you to Littleyana of Thinking Outloud for giving me my second award, the Fabulous Blog Award.  This blog is still in its infancy stage and  I haven't really thought of it as anything deserving of any award, but as faith would have it, I received two awards in just one week!

I'm going to do a little dance now. Haha! This is the second time this day!

Back to the award....I have to answer some questions:

1.Name five fabulous moments in your life.

I'm lucky to have had many fabulous moments in my life but because of some restrictions and considerations I will choose to divulge some over the others.

my first day as an employee in a multinational company

When I was a teenager, I had planned on working in Makati.  Somehow that place held some prestige for me due to its being the business capital of the Philippines.  So, when I finally got a job there (and in one of the multinational companies too! ) I felt so grown-up, was totally elated and so proud of myself!  It felt like I was in a movie.

when  I found out I passed my law school entrance exam

I'm not a lawyer....yet.  I plan to be, in the future.  I passed the exam in 2006, but for some reason, I chose to study education, instead.

Anyway, I was really impressed with myself because the exam was hard and it was not a multiple choice exam at all!  I was given cases with corresponding backgrounds and I had to defend each.  I didn't think I'd pass but I did.

 during my students' performance of "You'll Never Fully Dressed without a Smile"

It was a scene from Annie which I directed and choreographed. I was so happy and proud while they were performing.  To put icing on the cake, they won first place.

I was proud of them and of course, so proud of myself!  The response of the audience told me it was a fabulous performance and I was just happy that  all my hard work (and the students') had paid off.

whenever I am on stage

This is the only performance I have here in my laptop.  You can hear the cheers of our students as they watched us, their teachers dance on the stage.

The video is not mine. It was taken by a parent, uploaded on youtube and downloaded by moi!

my first Tagaytay date with Ruel

I do not have a picture to tell that story but that was truly an unforgettable day for me.  I felt so attractive and so special!

2. Name five things you love.

    I have made a post of things I loved so I will try not to repeat any of the ones I have already mentioned. Let's see....

birds

taken during last year's field trip

I absolutely adore birds!  I love listening to them sing. I can spend so many minutes just staring at their wonderful colors and the different patterns on their feathers.

One time I was staring at them, I realized how great God is for creating such beautiful creatures with such pretty colors!

No man-made color can compare with the colors of nature!  The colors of our crayons and paints are just poor imitations of what God has created.

Anyway, back to the birds...

I used to have a lot of parakeets and African lovebirds. Ruel even gave me a hand-fed African lovebird and he was really tame.  He followed me around the house like a dog would...except that it flew instead of walk.

He would fly and land on my shoulder.

I'd use the computer and he would keep on walking across the keyboard.

He actually thought I was his mate.

He used to feed my fingers like a male bird would his mate.

It's just sad I don't have a scanned photo of him.  

I do have nice photos of my other birds....

one of my  African lovebirds, peachface

my parakeets...aren't they sweet?

dogs

This is my dog, Chelsea.  The pic was taken last Christmas Eve.

Pictures

I love pictures because they tell stories. 

Gifts

I love wrapping gifts and giving them!

I love receiving and opening them!

3. Name five things you hate.

   I have also done a post on things I hate. This is getting difficult!

roaches

environmental destruction

insensitivity

sore throats

curse words

Now, it's time for me to pass on the award to deserving bloggers!

http://www.cutesybootsie.com/

http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/

http://thelifeofjenniferdawn.blogspot.com/2012/07/a-little-bird-told-me-link-party-2.html
http://tiffanyreitz.blogspot.com/

To the awardees, do not forget to:

1. thank the blogger who gave you the award;
2. name five fabulous moments of your life;
3. name five things you love;
4. name five things you hate.
5. pass the award to five deserving bloggers.

Congratulations to everyone!

Counting Blessings

I was recently reminded that I have been given so much. Indeed, there are so many things I have to be thankful for. Bear with me as I count my blessings.

Warning: long post with a lot of self-affirmations ahead.

my parents

I was blessed with loving parents who never gave up on me.  They provided for all my needs and tried hard to provide my wants.  They never abandoned me even during times I was unlovable.

my grandparents

My grandparents were sweet and loving and totally adored me! Because of them I grew up believing I was beautiful!

My grandparents together with my mom, my aunt and my uncle.

My beautiful grandmother

my sister

I have been rather sad lately because my sister and I are not as close as we used to be. However, I'm still happy God gave me my sister.  God knew I needed someone to play with, to laugh with,  to sing with, to share my secrets with, so He gave her to me.   Though I used to pull her hair when I was four and she was two and she used to bite me, we still grew up as close as two sisters could get.

That's my sister wearing the blue slipper.

Just before we left for school. I was 13 and she was 11.

My sister in plaid.

She's the one in pink.

my son

My son was born strong, healthy and smiling.  He smiled at his doctor and showed a dimple on one cheek.  When the doctor brought him out of the delivery room to show him to my family, he smiled at my dad and showed two dimples, one on each cheek!

He was a happy baby, full of life, sweet and affectionate.  He entertained us and even crowds of strangers with his songs and dance.  He learned his ABC's when he was one and a half.  He could sing Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin from start to finish when he was two and he could hit all the right notes too! He learned to read sentences when he was three.  He wrote his first story when he was five. He made his first comic book when he was six.  He plays the violin excellently.  He can play a musical piece just by listening to it.  He now plays in church.  

After a music festival

Please find time to listen to my son play.  I want to share his music to the world.  You won't regret clicking the play button.
 This was taken a year and a half ago.

My is also good in drawing.

The Blessed Virgin, done when he was eight.

Ruel

He is really Godsend.  He has waited for me for so long and never gave up on me.  He is the most loving man I have ever met, aside from my dad and my grandpa.  He always thinks of my welfare, as well as my son's.  He thinks of my parents' welfare as well.  He is sweet and thoughtful and very principled.  He makes me very happy and I cannot wait to be his wife.

I don't think I can find a better man.  He is my superman!

I have been blessed with friends who are out of the country but I know for certain that they will always be there for me when I need them.  

Tina, Renan, Jen O, Maike, thank you!

I have been blessed with friends in school, in and outside our department, you know who you are.

Thank you.

My Sunlife friends, Myla and Lalaine...they know me inside out and love me just the same!

My fellow Brigadoonians who have made me feel so young the past months, thank you.

Jen T.

Jen was my college best friend. We did everything together, giggled and laughed about everything.   We shared a passion for writing to our penfriends all across the globe. Our biggest problem was how to talk to boys!  

We do not see each other as often as we used to but whenever we do, it's like nothing has changed. She is still the same old Jen I know who listens to me ramble on and on and who loves watching people.

Jen is the one in blue. This was taken when we were both 18.

Ate Lyn

She is a cousin I wasn't close to growing up but who is now like a sister to me.

Ate Bing

my cousin and my playmate

                                                              Fidel

He was my first, the father of my son. I would have had a different son if it had not been for him. In our years together there were good moments and those were blessings.  There were also bad moments and I still consider them blessings....in disguise.  

Mrs. Cellona

My grade four teacher who took notice of a shy girl.

Mr. Antonio

My Philosophy of Man teacher who believed in me and gave me the confidence I needed. He was also the one who taught me to appreciate the fundamental goodness of man and planted in me a certain hunger to become fully and truly human.

This has gotten way so long but I am still counting my blessings and I thank those who are still reading at this point.

Now let's go to me....

I have a quick, analytical mind.

I can write poems and stories.

I can write to inspire and to convince.

I can also make people laugh.

I enjoy dancing and God gave me the ability to dance.  I'm not saying I'm excellent at it, but people say I am graceful  so I guess that's good enough for me.

I can act.

I have been given plenty of opportunities to do the things I love to do.

I'm short and I cannot join beauty pageants but...

God allowed me to join one...and I earned a place too!

I'm not a good singer but....

I sang plenty of times in a choir and in front of an audience.

I wanted to be a movie actress but I did not become one.

However, God gave me the chance to act in a play.

Somehow I always get what  I want when I put my mind to it.

My students always win in contests whenever I help them.

My face is not the kind of face that stops people and makes them turn around but....

some people actually think I'm pretty.

AND my face really looks good in pictures.

I never needed a dentist to put braces on my teeth but people have always complimented me on my teeth.

I love Zambales mangoes and God gave us a small mango farm.

I almost died of dengue hemorrhageic fever when I was 18...

I told God, it was ok to take me but then I was so sad because I had never fallen in love yet.

And God allowed me to live.

And allowed me to fall in love, again and again...and again.

I asked God to send me someone, someone I can love and who will love me and my son.

He gave me Ruel.

We are getting married in December.

I am short and small in frame.

But I have learned to accept it, am confident despite of it and consider it as a blessing in disguise.

It actually allows me to move thru crowds quickly.

I prayed for a Church annulment of my marriage and it was granted.

I have everything I need.

I have been blessed with a Catholic faith.

I have a good foundation of my faith.

God protects me and my loved ones always. He keeps us away from harm and sickness.

I have so many other blessings that I probably have not mentioned here.

I have always wanted to have a lovely voice....

But God did not give it to me.

Probably, He was thinking I already had enough.

Hahaha!

I am loved and valued by people who matter.

So thank you, God, for everything. Please continue to bless me and my loved ones always.

I have certainly been blessed with so much.

I am blessed with this blog and with people who read it.

I hope they  will also start counting their blessings.

15 Day Challenge - Day 13

I've been having a great time writing for this challenge and reading all the posts of other participants. So sad to think it's only going to last a couple more days.

Today's prompt:

List your favorites: song, quote, food, vacation spot, photo.                    

Songs 

I Dreamed a Dream, from Les Miserables,

The Glory of Love - the theme of the movie, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Not Like the Movies by KC Concepcion
(for the romantics like me!)

I See You Lord - by Aiza Sequerra
Play it! It's so beautiful!

Quotes

"I'm the girl of your dreams masquerading as your best friend."-  Chloe of  Smallville

"You always have a choice, son." - Jonathan Kent of Smallville

"The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power

And all that beauty, all that wealth ever gave

Awaits alike the inevitable hour,

The paths of glory lead but to the grave"

--Psalm of Life

"If  a good deed I may do, if a kindness I may show

To a suffering fellowman, let me do it while I can

No delay for it is plain,

I shall not pass this way again."

---I Shall not Pass this Way Again

"Yesterday is but a dream

And tomorrow a vision;

But today well lived

Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness

and Tomorrow...

A vision of hope."

--I forgot where this is from.

"Next time you talk to yourself, tell yourself you're single and end the conversation."

--While You Were Sleeping (cracks me up !)

"I was looking up. It was the nearest thing to heaven. You were there!" 
--An Affair to Remember


Expression
"Goodness Gracious!"
My students love it when I say it. I don't know why.

Food

pasta: puttanesca and pesto

pizza: five cheese

salad: ceasar salad

seafood: crabs ...whohooo!

dried seafood: dried squid

fruits: Zambales mangoes --they really taste heavenly!  I thank God I'm alive every time I eat one...seriously!

junk: Kettle potato chips

nuts: almonds
drink: milk tea

TV Series
childhood: Wonder Woman

early teenage years: MacGyver

late teenage years: Felicity / Homefront

recent past: Smallville

Books
Les Miserables
Gone with the Wind
Wuthering Heights
Pride and Prejudice
Can You Keep a Secret?

Movies
Never Been Kissed
You've Got Mail
While You Were Sleeping
Greedy
The Accidental Hero
A Few Good Men
Dave
Devil's Advocate
Ever After

Photos

I just chose from what I had available in my laptop.

I like this one because I think it is very much ME --happy!

This was taken in Universal Studios, Singapore.  I think it's cute!

This is one of my favorite photos of my son.  The camera captured the delight in my son's face.

I can't wait to read the other posts!  Join in the fun! Link up at http://lovelovelovesar.blogspot.com/.

15 Day Challenge - Day 12

What are you most looking forward to in the next six months?

(One)

Our university is staging Beauty and the Beast in January next year and we'll have the auditions probably towards the end of August or September.  I am so looking forward to that!  I actually can't wait for the auditions and the rehearsals!

(Two)

I am going to say "I Do" on December 2, 2012.  That's the biggest thing that's going to happen to me this year.  It's going to be a destination wedding....in the same place where I fell in love with Ruel.  The wedding ceremony will be held in Lourdes Church while the reception will be at Villa Ibarra. It's a French inspired villa right on the ridge, overlooking the picturesque Taal Lake and Taal Volcano.

Add caption

It's going to be one of the happiest days of my life.  I'm still thinking if I'm going to sing... I'm kind of afraid that he would be embarrassed if I did.  I'm also a little worried, anxious about the attendance of the guests.  I hope all the invitees will find time to attend.   Anyway, I think we (Ruel, my son and I) are all going to have a great Christmas this year.  It's going to be our first Christmas together.

So these are the two important things that are going to happen this year, two things I am most looking forward to.  

15 Day Challenge - Day 11

There had been a time in my life (when I was a lot younger) when I had wished I was more confident, or I had a prettier face, sexier, more intelligent and so on.   Now that I have grown, matured and realized all the things I can do, I have come to appreciate myself.  I have come to realize my value as a person.

The question "What would you not change about yourself?" then becomes so hard to answer.  At this age, with all my "bad and ugly", I am now contented and satisfied with who I am, with how I look, etc. that it's just so difficult to pinpoint just one thing I wouldn't change.   There are actually a LOT I would not change about myself.

So, I guess, it would be easier for me to turn this question around : What would you like to change about yourself? This would be a lot easier because I can think of only a couple.

I would like to have bigger feet.  My feet which I wrote about in this post, are too small.

or

I would like to be taller so I can wear pretty clothes that can't usually be worn by short women.

Still given the chance, I'd probably choose my first option: definitely bigger feet!

15 Day Challenge - Day 10

What is your most embarrassing moment?


Some seven years ago we had a program in the school where I was teaching. The members of the grade school faculty all had to dance the Mexican Hat Dance.  We practised every day for like two and a half weeks and my knees were both aching from all the jumping and hopping I had to do.

While we were performing on stage, one of my co-teachers who was dancing with me, accidentally stepped on my skirt (which was long) when it was time for me to hop.  The next thing I knew , I was sitting on the floor and all I could see were these colorful skirts twirling right in front of my face!

I really do not know why I stumbled. Maybe it was because my knees were already weak.  Of course, I had to finish the dance so I got up and resumed dancing.

Falling on stage , in front of a lot of people is something I hope will never ever happen to me again!

I have another experience that is actually more embarrassing than this one but it was so embarrassing for me that  I try to block it off from my mind every time I remember it.  Somehow, I'm still in a state of denial  though it happened some twenty years ago!

15 Day Challenge -- Day 9

I'm finally up-to-date with the challenge.  The prompt for today is:

Tell us the best day of your life to date.

It's quite hard singling out one day from the thousands of years I've been alive. 

It's already a given that I was very happy when I gave birth to my son.  It was a different kind of "happy"....kind of fulfilled, relieved, and blissful kind of happy.  That's one of the best days of my life, not just because I had given birth to a healthy baby but also because I came out of the ordeal alive.  I have heard of mothers dying while giving birth and this really scared me.  

Another very special day for me was when Ruel and I first had a date in Tagaytay.  (This is where we will eventually get married in December.) It was a really special day.  Ruel was specially sweet.  I guess, he was the sweetest that day.  I'm not saying he's not sweet now, but he was specially sweet that time and I will never forget that day.  I guess that's when I really fell in love with him!

Recently, I've been having great days.  These are the days when I perform on stage.  We just finished staging Brigadoon in our university and I was part of the cast.  Though I did not have any lines I spent a lot of time on stage, dancing and singing.   I enjoyed every minute of my time on stage!  It felt absolutely wonderful!

I'm hopeful there'd be more happy days--more special days with my son, family and Ruel, more fun days with  my friends, and more fabulous time on stage!

15 Day Challenge - 8th Day

Still trying to catch up.....

Describe the good the bad and the ugly of yourself.

The Good

I love to laugh and people say that my laughter is contagious. 

I also have a good sense of humor. I can make people laugh, though I'm usually the first one who laughs at my punch lines. 

People say I have a nice smile.  My high school yearbook described me as the girl who wears a smile from ear to ear.  

I think I am able to spread cheer thru my smile, laughter and humor.

I am thoughtful and extremely loyal.  

I am passionate in most everything.

I cherish my friends and hold them close to my heart.  

The Bad

I get really lazy sometimes...or should that be, most of the time?  

I procrastinate.  

I have a really hard time organizing my things.    

I'm very transparent. If I am mad at a person, he would see it in my face right away.

My face easily turns red when I am angry, embarrassed, or happy.

The Ugly

I always have bad hair.  My hair is in between curly and wavy and the strands are a little thick so it doesn't look good when it's not blow dried.

I am also really short. I've learned to live with it and it really does not affect my confidence at all. However, there are times when I see a dress I really like that I still wish I was taller.

Okay! I think, this time I've caught up with everyone else.  I'll write my 9th Day post later! So happy!

15 Day Challenge - 7th post

I'm so behind in the challenge!

The prompt for the seventh day was: Recommend a book for us to read. Why is it special to you?

I have always been a bookworm and I have read hundreds of books. I also have a lot of favorites, books I enjoyed...books that made me laugh, cry and think.  There is one book, however that always comes on top of my mind when I am asked to recommend a book and it's Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.

I read this book in college, I only borrowed a copy from the library.  I loved it so much that it was the first book I bought when I graduated and received my first paycheck from my first job.

The book is about human misery.

It's characters are all victims of suffering and pain  but each in unique and different ways.

  It's about love
 It's about the love in different forms, the love for money, love for justice, love for                                 one's fellowman, love for one's daughter, love for one's father, romantic love, love for God and God's love.

Most of all, it is about human transcendence.
It tells us that it is possible for a hardened man to completely turn his life around and be the most gentle and loving person there could possibly be.

The book also showed the author's deep understanding of human frailties, of man's thoughts and motives.

It is no wonder that the book became the inspiration of one of the most loved musicals of all times, Les Miserables.

Like the book, the musical is also my favorite...definitely goes to the top of my list.  The songs' melodies are both haunting and enchanting.  The lyrics are so deep and so faithful to the book!

And I could totally relate to the song, I Dreamed a Dream!

So, for those who haven't read Les Miserables, I really suggest you get a copy now and read it. It might be long but you won't regret it. It's certainly worth your time!

15 Day Challenge - 6th post

I'm a little behind in the challenge because of my recent schedule but I'm trying to catch up.

The sixth prompt was:

What's something you've always wanted to do but haven't? Why not?


When I was 19, my  German penfriend stayed in our house for three weeks.  Before she left I promised her that I would go visit her in Germany after three years.  We planned that she would take me on a tour of her country. We also planned to go to France, England, Spain and Italy together.

After two years, I was only 10,000 pesos short of my budget for the trip.  I was sure I was going to make it and was so excited.  Unfortunately, I met a guy and fell in love.  I ended up spending my European trip budget for my share of the wedding cost. :(

Two years after I got married, I had a baby.  A personal crisis followed soon after.

Now, I am trying to finish my masters, planning another wedding, and will have another baby, hopefully soon after the wedding.

I haven't given up on that dream.  I know, it feels like I have broken my promise to a friend but to me, it's not like that at all.  It's just that the fulfillment of the promise has been delayed.  But I am definitely going to fulfill it someday.  I just hope when I finally get to do it, Maike (that's my German friend) and I will still be strong enough to do a lot of long walks together.


I have lots of other things I want to do but haven't:

learn to paint 

time and money constraints

take photography classes 

time and money constraints

scuba dive 

I'm a little scared...I'm not a good swimmer.  Gears and all, I still think I should be a good

swimmer to try this.

travel to another country with the man  I love

I think I can do this soon, after the wedding

wear a two-piece bikini

hahaha! I don't have a body I can flaunt!

play the main character in a musical

I wasn't blessed with a voice beautiful enough to play the main character in a musical. So I'm just so happy to have been given a chance to be a part of a musical, even if it's just a small part.

land a role with a speaking part in a play 

Now, I think this is more possible.  Let's hope for this one!

go fishing

I don't have any idea where to do this,really.

These are just a few of them. I really hope I can find a way to do all of them.  Landing the main role in a musical is a loooooooooong shot though.  Still, I can dream. Can't I? After all, my recent experiences have proven that anything is possible!

15 Day Challenge - 5th Day

Five people I want to have dinner with:

My grandparents 

My grandpa died when I was 9 and my grandma died when I was 13.  I never had a chance to really have adult conversations with them and if I could bring them back for even just a day, I'd love to have dinner with them and just chat about life.

Clark Kent

I know he's not a real person but I'm just crazy about this character, particularly Smallville's Clark Kent.  I want him to come to dinner looking like Tom Welling in season 7 or 8. I just hope he wouldn't have to go save someone while we're having dinner.  That would just break my heart! 

Juan Ramirez Roman

When I was 16, I met this Spanish guy thru the International Youth Service which I wrote about in this post. He was one of my favorite snail mail friends because his letters were entertaining and amusing. We lost touch in 2001 and I think it would be great if we could really meet in person and I'd get to practise my Spanish (which is getting a little rusty) with him.  

                  

                                                                     Mylz
She's a co-teacher of mine and it's her last day in school today.  We get along really great but we never got to do anything together. I think it would be fun  if we could have dinner  one of these days.


I want to get the most out of the experience so I'd like to have separate dinners with each of these people (except for my grandparents who will have dinner with me together).  Besides, I don't want to share Clark Kent with Mylz. Hahaha!

15 Day Challenge-4th Day

I can't really think of a specific childhood memory but what I remember most fondly is my relationship with my grandfather.

My grandpa was my first playmate as my sister came only when I was almost three. He played pretend with me.  I pretended to cook, he pretended to eat what I cooked.  I pretended to be a waitress, he pretended to be my customer.   He used to take me to pretend-movies.  We'd sit down on the stairs and pretending the window facing the second flight of stairs was a movie screen, we'd stare at it for a long time .  Now that I think of it, I am actually so amazed he was able to stand sitting with me, looking at nothing.

I've always hated milk, even as a child.  At breakfast time, I'd be the last person at the breakfast table, because I couldn't drink my milk.  A few minutes after my mom leaves the table, my grandpa would sneak back and drink my milk.  Haha! I know, it wasn't good for him to do that and kind of spoil me that way, but as a child, I loved that he did that for me.

My grandpa was an excellent dancer and every afternoon, we'd dance the tango, which was his favorite dance.

                                        Here I am with my Lolo 

                            Meet my grandparents, and my younger sister.  I'm sitting on Lolo's lap.

 I love this picture!  I think this says a lot about how I adored my grandpa.  Everyone was looking at the camera....except me.  I was looking up at my Lolo!

 I was heartbroken when my grandpa died.  I was only in fourth grade then.  I still think of him often and I often pray to God that He'd tell my grandpa how much I loved him and love him still.