totalECLIPSE

relocation taught me to look after myself, to look strong in spite of the loneliness that eats me up, and to hold that extra power i get by putting on all my guards. during the many low times, i saw how i tried to pull myself up and rise above each low point.. i saw myself shed tears and waited until they dry up.. i listened to the every meaning of my deep sighs... i hoped against all hopes and believed that the right time will come..

there was strength in my weaknesses.. i felt safe with my guards on... happiness was fair enough in spite of the circumstances and uncertainties..

until the lunar eclipse.. 

i walked like i was in a huge garden.. i smiled and laugh like i have forgotten every hurt and emptiness i have inside me.. i let go of my hands like it knows no fear of holding another.. my heart danced like its all brand new...

for the longest time since i came here, i felt that i was in a safe place again.. i felt that i need not worry about anything.. i just knew i was happy..

happy....all because i let all my guards down...

then the sun came up and i knew something serious just took place.. too serious that i knew i did not want to entertain at all.. too serious that i arrived at the point of regret..

all suddenly i felt that my world was starting to fall again.. i felt that fear was tearing me apart... every shield that i worked on all this time was washed away by the vulnerabilities i unknowingly welcomed.. 

suddenly, fragility was embracing me tightly.. 

---------------------

am i wrong because i threw my shield and subjected myself to more vulnerabilities?

or am i wrong because i am too scared to take chances?

---------------------

ps. this entry is not particular to the night of the lunar eclipse.. it though opened the door to reassessing myself and see how far the lost bird have reached..

apparently, it seems that the bird would prefer getting lost while having all her guards on rather than take farther flights  to target destinations but witness another broken wing along..

121211monday

emptySPACES

i don't know if it's this december air that's making me all emotional lately.  i guess the cold night has its way of enveloping me and it sends me too deep sighs and engages me to look into my deepest thoughts.  all suddenly i long more and more for my friends back home.  i know i just miss everyone so much.  i miss being around people i can really talk to.  people i can talk to about everything... from the latest tsismis up to the wonders, philosophies and awes of life.. from whimps and dorks up to the most valued people in our lives.. i also miss those times of being together even in silence..

and yes, i miss the beautiful LuNa even more..

hai..

120711wednesday

onlyCOCACOLA

my sisters introduced me to a video from youtube showing coca-cola's happiness project in celebration of its 125th year.  instantly i fell in love with the video and started watching similar videos from different countries.  as usual, i had happy tears watching the videos.  it was really fun watching people all over the world having fun and experiencing happiness in simple but genuine ways.

i love coca-cola more and more for this. here are my top three favorite coca-cola happiness videos.  you can check youtube for more.  enjoy the videos and share the happiness too.. :)

topping the list is of course coca-cola happiness truck in the Philippines..


second on the list is coca-cola happiness store.. (country not specified)


on third is coca-cola happiness machine in london..


in this season of the year and in this time when there are so many sad things going on around the world, i give praise to the minds and hearts behind this project.  it is with these types of projects i feel that there are a lot of things we can do to make others (and the world) a better place. projects, small or ambitious, will always be possible because of people who are willing to go an extra mile to share happiness.

it is also in this hope, that through this project, people will be inspired to get more involved with their communities, reach out, make a difference, and give back for the blessings received.

i love you coca-cola.


question now is, how do we also share own version of the happiness machine?


120312sabado

allPOETRY

there was a point in my life when i got so fond of poetry.  although there were a lot of times when i found it hard to decipher their meanings, just reading them created great stirrings in my heart. i even longed for opportunities to join poetry readings.  fortunately, i was given the chance to participate in a poetry reading (january 2010) through the adnu campus ministry. that also meant getting another check on my bucket list.

just today, i again had the urge to look over google and read (again) some of my favorite poems.  here's one poet i really admire and a poem which is one of my favorites. read on (and read it with a lot of heart).. because it's after all, a wednesday :)

i carry your heart with me

e.e cummings

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)

i am never without it (anywhere i go you go my dear;

and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my baby) 

i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)

113011because its wednesday

myTATOO

"so i don't have to say
you were the one that got away"
-katty perry-




112811monday

bmegSUNDAY

Seth came to manila last sunday from his cdo trip.. of course, having him around also meant watching pba especially that it's his team (bmeg) playing.. bmeg played against ginkings.. and although Pilosopong Komikero and i are not really ginking fans, we cheered our hearts out for the team just so we can also go against Seth (friends you call huh? haha)

i was also excited to see two of my favorite players.. #14 ren ritualo (shopinas) and #14 enrico villanueva (ginkings).. God, it was a #14 sunday...

it was a good game.. i bet Seth got nervous that his team's gonna end up losing again.. good thing heaven was on their side that night.. and although i was so tired and sleepy because of the pasig run i had during the morning, every second was worth spending with these two freaks..

it was indeed a great sunday... im so happy to see you again @Seth.. and i am sure Pilosopong Komikero is happier too.. :)

happy birthday! ily.

112611sabado

number4710

after nearly 3 weeks of no running (got really sick for a week), i decided to push through with the run for pasig. although i was not psyched up with the activity, i thought that it was a good idea to continue with it. besides, it also meant running with another new set of friends.

going to the start up line was really difficult.  we got caught in traffic and we needed to walk for almost 2km to reach the starting line.  i got really pissed off.  i even had thoughts of not participating anymore.  i just felt that it wasn't too organized.

it was almost gunstart when we reached the mark.  there was so much people and it was too crowded.  i guess i did not expect such a crowd (ang toinks ko talaga!). i was quite fixed on the thought that i'll just be walking throughout the duration.  my only consolation was seeing that my friends were excited about it and are eager to finish it as fast as they can.

i ran the course when i felt like running.  i was not too in a hurry to finish it.  i even had the luxury to watch performances of bands on the sides of the streets, and also bought myself twin pops.  i also had times to check on the faces of the ms earth candidates who were swooned in by runners for photo ops. there was just too much going on around.

it was actually my longest 5k run.  it took me 1.10hrs to finish (ooohhh, that's bad!).  but then again, i still had fun after seeing my friends happy with their accomplishment. most were having their first experience in long distance running.  with that, i cannot be more happy knowing that i am meeting more people who are into running.  that in itself is putting smiles on my face.

the run for pasig hopes to help in the restoration of the pasig river (well, hopefully the run did not only mean beating the world record for having the highest number of participants). i still hope that every penny out would really benefit the river, the people, and entire community.  i believe after all that more people working, means many chances of living better.

two more i have to add... i fulfilled my dream of running along roxas blvd.. and of course, my manilaMoon was around to run with me again.



112111monday

shoeSHARING

the happiness in giving never fails to put smiles in the hearts of those who always desire to give.. it is in this line that i am posting a link in support of a project that aims to help athletes from negros oriental. 

read more about the project by clicking the link http://running.journeyingjames.com/2011/11/shoesharing-project/.  

i am sure that no help is too small to support this project.  

and i am sure no heart is too wounded to not share love to others.

111811friday

hungerGAMES

its been almost 6 months now since i started to long for a copy of the books.  it was not because they were out of stock that kept me from having a copy of it.  i just did not have it on my budget the past months.  and then finally, it was reading zone again..

i must say that the hunger games series by suzanne collins is remarkably violent, wickedly crazy, but with lots of humor and heart/love too.  i specially love the first two books hunger games and catching fire.  i also have to admit that i was a bit disappointed with the third book mockingjay.  probably because i found the third book a bit slow in its pacing and the plot was not too exciting.  or maybe, i was also expecting too much from the last book. either way, next to tuesdays with morie, there is still no other book that brought out too much tears from me.  the series hold a different kind of magic that im sure readers would love.  over all, it gives you a different kind of thrill and adventure, at the same time reminding us that love and hope (like dandelions promising many summer times) always work in the end.  

always.


------------


my sister asked me about my favorite character, and right away i told her its peeta mellark.  i guess i won't be a singled-out fan.  peeta's character is so much lovable in the book (although i am also a finnick fan and gale is gale, and katniss is the mockingjay).  but over and above anything else, it's with the way katniss always saw peeta's eyes. i guess, it's the feeling of peace i always felt everytime katniss would talk about his eyes.  it also had a way of just making me smile.

without a miss.


111411monday
may the odds be ever in your favor

kidsTALK

have you been caught in a conversation with kids and you suddenly find yourself dumbfounded because you don't know how to respond to their questions? it's really cute, but at the same time, you'll find yourself worrying in the end.. worrying if you got the right message across.. haha.. here's two recent examples:

tita nikki, how long is one minute? 
it's like counting 1 to 60.
so, is that long or short?
let me see, it can be both. it can be short for kids like you who are tooooo excited to play na. and it can also be loooong like forever for a person who wants a hug from a friend she misses.
so, it is long and short?
(laughing).. sige ganito na lang... let's count 1 to 60 together... then you tell me if it's long or short.. ok?
ok.. 
go.. 1 2 3 ...... 60.. so, is it long or short?
i don't know, i think it can be both..


tita nikki, my classmate told me that promises are meant to be broken. so she said we should not make promises anymore.  is that true?
ahh.. can you get me a glass of water baby..i'll answer you when you come back.. (watda!)..
here tita.. so tita, we should not make promises anymore?
ganito kasi yun.. promises should be kept true to your heart.. a promise is a promise.. we try our very best to keep our promises. but, there are times when things change.  and because some things change, some promises are broken.
but that's sad. i don't get it.
yes it is. but you see, people who break their promises don't really do them on purpose. some things just really change. put this in mind, we make promises because we mean it. we try our best and we keep those promises. if a promise is broken, we will just hope that it's for the better.
can you give me an example.
(geez.. nosebleed... bar exam).. wait baby ah.. tita will think of an example.. (after nearly 5 mins)... ok, here's an example.. there was a time when your daddy promised you that you can play outside with your friends kasi ginawa mo assignment mo.. pero di ba it rained that afternoon.. tapos your friends were playing in the rain while you were asked to stay inside.. you cried so hard because you also wanted to play.. parang ganun, daddy promised but did not keep his promise kasi kung pinayagan ka nyang maglaro sa ulan, baka nagkasakit ka. parang ganun. did you get my example?
ah, yes tita. i understand now.


-----------------
i remember a show before called kids say the darnest things.. i cannot help but think of that show as i was trying to come up with the answers to her questions.  ohh, hopefully i made sense..

on the other hand, i also started to think after..
how long is one minute? and, are promises really made to be broken?


now, you tell me.. 


110211wednesday

spellHAPPINESS

just when i thought 2011 will come to end without having to spend time with two of my favorite persons on earth, finally, it's one wish down from my bucketlist.

whether one sees this as big deal or not, for me, this is simply happiness to the core.
whether its just for a short while or a whole day, this can be my 366 days.
and whether he's back or not, this still means the whole world to me.

para kay lei,
thank you for the patience. because just when nearly everyone thought i better give up; and just when nearly everyone thought my hair would turn out to be like rapunzel's, you stuck around with me. patiently believing and also waiting for that day that we, three, would be together again to attend mass and eat (just like the old times).  thank you, because i know, that you being happy to see us all together, is happier to see that i am complete again.

para kay RuSs,
big deal or not, thank you from the bottom of my heart. heaven knows its one prayer answered. and for that i will always be thankful.  i know that some things may not be the same anymore, but for the most part, my friendship will always remain.

i am glad i waited.
i am happy i hoped.
and i am grateful because i am truly blessed.

thank you heaven.
(i'll always be, the lucky one)

110211wednesday

teacherHOPE

i was trying to look over youtube the other night for my favorite fairytales.  i wanted to listen to audio versions before i rest to sleep. as i go through the choices, i remembered three of my favorite books (not the fairytales but they're really good-reads):  hope for the flowers, missing piece meets the big o, and guess how much i love you.  it surely made my night extra special and added to the feeling of sleeping in peace.  here's to share to you these stories.  i hope you also like them.

missing piece meets the BIG O (a picture book by shel silverstein)

quoting from my friend-wiki: 
this fable can also be interpreted to mean that no one should try to find all the answers, no one should hope to fill all the holes in themselves, achieve total transcendental harmony or psychic order because a person without search, loose ends, internal conflicts and external goals becomes too smooth to enjoy or know what's going on. too much satisfaction blocks exchange with the outside.

guesss how much i love you (written by sam mcbratney and illustrated by anita jeram)
friend wiki shares: the story is simple but effectively shows the love the two share for each other

hope for the flowers (novel by trina paulus)
it is a fable or parable "partly about life, partly about revolution and lots about hope - for adults and others including caterpillars who can read)


too bad i wasn't able to find a good cover of the book but its really one book close to my heart. you may want to check out http://www.hopefortheflowers.org/ for words from the author herself.

--------------
one thing i learned, it's always best to read books like this especially on low times of your life. the stories and illustrations, though may appear simple, have that power to transform hurt to hope, sad sighs to just being thankful for life, and solitude to a different kind of harmony.

sometimes i wish life can be less complicated..
hai.

then again,
today is wednesday.

102611wednesday

starFISHES

another long overdue blog entry. though i have so many stories to share,  lately i just feel so lazy gathering my thoughts and writing them up.. but i guess this friday can be different.. so here goes..

not many people are aware that one of the things written in my short term bucket list for this year is to be able to finish a 21k marathon.  i started preparing for it since june.  i made it a point (even on lazy days) to run at least 3x a week after my work.  most of the time, i also ran alone.  when the month of september came in, i would wake up at 3 am to have my training at the ultra from 4-6.30 am.  i guess i was too determined to really have a good run for the camSUR international marthon. not until...

one week before the race date, i sprained not one but two of my ankles.  talk about unlucky days.. the pain was excruciating.  i had to keep it as a secret to my sisters and parents that my feet were not well.  i was scheduled to leave manila on a thursday (sept 22). up until that that day, i was half-hearted to give up my uaap tickets for the 1st game of the finals in place of the big possibility that i won't be able to run the race. but because my folks were all set up for my visit, i decided to push through with the trip.

i arrived in naga at 3am. too excited to finally have a bite of biggs extreme burger, i had an early breakfast treat with via yang, tinig, and bolang de kanto (boy, you are huge).  i really felt so honored that they woke up early to join me for breakfast.

i decided to spend my friday at home. the entire "me" knew too well how much it misses the scent of my room and the entire ambiance of the house. i practically slept the whole day (with my baby stuffed toys). it was also fun chatting with my parents.

saturday came and i decided to meet up with via yang, and pipi't bingi for lunch.  i was having the strong craving for bicol express and pinangat.  God, i really miss bicol dishes so much. i got teary-eyed when we separated after lunch.

i had to hurry home to watch on tv the game 1 of the finals. though it was so different watching it live, i really rejoiced and was so proud of emman monfort's performance.  boy, he really played so well.

i was still feeling the pain in my ankles.  seeing my running shoes, i put in on and tried a short run inside the house.  i realized the that an expensive pain killer will do its works.

i woke up hoping that the pain was left in dreamworld.  unfortunately, it so loved me that it decided to stay with me. i even had a hard time bringing myself to the start up line because of the pain.  5 minutes before gun start, i took two more of the magic pills. 

the gun start made me really excited.  i must admit that i was at the same time having fears on the possibility of not finishing the race.  but this is my 21k dream. the race has started, and my heart was pumping to go for the big push.

i cannot explain how much hope i had with me while i started running.  i realized that a lot of people were running fast, but i decided to stay on with my pace. the race route was also (so far) the best route i've ever have.  the presence of the locals on the sides of the streets was overwhelming.  they cheered for the runners.  the shouted inspiring words for runners to continue to push hard.  the kids were amazingly supportive as they held out their hands for high-fives.

i was happy that i reached the 12k mark at 58 minutes. i just thought that if i would be able to sustain my pace, i would be able to reach my target time for my 21k race.  unfortunately, as i reached my 13k mark, the effect of the magic pills started to wear off. i started feeling the pain again and i knew that it would be impossible to not stop every so often.

there was a point when i wanted to stop and not finish the race anymore.  but thoughts of the training i did, the sacrifices made for waking up so early, giving up my uaap tickets, and fulfilling a dream, all these made me more determined to continue.  i was holding the yellow guy as we continued to push to the finish.  i did alternate walks after every 200m run. the pain was making every step worth it.

amazingly, as i was near the finish line, no other runners were in front of me.  the scene was so much like a movie to me.  the emcee goes 'we have another 21k finisher approaching the line.. no. 961'.. everything felt like slow-motion.  i cried as soon as i crossed the finish.  :) haha..


i finished my first half marathon in 3.08 hours.  it was not my target time, but it is thus far my greatest achievement in my running journey.  and having my original running buddies around made this experience really extra special.


in the afternoon, i also got the chance to watch an adnu game.  i also wanted to watch allan play his last year in basketball.  watching was of course happiness in the company of pilyong querubin, bolang de kanto, via yang, madam trish, free spirit, and seth.  


dinner was even more fun as via yang and i finally met our idol journeyingjames with his couch-surfer friend clara.  that gave me another chance to enjoy bicol dishes before i leave again.

this bicol trip was truly awesone.  although still half-hearted because of the missing pieces, at least i know that another dream from my bucket list came true.

thank you heaven. 


102111friday

monfortFEVER

i made sure i won't let my first UAAP basketball season experience (watching live games) end without getting my favorite player's jersey.  A-Shop knew how long i waited for this jersey which only became available on the date of the bonfire.  nonetheless, it's always better late than never right?

although i already have a shirt  (flash knows by blue crew) signed by emman monfort, i (of course) won't let the season end without having the jersey signed by myRocketman and the entire team. like any other fan, i came early to line up for the ateneo blue eagles' autograph signing.  the long line and waiting was incomparable.  i knew my heart was happy when i got the last man signing my jersey.

so Lord, will my time be soon? :)

100911sunday

disneyMAGIC

i am a disney fan. it certainly have a special place in my heart. i love the different characters they have introduced and specially love the stories that revolved around them.  my heart has this certain peace and and smile brought by the sound of their music. disney have a way of making my heart and soul dance in clouds (like fear never exists and hurt is never real). disney is magic and all about it.

i guess even adults have this special thing about disney.  i believe that every soul who believes in love also believes in the magic that disney brings. i feel blessed that i got the chance to watch the mickey music festival last thursday, (october 6) with my friends (big thanks to mommy d for the tickets - patron seats). like any child present in the big dome, my heart was overjoyed to see some of my favorite disney characters and the music they played during that night. 

the show opened with a musical blast by mickey and his close friends donald, goofy, and minnie. each had their own production number which was also joined in by back-up dancers.  i had a great time watching the opening and was so amazed on how the audience (kids and kids-at-heart) cheered as each character came in.   hearing the loud cheers and giggles were really uplifting. :)

then apppeared the magic lamp and poof! genie came out. aladin had been one of my classic favorites so i got really excited. magic carpet also came in for the carpet ride of aladin and jasmine.  i was nearly to tears as they performed a whole new world.  the visual effects made the production even greater and more real.  and just like he movies, the flying scene knocked me off of my feet. a-m-a-z-i-n-g.  

a big shell came out and everyone knew who it's going to be. the audience were surprised to see sebastian inside the shell.  ariel came out later with her beautiful tail.  there was also a glow-in-the-dark production of the different sea creatures and the crowd went cheering when flounder appeared.  the audience also enjoyed the scene with ursula and the daughters of triton dancing their version of single ladies and kiss the girls.  and just like any disney story, everyone loved the portion where ariel meets eric and the rest of the story went even magical.

then came these bunch of green soldiers (sarge and the bucket o'soldiers) which i didn't figure what story they were representing right away.  only when a cowboy went out and i figured its toy story time. seeing woody was really exciting because of his perky personality. he was later joined in by his horse bullseye, and jessie where they played double dutch.  the crowd got even charged up when these huge asteroid-like-balls came flying and where thrown to the audience. the scene signaled the coming of the handsome space ranger buzz lightyear.  it was fun seeing that the toys turned big for this show. :)

the show ended with all casts on the stage for their final production number.  i was kind of sad to realize at that point that the show was over. oh well, it's still going to be one experience of a lifetime for me.  i hope i get to see the bigger production on december (if time permits of course). 

in the meantime, i thank heavens for this chance. and it's also a good feeling to know that my heart (though scarred and ab-normal) is still young in many ways. 

100911sunday

nikkiNOTES

i heard some news from home

i know i have every reason to be happy

got to run to celebrate..

thank you Lord for wednesdays..

100511wednesday (yes, it is)

caviteBATANGAS

this blog is long way overdue.. via yang and i decided to have another get-away trip before the year ends.. and since the month of august offered a long weekend break, we thought that taking advantage of it would be best..

we initially planned for a 3 days 2 nights island adventure in zambales (anawangin, potipot and capones). reviews showed they are included in the top 3 must-visit islands in the country. i made initial plans for this trip but since projected whether was not good, we had to do last minute changes.. so we came up with an alternative... tagaytay and calatagan, batangas..


i was happy to have other friends from home join us on the trip.. start up point was at the SM Mall of Asia.. it's also my first long travel with theYellowGuy..

the drive to tagaytay was fast.. it only took us about an hour and a half to reach our first destination.. first destination was sonya's garden. we had to make sure that we see the place since we've heard many good reviews about it.  it used to be a private place which eventually was opened to the public with its bed and breakfast offerings..  for people who love gardens, this place will surely be a big hit. people come to enjoy the huge garden, the fresh and yummy greens at the restaurant, and the freshly-baked bread at their bakery. the place also houses some cool and eco-friendly stuff at their souvenir shop.

we wanted to try the dishes at sonya's garden, but because we were working on a budget, we knew we had to  eat our lunch someplace else.  we explored the long road of tagaytay to have a good lunch..  luckily, we saw this stretch of bulalo houses.. of course, we can't leave tagaytay without eating their famous bulalo.. i must say that the bulalo was not as good as those of leslie's but it's still the best food for a cold weather. 

next stop was bag of beans  i wasn't too excited about it since i am not a coffee lover. since my companions were and the place seems cozy and cool, i still felt it's going to be a good drop off.  it's i guess the biggest coffee place i've been to.  coffee shop is garden-like.  aside from their coffee, travelers also line up for bread and other pastries.  

we still had enough time for another destination.  the rain was getting really bad while we were on the road. i guess no rain can stop us from visiting this well talked about calaruega.  the church is now getting famous not only because of its beauty but also of the celebrity weddings being held there.  the entire place looked like a huge-huge garden.  i really fell in love with the place.  i can still see myself smiling everytime i close my eyes and think of the it.  

it was already getting dark when we left calareuga.. the rain was also getting stronger, and worst we still didn't have a place to stay for the night.  lodges and inns were fully booked and we were starting we feel our tired bodies.  we still made sure to enjoy a quick dinner then tried our luck again to get a comfortable sleep.  looking for a place to stay was really hard (we had the car for our last option), finally, we found one just before another group came in. 

we woke up with a windy morning. good thing that the rain finally stopped. we had a hearty breakfast at mcdonalds..i was not so sure why, but on that morning (after a very loooong time) i had coffee and enjoyed it.. 

across mcdonals is taal vista hotel. the hotel holds a good view of the taal lake and volcano.  it is not my first time to come to this place but i still get awed at the site of the lake and the volcano every visit.  tagaytay breeze never fails to uplift my spirit.  

we started to get ready for the long drive to calatagan. we had a quick stop to buy something for lunch and food for the next day. for the most part, i really enjoyed the ride. we (together with our official travel food - steamed peanuts) had fun singing and swaying along to old songs of backstreet boys. we got more and more excited as we came closer to our destination.  and then, boom! my entire spirit sank when i saw the body of water in front of me.. 1..2..3..mmm...4..5..6..7...mmmm...8..9..10.. dumbfounded!!  i felt that it's so far the worst beach i have ever seen.. i still feel guilty (up until now) everytime i say that i don't like the place at all.. (nahihiya ako kay God for not appreciating it).. and so, with our hungry tummys, we decided to go back and find look for another better beaches.. 

finally, still in calatagan, we came across this beach that seemed to project a very-homey atmosphere.. we decided to spend the night here. i loved the place, too bad the water wasn't really very inviting for a swim.  nonetheless, for someone who haven't seen a beach for more than a year already, the place was more than good enough for me.  

  

i was all dressed up for the swim only to find out the the water was filled with see-grass.. it was actually a creepy sight for me.. it amazed me that there were people who got the courage to plunge in.. i guess, people from the city are easily pleased compared to [people like us] who have been to many beaches. i even felt that our ordinary beaches back home are way way better than this. still, i made sure to savor the cool sea breeze, and the sound of waves.  this will still count as life's simple pleasures (good food, nature, friends, and wasting time).. :)

we had to leave early in the morning to avoid the traffic. on our way back home, we made sure to have time to play around... i loved the long stretch of trees along.. we dropped by for pasalubong (at rowenas). 

and finally, we came to our most awaited visit to the moon garden, our last stop for this trip.. i didn't see much moon stuff, but i know that the owner of the garden came up with the concept because he/she is fascinated with the moon.. maybe next time i can stay there for a bed and breakfast self-treat.. :)

this sums up my august get-away trip. this may not be the kind of trip i had in mind, but the time i had with friends and with nature was all worth the long travel (not to forget the heavy rains).. i really had a lot of fun.. here's another cheers to my wow Pilipinas.. 

to my travel buds (that includes theYellowGuy), thank you for your time and friendship.. see you this summer!! :)

092911thursday (na) 

dancingAWAY

after more than a year in this new heaven
after having tried so hard to build new friendships
after avoiding so many things that serve as reminders
after 588 days of dying
after 588 days of still staring at same sky
and after completing a 21k run without thinking of flightless birds and sleeping beauties

here i am, dumbfounded with the truth that nothing has really changed
i still have the same heart, same cut, same beat
i am still that same nikki who hoped that the choice made was not just an option

i am crying with sadness embracing me now
i am also crying with hope that my one day (just one day) will come

just one day

092622monday

flashKNOWS

had a bad start of the day... but before the day ended, God had His way of turning the tables upside down.. :) see, i am in full smile today.. 

truly again, the best things in life are free.. 

on the other hand,

ngayon palang, nalulungkot na ko na last 2 or 3 games na lang ni Monfort as an eagle.. hai..

092011tuesday

sleepingBEAUTY

did you know that i hold the world's record for being the woman who have fallen in love with the same guy for 886 times (and counting)?

oh well, now you know.. :)

sorry, ganun eh!!

091811sunday