True Love of a Brother

Stumbled upon my friend's page on Facebook and I saw this story on her wall. I was touched and I believe this one's worth sharing.

I saw a cashier hand a little boy his money back, the boy couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old. The  cashier said, 'I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll.''

The little boy turned to the old woman next to him,''Granny, are you sure I don't have enough money?'' She replied, ''You know that you don't have enough money to buy this doll, my dear.''

Then she asked him to stay there for just 5 minutes while she went to look around. She left quickly. The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand. Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to give this doll to. 'It's the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much for Christmas. She was sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her.' I replied to him that maybe Santa Claus would bring it to her after all, and not to worry. But he replied to me sadly. 'No, Santa Claus can't bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there too.' His eyes were so sad while saying this, 'My Sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister.'' My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said, 'I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall.' Then he showed me a very nice photo of himself. He was laughing. He then told me 'I want mommy to take my picture with her so she won't forget me. I luvmy mommy and I wish she didn't have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister.'

Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly. I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. 'Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll!'' OK' he said, 'I hope I do have enough.' I added some of my money to his without him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money. The little boy said, 'Thank you God for giving me enough money!' Then he looked at me and added, 'I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that mommy could give it to my sister. He heard me!'' 'I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose.'' 'My mommy loves white roses.' A few minutes later,

the old lady returned and I left with my basket. I finished my shopping in a totally different state of mind from when I started. I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind. Then I remembered a local newspaper article two days ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a little girl. The little girl died right away and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-sustaining machine because the young woman would not be able to recover from

the coma. Was this the family of the little boy?

Two days after this encounter with the little boy I read in the newspaper that the young woman had passed away. I couldn't stop myself as I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was for people to see and make last wishes before her burial. She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed forever. The love that the little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine, and in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.

Very Disappointing Establishment: Chic-Boy

We used to love Chic-Boy since it opened recently. But after dining at the newly opened San Pedro branch, I swear that I would never eat or dine or pig out or whatsoever on this food establishment.

Ang natatanging food establishment na na-witness ko wherein lahat ng customer, nakatunganga na lang at mainit na ang ulo dahil wala na raw sila rice at nagsasaing pa. They should have foreseen that they're running out of rice para naisip nila na "mag-saing na kaya tayo kasi paubos na yung rice oh, ang dami pa namang kumakain!" But hell no! The family seated beside us even ordered rice in a nearby fastfood just to feed their hungry stomach!

Installment ang pag-serve ng order. Meaning, una iseserve ang order ng kasama mo, pag natapos na siya kumain, saka dadating main course mo. Pag naubos na rice mo, mamatay ka sa gutom at wala pang kanin dahil saka pa lang nila narealize na ubos na pala ang rice. Iced tea refill -- pag narefillan na, saka dadating ang appetizer mo. Pag nabwisit ka na sa pagkain ng appetizer mo, saka dadating ang 30 minutes ng nakatungangang dessert mo na dinaan-daanan na ng mga tao dahil hindi pa din sineserve at nasa counter lang. Ang ulam mo, papapakin mo na lang in the end at lalabas ka na sasabog sa init ng ulo dahil lahat ng crew eh tinanong ka na kung ano pa ang kulang sa order mo. Take note, lahat sila tinanong ka -- pero ni isa, wala namang nagdala at nag-serve ng kulang mo na order.

.....at kung saan ang cook eh lumalabas na ng kitchen para sigawan na ang mga crew at naglaglagan na lahat ng mga plato at utensils dahil sa nag-aaway away na sa pag-serve! In the end, siya na din ang nag-serve ng mga pagkain na malamig sa mga customer.

A very disappointed customer here. Hindi ito isang beses lang na nangyari. I gave them a second chance kaya I tried ulit the first time I experienced it. But this time, I think enough na. Puro positive feedback lang ang tinatanggap nila. Paano yung nagreklamong customer dahil may napakalaking caterpillar sa Ginisang Kangkong na order niya? Binibigyan ba nila ng atensyon at aksyon yun? Here's the link so you can guys see the complaint statement of that Chic-Boy incident by Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo. I am no way related to the complainant, but I think, that should be given immediate attention and action. Calling BFAD!

Tsk tsk tsk. Caterpillar on your almost ubos na Ginisang Kangkong?

Poor caterpillar. Pigang-piga ka na.

Enough said.

 Better close your establishment and undergo training for the entire management and crew.

Coca-Cola Made Me Cry

Have you seen this video by Coca-Cola? It left me tears lang. Grabe! I suddenly missed my dad. If P wasn't still home yet, I'm pretty sure the tears would've been doubled.


Great job, Coca-Cola!

My Abnormal Cravings

Haaaay... It's Saturday morning and I'm still up! P is currently updating my iPhone so I don't have a choice but to use the computer. Time check: 3:09AM and I am craving... again! (Therefore, blog!)

I am a consummate snacker. I have weird cravings. In short, matakaw ako!

Yesterday, I craved for something sweet. Today, I am craving for something salty. Tomorrow, can you guess? Yes! I would be craving for something sweet nanaman. That's how weird my cravings are. I crave alternately: salty - sweet - salty - sweet. It's a neeeeever ending phase! Kaya P tells me na ang takaw takaw ko!

Well, my cravings come in phase. Sometimes, it would take weeks or even months to satisfy my cravings. But mind you, I crave for the same kind of junkie. Ask P, and I am 100% sure that he knows what to buy next time when I say I am craving for something salty or something sweet.

Something Salty.

My best life-saver if tight ang budget sa junk food!

I can survive a day eating only this!

Mind you, gusto ko malaki talaga yung Pik-nik can.

Survivor days. Hahaha!

To die for!!!

Something Sweet.

Yuuuum!

Always on my "must-buy list" whenever I travel to Singapore.

They sell very affordable haw flakes in Sheng Shong.
Hey, where can I buy Haw Flakes like this nowadays?
I buy kasi sa SM Supermarket a different brand eh.

Ahhhh, P would definitely agree!
When he came back from Italy last month, I consumed a bag of Milky Way!

P buys me Flat Tops all the time. Sweet!

...And hell yeah! I am a spoiled girlfriend.

Punchdrunk Panda Camera Straps

I'm not in the mood for anything the whole day today. I just stayed in front of my computer doing logos for my client, editing stuff, creating layouts for my blog and browsing anything.

I stumbled upon Punchdrunk Panda's website and my eyes enjoyed the view! Online shopping to the rescue!

I've been wanting to change the camera strap of my DSLR for some reason. Yeah, aside from having Pacsafe's Anti-theft Camera Strap, I want something more posh. Punchdrunk Panda's Camera Straps are soooooooo my type. Look.

Credits to Punchdrunk Panda for the images.

Nice diba?

Hello Birthday Month

Hello December! I've been waiting for you all year long.

This December for me means food, shopping, family reunion, barkada reunion, my birthday, P's birthday, my brother's Christian wedding, last Noche Buena and Media Noche with the whole family.

Ooooooh! Who doesn't love December?#lookingforward ★

Hellolulu DSLR Bag!

When P and I had our Singapore vacation this year, I had a problem bringing my DSLR since I had no decent camera bag yet during that time.

We were about to go back to the Philippines that time when I saw this lady carrying a very pretty camera bag. I had a hard time seeing the brand of the camera bag, but thanks to my photographic memory! When we had our dinner date with my college barkada, P and I dropped by Travel Club in Glorietta 4. I checked their camera bag... and poooooof! I saw the camera bag I've been dying to have. Hell yeah, it's expensive! It costs like my Charles & Keith bags. *sigh*

Unfortunately, the only color available during that time was this raspberry tart which I ended up buying.

It also comes in three other colors -- black ink, purple cow and ocean blue. I really prefer the purple cow, but like what I said earlier, it wasn't available.

This DSLR Camera Bag constructed of lightweigh nylon, featuring accent colors, well protect interior compartment and pockets keep your DLSR camera and all the accessories neat and organized on the go.

Features:

• Fits most DSLR cameras
• Made with water resistant Nylon exterior
• Fully padded interior compartment with soft inner lining
• Interior zipped pocket to store battery or memory card
• Exterior zipped pocket for added storage
• Removable padded dividers which can be adjusted to accomodate camera, lens and accessories
• Adjustable padded shoulder strap and carrying handle

In all, I am pretty satisfied I got this DLSR camera bag because my baby is well protected when bumped. The padding is thick enough to support bumps. It looks maarte when carried and it has this mukang-mamahalin look. :)

My New Baby from My Baby

I know! I know! I haven't blogged yet about my new camera which P gave me when he came back from Europe last April. P gave me a new DSLR! Woopee!

The first time I used my new baby was when we had our Singapore vacation last April-May 2011. P, coming from a family of photographers/photography addicts, influenced me a lot to develop my love for photography.

When I get to have enough resources, I really want to take a photography course. His dad, being a professional photographer, sometimes teaches me about photography basics when we have time. Kahit tirik na ang sikat ng araw, naku po! Go pa din sa apperture priority mode lessons chorva!

Thanks babe for supporting my passion!

I Passed my IELTS Exam

November 4, 2011 10:30PM.

I received a message from my fellow Niner reviewee Aileen around 10:30 in the morning asking me if I have already seen my IELTS result. Shoot! The result was out 30 minutes ago before Aileen texted me and I was still clueless about it!

*SCENARIO*

Me: *in a state of panic while looking for my iPhone charger* Asan ba charger ko? Lian, paki-search nga sa google result.ielts then go ka sa website.

Lian: May result na?

Me: Ay wala pa, wala pa.

Lian: Wala pa pala eh!

Me: O sige, inisin mo pa ko! Malamang meron na!

Lian: *clicked the link* Des, walang result sa name mo.

Me: Ako nga! *shaking while filling out the info*

Lian: Hala Des! Bagsak ka! Wala pangalan mo oh! Halaaaaaa!

Me: *teary eyed* Bakit ganun? Bakit wala?

After 15 minutes...

Shoooooooot! It took me 15 minutes to finally figure out that they only used my first name and not my second name! Yay! I got more than what I need!

Haaaaaaaaay! Thank you Lord! I passed my IELTS Exam in one take! :) Sayang lang kasi my family was in China that time, di tuloy nila nakita reaction ko when I cried. It was only Ate Egay (our helper) who witnessed that moment when I cried so loud saying, "Huhuhuhuhuhuhuhu, pasado ako sa IELTS. Akala ko bagsak ako. Huhuhu mama!"

Thanks again to my 9.0 Niner lecturers. The writing and reading lectures were helpful! Thanks to those people who showed support and prayed for me. Thanks to my mama who accompanied me during my 2-day examination in Clark. Thanks to P, who took time to call the night before my exam.

Yay for another achievement! Yeeeeehaaa! I'm one step closer!

Happy 11.11.11

#Wish111111, Happy 11/11/11, Tomorrow is 11/11/11 are all trending on Twitter. But what's the fuzz all about? What's in a number?

For many people, 11.11.11 is magical. The repeating numbers signify good luck so it makes a great day to do something special. I know a lot of couples got hitched earlier today. I think 11.11.11 is special because there is no other date that consists of all the same number. The day comes around once every 100 years.

Many of my friends make a wish every time they see 11:11 on the clock. However, I make a wish whenever I see the clock strikes 1:43. Hahaha.

What's the origin behind that?

Christmas/Birthday Wish List No. 3: Cotton On Finds

I love Cotton On. When it comes to making affordable basics, they're the place to go. Yes, Ask P and he'll definitely say that I go gaga shopping whenever I see Cotton On or Rubi shops.

I was browsing their online site earlier and I found these great finds. Simple and cheap!

I have a scarf addiction since 2008. I love pairing it whenever I wear neutral colors. I tie them around my neck, use them as sarongs, belts or as blankets whenever I feel cold. I love the way a scarf adds texture and drama to an outfit.

Oh yeah, I wanna try turbans, too.

Check out Cotton On and Rubi stores whenever you travel abroad. You'll definitely love them, too!

Turban's Fashion Comeback

According to Wikipedia, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.

Turbans are now making a huge come back - on the streets, on the runways and in editorials. Yes, wearing these Arabian Nights-inspired head wraps demand confidence. The turban adds a touch of quirkiness to your everyday look. Just match it with a tee and jeans and tadaaaaa!

Imma get one for myself now! Teeheee!

Still In Love with My Childhood Crush

"Fate took over. We started developing romantic feelings for each other, but because of our friendship, it took us quite a while to admit what we felt for one another."


♥ CHAPTER ONE ♥

We Were SoYoung Then.

1995 -1996. I was 7 years old when we moved in our hometown where I met my childhood crush. I had crushes before but those were totally different.

P was the cutest guy in our place. I felt something strange for him. Whenever I saw him playing basketball near our house, I felt butterflies in my stomach. I felt shy and embarrassed. I felt nervous. My cheeks got red.

What was that feeling? I had a crush on that boy who played basketball really well. I found him cute when he smiled. Whenever I looked at him and he smiled back, I melted. For me, he had the nicest hair. The stories by my brother on how my crush danced triggered the admirations I felt. Fate took over. My eyes just went straight to him and it was as if a glow was all around him. I was excited to go home after school because I would be able to see him playing.

For years, I have only seen him when he passed by our house or whenever I passed by theirs. One thing was for sure. He never noticed me. He only knew me because he's friends with my brother. Most of the time, I stayed inside our house during my teenage years playing Crash Bandicoot and Sonic with our Sega.

♥ CHAPTER TWO ♥

My Childhood Crush Broke My Heart.

Fast Forward2005. Years passed and social networking sites boomed. Friendster was the "in" thing when I first learned how to interact through the internet. One day, I saw himsitting in front of their house. I knew he no longer recognized me. I tried to search his name in Google and I found numerous posts about him. My heart felt something inexplicable for the same person the second time around. R was in a relationship when I checked his Friendster account. I just said to myself, "Ang gwapo pa din niya." But how could I compete? The boy-next-door turned out to be the apple of the eye of every girl in town. My childhood crush blossomed perfectly.

I felt my admiration for my childhood crush for the nth time. Good thing though, my family and I moved to the city. It was easier for me since I didn't get the chance to see him in person. But honestly, it was always a fantasy; something that could never happen in real life for so many, many reasons. As I got older, I realized this. As I got older, my childhood crush faded into memory.

♥ CHAPTER THREE ♥

Start of Something Unexpected.

P and I crossed our paths again in April of 2008. We were already friends in Friendster, but no nothings. One humid night, I received a new message in my inbox from P. I screeched to hell since I saw his name. Yes, P sent me a message! He said, "Hi! Dalaga ka na ah. Parang kailanlang! Kamusta na kuya mo?" My heart skipped for joy, but I tried to hide it. It was an unassuming message, yet for me, it was more than something! Notwithstanding the spark, I tried to control my feelings as I would like to rest for some time as I had just recovered from a dreadful 3-year relationship.

But what can I do? We can't change the inevitable. The friendship had just begun. No one thought that it would develop into a more serious bond, neither me. We started chatting every night for the first two weeks. Subsequently came the 24-hour texting stage. First thing in the morning,we would exchange good morning messages. It was solely pure friendship. Honestly, I was hesitant to know him more since I have known him as the heartthrob who made a lot of girls drool and cry. Girls were the one pursuing him.

We started dating and a lot happened in between. My brother learned about us. He advised me not to see him anymore. They're friends since their salad days so he knew a lot about P and his past, including girls in the aspect of P's life. I tried to avoid P, but I failed.

We continued our communication. Constant dates, dinner,movies, shopping, 24/7 texting and chat. We were both happy. We enjoyed eachother's company. We discovered a lot about each other. Dreams, goals, plans, aspirations -- name it! We have discussed and experienced almost everything like a real life couple.

But what was lacking? There was still no commitment. There was no guarantee. It was certainly one of the toughest parts of our relationship. Frustration, fear and jealousy were there. We started developing romantic feelings for each other, but because of our friendship, it took us quite a while to admit what we felt for one another.

♥ CHAPTER FOUR ♥

The Hardest Battle.

Fast forward November 2008. Both of us have met each other's families. We started calling each other "by". Albeit the tight bond and the friendship we developed for the past 7 months, there was still no commitment yet.

His family.

Her family.

P was scheduled to leave the Philippines for work on the 14th of November 2008. As we were counting down the hours of separation, God magically blessed us! We became an official couple the day before he left me.

Long distance relationship must be the most avoided part of a relationship amongst all the couples out there. True enough, it was hard! But we both believe that everything worth having is worth waiting for. We held tighter instead.

3 years shortly, in October 2011, we ended our hardest battle. We finally ended the dreaded distance between us. Yay to us! We survived! Long distance relationship worked for us!

♥ CHAPTER FIVE ♥

Changes Ahead.

It feels like we have been together longer and I am sometimes surprised when I realize that it has only been three years. It feels like a lifetime in the most wonderful way you can imagine.

Here I am, a small town girl in my hometown, moved from the province to the city,and from the city back to the province, just to make our lives easier. At the end of the day, I am full of hopes to see my childhood crush waiting for me at the end of the isle wearing tuxedo and teary-eyed; looking perfectly handsome showing his perfect smile.

♥ CHAPTER FIVE ♥

Under Construction.

Our fifth chapter is still under maintenance. But one thing I assure P-- only God knows what I would be without you...


To P: Advance Happy 3rd Anniversary, baby! I soooo love you to the moon and back!