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!

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!

Ending the Distance

Change is coming. I'm not exactly sure when or how big that change will be, but it is coming. I am ready to follow that change, wherever it may lead us.

Finally, P is on his way home now. ♥Long distance relationships still survive! It worked for us even with very limited modes of communication! :) #happiness

To P: Thank you for sacrificing your job just to finally end the distance between us. Thank you for making me feel the luckiest. We survived the 3-year LDR!

I love you to the moon and back! I won't trade you for anything else.

Wedding Video Genius: Jason Magbanua

If you are getting married and have been to a fair, you've probably heard the name of a wedding video genius named Jason Magbanua.  Jason has been recognized several times undoubtedly for the kind of work that you have seen. 

I know a friend who even adjusted their wedding date just to have Jason cover their wedding. Couples pay a huge amount to have Jason Magbanua as their official videographer. That's how great he is!

Cay and Melvin from Jason Magbanua on Vimeo.

Kudos to the couple for having this kind of wedding video. 

It's very entertaining and has a very unique concept. 

I stumbled upon Jason Magbanua's official site and I saw the rates. Whooooah! Expensive. Yes! But of course, simply because he's that great!

Rates

iPhone Proposal

I fell in love with proposal stories when I saw this video. L-O-V-E-L-Y!

Going Back: My 5th Month Thoughts

I stumbled upon this card which I made for P while I was cleaning my closet today. This letter is 2 years and 6 months old now. Funny thing though, it still applies! Let me share it to you :)

•••

After 5 months of being in this long distance, I finally learned that there's no point being upset cause it's only going to make things worse.

I was on the verge of giving up so many times that I couldn't even keep count how many times I told him I wanted to take a break anymore. But if there's one thing I really admire about him, it's his patience. He never gave up.

Everytime I was difficult, he held on to me harder instead. Everytime I threw bitchfits, he pulled me closer. I guess with all his patience and with my perseverance of trying to make this work, we made it through our first year.

He trusted me a lot so I had my freedom to go out with my friends often. Truth is, I never really trusted him enough then but I just pretended I did so I wouldn't upset him. I think, the main things that made things work were patience, lots of trust, lots and lots of communication (I think we tried to talk at least once a day), loyalty of course and err... Love. WTF! So corny. Haha :)

The one and only good thing about LDR is the moment when we'll meet again after a long time apart. I woudn't say that all the sweat and tears and anger is worth it but it's almost worth it. I could not imagine us in the airport. A hug that would feel weird... Holding hands even weirder.

Frankly, if you ask me if this is hard, yeah, fucking hell yeah! It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to do. LDR to me is always about fighting and making up and fighting and making up and repeat cycle. But if I have to do this for a few more years before I get an entire lifetime with someone I want to be with forever, I'd sign up to do it again and again.

So before you decide to go on a LDR with someone, you have to decide if that person is someone you can see yourself with next time. If the answer is yes, you cab do it I'm sure. Don't ever let LDR get in the way because it's not worth losing something as important as that.

Just throw in some patience, perseverance, trust, try to talk everyday and tell each other how your day has been (This gets tedious after some time. Everyday it's just "Babe, what did you do today?" blahblablah but at least, I know what's going on in his life.) and you must talk things out if you feel upset about something. I think those are the secrets to a successful LDR.

I guess no one can be truly good at this. It's just a matter of how we hold on against all odds and to never give up.

Gift for Someone Who Has Everything

Our 3rd year anniversary is fast approaching and I haven't bought anything yet for P. Ang hirap naman kasi mag isip! For someone who almost has everything, your mind would turn upside down thinking and thinking and thinking and thinking.

Look...

Eh I have given P:

• Team Manila Jacket
• Love letters
• Nike Pilipinas Jersey na sobrang gusto niya
• Love letters
• Shirts
• Fossil leather wallet
• Love letters
• Swatch watch to match his Nike shoes
• Love letters
• iPad
• Love letters
• Chocolate
• Scrapbook
• '100 Reasons Why I Love You' Booklet (Personalized at oo, sariling rason ko. Had it printed and bound.)
• Superman pillow
• Abubots
• Kumot (Opo, pati kumot! Haha)
• Pillowcase (Haha the LV pillowcase ha. Para match kami)

...and the list gooooooooes on and on and on. Haha lahat na yata maliit man o malaki eh naibigay na namin sa isa't isa. Ano pa ba pwede anniversary gift? Naloloka na ako! I always cook for him naman. I surprise him with breakfast meals together. Whenever I see something at the mall which I know na magugustuhan niya, I buy it naman for him. We buy din 'kambal' shirts together. He loves cologne/perfume and sobrang dami na ng collection niya. Name it! Gadgets, complete na din. Gundam collection naman, nako, wag na! Enough.

I'm dead. I really can't think of anything. P has everything a person would ask for. Aha! Hindi naman siya demanding, pwede na sa kanya unconditional love from me. Cheesy!

Huhu, I still need your opinion.

Instant Doodle

What happened when P fell asleep? Look...

Wanted!

O sige! I-extend mo pa kamay mo ha... Hahaha!

Closer look.

Stars

Himbing ng tulog mo bebe ah.

Our future house.

Us :)

"Huh? What are these?"

"Grabe! May topak talaga girlfriend ko."

Stand by Your Man

Reasons to Stand by Your Man in our modern times are often overlooked or walked all over as soon as the next cute guy comes along. I’m afraid more and more women take marriage far too lightly and I don’t quite agree with that! That’s why I decided to write this article about reasons to stand by your man. I want women everywhere to think twice before they decide not to support their husband or want to leave him without very good reason! Please keep reading for 7 reasons to stand by your man

1. You Made A Vow

The most important reason to stand by your man that I can think of is that you made a vow. You vowed to love, honor and cherish him no matter what. You may not always agree with what he says or does, but everyone is different! You should still support him if it’s just a matter of opinion and not a matter of life and death or morals.

2. He Needs You

It’s true-men need their wives to need them! They want to be admired and adored and looked up to by their wives. If he’s not getting that adoration and fulfillment from you, he may look elsewhere! This is as good a reason as any to stand by your man. Admire and respect him for all he’s worth and it will pay off in the end!

3. Your Children Are Watching

If you have children of your own, it’s important to remember that they are watching you. They will pick up on and learn all your habits, good and bad. If you make it a habit to cut down your husband around them, they will think of that as being acceptable. This is an important reason to stand by your man! You want your children to learn positive behavior!

4. You’re an Example

As mentioned before, your children are watching you, but even more than that, other wives and other children watch you. What kind of idea to you think you leave in their minds about your husband or your character when you put him down in public? A wife should always want to lift up her husband and make him look good in the eyes of others.

5. He Deserves Respect

Any good, moral, self-respecting man deserves respect. Especially those with more demanding jobs such as police work, firemen, military, and a host of others. But more than that, as the leader of your home he deserves the respect of having his wife stand by him. Think how you would feel if your friends, family or loved ones didn’t support your decisions or stand beside you!

6. He Works Hard

If your husband works hard to provide for you and make money for your family, this is a good reason to stand by your man. He’s putting it out there for you! He wants to provide for you and make sure you have the things you want and need. So respect that and support him no matter what!

7. You Love Him

The best reason of all to stand by you man is because you love him. I couldn’t imagine my own life without my husband. He is my best friend and soul mate! If you are blessed enough to be married to your best friend and you love him, consider that reason to stand strong by your man!

Source.

Things Teenage Girls Should Learn About Love

Teenage Love is a complicated but beautiful thing. I’m not saying that any other kind of romantic love isn’t; but I believe those characteristics are especially true for love during the teenage years. It could be mostly due to the fact that you are changing. Your body is undergoing all kinds of changes and your hormones are all over the place. Plus, you are still discovering who you are when you enter your teenage years. You have yet to get a better understanding of your emotions, and teenage love is probably making things a little more complicated for you. But that’s the beauty of being a teenager – having a flexible and more open mind. Your ways are not completely set and you are still open to learning new things. So sure, teenage love is not easy, but there are things you can learn to make it more bearable. Here are 14 things teenage girls (or even boys) should learn about love.

1. Always be yourself

You need to stop asking questions like, “How should I act?” You don’t need to act like anything or anyone. You should always be yourself. Of course, you need to keep in mind social graces, but those things don’t really change your essence as a person.

2. A smile can work wonders

If you constantly worry about how to get a guy to notice you, then heed this advice. A simple smile can light up your face, making you look happier, prettier, and more approachable. And even if the object of your affection doesn’t like you back, there will be someone in the room who will notice your smile.

3. Teenage boys are as scared as you

Don’t let their swagger and their self-confidence fool you. Boys are as confused and as uncertain as girls when it comes to teenage love. They just act like they do because society expects them to initiate everything in a relationship. Give them a break by doing your part, even if it can be nerve-wracking.

4. You can ask a boy out first

I know I might get some flak for this piece of advice, but it’s something that I’ve been saying to most of the girls asking for help on the site. Gone are the days when it’s taboo for a girl to ask a boy out first. If you like someone, take a chance on them! I know rejection is scary, but isn’t it scarier to let the person you like to pass you by?

5. You can’t force people to love you

Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how much you love someone. He, or even she, may not feel the same way about you. No matter how hard you work for the person’s affection, it may never happen. You need to learn when to accept that and when to try to move on.

6. If you have to do everything yourself, then he’s not that into you

When someone likes you, he will show some effort to gain your attention. You won’t always have to work extra hard to carry on a conversation with him. You won’t have to text him first every single time. You don’t always have to approach him first when you’re in the same area. I think you get my point, right? So unless he’s incredibly shy, the guy you like is not that into you if you have to do everything yourself.

7. There is no deadline for your first kiss

There are a lot of girls who are in such a rush to have their first kiss. But honestly, I think that girls are putting too much pressure on themselves and their lips. All things happen in good time. You just need to learn to go with the flow.

8. When in doubt, say no

No one can force you to do anything you’re not ready for. When it comes to teenage love, this rule is usually applicable to physical or sexual activities. However, you can also use this rule of thumb when you are being pressured to try drugs, to drink alcohol, to go places you are not familiar with, or to try things you are unsure about.

9. Sex doesn’t prove anything

If you’re not ready to have sex, let him know. If you’re uncomfortable about something a guy wants you to do, speak up. Muster up the courage to utter a single word: NO. Having sex with him doesn’t prove your love. Don’t believe the lies he tells you. Please don’t ever let anyone pressure you into doing anything you don’t want to do. And if he forces sex on you, it’s called rape; report it. Remember that no means no.

10. Choose your girl friends over a guy

You know how guys have the code “bros before hoes”? I don’t particularly like the word choice, but basically it reminds guys to pick their friends over their potential or current girlfriends. The logic behind this code is that love interests come and go, but your friends will always be there for you. Girls, we should take this code to heart. If you find your true friends, then never forget about them when you get a boyfriend. Hold on to them for they are rare species in this world.

11. You need to maintain a balance

I know I just said that you should prioritize your girl friends over a guy. But of course, you also need to learn to strike a balance between the relationships in your life. You can’t have your guy feeling neglected, can you?

12. Space can be good

Teenage love, or any kind of love for that matter, demands a lot of time and emotional energy. It can take a toll on the people involved. Sometimes, it is good to give each other some space. Believe it or not, but people are like trees. Crowd them and you stunt their growth. Give them space and they grow to their full potential.

13. Your life won’t end with a break up

Teenage love is not immune to break ups. And boy, can be they be messy and painful! But please believe me when I say that no matter how much you hurt, life doesn’t end when you break up with someone. Sure, it’s going to hurt and you’re going to be sad. But then you’re going to get sick of wallowing in self-pity, and you’re going to pick yourself up again. So go on, feel the pain of breaking up. Let the pain wash over you and then let all of it go. And even if you can’t let it go, you will get used to the pain. Life goes on and you will be stronger.

14. There is more to life than boys

If your love life is not going so well as of the moment, then learn to focus your energy on other areas of your life. There’s your education, your friendships, your hobbies, and your family. Let’s not forget about yourself, your habits, and your personal growth. There truly is more to life than boys. Don’t let them, or the lack of them in your life, bring you down.

Your life as a modern teenager is complicated enough as it is, what with school, social, emotional, and mental problems, and juggling relationships with family and friends. Add teenage love into the equation, and you sometimes feel like you’re in over your head. But remember that in reality, things are not as bad as they seem in your head. Don’t let your emotions, hormones, and imagination get the best of you. Welcome the lessons that teenage love has to teach you. You will be a much better person for it. What other lessons do you think should be taught to or learned by teenage girls (or boys)?

Source.

Advice From Oprah Winfrey About Men

Oprah calls herself a teacher. Oprah is a genius for me that her messages carry meaning not just for her predominantly female-audience, but for everyone. Here are some of Oprah's advice that we have learned from her show.

• If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away.
• If he doesn't want you, nothing can make him stay.
• Stop making excuses for a man and his behavior.
• Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache.
• Stop trying to change yourself for a relationship that’s not meant to be.
• Slower is better.
• Never live your life for a man before you find what makes you truly happy.
• If a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve then heck no, you can’t "be friends". A friend wouldn’t mistreat a friend.
• Don’t settle. If you feel like he is stringing you along, then he probably is.
• Don’t stay because you think "it will get better." You'll be mad at yourself a year later for staying when things are not better.
• The only person you can control in a relationship is you.
• Avoid men who’ve got a bunch of children by a bunch of different women. He didn’t marry them when he got them pregnant, why would he treat you any differently?
• Always have your own set of friends separate from his.
• Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you.
• If something bothers you, speak up.
• Never let a man know everything. He will use it against you later.
• You cannot change a man’s behavior. Change comes from within.
• Do not ever make him feel he is more important than you are... even if he has more education or in a better job.
• Do not make him into a quasi-god. He is a man, nothing more nothing less.
• Never let a man define who you are.
• Never borrow someone else's man. If he cheated with you, he'll cheat on you.
• A man will only treat you the way you allow him to treat you.
• All men are not dogs.
• You should not be the one doing all the bending...compromise is two way street.
• You need time to heal between relationships...there is nothing cute about baggage... deal with your issues before pursuing a new relationship.
• You should never look for someone to complete you... a relationship consists of two whole individuals... look for someone complimentary...not supplementary.
• Dating is fun... even if he doesn't turn out to be Mr. Right.
• Make him miss you sometimes... when a man always know where you are, and you're always readily available to him - he takes it for granted.
• Never move into his mother's house.
• Never co-sign for a man.
• Do not fully commit to a man who doesn't give you everything that you need.
• Keep him in your radar but get to know others.