32nd Manila International Book Fair

Finally, after so many years of wanting to go to this Book Fair, I was able to yesterday.  I went with a high school friend who happened to be free but is uber camera shy. Boo!

Gosh ... the feeling of seeing so many books is just pure heaven. The smell of books ... the touch ... the texture ... and the fact that there are so many information in there that is just  waiting to be learned, read, explored is such an overkill. I couldn't help but smile like a fool while we were inside.

My friend on the other hand looked baffled. He couldn't understand the fascination I had with books. He doesn't read so he didn't get it. I think he found me weird and likewise, I found him weird too for not loving reading.

Still ... I am grateful because he got me this even though he kept laughing the entire time on my choice of a book. You see, I only bought one book and it was this.

I liked it and I loved Lola Basyang when I was young. I still love her now.

Also, here's one of the few things that made me smile.

if only all boys would get into reading ... 

I'm very happy that I was able to attend this convention. I hope to be able to attend more.

Truly, I am one happy bookworm.

Goodbye Coffee!

This week saw some major changes in me. I blame A for it. She introduced me to Serenitea and since then, my relationship with tea has taken a 180 degree turn.

This week alone, I tried Cha Time, Zen Tea, Tea Farm and the uber famous Happy Lemon Tea. Cha Time was so so and Zen Tea was blah to be honest. The ones that made an impact on me were Tea Farm and Happy Lemon.

I tried the best sellers for both and both were actually good. Good enough that I actually finished the large sizes of the drinks.

Guess which one won? TEA FARM!

dear someone ...

Since I am not able to tell you what thoughts are running in my head ... I guess I just have to blog it.

We've been going out for the past months or so. I don't know how, I don't  know why ... but I found that I have been going out with you more often than any other guy I go out with.

You  made me feel like a woman. You made me feel that I was wanted, desired, needed. This was a new feeling for me. It has been such a long time since this has happened that it was kind of a novelty. The attention you gave me superseded  everyone else' efforts. You went out of your way to make me smile. You went out of your way to make me at ease and keep me comfortable. You went out of your way.

I felt ... appreciated.

I thought you were different. I thought wrong.

As with anything, when it comes to men, I am wrong.

Things happened and I thought, maybe you just needed space and so I gave it. I thought you needed comfort and I gave it. However, there were just too many "small things" or "inconsistencies" if I may say so. See, I really like those little inconsistencies. They always tell the whole story.

You've become a tad bit too busy;  too busy to even send a text message. Come on, we all know that no one is THAT busy. A person, if important enough to us, will always warrant even a single text in a day. One.single.text.

You've become a bit harder to see. It's like your calendar is always filled to the brim but you manage to meet up with friends. Hmm ... paranoid? I don't think so.

Someone's name keeps popping up now. Used to be, that name doesn't get mentioned and now its there, left and right, back and front ... around and around.

Small things ... that hurt a lot. A LOT.

I know ... I'm stupid. Oh yes I know that. I was stupid enough to believe that your feelings for me were real ... that I wasn't just another passing fancy ... or a conquest. I believed you.

I guess I was wrong again.

dear heart ...

3 years later and he still manages to hurt you huh? 3 years have passed and it feels like it was just yesterday. Why is it that he still manages to hurt you after all these years? Why is it that tears still fall freely on my face? He shouldn't be able to hurt us anymore heart. He shouldn't.

Its been 3 years ... its been 3 long years.

I wasn't expecting it to hurt but it did. I felt like I was stabbed in the heart when I held the paper in my hand. Its different when I actually held the proof in my hand. It's like being slapped in the face with the truth. There was no denying it anymore.

I am the biggest fool. 

I was the biggest fool for you and you just played me like I was a rag doll who had no feelings. I fell in love with you and you took my love and abused it like there were no feelings that would be hurt.

Heart, this is how he treated us. We were nothing to him. We were trash ... not even things to be treasured. He discarded us just like that. Why are you still hurting? Why does it hurt until now?

I should be happy heart. I should be. Finally, I will be free of him in every way possible. Finally, I will be me again. I should be happy ... and I know that I will be ... but for now ...

I will mourn ... for I am indeed the biggest fool.

Colorful Weekend # 5: Child Haus

This event has been in the planning stage for over a month now. We had so many hits and misses that I honestly thought of giving up on doing a charitable event. However, I really wanted to give back because I have been so blessed in my life.

I wanted to give back and I thought, no one or nothing is going to stop me.

We had a couple of brainstorming sessions and it was very productive. There were 4 of us and we tapped some resources as well.

Sadly, it ended with only 3 of us  going to the event itself. There were lots of things that came up for the rest and we couldn't really fault them. However, to A and K, I am deeply grateful.

We had a lot of misses. The charitable institution apparently moved and forgot to tell us they changed address. It rained like there was no tomorrow. It flooded. We lacked funds. We were stressed. It was like someone out there didn't want this to push through.

Luckily, I had angels on my side. A good friend of mine donated to the event and had his friend's foundation help us out. K got his magician friends to volunteer their time at no cost.

Here are the angels.  1st photo are the people from GMAC Foundation Inc (Give More for Action and Charity) and the second one is The Story Circle magicians.

I wasn't able to sit the entire afternoon. I was antsy and I was worried that the sky would eventually fall and everything would just crumble.

Luckily, the event went without a glitch once we got there. WE started with giving away the loot bags, coloring books and storybooks, as well as the toys. After, we made the surprise announcements. We were donating 10 sacks of rice as well as a DVD player (care of the GMAC Foundation) and some cartoon DVD's (care of A.)

After the film viewing where even the adults had a lot of fun watching, the magicians came into play and though they were a pretty hard audience, they were in awe by the time the last magician did his thing.

Overall, it was a successful outreach program. The kids were happy and we were able to give back something to them. It may have a lot of bumps at the start but it was pretty smooth sailing after.

To more outreach programs ...to touching hearts and hopefully, making a difference.

* this is my entry to colorful weekend meme.

life lessons from my Mr Wrong(s)

Every relationship (or non relationship) that I have had in my life has taught me a lesson ... lessons that I carry with me till now. This is one of those things that make me smile when I remember them. I may be doing something and I'd realize, "Oh! M taught me this!" or "Hey, it was J who got me  into this."

Here goes ....

MV ... You taught me that I should never leave even a single piece of rice or viand on my plate when I eat. Whenever we would eat together, you'd make sure that my plate was clean. You said that I  needed to value the fact that I have food to eat while some people in another part of the world dies from hunger. I do this  till now and I feel guilty when I can't finish what I have.

JM ... You taught me that there are people in this world who truly believe that all is fair in love and war. You were one of them. I'm glad that till now, I am not.

ES ... You taught me that even when someone is attractive on the outside, the inside could be uglier than the ugliest thing on earth. You were by far the most handsome amongst all, but you were the first to make me feel bad about myself. You acted like I was lucky to be with you. In reality, you were lucky to have me.

RS ... You taught me that pride has no place when it comes to love. Thank you. This is one lesson that I still believe in. Unfortunately, I have not met anyone who feels the same.

RA ... You taught me that though pride has no place when it comes to love ... dignity should never be trampled. You treated me like trash and trampled me. I now know that I will never let this happen to me again.

JB ... You taught me that once a cheater, always a cheater. You introduced me to your family and even brought me to the province ... and cheated on me the following week. Now I know that a cheater will never change.

and for the others ...

K ... You taught me that even when someone has feelings for you ... even when you jive and are totally in sync with one another ... it just won't work when one of you is too scared to even try. You were too scared and I just couldn't wait anymore.

CP ... You taught me that if there is a will, there is a way; because you did not have enough will, you did not make a way. I ended up with the wrong man because I thought you gave up on me.

And you, MD ... you are teaching me that sometimes, things just happen and all we can do is to let it flow and pray that we don't drown.

just talk ...

In any gathering, I'm almost always the one you'd find telling stories and making people laugh. It's not because I'm an attention whore (contrary to popular belief) but because I just want to make sure that everyone in that party or gathering is comfortable and having a good time.

I am an open book when it comes to my life. I tend to share but what people don't know is that I may share a lot but I don't really share the things that matter so much to me. I share only what I want to share. I share what I can share. I share what they want to hear.

Sometimes though ... I wish that I have someone I can just talk to ... in person. I already have someone whom I can talk to on the phone and to this person, I am very grateful but its different if you see the person and hang out while lamenting.

Sometimes ... I just need someone to talk to. Someone who will not judge me nor tell me what to do unless I  ask them for their opinion. I just need someone to talk to because ....

the first day I met you ...

MV ... I first saw you in our classroom. You were late and I was little miss proper and overachiever. You asked to sit beside me and I gave you a scathing glare and said, "Do I own the chair? Is my name written on it" and turned the other way around. Little did I know that you would have such a big impact on my life and that to this day, your mark remains. You were my first kiss and my first major heartbreak ... to be honest, the biggest heartbreak of them all.

JM ... we met because of your friend. He used your phone to text me and we became text mates. Eventually we found out that we studied in the same university and that your building faces mine. We met and I remember you pacing back and forth and me thinking, who is this dweeb? You turned, smiled, and said "Kay?" Little did I know that you would be in my life for almost two years and you would be the first guy to come in between a friend and I. Little did I know that you would be one of the biggest betrayals in my life.

ES ... You sent me a very impressive private message at an online forum and taught me to use complete words  when sending SMS. We met and you looked like royalty while I looked like a slave since I just came from shooting for my project. You handed me a balloon with a pig inside. I was mesmerized. Little did I know that I would soon be that pig inside the balloon ... nice to look at but all deflated inside. Little did I know that you would make me lose my belief in myself with your verbal harassments.

RS ... I was wearing midriffs showing off my uber flat tummy and skin tight jeans while sporting killer red heels and hoop earrings that could be used as a bracelet. I looked like the model that I was and you ... you looked like a farmer with your loose jeans,  slippers (yes, slippers OMG) and over sized FBI shirt. I was thinking, WTF and you were simply amazed that DLSU students apparently do dress up. It wasn't love at first sight. Little did I know that you would be the one that got away.

RA .... I met you at work and I couldn't remember your name even after 5 introductions. You were "myseterious" and insignificant but you made your presence known to me. I wish that you had remained a mysetery. Little did I know that you would be my biggest nightmare.

JB ... I met you at Starbucks. I purposely didn't dress up in the hopes of deterring you and making you lose interest in me. Epic fail. The first thing you said to me was "Wow! You are gorgeous." Little did I know that  you'd turn this gorgeous thing into a nervous wreck in just 17 months.

I still remember the first day I met you all. More important, I remember the lessons I learned from being with you as well.

munimuni # 67

It's been a while since I last posted a munimuni entry. July was the last one in fact and it is now September. Backreading shows that the clubs I had were all only starting and now, almost all of them have taken off. Along with it, I seem to have been caught in a whirlwind of activity that I now feel the need to step back and rethink things over.

Life has been on the fast track. I have found new people and lost some as well. I'm building bridges and burning old ones as well. I'm living I suppose.

Today, I have decided that I will spend more time at home once again. Life was quieter back then. I miss that peace and quiet. If I will go out, I will choose who I spend my precious time with. It won't be just anybody. It will have to be with somebody.

And of course, there has to be food ... these are the things that make life more bearable after all.

* shrimp, coffee, banana bread and golden spoon  yogurt = fats and heaven

of friendship and betrayal ...

This past week has been something ... I say something for lack of a word that can describe what I  feel ... about what happened ... and about what's happening. I am lost. I don't know what happened, what's happening, and what will happen .

Two people (one a really close friend and one a friend) have both come up to me and told me that they heard I've said stuff about them and that they believe those people. They didn't even give me a chance.

I was judged, hanged, and left out to dry without a moment's hesitation; just like that.

Does it hurt? Of course. Do I want to find out what happened ... what stories were told? I don't know. I don't know if I should bother when they both didn't bother talking to me about it and hearing my side.

There ... they didn't bother hearing out my side. This is what hurts the most.

It hurts.

I've been pondering about it since the other day and last night ... I've slept on it just like what my other friend said and I've come to realize that yes I am hurting but the good thing that came out of this is that I now know that these two people are not what they seemed to be either.

I thought they were my friends but obviously, they're not. I'm sure they think exactly the same so its just the way that it will be.

This is what life is. As my good friend said to me ... "You matter. People envy you enough to create lies. It means you matter."

Apparently, to some people, I matter enough for them to betray me. I matter.

Pho 24

I've never tried Vietnamese food. After the meeting that the Pex Film Club had, we decided to head over to Pho 24 (the only restaurant that I haven't tried at the Ayala Triangle strip) and give it a shot.

I'm glad we ate there because I just about fell in love with Vietnamese food.

shrimp stick

fresh spring rolls

noodles

It was really good. It tasted of vegetables and freshness as well as celery. It was just heaven for me. I love how the moment it touches my tongue, it just tasted of sheer freshness. I love it!

I also had a taste of Vietnamese coffee and I just had to try it, both hot and cold.

Best of all, I was with great people.

BURP!

the first heartache ...

I was only 13. We were at a Christmas party and I was very excited because he would be there. I knew he would be because he was one of the organizers and this was why I attended this party.

I wore something nice. I wanted to look a little bit girly for him I guess. He has always seen me as a tomboyish girl and I guess I wanted to change the way he looked at me. I thought, "if I look the way a girl looks, maybe he'll realize that I'm a girl too."

Music was playing, there was food, and the usual nonsense conversation between tweeners. I was excited to see him and chat with him and hang out with him. He asked me to dance and I had butterflies on my stomach. I was giggly and that was not me. I do not giggle.

While we were dancing, he told me that I looked different ... lovely. He said I was lovely. My poor heart was fluttering like mad. He then told me that he had something important to tell me. I thought, this was it. He was going to tell me that he also had a crush on me. I was all smiles.

"Kay, I want you to know that A said yes to me. She is now my girlfriend."

Huh? What? What did he say? Oh, wait. I need to compose myself. What does one say again in an event like this? Condolence? Oh, wrong. I hate you. Nope. I hope she breaks your heart. More apt but still wrong.

Congratulations! I'm so happy for you.

Whew. I was able to say what needed to be said. Okay, time to make a graceful exit now.

I spent the night in a dark little corner watching them make googly eyes at each other. He kept touching her back. Why???? Why does he hold her like she's fragile when she's not? Why does he stare at her like she was the prettiest girl on earth.

She's not. I was supposed to be the prettiest girl on earth for him. I was supposed to be it. I was not supposed to be sitting in a dark corner with tears pouring down my face. I was not supposed to be experiencing my first heartache.

Bag of Beans

I've been hearing about this place for some time now. My coworker couldn't shut up about it and so I got curious. What is Bag of Beans? Is it a coffee place? Is it a market? Is it a resto?

I was lucky enough that someone asked me to go to Tagaytay with him and that it was a weekday so Bawaii was close. We ended up eating at Bag of Beans. Apparently, it is just like Sonja's but much better in my opinion.

This is what we had. Shepherd pie, Chicken Parmigiana, salad, and Cream Dory. They were all very good but the servings were quite large.

I actually would love to go back there and try their buffet but I'm not sure as to when I'll be able to do it. For now, I have these. Good memories and photos to remind me of them.

Thank you M for bringing me here. :)

luncheon at home

Sis and I played hostess to a bunch of Dad's visitors today. They were celebrating my Dad's birthday though it was 17 days  late. I think my sister and I did pretty well considering we had short notice. Mom trained us well. :)

It was a pretty good lunch if I may say so. :)

PS. Feel free to visit my facebook page and CLICK LIKE!

Colorful Weekend # 4: K's Double Celebration

We had dinner at Vikings Buffet to celebrate the birthdays of two member of our Fil-Chi group. K and K. Yep. Their initials also starts with K and they are both Virgos who dislike attention. Unfortunately for them, they have me who just basks in attention. LOL.

We had dinner at this "luxury buffet" and I can honestly say, the money spent was oh so worth it. Here's what we had.

Happy birthday you guys! You have certainly added more color to my life.

This is my entry to the colorful weekend meme.