Boracay 2008 Photoblog

It was my first time to fly via Caticlan and see my beautiful Boracay from the air. As our plane shifts gears and angles for the most accurate degree to land in the shortest airstrip I have ever seen, I saw Bora's pristine white sands again, and glimpsed for the first time the Fairwaters golf course. This time my boys and I were staying at the beautiful Pearl of the Pacific, invited by the Del Monte group with their Fit N Right Challenge.




It was also a first time for me to go to Bora on Holy Week, we try to avoid this season as it is full of people and the prices are more exorbitant than the usual. As expected, the beach was crowded, but L took a lot of interesting photos during our 3 days 2 night stay.

Ladies in their best 2-piece rendition..There was Rachel Lobangco doing the zip, which is, apparently the in thing for sexy ladies to learn. Next week, Isabel Roces is teaching this at Boracay. Spotted on the beach: Havaianas has a great gimmick, get spotted with a havaianas and the fabulous you will get an inflatable slipper... Gary and his boylets clad in all-white...The contestants of the Fit N Right Challenge pose during their party. I know who won, but I'm not telling! Watch the show at ABS CBN on March 29, prime-time...Itchyworms and Kamikaze perform for Boracay...3 ladies (!) at the BigFish event hosted by Nokia pose flirtatiously for L..the crowd at Cafe del Sol..the parties..and finally, the sunset shots that capture the amazing Boracay.

Wildly Important Goals

Too many thoughts on my mind.
Busy, busy , busy as a bee.

I thoroughly enjoyed the 7 Habits for Managers that our company invested on for section managers and up. What a practical and applicable way of improving one's life! If you have not had the chance to attend this training, go and seek this training if you want to become an effective manager.

****
Paintball was fun. I immensely enjoyed playing war, eventhough it was hard to control my breathing while I was crawling through cogon patches and bamboo trees, in order to go to a sandbox, a safe location. I found out I would rather get up and move forward instead of waiting and being set back, letting the others have the pleasure of locating the enemy.

I killed one team member, and had a great shot of 3 enemies, but they had the vantage point. I ran out of ammos. It was gone too soon! I wanted more. When I went home I found out I had bruises on both legs and insect bites.

In the evening I still managed to play badminton for 2 hours.

And got another free karakal badminton racket, light weight at 70, and combined tension of 26 on top and 24 at the bottom.

But hey, what do I know? I just play to sweat off all the meat I eat.

***

Off to Bora. And then maybe, I will be gone in oblivion, buried under my desk, or eaten up by situation normal all f_cked up.

A Dialogue and A Confession

Valentines 2008

BFF: Hello,Saan date mo mamya?
A:Dapat ikaw kadate ko ayaw mo naman lumabas
BFF:Ha? Wala ka date? Asan --- mo?
A: Nagkita kami last night, but we might see each other again
BFF: Buti ka pa. Ako dinner date with my daughters (referring to 2 pet rabbits)
A: Hahhaa,you're making me laugh
BFF: We're having salad. Like they do everyday. Kangkong!
A: Hahahahahahaaha. Stop it na!

Bored out of our wits one day, our conversation went on like a TV show Q & A.
Pre-Birthday Blues

A: Lapit na bday mo mwah mwah mwah
BFF: Magb-bday na namang loveless
A: Sus. Think of it this way, nothing lost. Joke. Hehehe. E kasi ang pili!
BFF: Wala na nga eh. ni options nga wala eh. pano naman naging mapili nyan
A: so how does one see light in this situation? naku parang nung monday i attended a wedding of a HS classmate, syempre sila meron na mga 6 yr old kids, yung isa mother of 3 na
BFF: yun nga eh.... pero you know what.....right now, hindi ko hinahanap. now, subconsciously, i appreciate things that i have, things that are there. instead of griping over things that i dont have
A: thats good!
BFF: hindi ako nagpapaka-miss-universe Q&A ha. pero thats really my state of mind/heart
A: hahaha. eto nga binubuo ko pa lang sa isip ko pano ko gawin ang Q & A natin. Ano kaya title: Burning Questions
BFF: burning tlaga ha... ano na lang... Yosi break with ...
A: e di ako nagyoyosi
BFF: Yan na lang title ng column mo
A: e di nga ako nagyoyosi
BFF: eh ano gusto mo?
A: di ko pa alam , wala pa masyado inspiration. What do you do when you chill?
Why did you come back to the Philippines? what do you do for fun?
BFF: ayaw.
A: hahaha. conservative na naman nito!
BFF: i have nothing interesting to share
A: Name 3 people alive or dead whom youd like to meet
BFF: i want to meet my dead lolo and lola and know their story
A: first generation (Chinese immigrant) ba yan here?
BFF: yes
A: o nga interesting
BFF: sino pa ba... hmmm
BFF: i want to meet piolo and get him to open up to me. hahaha
A: oo nga. and ask that question!!! (bading ka ba?) pero ang lamya ng mata nya, you will melt in his gaze
BFF: i want to have a 1-on-1 with bayani fernando. I hate how inefficient MMDA is
A: hahaha
BFF: do you really want to? out of all the people in the world?
BFF: i absolutely hate how traffic remains a problem after all these dacades!I passionately hate those Ninja turtles. Wala ako desire to meet world leaders, or celebrities
A: o sige sino crush mo recently , celebrity
BFF: Jon Avila. super! strong quiet type
A: Sino sya?
BFF: nyaark! ano k b! di mo kilala si Jon Avila!yung PBB celebrity housemate na half-brit
A: i dont watch local tv stations, sorry
BFF: gusto ko ma-meet bayani because i know he's sincere
A: So you think there's hope still (for the country)...
A: whats your favorite dish to cook?
BFF: my bolognese, because i always get it right. but lately i like cooking chinese herbal soup. pork shoulder ribs herbal soup. sarap!i wish to be able to cook the best adobo but i've long given up on that dish
A: whats on your ipod?
BFF: i dont have ipod!just a few mp3's on my phone, latest addition is Seal's Love Divine
A: i kinda figured that out. why no ipod??? tell me
BFF:no ipod because i dont want to block off "natural sound" i dont want to shut myself from the world, in a way. I listen to music when i drive, I have my car stereo for that . When I jog around the park, I want to be able to hear the children playing, the yaya's chit-chatting, etc.
A: ahhhhh....nice.. but when you gym?
BFF: May sounds naman sa gym
BFF: ikaw, sino gusto mo ma-meet?
A: ako si jk rowling.. si joan didion at si anna wintour. hahaha puro girls.
A: What do you think about when your plane lifts off the ground?
BFF: A few times 2 thoughts crossed my mind... na sana i always have a partner when i travel.... and sana pure holiday naman ang travel ko (when it's a project assignment).
A: oo nga...
BFF: i also want to meet the pope. I want to challenge his views on homosexuality
A: oo nga that would be interesting.your theory abt exposing the young too soon..pwede eh tama ka
BFF: Yesterday, while jogging, I thought about eternity...and I thought it's so boring. eternity is boring! Almost meaningless
A: what do you look forward to these days?
BFF:these days? hmmm yung makita yung effect ng fat burner that i'm taking. hahahahha
A: ayus. ako gusto ko itry RF na parang lipodissolve. non invasive hahaha
A: do you believe we are not alone?
BFF: alien you mean?
A: yes
BFF: the alien question. maybe. i dont care. but jodie foster said something.. the universe is a huge. if it's just us, it's an awful waste of space


***

I have a confession to make.


I love Gossip Girl. I love Blake Lively, this California girl whose sunshiny smile and easygoing, affable demeanor transcends television. I love the fashion, the storyline, the over the top lifestyle of the rich in New York. I like the way they infused technology into this storyline which talks about blogging (Gossip Girl), cell phones with cameras so one can easily capture moments and sent via MMS or posted onto a website community. It is not a unique story because ultimately, it is all about family and friendship, but what sets it apart from the others is this fresh approach of combining this century's greatest inventions and letting us have a peek at the lives of the richest teenagers in the world.

I know, I'm not 17, but I gush like one.

Something To Write About

I get two text messages, and another YM from my friends (of course, as they are mostly the ones reading me) asking, or rather pointing out that I have not been writing. What have I been up to?

Good question.

It's crunchtime again at work, with 2 turnovers and a plethora of issues to deal with. I thought it was actually a good thing for me not to think too much and to focus on how to regain stability. I am challenged, but I intend to win. It will take time, but how does one eat an elephant? One piece at a time.

I have settled into a weekend activity that satisfies me. Lazy Saturday sleepover, off to Salcedo market for lunch, 2 hours of badminton on Saturdays followed by bonding sessions with friends about the mundane, and another set of a 2-hour game on Sundays. I wake up to the chirping of the birds, walk the dog, hear mass. I have siesta and merienda. I eat star apple plucked from the backyard, and have buco juice from the coconut tree at the front yard. It all sounds rural; maybe that's why I like it.

I pray for hope and I hope for many things.

Mostly I hope for him.

Last night was another step in the growth process. It was an unplanned occasion for us to see his room mate and girl friend, who became a couple in SG, and were vacationing here to fix something. We steered the car as they did a U-turn so we can catch up, after six months. I prodded him to see them. I knew he wanted to, but was thinking of me tired and aching after the badminton game.

We saw them, and it was just like the old times. Except for that thing they were fixing. She then happily flashed her engagement ring, and although I felt a tug at my heart, I was sincerely happy for them. They were telling us the details of their December 26 wedding, while he, ever sogently steering the conversation to their common friends back in SG. There were many developments, and they too, were happy for him, even proud of him.

Indeed, it was just like the old, fun times, except we could no longer turn back the clock. Regrets were left there unsaid as we sip our beer, as well as sincere joy for the couple, and hope for the future. I realize at that moment how hard it is to sometimes accept the realities, but so I must, in order to move forward.

I slept quietly, peacefully that night.

Lady Michelle is now a Misis

Congratulations to Michelle and Richard!
I love their simple and very solemn wedding.