Bring It On

What the hell is wrong with me????

Sweet Jesus, I’ve been waking up for four consecutive days with, believe it or not, a SMILE!!! And this is sooo not me at all. It’s like I wake up every friggin’ day at five in the morning and the sweet-yet-almost-kinda-annoying feeling of anticipation takes over me, making me all happy and unusually bright on an early workweek morning. I do my morning rituals and I find myself singing to the song of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” while taking a cold shower bath… At five in the morning!!! My mom even remarked, “Oh, anong meron?...”

Whatever bit me that got me going like this during my mornings is just what everybody else would [badly] need. It’s the kind that brings the anticipation that today could be a good day; that something good will happen. But it doesn’t, and it’s normal… at least in my world it's PLAIN NORMAL not to have good surprises come along the way on a daily basis. But to not waver in that happy anticipation every morning is something of an EXTRAORDINARY thing; a happy feeling.

Don’t get me wrong, though; I love this feeling. I love it because it makes me look at the rest of the world on a more positive note. This ‘feeling’ gets my hopes up (but at least not too high) that good things are just waiting round the bend, that life (and living) could actually be pleasant in spite of. Whatever (or whoever ^_^) is causing this phenomenon must have been something of a divine intervention to remind me that, yes, life is good.

Grey-isms (Part 2)

FINN: I was in the neighborhood. Well, really I wasn't, but you are worth the detour.

MEREDITH: George! Callie is hot. She's really sexy, almost dirty hot. And she's hot for you. In my opinion you could keep using the darts as weapons or you could go get lucky with the sexy hot dirty girl.

MEREDITH: I'm missing dirty stripper Cristina. She was fun and less angry.

CRISTINA: I miss philandering whore Meredith. She was trashy, and much less idyllic.

MEREDITH: Time waits for no man. Time heals all wounds. All any of us can wants, is more time. Time to stand up. Time to grow up. Time to let go.

MEREDITH: Inside the OR, the best surgeons make time fly; outside the OR, however, time takes pleasure in kicking our asses.

DEREK: I'm the kind of guy you have to get to know to love.

FINN: I said we weren't exclusive. That’s all I wanted to say... Oh, and this: I know you think you're scary and damaged. It makes you think you don't deserve good things, but you do. And Derek, he's bad for you. But me, I'm a good thing. And if this is a race, if there is a ring, my hat is in.

MEREDITH: There’s a line, between friends and not friends. And if I tell you this, if I tell you this horrible thing, then you have to react as my friend. Not as my not friend.

MEREDITH: The thing people forget is how good it can feel when you finally set secrets free. Whether good or bad, at least they're out in the open, like it or not. And once your secrets are out in the open, you don't have to hide behind them anymore. The problem with secrets is even when you think you're in control, you're not.

DEREK: When would I have time to go out and get syphilis? You’re a handful enough as it is. And besides, we’re practically a condom ad.

ALEX: Show me yours and I'll show you mine. I bet you've got some seriously kinky skeletons in your closet.

MEREDITH: Secrets can't hide in science. Medicine has a way of exposing lies. Within the walls of the hospital, the truth is stripped bare. How we keep our secrets outside the hospital -- well, that’s a little different. One thing is certain, whatever it is we're trying to hide; we're never ready for that moment when the truth gets naked. That's the problem with secrets -- like misery, they love company. They pile up and up until they take over everything, until you don't have room for anything else, until you're so full of secrets you feel like you're going to burst.

MEREDITH: But the thing is, it’s hard to let go of that fairy tale entirely, because almost everyone has that smallest bit of faith and hope that one day they would open their eyes and it would all come true. At the end of the day, faith is a funny thing. It turns up when you don’t really expect it. It’s like one day you realize that the fairy tale is slightly different than your dream. The castle, well it may not be a castle. And it’s not so important that it’s happily ever after -- just that it’s happy right now. See, once in a while, once in a blue moon, people will surprise you. And once in awhile, people may even take your breath away.

MEREDITH: You know when you were a little kid and you believed in fairy tales? That fantasy of what your life would be -- white dress, prince charming who’d carry you away to a castle on a hill. You’d lie in your bed at night and close your eyes and you had complete and utter faith. Santa clause, the tooth fairy, prince charming -- they were so close you could taste them. But eventually you grow up and one day you open your eyes and the fairy tale disappears. Most people turn to the things and people they can trust. But the thing is, it’s hard to let go of that fairy tale entirely because almost everyone has that smallest bit of hope and faith that one day they would open their eyes and it would all come true.

MEREDITH: Responsibility. It really does suck. Unfortunately, once you get past the age of braces and training bras, responsibility doesn't go away. It can't be avoided. Either someone makes us face it or we suffer the consequences. And still adulthood has it perks. I mean the shoes, the sex, the no-parents-anywhere-telling-you-what-to-do. That's, pretty damn good.

GEORGE: I am a man! I don't buy girl products. I don't want you walking in while I'm in the shower. And I don't want to see you in your underwear!

MEREDITH: Intimacy is a four syllable word for: Here is my heart and soul, please grind into hamburger, and enjoy. It's desired and feared; difficult to live with, and impossible to live without. Intimacy also comes attached to the three R's... relatives, romance, and roommates. There are some things you can't escape. And other things you just don't want to know.

MEREDITH: When you're a kid, it's Halloween candy. You hide it from your parents and you eat it until you get sick. In college, it's the heavy combo of youth, tequila and well... you know. As a surgeon, you take as much of the good as you can get because it doesn't come around nearly as often as it should. Because good things aren't always what they seem. Too much of anything, even love, is not always a good thing.

MEREDITH: Maybe we're not supposed to be happy. Maybe gratitude has nothing to do with joy. Maybe being grateful means recognizing what you have for what it is. Appreciating small victories. Admiring the struggle it takes simply to be human. Maybe we're thankful for the familiar things we know. And maybe we're thankful for the things we'll never know. At the end of the day, the fact that we have the courage to still be standing is reason enough to celebrate.

MEREDITH: At some point, you have to make a decision. Boundaries don't keep other people out, they fence you in. Life is messy, that's how we're made. So you can waste your life drawing lines or you can live your life crossing them. But there are some lines that are way too dangerous to cross. Here's what I know. If you're willing to throw caution to the wind and take a chance, the view from the other side... is spectacular.

MEREDITH: It's all about lines. The finish line at the end of residency, waiting in line for a chance at the operating table, and then there’s the most important line, the line separating you from the people you work with. It doesn’t help to get too familiar to make friends. You need boundaries, between you and the rest of the world. Other people are far too messy. It’s all about lines... drawing lines in the sand and praying like hell no one crosses them.

MEREDITH: Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking up and biting us in the ass. And when the dam bursts, all you can do is swim. The world of pretend is a cage, not a cocoon. We can only lie to ourselves for so long. We are tired, we are scared, and denying it doesn't change the truth. Sooner or later we have to put aside our denial and face the world, head on, guns blazing... Denial. It's not just a river in Egypt. It's a freakin' ocean. So how do you keep from drowning in it?

DEREK: You think I want to look at you? That I wouldn't rather be looking at my wife? I'm married. I have responsibilities. She doesn't drive me crazy. She doesn't make it impossible for me to feel normal. She doesn't make me sick to my stomach thinking about my veterinarian touching her with his hands. Man, I would give anything to not be looking at you!

MEREDITH: In life we're taught that there are seven deadly sins. We all know the big ones... gluttony, pride, lust. But the thing you don't hear much about is anger. Maybe it's because we think anger is not that dangerous, that you can control it. My point is, maybe we don't give anger enough credit. Maybe it can be a lot more dangerous than we think. After all, when it comes to destructive behavior, it did make the top seven.

MEREDITH: We're all damaged, it seems. Some of us more than others. We carry the damage with us from childhood, then as grown-ups, we give as good as we get. Ultimately, we all do damage. And then, we set about the business of fixing whatever we can.

FINN: My mother's dead. She got cancer when I was 10 and suffered for a really long time and then she died. My father never recovered. It's kind of like he died with her, except that he's above ground and permanently placed in front of a TV with a bottle of scotch in his lap. The last woman I slept with was my wife, but she died too. It was a car crash so it was quick. She didn't suffer, which I appreciated. Don't worry, I'm thinking that my luck is beginning to change, because I met you. You like dogs, and you enjoy pony births, and have the ability to save lives. I never said I wasn't scary and damaged too.

MEREDITH: You don't get to call me a whore. When I met you, I thought I had found the person that I was going to spend the rest of my life with. I was done! All the boys and all the bars and all the obvious daddy issues, who cares? I was done. You left me. You chose Addison. I'm all glued back together now. I make no apologies for how I chose to repair what you broke. You don't get to call me a whore.

MEREDITH: Fresh starts thanks to the calendar they happen every year. Just set your watch to January, our reward for surviving the holiday season. Bringing on the great tradition of new years resolutions, put your past behind you and start over. It’s hard to resist the chance for a new beginning, a chance to put the problems of last year to bed.

MEREDITH: Communication. It's the first thing we really learn in life. The funny thing is, once we grow up, learn our words and really start talking, the harder it becomes to know what to say. Or how to ask for what we really need.

GEORGE: Well, Meredith is anything but cold. She smiles... not that often, but when she does, you know because she's really going through a lot, but it's… you just feel warm. She's kind. I mean, she can be a little selfish at times, and she's flawed. But she's kind. She cares about people and, um... she cares about her patients. She's going to be a brilliant surgeon. You know, around here, she's known as the one to beat. So, I... I guess she has that in common with her mom, but the rest of her, I think, the rest of that, she gets from you.

MEREDITH: So go ahead. Argue with the ref, change the rules. Cheat a little, take a break and tend to your wounds. But play. Play. Play hard, play fast... play loose and free. Play as if there were no tomorrow. It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game... right?

MEREDITH: No matter how hard we try to ignore or deny it, eventually the lies fall away, like it or not. But here's the truth about the truth. It hurts. So we lie.

MEREDITH: In general, lines are there for a reason. For security, for clarity. If you choose to cross the line, you pretty much do so at your own risk. So why is it that the bigger the line, the greater the temptation to cross it? We cant help ourselves. When we see a line we want to cross it. Maybe it’s the thrill of the unfamiliar, a sort of personal dare. The only problem is once that you’ve crossed, it’s almost impossible to go back. But, if you do manage to make it back across the line, you find safety in numbers.

MEREDITH: Okay. The man I love has a wife and then he chooses her over me. Then the wife takes my dog. Well, she didn't actually take my dog. I gave it to her. But I didn't mean to give it to her, I meant to give it to him, and that doesn't change the fact that she's got Derek. And my McDog. She's got my McLife! What have I got? I can't even remember the last time we kissed. Because you never think the last time is the last time. You think you have forever, but you don't. Plus my conditioner decided to stop working and I think I have brittle bones. I need something to happen. I just need a sign. I need a reason to go on. I need some hope, and in the absence of hope, I need to stay in bed and feel like I might die today.

GEORGE: Allow me to choke back some McVomit.

MEREDITH: I wish there were a rulebook for intimacy. Some kind of guide to tell you when you've crossed the line. It would be nice if you could see it coming, and I don't know how you fit it on a map. You take it where you can get it, and keep it as long as you can. As for rules, maybe there are none. Maybe the rules of intimacy are something we have to define for ourselves.

MEREDITH: Okay, here it is, your choice... it's simple, her or me, and I'm sure she is really great. But Derek, I love you, in a really, really big pretend to like your taste in music, let you eat the last piece of cheesecake, hold a radio over my head outside your window, unfortunate way that makes me hate you, love you. So pick me, choose me, love me.

Grey-isms (Part 1)

Since I’m still suffering from the Grey’s Anatomy fever after last week’s sweet season ender, I’d like to share with all of my readers my personal favorites among the too many memorable quotes from one of the bestest medical drama there is.

PS: Most of the quotes I’ve posted were from Meredith Grey. After all, she is my favorite character in the series. ^_^

Derek: In order to kiss you the way I wanna kiss you and in order to do more than kiss you I need to speak to Rose. I want my conscience clear so I can do more than kiss you. Stay here, don't move, wait for me.

Meredith: I'm still mad at you and I don't know if I trust you, I wanna trust you, but I don't know if I do. So I'm just gonna try, I'm gonna try and trust you. Because I believe that, we can be extraordinary together rather than ordinary apart…

Meredith: Don't wonder why people go crazy. Wonder why they don't. In face of what we can lose in a day, in an instant, wonder what the hell it is that make us hold it together.

Meredith: There’s a little animal in all of us and maybe that’s something to celebrate. Our animal instinct is what makes us seek comfort, warmth, a pack to run with. We may feel caged, we may feel trapped, but still as humans we can find ways to feel free. We are each other’s keepers, we are the guardians of our own humanity and even though there’s a beast inside all of us, what sets us apart from the animals is that we can think, feel, dream and love. And against all odds, against all instinct, we evolve.

Meredith: Giving birth may be all intense and magical and stuff, but the act itself: it's not exactly pleasant. But it's also a beginning... of something incredible. Something new. Something unpredictable. Something true. Something worth loving. Something worth missing. Something that will change your life... forever.

Meredith: There are about a hundred steps between where we are and our dream house. They’ll be fun steps. They’ll be sexy steps. And we’ll try not to fall down them together. Okay?

Meredith: I don't want you to date other people. It may not be enough for you, but I'm trying here so I don't want you to date anybody but me. That's it. Except, I'm scared as hell to want you, but here I am, wanting you anyway. And fear means I have something to lose, right? And I don't want to lose you.

Meredith: I think it's better to have someone, even if it hurts, even if it is the most painful thing you have done, even if it's the most painful thing you've ever had to do. I think it's better to have someone.

Meredith: In some ways we grow up; we have families... we get married, divorced... but for the most part we still have the same problems that we did when we were fifteen. No matter how much we grow taller, grow older, we are still forever stumbling... forever wondering, forever... young.

Meredith: There comes a point in your life, when you’re officially an adult. Suddenly, you’re old enough to vote, drink and engage in other adult activities. Suddenly, people expect you to be responsible, serious, a grown-up. We get taller, we get older. But do we ever really grow up?

Meredith: It goes away. The feeling. That feeling that you have right now... today... that feeling like you can do anything. That clarity... It goes away. And you go right back to being the coward who can’t tell the person you love how you feel.

Meredith: Deep down, everyone wants to believe they can be hardcore. But being hardcore isn’t just about being tough. It’s about acceptance. Sometimes you have to give yourself permission to not be hardcore for once. You don’t have to be tough every minute of every day. It’s okay to let down your guard. In fact there are moments when it’s the best thing you can possibly do… as long as you choose your moments wisely.

Meredith: It isn't just surgeons. I don't know anyone who isn't haunted by something or someone. And whether we try to slice the pain away with a scalpel or shove it in the back of a closet ... our efforts usually fail. So the only way we can clear out the cobwebs is to turn a new page or put an old story to rest.... finally, finally to rest.

Meredith: Forgive and forget. That’s what they say. It’s good advice, but it’s not very practical. When someone hurts us, we want to hurt them back. When someone wrongs us, we want to be right. Without forgiveness, old scores are never settled… old wounds never heal. And the most we can hope for is that one day we’ll be lucky enough to forget.

Meredith: The truth is painful. Deep down, nobody wants to hear it, especially when it hits close to home. Sometimes we tell the truth because the truth is all we have to give. Sometimes we tell the truth because we need to say it out loud to hear it for ourselves. And sometimes we tell the truth because we just can't help ourselves. Sometimes, we tell them because we owe them at least that much.

DEREK: Meredith, I do love you. Don't you see? Don't you understand? You're the love of my life. I can't leave you. But you're constantly leaving me. You walk away when you want; you come back when you want. Not everyone, not your friends, but you leave me. So, I'm asking you, if you don't see a future with us. Please... please just end it because I'm in it. Put me out of my misery.

MEREDITH: Maybe we accept the dream has become a nightmare. We tell ourselves that reality is better. We convince ourselves it's better that we never dream at all. But, the strongest of us, the most determined of us, holds on to the dream or we find ourselves faced with a fresh dream we never considered. We wake to find ourselves, against all odds, feeling hopeful. And, if we're lucky, we realize in the face of everything, in the face of life the true dream is being able to dream at all.

MEREDITH: Too often, the thing you want most is the one thing you can't have. Desire leaves us heartbroken, it wears us out. Desire can wreck your life. But as tough as wanting something can be. The people, who suffer the most, are those who don't know what they want.

DEREK: I don't... I just... That day, when you came out of the water ...trying to breathe for you. I love you, and I want you, but I don't know what to... you didn't swim. You didn't swim and you know how to. And I don't know if I can... I don't know if I wanna keep trying to breathe for you.

MEREDITH: A patient's history is as important as their symptoms. It's what helps us decide if heart burn's a heart attack... if a headache's a tumor. Sometimes patients will try to re-write their own histories. They'll claim they don't smoke, or forget to mention certain drugs... which in surgery can be the kiss of death. We can ignore it all we want, but our history eventually always comes back to haunt us.

MEREDITH: The thing about plans is they don't take into account the unexpected, so when we're thrown a curve ball, whether it’s in the O.R. or in life, we have to improvise. Of course, some of us are better at it than others. Some of us just have to move on to plan B, and make the best of it. And sometimes what we want is exactly what we need. But sometimes, sometimes what we need is a new plan.

MEREDITH: People have scars. In all sorts of unexpected places. Like secret roadmaps of their personal histories. Diagrams of all their old wounds. Most of our wounds heal, leaving nothing behind but a scar. But some of them don't. Some wounds we carry with us everywhere and though the cut's long gone, the pain still lingers.

MEREDITH: At the end of a day like this, when so many prayers are answered and so many aren’t, we take our miracles where we find them. We reach across the gap and sometimes, against all odds, against all logic, we touch.

MEREDITH: Disappearances happen in science. Disease can suddenly fade away, tumors go missing, and we open someone up to discover the cancer is gone. It's unexplained. It’s rare, but it happens. We call it misdiagnosis. Say we never saw it in the first place, any explanation but the truth. That life is full of vanishing acts. If something that we didn’t know we had disappears... do we miss it?

MEREDITH: We all think we’re going to be great and we feel a little bit robbed when our expectations aren’t met. But sometimes expectations sell us short. Sometimes the expected simply pales in comparison to the unexpected. You got to wonder why we cling to our expectations, because the expected is just what keeps us steady. Standing. Still, the expected's just the beginning, the unexpected is what changes our lives.

DEREK: I was a jerk. Sometimes boyfriends can be jerks, but it doesn't mean you stop talking to them... You get that I'm saying I'm sorry, right?

MEREDITH: No one believes that their life will turn out just kind of okay. We all think we are going to be great. And from the day we decide to be surgeons, we are filled with expectation. Great expectations of who we will be, where we will go. And then... we get there.

CALLIE: Panties, Meredith! I'm talkin' about the McFrickin' Code of Silence! The pair of panties I pulled off the bulletin board... not to mention the adulterous McSex I witnessed! Remember that?!

DEREK: We met at this bar, remember? We met and we, um, you said I'm just a girl, and I said I'm just a guy, and we started this thing. We started this thing. You didn't know anything about me. The good, the bad, the wife. You didn't even know my name. You didn't know me. I want you to know me. I want to start over from the beginning. So, hi, I'm Derek Shepherd.

MARK: The Dirty Mistresses Club has rules? Gosh, I didn't think a bunch of dirty mistresses would be a little less uptight about these, uh, rules.

GEORGE: Oh. McDreamy was doing the McNasty with McHottie? That McBastard! Uh, how was that?

MEREDITH: There are times when even the best of us have trouble with commitment, and we may be surprised at the commitments we're willing to let slip out of our grasp. Commitments are complicated. We may surprise ourselves by the commitments we're willing to make, true commitment, takes effort, and sacrifice. Which is why sometimes, we have to learn the hard way, to choose our commitments very carefully.

IZZIE: Well, you haven't told McDreamy that you dumped McVet.

FINN: He's gonna hurt you again. And when he does... I won't be here. Take care of yourself, Meredith.

MEREDITH: The fantasy is simple. Pleasure is good, and twice as much pleasure is better. That pain is bad, and no pain is better. But the reality is different. The reality is that pain is there to tell us something, and there's only so much pleasure we can take without getting a stomach ache. And maybe that's okay. Maybe some fantasies are only supposed to live in our dreams.

MEREDITH: Enough! This is not dating. I want moonlight, and flowers, and candy, and people trying to feel me up. Nobody is trying to feel me up. Nobody is even looking at me. I'm an intern; do the two of you have any idea how much effort it takes to do all this? I am waxed and plucked and I have a clean top on. And the two of you are looking at each other.

More to come in Grey-isms Part 2! ^_^

The 'Grey' Area

“Don’t you dare die! We’re not finished yet; I’m not yet finished loving you…”

The fourth season of Grey’s Anatomy has recently come to a close with its 17th episode last week. The ending was far from what I’d expected, yet so much more poignant than I had hoped it would be.

Since its pilot episode, I’ve been religiously following Grey’s Anatomy – a habit I couldn’t quite get over because I am so damn hooked on the drama. While I am not exactly a newbie to medical drama series on the boobtube (having followed other series like E.R., Chicago Hope, and House M.D.), Grey’s became something of a culture to me. Seriously. It wasn’t really the whole idea of McDreamy/McSteamy (and all other McBastards) that got me hooked on the show, nor was it the raunchy sexcapades of the almost-too-naughty interns. Perhaps it was that the characters in the story were presented in such a way that they are way too far from being less human – they work their way for paying their medical tuition fees, they can be horny bastards outside the operating room, they cheat on their spouses, they can be the groom who walks out on his own wedding, they have suicidal tendencies, they rant when they’re not allowed to scrub in, they make out in parking lots and in the elevator, they fall in [and out] of love, they drink ‘til they’re drunk to oblivion, they grieve silently when a patient dies, they cry, they live. So many facets life, love, and [lust] have been portrayed in the series that more often than not, humor is being used to soften the glaring truth that, despite the prestige of being excellent surgeons and interns, each one of the characters are flawed, just like you and me.

I can’t help but get all too excited on the next season of Grey’s Anatomy. I hope that the writers will go continue on what they started towards the end of the fourth season – HOPE. Seriously.

^_^

A Saturday with Indie

"Iba talaga ang dating ni Harrison Ford!" -Mom

I was resigned to spend yet another lazy Saturday at the leisure of home when my mom asked if I could accompany her to the hospital for her routine check-ups and lab tests. When I said yes, my mom made a pahabol, "Tapos baka pwedeng watch na rin natin yung latest movie ni Harrison Ford. Yung Indiana Jones..." (Aha! I knew there was gonna be some hidden agenda to it! Hahaha!) So that day, after completing her lab tests and check-ups with the family doctors, we headed to SM City Dasmariñas for some movietime with, ehem, Harrison Ford (It was the nearest movie pot from DLSU-MC where our family doctors hold their consultation on Saturdays).

My mom's got this huge crush on Harrison Ford for as long as I can remember. That's why it didn't come much of a surprise for me when she wanted to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, where Ford was starring as the infamous adventurer for the fourth installment. I, myself, have been quite a fan of Indiana Jones. I'm not sure if most people would still remember the TV series entitled "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones" were Sean Patrick Flannery starred. I followed that series religiously back in my late grade school days. (And yes, Sean Patrick Flannery was crush that time.)

What did I think of the movie? Well, to be honest, I think the movie was a bit overrated. But still, Harrison Ford haven't lost his acting prowess despite the maturity and the very becoming grey hair. Still, The whole idea of an extra-terrestrial force being worshipped by an ancient Mayan civilization was a bit absurd (And way too hilarious, if you ask me!) for an Indiana Jones movie. Good thing there was a pool of very good actors to cover for the VERY poor storyline (Think Cate Blanchett and Shia Labeouf!). And yes, Shia Labeouf came as an added bonus to the movie. ^_^

Anxieties 101

I want you, but I’m afraid
Afraid that I’ve long forgotten how it is to love; to be loved.
There is this silent joy that threatens my defenses
Whenever I’d see your eyes smiling back at me.
Hate me for wanting this to be over
Because if this is a dream, then waking up may be the next worst thing to a heartbreak
I'm not sure, but I think I’m a scarred soul
But you, you hold the promise of love anew.
I do not want this.
Maybe because I never want to hold something that could slip away
Just like the sands of time.
Too many lies, too many tears
Much more than I could remember
Yet looking at you, I am tempted to walk towards your love;
Tempted to get burned
I want to push you away, to run and let my heart in hiding
Yet a small voice tells me that maybe you’re a good thing
That despite the crazy life I’ve led,
I still deserve some good things from life; that I still deserve you.
Hold my hand, will you?
I’m like a baby taking my first tentative steps again
Walk with me, will you?
The road is unsure, our horizon is still unknown
Catch me, will you?
Because everything that I am – my heart, my soul, my entire being
Is falling for you.

How Relationships Are Like A Dish Of Pasta

Last Saturday, I was out with a couple of friends for some long-overdue catching up and post-birthday dinner as well. As the food we ordered were being placed on table, I can’t help but take pictures of the sumptuous dinner awaiting us (We dined at Italianni’s in MOA.), me being a frustrated shutterbug using my humble camera phone. Dinner was good, and we were having a good convo coupled with hearty laughs until toward the end of our meal. When we were done, I took pictures of the leftovers from our plate, and my friend jokingly asked, “And you’re doing that because…?” I quipped, “Well, you know how it’s like any relationship. I’m taking pictures of whatever’s left of it…”

I’ve read numerous posts on blogs, internet sites, and everywhere on how they compare relationships to bags, shoes, etc. On my part, I see relationships as a hot dish of good and delicious pasta. It may sound absurd to most readers, I know. But think of it this way: when you order something from the menu, it’s one of three things – 1) you chose that dish because you want to experiment with something you’ve never tried before; 2) you know that it’s the specialty of the house and that it’s the ‘in’ dish to order in that resto; 3) that dish has always been your personal favorite, one you’ve always been craving for since God knows when. Just like relationships, we are with the person we’re with [now] probably because 1) we are challenged to discover things about someone that pique our interest and intrigue; 2) that someone is who everybody says “a winner”, or a “prize”; and 3) that person made an impression on us until we’re quite changed and we wake up one day realizing that that person is the one we’ve always wanted to be with. (Geez, I hope I’m making sense so far…)

When you finally get to enjoy the feast before you, you have the option of consuming it as fast as you could because it’s one hell of a delicious pasta, or you could take your time in savoring every bit and aroma of the dish, taking in the goodness of it all and begin to wonder however did the chef come up with such delectable dish. On a more human perspective, there are some who get lost in the whirlwind feeling of elation that a relation brings. On the other hand, there are those who know how to take a pause once in a while and take in the bliss of happy couplehood. Yes, the latter are those who often come up with the silent question “Where have you been all my life?” in their heads.

Finally, when you’re done with the pasta, your mind silently assesses the entire experience: Was it good? Or could you have done a better choice among the items in the menu? Are you going to come back for the same dish the next time? Or you feel that there are too many tempting items in the menu to stick to a single favorite? And most importantly, was the experience all worth it? Just like all good things, even the most beautiful of relationships come to an end, either because it was a mutual or one-sided choice brought about by different factors, or because one of the two has passed away in this lifetime. It doesn’t really matter who left and who got left behind; in the end both parties decide on their own if they choose whether the memories are worth keeping or not; whether they would still come back (if they still can) or if they would feel that life is too short to miss out on all the good things that haven’t been tried before. Lastly, we ask ourselves if the time and effort we spent on every relationship was all worth it.

Was it?

^_^

A [So-Called] Quarter-Life Crisis

I woke up to the sound of Fergie’s ‘Clumsy’, my mobile phone’s alarm tune, at around 5 o’clock in the morning of May 16. Somehow, I got out of bed with an unusual enthusiasm to take a bath and dress up – something I’ve been very reluctant to do every Mondays toFridays of every workweek. (I’m never an early-morning person!) Maybe because today is what I fondly call “Lisa’s Day” – that special day of the year when I’d wake up with a smile and folks at home are unusually tolerant of me and my mini-dramas and mom’s special spaghetti is the kitchen’s specialty of the day; hey, it’s my birthday!

Today, I’m 25 and still, I don’t feel like it, at all. Back in the days when I was starting out in college, I pictured a twenty five year-old me as someone who’s at the top of her game in the corporate world, armed with a healthy savings account (and maybe even a dollar account), got her own car, a Master’s Degree under her belt, and a blooming love life. Fast forward to the present, here I am with a job that I enjoy (Well, at least so far…), a struggling savings account, still a certified commuter to and from the Metro, one-subject-plus-thesis-away master’s degree, and a nonexistent love life. Kinda not the thing I exactly expected, right? But come to think of it, summing up all of the 25 years of living my fair share of life, I must say that, yeah, it has been G-O-O-D so far. True, I may not exactly be at the top of the corporate ladder as I had previously hoped, but I like my job and I’ve found good friends along the way that add up to the colourful circle of the ones I already keep; my savings account is INDEED struggling because I opted to invest in my graduate studies instead pursuing what could have been a series of travels, shopping sprees, and techie gadgets, but at least I could still afford one or two little luxuries once in a while; my dream car is not going to materialize anytime soon, but at least that means more time to keep my cool and doze off on long roadtrips, plus swearing don’t add up to the list of my little (and not-so-little) sins whenever Metro traffic gets into drivers’ heads; I’m not yet done with my master’s degree but I’m quite proud of having come a long way with no failing grade (well, ALMOST!) and solely supporting my studies (Ok, maybe there were times when I’d be completely broke and had no choice but to swallow by pride and ask my mom for some allowance! Sheesh!); as for my love life, believe me, who wouldn’t want to enjoy the bliss of happy couplehood? But past mistakes made me realize that it doesn’t hurt to enjoy the perks of single while waiting for My One in the process. It doesn’t mean I’m just sitting around, doing nothing about it. Even my closest friends don’t know about this, but just to let you in on a little secret: I’m working on it. (Wish me luck, ladies!)

To cap it off, it has been a good and fruitful twenty five years, and I get to say a lot more of “Thank you for…” compared to “I wish I hadn’t…” at the end of the day. True, there were some things I had to learn the hard and narrow way, but in the end it only made me realize things that SHOULD matter more – my supportive family, loving parents, my very own band-aid-brigade set of friends, and LIFE itself. Instead of looking back one too many times, I choose to look forward to enjoying more surprises from my so-called Box of Chocolates for the next 365 days and beyond.

And Numerology Says...

Today I got an unsolicited numerology for my full name, courtesy of Ryh (She's into numerology and stuff like that). The results were pretty interesting so I thought I'd share it with everyone.

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You entered: lisa marie m. diaz

There are 14 letters in your name.

Those 14 letters total to 68

There are 7 vowels and 7 consonants in your name.

What your first name means:

Hebrew - Female
Diminutive of Elisabeth or Elizabeth, from Elisheba, meaning either oath of God, or God is satisfaction. Also a diminutive of Bethia (daughter or worshipper of God), and of Bethany, a New Testament village near Jerusalem.

Greek - Female
Diminutive of Elizabeth: From the Hebrew Elisheba, meaning either oath of God, or God is satisfaction. Also, the lilly flower.

German - Female
Devoted to God.

English - Female
Diminutive of Elizabeth: Oath of God. My God is bountiful. Lisa is often used as an independent first name.

Your number is: 5

The characteristics of #5 are: Expansiveness, visionary, adventure, the constructive use of freedom.

The expression or destiny for #5:

The number 5 Expression endows with the wonderful characteristic of multi-talents and versatility. You can do so many things well. The tone of the number 5 is constructive freedom, and in your drive to attain this freedom, you will likely be the master of adaptability and change. You are good at presenting ideas and knowing how to approach people to get what you want. Naturally, this gives you an edge in any sort of selling game and spells easy success when it comes to working with people in most jobs. Your popularity may lead you toward some form of entertainment or amusement. Whatever you do, you are clever, analytical, and a very quick thinker.

If there is too much of the 5 energy in your makeup, you may express some the negative attitudes of the number. Your restless and impatient attitude may keep you from staying with any project for too long. Sometimes you can be rather erratic and scatter yourself and your energies. You have a hard time keeping regular office hours and maintaining any sort of a routine. You tend to react strongly if you sense that your freedom of speech or action is being impaired or restricted in any way. As clever as you are, you may have a tendency to make the same mistakes over and over again because much of your response is glib reaction rather that thoughtful application. You are in a continuous state of flux brought by constantly changing interests.

Your Soul Urge number is: 8

A Soul Urge number of 8 means:

With an 8 soul urge, you have a natural flair for big business and the challenges imposed by the commercial world. Power, status and success are very important to you. You have strong urges to supervise, organize and lead. Material desires are also very pronounced. You have good executive abilities, and with these, confidence, energy and ambition.

Your mind is analytical and judgment sound; you're a good judge of material values and also human character. Self-controlled, you rarely let emotions cloud judgment. You are somewhat of an organizer at heart, and you like to keep those beneath you organized and on a proper track. This is a personality that wants to lead, not follow. You want to be known for your planning ability and solid judgment.

The negative aspects of the 8 soul urge are the often dominating and exacting attitude. You may have a tendency to be very rigid, sometimes stubborn.

Your Inner Dream number is: 6

An Inner Dream number of 6 means:

You dream of guiding and fostering the perfect family in the perfect home. You crave the devotion from offspring and a loving spouse. You picture yourself in the center of a successful domestic unit.

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What do you think? *wink*

The Jerk, The Blog, And Lissy

How would you feel if you realize that some things you used to believe in and held on to were all lies? And that the memories you thought were so dear are not even worth keeping at all?

Today I am sorely tempted to b&tch and rant about how everything between me and some [pathetic] guy culminated into something of an ugly (And I mean deep-sh^t ugly) confrontation that eventually led me to two conclusions; 1) that I am in a much, much healthier state of mind than that jerk ever was and, 2) as much as I hate to admit it, I wasted two beautiful of my life to some pathetic guy with the word L-O-S-E-R written all over him. (But then again, ‘LOSER’ is an understatement!)

For anyone who’s reading this, my apologies for having dropped some not-so-affable words in the previous paragraph, something that’s sooo not my style whenever I write about something in my blog. And I apologize, too, because there are only three people who know the real score as to whatever I’m talking about (Well, if you include my mom then that would be four, hahaha!) Let’s just put it this way: here I am, living a happy (and all-too-busy) life juggling work, school, and friends and then one fine Sunday morning this loser confronts me with his tirade of how everything I thought we were some two years ago were (and I quote) “delusional”. The nerve of that a#%hole! Whatever got him so ‘wackee’ all of a sudden?! Hahaha.. funny thing was, he was the one who sounded all too delusional. Hmmm… I wonder if it’s all those antibiotics kicking in on his lurid brain. Really, it makes me wonder... Hahaha! Poor guy, at more than thirty years of age he has lived a pathetic life and God knows how Karma will get back at him. Oh well, he deserves it, anyway.

Ok, at this point, I’ll stop being mean. One paragraph is more than enough to concentrate the disgust I felt for the guy. Life is too good and too happy to waste on trivial things coming from the mouth of someone who doesn’t realize life passing by. Did I feel sad about it? I admit that for a while, yes I DID feel sad. It’s the kind of feeling as if a bucket of ice-cold water has been poured on me. And then I felt my mom embraced me as she told me “Yaan mo na yung taong yun… mas higit pa ang darating sa’yo, you’ll see.” And everything was ok again. Plus I’ve got uber-supportive friends behind me and they know the truth, something that no jerk could waver.

Not Just Because It's Mothers' Day...

Mothers’ Day was just a few days away, and to avoid the rush of having to make last-minute reservations on some resto somewhere in the metro, I asked Mom a couple of days ahead on where she would want to have our yearly Mothers’ Day lunch. She gamely replied, “Anak, parang na-mimiss ko na yung siopao bola-bola ng Chowking…”. Say what?! I was struck by her answer. I asked her again if she had any resto that she’d want to try out, besides it’s a Sunday. And yet again, her answer came as a surprise; “Naku, ‘wag na muna sa malayo para makapanood tayo ASAP tapos sa hapon The Buzz naman. Bawi na lang tayo pagdating ng daddy mo, parang masarap sa Lolo Dad’s…” *Sigh* Si mommy talaga…

Who would have thought that at age seventy-four, my mom would still carry with her the charm and poise (Yes, she’s the most poised woman I’ve ever known, probably next to Queen Elizabeth II!) that she had all the way back during her early high school days. She was crowned as Ms. High School back in the days and when our eldest ima was still alive, she would boast of my mom having got her suitors making house calls ALMOST every day. Wow, talk about being a heartthrob!

I’m turning twenty-five in a matter of days, and I realize that it has been 25 years and yet, my mom still knows best. And from that petite lady who used to carry me around during my first birthday party, mom has become ever more beautiful – she walks with her head up high, couture blouses and pants, matching designer bags and shoes (I lost count of the number of pairs of shoes she’s got), and a sprit of her favourite perfume (which is anything that’s Calvin Klein). But despite her being a fashionista (she wears blouses by Efren Ocampo for her pambahay, can you imagine?!), mom’s got this knack for saving and managing the household financial expenses, something which I’ve been trying to master since 6th grade. And because of that, she can get away with her so-called ‘little’ luxuries as much as she wants to (Uhmm… I think ‘little’ is an understatement, don’t you think?).

But don’t get me wrong; there were more than too many times that the relationship between me and my mom have been far from rosy. With a stubborn attitude like mine (Hey, I’m a Taurean, ok?) and a conservative perspective like hers, we’d usually clash on certain issues like relationships, morality, and even politics. Still, I am thankful to God that He has given me one heck of a strong-willed woman for my mother. Who else could handle such a handful like me? All throughout the years that my dad worked as an OFW, my mom did the dual responsibility of being a father and a mother at the same time. And may I say she’s done a very good job so far. And while no mother-and-daughter relationship is any near perfection, I must say that my mom and I have come a long way as a team.

Happy Mothers' Day to all mommas out there! =)

Of Love...

I don’t know why I thought of you all of a sudden…
It was just a plain love song – sad yet full of hope
Could it be that, despite our distance, you are thinking of me, too?
Are you happy now? You better be.
Because your happiness is my strength in holding on to this separation
I live each day thinking that life is kind to you; that you are always smiling now
I’d rather have you from a distance, praying for you
and loving you in the silence of my heart
Rather than live each day beside you, yet helpless to ease your pain and sadness
I haven’t seen your face in a long time
But at least I hold with me the memory of your smile’s warmth
I’ll keep it that way and then I’ll live each day with happy thoughts of you, of us.
Maybe in some other lifetime, in some other fate
We’ll find our way back to each other
But for now, we’ll live the present loving from a distance
God’s angels will protect you when I can’t be beside you
As for me, I’ll keep you in my heart – the only place no one would ever find
For in my heart, I can love you as much as I want without anyone knowing it
And then I’ll smile and try to be happy
I’ll be thankful that in this lifetime, our paths have crossed and we are never the same again.
I have your love here with me, safe and tucked safely in the silence of the night
Be strong for us but when you cannot hold on anymore, come back to me;
Come back to me and cry
I'll close my eyes and turn around, so you can shed the tears you so bravely tried to hide from the world
And then I'll shed my own tears
Because your pain is my pain, and your tears are pieces of my soul
We are but one heart and soul
And when that day comes, we'll never let go so God help us
Let the world and all its chaos burn, but we'll never let go - not ever again.
So be strong, love; hold on.

I love you.

K-Drama Overload: Hong Gil Dong

“The reason that I, being a real fool, cannot say 'I love you' is because I may be afraid of the pain and the sad days to come right after falling for you...”

For a couple of days now, I’ve been constantly listening to this sad Korean song entitled Manyageh (If) by TaeYeon (So Nyuh Shi Dae). It’s part of the OST for the K-drama Hong Gil Dong which is yet to be aired on Philippine TV. For whatever reason, I’m not really sure; probably because there was something about the story which struck a cord in me. Now, just so you all know, I’m not such a big fan of K-dramas with historical settings and all (You know, the likes of Jumong and Jewel in the Palace). Sure, I’d watch them but with much less enthusiasm. But this one's quite different.

The story is set during the Joseon era in old Korea, and the main protagonist is Hong Gil Dong (Kang Ji Hwan). He was the illegitimate child of a high-ranking officer and later on becomes the leader of a group of bandits who steal from the aristocrats the gives it to the poor townspeople. Heo Yi Nok (Sung Yu Ri) is Gil Dong’s love interest. Of course the plot wouldn’t be complete without the other semi-antagonists, Lee Chang Hwi (Jang Geun Suk – that cute guy who played Hwang Jin Yi’s first love) and Seo Eun Hye (Kim Ri Na).

When I started out watching the series, I thought it was cool meshing huge amount of humor into the plot, together with the combat scenes plus a little bit of romance on the side. But as I progress in my viewing, somehow my heart went out to the character of Heo Yi Nok, the female protagonist. She’s this carefree woman who loved a man but can only love and protect him from afar. (And heck, she cries like a little kid in the series… cute!!! ^_^)

I now have the mp3 of the song and I listen to it everyday. Call it an uber-sentimental rush, but I can't help but get sad (quite teary-eyed, actually) whenever I'd listen to the song and recall in my mind the happy and sad moments of the two. Based on the forums posted on the internet, seems like a lot of people have declare positive reviews of the drama and the overall impact was well-appreciated. Hopefully, Hong Gil Dong will be aired on Philippine TV and dubbed in Tagalog for the others to appreciate as well. I'm crossing my fingers! =)

Three Colors And A Wedding

“Our wedding is a special day
And we’d love you to be there
So join the celebration
Or miss it if you dare…”

- Gail and Vip

It was half past two in the afternoon on May 3 of 2008 when I arrived at St. Alphonsus Mary De Ligouri church in Magallanes together with Christine, a friend from graduate school. When I got inside the church, the place was abuzzed with people – men in their crisp, white Barong Tagalog and the women in their formal attire as well as those, like me, who were clad in gowns of PINK, YELLOW, and ORANGE. White flowers lined up the church aisle, the choir was all set, and the Saturday afternoon sun was up. It was a good day for a wedding.

That day, I’m playing the part of candle sponsor to the union of Gail Wong to Vip Garrido. The bride was a close friend whom I’ve met when I entered graduate school at DLSU. Everything went well throughout the ceremony (except that my 3-inch heels are killing my feet, darn!) until it rained so hard by the end of the wedding. Everybody inside the church were kind of stranded. Good thing the photographers kept us preoccupied while waiting for the downpour to cease; the usual photo ops with the bride and groom lasted for another 30 minutes or so and by the time we were done, the rain had stopped and we could now proceed to One Esplanade, where the wedding reception followed.

At the reception, we were seated at table 7 (My favorite number!) together with Christine and Vito, who are my friends in graduate school. Vito came with his girlfriend Sherlene, and I find her really nice and sweet. The food was actually good – a buffet dinner with plentiful desserts (I just love the coffee jelly thingy that was served… Yummy!) and bottomless beverage. Of course there were the usual speech + toasts by the immediate family members of the bride and groom, the lucky-girl-gets-to-have-the-lucky-guy-put-on-the-garter game, and a video storybook that tells the love story of Gail and Vip. But in my honest opinion, the best part of the festivities was when the bride and groom started their first dance in a melodramatic song which eventually led to the pair dancing (and I mean seriously DANCING!) to the medley of Low, Clumsy, Soulja Boy, and 2 other upbeat songs which I forgot the title. Talk about hype!!! (And yes, the groom was a total performer that NEARLY outperformed the bride… hahaha!!!) At this point, I slipped off my gown and changed into a more (actually a LOT MORE) comfortable formal wear (But I still have my high heels on so my feet are still in agony, damn it!!!). After a couple more talks and some more desserts (The chocolate fountain was really nice; kinda reminds me of the buffet in Red Crab… Yummy!), we left the reception and headed home. I hitched a ride with Vito and his girlfriend and they dropped me off to Makati where I’ll be staying for that night. (Thanks Vito!)

Whew, finally the day is over… my feet are tired, I’m sleepy, and too bad I missed Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition that night (and to think it was Eviction Night!). Come to think of it, it’s the fifth time that I played bridesmaid/sponsor to a wedding (Well, technically it’s the sixth if you include the time when I played flower girl at three years old… hahaha!). Attending weddings like this makes me kinda little dreamy on how I want my own wedding to be. (I said ‘dreamy’ and NOT ‘daydreaming’, ok?) But I’ll write about it some other time… someday.

The [Deliciously] Sweet Side of Life

Hen Hao Chi. Ho Sek. Sedap. Squisita. Deliciosa. Délicieux. Oishii. Aroi. Ngon. Lezat. Ch'gnanh. Saep. Lum tair tair. Jal mug ut sum ni da. Taybeh. Köstlich. Svadishta. Enak. Delicious. Masarap.

It was an awesome gastronomic feast on a humid Monday afternoon last April 28 during the first-ever Spot Bloggers’ Tour sponsored by Spot.ph, and was participated by 25 establishments (20 of which were different sorts of restos which I will tell more about in the latter part of this [rather delicious] post) at the very heart of Bonifacio High Street and Serendra in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig. It was the second and third leg of a 3-part event, the first one having been held at Trinoma Mall last April 25. Too bad we missed that one because I had to go on a company teambuilding in the South that same day. Nevertheless Cassey and I managed to attend the one that’s happening at the Fort and, man, are we in for some treat!

If you happened to read Cassey’s post, she mentioned how she was semi-frantically asking me “Lisa, ano ‘tong pinasukan natin?!” when we met up for the event registration prior the program proper. On my part, I was quite aware that it’s gonna be one hell of a food trip except that it’s not just any kind of food we’re talking about here. (No, it’s far from the squidballs-and-kwek-kwek combo that I enjoy with my officemates right at the heart of Ayala on workday afternoons.) I’m talking about food from the all-too-familiar Krispy Kreme down to the quaint and cozy New Orleans, all the way to the posh Portico and the charming Cuillere. Take note that there were 20 restaurants to, err, conquer (Yes, this is like one of those days when you know it’s gonna be war out there; only this time the enemy is uber-delicious food.) Gameplan: Take in just a little bit of every serving and move on to the next. Sounds pretty easy right? I thought so, too…

First Stop: Bonifacio High Street. At around 15 minutes past 1, Cassey and I met up at Krispy Kreme to register for the event and get our team color (Go GREEN!!!), which was also the first stop of the Boni High Street leg. After receiving our tour kits, we were served with our selection of doughnuts (New York Cheesecake for Cassey and White Choco Mint for moi) with matching samples of smoothies and hot classic Glaze doughnut to go. At around 1:30 p.m. the Spot team assembled the participants and briefed us in on the mechanics of the event and who will be the assigned marshals for each team. For the GREEN team our marshal was Karl Bustamante who happened to be an editor of Spot.ph. (Cassey dear, he’s just not my type but I admit he’s nice, though; so DON'T FORCE THE ISSUE!!! Hahaha!) Texas Roadhouse Grill came next in the list. This is my second time to the place, having shared a couple bottles of beer and picas with close friends the last time. By the time we were done with Texas Roadhouse Grill, we were quite full already. Other stops for the Bonifacio High Street leg were Kabisera by Dencio’s (highly-recommended haven for those who crave sophisticated Pinoy Deli; don’t miss out their cooked rice in squid ink!), Starbucks Coffee, T.G.I.F. (where we took a couple more photos together with Blue, the cute T.G.I.F. crew who could very well pass for a celeb; NOW THIS ONE’S MY TYPE OF GUY!!! Hahaha!), Italianni’s, and to cap it off, last stop was New Orleans (more like a fusion of French and contemporary American food). At this point my camera phone died out on me and it was up to Cassey’s cam for more photo ops.

Next Stop: Serendra. Ok, this is where sweeter part of the event begins. The Serendra leg tipped off at Portico, where they gave out free gift certificates worth 500 pesos on our next visit. Cassey jokingly remarked that Portico marks the spot for my birthday celebration which, by the way, is coming up this month of May. Hmmm… a good idea actually, considering we both have GCs worth 1000 pesos combined. From that point onwards the group was split, since it was 20 minutes past five in the afternoon already and we still have to cover 12 more food spots within the Serendra area. Our group went on to check out Cuillere, a cozy French-inspired resto with lots of sweet treats for those who were born with a sweet tooth. Try their vanilla milkshake (which was the best smoothie of the day so far) that’ll leave your taste buds with a creamy cheese aftertaste. Zao Vietnamese Bistro was next on our list, which boasted of their so-called “Zao Vinegar” which was a secret recipe actually. The Pomelo Salad was a refreshing change from the usual Caesars and Mediterraneans but it was G-O-O-D. (Too bad I didn’t get to try out their Spring Rolls, though; I consider my dad’s Spring Rolls the bestest but I’m sure Zao’s would also leave an impression on my taste buds… Hahaha! Ok, I’ll quit bragging now.). We also went to check out Mamou (God, their steak was THE steak to beat!), Miss Desserts (My mom and I just love their NY Style Cheesecake from the freebie sampler that was given so she had me place a whole order the next day!), Cupcakes by Sonja (Gracias for a boxful of free treats and cookies! Yummy!!!), and then finally a plate sampler and a cup of warm concentrated thick chocolate drink the size of a shot glass at Xocolat. Oh yeah, we also went up to check out the non-food shops at the 2nd floor, like Abbey Road, Gymboree, Carnevale, and Luna. There wasn’t much to see but we were given freebies like pens and key chains for checking out their shops. As for the other participating food shops, we opted to make Xocolat our last stop because we were both tired, half-bloated (Or at least I was, hahaha!), and a little wasted from walking around for hours. Still it was an unforgettable experience that would have been more enjoyable if more friends could have joined us that day.

‘Looking forward to another event like this one. Cheers to good food and a sweet life!

Bon appétit!!!

No Work And All Play @ Laguna

All work and no play makes a dull SMARTee.

Last April 25, the SMART CPG-SAQM held the culmination activity of its two-part Team Cascade entitled "Outwit Outsmart Outplay" at the Forest Club – Bay located at the heart of Laguna. Assembly time was 5:30 a.m. at SMART Tower, after which the participants were divided into 5 teams of BLUE (my team), GREEN, YELLOW, ORANGE, and RED. Originally, the venue for the event was supposedly “top-secret” and we were advised to just bring extra comfy clothes, wear flip-flops instead of sneakers, and take lots of rest during the day before. There were also hints of the ‘slight; possibility of getting wet, which roused my curiosity all the more. Eventually, I was able to pull some strings and found out that Forest Club will be the venue.

My team was the second to arrive at the place after almost 2 hours of travel time from Manila via South Luzon Expressway, and I must say the place was quite impressive. Upon entering the gates, you will be welcomed by the tranquil surroundings made up of various trees and plants. The pool with its lukewarm water (not sure if it’s really intended to be lukewarm or if it’s just brought about by the heat of the sun) was inviting, and there was ample outdoor space for various activities. We rented this really big air-conditioned family room for us to leave our bags and personal belongings. It also served as our siesta place in the afternoon after taking our baths and changing into our clean clothes.

Come activity proper I was in for the surprise of my life when we were told of the activities that we will be doing for the day. It was a total of 10 relay activities in all, including having to cross a 400-meter makeshift bridge that consisted of a single bamboo pole in mid-air (Without a net to catch you if you fall accidentally, can you imagine?!?), barefoot; cross to the other side of the man-made creek by means of rope; going to and fro the creek aboard a makeshift raft in pairs; maintaining a 10-man human pyramid while reciting the English alphabet from A to Z, and many others. I was lucky enough to keep myself dry throughout the entire 10 relays without any serious cuts and bruises. Some of my friends, however, were not so lucky. Whew!

The food? It was VERY good! For breakfast, we were served with ripe mangoes and suman combo (Only then did I actually realize these two really go together as far as the taste is concerned). Lunch was a sumptuous buffet which consisted of fried bangus, pork liempo, ginataang kalabasa (squash) at sitaw (string beans), salad with vinaigrette, and melon juice. For the afternoon snacks, we were served with baked spaghetti with toasted bread and iced tea. Now this is what I call eating, Laguna style!

Towards the end of the day (after countless photo ops courtesy of Ms. Teng, Tintoots, and Cris), our team finished second together with the ORANGE team during the awarding ceremony. Finally it was time to head back to Manila, and the fun continued all the way home. There were nonstop talks and chitchats, jokes and unadulterated laughs. When I got home, I was downright tired and exhausted, but I felt great having had the chance to take some time off from work and have fun with fellow CPGees.

PS: Click here to see the write up for the said event and visit the website of Forest Club - Bay.