You and me.

'cause it's You, and me, and all of the people

and i don't know why

i can't keep my eyes off of You...

delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

i was browsing through my multiply inbox when i happened upon ruel's post entitled "living a life of blessing!" ruel recounts how had been praying for a "swiss-knife Bible," and God, in his rocking infinite goodness, gave him the desire of his heart.  God had just given me a similar experience as his, and, well...here's goes.

i didn't really want a new bible. honest. but God, being...GOD, knows us waaaaay better than we will ever know ourselves.

my usual post-service routine is hanging out at our church's next-door resource center. so that's what i did last sunday--after chatting with new friends, i hung out at the Pioneer church's bookstore, eager to look and see new books, and maybe yet again meet new friends.

just
then i saw this bible. the cutest bible i had ever seen. it was black with three glittery waves--in pink, blue, and orange. it was perched on top of the bible shelf. i gingerly reached for it and instantly got all kilig at what i saw. it was CUTE!

an acquaintance happened by, and in all my joy i called him to have a look-see. "uy, tignan mo ooooo! ang ganda ng bay-booooool..." i drawled.

mr. acquiantance (let's call him Jake) agreed. he had another friend with him who liked it too. in essence we were all crazy for the bible. Jake was making me kulit to buy it. as in he was persuading, convincing, cajoling, almost commanding me to buyit buyit BUYIT already.

at that time i already had another bible, and the practical, rational side of me was...rationalizing. "eh may bible na
ako eh," i reasoned. i didn't want the old one to go to waste. besides, sweldo would not come until friday. it had to wait.

after a few cajolings Jake went on ahead and i was left at the bookstore, making sulyap-sulyap at the bible, making the last few glimpses before i would travel back to Galleria. i'm sure you know the feeling: the "i-don't-want-to-let-go-but-i-have-to!!!" feeling?

i was happy with my old bible, remember?

Jake walked in a few moments later...and offered to buy my old bible for the price of the black one.

i was in shock, to say the least. i remember shakily removing the bookmarks in the old bible, and they were dropping all over the place. i was in a daze when the whole transaction was made. as in tulalang tuliro na tipong "what the heck is happening?" type. lost. you get the picture.

when Jake turned to leave for good, the waterworks came. (buti na lang wala nang tao sa bookstore nun! ) i was filled with so much joy and happiness and kilig...it was the BEST feeling in the world! over and over i was reminded of how David was in so much AWE of God's goodness to him:

Psalm 8:4 - "What is man that you are mindful of him?"

i couldn't stop thanking God then. i still am. the whole episode still makes me teary-eyed. it's a reminder of how great, good, and amazing God is. how He really is mindful of us. how He rejoices with us in our joys and comforts us in our sorrows. He ain't
distant. He's there. He just wants us to bask in His presence and dwell in Him. after all, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! (Romans 8:38)

haaaay... thank You Lord! thank You thank You thank You LORD! to You be the glory!




PS: here's what it looks like. cute, 'di ba?

Put Your Life Before God

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.


- Romans 12:1-2, The Message

SEVEN-DAY PRAYER & FASTING

woohoo! click me!

book wish list

i am hoping that by december 27th of 2008 i would have owned--and read--all these. :)

1. Captivating

2. When God Writes Your Love Story

3. The Enemy Called Average

4. Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

5. Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos

6. Authority in Prayer

7. Twelve Extraordinary Men

8. Twelve Extraordinary Women

9. A girly NLT Study Bible... because all the ones I see are boyish. ^-^

whee! I'm excited for the new year already!

so today i hit the gym for the very first time

...thanks to mackey's complimentary gift check. yaaaaay! rockin' christmas gift! thanks girl!

some thoughts:

1. instead of intimidation and the usual condemnation-about-my-weight stuff i was actually looking forward to it. i dunno. *shrug* for one, it's not every day that things like these come your way for free. for another thing, i have that propensity to try anything once. besides, what have i got to lose?

2. it's FUN. yes, it is. i like the gym gadgets! it really gives you a sense of variety in the exercise and all. i have a favorite gadget already, unfortunately i don't know what it's called. basta it makes you all bounce. ang saya.

3. i was singing "perseverance" songs in my head. mga tipong "i will run and not grow weary...i will walk and not pass out..." hahaha! seriously!

4. whenever i got too excited thinking about these things the treadmill would remind me that my heart rate is getting too fast. ooops.

5. not much people on a friday afternoon. good good.

6. basta. fun.

 

will i be signing up for a membership now? i don't know. i am still thinking about it. but hey, i guess it wouldn't hurt.

boy, time does fly!

i remember writing this two days after i rose my hand during the altar call a little over a year ago. what can i say. funny how things turn out differently a year later. :) and i'm sure, the years after.

 ==

"hard work" // oct 17 2006 10:00 am

admittedly, being a baby Christian is hard work.

Jesus always stressed the importance of loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself.

in my case, however... *sigh*.

last sunday the topic was on walking with God, and there were three ways in order for anyone to do this: first was obedience, second was agreement, and third was intimacy. enoch was the benchmark for walking with God. we don't know absolutely anything about him: all we know is that he lived for 365 years and didn't die. God just took him away, because he simply walked with God.

it was also stressed that God wasn't looking for diplomas or vital statistics or whatever--God just wants us to obey, agree, and be intimate with him. THAT simple.

admittedly i have a penchant for complicating things. i think and overthink, analyze and overanalyze. i find it difficult to accept simple truth. i'm not content with just what what is presented to me: it has to be proven down to the very last fiber. that belief is quite contradictory to the Christian faith, because that very word--faith--is the beginning and end of all things.

along with that is my (almost) natural tendency to criticize. my good friend karl characterized me as a nitpicker. admittedly, i do find pleasure in finding fault in things--especially other people. i tend to judge quickly. i mean, i claim to be a Christian yet I have like ten million sins a day. i'm turning into something i don't want to be: a hypocrite. then again that's when the simplicity of wanting to walk with God comes in. Lord, i don't want to be like that anymore. i don't want to judge and okray and just be freaking mean anymore.

heehee

moar funny pictures

bagong buhay: nacu-cute-an ako sa aso

wikang pilipino muna.

naglalakad ako kahapon sa labas ng shangri-la mall. nakita ko yung K9 doggy. long-haired golden retriever. nakasuot ng santa hat, red na damit, tsaka red na wrist cuffs.

under normal circumstances, takot ako sa aso. as in takot. tipong maiilang ako lumapit. eh sobrang cute niya talaga. eh di lumapit ako.

ayon sa pinsan kong marami ang alagang hayop, ang mga K9 dogs raw ay trained na hindi magreact sa pagpet. tatlo lang raw ang normal na reaction ng aso kapag may nag-pet sa kanila: 1.) mag-growl; 2.) magwag ng buntot; 3.) mangagat.

nung nilapitan ko siya, wala akong takot na naramdaman (paano ka matatakot sa ganun ka-cute na aso?!). nagpaalam ako sa trainer niya kung pwede ko siyang hawakan.

pinet ko siya.

nag wag yung tail niya!


sana nagtake ako ng picture.

from 500 to 400

earlier this month i had my eyesight checked. i wanted to buy contact lenses for "wala lang's" sake, and i was coordinating with a friend's friend, who was an optometrist. we had not set a time and date to meet up, but God really has a way of putting things in order that far outplans our own plans.

the Optometrist and i had a chance encounter--putting it simply, i was in the right place at the right time. after a short wait filled with laughs, it was my turn to read the eye chart. sans glasses. the 475-grado left eye and 500-grado + 200-something astigmatism right eye could hardly decipher the eye chart sitting what seemed to be in front of me (admittedly, i have it memorized... i've been reading the thing for ten years!).

so alvin the optometrist had me wear spectacles and was inserting different lenses innit. i was reading the eye chart. the E, F P, LTOZ and such (see, i told you i have it memorized!). kidding aside, after putting on a bunch of lenses, alvin made me read the bottom part of the chart. and then...

"bumaba na yung grado mo."

i could not control the cry of joy that bubbled from my lips.

it was amazing, considering that i:

• constantly lacked sleep because of my schedule
• averaged 40+ hours a week in front of a computer because of work
• read while lying down--the main cause of my "blindness."

by human standards it seemed impossible for all of this to happen. but hey, didn't Jesus say that "with God, nothing is impossible?"

another thing. i had my eyes checked in april and already bumaba na yung grado ko nun from last year. after eight months naging 400 na lang yung grado ng pareho kong mata. isn't God simply amazing?!

i am reminded of Bartimaeus's story in Mark's book. Jesus and the disciples were getting out of the city when Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by. he called for Jesus. Mark writes:

Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."

"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

of course, bartimaeus's reaction is but natural:

The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. (Matthew 15:31)


20-20 vision, here i come!

sigh..
thank you Lord! :)

what's in a name (part 2)

Karess

You have leadership ability and with your power of expression can be an influential speaker. Organisation or management would suit you. Your energy, intellect and creativity overcome any challenging situations and assure your future success. Certainly with your emotions under control there is nothing which you cannot achieve. Your faith and vitality means that love and prosperity are naturally attracted to you.

Rubrico

You are an inspirational individual and seem to lead a charmed existence. Material success is no more than your versatility, optimism and courage deserve. You are creative and resourceful and can develop your ideas into tangible form which brings you great satisfaction. You attract friends, love and happiness in abundance because of your warm and enthusiastic nature. Life is much better with you around.

Karess Rubrico

Confident in yourself with a strong mind and creative flair you have the ability to apply your ideas to practical purposes. Your wisdom and balance means that others seek you out for counsel and guidance. You set high objectives for yourself based on your idealism and then achieve them with boundless energy and determination. You are loved for your understanding and positive attitude to life.

wow. inspirating ito! click here to get it as well

this cracked me up

moar funny pictures

what i am right now :)

i am:

1. learning to adjust in a new environment (and they usually say the learning part is hard, but quite frankly, i'm finding it fun).

2. expectant. every day.

3. excited for Christmas (yes, this early)...not to mention, the new year.


ikaw, what's up with you?

i'm back... with a survey!!! mooohahahahaha

1. What year were you born in?
eighty five

2. What Spice Girl were you when you were young?
scary. heeheehee

3. Backstreet boys or NSYNC?
backstreeeeeet boys!

4. Did you watch S Club 7?
just the music videos

5. What was your favorite, Sandlot or Little Rascals?
ano yung sandlot?

6. Did you ever have light up sneakers?
never. i found them too flashy (no pun intended)

7. What was your favorite thing about recess?
siyempre eating

8. Cinderella or Snow White?
the litter mermaid, hands-down

9. Did you wake up really early just to watch cartoons on Saturday morning?
natural na sa'kin magising ng maaga egh.

10. What was your favorite holiday?
new year. birthday ni mommy + dami pagkain + makulit chinese traditions + libreng pampatangkad!

11. Did you ever try to stay up on Christmas just so you could see Santa?
never.

12. What grade did you like the best?
grade four!

13. Ninja Turtles or Power Rangers?
ninja turtles

14. What Power Ranger were you?
basta yung pink

15. Did you ever own a Chinese jump rope?
never

16. What was your favorite thing to eat?
chicken sopas, my mother's spaghetti, fried chicken

17. What was your favorite color?
noon pink.. naging blue, tas orange.. pink na ulit ngayon. hahaha!

18. Barney or Sesame street?
sesame street!

19. Do you ever miss being a little kid?
hahaha!

20. Do you wish you were older?
nope.

21. What was your first pet's name?
oliver, after the cat cartoon.

22. Who was your best friend in kindergarten?
si isay at si mia!

23. Are you still friends with the person you were best friends with in the 3rd grade?
no contact :(

24. Where did you live when you were 9?
bf homes parañaque

25. What was your all time favorite movie?
the little mermaid!

26. Which did you like 'Are You Afraid Of The Dark' or 'AHH! Real Monsters?
ahh real monsters! hahaha

27. Did you watch Rockos Modern Life?
gusto ko lang yung theme song. FYI, it was sung by the B-52's.

28. Who was your favorite Rugrat?
si phil & lil.

29. Do you own a tamagochi?
nope.

kakalurkey!!!!!

...is how i can describe the past few days (in fact, even HOURS!) have been. in a good way, of course. it's amazing how some things just happen when (cliche warning) you least expect them. they go like, kaboom! and whoosh! i'm all onomatopaeic today!

i am looking forward to sitting down and writing a normal blog again.

in the meantime... cheers! *lifts coffee mug*

oh my gosh!

i have NOT posted in ages.

unfortunately due to current busy-ness, i really won't say much... well, maybe, hey, i hope everyone's doing grrrrrreat! :)

*goes off to do research on article*

quick lang, as usual

1. in two weeks, my life will change. so there.

2. i finished "pride and prejudice" this morning (yay!) and immediately (like wala pang five minutes) started reading "love in the time of cholera." and i couldn't put it down. GGM is just chock-full of rockin' imagery. page twelve na nga ako eh. hahaha

3. eerr all for now! see you around! :D

the chinese connection

because i had a sore throat i purchased a pack of pei pa koa lozenges last night to relieve my, uh, suffering. and guess what, they rock! *air guitar* i was sharing my joy (and the candy) to my wonderful seatmates. raf even commented that it sorta tasted like bigboy bubble gum.

we then began discussing anything and everything chinese. i suddenly realized that three of my closest closest friends are of that descent: dy, so chan, and lim. i even quipped that rubrico, with the right stress on the right syllable, would make my last name genuinely chinese-sounding. the joke didn't work

i remembered the time i slept over a classmate's place in binondo for a class project. the next morning her grandmother went in the room and spoke to me in pefect cantonese. i stared blankly. then again maybe my already small eyes were made even smaller because i just woke up. i apologized, in tagalog, and we both laughed.

i never even thought i looked remotely chinese. then again, mom is already half of it. i guess that would explain why another acquaintance from a communications seminar in college asked me if i was indeed chinese.

...all these, because of pei pa koa candy. haha!

what's on my mind these past few days

God is faithful, even in the littlest things.

 

 

 

...can you imagine how much more, in the BIGGER ones? ^-^

 

 

Jesus rocks!

bibliophiliaaaaaggghhh!

what i have been up to: BOOKS.  and here's what i am reading right now:

1. pride and prejudice - i'm sure you've either (a) read this in english class, or (b) watched the movie starring keira knightley. well, i did neither.  this book is something i am really enjoying right now (and i won't make kwento just so that you would too!). it's  exciting, kilig-inducing, downright funny, and super kulit all at the same time.

2. strunk and white's the elements of style - something i've had since my college freshman year and never got around to reading! tsk tsk tsk! the rules written in this book are really helpful and make writing so much easier. i actually grabbed my pencil and "agreed" with the authors on the page margins. it's a gold nugget for grammar geeks.

 

and then there's one book waiting for me: love in the time of cholera. i promised myself that i would not, WOULD NOT unwrap the plastic covering until i finished pride. it's still intact on my dusty bookshelf.  i'm excited to buy one hundred years of solitude too. gotta love book sales!

happy birthday!!!!!

sa mga sumusunod:

1. teena, who is one heckuva mother, professional, english speaker, beach lover, housemate, and sister. i wish i could post photos here so that people could see how beauty runs in the family . i hope you can read this, ate den. thanks for everything.

2. ate joe, thanks for being so helpful with the events ministry. for filling me in on all the stuff when i was just starting out! i really miss you guys.

3. sandy, one talented drummer, one funny writer (check out his blog), and one passionate guy. saludo ako sa iyo!

 

 

randomness yet again

1. lately i find myself writing about a myriad of topics. siguro kasi there are a lot more things on my mind, and a lot more things that i enjoy sharing.

2. chores can be fun! i missed yesterday's speed-walk and my sister teena, thankfully, reminded me that it was my turn to, uh, make lampaso. so there. lampaso-ing is a nice substitute for exercise.

3. been thinking about the team reshuffling, a.k.a. all of the agents in our account being re-assigned to different teams. i was majorly "bonding" with my current teammates earlier today. i'm really gonna be missing them like heck.

4. i don't know how to use friendster anymore! for the longest time i was trying to figure out how to upload photos innit! hahaha! i've gotten so much used to multiply na kasi. what fun.

5. the past really can be funny.

things to be thankful for

1. exercise! this morning i speed-walked at the ball court behind our house for ONE HOUR. whew! best part is, i got a dose of morning sun and fresh air! panalo.  i am so thankful my left ankle is so much better!

2. lessons! in terms of the relationship department. and i quote from one of the people dearest to me, "a relationship is not a one-way street." simple as that.

3. daddy! got to meet up with my dad earlier this week. dad and i hardly see each other now that he lives in baguio, but he made baba (sorry i don't know how to english this ) for business. daddy lent me a book and some strawberry jam. funny how dad still calls me "little girl" at twenty-two years of age. hehehe

4. grace at the workplace! somehow my job isn't as BAD as i initially thought it was. i've been whining about it incessantly for the past few months, and somehow i've begun to appreciate it! i remember what Paul said: "i have learned to be content whatever the circumstances...i can do everything through Him who gives me strength." o di ba?  sometimes i find it difficult to detach myself from discomforts that plague me, but at the end of the day it's bestest to just smile and be thankful.

5. fellowship! many of you guys, my friends, are just wonderful! i love you!

6. multiply back on convergys IT! yaheeeeey! wala lang.

7. the talents inC arts & media summit! which was held last monday and i honestly had no idea that such an event was happening that day! napadaan lang ako, literally. and i so loved, enjoyed, and learned from it.

 

i am so looking forward to another great week!

you could stand under my umbrella, ella, ella...(repeat)

courtesy of punsai.

THREE NAMES THAT FRIENDS CALL YOU

1. karess
2. kookook
3. kookie
   

THREE MOST IMPORTANT DATES IN YOUR LIFE

1. october 15
   
2. january 1
   
3. june 6
   

THREE THINGS YOU'VE DONE IN THE LAST 33 MINUTES

1. downloaded mandy moore's "umbrella"
   
2. checked on what day the 24th would be
   
3. covered my nose along ortigas extension
   

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS

1. head automatica
   
2. savage garden
   
3. 311
   

THREE WAYS TO BE HAPPY

1. read a psalm
   
2. learn something new
   
3. watch the sunset
   

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS AT PRESENT

1. can't take my eyes off you - muse
   
2. so little time - arkarna
3. umbrella - mandy moore! hehehe
   

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU LIKE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX

1. smile
   
2. ankles
   
3. arms
   

THREE PERSONS YOU MISS FROM YOUR PAST

1. wala naman. they are still part of my present eh...
   
2. 
   
3. ...oh wait. just my Lola, who passed away two years ago.
   

THREE GIFTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE

1. plane tickets to Novato, CA 
2. a car package--kotse, driver's license, and driving lessons all in one
3. an opportunity to be a prod person sa CSI NY set...
   

THREE OF YOUR FAVOURITE HOBBIES

1. reading
   
2. writing
3. laughing/talking
   

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO FOR HOLIDAY

1. Novato, CA 
2. NY
   
3. Bora
   

THREE FAVORITE CARTOON CHARACTERS

1. Duo Maxwell (Gundam Wing) 
2. Honjo Kamatari (Rurouni Kenshin)
   
3. 
   

THREE GIRL'S/BOY'S NAMES

1. mine. HAHA!
   
2. 
   
3. 
   

THREE MALLS YOU USUALLY GO TO

1. Robinson's Galleria. my turf
   
2. Megamall
   
3. Shangri-la ... I'm an ortigas baby!
   

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE FASTFOOD

1. mcdonald's
2. KFC
   
3. burger king
   

THREE FAVORITE DRINKS

1. coffee (in moderation)
   
2. mint tea
   
3. water
   

THREE THINGS FOUND IN YOUR BAG

1. bible 
2. notebook 
3. lip balm
   

THREE FAVORITE COLORS

1. pink!
2. black
3. orange

THREE EVENTS YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO

1. days off 
2. sundays
   
3. me time
   

me time

monday, tuesday, and wednesday post-shift afternoons i hold real important because it's only then that i have "me time." i usually lose myself in whatever "me time" thing/s i do during those days.

"me time" activities include:

1. losing myself in a bookstore. bawal ang kasama, sorry! reading time is really important for me.
2. watching multiple episodes of whatever my current favorite TV series/movie is (as of this writing, CSI NY!)
3. folding and re-folding laundry--hehe
4. walk-jogging. i have an exercise routine again! yaaaay!
5. writing

we just had a change of schedule (again.. five schedule changes in one year! such is the life of a call center agent), and at first i didn't like the new sched because i THOUGHT i was gonna miss a lot of activities, but hey... i actually am resting better now, not to mention figuring out what makes me tick and stuff. enjoying the company of me.

haaaay... ang saya saya ng buhay talaga! tenkyu Lord!

i miss multiplying

the IT authorities in our office have officially banned multiply from the PC in the pantry, which is why i've been updating and logging in real less. which i think is a good thing; at least i would be less less less tempted to go beyond my break hours surfing away. yay God!

fortunately i have a twitter account, so it's gonna be more updated than my blog here. and it's sooo super fun! click me!

right now i am super into CSI: NY. i've always been a forensics fan since i was in sixth grade. add new york, one of my dream cities to visit, in the equation, and boom!

it just dawned on me too.. i'm a fan of mysteries. i poured myself into nancy drew and bobbsey twins books growing up. and maybe if i was into sherlock holmes i woulda liked him too. i like house MD. one of my favorite movies is the cabinet of dr. caligari. et cetera. i always liked figuring things out. asking the whys and whatnot. i'm just a really curious sort, the one who asks too many questions

it's been a great day, week, month. it's a great life!

Which Stereotype Are You?

oops i'll just post something else. it got all wonky haha

Which Stereotype Are You?

[RICH KID]
[ ] You go tanning
[x] You own a cell phone
[ ] You own something from coach
[ ] You own something from chanel
[ ] You own something from juicy couture
[ ] You own something from louis vuitton
[x] You love/like going to the mall. --> well, i work beside one.
[x] You own an iPod/MP3 player.
[ ] You love Starbucks.
[x] You have been called a brat.
[x] You have tons of shoes
[ ] You hate buying things that are on sale
[ ] You have more than one house
Total: 5

[GOTHIC]
[x] Black is one of your favorite colors.
[x] You have thought about death.
[x] You wear chains.
[x] You like heavy metal.
[ ] You've shopped at Hot Topic.
[ ] You have worn black lipstick.
[x] Your hair was/is dark.
[ ] You DISlike preps.
[ ] You're an atheist/ satanist.
[x] You have/want piercings.
Total: 6

[PUNK]
[ ] You can skateboard.
[x] You wear plaid.
[x] You like Converse.
[x] You hate MTV.
[x] You have/had/want blue, pink, red, purple, or green hair.
[ ] You love/like skater girls/boys.
[ ] You dislike pink.
[ ] You hate preps.
[ ] You wear/wore skateboarding shoes.
Total: 4

[GEEK]
[x] You love the computer.
[ ] You like Star Wars.
[x] You are supposed/wore/wear to wear glasses
[x]You get straight A's.
[x] You love/like reading.
[x] You don't care what you look like.
[ ] You have a curfew.
[x] You always do your homework.
[ ] You never miss school unless you're sick. --> was like this in high school, and college changed everything!
Total: 6

[EMO]
[ ] You are depressed sometimes.
[0.5] You have black-rimmed glasses. --> red and black!
[ ] You like the band Thursday.
[x] You cry easily.
[ ] You like emo music.
[ ] You hate being called emo.
[x] You keep/kept a journal/diary.
[x] You have written a sad poem
[ ] You have/had a sad MySpace/Friendster layout.
[ ] you think emo kids are hot
Total: 3.5

[GHETTO/GANGSTA]
[ ] You like rap.
[ ] you are in a gang
[ ] You wear rubberbands in your pants.
[ ] You swear a lot.
[ ] You have had a freestyle battle.
[ ] You have worn converse with the tongue flipped out.
Total: 0

[HARDCORE]
[x] You like loud music
[x] You love the Ninja Turtles!
[ ] You never walk anywhere.
[x] You wear slip-on shoes.
[ ] You love Norma Jean.
[x] You wear band t-shirts. --> i have one, only one. guess.
[x] People have called you a freak and meant it.
[x] "hardcore" dance
[x] Your hair has been dyed more than one color.
[x] You wear blue jeans.
Total: 8

[PREP]
[ ] You love The OC
[ ] You have/want/had a tiny/medium sized dog.
[ ] Your usual outfits consist of bright colors.
[x] You like buying shoes
[ ] You shop at American Eagle
[x] You love/like to shop.
[x] You love jeans.
[ ] You love paris hilton
[ ] Getting your nails done is a fun thing.
[x] You wear big sunglasses.
Total: 4

[ATHLETIC]
[ ] You watch the Superbowl.
[x] You own track shoes or other sports related shoes.
[ ] You collect your/others jerseys.
[x] You have/had had a special shelf for trophies and awards.
[ ] You have posters or plaques of famous athletes.
[ ] Your garage/shed consists of sports equipment.
[x] You belong/belonged to a school team.
[ ] You are going/did go to a sports summer camp.
[x] You have a specific number preferred for your jersey.
Total: 4

 

i wished i became a hardcore geek. hahaha!

i'm so excited, and i just can't hide it

things i'm excited about:

- date talk night at church this friday
- finishing the heroes DVD at home (episode 21 na akoooooooo! yebaaah!)
- the workweek finishing... which means, getting to sleep for TWELVE HOURS!
- our trip to krispy kreme tomorrow to grab some hershey's dark chocolate donuts. hopefully i can post pics!
- meeting up my fellow ka-small group girls
- the long-awaited dinner with my best friend!!
- my postpaid plan's new adjustments. more self-control on my part = less gastos. yahoo!
- doing laundry. (seriously!)

sigh. there always is something to smile about in spite of the negativity chuva!

fifteen things

...you want to say to fifteen people, and you can't say who they are.

*ehe ehem*

1. there was a time when i wished i was more like you. eventually i realized that hey, we're simply different. we're just created differently. i am grateful for so many things, and i love you.

2. i have much hope for you. i really do. i've always looked up to you. i believe you will shine one day, brighter than the brightest.

3. i have forgiven you. don't worry. i love you so much.

4. i miss you terribly, but i truly, madly, deeply believe that i'll get to see you once again.

5. thanks to you, i am not afraid of forever.

6. i don't know what to say, really. hi? hello? hehehe? whatever.

7. you add the fuel to my fire. i am very encouraged with your words and actions. our connection amazes me. Jesus rocks!

8. i see you often with a smile on your face and a heart full of so much goodies. i wish to have your spark someday.

9. you are a wise one, a woman in all respect. i admire you so much.

10. your ability to communicate to people is just... phenomenal. panalo ka!

11. your leadership amazes me!

12. finally, a more mature person (haha!) with a sense of humor. you will never grow old.

13. i want to be the tree you told me about.

14. i hope to see light on you someday. 

15. i'm going there. just wait!

quickly only

- the every nation world conference is coming up real soon! like, in THREE DAYS! am i excited? you bet i am!

- i've been feeling out of sorts lately (don't we all fell like this from time to time?) but i feel that God's nudging, nay, pushing me in the right direction, to make the right choices. i feel like a little kid clutching His hand tightly, whimpering "i don't want to stray away, Dad!" and somehow i feel a lot better after doing so.

- i have no words to explain what's happening to me right now, actually... but there is something. like something BIG's gonna happen.

- things i plan to write about once i have the time: 1. the heroes tv series, and 2. a gadget review.

- all for now! God bless you guys!

yet another sky entry :D

i was yet again rambling about life's trivialities; nitpicking, whining, and complaining to God about even the smallest annoyance. i was simply tired.

i decided to climb up the 28th floor of my office building after dinner to do some last-minute surfing. the sky also looks great from that vantage point, but i wasn't really thinking about it then.

normally at six-ish, seven-ish there isn't much of a sky. but funnily enough there was!

and it looked something straight out of mordor. but instead of being creepy-looking... it was, woah. pretty.

hay. me of little faith talaga!

technology gone bust

earlier this morning...este, yesterday morning, i attempted to post an entry from my mobile phone. it was pretty longish for a message composed from a cellphone, and i actually had some txt wrds thrwn in fr gd measre. Ü

then "the operation timed out" or whatnot. i attempted to resubmit and somehow when i refreshed the page, it disappeared. which actually is a good thing, as i rambled about technology and how huge its effect is on humankind. that you and i have the power with a mouse click,or a few buttons on a mobile.

and then, the entry disappeared! so much for "power" hahaha!

decision making / young at heart (warning: super long!)

this is sorta hard to explain thru mere words because i need gesticulations. i need eye-widening, head-shaking, and lots of gigil. i need to show you how huge my smile is. i need you to hear how excited i am with EVERYTHING that's happening in my life.

but then i'm not in front of you, so the least that i can say is this:

God's taking charge of everything.

you see, i have a terrible habit called vaccilation. i have difficulty making a decision. i overanalyze. i lose sleep. i go around in circles, literally. in the worst cases of it, i consult other people, and hold on to their words. i even get second, third, and fourth opinions. when these opinions vastly differ, i suffer.

lately i have realized that just letting God decide makes it less complicated. psalm 118 says, "it is better to take refuge in God than to trust in man." suddenly, when i'm not sure about something... i ask God. simple.

a few months ago i joined my small group leader eunice and her friends at our church's singles convergence. i saw a poster of that church's youth service speaker series (it was on sports then, i think), and casually mentioned to her that i used to attend the youth services at our church in ortigas.

eunice's face lit up, as in really lit up. "gusto mo ba sa youth?" she asked.

i shrugged. okay lang, i said. i wasn't exactly youth-aged, but i was young. eunice then told me that she was going to connect me to iris, one of the youth leaders. i prayed about it, though, even if my heart wasn't really into it at the time.

fast-forward to a few weeks later. ate jeje, one of the small group leaders, asked me to accompany her friend's daughter at the saturday youth services. "she's a first-timer, make her feel welcome," ate jeje said.

i sat next to her and asked her the basics: name, school, course. she was from CSB taking up computer applications. after the service we chatted some more, and i found out that she liked the service. she liked the church. she even said that she wanted to be a christian.

i began to share lots of things in the two-minute walk to the donut shop. i wasn't so sure if that was actually a sign (if you could call it that) but... it felt so great talking with her.

the next day (as in THE NEXT DAY!) iris and i "accidentally" bumped into each other at the mall's elevator and exchanged numbers. she was with her older sister, who was a friend of eunice's.

i knew it was SOMETHING from God na. it was GLARING NEON ORANGE! this time i REALLY prayed about it. i said that if God really wanted me to be in with youth, i'd be GO. really GO! after all, He knew better!

by the end of june it was announced that our schedule at work would be changed: i would be working friday nights. conveniently (!!!), iris's small group was 6pm friday, and youth services were an hour later.

it was the shiny red cherry to my black forest cake.

you know how AMAZING all of this was? everything was just thrown in my face without me knowing!!! it felt like GOD PLANNED IT ALL ALONG. i didn't have to vacillate, praningize, or obsess over any detail, because IT WAS LAID OUT FOR ME. there was NO NEED FOR WORRY. after all, He knows the plans has has for us! to prosper us, not to harm us, to give us a HOPE and a FUTURE!!!

isn't just all of this AMAZING!?

i thank God for just ALL of this. He had more power than i of little faith had initially thought. He knew. He JUST KNEW.

PANALO ka Lord. HALLELUIA.

pagbabago

marami man ang pagbabago sa buhay ko, pero alam ko, may Kasama ako sa paglalakad.

"change is good, if you know how to respond to it." nabasa ko yan sa isang blog dito sa multiply. inspiring, sa totoo lang. tama eh. alangan namang magtantrums ako. twenty-two na ako, heller? hindi paurong o paatras ang pagbabago, kundi pataas.

 

excited na ako!

astig talaga, pramis

going through one2one is the best.

ate eunice and i tackled chapter four last monday and i was like, WOAH. like, totally floored! i've realized so many things about forgiveness that i've suddenly found myself so excited to forgive! seriously!  

my brown beanie/scarf's off to my spiritual family, especially to all the pastors and the small group leaders out in the universe! you guys are doing a fantabulous job of giving us "losties" direction, purpose, and truth!

2 Corinthians 9:12-13: This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing them and with everyone else.

i thank God for my spiritual family! you ROCK!!!

these are a few of my favorite things

yours may be raindrops, rosies, or whiskers on kittens. but here's a list of things that make me happy, in no particular order:

1. watching sunsets. i make it a point to go to work extra early (like mga 530pm) to watch the sun set from the 28th floor of my building. words cannot explain. pramis.

2. listening to the ipod, especially if i'm walking. it feels like i'm starring in my own movie and i'm listening to my own soundtrack.

3. watching sunsets while listening to classical music. best song to listen to? kanon in D. you can find it here.

4. our laptop, mommy's christmas gift to teena and me. it's more than i can ever ask for.  actually, natapunan ko nga siya ng pineapple juice last tuesday night... pero MIRACULOUSLY! NAAYOS SIYA!!!!! like BACK TO NORMAL that weekend! ANG GALING NI GOD!!! ahahahaha pinagpray ko talaga siya, AS IN! THANK YOU LORD! :) i will be MORE MORE MORE CAREFUL this time!

5. fireworks. i have always loved fireworks! maybe cos new year's is one of my favorite holidays and it coincidentally is my mom's birthday. anyway, i remember nung birthday ko (by the way i never got to wrote the long birthday post na... hahaha), and i was about to sleep. so sinasara ko yung mga bintana just in case umulan. i parted my curtain and saw FIREWORKS out my window, at eleven pm of june 6 2007.

and this really really good feeling literally welled up in my heart right then and there. and i knew there was this really goofy end-to-end ear-to-ear smile on my face. and suddenly my eyes got wet. and i was so THANKFUL that day. like God knew that it was the BEST way to end my birthday.

6. writing materials, especially notebooks and freshly sharpened pencils. there is nothing like pouring your thoughts out using pencil and paper.

7. hanging out in bookstores. i can stay in powerbooks/bestsellers/fully booked/a different bookstore/wherever na may seat for HOURS. bestsellers is my favorite pa rin.

8. waking up after ten or so hours of sleep. because i have a wonderfully wacky schedule, i value sleep. i really do.

9. DVD's of tv series. teena just bought heroes, csi: new york, and the third season of HOUSE! yaaaay! finally i have something to watch on lazy afternoons!

hmmm...eto na lang muna. i'll be adding more as soon as more ideas pop up

Every Nation World Conference 2007

Start:	Jul 20, '07
End:	Jul 22, '07
Location:	Araneta Coliseum, Cubao, Quezon City

YAAAAA-HOOOOOOO!!!

giving coffee a break!

hello, my name is karess, and i'm a caffeine addict.

and with that, i've decided to give coffee a break. i've realized that TEA (lipton yellow label) and freshly squeezed lemon juice makes such a wonderful (and healthy) substitute. i allude this to aren, who told me that this concoction works wonders for a sore throat.

besides, i get too hyper, emotional, hyper, sweaty, and just plain HYPER when i'm on the stuff. this happens especially during productions. so there. i've informed a few friends of the "sunday coffee fast," but after realizing how great tea can be, why not give myself a coffee break altogether?

cheers!  (there's an imaginary tea bag there. just squint!)

permanent ipod

Song You Believe Your Parents Fell in Love To	something real old i believe
Song That Best Makes The Soundtrack of Your Childhood Neighborhood Theme	the transformers theme
Theme Song To Your Closest Sibling	spice girls - mama (only change "mama" to "ate")
The First Album You Ever Purchased	totally minnie
The First Single You Ever Purchased	savage garden - to the moon & back
Album Cover That Scared You In Your Childhood	guns n' roses - the spaghetti incident
Song That Scared You In Your Childhood	phil collins - another day in paradise
The TV Theme of Your Childhood	the LACTUM jingle, the BEAR BRAND jingle ("i remember yesterday, the world was so young..." "is that you lolo?" "look at my mole.")
Favorite Song From Sesame Street	the theme itself
Favorite Song From Elementary School	everything that the backstreet boys and the spice girls ever released
Favorite Song From The Electric Company	?
What Were You Banned From Listening To In Your Childhood	wala naman
Rock Song That Rocked Ghetto/Ghetto Song That Rocked The Suburbs (as a kid)	crossroads - bone thugs n' harmony
Song You First Slow Danced To	probably whatever was uso during that time (2001-2002?)
First Cassette You Got For Your First Walkman	spice girls - spice
Best Cosby Show Theme	?
Favorite Soundtrack Of Youth	batman & robin ost
Song That Played When You Got In Trouble And Grounded At Home	wala naman
Song That Played When You Thought Nobody Cared About You	savage garden - crash & burn
Song That Makes You Smile	kc & the sunshine band - walking on sunshine
The Theme To Your First Heartbreak	mariah carey - breakdown
The First Compact Disc You Ever Brought (not Album/Cassette)	savage garden's first album!!!
Album That You "Mistakenly" Stole From A Friend	the cardigans - first band on the moon
Your Favorite Album You Think Your Friend Stole	third eye blind's first album
If Ever In Car Accident....What Song Was Playing?	DZMM. hahaha!
5 Songs You'd Put On A Mixtape For Your Loved One	sinatra's just the way you look tonight; natalie cole's orange-colored sky; maggie gyllenhaal's just the way you are; d'sound's tattooed on my mind; and savage garden's i knew i loved you
Song To Best Describe Your Marriage/Best Relationship	i will think about this. :P
Song To Best Describe Your Worst Moment of Betrayal	regina spektor - samson
First Show You Ever Went To	i forget
Magical Concert You Ever Went To	i forget
Worst Concert You Ever Went To	haha i've never hated the concerts i went to
Coolest Celeb Ever Met	-
Most Awkward Celeb Moment You Ever Had	marami.
Most Unceleb Celeb You Ever Met	-
The US Weekly "Oh They Just Like Me!" Celeb You Ever Met	-
If you Were a World Champion Boxer - What Would be Your Theme as You Entered The Ring?	elvis costello - she. angas nuuun!!!
Song That Has The Ability To Make You Cry	at the cross
The One Song That Has The Ability To Make You A Kid Again	macarena
Song You Are Ashamed To Admit You Love	jessa zaragoza - bakit pa
Song/Album To Escape From Stress To	the best of golden classics; mead johnson's smart symphonies; in love with bacharach
If You Were To Marry Now What Song Would Be Your Wedding Song?	i finally found someone (yeehaa!)
What Song Best Describes Your Children/Future Children?	i decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadow!
Who Killed Music?	no one did
Who Helping to Keep Music Alive For You?	God, the ultimate Composer
Song Playing Right Now	NBA announcers behind me

my very rockin' birthday!

disclaimer: this is just the abridged version. please stay tuned for the second installment! 

thank you GOD for absolutely everything. YOU JUST TRULY ROCK.  

thank you joe and vee for doing the best job you knew how to do.

thank you kat and den for the affection, bossiness, hand-me-downs, freebies, and the indirect impartation of lessons.

thank you bea for being with me for a third of my life! exage

thank you to everyone who was in one way or another "part of my world."

thank you to everyone who remembered and let me know that they did--text, multiply, email, friendster, verbal. i appreciate your greetings, wishes, and blessings.

 

2 Cor 9:8 (paraphrased)
God will make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, in all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

 

maraming, maraming salamat!

it always pays to look up

today--tonight--was the first night of work, and i was yet again checking mail, reading multiply updates, and basically killing time before i dial and make singil americans.

in between navigating pages i managed to look out the window.

i never realized how pretty the sky looked from the 28th floor of a building, at 630ish in the evening--with swatches of blue, pink, and gray innit.

i still can't stop staring! it's right in front of me as i type this.

 

ah, the wonders of the universe. thank you God!!!

a quick version of my life so far

random thoughts, in no particular order:

1. growing in the faith is awesome. i've just gotten back to the basics. i've been attending "one to one" discipleship and small group meetings. i've learned so many things already! it feels like growing up all over again. (i wonder how "christian adolescence" would be like? hmmm...) funnily enough, theory suddenly wants to be put into practice!

2. looking forward to more EN07 busy/fun-ness. by God's rockingness we've finished the script!  the work isn't quite over yet, but i'm looking forward to whatever needs to be done. it feels like i'm playing this PC game, and i'm on to level two. that's the best way to describe it i guess.

3. the whole arts thingy really is wired in my system.  i find myself thinking out loud while watching snippets movies on my lunch break. "wow ganda ng shot," sabay mimicking the camera using my hand. and then after lunch i'd talk and talk and talk about how films are at 24 frames a second and such. then i'd go about discussing German Expressionism in the next heartbeat. i loooove being a com arts major!

4. events ministry is the best in the universe! i'm borrowing the thought from this blog. i feel so right at home where i am now. *sniff*

5. i'm EXCITED to finish thesis! enough said.

6. malapit na birthday koooo! haven't realized that it's all of five days left. omaigash! i have so much to say about this, but i have to go; i have one2one eh. byers!