...and i can only say, wow

I didn't die. I lived!
And now I'm telling the world what God did.

--Psalm 118, The Message

...

If we practice and eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, soon the
whole world will be blind and toothless.

-- Mahatma Gandhi

ROCK ENROLLED!

Start:	Jun 25, '08 7:00p
End:	Jun 25, '08 9:00p
Location:	Victory Center, 3L Forum Robinsons, EDSA cor Pioneer St, Mandaluyong City

Let's ROCK back to school! Jam with Alter Lyts, Acel Van Ommen, Lei Bautista, MC Lara, Beracah, D-rodd, AWOL, and other surprise guests! Gates open at 6:30 PM!

This event is sponsored by Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.

Kitakits yeah!

because you loved me - celine dion

For all those times you stood by me
For all the truth that you made me see
For all the joy you brought to my life
For all the wrong that you made right
For every dream you made come true
For all the love I found in you
I'll be forever thankful baby
You're the one who held me up
Never let me fall
You're the one who saw me through through it all

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'coz you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

You gave me wings and made me fly
You touched my hand I could touch the sky
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me
You said no star was out of reach
You stood by me and I stood tall
I had your love I had it all
I'm grateful for each day you gave me
Maybe I don't know that much
But I know this much is true
I was blessed because I was loved by you

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'coz you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

You were always there for me
The tender wind that carried me
A light in the dark shining your love into my life
You've been my inspiration
Through the lies you were the truth
My world is a better place because of you

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'coz you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

beautiful

i'm seeing the sun rise from my office building right now.

wow.

Daddy knows best

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

see? Our Daddy knows best.

daddy: random musings

1. daddy had a great love for music. every sunday morning i would wake up to either (1) classical music, or (2) old songs. he'd play tennis in the morning, then he'd grill bangus for lunch and we'd all eat with our hands.

 

2. he loved the beach, and travelling. we went to annual beach trips and he'd go to the deep end of the ocean and bring back shells, or sea cucumbers, or anything that caught his fancy, and share it to us.

 

3. daddy and i once had a road trip to tagaytay. on the way there, we kept on switching each other's radio stations. he wanted to listen to the classical music station; i wanted NU 107. he found it too loud, i found his too boring.

 

(interestingly enough, the same daughter who switched stations would have a great liking to classical music years later.)

 

4. daddy read a lot. his shelf had ludlum, and sheldon, and volumes and volumes of reader's digests. he's a great writer, too--encoding his emails for him, though tedious and boring for my then-high school brain, was an enjoyable experience. reading his was engaging. his words seemed to jump right off the page.

 

 

 

daddy, thanks for everything.

i may not say so much about you

but i love you much more

 

 

happy father's day!

chinelas face-off: havaianas vs. spartan

originally from here! enjoy! :D

 

==

 

Pangalan: Havaianas

Lugar na pinanggalingan: São Paulo , Brazil

Pagbigkas:
ah-vai-YAH-nas (Brazilian Portuguese)
hah-vee-ah-naz (American English)

OMG! hah-va-yaH-naZz! (Filipino)

Materyal na ginamit: Malupit na goma (high-quality rubber).

Presyo: Depende. Ganito na lang, 1 pares ng Havaianas = 100 pares ng Spartan.


Mga nagsusuot: Mga konyotik at mga mayayaman (na noong una ay nababaduyan sa mga naka-de sipit na tsinelas at sasabihing, "Yuck! So baduy naman nila, naka-slippers lang.")

Malulupit na katangian at kakayahan:

- Masarap isuot.
- Shock-absorbent
- Malambot ngunit matibay
- Makukuha sa sandamakmak na kulay, disenyo at burloloy
- Maaaring isuot sa loob ng Starbucks
- Mainam na pang-japorms
- Mainam i-terno sa I-Pod at Caramel Macchiato

- Mapipilitan kang maglinis ng mga kuko mo sa paa
- Maaari ka nang mag-dikwatro sa loob ng mga pampublikong lugar at sasakyan
- Magiging 'fashionable' ka kapag ikaw ay nagkukuyakoy

Olats na mga katangian:

Mahal!
Mahal!
Mahal!


Pangalan: Spartan

Lugar na Pinanggalingan: Metro Manila , Philippines

Pagbigkas:
spar-tan (American English),

is-par-tan (Filipino).

Materyal na ginamit: Pipitsuging goma (Low-quality rubber).

Presyo: Wala pang 50 pesos.
Isang pares ng Spartan = 20 piraso ng pan de coco.


Mga nagsusuot: ang masa (gaya-gaya lang ang mga sosyal at pasyonista)

Malulupit na katangian at kakayahan:
- Maaring ipampatay sa ipis
- Maaring ipampalo sa mga batang suwail at damuho

- Pwedeng ipanglusong sa baha at putikan
- Pwedeng ipamalengke
- Mainam gamitin sa tumbang-preso
- Mainam gawing 'shield' kapag naglalaro ng espa-espadahan
- Mainam isuot sa siko bilang proteksyon habang naglalaro ng piko

- Mainam na pambato sa picha o shuttlecock na sumabit sa puno
- Mainam na pangkulob sa pumuputok na watusi
- Kapag ginupit-gupit nang pahugis 'cube,' e maaari mo nang gawing pamato sa larong Bingo na
kadalasang makikita sa mga lamay ng patay.


Olats na mga katangian:
- Madaling magkawalaan kapag hinubad dahil halos pare-pareho lang ang itsura
- Masakit isuot kapag may mga balahibo ang mga daliri mo sa paa
- Minsan kapag ipinambato mo ito sa picha o shuttlecock na nakasabit sa puno, e nadadamay pati yung tsinelas

how chinese am i?

How Chinese Are You?


[x] You like to eat chicken feet.
[x] You sing karaoke
[x] You've worn glasses ever since you were in fifth grade.
[x] You'll haggle over something that is not negotiable.
[ ] You are a math genius.

Total: 4


[x] You take showers at night.
[x] You avoid the non-free snacks in hotel rooms.
[x] You say "aiyah!" and "wah!" frequently.
[x] You save grocery bags.
[x] You twirl your pen around your fingers.

Total: 5


[x] You have been taught that wasting food is a sin
[x] Your dad thinks he can fix everything himself
[ ] You beat eggs with chopsticks
[ ] You like congee with thousand-year-old eggs
[x] You have eaten moon cakes.

Total: 3


[ ] If you don't live at home, when your parents call, they ask you if
you've eaten, even if it's midnight.
[x] You email/msn your friends, even though you're only 10 feet apart.
[ ] You can read traditional Chinese.
[x] Your toothpaste tubes are all squeezed paper-thin before they are
thrown away.
[x] You know what pearl milk teas are.

Total: 4

[ ] You bring fruit with you as a gift when you visit people's homes
[ ] You have acquired a taste for bitter melon.
[x] You eat every last grain of rice in your bowl, but don't eat the
last piece of food on the table.
[ ] Your parents argue with other adults over the dinner bill.
(Unahan, of course. Haha)
[x] You love to use coupons.

Total: 3


Now add the numbers up and multiply it by 4.

18 x 4 = 72%. hmmm. pwwweedddeeee!

MGA PAMATAY NA LINYA

hehehe. :D

1. Minamalat na naman ang puso ko..
*** Paano kasi, laging sinisigaw ang pangalan mo..

2. Ikaw ba may-ari ng Crayola?
*** Ikaw kasi nagbibigay ng kulay sa buhay ko..

3. Uy picture tayo!
*** Para ma-develop tayo!

4. Kung ikaw ay bola at ako ang player, mashushoot ba kita?
*** Hinde, para lagi kita mamimiss..

5. Can i take your picture?
*** Coz i want to show Santa exactly what i want for Christmas!

6. Exam ka ba?
*** Gustong gusto na kasi kitang i- take home eh!

7. Lecture mo ba ako?
*** Lab kasi kita..

8. Centrum ka ba?
*** Kasi you make my life complete!

9. Miss, pwede ba kita maging driver?
*** Para ikaw na magpapatakbo ng buhay ko..

10. Mahilig ka ba sa asukal?
*** Ang tamis kasi ng mga ngiti mo..

11. Pinaglihi ka ba sa keyboard?
*** Kasi type kita..

12. I hate to say this but... You are like my underwear..
*** Coz i can't last a day without you!

13. Ibibili kita ng salbabida..
*** Kasi malulunod ka sa pagmamahal ko..

14. Pwede ba kitang maging sidecar?
*** Single kasi ako eh..

15.Me lisensya ka ba?
*** Coz you're driving me crazy eh..

16. May kilala ka bang gumagawa ng relo?
*** May sira ata relo ko.. pag ikaw kasi kasama ko, humihinto ang oras ko..

17. Grabe nakakatawa yung mga pick-up lines no? May alam ka pa
bang iba? Wala na akong maisip eh..
*** Coz all i ever think of is you..

18. I'm a bee..
*** Can you be my honey?

19. Nakakatakot diba ang multo?
*** Pero mas nakakatakot kapag nawala ka sa buhay ko..

20. Am I a bad shooter?
*** Coz I keep on missing you..

21. May lahi ka bang aswang?
*** Ang pangit mo kasi eh..

22. Naniniwala ka ba sa love at first sight?
*** O gusto mong dumaan ulit ako?

23. Mabilis ka siguro sa mga puzzle noh?
*** Kasi kakasimula pa lang ng araw ko, pero nabuo mo na agad..

24. Excuse me.. Are you a dictionary?
*** Because you give meaning to my life..

25. Bangin ka ba?
*** Nahuhulog kasi ako sa'yo..

26. Pustiso ka ba??
*** Kasi, can't smile without you..

27. Pagod na pagod ka na noh?
*** Maghapon at magdamag kana kasing tumatakbo sa isipan ko eh..

28. Me butas ba puso mo?
*** Kasi natrap na ako sa loob, can't find my way out!

29. Anung height mo?
*** Ha? Pano ka nagkasya sa loob ng puso ko..

30. Hey, did you fart?
*** Coz you blew me away!

31. Sana "T" na lang ako..
*** Para I'm always right next to "U"

32. Are you Jamaican??
*** Kasi Ja-maican me crazy!

33. Hindi tayo tao. Hindi tayo hayop. BAGAY tayo. BAGAY talaga tayo.

34. Ako ay isang exam.kaya sagutin mo na ako...

yehey!

so. i'm twenty-three na! i carry jordan's jersey number. is it my time to fly? hahaha!

(ang labo...ehem)

i know you guys, my wonderful readers, already have an idea of how HAPPY i am, because of everything that's happened, is happening--and i know for sure--will happen in the future!

over lunch with my family kanina i told my dad about the surprise. my dad had the BIGGEST smile. he doesn't really say much, but his face SAID IT ALL. it was PRICELESS.

seeing him smile like that made me realize that it's just how God is. when we come to him and just talk to him, tell him anything, he smiles back at us, with the biggest smile ever, with matching ruffling of hair and huge gargantuan hug. IT'S THE BEST FEELING EVER. he's never too busy or late or preoccupied with saving the world or stopping world hunger or answering your seatmate's prayer. HE LOVES US THAT MUCH. and he'll NEVER EVER EVER be madamot about his love.

e basta..i'm just...thankful for so many people, for so many things. blogging about this would take years to finish, and years to read. there's gonna be MORE, oh i know. we're all gonna keep on keeping on, running the race marked out for us!

it's gonna be an AMAZING journey!

and i know for sure
that i'm gonna fly

aeron's birthday gift!!!!! AWWWWWWWWW!!!!

weeeeeeeee!!@!

dear Pio youth (WARNING: SUPER LONG)

so, while all of you were conspiring behind my back... here's my
account of what happened yesterday, June 4th 2008:

as some of you probably know, i hadn't had much sleep the night
before. i was atat to go home right after The Block to catch up on
sleep. however, pastor armin told me about the post-The Block meeting
for Rock Enrolled. i tried saying no, i really did, but he assured
that that the meeting would just be quick. so i grudgingly said yes.

so you could imagine how impatient i was being when we (1) didn't
immediately leave the centre; (2) were taking forever to walk to the
Cafeteria; (3) were taking eternally FOREVER to start our meeting!!!
some of you were even.. uhh... kind enough to berate me. you really
should have seen my simangot. i was SO beratable.

what totally weirded me out was the fact that EVERYONE, or mostly
everyone, was present. i'd assumed that it would be just ptr armin and
welmar and chris and jonai and raymond and the others, but we PACKED
the entire place. it was embarrassing to a certain degree, haha! if
you noticed i sat with chris and ricky just to be "out of the crowd."
i really really reaaaaaaaalllyyyyyy wanted to go home already.

and then ptr armin started his "speech" and details are sorta blurry
but i remember seeing carmen carrying THE CUTEST CAKE IN THE UNIVERSE
and i realize that the blurriness was caused by the tears in my eyes.

and to top it all off MAY MOTIF ANG SURPRISE... THE COLOR PINK!!! and
some of you had brought along PINK thingies to give me!!

what i found most AWWWW-inducing was the fact that each pink thingy
was so "me"! jonai gave me a hanky because i was (AM) iyakin. carmen
rocked my socks off with a cellphone holder, galing talaga ng timing
ni God! mel's gorgeous slippers! beautiful bookmarks from joseph,
chris, and eca, grabe you guys don't know but i really love reading!
ptr armin's desk walis and dustpan!! *lol* ryan, don't worry, your
gift wasn't offensive at all! :D the school supplies from jesh, eca,
sam/doy/robby/simon were awesome!! and welmar's edible bouquet was so
cute!

we all have not been with each other for so long and you guys already
know me so well.

ano ba. i'm getting teary-eyed na. ay.. naiwan ko yung panyo sa house..

you've made that day memorable. as in. AND IT'S NOT EVEN MY BIRTHDAY YET!

now i'm getting really teary-eyed... argh.. basta! i know i'm never
ever ever EVAH gonna forget it.

[now don't get me wrong--even if you came and didn't have a gift, your
presence is still much appreciated :) the fact that you were there is
already a gift in itself. naks. :)]

the SHEER JOY i'm feeling in my heart totally makes up for the three
hours of sleep i've had. remember what ptr armin said last night,
about making girls lambing? YOU JUST DID. you super made this girl
lambing BIG TIME.

i just wanna tell you guys this: the same measure of love that you
have given--not just to me, but to the people around you--will be
returned to you in a much greater degree. be expectant, be REALLY
expectant, because God's gonna pour out so much blessings on you.
parang bulalakaw!

and the people whom you've impacted will praise God for all the good
things that you do, because of His love that overflows that manifests
in your lives.

i thank God for providing for your needs. for comforting you in your
sorrows. for showering you with so much.. for giving you the desires
of your hearts. i thank God for His presence in your lives.. for His
continuous work in you.. for giving you strength, patience, peace, the
endurance to persevere, to fight the good fight of the faith. i thank
God for all of you. for being part of my life, and allowing me to be a
part of yours. we're all just starting out, and we're starting strong.
two are sooo better than one... how much more twenty, forty, eighty, a
hundred, five hundred, eight hundred?

i look forward to years and years and years of friendship. truly,
"good friends are part of the memories that time can never erase."

thank you. thank you. THANK YOU. :)




much much love,
karess

greatest view, ever

i'm watching you watch over me
and i've got the greatest view from here

i melt with you

moving forward using all my breath,
being friends with you was never second best,
and I saw the world crashing all around your face,
never really knowing it was always mesh and lace.

i'll stop the world and melt with you
you've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time
and there's nothing you and I won't do
i'll stop the world and melt with you

come to THE BLOCK!

Start:	Jun 4, '08 7:00p
End:	Jun 4, '08 8:00p

every Wednesday, 7-9PM, at the Victory Center, Forum Robinsons!