there are places i remember.

it was just three years ago when i was an unwitting, unemployed, oversheltered young adult, hating the world and how my life turned out thus far, and not knowing how it would be the next few years. that sunday, the 23rd of july, was cold and rainy, and as my sister and i walked thru the glass doors of that church in the fourth floor of Galleria mall, i had no idea that my life would never be the same after that.

i never really imagined that i would be where i am now. from being unemployed, i have had three jobs–the most recent and current one being my dream job. i’ve also gone thru pushing and pulling, moved to different locations, experienced joys and sorrows, received answered prayers and awesome miracles, and . . . i am still experiencing these things day by day. all because God has made himself known to me–through a relationship with him, first of all, and through relationships with other people. people whom i now consider friends.

our church has just celebrated its 25th anniversary as a movement, and after hearing the stories of the people who’d been around since Day One, i’ve realized that there is only one thing that really matters in this life: honoring God. everything falls into place from there. as we do so, we can make an impact to generations and to nations. Jesus Christ is the glue that holds us all together and makes us complete in spite of our incompleteness.

i am excited to see everything else that will unfold

What I've Learned From Being Part of a Big (Surrogate) Family

1. Learn to share. Whether it's time, food, a good story, appliances,  your prior location to home, or simply how your day went, learn how to share it and not get freaked out when they ask. Yes, they really are bound to ask. Besides, you know you want them to :D

2. Always inform them of your whereabouts especially when you're going home late. Tactical interrogation by a protective mother and a more protective older brother is bound to occur lest you forget. 

3. Noise is inevitable, especially with four children at home with different temperaments and artistic tastes. Live with it.

4. There are a myriad ways of expressing love, and they are not limited to mushyness and corny-ness. 

5. Hugs from younger siblings are comforting. 

6. Banter with younger siblings is fun and stress-relieving. Especially when long-running jokes are involved.

7. Be not afraid to burp, or cry, or lose your composure in front of them. (Truth be told, I am still working on this. Especially the crying part when watching movies. However, I have lost my composure countless times, especially when insects are involved.)

8. You are a part of the academic research process, as well as various other processes that involve certain degrees of responsibility. Be prepared to answer questions. Also, be prepared to teach them how to get to the achieved result.

9. It is never too late to learn the basics. 

10. At the end of the day, no matter how FAIL you've been, family is still family. Even if you were born from another mother.

why, multiply?

oh, why?

from personalitystyle.com

A team player, Karess readily relinquishes personal interests and goals to accommodate those close to her. She is loyal to a fault; but others may sometimes question her unwavering dedication to current relationships and methods. Karess values security, and usually does her best to avoid sudden changes in her environment or situation (haha).

Karess is a fact finder and does things "by the book" (i have to agree with that). She can be sensitive if others are being critical of her work, especially if they have not carefully reviewed all the data (kaboom). Karess clarifies expectations before undertaking new projects, and she works hard to meet standards (sigurista). Karess will typically maintain a neat and orderly work environment (o rly?).

Karess is an optimistic individual. She is the type of person who loves exploring new places or things and a wide variety of experiences. She tends to display a natural charisma that draws others to her charm. Karess is a very encouraging person; others are drawn to her because they find her inspirational (aaawww).

Because she values relationships, Karess prefers to withdraw from conflict and avoid issues that may be confrontational (ahahahaha!). She may have a tendency to question her own ability to take charge, so she will tend to join in with a team or submit to strong authority. Karess is a "team player", and typically is excellent in a supporting role.


well? what do you guys think?

Happy Mother's Day y'all

It’s 3:30 in the morning as I type this and I’m thinking of a decent blog to write about Mother’s Day. Forgive my rambleness and randomness, \as I’m still trying my best to get the caffeine off of my system.

My mom taught me a lot of things: reading, fun, prayer, thankfulness…and affection. Mommy, as we fondly called her, was fiercely protective of her young. Kind of like mother elephants towards predators wanting their babies for lunch. I know comparing my mom to an elephant is not the most awesome illustration in the world, but bear with me.

Mommy was supportive of me. She didn’t like the fact that I enrolled myself in a course that did not guarantee big bucks or work stability, but she reveled in the fact that I was enjoying myself, that I loved what I was doing. She would pout whenever I wouldn’t send her the stuff I wrote. She hated the fact that I hid things from her, that I would go my own way.

Quite recently I told my mom about a huge decision that I wanted her to know about. I still wanted to hear what she wanted to say, in spite of the fact that she was a million miles away from me. The decision was so huge, it involved relocation and starting over in a completely new environment.

Instead of the reaction that I actually hoped to receive—a smile, a pat on the back, encouraging words, like of a job well done—I heard admonition amid high pitched tones. Rethink my decision, she said, in her signature sosyal bungangera way of saying things.

After a few moments of silence after hanging up, I realized that she made much sense. Here I was, in a job I liked, in a work shift I’d been desperately wishing for, in a house I just moved in to, and barely starting over. Barely getting the “responsibility” bit. Barely gotten on my two feet.

I finally got it after twenty-three years of existing. She wanted the best for me. Still does, and always will. I guess that’s how all moms are like. My mother was definitely not perfect, nor did she claim to be, but the greatest thing she ever…I honestly don’t know how to put it. I can only say that the greatest thing ever about her is this: she wanted the best for me and my sisters. Even if we screwed up and made mistakes, she still loved us unconditionally.

=================

Another mother I’d like to honor is the matriarch of the household that I currently live in. “Titaaaaaaa,” as I fondly call her, is someone I consider a surrogate mother of sorts, having mentioned earlier that my actual female parent is a million miles away.

I hardly know her—I’ve just lived here for three months—and at the same time I feel like I’ve known her for a long time. She, like my real mom, is fiercely protective of her five children. She was tough and knew her way around. In other words, she knew how to make diskarte. She was self-assured and possessed the wisdom that you don’t really hear anywhere else.

Truth be told, I have an affection for her that I really can’t explain in words, because they really won’t suffice. One thing I can say is this: she isn’t mushy, but she knew love. She knew and understood it, and gave much of it.  Not in the typical, but then again, Tita Paz is not typical in so many ways.

feelings are nothing more than feelings!!!

being an “artist” is not an excuse to slack off!

inspiration is not enough! inspiration will not feed me, or pay my bills, or let a roof stay on top of my head!

feelings are nothing more than feelings, ladies and gentlemen. 

enough with the excuses already!

the 2009 birthday wish list

i have a friend who celebrated her birthday yesterday. being the curious (a.k.a. nosy) blog reader that i was, i decided to check out her Facebook notes. there i discovered her birthday wish list, composed of a few items that i thought were cute and so her. so basically, i thought of creating this list because i got inspirated with what she wrote, even if my 24th birthday is 39 days away. 

here we go, kulugo! 

1. a brand new refrigerator. yes, dear friends and blog readers--all three of you. i wish to receive a brand new two-door refrigerator on my birthday, with all seriousness of heart. my current location does not provide such, and it can get really... sad, especially when i want to cook a huge batch of "experiments." besides, a lot of food spoilage contributes to reflessness, and i really hate it when food gets wasted just because it wasn't stored properly.  besides, how can i enjoy my birthday cake if it's not cold?
2. a bouquet of flowers, because they're cute and nice to look at.  i like pink gerbera daisies, though. i don't think they have a scent, or do they?
3. a new pair of glasses and contacts. 
4. a red Nokia E63. droolness much!
5. a notebook-sized pink NIV bible that's easy to carry and can be found in the Victory Pioneer resource center. *wink, wink*
6. a ______________________  

so, there... my birthday wish list.   i may add or delete some items here as the days pass by... but this is pretty much what i can come up with right now. hey, a girl can dream, right?