Against All Odds

To all the victims of tropical depression Ondoy and super thypoon Pepeng:

May God give you.. for every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends a faithful friend to share, for every sigh a sweet song and n answer for each prayer.

SEPTEMBER 26- SATURDAY

Ria, Don and Ann slept over my place the previous night. We all had everything planned. The original cast consists of Ria, Ihsun, Don, Ann, Tine, Dionie, Rjohn and I. Unfortunately, Tine, Dionie and Rjohn did not make it. It was a visit to Pink Sisters Convent in Tagaytay City, we were then to spend the afternoon in Picnic Grove to relax and unwind. It was what we thought we needed before we welcome the month of October, merely four weeks before the board examination. We all slept soundly the night before, all very excited for Saturday's Tagaytay trip. But rain was already pouring when we woke up on Saturday. We kissed the picnic part goodbye but decided to push through with the Pink Sisters visit. It turned out that it was more of a challenge rather than just a simple visit. Rain started to pour real hard so I wasn't allowed to drive. The moment we stepped out of the house, we were all drenched and cold. It also took us ages to finally catch a ride to our destination.

With only a few meters away from Pink Sisters, along came the ultimate test:

The water was knee- deep! Don and Ihsun piggybacked Ann, Ria and I just to get there.

It was a simple visit turned AMAZING RACE, but our spirit was high. We all took it as a test of faith. After all, it was a trip planned weeks ahead. Despite the cold and rain, our hearts were set to be there, to kneel down and pray.

Ria and Ihsun

me :]]

Ann and Don

SEPTEMBER 28- MONDAY

I've been worried sick after I received a horrible news from Ann the night before. It turned out that most of Cainta Area, particularly where John and Don live was in a terrible condition. Swollen creeks forced many residents on to the roof of their homes. It turned out that 100% of Cainta was flooded, with neck-deep floods in some areas. Since John's phone has been constantly unreachable, I tried calling some of my friends who live in the nearby area. After much difficulty, I've managed to speak to Roy ad Allen who both lives in Rizal. I was relieved to find out that they are alright, and so are their families. It turned out that the villages where Don and John live took the toughest blow when tropical depression Ondoy hit Cainta area.

Classes on all levels, including review classes were all suspended so I spent the whole day in my room, watching the news while my anxiety grew each minute. I waited for updates on Ondoy especially updates on the situation in Cainta. It was a relief to finally talk to Don in the afteroon and learn from him that his family was safe. Their home was a total mess but everyone from his family was alright. It was what mattered most. I thanked God and prayed. All that is missing during that time was news from Rjohn. However, hours passed but not a single call or text message came.

I tried calling him every hour to check on him but to no avail. Waiting was the hardest part. But I know it was nothing compared to what John and his family were going through, or what most Filipino victims were going through. It was as if the anxiety I was feeling was not enough, the news report I was watching showed a video footage of Vista Verde- the same village where John lives. I almost went white with dread.

Then finally, a text message from Allen soothed my anxiety. He forwarded a text message from Rjohn, saying that they were fine. It was all I needed to get me through the day. Hours later John sent another message. It was addressed to me this time. They were fine but everything they own were washed out. He said that they were deeply in need of prayers. He also thanked us for our concern. That text from him worked for me like a sedative. I prayed and thanked God that he and his family were safe.

SEPTEMBER 29- TUESDAY

At around nine o'clock in the morning, I was already on my way back to Manila. The rain has stopped pouring and my face was finally hit by the sun's warmth. But it was still as if my whole being was clouded with anxiety. I knew I had to do something to help so I was more than glad when Ann told me that she and Don were planning to visit the latter's family in Cainta. It turned out that some areas in Cainta were already passable. Flood in some areas has subsided already but there is no water, no electricity and no phone lines. Although Don's purpose of visit was only to bring charged mobile phones to his family, Ria, Ann and I agreed to put on our work clothes to go on a house cleaning mission. First on Don's house, then on Rjohn's. :]]

SEPTEMBER 30- WEDNESDAY

With only less than three hours of sleep, I was surprised that I was the first one to wake up at five thirty in the morning. The girls and I still have classes to attend to in the afternoon hence the early wake up call. We all agreed to go to Don's place first before John's.

Cainta was as bad as expected. Trash, water, and mud woes afflicted almost the whole town. Both homes that we visited were washed out with flood and trash and even their cars had their own share of mud after joining water world. To sum it all up, to say that there is a lot of cleaning to be done is an understatement. But at the end of the day, the mud, dirt, and the tiring workload were nothing compared to the relief that washed over me after seeing for myself that Don's family was okay. They were nothing compared to the gladness I felt to finally see John after the tragedy and to see for myself that although they were still struggling, he and his family were alright. Lastly, they were nothing compared to the sense of fulfillment we all felt, knowing that no storm is strong enough to keep us from helping those in need. :]]

photos from our house cleaning mission:

Paradise Falls and Don's Surprise.

We decided to give Friday night a boost by seeing Up in the Mall of Asia. This is our first group date with Don and Rjohn, both whom we just met and became friends with during our review and stay in Manila. I was ecstatic about this movie date since I was already looking forward to watching the movie when I first saw its trailer late last year. I've always had this thing for animated films and one of my favorite way of spending those few times I've managed to sneak away from Engineering Mathematics, EST, GEAS and Electronics is to go see one.

As expected, everyone was laughing their heads off the whole time. I really had a great time watching the movie. Too bad Ria wasn't there. I also had fun watching Tine on my left, seeing her face light up like a little kid or teasing Rjohn on my right, waiting for him to get teary-eyed during those touching scenes. (Of course he didn't get teary eyed. He was laughing hysterically the whole time. hahah! )


Overall, Up is not just about an old man taking his house to Paradise Falls using 10,000 helium balloons, it is an exquisite fantasy adventure that mixes comedy, action, and drama into a satisfying whole.


Carl Fredricksen: [Carl, with his house high in the air, opens his door to see who knocked on it. Looking around, he spots Russell and yells... ] Whaa!
Russell: Hi, Mr. Fredricksen! It's me, Russell!
Carl Fredricksen:What are you doing out here, kid?
Russell: I found a snipe, and I followed it under your porch, but this snipe had a long tail, and looked more like a large mouse.
[His flag then blows away in the wind, and he gasps]
Russell:[Turns to Mr. Fredricksen] Please let me in.
Carl Fredricksen:[pause] No.
[He slams the door shut]
Carl Fredricksen: [Russell waits uncertainly for a few seconds. The door opens again] Oh, all right...
[Russell runs inside]

***

This part goes to Mr. Orlando Punzalan Jr. since I wanted to give him something better than my heart-shaped paper clip surprise and tons of pictures with him on it we've put on our newly decorated table. :]]

Don

For almost two months of knowing this guy, he instantly became not only Ann's prince charming but our knight in shining armor as well. He is so much fun to be with, not to mention suuuper nice and understanding. He has also built his reputation as the "all-around guy" who takes good care of everything and can fix almost anything. From organizing BBQ parties and surprises, holding worthwhile conversations, from fixing the doorknob, the sink and even my broken umbrella. Name it, and he can do it. :]]

Don with Ann. :]]

He never fails to surprise us by doing the unexpected.
I'm putting 'paglusong sa baha' on top of our list. hahah!

Now let me rephrase the first part, for almost two months of knowing this guy, he instantly became not only Ann's prince charming, not only our knight in shining armor but one of my favorite people as well. Cheers Don! Cheers to the many years of friendship ahead! :]]
Thanks for everything.

1286 Loyola St,- home away from home :]]

It's good that blogs can't give anyone a cold treatment because if they do, mine will send me back to the Ice Age as punishment for abandonment for sure.

***
I've been missing in action since Father's day. It's been a while and I'm sorry, but I've got loads to tell! :]]
Above all, I am so pleased that my more than four hours of excruciating-due-to-heavy-traffic travel to Manila for my review classes has long ended. That's because last June, I've finally decided to join three of my college friends in an apartment in Manila, located halfway between our review centers. On top of my worries before doing so was homesickness, since the longest time I've ever been away from my family before was during camping trips.
Luckily, the girls made being away from home not only bearable but enjoyable as well. To celebrate our first three months of living together, I've came up with the list below. :]]

15 Things I've learned from living with with Ann, Kristine and Ria:

1. Hot Pandesal at 11 o'clock in the evening are best shared with friends, while you talk about boys. :]]

2. A barbeque party on the rooftop is an effective stress reliever.

(L-R) Don, Ann, Lei, Ihsun && Ria during our first BBQ party

again!

3. Eating is suuuuper fun! :]]


4. Big fat bellies after the pig out fest is the primary drawback of number 3, but it feels good to laugh about it while arguing with the girls about whose belly sticks out the most.


5. The hair on the sink and on the floor belongs to Ria. If she's not around, it only means one thing- Tine just finished combing her hair! :]

6. If you can't find something, talk to Ann. She knows where to find it, she's probably the one who put it there.

7. Things you can do half-naked:
Dance by the window, tell a story, read, gossip, take pictures, eat, send a text message to everyone on your list, gossip, solve a math problem, walk around the room, do the dishes, and have I mentioned gossip???

8. Alone time makes someone philosophical: If I eat my 10th piece of chocolate pretzel stick when I'm supposed to stay away from chocolates and no one is here to see it, did I really eat it?

9. The best way to ease the pressure of the upcoming board exam is by spending time with friends. :)

Ann, Ria && Lei with Don after the tedious lipat-bahay

(L-R) Don, Ann, Lei, Tine, Ria, Rjohn :)
This was the day I ditched Differential Equations class because Rjohn said so.
hahah! :)

during Ann's birthday celebration last August 11
(L-R) Teofilo, Billy, Don, Dionie, Ann, Archie, Lei, Tine, Jhaym, Howell and Merce, photo taken by Ria

10. Girls, are not truly girls if they don't take at least two hours to get dressed and get ready.

11. We love surprises although we get wa-poise when we receive one, and a bouquet of flowers never fails to sweep us off our feet. :)




12. Memoplus sucks! If it really enhances your memory, why the hell do you always forget to take it?!

13. Kikay girls can talk longer about cars than when they're talking about boys, fashion or make up.

14. Two things happen just when you start thinking about your dream car: 50% of the time, you see exactly the same one zooms just outside your window. OR half the time, a more luxurious one passes by, slow enough to give you time to stick your head out the window just to get a closer look.

15. During both instances mentioned on number 14, your jaw drops in awe. :]]

Superhero.

Happy Dads' Day to our superhero daddies! :]]

So what if we don't usually paint the town red during daughters' or sons' day? There's really no need for that, thanks to our heaven sent moms and superhero dads. Because they make each day OUR day. Thanks to them, our everyday turns extra special. So there's really no need for a particular day to celebrate daughters' or sons' day.

Have you done something special for your dad this Father's day? I sure hope so.
Let's kick-start Daddy's Day by showing our dads how much they are loved. :]

Happy Father's Day to you, Daddy. I wish you knew that you'll always be someone I'll look up to no matter how tall I've grown.

It runs in the family.

I know I said I'll be posting one more May entry, but I've been too busy with my review class and devoting my free time to my Lola who's in the hospital for almost a week now. (It hurts me to see her in pain. Please help me in prayers that she gets better soon.)

Here goes my supposedly May entry. I know it's late but it's better late than never, right? :]]

Though my review classes started on May 4th, the first two weeks were devoted to our orientation, diagnostic examinations and seminar on calculator mathematics. We didn't formally start with the review proper yet so I was still able to ditch my textbooks during the weekends, guilt-free. Last May 16th, my family and I all went to my mom's hometown in Indang, Cavite for the annual Santacruzan. We were there to see Bea and Pito play Little Reyna Elena and consort in the parade. There was nothing that could wipe the smiles off their faces. Bea loves to play princess in a beautiful gown like Cinderella so she wouldn't miss this for the world. Pito on the other hand adores any excuse to get people's attention and I guess he figured dressing up as Prince Charming steps it up a notch.

With Little Reyna Elena and Little Constantine (I took a break from my photographer stint) :]

Since I like to promote anything Filipino here in my blog, I googled Santacruzan and here's what I've found:
Santacruzan is a religious-historical parade held in many cities and towns throughout the Philippines during the month of May. It is one of the most colorful May-time festivals in the Philippines which depicts the finding of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena (Reyna Elena), mother of Constantine the Great. Reyna Elena is usually the last member of the procession. According to some sources, this considerably prestigious role is given to the most beautiful girl in the procession. (No wonder Bea's feeling beautiful all over..)
The highlight of the procession is Reyna Elena who walks with her consort under a huge canopy of flowers. They are immediately followed with a float carrying the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary then a brass band that lends festive sounds to the procession.

(Thanks www.seasite.niu.edu for the info!)










Don't get fooled. Most girls were not wearing heels. That's the very reason why they can still smile during the parade despite the very long walk and the heat. Who says girls can't cheat at times like this? We'll do whatever it takes to stay pretty. That's for sure. :]]

The Title. (Yes, I'm going to spill it.)
It's not always Bea who gets to play the Queen. I had my own share of the glitz and the glamor too. *wink


I was Bea's age when this photo was taken. I came across this photo while flipping through the pages of my old photo album. And I guess what I have here is enough proof. Whatever it takes to fit in a crown? We need not to search too far because it runs in the family.

hahah! :]]

I'm putting MIA mode on a SCREECHING halt.

I know my blog is on the brink of accusing me of total abandonment for this month of May so to make up for the previous weeks that I've gone missing in action, I'll be posting two entries before May ends.

I just got back from the church and my hands are still throbbing from clapping too hard when our Parish priest finally announced the good news. It was exactly what most of us was hoping for. He's staying! Bishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle extends Rev. Father Leoben O. Peregrino's appointment to our parish- Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish Church for six more years effective May 22, 2009 to May 23, 2015. :]]]] This news alone completed my day.

**
My review classes for the upcoming board exam in October started on May 4th. This is the reason for my few weeks stint of taking a blog leave. So three times a week, I travel to Manila for my review classes. I already got a hang of waking up early ages ago so this isn't a problem. What annoys me is the heavy traffic that greets me during most mornings. :[[[[

**
On a previous post, I mentioned that I've read three non engineering-related books last April. My sister, Louise on the other hand is now reading the 7th book of the Harry Potter Series- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. That's her 7th book in a month's time! She's doing this 'Do Not Disturb' drama when she's holding a Harry Potter book and nobody can force her into putting the book down. Harry Potter had obviously worked his magic on my sister.

**
This week's highlight for me, was the back to back season finale of Suvivor Tocantins and American Idol Season 8. I've been watching Idol since Season 3. This was the season when Jasmine Trias became the very first Filipino ever to advance to the American Idol finals. From then on, I've seen Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, and my favorite, David Cook (I missed Season 6) bag the title on each season's much anticipated finale.

(photo grabbed from: www.tvguide.com)

I am happy about the latest season's result. Though I'd be much happier if Danny Gokey didn't get booted from Idol. (I was rooting for Gokey). I think Adam is an amazing singer, even better than the season's winner- Kris Allen. It's just that I like Kris better than Adam. It's usually a matter of taste, right? And Kris seemed more likable to me than Adam. Adam is a great singer, but I did not enjoy his type of music or his performances. There was a point when I even found him painful to look at. (Sorry.) I like to hear him sing, but I can't bear to look at him. I don't think Adam Lambert lost because he's gay and he has this weird thing over eyeliners. It's just that maybe, just maybe, there are people who does not prefer listening to artists who look like they're on the verge of tears at one point then suddenly scream and screech at you on the other.

Lesson: Being the judges' pet doesn't always pay off. And over the top theatrics with matching off-pitch screams hardly count as a contestant's key to success.

More pictures, less talk.

The rest of April has been a lot of fun. There were less bum days and I got to spend more time with few of my favorite people in the whole wide world- my beloved high school friends. Although we only get to see each other at least once a week this summer, the 'planning stage' of our next get together was enough to sustain my sanity and keep my excitement on a mile high during the remaining parts of the week. The 'planning stage' of our next get together is usually accompanied by my being stuck in my room all day, reading books I got hold of courtesy of Sharmaine. I am currently reading The Stolen Child, a novel by Keith Donohue. Before this novel, I've also read A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer and Book Two of The Bartimaeus Trilogy, the one entitled Golem's Eye. Meanwhile, most of my non-bookwormish days were spent with friends.



Last Good Friday, we spent the afternoon for a drive to Tagaytay City for another visit at Pink Sisters. This trip to Tagaytay is slowly becoming a ritual for some of us still living here in Cavite and still capable of meeting up given a very short notice. After visiting Pink Sisters to pray, we ate meal at Mushroom Burger before heading home.

on our way to Tagaytay City

at Mushroom Burger

My Easter Sunday was spent with Sharmaine with her good friend (now boyfriend!) Mark, her Dad whom she haven't seen for eight long years, and her Tita Tess together with her kids. Sharmaine and I relived our high school days at Enchanted Kingdom where she once spent her birthday back in senior year.

Mark, Sharmaine and I

Enchanted Kingdom, Sta. Rosa Laguna

meet my new boyfriend hahah :]

Sharmaine and I with Tita Tess and her Family

The following week, we met up again to quench the summer heat and get some tan. This time, Katrina whom we haven't seen for years joined in the fun too. This was a great time for catching up over lasagna and BBQ. We even got to spend time with Russell who usually skips trips to Tagaytay because of hospital duties.

with Shar, Emay, Russell


us! :]] rusz, jen, emay, carlo, kat, shar and I


well, I hope you're not trying to steal my boyfriend. hahah

Then last Friday, April 24th, we saw each other again in Dani's surprise graduation party in Makati City. This time, Mav became our latest addition to our small group of get together attendees. After our non-stop cam whoring during the party, we resumed catching up on each other's lives over a cup of coffee before finally heading home. :]]

reunited once again at ACCM Bldg. Salcedo Village Makati City

again

and again..

and again.. this time we're trying to be serious

later that night while doing some catching up :]]

I'll see them again this coming Friday. Now THAT is something to look forward to. I can't wait! :]]