HBD = HKD

Again, I celebrated my birthday, 04 June 2010, outside the Philippines. As early as 6:00am, my parents were already singing the birthday song from the hotel telephone as I was getting ready to take a bath. It was a work day in Manila but since I'm in Hong Kong for a convention and today is a rest day for us, it only means one thing - off to see the sights!

I celebrated my 34th birthday at the Happiest Place on Earth with my one of my cheeblings, Chloe. We had a great time despite the tremendous heat! Only problem was we missed our dearest brother, Reyboy, terribly!

This is my second time in Hong Kong Disneyland. My first visit was last year when I brought Yaya Helen to her first international vacation.

I had so much fun with Chloe and I know for sure she enjoyed the special day. It was nice being a kid once again and indeed, Disneyland is still the Happiest Place on Earth.

As we left HKD, it was too late for a birthday dinner so we just ate the goodies we got for dinner and had the famous egg tart as dessert. I'll have a big birthday lunch tomorrow - Chinese birthday lunch it is!

I would like to thank all who sent greetings through email, text messages, diverted calls and FB messages. I had fun on my 34th!

34th

I'm not really 34... I'm 25 with 9 years experience.

I'm off to the Happiest Place on Earth (specifically in the Asian region)!

2-0-1-0

Hope the New Year starts off with a blast! May We Soar to New Heights in 2010.

Through the Years

Friendships like ours, are not made in a day or even a year.
Friendships like ours, are built with long talks and revealing our true selves.
Friendships like ours, make us feel accepted and loved.
On your birthday, I want you to know I feel blessed to have you in my life.


I'm glad to have a wonderful friend like you. See you in June!

Fabulous Christmas

Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a holiday that's filled with cheer and a very happy, healthy, and peaceful New Year!

Ribs and Laughters

Since it’s the season for giving gifts and endless parties, for us, it is also a season of reunions and re-acquaintance with people we have not seen for a while. It has been years, I cannot even recall if it is five or six, but it’s been a while since we last bonded face to face. Good thing we have email, SMS and FB, the friendship is still intact.

The original date was weeks before but we had to reschedule because of the flu. We’re supposed to attend our HS reunion but conflicts on dates forbid us to attend. After a week of delay, we had our date set and ready for a night of chitchat and laughter.


For our date, we find La Maison Brasserie, a French Casual Dining Restaurant, in Greenbelt 5 an interesting place to eat and share good food. It was advertised as having the “best steaks” or at least something along that line.

First to arrive was the super trendy, Ms. Charito “Chato/Iking/Chamy” Gabriel, clad with her powerful Prada bag, Mikimoto pearls and of course, the Philip Stein watch. As always, Chato depicts the corporate banker type with elegance and character. I love her salt and pepper hair, suit her more compared to the highlighted do from before. She’s on the thin side nowadays but as I told her, adding a few pounds will do her good as well. As we were getting settled at our table, Chato bombarded me with tons of questions, I cannot help but look at her and go back to years back when we were still classmates in HS. I did miss her laughter, her antics and sarcasm and most special of all, her with and humor! Nothing beats Iking!

As we were waiting for our other date to arrive, we had to update ourselves and it was tiring yet fun. As the clock ticks later in the night, we wondered how come she’s still a no-show. I suddenly remembered she gets lost in the area. Tadah! She did!

The other Maria for the night is the very petite and cute, Ms. Rubyanne “Deng” Canasa, sporting a new hair color and laughing out loud that she got lost again within the Greenbelt 5 premises and having a hard time finding a parking slot. The ever conscious Deng is still the same, prettier in fact, as others say, the added years suit her best. She lamented on how hard it was for her to find a parking space for hours and it was a real laugh for us to hear her rant! Between the two, I have more contact with Deng through the years, but hearing her voice again, brings back memories.

We feasted ourselves with the house specialties and the baby back ribs were indeed tender and juicy as mentioned by some friends who already dined at La Maison. The service was good; very polite and helpful staff. The ambiance was quiet and comfy, stylish but relaxed. It is absolutely perfect for a date place. Overall, we really had a great dining experience.


Even though we missed my dearest twin, Mrs. Evangeline "Vangie" De Jesus-Cruz, the laughter and the voices were really ear-splitting with our own stories to tell and the tons of chismis with regards to our other class/batchmates. Just like in any occasion, we talked about almost everything under the sun. Next time around, we do hope to have Vangie with us - physically.


Much as we want to stay longer and chat, the night was almost over and everybody have her own schedules for the next day - getting ready for the last working day for the year and for flights to catch. After exchanging presents, kisses and hugs and tons of pictures, we said our goodbyes.

See you again soon, Deng and Chato! Hopefully with the rest of our intriguing classmates and friends! Oops, might be sooner, maybe along Harbour City Shopping Centre perhaps?!

Happy Valentine's!

We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.
- Author Unknown


Wishing you all sweet treats and fun surprises today and every day all year long.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Dragon in Me

Let us see what the Year of the Ox has in store for me…

Dragon Outlook for 2009

1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000

Dragon Overview
The year of the Ox may slightly hinder the Dragon's independent spirit. There will be gains, but you may have to adapt to situations with different strategies than your usual style. There are three favorable months to provide periods of substantial progress and you would do well to take notice of these times and make the most of the opportunities offered. You will have many situations socially that provide great joy throughout the year. The single Dragon will be happy to know that romance is favored this year, so you may find someone to share your experiences. Be conservative in your spending or it could result in problems next year.

Dragon Rating
40% (3 favorable and 4 neutral and 5 unfavorable months)

Dragon Career
The Dragon's career may be one of the more positive aspects of the year. This will be a year of reasonable progress. Even though the Dragon may have some distinct ideas on what you want to accomplish, 2009 will disclose conditions that you will have to adapt and overcome. You may have to adapt and work with others to gain what you want, rather than doing things in your own independent style. With care and effort, you can make considerable progress and improve your position, but your true gains will be with experience and skills you acquire this year that will prove invaluable in the future.

Dragon Relationships
The Dragon is a social creature and you will invariably relish in the company of others adding enjoyment and pleasure throughout the year. Your family life will offer the support and encouragement you need. You will have to pay attention to your family members feelings by using tact and discretion in vulnerable situations. By not doing so could deteriorate close relations. There will be a number of occasions that will allow you to add to your circle of friends. The single Dragon will be pleased to know that romance is favored.

Dragon Health
The Dragon has an active spirit and it is important that you involve yourself in a number of physical activities to maintain your health. You enjoy being outdoors and you might want to get involved with something that tests your skills and provides a change of scenery, such as rock climbing or hiking. Failure to remain active could result in added stress and emotional swings that could effect your work, as well as your personal life.

Dragon Wealth
The Dragon would do well to pull in the reins on lavish spending and take a more conservative approach this year. You may want to avoid any risky ventures or speculative investments in the year of the Ox. Failure to take care and caution this year could result in future problems. Keep a close watch on your financial situation throughout the year and you may find that you will have times when you can make purchases that coincide with your budget.

Wow… romance is favored this year, big deal or no biggie?! Let’s see! Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Cheers!

Hope this is the happy beginning of the most wonderful year yet!

Merry Wishes

Have a very Merry Christmas! May Our Christmas be Jolly and Bright!

For The First Time

It was a spur of the moment, fast-paced but fully-loaded dinner and it was their first time. Yes, for the first time in their lives, as they mentioned to me during our dinner, that it was their first time to eat in Glorietta 3 and in California Pizza Kitchen (CPK).


Maricel and Malou are friends and former officemates of Jannice Bautista-Vejerano. Jannice is my former staff in a former workplace and a friend and a kumare as well. I met Maricel and Malou through Jannice.



Maricel is an assistant of Jannice in CSM and I’ve met her since 2006 and then I met Malou during Jannice and Roger’s wedding day in December 2006. We bonded and both are such sweethearts.



Malou now works in a specialized school library system. Her only son, Aaron is such a cute boy and very playful. Just like Jannice, Maricel is also my kumare. We are both godmothers of Jannice’s son, Paulo Matteus.

I only had a few open dates before my winter holiday so when I had an opening and I can have dinner for a few hours, I called both girls and we met at Glorietta 3.


We had dinner at CPK and devoured the sumptuous BBQ Chicken Pizza, Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, Fried Calamares and Fettuccine Alfredo. Of course, we had to have dessert. Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae was such a treat and even both girls enjoyed their Raspberry Iced Teas.

I tried calling Jannice to join us that night but she won’t answer my calls. It would have been nice if she was able to join.

We had fun catching up with various stories and promised each other to visit once everybody is free. It would be Maricel’s birthday on January and she would love to have another get together.


We parted early that night, it was getting late as well and we live in different parts of the Metropolis. We exchanged Christmas presents and Malou even made personal Christmas cards and what’s written inside the card made me shed a tear.

Maricel and Malou – thank you so much for the laughter and the gifts. I’ll treasure all of them. Have a great holiday and see you soon!

Christmas is Almost Here!

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?
It came without ribbons. It came without tags.
It came without packages, boxes or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more..."
-Dr. Seuss

Wishing you all a Great Holiday!
(22 days to Christmas)

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

"Bless friends and loved ones, near and far, with all the nicest things there are."

Wishing each and everyone the happiest moments and warmest traditions during this holiday season. May Thanksgiving bring all good things to you.

Time to gobble!

On the Road

I am still in my one of my adventures right now and will be posting my pictures and stories soon! Wait for it.

I know you're waiting... you know you want it!

The History of Father’s Day

Contrary to popular belief, Father's Day was not established by Hallmark, American Greetings or others to grow the greeting card business. In fact, there were no Father’s Day cards when the holiday was contemplated.

Mrs. John Dodd, of Washington, first proposed the idea of a "father's day" in 1909. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife (Mrs. Dodd's mother) died in childbirth with their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children, by himself, on a rural farm in eastern Washington State. It was after Mrs. Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent.

The first Father's Day was observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane, Washington. At about the same time, in various towns and cities across America, other people were beginning to celebrate a "father's day." In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day. Finally, in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day.

Father's Day has become a day to not only honor your father, but all men who act as a father figure. Stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, and adult male friends are all honored on Father's Day.

Do reach out to those special men in your life – fathers, grandfathers and role models, who have helped make you who you are today.

Wishing you all and the special men in your lives a Happy Father's Day!

Women Have the Strength of Men

Women have strengths that amaze men....

· They can carry children, they carry hardships, they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy.

· They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous.

· They fight for what they believe in. They stand up for injustice. They are in the front row at PTA meetings.

· They stick a love note in their husband's lunch box. (If not – start doing it) They do without new shoes so their children can have them. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

· They love unconditionally. Women are honest, loyal, and forgiving. They are smart, knowing that knowledge is power. But they still know how to use their softer side to make a point.

· They are happy when they hear about a birth or a new marriage. Their hearts break when a friend dies. They have sorrow at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.

· A woman's touch can cure any ailment. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.

· She can make a romantic evening unforgettable. They drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you.

· The heart of a woman is what makes the world spin (and most men’s hearts spins as well).


Cheers to all the mothers out there!

Greatly Appreciated

For all you do, Gobbie -

For sending forms and fixing files,
Poring through the paper piles,
Completing tasks with time to spare,
Keeping track of what goes where,
Placing orders for supplies,
Staying calm when tensions rise,
Typing e-mails and reports,
Handling crises of all sorts,
Taking calls throughout the day,
And being great in every way...

For all these things and lots more, too, it’s time to thank and honor YOU!


Happy Administrative Professionals Day, Geraldine!

Happy St. Patrick's!

May God grant you always...
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel
So nothing can harm you...

Laughter to cheer you,
Faithful friends near you,
And whenever you pray,
Heaven to hear you.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

HVD!

Wishing everyone showers of love on Valentine's Day!

Six "Single" Ladies

As early as the last quarter of 2007, Kumareng April’s very excited for her trip back to Manila. We didn’t get a chance to see each other the last time April and her family went to visit in 2006 so I’m so eager for their next visit.

Before they left Vevey, Switzerland I already confirmed with April our date with other HSFs. Gladly, I called and informed a few HSFs and booked the date. She’ll have a hectic schedule with the family and we want to have a concrete date of our kitakits. January 3, 2008 turned out to be a memory-filled event for us.


Along with Mrs. April Daisy Tupas-Buenaventura and me, four more HSFs were able to attend. Mrs. Adina Benosa-Manansala, Mrs. Ruth Cervantes-Casiño, Mrs. Czarina Imperial-Cuenca and Ms. Agripina Banigoos completed our group. Yes, only six HSFs, I invited a few more but due to their work load and the traffic that day they opted not to attend.


Six HSFs is a good number. April was happy to see familiar faces after a long time of nil communication with other HSFs. Agripina who was back for the New Year from Malaysia was also happy with the dinner date. Much to our surprise, Adina was able to go with the permission of the very jealous husband (hihihi). Czarina was able to leave her kid with her Mom to enjoy a night with friends.

Even though we’re only six, the laughter and the voices were really earsplitting with our own stories to tell and the tons of chismis with regards to our other class/batchmates. Just like in any occasion, we talked about almost everything under the sun.


Much as we want to stay longer and chat, the night was almost over and everybody have their own schedules for the next day. After exchanging kisses and hugs and tons of pictures, we said our goodbyes.

To Adina – Thanks for everything. Salamat din kamo kay Alvin. Kitakits sa YM. Ilang talon ka lang sa akin ha.

To April Daisy – I’ll see you soon and kisses to your two cute boys, sama na si Francis. Let’s keep the communication lines open especially when you’re back in Vevey. Don’t forget my Bacci.
To Agripina – I’ll miss again your laughter; hopefully, we’ll see each other before September. Don’t forget the Malaysian chocolates.

To Czarina – Freshen up your IT skills ha para mas updated. Send our regards to Oliver.

To Ruth – A few more months and you’ll be closer to my home; more bonding time with my BFF. Did Elian love the “pabalot”? Give our thank you’s to Cong. Teddy for driving you all the way to MOA and having a picture taken with the group.


Dinner was very filling and with all the stories told that night it was way over board. Kailan na kaya maulit?