Google yourself!

Out of boredom and lack of inspiration, I googled myself today. And what I found amazed, I mean, AMUSED me.

I found this site which has my profile. I didn't register for this site. I'm not even familiar with it. Hey, look at how the site described my "social influence."

Haha! I didn't even know I could "influence" others. Oh, well.

Then I found this, which I posted on the facebook page "Narinig ko sa UP (Overheard at UP)." It doesn't fail to crack me up. My boy is really hilarious.

Why don't you try googling yourself? Someone tried googling herself before and she found out that somebody has been badmouthing her. Try it, and surprise yourself. :)

Watch Up!

Seen at a Puerto Galera hotel.

Parenting 101: Burping

Alam mong nasa PNR ka kung…

Last year, I discovered the Philippine National Railway when the queues at the MRT were crazy, making my usually 2.5-hour travel to work longer.

I instantly developed a love-hate relationship with PNR. It’s like MRT, but not quite. Oh, the beauty of it!

So, pano mo malalaman na nasa PNR ka at hindi sa MRT o LRT? Alam mong nasa PNR ka kung…

#sa halagang Php10, makakarating ka na sa EDSA-Magallanes mula Tutuban.

#hindi token o magnetic card ang gamit mo para makapasok kundi isang ticket na gawa sa papel.

#pagpasok mo sa train station, hindi ibig sabihin hayahay na ang buhay dahil kailangan mong protektahan ang sarili mo sa init ng araw o sa patak ng ulan dahil wala naman itong waiting shed o kung meron man, kapiranggot lang.

#ang mga upuan kung saan ka maghihintay ng tren ay mga kapirasong troso lang na maaaring ikalala ng rayuma mo o ikamantsa ng uniform mo o ikapunit ng damit mo. Mamili ka na lang sa tatlo.

#dati, naiinis na namamangha ka sa mga taong tumatawid sa riles habang 50 metro na lang ang layo ng parating na tren. Ngayon, 10 metro na lang ang layo, tinatawid mo pa ang riles dahil pag di ka umabot, 30 minuto pa uli hihintayin mo bago makasakay.

#ang mga tao ay walang kyemeng umusog at magpakasya ng kapwa pasahero, di tulad sa MRT na nagsisigawan ang mga tao ng "tama na, wala na!" Ikaw ba naman sa kalagayan nila, pag di ka nagkasya, 30 minuto din ang hihintayin mo uli bago makasakay.

#kung ikaw ay southbound, iiwasan mong sumakay ng pasado 9:00 na ng umaga dahil sa malamang, ordinary tren na ang masasakyan mo. Makatipid ka man ng Php2 sa pamasahe, malaki naman ang tsansang matsambahan kang matapunan ng **** ng mga salbahe sa riles mula pandacan hanggang paco at hinding hindi mo ito gugustuhin.

#ang paalala na naririnig mo sa PA system ng tren ay hindi “Para sa inyong kaligtasan, maaari po lamang na humawak sa mga handrails,” kundi “mag-ingat po tayo sa mga taong mapagsamantala o yung tinatawag nating mandurukot.”

#hindi uubra ang iyong pagtutulug-tulugan pag may buntis na nakatayo sa harap mo habang ikaw na ay nakaupo dahil praprangkahin ka ng mga katabi mo na tumayo at ibigay dito ang upuan mo.

#pag ikaw ay babae, hinding hindi mo gugustuhing sumakay at maipit sa coach ng mga lalaki dahil kahit karamihan ng sakay nito ay yuppies ng Ayala, may ilang porsyento ding nakasleeveless lang na may bonus na basakil at hinding hinding mo gugustuhing ma-sandwich ng mga ito.

#kahit may aircon, lahat ng tao ay may pamaymay at pamunas dahil uso dito ang sharing, di ng pagkain o salita ng Diyos, kundi ng pawis at kung ano ano pang likido na nilalabas ng katawan.

*** to be continued

What Faith Can Do

"What Faith Can Do"

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes
And make a new beginning

Anyone can feel the ache
You think it's more than you can take
But you're stronger
Stronger than you know

Don't you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do

It doesn't matter what you've heard
Impossible is not a word
It's just a reason
For someone not to try

Everybody's scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It'll be alright

Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do

Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That's what faith can do)
When the world says you can't
It'll tell you that you can

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do
That's what faith can do

Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise

Parenting 101: Present Progressive

I am Johan's mom. Not the other way around.

He has more following on my facebook account than I have. Owe it to his mostly crazy, sometimes genius "hirits."

I'll be celebrating those moments here. Let's label them Parenting 101. Let's start with this one, when he was 8.

Those sad, pained eyes

We were 10 again. Back in Jolo, at Mohammad Tulawie Central School, where it all started.

You were 2nd in line. I was farther down. The teacher called the girl in front of you and the guy in front of me. "You'll be partners." Then she called Hope who was in front of the guy whom she earlier called. I was expecting her to be paired with you but the teacher just asked her to step aside.

Then she called you. Then me. We'll be partners. "Why us?" I blurted, referring to what just happened to us.

Then you turned around and looked me in the eye. It was you. But it wasn't the you I know, with smiling eyes and bubbly disposition. You were looking at me with those sad, pained eyes that pierced my heart.

And I woke up, still vividly seeing your eyes. The windows were shaking. The wind howling. Glenda has arrived. Willing all the things she could touch to fly, to rip, to die.

Fear gripped me. And I wasn't sure if it was because outside the four comforting walls of my apartment, people are holding on to their lives, or if it was those eyes torturing me with thoughts of final good bye.

Best friend ka ba ng best friend mo?

Break ups are devastating.

Unrequited love is, I think, even more.

Ano pa ba pwedeng lumevel dito? Sa palagay ko, pag ang tinuturing mong best friend, hindi ikaw ang best friend.

Naisip mo na ba yun? O nangyari na ba sa yo?

May best friend ako. We met in our freshman year at the University of the Philippines Diliman. She was so disciplined, so soft-spoken, so serious in her student responsibilities, so nice. I was the total opposite. I was a whack, carefree, loud in my own way, and was enjoying the newly found freedom too much, I never really cared about grades or the future. But we clicked.

She would always reprimand me about the simplest things. I just let it out the other ear. We shared dirty ice cream on buns at night outside Sampaguita Residence Hall. Feasted on green mangoes with bagoong on some days. Sit on the grass reading and me suddenly getting overly excited upon seeing Jessica Zafra walk by. She shifted course while I stuck it out as an English major, but we remained inseparable. She had her set of friends, I had mine, but at the end of the day, we still spent time with each other. She was my best friend. She saw me through the rough college days. And even more in the darkest moment of my life after college. She brought me to my maternity check-ups, cooked me meals while taking care of me during those times, was one of the first visitors at the hospital when I gave birth. But because she’s so nice, she is also everyone’s best friend.

We call ourselves “soul sisters.” She’s now married with a lovely boy. But through the years, the communication just got lesser and lesser. Before, we pride ourselves for being away for the longest time but when we see each other, nothing seemed to have changed.

Now, I text her a “happy mother’s day” with how are you’s and all. All I get is a plain thank you a few days after. I attempt to make “chika” but gets no answer.

Maybe I am not my best friend’s best friend. And it’s heart breaking.

Ikaw, best friend ka ba ng best friend mo?

Filipino Engrish for Laughs

These signages are just too hilarious not to share. I got it from http://tenminutes.ph/part-two-these-filipino-fail-signs-will-surely-make-you-laugh/.

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Fitness and heartbreak

It's been a while. No. It has been 2 looong years and I miss blogging.

Ngayong broken-hearted na naman ako, magbla-blog na uli ako. Oo, kailangan ko ng isang matinding rason para magblog. Haha!

Ako na si babaeng walang kadala-dala. Sa isang relasyong dapat pandalawahan, ewan ko ba at laging nauuwi sa tatluhan. Ang saklap. Pero para sa mga relasyong nagtatapos sa "it's not you, it's me," at "kung tayo, tayo talaga," may maganda naman naidulot tong bago kong kabiguan.

We met again at a time when I was soooo fat! I was at 173lbs. He was my first crush in Elementary School. I was his first love. It didn't work out in the past. We met 22 years after. Feelings flared and before we knew it, we were entangled in this wild kind of love but in a long distance set-up. Well, when I met him again, I decided that it was the perfect time to trim down. For myself. A few months before we met again, I realized that to be loved, you need to love yourself first. So for him and for love of myself, I went on a personal quest of being fit.

April 21, I decided to diet. Now, I'm 18 lbs lighter. Just look at these photos.

What's my secret? I started with a no-rice diet. I was a big rice eater--rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 1 cup is not enough. After 12 days, I already lost 10lbs! But I went on a plateau after a month. I continued with the diet but wasn't losing anymore. Before the 2nd month, I changed to the after-6 diet. No rice or solid food after 6:00pm. I lost more poundage.

Now, my lovelife is zilch. But I'm lovin' myself more. Is that a good thing? Haha!