Don't Have A Cow, Man!

My love for the black-spotted farm milkmaid dates back to highschool at the height of the pig fad, when toys from OINK, the pink pig-dominated gift shop, were found sitting on every girl's bedspread. It was an "in" thing to own at least one OINK plush toy or pig printed accessory (at least where i came from!), that everywhere i turned there was a young girl toting a pink piggy! It absolutely drove me nuts! (No offense to those who still have and love their pigs...) But i wanted to have a cute farm animal to cuddle in my bed too, and pigs were definitely out of my list of choices. Then i saw the cutest, cuddliest bovine on a shelf at Gift Gate that i decided then and there that i had to have it -- along with all the other cute cows that ever existed (Only the black spotted cows caught my fancy, not the brown, scrawny cows you see in farms in the Philippines!). And that started it all -- first the cow toys just kept on coming, from stuffed cow keychains to gigantic cow dolls, to a selection of cow books, cow bed spreads, cow cookie jars...and the list goes on and on.

One of my most favorite cow piece in my collection is a 24" X 36" framed poster which continues to hang on our wall. I love the poster because it gives great and truly valuable advice on how to deal with life's ups and downs -- a cow's perspective, that is. Admittedly, though the list is mainly a variation of puns and silly clichés, they all actually make a lot of sense -- in my life, at least. I catch myself every now and then reading the poster to remind myself of the wisdom that my cows bring me (hehe). So here are a few of the pointers i picked up from my poster:

ALL I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE I LEARNED FROM A COW

• Always wake up in a happy moo-d
• Don't cry over spilled milk
• The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
• When you get hurt, turn the udder cheek and moo-ve on
• Seize every opportunity and milk it for it's worth
• It's better to be seen and not herd
• Honor thy fodder and thy mother
• Never take any bull from anyone
• Always let them know who's the bossy
• Cow-nt your blessings everyday
• And remember... life is easier when you take the bull by the horns

MOO!!!!

A Room With A View

Nicky's reaction to the scene: "Look ma, Papa God is greeting me a Happy Birthday!" Awww.....*sniff*

Sunset from the veranda

Back from a weekend of R & R, and i am obsessed with guilty thoughts of wanting to escape the reality of life back home and at the office for a week of absolute bliss at a beach resort (anywhere!), and never ever wanting to go back home! Being away even for just 2 days, and really appreciating the time away to just recover and be refreshed, was an absolute blessing. See, there are only three things in my life right now that i absolutely MUST indulge in when i am stressed, anxious and at my wit's end to keep my sanity and love for life -- a) Great food in a great restaurant, b) An overnight stay (at the least!) in a great hotel, and c) TRAVEL. By God's love and abundant blessings, i am grateful to be able to enjoy these indulgences with my family, the most recent being our trip to Subic.

It was Nicky's birthday weekend celebration and we opted to hie off to the beach and spend time away from home as a family, instead of the much-expected birthday party we originally thought of throwing. It was a great experience for all of us because it gave us a chance to bond, enjoy the place and relax. The best part of it all -- our hotel suite. Not a fancy suite that you would compare to a hotel in Makati or Manila, but a fantastic room with a heavenly view of God's majestic creation. The hotel we stayed at was the Subic Park Hotel which is only a little less than 2 years old, very modern, very clean and very AFFORDABLE! For half the price of a Deluxe room at the Mandarin, the Subic Park Hotel offers breakfast for 2 and a suite room facing the beach and the mountains surrounding Subic. Really a great place to stay with your family, friends or your "honey" because even the food is great and reasonably priced. PLUS, you get to swim at the hotel pool that has the sea, the mountains and the bright blue sky as your backdrop! It was simply to die for, considering that we really didn't go that far (or spend too much!) to enjoy a time of sun basking and chilling out.

Man, i'm so babaw, i swear! But with the harsh reality of day-to-day living that one has to face on a regular basis -- being a wife, being a mom, being a working mom and a working wife, running errands, meeting people, meeting deadlines, feeding the dog, feeding the family -- it wouldn't hurt to want more than just living your life, would it? Besides, all it really took was to ask for a room with a view;)

*Sigh*.

His Midas Touch

Today is a shining moment for my family and I because Nicky received his first honor award from his school, Virgin Mary Immaculate. It is the second gold medal he received at VMI, which made Allan and I twice proud of his achievements as a preschooler. Nicky is everything I had ever hoped for in a son, and much more than I had prayed for – he is intelligent, loving, sweet, thoughtful, well mannered, well-behaved, polite, obedient and extremely affectionate. I cannot ask for a better child to be my son because Nicky is the Lord’s ultimate blessing to Allan and I. So today -- being his day of recognition and this week being his birthday week as well -- I dedicate this entry to him, together with a favorite John Lennon song which I lovingly sing to him often, to express just how much he means to me.

(From top) Nicky with mom and dad; Our "champ" showing off his winning form; Nicky and his muse, Bianca.

Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)

by John Lennon

Close your eyes,
Have no fear,
The monster's gone,
He's on the run and your daddy's (mommy's) here,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy,

Before you go to sleep,
Say a little prayer,
Every day in every way,
It's getting better and better,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy,

Out on the ocean sailing away,
I can hardly wait,
To see you to come of age,
But I guess we'll both,
Just have to be patient,
Yes it's a long way to go,

A hard row to hoe,

Yes, it's a long way to go,
But in the meantime,

Before you cross the street,
Take my hand,
Life is what happens to you,
While your busy making other plans,

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful

Beautiful boy

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful

Beautiful boy

Before you go to sleep

Say a little prayer

Every day in every way

It’s getting better and better

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful

Beautiful boy

Darling,
Darling, darling,
Darling Nicky.

KOWABUNGA!

team-shoot copy
Originally uploaded by chrixean.

Recently had a photo shoot at a semiconductor plant for a client's corporate brochure. It was a fun shoot considering we had to wear these smocks -- which we fondly referred to as "ninja suits"-- the entire time. The team comprised of Allan and I, Emil (our photographer) and two assistants. Jennie, though not part of the day's shoot, had her chance to don the required attire at a previous meeting with the client (and i must say, the booties fit perfectly over her shoes that day! hehe). It was a really quick shoot (considering the ones we are used to which normally took an entire day) and it was all because, as our client put it, "they didn't need to show any facial expressions in their shots". So true! I could hardly even tell who was part of My Left Hand and who worked for the client. I'm posting these photos just for fun, and so you'll know what I'm talking about. As you can see, we have the ninjas in white and our "smurfette" client who was the only one in blue.

Go, Ninja! Go, Ninja! Go, Ninja, GO!

P.S. Click on the pic to enlarge and see the details and captions (liit e!)

Life's A Peach

Several times I've been asked by friends why I was named Peachy when my real name was far from sounding like its pet name (ok, no need to announce to the world what my real name is....) In one my cell group activities in Ligaya, we had an exercise where we had to research the etymology of our names for us to discover how God fulfills His purpose in us thru the name He called us. I did a bit of research (ok it was just a trip to my mom's room and a visit to the online dictionary) and found out what my pet name meant (never mind knowing the meaning of my real name -- let's just say it was a LAME choice of a name).

According to my mom, I was named Peachy because: 1) Her cousin's name was Peachy and this particularly Peachy was intelligent, beautiful and creative (hmm....did I exist in another lifetime? hehe), and she wanted me to embody these traits that her cousin possesed. 2) My face was the shape and the color of a peach the first time she saw me in the delivery room (aah....hmmm....) And then of course there is the dictionary meaning of peachy - (Cambridge Advance Learner's Dictionary) peach (EXCELLENT); noun [S] someone or something which is excellent or very pleasing; peachy INFORMAL - very good.

Looking back at the meanings and reasons behind I was called Peachy, I thought for a moment about what makes my life indeed, well, peachy. So I came up with a short list of just what makes my life a PEACH:

1. Allan and Nicky
2. My Left Hand Creative Solutions - Why? Find out: www.my-left-hand.com and www.sme.com.ph.
3. Cows - I have been an avid collector of cows since highschool. I have stuff that range from cow books, cow posters and paintings, "mooing" cookie jars, cow curtains, tablecloths... you name it.
4. Unicorns - I must say, I do love unicorns and i have statuettes, paintings, postcards and other small items that glorify the single-horned mythical beast.
3. Cibo Restaurant - I will absolutely DIE if I don't get to eat my favorite Pesto Genovese (please change noodles to Spaghettini) and a plate of Paté de Fegato (please make it Foccacia bread instead of Crostinis). Ask anyone, i could eat here every freakin' day.
4. Chicken Fajitas and Tuna Cream Spaghetti - A few friends have complimented me on these recipes i have so often whipped up for occasions and MWG meetings, and it has somehow become my trademarked meals. Allan doesn't seem to mind:)
5. Peach - of course, as expected, peach is indeed (no kidding!) my favorite color. It was even the color motif of my wedding! But due to changing times, i have grown to love variations of the color (Salmon) and have grown to love newer and flashier colors as seen in my work (Chartreuse and Summer Gold).
6. Fried Balut - YES! I love butter and garlic-fried Balut as an appetizer or even as ulam to any meal -- morning or night! YUM!
7. Beatles - May all forms of music be eradicated from the face of the earth, just leave behind the legacy of the Beatles' music.
8. Mashed potatoes - Actually, most things potato -- Smashed, baked, fried, gratin. I actually craved it the whole time I was pregnant, which justifies my ballooning to 140lbs on the day I gave birth!
9. Ukay-Ukays - The best finds don't have to be branded and expensive, believe me! My closet is practically overflowing with stuff bought in U.K. (hehe)
10. Shoes - I take after my dad with this one. I could live with just a white shirt and a pair of tattered, worn-out jeans that badly needs mending and washing. But I absolutely cannot live without buying a new pair of shoes. In fact, when I meet a person for the first time (the secret's out!), first thing I look at are his shoes.... then i decide on the person's fate in my life....(I'm sorry, i'm bad....:P)

Oh well, these are just a few of the things that make life peachy. I'm sure there are others that i failed to put on the list. So for friends and family who know me well, feel free to add to my list. You might know me better than i do! hehe.

What about you? What makes your life a peach?

P.S. Just a little bit of trivia for those who don't know me well - I don't eat peaches. In fact, any fruit other than a banana will never be in my meal plan.

If The Spirit Moves You

I am loving Marvin Gaye right now and have been playing his music all day on my Winamp, while I slaved over the layouts and logo designs I need to submit in the next few hours. Aaahhh..... love it with me, will ya?

LET'S GET IT ON
I've been really tryin', baby
Tryin' to hold back this feeling for so long
And if you feel like I feel, baby
Then, c'mon, oh, c'mon
Let's get it on
Ah, baby, let's get it on
Let's love, baby
Let's get it on, sugar
Let's get it on
We're all sensitive people
With so much to give
Understand me, sugar
Since we've to be here
Let's live
I love you
There's nothing wrong with me
Loving you, baby no no
And giving yourself to me can never be wrong
If the love is true
Don't you know how sweet and wonderful life can be
I'm asking you baby to get it on with me
I ain't gonna worry
I ain't gonna push, won't push you baby
So c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby
Stop beatin' 'round the bush
Let's get it on
Let's get it on
You know what I'm talkin' 'bout
C'mon, baby
Let your love come out
If you believe in love
Let's get it on
Let's get it on, baby
This minute, oh yeah
Let's get it on
Please, let's get it on
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby
Stop beatin' 'round the bush
Oh, gonna get it on
Threaten' you, baby
I wanna get it on
You don't have to worry that it's wrong
If the spirit moves ya
Let me groove ya good
Let your come down
Oh, get it on
C'mon, baby
Do you know the meaning?
I've been sanctified
Girl, you give me good feeling