Time Will Reveal

In August 1998, Allan and I got married under civil rites. It was a whirlwind romance -- we decided that we wanted to marry each other just 2 weeks after meeting for the very first time. Then just 2 months after that, Allan formally proposed marriage to me while I was confined at a hospital (for a thyroid illness). Not an ideal setting for such a romantic and momentous event, but very memorable still as he carried into my hospital room and handed to me a giant box (as in Balikbayan Box giant) with a huge bow. It was freaky at first, as I wondered whether a male stripper was due to jump out of it anytime (ok, ok…so I was hoping….). I opened this box and a dozen purple balloons float to the ceiling, all tied together by a beautiful diamond engagement ring! I said YES immediately! And boy did everything else come as quickly as well…

We announced our engagement to everyone and within just a week, my future in-laws came for the formal “pamamanhikan”. Then quick fast forward… we got married in civil rites on August 20, moved in together, then we went on to plan our much-awaited October church wedding. WHEW! Fast? You bet! Even we needed to catch our breath! It was more like a tornado romance!

This year, Allan and I are celebrating our 7th year anniversary (we chose our October wedding date instead so as not to confuse our families). Wow, has it been 7 years already? Looking back, I probably am just a teensy bit surprised that we’ve made it this far despite our very unusual beginnings. We started out as totally different people with different perspectives of how life should be. We had our fair share of ups and downs, and large doses of joys and letdowns throughout our marriage. We’ve had our fights and we’ve had our celebrations. But all in all, despite all our differences -- these past 7 years have been the most amazing years of my life! We’ve been through so much together, both happy and sad, and by God’s amazing grace, we now share a united plan and purpose for our life together and look forward to several more years of amazing and God-filled experiences yet!

To close, I would like to post a poem I wrote to Allan a month after we met (forgive me if it is not an astounding literary piece, but hey, it’s heartfelt…). I know it’s so cliché to say that with Allan, it was love at first sight. But it is true. I felt real love the moment i saw him. And I’m glad that he will be my only love for all of my life.

A crack in the mirror
Is what I see
Creating the distortions
In your image of me
A refracted ray
Blinds your eyes
To my iniquity, my vice
Yet beneath the glass
You saw right through
My soul, pale reflections
Somber tints and hues
A crack in the mirror
You failed to behold
Through polish and care
Crystals did unfold!
Illumination and color
Teemed your heart, your soul
Your love has endured
The hard biting cold
My defenses gave way
All barriers caved in
I surrendered my spirit
To this feeling within
Now you I have found
Whom forever I will trust
To clear the glass,
Rid the stain,
And mend the crack that never was.
-CMC April ’98-

Tagged Twice!

I knew it.... this thing is going around like a virus. There's no escaping it! I am once again "IT" and tagged by Jennie and Me-An this time. Hmmm... a revenge of some sort? hehe. Anyway, I am dividing the posts to accomodate their lists. Here goes:

JENNIE'S TAG:

1. WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR KITCHEN PLATES?
White with green trimmings. It was a wedding gift which we still use till now.

2. WHAT ARE YOU READING?
My HOW magazines for inspiration for my work, The Big Book of Corporate Identity Design, and several inspirational books – Heart After God Running with David by Luis Palau, Simple Living for Women, and Into his Presence by Charles Stanley.

3. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
I guess most computer store-bought generic mouse pads have this -- "Genius. Smarter Input for Smarter Output". Pretty exciting stuff.

4. FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
MAD

5. WHAT’S YOUR LEAST FAVORITE SMELL?
Farts! hahaha

6. THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?
What time it is.

7. FAVORITE COLOR?
Peach and Chartreuse

8. LEAST FAVORITE COLOR(S)?
Lavender

9. HOW MANY RINGS UNTIL YOU ANSWER THE PHONE?
Usually 2 rings if I heard it right away.

10. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME?
Hmmm….. If God gives me a second child and it’s a girl…. I’ll have to fit Dominique somewhere in it.

11. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA?
Both

12. DO YOU LIKE TO DRIVE FAST?
Only when I know the road is wide open and there are no cops hiding behind some post with a speed gun pointed at me. Got caught speeding and boy did I pay the fine!

13. THUNDERSTORMS - COOL OR SCARY?
Scary if I’m not inside the house.

14. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
A dark grey Lancer Box-type.

15. WHAT IS YOUR SIGN?
I’m half and half, depending on what newspaper you’re reading. I’m both Aquarius and Pisces. Which explains why I’m like this, hehe.

16. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS OF BROCCOLI?
Yup, the whole thing.

17. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY JOB WHAT WOULD IT BE?
My job right now as a graphic designer.

18. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY COLOR HAIR, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Dark blonde suits me well.

19. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
Nope, never. I have allergic rhinitis.

20. HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY?
Most of the time half empty….but I’m teaching myself to see it half full.

21. FAVORITE MOVIE?
When A Man Loves A Woman, Finding Nemo, When Harry Met Sally, Last Unicorn, Ferris Beuller’s Day Off, and others I probably can’t remember right now.

22. DO YOU TYPE WITH YOUR FINGERS ON THE RIGHT KEYS?
Just using three fingers on each hand. I never really liked ElemTyp and AdvaTyp in college.

23. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED?
Mostly junk that won’t fit into our closet spaces.

24. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NUMBER?
Don’t have one. Maybe 19? Since Nicky’s and my birthdays both fall on a 19.

25. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH?
Billiards

26. YOUR SINGLE BIGGEST FEAR?
SPIDERS!!!!!

27. PERSON MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND.
Russelle, Barbz…. Dunno for sure

28. PERSON YOU SENT THIS TO WHO IS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Depends really on who doesn’t have time at the moment

29. KETCHUP OR MUSTARD?
Ketchup

30. HAMBURGER OR HOTDOG?
Burgers for me, definitely

31. THE BEST PLACE(S) YOU HAVE EVER BEEN?
5-Star hotels anywhere

32. WHAT SCREEN SAVER IS ON YOUR COMPUTER RIGHT NOW?
Beach scenes

33. FAVORITE FAST FOOD?
Tapa King

34. WHAT IS YOUR BIRTH NAME?
Hay………Claudia……..ok, you can stop laughing now.

ME-AN'S TAG:

List 10 songs that you are currently digging...it doesn't matter what genre they are from, whether they have words, or even if they're no good, as long as they are songs you're really enjoying right now. Post these instructions, the artists, and the 10 songs in your blog. Then, tag five other people to see what they're listening to.

1. Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye
2. Time and Tide – Basia
3. Promises – Basia
4. All for Love – Color Me Badd
5. Someday – Sugar Ray
6. Am I the Same Girl – Swing Out Sister
7. The Love I Lost – Sybil
8. Over and Over – Nelly
9. My Place – Nelly
10. ALL BEATLES SONGS!!!:)

Ok, I don't know who else is left to tag after all the tagging that's been happening!!! hehe. So maybe, I will hope to tag again Russelle (har har har!:P), Barbz, Melanie, AnneMac and Ian (sorry!:P)

Here Comes The Rain Again

Rainy days are here again… and unlike some people who find such season cool, relaxing and nostalgic, I, for one, dislike the rain. Dark, gloomy and wet do not in any way spell H-A-P-P-I-N-E-S-S. I so relate with Karen Carpenter’s feelings for Rainy Days and Mondays – they both do not make the edges of my mouth turn upward. Rain brings back sad memories of running through puddles in the ground with my stroller being pulled behind me, peeking in between wet strands of hair and the plastic hood of my raincoat as my school bus pulls out of its parking space and drives off without me. SHUDDER. And of course, there were the nightmares of commuting in Manila during my La Salle days when I didn’t have a car yet. I clearly recall how I walked through the flooded Taft Avenue knee-deep in murky waters (and God-knows what else) just to hitch a ride from a friend in the College of St. Benilde. I ended up sleeping in my friend’s car because apparently there was no way for any car to get out of the building due to the rising flood.

Ok, so maybe that was a really bad case of rain… but it does have to start somewhere, right? I guess I’m really just a normal, ‘skip-and-a-hop’ kind of person who’d rather whistle to the tune of “Sunny days….sweeping the clouds awaaaaayyyy…..” under the clear blue sky and bright shiny sun, rather than curl up under blankets in an extremely dim room watching rain hit the windowsill. I like bright. Happy. Sun smiling. Bursting of colors. Energy.

And seeing that I have no control over the weather, the best thing for me to do is to counter the gloom with activities that will surely bring a smile to my face. Here’s a list of my Rainy-Day Gloom Remedies:

1. Eat yummy BOLA-BOLA CONGEE at Luk Yuen. It fits the weather perfectly, and yet the smell, the taste and the sensation you get after just seems to make all things right.
2. Drink hot ANTONIO PUEO cocoa and watch old Bugs Bunny cartoons on Cartoon Network. Ah… so warm… so fuzzy… so comforting…
3. Play board games like MAD, Monopoly and Sorry. Brainless fun is always the best kind.
4. Watch marathon episodes of Friends. Laugh! Laugh! Laugh!
5. Get a massage at the SPA. Nothing can beat the smell of wet soil than the aroma of massage oils and calming incense. Well, if you planned on getting wet, best to do it in a hot Jacuzzi, right? And while you’re at it, get a foot spa and pedicure. Just because the sun’s hiding, doesn’t mean your toes should too.
6. Sing VIDEOKE songs as long as your lungs hold out. I mean, it’s already raining anyway! So why worry about contributing to the bad weather? Get out those Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston song lists and sing your heart out! If the downpour gets really wild, nobody will know the difference between your song belts and the claps of thunder.
7. Play video games at TIMEZONE. Go wild and crazy with that Powercard! Swipe it dry!
8. Create a blog entry about Rainy-Day Gloom Remedies. Yes, it’s working already….

Now, what to do when it rains AND you get a power outage?

I’ll have to rethink my list…....... in the dark.

SH*T….

Now I'm "It"

I guess there is no end to a game like this. Ian was tagged, then she tagged me. Now I’m “It” and I have to answer these questions. Now, beware whoever I tag next! :-)

1. What are the things you enjoy doing even when there's no one around you?

• I read. Mostly art and design books. Sometimes I read novels, but in very small doses. When I’m lazy, I read interior design or women’s glossy magazines just to be amused or entertained.
• I play Sims 2. I enjoy building houses and filling them with really neat furniture. It's so relaxing to not have to think of anything else other than whether the sofa upholstery i chose will match the curtains i got...
• I have coffee at Cibo and brainstorm ideas for a project, or I do quick sketches.
• I surf the internet. I blog.
• I watch cable sitcoms and lifestyle shows.

2. What lowers your stress/ blood pressure/ anxiety level?
• Prayer.
• Marlboro Lights, a cup of Café Mocha or Vanilla Tea Latté and a good friend to converse with.
• Shopping for a pair of really nice and reasonably-priced shoes.

3. Tag five friends and ask them to post this on their blogs.
• Jennie, Barbz, Russelle, Mae-An and Melanie.

They Come In Three's

I had a really bad morning (Allan and i had one of our rare but serious fights -- *sigh*)

To make up for it, I decided to begin the main part of the day -- at least 2 hours, bathroom pauses included -- watching the Kevin Bacon 80's Classic, "Footloose" as part of a project I am doing for the Trumpets' musical with Jennie, Fides, Michelle and Julius (I must say, watching old 80's flicks are a good cure for the blues!). Then i did a total of 3 hours of actual work. Finally, I spent the rest of the afternoon just surfing the net and blog-hopping. Though i'm feeling slightly better, i can't say my thoughts are completely off the morning's bad start. Thanks to my friend AnneMac's blog entry called "Top 3", my mind was thrown off its present state and was kept entirely preoccupied with trying to figure out what my Top 3s were. So, swiping it off her blog post (Anne -- i warned you ahead of time, hehe), I am posting now my Top 3, er, anythings and everythings!


TOP 3......

Names you go by:
1. Peachy
2. Peach
3. Claudia (ugh…. ack….. urk….)

Physical things you like about yourself:
1. My eyes (I like the shade of brown)
2. My smile (i don't mean my mouth, nor my teeth -- just the over-all smile)
3. My feet (Not bad... could be better – just needs more trips to the foot spa, hehe)

Physical things you don't like about yourself:
1. My hair (can never seems to style it the way I want it)
2. My thighs
3. My skin -- my freckles, ugh!!! (tsk, tsk…)

Parts of your Filipino heritage:
1. Filipino
2. British (thanks to ol’ Charlie)
3. Chinese (with a hint of Japanese somewhere)

Things that scare you:
1. SPIDERS!
2. The feeling of suffocation
3. Not knowing God

Everyday essentials:
1. Definitely, my cellphone
2. My bible
3. My Mac

Physical things of the opposite sex that appeals to you:
1. Eyes
2. Lips
3. Nose

Favorite hobbies:
1. Shopping
2. Blogging
3. Oil painting

Things you want to do badly now:
1. Eat Pesto Genovese at Cibo
2. Go to the parlor for highlights and hair treatment
3. SHOP!

Careers you've considered:
1. Astronomer
2. Painter
3. Director

Places you want to go on vacation:
1. Europe
2. US
3. Australia

Kids' names you like:
1. Nicholas
2. Dominique
3. Keith

Things you want to do before you die:
1. Reconcile with the people I have not forgiven or who have not forgiven me
2. Dance ballet
3. Travel with my family

Ways that you are stereotypically a boy:
1. I don’t own any skirts
2. I don’t spend a lot of time staring at the mirror
3. I love the wild rides at theme parks

Ways that you are stereotypically a girl:
1. I cry at a drop of a hat when I feel hurt
2. 50% of my time is spent in a mall
3. Extremely conscious of my thighs!